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Arctic Wildlife Safari - West Spitsbergen & Polar Ice Edge
Onboard the Sea Spirit this remarkable Arctic cruise departs from the far northern settlement of Longyearbyen on the Norwegian Arctic island of Spitsbergen in the famed Svalbard archipelago. We explore the island's northwestern coast, home to dramatic mountain scenery, tidewater glaciers, and some of the Arctic's best wildlife viewing opportunities. On this voyage we also venture to the jumbled edge of the north-polar ice cap in search of polar bears stalking their prey. Here, at the dynamic boundary between implacable ice and bountiful sea, we have a rare opportunity to experience raw nature and incredible events hardly ever seen.
Day 1 - Longyearbyen, Svalbard
Welcome to Longyearbyen, the Arctic adventure capital of the Norwegian territory of Svalbard and starting point of our expedition. After arriving via scheduled commercial flight, you are free to explore this small but fascinating settlement. Be sure to see the excellent Svalbard Museum and enjoy the shops, cafes and restaurants in the town center. Your hotel for the night has been arranged by us and is included in the price of the voyage.
In the afternoon we welcome you aboard the expedition ship M/V Sea Spirit; transfers from the hotel are included. Explore the ship and get comfortable in your home-away-from-home for the extraordinary adventure to come. The long days of summer sunlight illuminate our surroundings as we slip our moorings and sail into a true wilderness where wildlife abounds. The scenery as we sail through Isfjorden on our first evening is spectacular and there is already the possibility of marine mammal encounters.
Day 3/10 - Exploration of West Spitsbergen
This is a real expedition in a true High Arctic wilderness. As such, our route and exploration opportunities here are heavily dependent on the weather and sea ice conditions we encounter. Our experienced captain and expedition leader decide the itinerary and continually adjust plans as conditions and opportunities warrant. You can be sure that the best possible advantage will be taken of the circumstances presented to us by Nature in this wild and remote corner of the Arctic.
Polar bears and other quintessential Arctic wildlife can be spotted anytime, anywhere in and around Svalbard. We exploit every opportunity to experience excellent wildlife viewing, to discover incredible scenery, and to walk in the footsteps of the historic polar expeditions that came before us.
We anticipate exploring the spectacular fjords, coasts, and islands in the northwestern part of Svalbard. This area contains the archipelago's most impressive scenery and some of the Arctic's best wildlife viewing opportunities. Deep fjords and narrow channels are flanked by jagged snowy mountain peaks. Immense tidewater glaciers calve icebergs into turquoise waters. On ice floes and on fast ice several species of seals watch vigilantly for polar bears. Fields of flowering tundra are home to grazing reindeer and playful Arctic fox. Bountiful inshore and offshore waters are home to walrus and a wide variety of whales. The whole area is alive with migratory birds, including numerous rare species, taking advantage of summer's fecundity in 24-hour daylight.
And over it all presides the polar bear, monarch of the North. This wild corner of Svalbard is one of the best places in the world to observe polar bears hunting in their preferred habitat: the pack ice. We take the ship as close as safely possible to the jumbled and broken edge of the polar ice cap, where polar bears stalk the frozen sea in search of seals.
To complete the Arctic experience we also explore places rich with history. Our area of exploration contains the historical remnants of whaling camps, coal mining operations, trappers' cabins, staging areas for historic attempts to discover the North Pole, and even an abandoned polar research station.
Human habitation in this area can be found only at Ny Ålesund, a former mining town that is now home to an international community of Arctic researchers. This is one of the world's most northerly settlements, complete with museum, gift shop, and post office.
The days are filled with memorable excursions, sumptuous meals, presentations by our experts, and enough stunning scenery and wildlife to fill your camera and overwhelm your emotions.
Day 11 - Disembarkation in Longyearbyen, Svalbard
After breakfast we say farewell in the town of Longyearbyen, where we started. We provide a transfer to the airport or to the town center if you wish to spend more time here. As you look back on your wonderful experience in Svalbard, you may already be looking forward to your next incredible adventure to the ice!
The Polar Regions are perhaps the most photogenic on earth, with countless beautiful scenes presenting themselves every day. Endless expanses of ice, beaches crowded with seals or penguins, sunsets over unbroken horizons, starlit skies, and even the majestic northern lights – they all present fantastic photographic opportunities – and in order to make sure that you come home with some spectacular images we offer you the chance to learn and practice your photography alongside an experienced professional.
The islands and fjords of the High Arctic closely guard some of the world's most unique and magical sea kayaking opportunities. Experience calving glaciers in Svalbard, cathedral-like icebergs in Greenland, or labyrinthine expanses of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, all from our sturdy and stealthy sea kayaks. Join us for an unscripted kayaking adventure as we explore rugged coastlines and remote waters that very few people have ever paddled.
Sea Kayak Club is typically offered on voyages that include High Arctic destinations such as Greenland, Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Franz Josef Land, or a combination of these thrilling places.
AUD$ 655 per person
Expedition Gear
Expedition boots and a custom designed polar expedition jacket are provide on your voyage.
Transfers & Accommodation
Transfers to the ship on the day of your embarkation are included to your pre-cruise hotel. Transfers at the end of your voyage are provided to a central location.
- All excursions and lectures (subject to weather conditions)
- Comprehensive pre-departure information
- Emergency evacuation insurance to a maximum of USD$150
- Digital voyage log
- Port fees
- Welcome and farewell cocktails
- 000 per person
Like some of the birds we see in the Arctic and Antarctica, our m/v Sea Spirit is migratory and follows the sun, northbound in the summer and southbound in the winter, always ready for spontaneous discoveries – a pod of whales, a family of polar bears or a glaciated mountain vista. She is highly maneuverable and capable of navigating the narrow fjords of East Greenland and entering the small bays of Spitsbergen. Onboard, we create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere for all our guests. They are united by one goal – to have a memorable wilderness experience and to become real polar adventurers. We believe that first-hand travel to such places makes one an ambassador for conservation, and helps strengthen our resolve to protect these natural environments for future generations. Providing spacious suite accommodation of 114 passengers the Sea Spirit at the same time features maneuverability and friendly atmosphere of small ships. The vessel has an ice-strengthened hull, a fleet of Zodiacs, and a set of retractable fin stabilizers for smoother sailing.
Luxury accommodation
Presentation Lounge
Open Bridge Policy
Ice Class: 1D
Refurbished: 2017
Draft: 4
Elec Outlets: 110V / 2 Flat Pin
Triple Suite
A generous Suite with 3 x lower berths and private facilities. This suite is open to single travellers who would like share. All share cabins are gender specific.
