text:
Abandoned hero
Published by Robert P. French on July 25, 2020 July 25, 2020
I really don't need this shit. Another dumb-assed meeting with my shrink I'm gonna be late for. I just want to go home, pick up Jill and the kids, and get out of town for a weekend at the cottage. The sidewalk is packed with plebs heading for the subway, tourists sightseeing, drones heading to business meetings and others I'm too damn weary to try and pigeon hole. I just want to scream at them to get the fuck out of my way.
God I'm tired. The dreams came last night. They brought everything back.
I see a break in the throng ahead, deke to my right in order to cut ahead and I almost trip over him.
He's sitting, cross-legged, with boots that don't match. His head's hunched over his coffee cups. One holds coffee; the other holds a pathetic collection of coins. But it's what's between the cups I can't take my eyes off. It's something I own. Except it's not mine; but it is a Purple Heart.
A sick feeling overwhelms me.
I'm not sick because he's an abandoned hero, thrown on life's garbage heap by an ungrateful government. I'm not sick because of the smell rising off him in the sweltering heat, though God knows I could be. I'm not even sick because he's making me later than I already am. I'm sick because he probably earned that Purple Heart.
I shake my head to dispel the instant replay of last night's dreams. I have to get out of here. I thrust my hand into my pocket, drop my loose change into his cup and hurry away.
"Thanks Skippy."
I slam into the wall erected by his words.
Only a handful of people know that nickname and only three would dare use it.
People push by me as I slowly turn.
He's looking up at me with that quirky smile on his face. He was smiling like that, sitting next to me in the Humvee just before…
"But you're dead," is all I can say.
"Apparently not." His tone is mocking.
"I saw you die. You're dead, Mason," I insist.
He pulls himself to his feet and limps towards me. His face paints the pain of every step.
"Yet here I am, Skippy. You didn't see me die. You saw me thrown out of the Humvee when the device went off. You saw Joe and Gamma gunned down as they tried to return fire. But you didn't see me die. You didn't see any of us die. You were too busy driving away."
"But I thought… I thought I could get help. I was trying to save you guys."
"Sure." He says it evenly. There's no malice in the words but I feel the sting.
"It was nine years ago. When did you get back?"
"A while ago."
"How come I didn't know. No one informed me. There wasn't anything in the newspapers. Why wasn't there anything in the newspapers or on the TV. MIAs don't just come back like that without a big fanfare. When exactly—"
"I've been back a while but the Army doesn't know. As far as them and the rest of the world are concerned I'm just another statistic."
"But how—"
He shakes his head and takes my elbow in his meaty hand. "Come with me Skippy," he says. There's something in his voice. It doesn't feel right.
"I, uh… I don't, uh… I don't think I can. I gotta go see my shrink. It's mandated y'know. I'm already late for—"
"You can see him later. There's something you need to know."
"You're in danger. A lot of danger. It's why I've been sent to get you. You need to come with me."
His words are like a snake slithering in my gut.
"What do you mean danger?" I think I'm keeping the rising panic out of my voice but I can't be sure.
"You need to come with me so's I can explain it all to you. It's a long story. It's all connected with what happened… over there." The hand clamped on my elbow leads me halfway down the block and into an alley. The alley stinks. It's the day before garbage day and a couple dumpsters are overflowing. In the building on our left is a side door. He propels me through it and I'm unable to resist. "There's somewhere in here we can talk. No interruptions. OK?" I just nod, suddenly unable to speak. He leads me down a hallway and it smells not much better than the alley outside. But it's cool and I can feel my sweat start to evaporate. We reach a staircase and he turns me towards it. "Up," he says.
I march up the first flight. We seem to be in an old-fashioned tenement. I didn't know there were still buildings like this in the city. The walls are shabby but clean. The smell in the air is now redolent of disinfectant. At the top of the flight I take a U-turn and walk along a threadbare carpet in a hallway lined with brown apartment doors, each bearing brass letters: 1A, 1B, 1C… I look back. He says nothing, just indicates with a flick of his head that we need to go to a higher floor. At the end of the corridor I do another U-ie and ascend the next flight.
On each floor, I hear the sounds of life behind the apartment doors. TV voices, music, the occasional burst of laughter, a voice raised in anger and the whine of a dog.
At the top of the sixth flight, there's no hallway. Just a grey door with a rusty iron bolt on it. I look back and he nods. Mason doesn't look like a man with an injured leg who's just climbed six pain-filled flights of stairs. I slide back the bolt and push open the door.
There is a shimmer of heat rising off the black roofing material.
I reminds me of the desert roads. The temperature must be a hundred up here, but sticky, not dry like the desert.
"Skippy!"
I turn to the voice.
Gamma is lounging against an air vent, his trade-mark toothpick jutting out of the side of his mouth. He's in uniform. Joe is sitting on the roof beside him. He too has his uniform on but the pant legs are empty. I flash back to a memory of bullets raking across his thighs.
I close my open-hanging mouth. "I thought you guys were dead."
"Uh-huh," Gamma nods.
How the hell did all three of them survive?
"What happened back there?" I ask.
"What happened?" Joe echoes. "What happened is y'all ran off and left us to die. Left us in the none-too-gentle care of a bunch of them Taliban savages."
I can feel Mason's huge hand on my elbow again.
"Why'd you run, Skippy?" he growls.
"Don't call me that."
"Why not? You skipped out on us didn't you?"
"I told you. I went to try and get help."
They are all silent. I look from one the other. No one meets my eye. They just stare off into the past. The silence gets oppressive.
"You said I was in danger," I say to Mason. "What did you mean?"
He shrugs. "We're the danger."
"What do you mean by that?" Even I can hear the squeak in my voice.
Joe chuckles. I turn towards him. "This here's a court martial Skippy," he says. "Y'all's. The charge is cowardice in the face of the enemy."
"But it wasn't my f—"
"And we find you guilty," Mason intones.
"Guilty," Joe echoes.
"Uh-huh." Gamma makes it unanimous. He steps forward and takes my other elbow.
I look to Joe. We were the closest. He can see the pleading in my eyes but he looks away. He straightens his back and, pushing down with his fists, he swings his body forward, plants his rump and brings his fists forward again and into contact with the ground in front of him. He repeats the motion and moves toward the edge of the roof, looking for all the world like one of those walking robots the kids have but with his trouser legs trailing behind him.
I feel the pressure of the hands on my elbows and, without being aware of walking, I follow Joe to the low parapet which encircles the roof.
"Guys," I say.
"Step up," Mason orders.
"Guys, please."
As one, they lift me up onto the grey concrete.
I look down and my sphincter clenches as I see the ants on the sidewalk seventy feet below my toes.
"Face the court, Skippy." It's the first time Gamma has spoken a complete sentence.
I turn with extreme care and look down at my comrades. Mason and Gamma are just one pace in front of me. Somehow Joe has hoisted himself up and is perched on the parapet beside my feet.
"Do y'all have anything to say before we pass sentence?" he asks.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know." The words start flowing, "I wanted to get help. If I'd got out of the truck I couldn't have done anything. I'd have been killed. I wouldn't have been able to help you if I was dead, would I? I tried to get air support but the radio was out. I tried, I honestly did." It's the argument I have been having in the dream and, just like in the dream, their faces are implacable. "I did good work after that. I was brave too. And I got the Purple Heart as well. I really tried… I…"
As my words mist over, my mind clears.
What was it Mason said? 'I've been back a while but the Army doesn't know.' So where did his Purple Heart come from? The one on the sidewalk between his cups. And I don't remember him picking it up.
Before I can ask about it, Joe says, "The sentence is death."
Mason and Gamma snap one pace forward. I hardly feel their hands on my chest as I topple backwards. "Look in our eyes as y'all die," Joe shouts cheerily.
As I fall backwards, I see my toes leave the parapet in slo-mo.
I focus up to look into their eyes and see them for the last time.
But there's no one there.
Categories:	Other writing


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Geeta's blog
Indian Culture and Tradition
Rajasthan The Land of Kings
Posted on 26th Aug 2019 2nd Sep 2019
The aim of creating this page is to show the beauty of India and its States. This page will be an open book with its history and its culture/religion. Through this page I will take you through the streets of Indian cuisine, tourism and most importantly the street food.
Indian history is divided in four categories: Ancient, Medieval, Early-modern and Modern India. In fact, India is world's second most populated country. Even first country with a vast number of different ethnicity, strong and rich cultural heritage. India is formed by the combination of 29 States and 7 Union Territories. Our culture and monumental heritage were originated and preserved by our ancestors from ancient period. Our culture is the root connecting us Indians with our culture perhaps from where we belong. The identity of India and every Indian is there Indian Heritage without which we Indians are nothing (nothing refers to our history). When it comes to culture and our heritage, we are possessed with our heritage provided to us by our forefathers and we keep intact our duties towards cultural ethics.
This land has various tradition and cultures with numerous people of different castes, religions, and creeds. Every religion has their own customs and traditions which are celebrated in the form of bright colors representing happiness, love and unity among the cultures. Every religion has its historical stories which underline their roots and are followed with strong faith and beliefs.
"India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history. the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most constructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only."
Festivals- Every religion has a story which is represented or celebrated in the form of festivals, traditional classical dance forms, classical music, Indian historical sculptures and various other forms of fork art work representing beliefs in God, nature, and charm/beauty of Indian women. Besides this, people not only have respect for their own culture but also, they respect other cultures and religions equally. So, that's the only reason that Indian heritage still exist and is preserved since ancient times. The Indian mother tongue is Hindi. Besides, Hindi as mother tongue every state has its own traditional or cultural language representing the beauty and respect of their cultural ethics.
http://www.excitingindia.in/
Indian beauty is represented by its different national symbols. Majority of worlds wild tigers are still alive in India; their numbers have increased to nearly 3,000 in 2019 but human-tiger conflict in India has also increased. The Bengal tiger is one of the IUCN-designated endangered animals. Maya, a Bengal tigress of the Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra. Indian flag is represented by three colors; Saffron, White and Indian green with navy blue wheel called Ashok Chakra in the center. The national emblem of India represents the day India became republic. Indian national anthem written by Rabindranath Tagore "Jana Gana Mana" is the national anthem of India. National bird of India is Peacock representing unity of colors. But Indian elephant is the national animal of Indian heritage. In fact, elephants in Hindu Culture are a symbol of intellectual strength, and sturdy earthy mental strength. It's a sacred animal and is considered as a representative of living incarnation of God Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity riding a mouse. Lotus is the National Flower of India.
Being a democratic country with parliamentary republic which has multiple party systems. It has seven authorized national parties in which Congress party acts as a left hand of India and Bhartiya Janata party (BJP) is the right hand excluding other 40 regional parties. Shri Narendra Damodardas Modi is the 14th and current prime minister of India. Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani Asia's 13th richest guy is from India. Apart from India top business man Ambani is an engineer, the chairman, managing director, and largest shareholder of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).
"India is a curious place that still preserves the past, religions, and its history. No matter how – -modern India becomes, it is still very much an old country" – a quote by Anita Desai.
Stay Tuned for the upcoming blog……..!!!!
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Categories Select Category About India (1) About Me: Personal brand (1) Indian Culture and Tradition (1) Jammu and Kashmir (1) Mumbai (1) New Delhi (1) Online Identity (1) Online Safety and Privacy (1) Participating in a Community (1) Protecting IP (1) Sikkim("A Window of Himalaya") (1) The land of kings (1) Uncategorized (1)
"The diversity of India, of our civilization, is actually a thing of beauty, which is something we are extremely proud of".
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I was curious. We are currently cycling a 28 gallon tank. It is a fish-in cycle with 6 tetras. We have been staying on top of ammonia testing and water changing. I didn't consistently do Nitrite testing so that may be my mistake.
I did nitrite tests on 2-27 and 2-28 and they were 0. The ammonia started at .25 then went to .50 and has stayed there fairly consistently with a 1.0 spike Sunday night.
So could I have just missed the Nitrite spike? I would expect the Nitrites to be > 0 when there is still ammonia but I am still really new at this.
I would test your tap water for nitrAtes, I hear it's not uncommon for tap water to have some in it.
Ok I ran that test you are right. There are Nitrates in the drinking water. So I assume I keep testing for ammonia and nitrites daily and just look for an increase of nitrates? Does that sound right?
Yah good call Laser, There tend to be many random things in your tap water. Even with these spikes, I wouldn't add any fish until your ammonia and nitrites are completely zeroed. I'm not quite sure where your skill level sits so disregard if you already knew. What are your nitrates?
Okay so your tank is not processing the ammonia and nitrites. I would keep on the process of cycling your tank, the ultimate goal being to get everything reading zero, except nitrates of course. Hope this helps!
How long have you been cycling? Typically the ammonia phase is first and can take 2-3 weeks on average; the ammonia spikes then drops. Nitrites follow and those can last 2-3 weeks as well. You still might be in the ammonia phase so just keep testing and wait it out a bit longer.


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Mom Is Ending After Season 8. Here's Why
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
By Agnes Erickson/Feb. 18, 2021 6:07 am EST
The CBS Network series Mom is set to end after eight seasons on air, according to Deadline. Eight seasons! In the sitcom world, this series can be considered a geriatric. The abrupt ending may come as a surprise to many fans considering the show has snagged two Emmy wins and five nominations. And, as of most recently, it was nominated for three Critics Choice Awards (via Deadline). There is no doubt the show is considered a success, but like a lot of things in life, even good things must come to an end.
CBS hasn't given any concrete reasons for the cancellation of the still popular show, but there are some pretty obvious motives as to why the network isn't pushing for it to go on. For one, the absolute star of Mom is the main mom, Allison Janney. And her contract is set to noticeably end at the same time as the end of season eight (via Deccan Chronicle). Untimely coincidence, or real reason why the show has been cancelled?
And even though the series is currently sitting at a comfortable spot on the ratings charts, it has experienced some major behind the camera drama this past year, too.
The show's mother-daughter duo abruptly became just one mother
Janney was left with some heavy weight on her shoulders when her fellow co-star, Anna Faris, the daughter of the show's mother-daughter duo, abruptly left six months ago to pursue other opportunities. "It's a huge loss for the show to not have Anna because she was part of creating a character, Christy, that everyone fell in love with, who was so lovable and warm and gullible and funny and we will miss her so much," Janney admits (via ET).
Mom's cast members appear to be just as sad as the show's fans. Kristen Johnston, who portrays Tammy Diffendorf on the series, shared her disappointment with her fans after learning of the show's cancellation. "Such a huge bummer. This show has been such a total joy & honor to be a part of," Johnston wrote on Twitter. "It's been life-changing for me to be on a show that's about recovery & women supporting each other thru thick & thin. Plus, 'Mom' has the BEST fans ever," she wrote.
There is no word yet if Faris will make a series finale cameo. But Johnston assures disappointed fans by sharing, "Well, we have a bunch more left in this season, it's not over quite yet," (via Twitter). Mom's series finale has been set for May 6 in its Thursday 9 p.m. time period (via Screen Rant).


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DoneDeal sponsoring Setanta Sports FA Cup coverage
Online classified ads site DoneDeal announced today that it's sponsoring Setanta Sports's coverage of this year's FA Cup.
The sponsorship will include DoneDeal stings throughout the broadcast of 30 live games. The official announcement was made this morning at Setanta Sports offices with the FA Cup on hand.
"There is a natural fit between DoneDeal and Ireland's leading premium sports broadcaster," said Irene Parker, marketing manager at DoneDeal. "We see the sponsorship of the prestigious FA Cup as the perfect platform to drive new traffic to the 60,000 listings in our cars section. This sponsorship is a key part of DoneDeal's 2015 marketing strategy to grow our motoring section."
"The FA Cup is the oldest and most exciting football tournament on the planet and we are thrilled to have DoneDeal be part of that in 2015," said Trevor Twamley sales director for Setanta Sports. "What better way to kick off the 25th birthday of Setanta Sports Ireland."


Each week a quote is selected and displayed in our classroom. As a class, we read the quote and discuss what we think the quote means and what it means to us.
This week a student, Maxwell, suggested a quote. The quote was, "To love is nothing, to be loved is something, but to love and be loved is everything" We read it as a class and did not all agree that "to love is nothing." We decided to make some changes to the quote to reflect our beliefs and wrote the quote above. Thank you for the suggestion this week Maxwell!


As they walked up the path towards the foreboding house, the clouds seemed to get darker and the wind swirled dead leaves around. Britta had never seen dead leaves anywhere else. New World was in the middle of summer, except for here.
She would have assumed it was the devs adding little touches to their haunted house theme, but she wasn't sure they had anything to do with this place.
"I'm sure you'll be able to handle anything in there," said Britta.
That wasn't what Britta wanted to hear. Having a muscle-bound pro with her should have made this easier. Monsters, they could have handled. The creaky rope swing hanging from a dead tree was a different proposition altogether.
It's a game, it's not real, ghosts don't exist, Britta told herself. It didn't make the prickling sensation running up and down her spine go away.
"Oh-no-please!" shouted Britta as a hand grabbed her from behind.
Britta calmed herself. The house sat waiting for them. The windows were dark and covered in dust. They reached the door and a wolf howled. A wolf? In the middle of town? The devs had to be responsible for that.
There was a small brass knocker on the door.
"You should knock," said Diana, nervously looking around.
The knocker was quite high up, but Diana was staying resolutely behind Britta. Some bodyguard she was turning out to be. Britta sighed and stretched up on tiptoe. She just about managed to flick the knocker. Somehow, that slight movement was enough to create a booming sound that echoed inside the house.
Both of them jumped back and held onto each other. Well, Britta held onto Diana's leg, and Diana grabbed the top of Britta's head.
The door began to open, making the loudest creaking sound any door had ever made. It was ridiculous, and it went on and on. Eventually the door opening was wide enough for a head to poke out.
Britta and Diana held onto each other even tighter. A hideous face loomed out of the dark interior, with two bulging eyes peering through unruly white hair.
"What do you want?" said the old woman.
"Is this… erm, are you the Alchemist?" Britta managed to ask through Diana's fingers. There was a good chance if Diana got anymore worked up she would pop Britta's head.
The old woman's gaze intensified. She appeared to be looking over Britta's head, and then over Diana's.
"I… I think she just looked at our name tags," said Diana in a whisper. Players could see each other's tags, but NPCs couldn't. Not normally.
"So you know what it is?" asked Britta excitedly.
"Answer the question," screamed the Alchemist, making Britta and Diana jump.
"Oh." The woman seemed to shrink to a more manageable size. "You better come in then." She turned around and walked away, quickly disappearing into the gloom.
"You go first," said Diana. Britta was about to suggest a bigger person up front might be the better idea when a shove sent her stumbling into the house.
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dark. There was nothing particularly unusual about the interior. Rugs on the wooden floors, pictures on the wall. A small staircase led up. No sign of the old lady.
"Down here," called out a voice.
A hand grabbed Britta and she nearly wet herself.
"I think she's in the basement," said Diana.
They crept forward over creaking floorboards. Everything that could make a noise did so, in full Halloween-mode.
The door under the stairs was open. A green glow flickered from below. They tentatively made their way down.