Main Deck Suite
A generous Suite with twin or king bedding and private facilities.
Classic Suite
An extremely comfortable Suite with twin or king bedding, private facilities and a balcony.
Owners Suite
Among the most sought-after Owner's Suites due to its unique forward position above the bridge.


Tullow's personal performance management process helps us to recognise and reward good performance. Personal and team objectives are set in alignment with the Group's strategic aims ensuring that the whole of the organisation is striving towards the same goals and employees are clear about what their actions will achieve. Through our matrix and line management structure, personal performance, progress, workplace and development opportunities are discussed regularly throughout the performance year.
We are committed to the personal and professional development of our people. Our aim is to give everyone who works for Tullow the chance to grow and develop new skills. We operate an in-house development framework based on in-the-job training and experience, mentoring and formal training, and we run development programmes for high potential staff and senior managers to ensure we build a pipeline of leaders for the future.


Applications for work permit are made through e-Government portal of Turkey (www.turkiye.gov.tr). The automated work permit application system enables the users to fill the online work permit application form and upload necessary documents into the system. Once online application is made through the e-government portal, the employer is required to make direct application to the Ministry by mail or in person. Duly applications are finalized by the Ministry at most thirty days and once the decision is made, the ministry informs the applicant through e-mail. Foreigners residing outside the Turkey can make their work permit applications through the Turkish representative offices in their home countries. In the existence of residence permit valid for at least 6 months, foreigners residing in Turkey can make their applications directly to Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
Foreigners residing outside the Turkey are subject to apply for work permit from the representative offices of Turkey in their own countries. Pursuance to work permit application of foreigner, within 10 working days the employer should process both online and direct applications to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in Turkey. Once the approval from the Ministry is granted, foreigners are required to apply for work visa to the Turkish representative office within 90 days.
As per new rules on residence permits, valid working permissions will be now used as residence permits as well. Thus work permit validity requirement of residence permit application within 30 days upon obtaining the work permit (for consulate applications 30 days was starting upon arrival of work permit holders) will be outlawed. On the other hand the same as work permits, "Work Permit Exemption Certificates" will also be used as residence permits.
Foreigners with residence permit valid for at least 6 months may make their applications to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security internally. Internal applications are made by the employer directly to the Ministry. Once the online application is submitted, the employer is required to make direct application to the Ministry within 6 working days.
Extension application of the work permit period is made to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. As Internal applications, after submitting online applications, direct application to ministry should be made within 6 working days. The application for extension should be filed within 2 months before or 15 days after the expiry date of the work permit. After 15 days period, the applicant no longer may request for extension and the application is regarded as initial application.
I have find a job in Turkey and my employer wants me to start on May 2nd. My working permit is not ready – the company will apply for me today. Do you think I will receive my working permit for May 2nd? Also, I really want to start to work for them, are there any other possibilities that I can start without a working permit? for example with internship contract?
It is not very likely that your work permit would be issued in such a short period of time as evaluation lasts approximately 30 working days. It is not legal to start working in a company before work permit will be issued.
There is no appointment for work permit. Whole application procedure takes approximately 30 working days.
the travel agency are demanding to pay the work permit fee ,residence permit , release document, fee, entry clearance fee.
basically i am confused and doubtful that why they are asking me to pay fee to them so that they wil get the approval from ministry of migration which i think must be ministry of labor and security , similarly , why not i deposit the fee at the consulate or embassy in my country, also the onus travels does not have any branch office in Jordan.
Please guide me and help whether this procedure is OK or fake??
I received a job offer from a company in Istanbul and asked me to contact the same travel agency (Expat Conet) that you mentioned.
this travel agency requested me to pay $1800 in advance to proceed with work permit application.
Kindly advise if you already dealed with them ? paid required amount?
i have and job offer from one of the turkish employer, they advised me to contact their dedicated travel agency :" Berkey Onur travels". berky travels are demanding to pay the work permit fee ,residence permit , release document, fee, entry clearance fee.
basically i am confused and doubtful that why they are asking me to pay fee to them so that they wil get the approval from ministry of migration which i think must be ministry of labour and security , similarly , why not i deposit the fee at the consulate or embassy in my country, also the onur travels does not have any branch office in pakistan.
We have received informations about mentioned agency and most probably it is a scam. Please, be careful and do not pay any fees in advance unless you are sure that the job offer is real.
I received a job offer from a company in Istanbul and asked me to contact a travel agency (Expat Conet) to make required arrangements for re-location.
We do not have any informations about this agency. We strongly recommend you to be careful and not to make any payments in advance as this offer most probably is a scam.
My employee filled the application for a workpermit last month. How long will take before they get my workpermit? And is there any possiblity to check what the status is? I don't have a registrationnumber only my Turkish number that's is on my ikamet.
Application procedures usually last around 1-1,5 month. Status of your application can be checked on http://www.izinsorgula.csgb.gov.tr by writing your Turkish ID number and application number, which should be provided by your employer.
Unfortunately, we can not help you to find a job in Turkey. You can search for one on websites like kariyer.net and after you find a job in Turkey, your future employer must apply for your work permit. Foreigners can not apply for work permit in their own name or without having a job in Turkey. Application for foreigner who has residence permit valid in total for at least 6 months can be done within Turkey. For foreigners who are not residence permit holders, application must be done via Turkish Consulate in their home country. Work permit application can not be submitted basing on visa.
I just found my self a job in turkey,my current residence permit has a 10 months validity.
The employer applied for my work permit on the 28th of february but my residence permit expires on the 4th of march is it an issue?
Furthermore they gave me the application number and i tried to check it online but i couldnt find my application on çalişma izni sorgula,i have never had a work permit before and this is my first application.could you please enlighten me on this topic?
As long as your work permit application is lodged, you can stay in Turkey even after your residence permit expires. If you use valid application number and your Turkish ID number, the system should provide you with details of application.
Hi, I am from Pakistan and intend to do job in Turkey, please guide me and also provide link to apply for a job in Turkey.
Unfortunately, we can not help you to find a job in Turkey. You can search for one on websites like, for example, http://www.kariyer.net and after you find one, your future employer must apply for your work permit. Foreigners can not apply for work permit in their own name or without having a job in Turkey. Application for foreigner who has residence permit valid in total for at least 6 months can be done within Turkey. For foreigners who are not residence permit holders, application must be done via Turkish Consulate in their home country. Work permit application can not be submitted basing on visa.
Just got job in Turkey, employer sent me an offer letter and ask me to sent required documents to process work permit, just want to know that should I wait until I got work permit from employer or I can start processing My work Visa immediately with Job offer letter from employer and don't need to wait for work permit.