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PG History Seminars
Dear History PG students and supervisors,
Once again, this coming semester the department of History is pleased to run a number of fortnightly advanced postgraduate seminars for your benefit. Chin Jou and Julie Smith have also kindly offered to open up their Honours Seminars to any postgraduate students wishing to audit them. We recommend and strongly encourage all PG students to attend at least one of the other seminars on offer. You might want to consult with your supervisor about the best choice for you. In addition to these seminars, students are also welcome and encouraged to attend the American Cultures Workshop at the USSC. Details for this is listed below.
NOTE: First year students should attend Chris Hilliard¹s weekly seminar, and not the other seminars (you will have already been contacted about this).
We are also opening up the "Finishing the Thesis" workshop to interested students. Places are limited though, so please do contact me if you are interested.
Once you have chosen a seminar, please contact the coordinator, who will shortly send further details, including the room in which to meet and the full schedule of meetings (if not already listed below). Please take careful note of the start dates listed below and get in touch with the relevant coordinator ahead of time  especially the seminars that start next week.
Any questions about all of this, please let me know.
Mike McDonnell
PG Coordinator
ADVANCED POSTGRADUATE SEMINARS
Reading Evidence in a 'Post-Truth" Age
Associate Professor Julia Horne
Julia.horne@sydney.edu.au
Wednesdays, 3-5 pm
Start Date: March 15
Christopher Hitchens wrote of George Orwell's determination to seek "elusive but verifiable truth". But how do historians approach truth, and how do they verify the elusive? This postgraduate seminar explores the use of evidence in history, the idea of historical truth, and the theoretical, ethical and methodological hurdles along the way. Key readings include those by Timothy Garton Ash, Northrop Frye and Joan Scott along with others on critical evaluation, the socially constructed archive and the history of the footnote.
Seminars will be held 3-5pm fortnightly on Wednesdays from 15 March.e
Modern International History
Dr. Jamie Martin
Jamie.martin@sydney.edu.au
Tuesdays, 2-4 pm
This seminar offers a grounding in new approaches to the study of international history. It has two major aims: first, to introduce students to international history as a historiographical field, one that has focused largely on Europe and its relationship with the wider world since the early nineteenth century; and second, to consider international history as an approach to historical scholarship that has applications in many different geographical and thematic sub-fields. It will look, in particular, at new works in international history — both European and non-European — and at methodological debates about writing the history of international institutions, empire, and global capitalism. It also will look at the relationship between international history as it's now practiced and the methods of diplomatic and military history that once dominated the writing of European history.
Historical and Anthropological Approaches to Food and Eating
Dr. Chin Jou
chin.jou@sydney.edu.au
Mondays, 2-4, Bosch 192
Start Date: March 6
Food has been central to lived experience. It has shaped history through events and phenomena such as famines, uprisings, imperialism in search of commodities and markets, and population surges though more efficient methods of agricultural production. It has informed the development of structures of labour along lines of race, gender, and class; it has, of course, also been an essential part of daily life. In this seminar, we will consider examples of how historians and anthropologists have written about food and eating in order to illuminate broader historical developments, social relations, and identity. Readings will cover a variety of chronological and geographic contexts, although a disproportionate share of readings will focus on the United States since the early-twentieth century.
NB: If any PG students are interested in auditing the seminar, please advise them to email me ASAP, because there are required readings for the first week (i.e. this coming Monday). Although one of those readings can be accessed online, there is a reading that I would need to email them.
Reading Travel Writing
Dr. Julie Smith
julie.smith@sydney.edu.au
According to Mary Carruthers [The Witness and the Other World], "The travel book is a kind of witness". However, witnessing and ways of seeing are culturally and historically inflected. For centuries, travellers (whether explorers, pilgrims, ambassadors, merchants, missionaries, tourists) have related their experiences for a variety of audiences, and have claimed authority as eyewitnesses, "I have seen". Thus travel writing cannot be satisfactorily understood unless it is historicised against contemporary understandings of visuality, of ways of seeing. If travel writers from other places and times were seeing for others, how should this inform our reading of their works? The seminar readings and discussions will take into account matters such as author-audience relations, geographical knowledge, gender, faith, cross-cultural contacts. Individual projects will offer opportunities for students to study travel writings and eye-witnessing from their particular research field and period.
American Cultures Workshop
Dr Alix Beeston, Research Fellow, United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney
Dr Lucas Thompson, Research Fellow, United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney
americanculturesworkshop@gmail.com
Wednesdays, 5:30-7:00 pm
Becoming a Historian: First-Year Introductory Postgraduate Seminar
Professor Chris Hilliard
Chris.hilliard@sydney.edu.au
Mondays, 2-4pm
SOPHI Common Room
Start Date: Monday, March 6
Finishing the Thesis
Associate Professor Michael McDonnell
Michael.mcdonnell@sydney.edu.au
Wednesdays, 3-5pm
Start Date: Wednesday, March 22
Please note: this seminar is open to PhD and MPhil students who are within a year of submission. Places are limited so please contact Mike if you¹d like to join.
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Calipso, introduced in 2017 in the ceiling version, comes to life thanks to a calculation algorithm that starts from a photo of the moon. The result is a fractal shape, a non-pure geometry that displays the irregular beauty of nature.
Lots of small circles with varying diameters are arranged side by side with precision to produce an organic set. This grid gives Calipso its aesthetic and optical character, while defining a comfortable, non-glaring emission with UGR19. Calipso is a highly emotional lighting object that joins together optical and aesthetic intelligence. While its performance is ideal for office use, it moves away from the traditional look of technical appliances designed for work environments. Calipso is a product perfectly half-way between home and professional use, suited for a variety of application fields according to the traditional approach of Artemide to high performance lighting, yet with a unique and emotional expressiveness. Artemide was one of the first lighting companies to bring design into office lighting. Neil Poulton was among the most effective designers at interpreting, with Artemide, this idea as early as about 20 years ago, when he designed the Surf system, still included in the catalogue with renewed performances but the same simple and elegant language.
Artemide starts from the ceiling version to introduce the same geometry for the suspension version, as well as an innovative straight module that comes in different lengths. Available in the suspension and in the ceiling version, it is offered as a stand-alone element or as part of a system that can be expanded in a linear way or produce geometries by means of a joint that integrates continuously into the geometric and luminous pattern of the holes to allow joining each two modules at 90° angles. In this case too the pattern of the grid's holes characterizes the product from the optical and aesthetic viewpoint. The result is an all-purpose appliance that supports work-place lighting in compliance with rules, while also providing perfect quality of light in places where glaring and luminance parameters are usually not binding or prominent in choosing. Calipso bears evidence of the optical skills of Artemide, as well as of a manufacturing intelligence that translates design complexity into utmost flexibility and simple composition.
Artemide has furnished a new build on the banks of Lake Neusiedl with remarkable lighting technology.
The former worsted yarn spinning mill in Brandenburg an der Havel is in for a makeover – the brick building is going to be home to studios, office space, a children's daycare center, and some unusual apartments.
Yes, I accept that my data will be sent to the manufacturer Artemide to process my request. I can revoke this consent any time.* Please agree to the transfer of your data to the manufacturer so he can fulfill your request.
Yes, I accept that the manufacturer Artemide may save my data for marketing purposes and is allowed to contact me. I can revoke this consent any time.


If your car floor mats are subjected to heavy weather and muddy boots, or if you take your vehicle to shows, you'll need to upgrade them. There are two different kinds, rubber, and carpet.
Rubber mats are easy to clean. Just wipe down with a damp cloth, and they're good as new.
The 2019 Jaguar XF is a popular technology-rich vehicle that comes in full-size sedan as well as wagon trims. Whichever trim is in play, the Jaguar XF can extend driver capabilities. Some tools that accomplish this mission are proprietary Jaguar In control technologies as well as driver awareness enhancers.
Choice is one thing that can make a vehicle more attractive. One of the impressive aspects of the 2019 Jaguar XE is that it offers a lot when it comes to options for the interior. You get to choose the type of seat that you want which will make the experience even more fun.
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Yearly cash, what should I do with it?
Discussion in 'NDS - Flashcarts and Accessories' started by DSGRIM, Jul 11, 2007.
What should I spend the 170$ on?
I am turning 18 and I have had a DS since 04. I have an R4/Supercard Adapter (1g SD card in both). What should I do with the cash? Basic frivolous birthday cash that I can spend on what ever.
A question to the yearly iPhone customers here.
Verizon Wireless - Yearly upgrade?


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text:
New Liz Shaw tale proves a winner so far
A pleasing review has appeared for SENTINELS OF THE NEW DAWN, the 'Companion Chronicle' Dr Who audio drama I recently penned for Big Finish.
The author of said review is Stephen Theaker, writing on his blog:
THEAKER'S QUARTERLY AND PAPERBACKS.
The story concerns Liz Shaw, the Third Doctor's first companion, so admirably played by the cool and sexy Caroline John (pictured, in her heyday), and goes into a little bit of detail about why, back in the early 1970s, she left UNIT and the Doctor's side after a relatively short stint. Caroline performs this story as well, alongside Duncan Wisbey, and does another very smart job. The tale itself is a prequel to LEVIATHAN, a full-cast audio drama Sixth Doctor adventure, which I wrote in 2009, having adapted it from an original but never-screened TV script written by my late-father, Brian Finch, in 1984.
New Dawn are an organisation of political and cultural idealists, whose philosophy is based on a strange combination of modern environmentalism and medieval feudalism, but they are so ruthless that they seek to impose their new order by non-democratic means and think nothing about enforcing it with an array of biomechanical monstrosities.
Anyway, here are some details from Mr. Theaker's review:
It's a brave writer who asks an English actress with a plummy accent to perform the dialogue of an African dictator (this one plays a crucial role in the plans of the New Dawn), and a braver actress who accepts the challenge, but if that's all this adventure is remembered for it would be a shame. Caroline John's Pertwee isn't perfect either, but there's never any doubt that we are listening to Elizabeth Shaw. There are interesting reflections from Liz on why things didn't work out for her at U.N.I.T. – the Doctor's life is simply too intense for an ordinary human – and we realise how little she got to know him – she doesn't really know which way he'll jump with regard to the New Dawn.
The two-episode structure of the Companion Chronicles once again proves a triumph, these two episodes squeezing in so much more than was usual for Liz's period on the show. The Doctor is for once allowed to be as clever as he really is – there isn't a lot he can't sort out in an hour-long adventure when he puts his mind to it!
At the risk of blowing my own trumpet too much, these kind words sit rather nicely with other positive comments recently posted about SENTINELS on the excellent Dr Who forum, GALLIFREY BASE:
A very solid story from anera that's often overlooked. It's good that BF remains true to this earth bound era, and whilst parallels can be drawn with Inferno in moving the story on, this is a story that could easily have appeared on TV. Perhaps of some most recent Companion Chronicles this remains truest to it's television counterpart.
Listened to this whilst shoping in Sainsburys, and loved it, (it really transported me away from the screaming brats and chavy mothers that shop in my local branch!!) Wonderful to hear Caroline John again on these companion Chronicles, and agree with coastalbloke that this era is a little overlooked by the range, maybe because of the non-availablity of artists, I would love to hear one with Liz and Jo together, (but maybe if I want one like that I should write it!) 9 out of 10 for me, should be lower I fogot half my shopping and picked up stuff I didnt need too!
I quite enjoyed this, it was very evocative of the era, and combined with the present-day narration, just felt right.
The Power of Three - 26th Installment
Yep, it's Friday morning and it's coffee break time again. So here are my thoughts on three more of the best horror stories ever written. Once again, I assure you there are no hidden themes or shared subtexts here, even though there does appear to be a 'life after death' thing going on with at least two of them.
As always, these three names came out of the hat entirely by lot. People who read this column regularly are actually stopping believing this, as they say that if I was genuinely picking stories from my 'best ever' list at random, then I would surely have doubled up on several authors by now. It surprises me a little that I haven't, as certain weird wordsmiths figure on my list many times over, but no doubt at some point this discrepancy will be rectified.
For the moment, you'll just have to be patient with these three. Hope they stir some dark memories for you all, and if not, hope they inspire you go out and seek these dark deliberations so that you can find out what all the fuss was about.
The Harrowing Stone by Ben Leech
A selfish academic dreads the forthcoming death of his wife from cancer, as he fears being left alone. Then he hears about a mysterious monolith in a Scottish glen, which has the power to heal. There is one problem – life can only be saved if another life has first been given.
Not just a harrowing stone but a harrowing tale, as we witness a juxtaposition of two nightmarish possibilities. The slow, agonising and all-too-real wasting to death of a loved one in the grip of terminal cancer, or the devil's bargain of using pagan magic to restore health even though you know a demonic price will be exacted. It almost seems tasteless in some ways, contrasting tragic realism with high-faluting fantasy, but the deed is done with such skill in this tale – the real and the fantastical blended together like two halves of a single, very real whole – that you can't help but be mesmerised as developments unfold. At no stage does it feel like we're in a fairy tale here. Okay, we're dealing with spells, and highland mist, and enigmatic standing stones, but it is all so powerfully portrayed that the dark force of fatal illness is easily given a run for its money by the even darker force of the netherworld. This story also poses some fairly serious questions: how far would you go?; who would you be prepared to sacrifice? And in the time-honoured tradition of great horror fiction, it offers no easy answers.
First published in SCAREMONGERS, 1997.
The Bird by Thomas Burke
Captain Chudder, a brutal seaman, leads a vile existence. Constantly drunk and violent, he is particularly abusive to a young Chinese boy whom he keeps locked in his cabin. The boy escapes and vows revenge. But he hasn't allowed for Chudder's pet – a large white parrot possessed of a devilish intellect.
Even disregarding the issue of child-molestation, this was a shocking story when first published. Chudder is utterly odious as a character, not just because he lacks any redeeming features but because he also lacks any of the romance normally associated with villains in Gothic fiction: he is neither handsome nor cunning nor independently wealthy. He is simply a boorish lout of the sort to be found in any real-life dockland slum. Burke often located his tales in London's depressed Limehouse district, rarely depicting it in a positive light, though often he half-concealed its grime behind a mirage of Oriental mysticism. Not so in this case. Here, Limehouse is a river-side sewer filled with taverns, brothels, opium dens, and human garbage of every sort. It is a picture of Hell on Earth long before the reader even has a chance to absorb the interwoven subtexts of sexual abuse and of course racism (the interracial relationship between Chudder and the Chinese boy caused as much of a scandal as the obvious implication of homosexuality, never mind the under-age abuse). Of course, the story is written with Burke's usual eloquence, though not to the point where it detracts from the squalor, or the steadily more sinister presence of the story's main 'pulp' element – the bird!
First published in LIMEHOUSE NIGHTS (pictured), 1916.
Watchers At The Strait Gate by Russell Kirk
It is midnight when Father O'Malley, a tired old priest, is disturbed in his isolated presbytery by a hulking tramp who wants to make a confession. The priest is afraid but knows he has a duty to all wretched souls. The tramp then confesses to murdering six men and announces that he will now show O'Malley the way to salvation.
Russell Kirk reveals his strong religious faith in this powerful dissertation on love, hate, fear and redemption. Simply because of who the author is, we're in no doubt from the outset that there will be a supernatural twist here, but the growing sense of dread as the veteran clergyman marches through the darkened church to the confessional, a gigantic brutish shadow behind him, is literally palpable. Needless to say, there is far more to this story than mystery and suspense. Kirk's elegant language perfectly enshrines his complex ideas about morality and responsibility and ultimately the price we may all have to pay for a lack thereof, and is filled with classical and theological allusions and references. The hard-edge of reality is never far away of course. We are also immersed in the misery of the underclass, especially as seen from that uniquely American perspective, where life is a void filled with flophouses, prisons and cheap bars, and where 'the Watchers', the dark wraiths of human failure, are never far away. All in all an exquisite ghost story, beautifully written and deeply affecting.
First published in NEW TERRORS 2, 1980.
UK release dates for THE DEVIL'S ROCK
I'm delighted to announce that we at last have the UK release dates for my new horror movie, THE DEVIL'S ROCK.
There is to be a limited cinema release on July 8th, alongside a simultaneous VOD release.
Don't ask me exactly what 'limited' means, but suffice to say that it won't be screening all over the country. Which theatres will actually pick the movie up, I don't yet know, but I'll inform everyone as and when.
However, there is no need for tantrums. Those who don't get to catch the movie at the flicks will only have to wait a couple of days. Because the movie will be issued on DVD all over the UK on July 11th.
A nerve-wracking time now follows for me. I've had one movie cinematically released in the past - that was SPIRIT TRAP back in 2005 (that only got a limited release too, but mainly did its business on DVD) - so it's a familiar sensation, this sense of powerlessness as you wait for the movie-going public to get their mits on what you hope will be seen as a masterpiece. But it's an exciting time as well. Believe it or not, I haven't yet seen a finished cut of the film, so I'm more than a little bit curious myself.
In case anyone missed it the first time round, here's a link to the movie website and the trailer:
http://thedevilsrock.co.nz/
Pictured above is another scene from the film. Kiwi commandos Ben Grogan (Craig Hall) and Joe Tane (Karlos Drinkwater) enter the enmey compound under cover of darkness, unaware just how terrible a foe awaits them there.
Gina shows a nice face and a scary face
You folks may be interested in a nice little TV interview with Kiwi acrress and star of THE DEVIL'S ROCK, Gina Varela (pictured here cooling off, but still looking hot). The interview comes to us courtesy of New Zealand television, one of whose news crew caught up with the film crew, and Gina in particular, at Cannes during the festival.
For my own part, it's a strange twist of fate that I came to write a New Zealand horror movie when I was born in the UK and still live here. I've sold a few books in the Southern Hemisphere, and have appeared in several Australian anthologies, but I never thought I'd end up working for a film company located down there.
I can trace it back to my very first contact with director Paul Campion (who has dual British/New Zealand citizenship), when he was looking to make a low-budget horror movie set in London. But the way things have developed since then is quite startling.
THE DEVIL'S ROCK is actually the third movie Paul Campion and I have worked on together, and more may now follow as, in the inimmitable style of the Cannes Film Festival, much business was done and more projects plotted, at least a couple of which have already attracted strong interest from the powers-that-be in New Zealand.
I know it's an oft-quoted phrase, but with regard to this particular matter I can only say 'watch this space'.
With regard to THE DEVIL'S ROCK meanwhile, the good news is that we now have a release schedule for Britain, which will be some time in early July. No firm dates as yet (again, 'watch this space'). As to how many cinemas will take the movie, that's a question I can't yet answer, but keep checking back in - it could well be at a cinema near you.
Here's another trio of terror with which to disturb your Friday morning coffee break routine. Possibly you'll remember all these three from tremulous times past, but if you don't I've hopefully whetted your appetites to go out and look them up.
Again, all three of these classic chillers were chosen entirely at random. I assure you it's completely coincidental that this week's selections include two authors who were also famous for their children's writing. That was not intentional in any shape of form (Do you think I'm playing games here?) Not that there is much that is child-friendly about the tales I've chosen today.
Happy recollections …
Sardonicus by Ray Russell
A London neurosurgeon travels to a castle in Bohemia, where his former sweetheart is married to the local count, a one-time pauper who found wealth by digging his father's rotting corpse from the grave to retrieve a winning lottery ticket, but in the process so shocked himself that he now wears a perpetual demented grin.
Possibly the most gothic of all gothic stories, not least because it introduces to us one of horror fiction's most memorable madmen, and also because it literally puts Grand Guignol on the printed page. The condition Risus Sardonicus is actually real, so no matter how horrible this story becomes it's based on a kernel of truth. Yet the real monstrousness of the character Sardonicus stems not from his gargoyle appearance but from his sheer wickedness. Compared to Cargrave, the morally upright hero, he is the epitome of malevolence. The relish he expresses as he lists the sexual depravities to which his wife will be subjected (and which she will deserve, in his opinion), if Cargrave fails to cure his affliction, is delightfully ghoulish but also plumbs the depths of conscience-free insanity. The environment matches S's personality to a tee. No grimmer castle has featured in dark literature since Dracula; the surrounding landscape is appropriately bleak, empty and soulless. And the sting in the story's tail is one of those great twists of well-earned fate, but at the same time it reinforces the story's key message – no matter how rich the trappings of the supernatural, the worst malignancies in this world are strictly of human origin.
First published in PLAYBOY, 1961.
The Swan Child by Joan Aiken
Two confident kids seeking sponsorship money make cheery rounds of their village. They are advised to avoid a bungalow on the outskirts, but decide they won't, and here meet a nice lady who agrees to contribute, though she suggests they don't return for their money after dark. Of course, you can't tell these youngsters anything.
Okay, it's a little bit on the nose, this one. Like most of Joan Aiken's work, it was aimed at a younger readership, but it's beautifully written and very evocative of long summer days in rural England. It's also as spooky as Hell. The meeting with the occupant of the bungalow is a masterly scene as our intrepid heroes only slowly begin to notice eerie details: her dirty feet; the scars on her wrists. Once they've got away without anything unpleasant happening, it's quite a relief, though you just know that these two – typical Aiken youngsters, in that they are mannerly but also independent and assertive – are going to drift back there, and indeed there's a real air of impending doom as they commence the long return journey from their charity walk, the target of which was an ominous figure – the titular swan Child – cut into the hillside by Iron Age mystics. They're now on their own, they follow endless dusty paths between endless hedgerows, around endless ploughed fields, never meeting anybody, drawing ever closer to the mysterious bungalow as dusk approaches. To say more would be too much of a spoiler, but it's worth mentioning that there's a startling turn-around at the finale which, just in case you'd already decided what this was all about, puts everything into an even more uncanny context.
First published in A WHISPER IN THE NIGHT, 1981.
William And Mary by Roald Dahl
A widow is shocked to learn that her controlling husband has arranged for his life to be extended by having his brain preserved in a basin of cerebrospinal fluid, with one eye attached so that he can still watch the world. It isn't long, however, before she realises that she can turn this to her advantage.
Another of Dhal's cunning black jokes developed into a full-blooded if somewhat rib-tickling horror story. We are in vintage Dahl territory from the outset, with distinctly non-sentimental characters on all sides – the hospital's matter-of-fact preparations for William's death would be quite outrageous, were he not so selfish a person himself. Even Mary – innocent, abused Mary – turns out to be somewhat sly and devious, and maybe even, were we to hang around long enough, a little 'wanton'. At the same time, fantastical (some would argue 'nonsensical') science is never far away. I certainly don't know if all it takes to keep a disembodied brain alive is to pump it regularly with oxygenated blood, but you get the impression it would work from the scholarly exposition we get here. Of course, we know that the plan is never going to succeed as it was intended, but as always with Dahl's work, we accept everything at face value and wait eagerly to see villains get their just deserts. Though it's not perhaps quite as unexpected an ending as we've come to anticipate from the master of that sub-genre, the denouement is still very clever and great fun when it arrives. Of course, as so often, the real subtext investigates the latent vindictiveness that lurks within us all, even those of us who on the surface lead such civil and restrained lives.