Your work visa application procedures will be started after you hand required documents to Turkish Consulate in your home country, however the visa can be issued once your work permit application would be approved.
I would like to know what is the process to apply for residence permit and what are the requirements? If we have residence permit, will they allow us to apply for proper jobs? Do they hire Foreigners for proper jobs I mean not odd jobs here?
You can apply for residence permit as long as your visa is valid and you are already in Turkey. In order to start the application, you must have address in Turkey and valid health insurance purchased within the country. After you will become residence permit holder, you can apply for job in Turkey and after you find one, your future employer must apply for your work permit. Foreigners can be employed in various fields and positions in Turkey, depending on your qualifications.
I have work permit visa but im in Pakistan how can check visa its original i take visa for agent so im waiting for response thanky.
When your work permit application is approved by Ministry of Labor in Turkey, you are supposed to receive work visa from Turkish Consulate and after arrival to Turkey, work permit card will be given to you.
hi dear i am from Pakistan me and my wife want to come turkey on visit visa which is valid for 3 months than we will find the job there once we got the job there than the employer will convert our visas into work permit is this possible or no please help me regarding this thanks.


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Front Matter Heroes of Science Before the Time of Christ Two Thousand Years Ago Roger Bacon Copernicus and his Theory Tycho Brache Johann Kepler Galileo Galilei Galileo and the Inquisition Galileo's Private Life Sir Isaac Newton More about Newton Benjamin Franklin Franklin as a Scientist Joseph Priestley Henry Cavendish William Herschel Herschel an Astronomer John Dalton Sir Humphrey Davy Davy goes to London Michael Faraday Charles Darwin Lord Kelvin Kelvin and the Atlantic Cable Kelvin and his Students James Clerk Maxwell A Grand March Past Conclusion Appendix I: Galileo Letter Appendix II: Scientiests
Stories of Great Scientists - Charles Gibson
Sir Humphry Davy
A Great Chemist, and the Inventor of the Miner's Safety Lamp
It is always of special interest to hear of a boy of humble origin and destitute condition rising to be a great man. This was my first impression of Sir Humphry Davy, and it must have been shared by many boys who read a very interesting book relating to great men; a copy of this book I possessed when a boy of nine years of age. It pictured Mrs. Davy and her family left "in very distressed circumstances," and being taken care of by a charitably disposed gentleman. Such an impression is not easily removed, and I notice that even the spelling of the word Humphry having been given throughout the story as Humphrey has made it difficult for me to use the correct spelling in later life.
It is true that the origin of Humphry Davy was comparatively humble, in so far that his parents were not wealthy, but he came of a long-established family. His father, although described as a wood-carver, had taken up this profession from the artistic side, and when he came into possession of a small estate, which had belonged to his family for at least two hundred years, he continued to pursue the art of wood-carving as a hobby.
On the family tombstones their ancestors could be traced back to 1588, and it is clear that they were of the middle class, as the descriptions affixed to the names of the deceased were given generally as that of "yeoman," and occasionally "gentleman."
Humphry Davy's grandmother was a member of one of the oldest families in Cornwall. Her dowry was fifteen hundred pounds, which was quite a handsome fortune in those days. It is said that the Davys could trace their ancestry back to a noble family who came over with William the Conqueror.
Humphry's mother was left a widow at the age of thirty-four, our hero being then sixteen years of age. Mrs. Davy was left with an income of one hundred and fifty pounds a year, but with a debt of thirteen hundred pounds, due to some unfortunate mining investments made by her husband. Not only did Mrs. Davy succeed in giving her family a good education, but she determined to pay off the debt which her husband had left. To this end she went into partnership with a French lady who, with her sister, had fled to England from France because of the French Revolution. These ladies established a millinery business, in which Mrs. Davy remained a partner for some years, until she came into possession of a family estate which brought her an income of three hundred pounds per annum, whereupon she retired from business. But what is of special interest is that she succeeded in paying off the whole of her husband's debt.
Humphry Davy was born in 1778, away down in that most southerly point of our Island, Penzance, in which town his paternal ancestors had been settled for a very long time. When his father and family removed to the estate already mentioned, Humphry, who was then nine years of age, remained in Penzance for the sake of his schooling. The estate, however, was only a few miles out of the town, so that Humphry could pay his parents a visit, riding there on his pony "Derby."
He was a clever boy, but not a prodigy. Before he could read he gave evidence of a remarkably retentive memory by reciting a great part of that big volume The Pilgrim's Progress. Other favourite books of his childhood were . Aesop's Fables and the Arabian Nights. When scarcely five years old he made rhymes, and recited them at Christmas parties, attired in some fanciful dress. We know, on the authority of his brother, that Humphry's disposition as a child was remarkably sweet and affectionate. We may be sure he was a favourite with his schoolmates, for they used to gather around him and listen to him relating wonderful stories. And besides this he was in great demand for writing valentines and love-letters for other boys.
When a child the great Sir Humphry Davy was content to fish with a bent pin and with a bit of bread as bait, a method of angling not yet extinct among little folk. In later years our hero became a keen fisherman.
In a letter written when he was twenty-four years of age, Humphry happened to ask his mother how his younger brother was getting along at school, and he added, "I recollect I was rejoiced when I first went to Truro School, but I was much more rejoiced when I left it for ever."
One is not surprised to learn that young Humphry preferred the society of persons older than himself; he would find most boys of his own age disinclined to talk about such advanced subjects as those in which he began to take an interest. On one occasion when he was discussing some question with a Quaker, who was much older than himself, the Quaker said, "I tell thee what, Humphry, thou art the most quibbly hand at a dispute I ever met with in my life."
Living in a district in which there were copper and tin mines, the boy Humphry became interested in Geology, and would be seen going about with one pocket filled with specimens of rocks, while the other was filled with fishing tackle.
During the time he was residing in Penzance with a family friend—a physician—Davy was in the habit of disappearing to the garret, where he carried out a variety of chemical experiments. Occasional explosions alarmed the household, but although the worthy doctor declared that they would all be blown up into the air some day, that the boy was incorrigible, and was an idle dog, yet the ending of his scoldings usually took the form of some quiet chaff, calling the boy "the philosopher," and playfully nicknaming him "Sir Humphry."
Knowing the boy Humphry's studious disposition, we are apt to picture him as of a soft nature; indeed, the early impression I formed of him was that he was effeminate. I have no doubt that this impression was due to a picture of him in the boy's book to which I have referred already, which picture gave him a decidedly girlish look. But young Davy was something very different; not only in appearance, but in character. His courage was unmistakable; on one occasion he was bitten by a dog that was believed to be rabid, whereupon this thoughtful youth whipped out his pocket-knife and cut out the part which was bitten, and then hastened off to the surgery, where he was at that time an apprentice, and cauterised the wound himself.