First published in KISS KISS, 1960.
The Devil's Rock appears to be on a roll
I've just returned from the annual Police Federation Conference in Bournemouth to the extraordinarily good news that we have now sold the US rights for The Devil's Rock.
Entertainment One have taken the plunge, and the deal they've struck with NZ Film covers not just the United States, but Canada as well.
This adds two new major territories to the three others where we've already managed to sell the movie – the UK, New Zealand and the Middle East. Apparently offers were also received during the Cannes Festival for other key territories, though no details can be revealed about those just yet.
There's a bit more info about this big development HERE, though it's only a snippet.
Obviously these are exciting times. On Monday morning, I was interviewed by the delightful Heather Stott on BBC Radio Manchester. I was a bit nervous, but in the 15 minutes I was allocated – which was a pretty generous slot, given that I was primarily there to promote my own movie – we covered quite a lot of stuff; the background to the film, not to mention my own personal history, (much of it as a copper around Manchester), and so on.
If anyone's interested, there's an edited transcript of the interview HERE.
Be quick though. I'm not sure how long that one will stay up.
Pictured above: director of The Devil's Rock, Paul Campion, and one of its stars, Gina Varela. You've seen enough pictures of me, so I'll not bother sticking another one on. Besides, compared to those two handsome devils, I'd probably crack your computer screen.
"Hellgirl" or "Saw with swastikas"? Nice.
"Overwhelmingly positive!"
That's what I'm hearing from Cannes at the moment in terms of audience response to THE DEVIL'S ROCK, which had its first screening on Friday evening, and goes in front of another eager crowd of festival-goers later today.
Apparently the Friday screening was so popular that the theatre doors had to be locked with a significant number of disappointed attendees still outside.
It all sounds excellent, but of course you've got to keep your feet on the ground with regard to these things. As Caesar said to Mark Anthony, "Tha ne'er knows when'th mob can turn against you, lad!"
That said, the first official review of the film is also very encouraging. It comes from Alan Jones writing on http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=19165
Alan coined the two phrases "Hellgirl" and "Saw with swastikas". I don't agree entirely with the latter, but he's generally pretty complimentary to the movie, which puts him firmly in my book of cool.
For those who were expecting to hear me gabbling away about the film on BBC Radio Manchester on Friday morning, humblest apologies. The interview has been moved to 10 am on the Heather Stott Show tomorrow (Monday).
Above, for your delectation, I have another (admittedly small) still from the movie. Matthew Sunderland demonstrates the standard Gestapo interrogation technique at the expense of Craig Hall.
Posted by Paul at 05:00 1 comment:
Demons and devilry in the Channel Isles
Sorry about this but there can be no POWER OF THREE today. There are two reasons for this – the blog has been down for 24 hours or so, and though I could still upload the latest installment, it would now interfere with my other main event of the day, which is the world premier of my horror movie, THE DEVIL'S ROCK, which will be screening in Cannes in about one hour's time.
So you chaps and chapesses will have to wait until next week for POT 25, while this week we concentrate on the new movie. For those who still interested, you can see the brand new trailer for the film here:
THE DEVIL'S ROCK
Don't be jealous. That's as much as I've seen as well, and as much as I'll be seeing for the next few days at least, because for various reasons I couldn't make the fun and frolics down in the south of France. I'm reliably assured I'll be kept informed of events via up-to-the-minute bulletins, but I'm certainly now wishing I was there.
Anway, a quick recap for those new to this site.
THE DEVIL'S ROCK was first written up here in the north of England some two years ago. The story was initially thrashed out by myself and the director, Paul Campion (one of the best blokes in the business), over bangers and mash in a Wigan hostelry. I then penned the script over the following Christmas, mainly dictating into my hand-recorder while walking the dog through ice, snow and temperatures touching -20. (We artistic types suffer so much for our craft). Those lonely sojourns seem a very long time ago now. I never thought it would happen back then, but the finished product is now here - courtesy of the New Zealand Film Commission and various others - to be seen and judged.
In a nutshell, it concerns an Allied commando raid in May 1944, on the eve of D-Day. The target is a German range-finder post out in the Channel Islands, but the troopers uncover something there that is far more important, and far, far more terrifying …
Lifetime's ambition fulfilled at long last
Here I am, posing with the evidence of a lifetime's achievement.
I've finally got a book on sale in Asda!
Can you believe that? All these long years of misery spent wandering the aisles of our local store, wondering why one of my titles couldn't be up there with all those others, and hey presto - yesterday, completely out of the blue, I spy a bunch of copies of HUNTER'S MOON. Sitting there, pristine, glimmering under the arclights.
Who says dreams don't come true?
On a slightly less humorous but equally pleasing note, I had a great tip off from BBC Books last week. It sounds as if HUNTER'S MOON has got off to a good start in terms of sales. Early Bookscan fitures put it at number 13 on the list for hardback fiction, and that was after it had only been on sale for three days. There's even a possibilty that some time this week it may crack the top ten.
Hope so, at least.
HUNTER'S MOON also seems to be doing well in the critical stakes. No reviews that I've read are disparaging thus far. Here's a nice quote, which I've extracted (without permission, I hasten to add) from a review posted by FRANK on cathoderaytube.blogspot:
Finch's novel shifts from contemporary, austerity struck UK, and a very grounded reality, to something akin to Blake's 7 with a multi-million pound budget. Indeed, I was happy to recall a particularly fine Robert Holmes episode Gambit while reading this, especially the early chapters when Amy and Rory explore the casinos of LP9.
The plot is straight-forward action adventure using the well-heeled, run-down dirty futurism of Blade Runner and its ilk but it's a high-octane tale, very descriptively written by Finch who clearly relishes in the colour and detail of the worlds and characters he has created. The result is a book that you can absorb yourself in, where the surface and dereliction of Gorgoror becomes a very tangible place, full of danger from disused installations and a variety of nasties. As soon as all the characters reach this desolate place, the novel becomes an exhausting chase, almost like the various levels of a well detailed and immersive video game environment.
I hope that makes it sound enticing to those who haven't yet dipped into it.
In other news this week, non-Who related on this occasion, I've got a 15-minute slot on the Heather Stott show on BBC Radio Manchester this Friday morning, in which to talk about THE DEVIL'S ROCK.
I'm not one to read anything into unnerving dates like Friday 13th (this is actually the same day TDR opens in Cannes, so that's quite cool), but 15 minutes!
I have to talk for 15 minutes?
Is such a thing possible? I guess we'll see on Friday. Those of you who live in the region, please tune in and give me moral support. I haven't got the actual times yet - it'll be mid-morning sometime. Watch this space for further details.
A final word now regarding my MEDI-EVIL trilogy, which prides itself on telling blood-curdling supernatural tales from times thankfully past. A few folks have already picked it up via Kindle. But the entire series is also now available on Smashwords. If you're interested, you can grab it here:
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/brentwoodpress
Fond memory of London's dark underbelly
Here's something slightly different, which nevertheless may be of interest.
I've had my attention drawn to one of my episodes of The Bill, which I wrote way back in 2000.
Some devoted fan (LOL – there must be some of them out there) has put the whole thing up on Youtube, divided into five viewable segments. I'm not sure whether it's legal or not, but while it's there I'm more than happy to let folks check it out.
It was an episode called Protect And Survive, and those interested can find it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjVAvRHwT_8
It's not totally inappropriate to mention it on this blog as this particular installment of the long-running cop show concerned a deranged killer, Craig Ronson, who escapes from a high security prison and spends the next night targeting police officers around his native Sun Hill.
We deliberately went for as dark and menacing an atmosphere as we could, having made a conscious decision that this story should be an out-and-out thriller rather than a police procedural case-file. It involved a prolonged night shoot, and made use of some very eerie and rundown locations in and around south London.
The press reaction was generally pretty good. All seemed unanimous in their belief that this was a particularly brooding and scary episode. One red-top – I can't remember exactly which one – reckoned that it was too violent to be screened before the nine o'clock watershed, but personally I thought that an exaggeration. It opened a lot of doors for me professionally, that's for sure.
It's seems a long time ago, of course – and it would be more tightly written and edited now, but in my opinion it's the best of my Bill episodes, and I'm quite chuffed that someone else liked it enough to seek to immortalise it in this way.
Pictured is Craig Ronson, the cop-hating mass murderer who was at the heart of the tale. Mark Lewis was the actor, and what a chilling performance he gave.
For those interested in trivia, this was also the debut episode of DC Mickey Webb (played by Chris Simmons), who became one of the show's most popular characters. If I remember rightly, Mickey was initially going to be called Harry Webb, and we were well into pre-production for this episode when someone thankfully remembered that this was Cliff Richard's real name – so we had to change it quickly
It's hard to believe that a whole week has passed since I last wrote one of these. Time is definitely not standing still at the moment, especially as there is barely a minute to spare between jobs.
However, the spring Bank Holiday season is now firmly behind us and we're back into that familiar desert of all work and no play making life dull. I therefore consider it even more imperative that I keep on souring your Friday morning coffee breaks with these recollections of some of the greatest horror stories every written.
Here are three more to remind you that life can be a whole lot more torturous than merely embracing us with its nine-til-five drudgery. Enjoy …
The Curse by Ed Gorman
A washed-up lawyer counterattacks the callous boss who stole his girl, by tricking him into offending a homeless man who has the power to cast hexes. A fearsome sentence is duly passed, but messing with voodoo is never a straightforward business.
The harsh reality of corporate life meets head-on with the supernatural in a very cool tale, which, typically for Ed Gorman, proves that there is more to fear from humanity than from the dark forces of the netherworld. The magical element, though it underpins this whole story, takes a backseat for much of the narrative. Instead, it is the hateful actions of worthless individuals that keep us turning the pages. Can people so irredeemably unpleasant really reach such positions of power? Of course they can. In the modern age it's precisely this unpleasantness that has made these monsters so successful. The yes-men (or in this case yes-women) who follow them are no less malign in their own way, while those who can't match them and therefore resort to drunkenness, drug-taking and morose self-pity only add fuel to the bonfire of moralities. Against such a backdrop, paranormal entities seem almost inconsequential. But they're not. We may believe that we've degenerated to such a level that we no longer need the Devil because we can do his work for him. But after this story, it's pretty clear that we're still no more than his eager trainees.
First published in BLUE MOTEL, 1994.
The Beautiful Ones by Mary Williams
A retired couple move to the Cornish countryside and open a guesthouse. Husband Arthur never really wanted this, and now feels neglected by his shrewish wife. But then a weird old woman gives him a seedling. When he plants it, a mysterious plant starts to grow – with the dimensions of a curvaceous lady.
Another macabre tale from England's most mysterious county, and in the hands of a skilled author like Mary Williams, one of the most gorgeously written you'll ever encounter. Of course it's an outrageous and even perverse concept, no matter how poetic the language; it's earthy and sensual, and magical through and through, but it has a really dark and frightening undertone, especially in the finale when it becomes clear that the cost of one indiscretion may be felt for generations to come. The basic message is simple: don't seek for something you've no right to possess (especially not in an ancient, myth-ridden landscape like Cornwall), because you may suddenly find that you get it, and then there'll be no end to the bizarre forces you might unleash. This of course is where Mary Williams is at her strongest. She handles jaded middle-class relationships well, but it's in the perils of faerie lore where she excels. No-one is going to be offended by this tale, despite its racy concept, but they'll never regard the phrase 'green-fingered' in the same way again.
First published in CHILL COMPANY, 1976
Extinctions In Paradise by Brian Hodge
A bereaved journalist tries to lose himself in the chaos of a South American city, and makes friends with the local street-kids. But when a series of grisly murders commences, he wonders if there's truth in the rumour that packs of young wolves are responsible.
Brian Hodge is one of the most thoughtful authors working in the genre today, and has here crafted a moving, heartfelt tale about life and death on society's margins. He captures the exotic but faded atmosphere of Rio perfectly (though the city is never actually named), but also paints a grim picture of desperate slums, starving scavengers and rampant government forces prowling after them. It's hot, it's sordid – you can almost smell the fear and decay. But there are deep tracts below this riotous surface. Even the mutilation-killings, which mostly occur 'off-camera', are little more than an extra dash of colour in the mix. It's the fate of neglected children everywhere which reverberates from these pages like a mournful howl. What a depraved world this story portrays. With a stratum of society so utterly abhorred that its members start transforming into monsters to defend themselves, the reactions range from stoic indifference, to sad approval, to "what does it matter? – let's just keep killing them". No-one is horrified or amazed except our journalist friend. But neither his bewilderment, nor ours, lasts for too long. Beautiful and grotesque in equal measure.
First published in WEREWOLVES (pictured), 1995.
Haigh hall horror night captured in pics
Here's a very nice little descriptive piece by CRAIG PAY regarding the Haigh Hall horror night I presented on April 26.
Craig runs the Manchester Speculative Fiction Writers Group, and attended the horror night as part of the audience. As well as giving a detailed account of the event on his blog - from the positon of being completely neutral (Craig and I had never met until then), he also produced a rather neat photo-record, and has graciously allowed me to include some of his pictures here.
I won't say too much more because I've rabbited on plenty about this night already. But suffice to say that Craig's account, linked above, is well worth checking out.
Pictured: above, dusk descends on the eerie entrance to Haigh Hall, one of the most haunted houses in the whole of northern England. Below, in descending order: one of the Hall's many medieval tapestries, this one depicting the bloody duel between lord of the manor, William Bradshaigh and his bigamous rival, Henry Teuthor, around 1330, which resulted in the latter's death; yours truly during the reading of my new novella, The Upper Tier; and the real upper tier - the desolate and most haunted part of the building (a place where staff genuinely fear to go), as the guests tentatively shuffle their way into it.