Davy had every intention of becoming a doctor, but because he was seen so much at the mines, and among the rocks with a hammer, one looker-on said that "he thought more of the bowels of the earth than of the stomachs of his patients; and that when he should have been bleeding the sick, he was opening veins in the granite. That instead of preparing medicines in the surgery, he was experimenting in the garret." But I do not think that this can possibly be a true picture of young Davy. It should be classed as circumstantial evidence; it was the impression received by one who happened to see Davy only at his play. Although we have no details, it has been stated of Davy that he was most attentive to his patients, and more especially to the poorer ones.
Davy had an impediment in his speech, and although it was nothing so serious as that which worried Joseph Priestley, Davy tried to overcome it by following the example of Demosthenes, in so far that he would go down to the shore and practise speaking aloud. He did overcome the defect to a considerable degree, but the result was apparent in after-years, when he formed a habit of speaking in public with a peculiar intonation which seemed strange to his audiences, and which, unfortunately, was very often mistaken for affectation.
Humphry had no ear for music, and in later life it was a source of amusement to those with whom he worked to hear him trying to hum a tune while absorbed in some experiments. When a lad, his friends had tried to teach him the air of "God save the King," but they gave him up as hopeless. I met with a similar case in my school-days, the boy being quite unable even to distinguish between the air of the National Anthem and any other popular tune. Indeed, I offered him a prize on one occasion if he could name two out of six well-known airs when whistled to him, but he failed to guess even one, and as boys we had no very extensive programme of music.
By the time Humphry Davy was seventeen years of age he had begun to criticise the standard books on Chemistry, and more especially the accepted theory of heat, which was that heat was a material thing. At this time Davy's apparatus consisted chiefly of wine-glasses, tea-cups, tobacco pipes, and earthen crucibles, while his chemicals were those in common use in medicine. Like many another boy interested in Chemistry, Davy made his early experiments in his bedroom, and sometimes in the garret.
By this time Davy was a really enthusiastic chemist, so that he could not help talking of it to any one from whom he might gain information. It so happened that Gregory Watt, a son of the famous James Watt, had gone to Penzance on account of his health, and it chanced to be at the Davys' house that he boarded. This gentleman had come straight from Glasgow University, where he had been studying Science, and we may be sure that he would find an eager questioner in the lad Humphry Davy. Another such friendship which Humphry formed when he was a youth was with Josiah Wedgwood, the famous potter, who had resided also in Penzance for the benefit of his health.
It will be of interest to note Davy's early experiment in connection with the nature of Heat, which was supposed at that time to be a material thing. He caused two blocks of ice to be rubbed together by a clockwork mechanism, all of which he placed under the receiver of an air-pump, and withdrew the surrounding air so that no heat could reach the apparatus or the ice, the whole arrangement resting on a block of ice. He showed that heat was actually produced merely by the friction between the rubbing surfaces of the ice-blocks, and that therefore heat could not be a material thing. Count Rumford, of whom we shall hear later, did original work in this direction. It soon became clear that the temperature of a body is due to the vibratory motion of its particles.
In the earliest form of the experiment referred to Davy had no air-pump, nor had he ever seen such a thing, but he converted a medical syringe into an air-pump. This syringe had been given to him in a case of surgical instruments by the surgeon of a French vessel which was wrecked off Penzance. Davy had been glad to get this case of instruments, not that they would be of use to him in his medical apprenticeship, but because he could turn many of them to use in his chemical experiments.
After four years' apprenticeship to the surgeon-apothecary at Penzance, Davy was offered a post at Bristol, where a Pneumatic Institute had been built. Davy accepted the post of superintendent of this Institute, which was a hospital for the purpose of applying different gases to the patients as cures for diseases. As the work would be largely experimental, Davy would have plenty of opportunities for original work.
On Davy's journey to Bristol he met the mail-coach from London, covered with laurels and ribbons, bringing news of Nelson's stupendous victory over the French fleet in the Battle of the Nile.
Dr. Beddoes, who was one of the principals of the Pneumatic Institute, was very impulsive in his methods, often jumping to a conclusion without giving the problem proper consideration. On one occasion his friend Mr. T—called to consult him upon the case of his wife, and the doctor prescribed a new remedy, but in the course of the day he sent word in haste to say that before Mrs. T—took the medicine, its effect might be tried upon a dog. We are left in the dark as to the fate of Mrs. T—or the dog.
Davy wrote to his mother about this time: "We are going on gloriously, our patients are getting better; and to be a little conceited, I am making discoveries every day."
Dr. Beddoes found Davy a capital worker, and no sooner had the young chemist discovered the properties of nitrous oxide gas, than the doctor immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was a cure for paralysis. Young Davy was to take charge of the experiments upon the patients, of whom, by the way, there were sometimes as many as eighty.
A paralysed man was selected for this new treatment, and it is very evident that the patient had no idea of the kind of treatment he was to undergo, for when Davy placed a pocket thermometer beneath the man's tongue in order to take his temperature, the man mistook this for the treatment, and declared that it gave him a feeling throughout his whole body. Davy pretended to take the matter quite seriously, and after removing the thermometer, he asked the patient to call the following day for a repetition of the treatment. For two weeks this patient called each day and had the thermometer placed beneath his tongue, and at the end of that time he left the Institute a cured man.
Davy had not told Dr. Beddoes what kind of "treatment" he had really given the man, but as the worthy doctor was going to rush off and publish the remarkable proof of the action of nitrous oxide, Davy had to let him into the secret.
This is the gas commonly used by dentists as an anaesthetic. On one occasion while Davy was experimenting with this gas upon himself he was nearly killed, and he resolved never to attempt so rash an experiment again.
Davy was so keen in his work and in his study of Chemistry, that he rose two hours before breakfast in order to get time for writing. But he did not cut himself off from the world; he was a keen angler, and he kept a dog and gun for his shooting expeditions.
One of his friends has left us a description of Davy's fishing clothes. He had a suit made of bright green cloth, and having bought a hat, in a raw state from the manufacturer, he dyed it green with some pigments of his own composition. The idea of this green clothing was to elude the observation of the fish, by appearing as much as possible as part and parcel with the bank of the river. When shooting he put on a bright scarlet cap, but that was to protect himself against any other sportsman mistaking him for prey, or failing to observe his presence.
While at Bristol Davy got an offer to act as Assistant Lecturer at the Royal Institution, London, which had been founded a short time previously. The purpose of this Institution, which, of course, still flourishes, was to diffuse a knowledge of Science and of its applications to the common purposes of life, and to excite a taste for Science amongst people of high rank. Davy accepted this post, and in the succeeding chapter we shall see how he made the Royal Institution famous.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Since I have started sharing pictures of my canvas work some people that knew me for my photography work have asked me why I would ruin my photography by splashing it with paint until it's virtually no longer recognizable.
For a long time I have kept both aspects completely separate in anticipation for these reactions. So what changed?
Art is an experience of senses and of emotions. As I invested my self in these aspects they became mixed and started blending into each other.
As I worked the paint and the texture, the canvas is usually laying flat parallel to the ground. However, when displayed it would be perpendicular to the ground this means that as I am working the texture and the colors I need to constantly think about the lighting... just like in my photography.
By hiding an area and progressively expanding or reducing the masked (again anyone doing photo editing will know this term) area, I can transition from heavy textured paint to the photo printed on the canvas and have a cohesive surface of my canvas.
It's because I am a photographer I paint the way I do and because I paint I light, expose and compose my shots the way I do.
The photograph presents one facet of reality. I started painting to add a raw emotional aspect I felt was not always clearly expressed in the photograph.
The paint is my hydrophilic description of the story and the emotions involved around the photograph.


Developed from two ARC Linkage grants and a CTD grant, UNSW engineers and GPSat Systems have created GRIFFIN, a suite of networked specialised GPS receivers that can locate a jammer to within a metre.
Most, if not all, military exercises and operations rely on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) because the navigation of aircraft, land craft and maritime craft all rely on GPS. So, what happens if the GPS signal is blocked, or worse yet, calculates a false position?
According to Professor Andrew Dempster, Director of UNSW's Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research (ACSER), GPS interference is an increasing threat hanging over not just military operations but other mission-critical GNSS installations right across the globe.
By the time GPS signals were introduced in the 1970s, the concept of electronic warfare was already well established. The idea being that the enemy (and vice versa) would deliberately try to disrupt GPS-derived position, navigation and time solutions through jamming (overriding a local GPS satellite signal thus taking it out of commission), or spoofing (forcing a GPS receiver to calculate a false position).
The technology we've developed would allow the the military to continue to use their GPS because any of those jammers and spoofers could be identified, some to within a metre, and then removed or destroyed.
So, what can be done? With a relationship going back to 2004, Dempster's team at UNSW Engineering has worked with industrial partner GPSat Systems – who provide innovative satellite navigation equipment to sectors including aerospace, mining and defence, and have largely been concerned with creating solutions to mitigate against exactly this issue.
Together their research has generated two ARC Linkage grants and a Capability Technology Demonstration (CTD) project that have led to the development of the GNSS RF Inference FINder (GRIFFIN) family of products.
The GRIFFIN system consists of several monitoring nodes installed in the area surrounding the GNSS infrastructure requiring protection. It can detect and geo-locate a broad variety of jammers and spoofers.
"The technology we've developed would allow the military to continue to use their GPS because any of those jammers and spoofers could be identified, some to within a metre, and then removed or destroyed," says Dempster.
Most recently, in October 2018, Dr Joon Wayn Cheong, also from ACSER, visited Victoria to trial the latest GRIFFIN networked specialised GPS receiver. The team have gradually been making the GRIFFIN products more sophisticated and are now looking at a hybrid technique exploiting cross-correlation and phased array concepts. In other words, if you've got multiple jammers and spoofers it's more likely to accurately find them all.
"The aim of the trial was to validate the new iteration of the GRIFFIN software suite that has enhanced detection of varied types of GNSS interferers. It is also our first validation of a pair of internally developed remote-controlled nodes of GNSS interferers that standardises future GRIFFIN field tests and ensures our interference levels stay within predefined limits," says Cheong.
The trials demonstrated the capabilities of GRIFFIN to NovAtel officials (NovAtel is a leading provider of high precision GPS and GNSS positioning technology), who were interested in GNSS vulnerabilities and there as part of the Multi-GNSS Asia Conference being held in Melbourne at that time.
The test successfully showed real-time identification of GNSS interferers, including spoofers and wideband jammers. It also showed metre level accuracy for one or two simultaneous interferers.
"The people who attended said they were very impressed with the speed of the interference detection and the accuracy of the geolocation of the interferer. They were also impressed by the low power consumption of the GRIFFIN system and how adaptable the sensor arrays can be to new environments," he continues.
The unique technologies contained within GRIFFIN products and the performance capabilities achieved are attracting considerable interest globally and the products are in the process of being introduced to both domestic and international markets.
Find out why this research is so topical here.


giving | Agile KM for me… and you?
"Giving a gift makes you indispensable. Inventing a gift, creating art-that is what the market seeks out, and the givers are the ones who earn our respect and attention." (Seth Godin,).
the book is worth exploring from an agile KM perspective. Godin talks about the gift economy, or rather the gift and the social economics around it. This is a final opportunity to put to rest the idea of 'knowledge is power' (among other reasons for not sharing knowledge) and to focus on the knowledge ecology our world can and should replace it with.
Essentially Godin's point is that we've lost the universal tradition of gifts – in most human societies gift had a place and the person sharing the gifts was the person that earned the respect. The commodity-focused capitalism has replaced gifts with economic transactions – paying for a good – and has turned the tradition of gifts to become a tribute. The person with power became the person getting gifts, not giving them away.
However the social economy we are in is now turning this on its head again and making space for the 'linchpins' – the indispensable positive deviants that are following their passion, developing their art (regardless of the reactions expected) and thus making themselves indispensable. And one of the things that linchpins do is to share their gifts again as they connect with people around them. All those behaviours are the key to success.
'Knowledge is power' states that there is more advantage in hoarding knowledge for one's advantage than sharing it freely. And that might be true. For a while… A short while.
In the longer run, however, we thrive as we are connected to a vast network of people.
1. 'Selling' knowledge is a zero sum game.
When someone is hoarding knowledge, no fertile work comes out. And when someone systematically and only charges for sharing their knowledge, that person is merely entering into a transaction. Commoditising knowledge, with all the problems that come with – one of them being that knowledge really isn't a commodity. But if it is considered a commodity, knowledge becomes desacralised, stripped off of its power which is unique and close to only a few other importants things in life, like love. That power is its social nature.
In any case, when we are selling knowledge there is no transformation, there is no(t much) added value here.