Welcome to a program on Regression Therapy for Past Life Karma Clearing & Sickness Healing, by Neeta Sharma Kumar.
Neeta will open the program with a free talk and group regression session on 25th evening at 6pm at the above venue. This session is for people to get an understanding of the subject and for them to express their interest in aspects of it and even to clear their doubts. Kindly call 8888409687 before 23rd Apr to confirm your seat for this session.
From 26th Apr to 1st May, Neeta will be taking individual one to one paid sessions on the same, at The Rejuvenation Center, from 10am in the morning to 7pm in the evening. If you would like to book a session with her, please call her on 09871081975. Please note that a session may go upto 2hrs or more, so kindly plan for that amount of time.
Past life regression is the process of healing the soul by healing the past. Past life memories are the autobiography of your eternal soul; personal stories that explain who you are now and why you're here on Earth.
Past life regression is a therapeutic technique for accessing and re-experiencing your past lives directly. A branch of hypnotherapy, past life regression therapy has grown over the last 50 years to be an important addition to the healing arts. Past life regression is healing. You were born not as a blank slate, but as a soul rich with both the wisdom and scars from many lifetimes.
Past life regression is an amazing, full-sensory experience. You might experience the memory as a vivid movie, or see only vague flashes of images that prompt the narrative. You might hear gunshots or explosions on a battlefield, or music at a dance. It is possible to recall smells too, smoke from a fire, leather from a saddle, or the sweat of a dirty body.
Conversation with Disease or Affected Organs regression technique is based on communication with the cells of the body. This method is applicable for all kinds of unexplained pain, chronic illness, malfunctioning of organs, genetic disorders, hereditary diseases, deformity of organs etc.
Why Regression and Past Life Regression?
• Obesity and eating disorder.
• Loneliness: feeling lost, abandoned, isolated.
• Being stuck or blocked: feeling imprisoned impotent rage.
• Find the cause and remedy : Disease and Chronic illness.
Neeta Sharma is the founder of Anjul Jyoti Foundation. She is a Life Coach, Mind, Body & Soul Therapist and Alternative Medicine Practitioner. She specializes in regression therapy for disease and illness. She is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist (HSI), Life Between Lives Therapist (PLRT Andy Tomlinson, U.K), Past Life Regression Therapist, Transpersonal Regression Therapist (Dr. Hans TenDam Tasso, Netherland), Karuna Reiki Master-Teacher-Healer, Theta Healing Practitioner, EFT Practitioner, Rebirther, Aura Reader, Crystal Healer and Dream Analyzer, Meditation Teacher, Magnified Healer- Teacher .She is a member of Spiritual Regression Therapy Association (SRTA).
Please call 8888409687 to confirm your attendance or for directions.


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Read below to see an archive of press releases.
Enabling Technologies Consortium and Axcend Collaborate to Develop, Produce and Commercialize a Compact HPLC that Meets ETC Pharmaceutical Member Requirements
By David Politis | March 9, 2021
Next generation, compact high-performance liquid chromatography system sought that can be mounted inside a fume hood with "on-demand" operation and small volume components to improve efficiency and streamline analytical processes March 9, 2021 — Axcend® and Enabling Technologies Consortium (ETC) today announced that ETC has awarded a one-year contract to Axcend to collaborate on the…
Axcend Awarded a Phase II SBIR Grant from the National Institutes of Health
This Phase II SBIR Grant continues successful Phase I research by Axcend to develop a "Portable Liquid Chromatography Platform for Diverse Pharmaceutical Applications" March 4, 2021 — Axcend® today announced that it has been awarded a Phase II SBIR Grant to continue its work in developing a "Portable Liquid Chromatography Platform for Diverse Pharmaceutical Applications."…
Axcend Adds Two Separation Science Industry Sales and Service Veterans to its Team
By David Politis | August 10, 2020
PROVO, Utah — August 10, 2020 — Axcend® today announced that it has hired two seasoned employees to fill significant sales and service roles to help support the rapid adoption of its innovative and award-winning portable liquid chromatography system – the Axcend Focus LC®. Sheldon Henderson has joined Axcend as Director of U.S. Sales, while…
Axcend & Microsaic to Hold 2 Free LC/MS Webinars Next Week
By David Politis | May 7, 2020
PROVO, Utah and WOKING, England — May 7, 2020 — Axcend® and Microsaic Systems (AIM:MSYS) will hold two free webinars next week for chemists and separation scientists interested in exploring new opportunities in liquid chromatography / mass spectrometry analysis. The webinars will focus on the benefits of combining Axcend's breakthrough, capillary-based high-performance liquid chromatography system (the Axcend…
Axcend to Hold A Free HigherEd Webinar this Thursday, April 30
By David Politis | April 28, 2020
PROVO, Utah — April 28, 2020 — Axcend® will hold a free webinar this Thursday (April 30) for educators and researchers interested in learning how the Axcend Focus LC® can be used in both classroom and research settings in higher education. This HigherEd webinar will begin at 12noon Mountain Time (2pm ET / 1pm CT /…
Axcend® and Microsaic Systems Enter a Worldwide Integration and Joint Marketing and Sales Agreement
By David Politis | February 27, 2020
The new agreement allows both parties to combine the robust and compact Mass Spectrometry (MS) systems from Microsaic with the hand-portable and powerful high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems from Axcend. The combo LC/MS solutions give scientists a clear advantage for small footprint, easy-to-use and cost-competitive analytical options. PROVO, Utah and WOKING, England — February 27,…
30-Year Chromatography Sales Leader, Ross Hansen, Joins Axcend as VP, Sales
By David Politis | July 16, 2019
New global sales executive says the Axcend Focus LC is the "most exciting HPLC system of the last three decades" PROVO, Utah — July 16, 2019 — Axcend® today announced that Ross Hansen has joined the company as its Vice President, Sales. In his executive role with the company, Hansen is responsible for leading and directing…
Axcend Co-Founder & Chief Science Officer, Dr. Milton L. Lee, Receives the 2019 Giorgio Nota Medal from the Italian Chemical Society
By codegreene | May 15, 2019
Milton L. Lee, Ph.D. received the prestigious 2019 Giorgio Nota Medal from the Italian Chemical Society yesterday afternoon during the 43rd annual International Symposium on Capillary Chromatography (ISCC), held this year in Fort Worth, Texas. Recipients of the Medal are recognized for significant achievement in capillary liquid chromatography. In connection with the Medal presentation, Dr. Lee also presented a lecture titled "Portable Capillary Liquid Chromatography" after the Medal ceremony.
Dr. Milton L. Lee, Axcend® Co-Founder & Chief Science Officer, Receives the Prestigious 2019 ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry
By codegreene | April 10, 2019
"Milton L. Lee, Ph.D. (Co-Founder & Chief Science Officer of Axcend) received the Prestigious 2019 ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry from the American Chemical Society during its national meeting last week. Presenting the Award to Dr. Lee is Bonnie A. Charpentier, Ph.D., current president of the ACS (left), and Michelle V. Buchanan, Ph.D., Deputy for Science and Technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (right)."
Axcend® Corporation Execs and Scientists to Deliver Six Presentations at Pittcon 2019
By codegreene | March 14, 2019
PROVO, Utah and PITTSBURGH, Pa. — March 14, 2019 — Axcend® today announced that its executives and scientists will deliver six presentations, symposia and public demonstrations next week during the Pittcon 2019 Conference and Exhibition. During Pittcon 2019, Axcend will also conduct real-time demonstrations in Booth #1538 of its now shipping Axcend Focus LC®: a…
Thank you for your interest in Axcend. If you are a journalist, analyst, or influencer on deadline please feel free to contact David Politis at: Mobile: +1-801-556-8184 -or- Email: David.Politis@AxcendCorp.com