Indeed, when we share our knowledge, not only do we make available that handy knowledge to others, for them to do something perhaps useless but perhaps useful, or even amazing. In addition, and whatever happens with that knowledge, something else happens: when we share gifts (of knowledge or otherwise) with specific people, we are also developing, changing, transforming our relationships with them. We expand our tribes, we bring people in them. We also reach out to the people in the tribes of our tribe members – and so we are connecting to all the nodes of our global collective brain.
Of course, for this social transformation to happen most completely, there needs to be some sense of appreciation from the person receiving the gift too. That's where the gift of your attention becomes so precious. And perhaps why your engaging in conversations (because that's the work) is essential too.
One of the final points of Godin is that the person giving the gifts is showing that they have plenty of potential to give more, plenty of creativity, plenty of art to share. They show their uniqueness, and that uniqueness is also power – not that I would encourage you to focus on this. But indeed 'Knowledge sharing is (caring) power' – both collective and individual.
This goes to show that even in a knowledge ego-logy, where we are serving (also) our own interests, but out of the principle of sharing our gifts, we are cultivating the knowledge garden and we are cultivating our connections with each other in that whole ecology.
Develop your art with passion – in the knowledge world this means developing learning approaches that have failed safely and keep on going higher because you drive them with all of yourself.
Stop hoarding knowledge – share it and pay it forward instead, as it's the best way to get that knowledge to lead to grand work, art crafts, masterpieces!
Offer your respect in return: part of the ecology is to cultivate it too by paying respect to the artists around us who are sharing their art as gifts.
Trust that people are not so interested in buying products, but as Seth Godin points out, they are interested in "relationships, stories, magic"!
I'm on to seek my next Godin book now… Any recommendation?
I share because I care!


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Meet the Scouse Barbies
IN a week rather bereft of new shows, I'd like to say that this one shines through like a beacon of originality.
Roz Laws
Unfortunately, it doesn't. It's another one of those reality shows based on location, like The Only Way Is Essex, Made In Chelsea and Geordie Shore.
And another one where they clearly thought of the title first and were so delighted with their pun that they made a show around it.
The show heads to Liverpool to meet the strong women trying to make a name for themselves in a city famous for its big personalities and even bigger hair.
They include Debbie O'Toole (pictured), a 25-year-old beauty pageant queen. She's a swimwear model and former Miss Liverpool who spends a fortune on her looks. She'd prefer to splash out on clothes and hair appointments than on rent, so she lives at home and shares a room with her sister Gill.
Debbie's mantra is: "I want to be like Beyoncé, inspiring all women."
Then there's Chloe Cummings, who dreams of following in the footsteps of her model cousin Abbey Crouch.
Elissa Corrigan is clearly the brainy one of the bunch, as she wears glasses. She's a graduate freelance journalist and columnist, trying to be Liverpool's answer to Carrie Bradshaw.
She dated Liverpool club promoter Joe McMahon for three years but split when she thought he'd cheated on her.
She says of herself: "I am a relentless self-publicist, a sexy swashbuckler and a moral crusader who shoots from the lip. My mum says my beauty will open doors but my brains will keep me there."
The line-up of girls also includes model Amanda Harrington who has sworn off footballers, and make-up artist Jodie Lundstram who has massive hair and calls herself a Scouse Barbie.
"There is much more to us Scousers than just being glammed up all the time and the famous 'Calm down, calm down' catchphrase," insists Jodie.
"I also have a degree in Applied Psychology, which not many people know about."
Desperate Scousewives, E4, Monday, 10pm
The Only Way Is Essex


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Bush's Law — Less Safe, Less Free
Posted on April 30, 2008 by adam
I'd like to review two recent books on the war on terror: "Bush's Law: The Remaking of American Justice" by by Eric Lichtblau, and "Less Safe, Less Free: Why America Is Losing the War on Terror" by David Cole and Jules Lobel. Both are well written assaults on the way in which the Bush administration is conducting itself, although each takes a tact aligned with the author's background and history. Lichtblau is a reporter, currently for the New York Times, and Cole and Lobel are law professors.
Bush's Law is an extended view into some of the major stories that Lichtblau has covered. Included are the NSA's warrant-less wiretapping, the SWIFT following of the money, and the Comey/Ashcroft hospital story. Even as someone who follows these stories fairly closely, I still learned quite a bit-some new, some not previously reported, and all better organized and more readable than in the newspaper. The theme that emerges from Bush's Law is one of secrecy, and the conflict which a free society faces when repeatedly begged to `trust us' by an administration which seems to not understand how its actions undermine trust.
The undermining of trust is also a major theme of Less Safe, Less Free. Before getting into the meat of the book, let me say that this is law professor writing at its best. It's clear and compelling, and the notes are at the end. They lay out a strong case that the Bush administration's concept of how to engage with the world is is at its core, preventative, rather than reactive. In theory, this seems like a great plan. In practice Cole and Lobel show how it inevitably undermines the concepts of justice on which our society is founded, as well as our reputation with the rest of the world. That is, it is not merely a practical failure, it was inevitably going to be a practical failure. Predictions are hard, especially about the future. Reasonable people may disagree on the reasonableness of a preventative action. The difficulty of reaching proof "beyond a reasonable doubt" about what would have happened undermines the legitimacy of claims about the future.
The essence of their argument is that prevention, be it preventative war, such as in Iraq, or preventative law enforcement, such as with the justice, always requires the showing of evidence. You can't simply detain someone because they might in the future commit a crime. In a court, no single body acts as judge, jury and executioner. Each party gets their day in court, with an opportunity to examine the evidence against them. These things are impossible in the preventative paradigm. Not only are sources and methods secret (sometimes with good reason), but the evidence is often lacking. In the case of war, the court is that of public opinion in many places. They also show a plethora of historical cases where preventative war went horribly wrong, and relate preventative war to a set of regimes with which no reasonable person wants to be associated.
The core reason which we demand that justice be reactive, or, at its fastest, at the instant of a crime, is that we rightfully fear the powers we invest in our government. It is a mighty and fearsome machine which can crush anything in its path. When it is allowed to do so, we are all less safe, and less free.
Two asides: I paid for both books, and I love the endnote styling of page number, excerpt, note used in Bush's Law.
This entry was posted in books by adam. Bookmark the permalink.
3 thoughts on "Bush's Law — Less Safe, Less Free"
Cobb on May 1, 2008 at 3:44 pm said:
Interesting. Being a neoconservative myself and an advocate for pre-emption, I think it is useful to suggest that the ends of war are not justice, and therefore military actions should not be judged upon the same basis as those in the context of a criminal or civil justice system.