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Q: Unable to exit full screen mode in Eclipse I just installed Eclipse and went into the full screen mode but, unlike with other apps, the top bar wouldn't appear when I positioned the cursor at the top of the screen, so I was stuck in full screen and had to restart the computer.  Any way to exit the full screen mode in Eclipse?
Using MacOS 10.8.1, Eclipse 4.3.0 (Kepler).

A: Control-command-F toggles full screen in the version of Eclipse I have.
If it doesn't, try opening the preferences with command-, and setting a binding for a command like Toggle Full Screen in General > Keys.

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Education - current page
Program Overview - current page
Expand Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program Submenu
Expand University of Florida and University of Ghana HIV & TB Research Training Program Submenu
About Ghana
The fellowship begins with an orientation to the University of Florida, UF Health/Shands Hospital, and the Malcolm Randall Veterans Administration Hospital as well as an orientation to the inpatient and outpatient clinical services.
The first two months of the fellowship didactic and interactive lecture series is devoted to development of a foundation in general infectious diseases. After the first two months of the fellowship, the program transitions to a longitudinal didactic and interactive lecture series consisting of journal clubs, management conferences, infection prevention and control conferences, research conferences, board review sessions, and combined microbiology and infectious diseases conferences.
Early in training, fellows will identify one of three training tracks, the clinical/education track, research track, or global medicine track depending on their specific career goals.
Once the fellows choose a track they will also pick a faculty mentor who will meet with them regularly to ensure that they are making progress reaching their career goals and that they are taking advantage of the diverse and extensive training opportunities available at the University of Florida. Fellows are encouraged to select among various elective choices available to enhance their educational and career development.
The overall structure of the fellowship is listed below.
Year 1: The first year is mostly clinical with the majority of inpatient experiences occurring during this time. Fellows will be on teaching services at either the Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center or UF Health/Shands Teaching Hospital for approximately 9 months. The remaining months will be devoted to rotations in microbiology and other electives. Fellows will have continuity clinic either at UF Health/Shands or Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center.
Year 2: The second year is mostly for electives in the chosen career track. There are 4 months of inpatient service during the second year to give a total of 13 months of inpatient service time over the course of the fellowship. The inpatient service occurs at the same sites as in the first year and the continuity clinic extends into the second year.
Year 3: (Optional) The third year is for those who choose research or global medicine tracks.
Career Track Electives
Antimicrobial Stewardship/OPAT
Transplant ID
Hospital Epidemiology
Pediatrics Infectious Diseases
Tropical Microbiology and Parasitology
ID Ambulatory Rotation
Fellowship Career Tracks
Clinical/Education Track: This track is for fellows interested in careers in private practice, industry, or other clinical practice. The duration is two years. Fellows completing the clinical/education track will be expected to participate in scholarly activity.
Research Track: This track will last a minimum of three years and is intended for fellows interested in pursuing a career in academics or industry. Fellows interested in this track are encouraged to discuss their interest early on in the interview process or soon after onboarding so that appropriate planning can take place. Fellows choosing the research track will be expected to author at least two abstracts to national or international meeting and submit as an author or co-author at least two manuscripts to a peer-reviewed journal.
Currently available funded opportunities for research include Masters of Science in Epidemiology and T32 Translational Science Training to Reduce the Impact of Alcohol on HIV Infection.
Global Medicine Track: (Optional Third Year) This track is for fellows interested in pursuing a career in academics, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, or other non-profits focused on working with international partners. Fellows choosing the global medicine track will be expected to author at least one review article, book chapter, or similar scholarly work agreed upon with the fellow's faculty mentor.


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PC PALACE GAUTENG CC
PC Palace Gauteng was established in 1999 as an Enterprise Development Initiative specialising in Tenders. The company focused on the empowerment of young black school leavers who embraced the opportunity to become qualified Microsoft Certified Engineers and furthering their careers as Technicians and Account Managers in a corporate environment.
The company client base consists of government, corporate, Universities and SMB clients.
PC Palace Gauteng's vision is to reflect its true South African born origin through representing the ideals of every young, aspiring individual who dreams of a professional, successful and highly skilled IT career at a company that believes this can be achieved through its delivery of a total IT solution to its clients.
The company has a Level 4 BBBEE and has a 26 % Black Women's Equity share holding.
Click Here to Download BEE Certificate
Click Here to Download TAX Clearance Certificate
Click Here to Download Credit Application
PC PALACE CC
The company focus has always been on the need of the client – supplying a total solution from government to corporate and retail clients at competitive pricing.
The company is situated in Route 21 Corporate Park, Irene where the operational headquarters is but also a state of the art retail shop and demo centre.
The company has a committed and well trained sales team who has a broad knowledge base to service all spheres of customers, not only in hardware, software and consumables but also in services and cloud based applications. The company employs 30 staff members and is well known for their commitment to create opportunities for young individuals of all races to become expert sales staff and entrepreneurs who are able to become highly sought after IT specialists.
The company and its personnel members are actively involved in the upliftment of rural communities and specifically youth development and scholastic development in the Matwabeng community.
PC PALACE TECHNICAL SERVICES
PC Palace Technical Services was established in 1999 and supply the following group services:
- Technical Support Services
- Repair Services
- Human Resource Group Management
- Group Financial Management Services


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Health topics Communicable diseases Poliomyelitis Activities Certification and maintenance of polio-free status in the European Region
Certification and maintenance of polio-free status in the European Region
In June 2002, all 53 Member States in the WHO European Region were certified polio free by the Regional Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication (RCC). Since that time vaccination against polio has continued to be a cornerstone of routine immunization services in every Member State, and national and regional surveillance systems and laboratories have ensured that no polio case could have been left undetected.
In addition to helping Member States retain their polio-free status by providing support in surveillance and immunization activities and advocating for political commitment to immunization goals, WHO/Europe provides immediate technical support in the event of an outbreak. Since being certified polio free, the Region has experienced at least two episodes of wild poliovirus importation. In both cases, transmission was interrupted and the Region's elimination status was not affected. The Region also experienced an outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) in Ukraine in 2015, which was assessed as interrupted in April 2016.
Tajikistan 2010
The first importation of wild poliovirus was reported in Tajikistan in 2010. This outbreak spread rapidly and affected 35 of the country's 65 administrative territories, and also spread to 3 nearby countries.
The Government of Tajikistan responded effectively when the cases were detected through close cooperation with WHO and other partners. In responding to the outbreak, 6 nationwide immunization rounds and 1 subnational mop-up campaign were implemented in the country; as a result of which, the outbreak was stopped in Tajikistan. However, the outbreak caused more than 700 cases of polio, mostly in children. Many of these have developed impairments and need long-term physical rehabilitation care.
Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was isolated in sewage samples from various sampling sites in Israel in early 2013. With WHO support, the Government of Israel conducted mass supplementary immunization activities (SIA) with oral polio vaccine (OPV) as well as a catch-up campaign targeting any un- or under- immunized children using inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). No positive environmental samples have been detected since March 2014 and no cases of paralytic polio were reported.
Ukraine 2015
On 28 August 2015, the WHO Regional Office for Europe was notified of two confirmed cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) in Ukraine. The two cases had a genetic similarity, indicating that active transmission of cVDPV1 was ongoing. Circulation of cVDPV occurred because of the low immunization coverage in Ukraine since 2008. In 2014, only 49% of children were fully vaccinated against polio, and at the time of the outbreak, the rate of vaccination against polio among children under 1 year old was only 14.1%, because of a shortage of vaccine. WHO and UNICEF provided the Ministry of Health with both technical and on-site support in planning and implementing large-scale supplementary immunization activities and communication campaigns to rapidly stop circulation of the virus.
In April 2016, an expert team from different United Nations agencies and partners assessed the polio-outbreak response in five Ukrainian regions. After analysing the disease surveillance systems, supplementary immunization activities, and communications, the team concluded that transmission of poliovirus was interrupted.
European Regional Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication
Statement of the 8th IHR Emergency Committee meeting regarding the international spread of poliovirus
WHO global statement: Meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee concerning the international spread of wild poliovirus
Poliomyelitis (polio) transmission in Ukraine interrupted, but efforts must continue to protect children
Global alert and response: Environmental circulation of wild poliovirus detected in Israel in 2013
European Region marks tenth anniversary of polio-free certification
WHO response to importation of poliovirus into the WHO European Region, 2010


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Previously known as Tampa Downs, Sunshine Park and the Florida Downs and Turf Club, the Tampa Bay Downs opened for racing in 1926. In the 1950s, the track was a favorite spot for sportswiters in Florida to cover spring trainig baseball, and they referred to it as the "Santa Anita of the south."
The track at Tampa Bay features a one-mile dirt course and a seven-furlong inner dirt surface.
In 1926, the track opened under the name of Tampa Downs. The inaugural season lasted 39 days, but the track closed after only nine days of racing in 1927. In 1932, repairs and restoration activities were undertaken, and the track reopened in 1934, but poor track handles forced it to close yet again.
World War II forced the track to become a jungle warfare training center for the U.S. Army. After the war, new stalls are added and the track was reopened under a new name – Sunshine Park. The new park featured an electric starting gate and photo finish camera.
In 1966, the track was renamed Florida Downs and Turf Club. The first sale of thoroughbreds was also conducted this year. In 1989, inter-track horse wagering started in Florida and Tampa Bay Downs began year-round simulcast wagering. Today, Tampa Bay Downs is home to many stakes races. Two of the best stakes races offered at Tampa Bay Downs are the Tampa Bay Derby and the Sam F. Davis Stakes.
In addition to live and simlucast racing, Tampa Bay Downs includes a Poker Room, and a practice golf facility staffed by PGA pros.
For up to the minute Tampa Bay Downs racing odds, look no further than our #1 recommended online racebook. First time depositors will be granted a generous bonus too!