We invest the powers of war in our national government and that will never be undone. The court of public opinion is the only place where legalistic arguments can win. But even if you impeach the president, you will not impeach the army. This is the predicament of our current national debate – people whose righteous interests in civil liberties are opinion on matters of national security. They ARE two different things and arguments about crime and punishment simply don't apply to war and peace.
Adam on May 1, 2008 at 5:11 pm said:
Thanks Cobb. I may have mis-characterized Cole & Lobel's position a bit. They don't suggest a literal court. What they point out is that the act of pre-emption in war raises concerns of "is war the only answer?"
Military theorists from Machiavelli to Clauswitz to Boyd have looked at the political nature of war, and point to the need for support from the public and one's allies. Pre-emptive war is less likely to carry such support.
In any event, I've summarized the book in a paragraph or two. I would urge you to take a look, and see if you still advocate for pre-emption in war after reading it.
skierpage on May 6, 2008 at 5:01 pm said:
"takes a tact"
You mean "a tack", e: a course or method of action; especially : one sharply divergent from that previously followed.
It comes from sailing against the wind.
Cheers. Your site has a sneaky favicon 😉


How To Choose The Best Roofing Company!
Do you think it might be time for a new roof? Here are some things to do to make sure you choose the very best roofing company there is!
Google reviews don't lie. OK, maybe they do if you just see 11 of them, and figure that's how many cousins that roofer happens to have. But you can't fake 100 or 200 reviews. If a company gets rave Google reviews—and a lot of them, especially in an industry where customer dissatisfaction is rampant, you know you're on to something good.
Especially in the aftermath of a hailstorm, "storm-chasing" roofers will pop up like mushrooms and knock on every door trying to get business. But in a couple of months, they'll pack up and leave, and good luck trying to find them if you need any warranty work in a year or two or ten.
Go with a local company that has been in business at least 10 or more years: Then you know they're an established business with roots in the community, and they're more likely to serve you well.
Any company can put on its website "I had a great experience with Bob's Roofing" and sign it "Jerry S." (who must be in the witness protection program to not want his last name associated with an endorsement he presumably gave willingly). How many can give you 10, 20, 100 names of previous customers—complete with names, addresses, and phone numbers—so you can call them directly and get an honest, first-hand referral? Most wouldn't risk it, which is why you shouldn't hire them. Ask for references even if you don't plan to call them—just to see whether they start making excuses or readily produce long, long list.
Don't ever trust "ballpark" estimates over the phone or online—they are utter nonsense. Insist that a company come to your home, look at your property, take measurements, and give you an estimate tailored specifically to what you need. Ask about financing—because a well-established company won't just say "ask your bank." While we're at it, make sure the estimate is exclusively in writing, and outlines everything that's included in the quote, to avoid unpleasant surprises later.
Does the person you're dealing with seem friendly—or just "polite"? Do they show respect for your home when they walk in? Do they ask questions to figure out your needs, or do they throw a canned presentation at you? Are they willing to answer your questions—not just about the roof materials and installation process, but also the company and even themselves? When you have the right person in front of you, someone who is considerate, hard-working, and decent, you can tell. Trust your gut feeling!
We hope this has been helpful to you no matter where you live! If you're in one of our service areas, the friendly experts Ridge Top Exteriors would gladly give you a FREE home inspection as well as a NO OBLIGATION estimate for a replacement roof! We appreciate your consideration and hope to have a chance to earn your business!


Homespun Stitchworks..... For the love of vintage: Vintage fair and Market on Saturday...... All the links, news and pictures of my purchases/more vintage paisley!!
Vintage fair and Market on Saturday...... All the links, news and pictures of my purchases/more vintage paisley!!
The vintage textile and vintage goodies event was held in Victoria Halls. There was good parking and people coming and going. Inside was an Aladdin's cave of beautiful stalls to tempt you. Also there was a lovely vintage cafe inside selling homemade cakes and freshly made sandwiches to order along with Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and soft drinks. All of the cups, sauces, plates and cutlery were vintage and lots of tables spaced apart to sit.
There were some great stalls and I met some amazing like minded people who understood my needs and also must have attitude!!
The first person I met was a lovely lady called Michelle and this lady, with her husband who drives her around, goes from vintage fair and markets to vintage fair and market all across the UK. Michelle writes a weekly news letter and takes photo's of the events that she attends weekly. The Michelle is on Twitter ( search for The Vintage Girlie) and she also has a page on facebook search the vintage girlie and read her news letter, I think it is wonderful, Michelle has over 7,000 readers of her vintage news and keeps you up to date on forth coming events and also covers the events with a news letter and photo's.
Now wandering around ( actually I was probably not that sedate!) I found Liz and Jack, Liz was the lady that I bought the 3 meters of the 1930's paisley from, guess what... she had the same amount again, it was her last of that amount...... Yes I did, I bought it! Along with another stunning couple of meters of delicious fabric and some mother of pearl buttons!!
I also bought some other fabrics that are awesome and vintage trims, lace and yes J P Coates threads.... very fitting in that village I thought.
We spent 3 hours in the fair and it was not only fruitful for my business but to meet with such wonderful people who all have a passion for vintage was such a joy.
To get an in depth look at the show take a look at Michelle's vintage news letter and all the photo's. Michelle will be loading her news letter today.
I also collected a handful of leaflets on up and coming events and that is something you will see on Michelle's news letter.
Well I have lots of washing and pressing of fabric to do, but it is not a chore... I love doing it. I also love sorting my beautiful dresser out in my kitchen with all my vintage and newer china on and other little bits ( vintage cutlery and sugar tongs etc) I bought something for that as well... I couldn't help it!!!
Look at that stunning pile of goodies!!
The jug cover and vintage coasters for my dresser!
pieces of vintage quilt, mother of pearl buttons and some vintage paisley.
YES! 3 meters of that fab paisley again plus buttons and some stunning fabric from Liz and Jack!
More stunning fabrics, can you believe and more vintage carved mother of pearl buttons.
Two lovely plates ready to be made into a bon bon plate!
I know! ... it takes your breath away!
A beautiful selection of vintage hankies, earmarked for a personal project for our home.
Thank you to all who made my business buying, a day out as well. See you all at the next one.
I hope you have all enjoyed today's blog and Happy Stitching!


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Creative Adjacencies
August 17, 2018 By Porter Anderson (@Porter_Anderson)
Off Igoumenitsa. Image – iStockphoto: MG7
Reading and Watching: Near and Far
In marketing, we often talk about adjacencies.
If your book has a lot to do with a character whose hypnosis treatments seem to turn up multiple personalities, then practitioners of hypnosis are an adjacent group of potential consumers for your books. Adjacent to them are those mesmerizing folks' professional associations. Adjacent to them are their doctorate programs on university campuses, classrooms in which you should be guest-lecturing so they'll find (and buy) your book. Then there are the caregivers who work with multi-personality disorders. And so on.
What we don't talk about as often are adjacencies that impact a writer's work itself–choosing what to read or watch according to what level or kind of adjacency it might have to your own work.
The crassest example I can offer will send you screaming out into the night: I hate comedy. In all its forms. I don't want to sit back and relax. I want to sit forward and be tense.
I refuse to watch comedies on television or film, I refuse to read them, and I refuse to waste my time in discussions about them. What makes this all the stranger is that I love to laugh and generally take a joking pathway through conversations. But that, it turns out, is the key.
I've learned over the years that one of the things I have the least respect for in a story is camp. I'm referring here to camp not as being necessarily related to homosexual humor, which is one connotation of the word, but as any effort to send up an otherwise serious subject, to "camp it up."
As soon as I catch an author camping up his or her work, the book is sailing across the room. The "irresistible" joke can always be resisted and should be. But it's surprising how many writers, playwrights, screenwriters, and others seem to think themselves very witty for camping up their work.
If anything, I find that I admire more and more the writers who can "stay serious." It actually takes a lot of work and control of your material to get there and stay there these days, not least because the consumer base largely thinks that "laughter is the best medicine" (they also think clichés are clever), and they're frequently displeased if a story "never gets funny."
The Postman Rings More Than Twice
Do you know Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business? Postman wrote it in 1985. Penguin published an anniversary edition in 2005. It's still important reading, not least because Postman (who died in 2003 at age 72) was able to foresee how the force of the commercially propelled entertainment culture would pervade everything.
In my early days as a critic on Broadway and off-Broadway, for example, dramas not only were plentiful but they were anticipated and celebrated. Arthur Miller in an interview with me about 10 years before his death talked about how there had been a day when theatergoers and readers who met him would demand to know–cordially but urgently–what he was thinking next, what was his latest theme? By the end of his career, he said, nobody cared about what writers were identifying as important issues–nor for dramas built on them.
And while we'll only touch on this subject glancingly, it does need to be said: Imagine what Miller might have thought if he'd lived to see the surreality show of Donald Trump in the White House?–in some interpretations (you need not agree, we're moving right on), the arrival of the real-estate-and-reality-show-president is the apotheosis of a decades-long trend in which entertainers and entertainment have become international leadership material in the minds of many.
That, Postman wants us to remember, is a way of "amusing ourselves to death."
So when I'm "choosing content," as we moderns say these days, I find that I'm looking for work "adjacent" to my own, in terms of humor and seriousness. There are several other important adjacencies relative to my current work, but this is one of the biggest because I find my admiration growing for writers so formidably in command of their intelligence that they can start serious, stay serious, and end serious, unafraid of honking off the people who "just want to laugh and have a good time."
Want an example? Alex Garland's Ex Machina (the screenplay from Faber & Faber, and Garland's film). Its humans are hardly with out a typical capability to get off a line in a funny way, but the story itself is deadly serious and makes no apology for that.
Want another? Jackson's Dilemma by the late Iris Murdoch, an astonishing study of isolation.
One still new to television? The Man in the High Castle from Amazon Studios (the third season under Frank Spotnitz's direction starts October 5).
What I've learned about my own writerly inclinations is that I'm able to stay closer to the seriousness of my work if I don't expose myself more than is necessary to the "goddamn laugh riot" (Mart Crowley, The Boys in the Band) of society's current preoccupation with humor. The temptation to camp something up is exacerbated by being around people who can't write–or read–their way from one end of a book to the other without getting off a few good guffaws. (On the planes, these are the people who laugh aloud at funny passages they're reading, know the ones I mean?)
So a contextual or conceptual adjacency I find myself looking for in material these days is what we used to call a "straight drama," meaning a piece the intent of which is serious. I learn from reading and watching such material. I get a lot more out of work that's serious over silly, determined over ditsy, meaningful over heart-warming, intelligent over emotional.
All the Way to the Bank
Provocations graphic by Liam Walsh
That's just me (Mercifully, right? I mean really.) And it's easy to imagine other possible adjacencies that could mean things to other writers engaged on other works in progress. And that's my provocation for you today.
Do you learn from material that focuses on relationships? Or does your work's focus lie adjacent to stories about high-concept social issues, policy matters, corporate challenges, scientific exploration?
Does your creative focus these days get more nourishment from reading something from history or something futuristic? Are your topical and creative adjacencies showing up more readily in tales of faith or crime? In stories of confusion and loss or struggle and achievement? In books about youngsters and idealism or about mature citizens grappling with hard truths?
Drop a line in comments here about the adjacencies that mean the most to you at this point. Because the funny (gosh, did I laugh?) thing about adjacencies is that you may find that someone else's are much closer to yours than you'd expected–more … adjacent to your own.
Filed Under: CRAFT, provocations, REAL WORLD, Writing life Tagged With: adjacencies, comedy, creative impact, cultural norms, drama, entertainment, Porter Anderson, The Hot Sheet
Foreshadowing vs Callbacks
February 3, 2018 By Jo Eberhardt
A couple of months ago, I took my children to see the new Lego Ninjago movie at the cinema. For those people unfamiliar with the movie (like, perhaps, most people who don't have a child under the age of 12), the plot revolves around five trainee-ninja teenagers who must learn the ways of Spinjitsu and defeat the evil Lord Garmadon. The movie opens with our heroes foiling Lord Garmadon's attack against the city of Ninjago by piloting giant elemental-themed mechs. There's action and adventure … [Read more...]
Filed Under: CRAFT Tagged With: callbacks, comedy, emotion, foreshadowing, plot, story arc
Perspective and Your Authorial Voice
May 6, 2017 By Jo Eberhardt
It's become something of an adage that every literary agent (or publisher, or editor, or reader...) is looking for is a fresh and distinctive Voice. But what, exactly, is Voice? Depending on where you look, you'll find any number of people offering definitions, ranging from Rachelle Gardner: Your writer's voice is the expression of YOU on the page. To Leah McLellan: Your personality comes out in your writing. Your voice is a combination of your attitude, your tone, and your personal … [Read more...]
Filed Under: CRAFT Tagged With: comedy, perspective, voice


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Marquette Courtside
Marquette Courtside: Running The Options
posted by Dan Pfeifer - Jan 9, 2019
Everyone knows Markus Howard can score. Gaudy games like his 52-point performance against Providence last year and 45-point showings against No. 12 Kansas State and No. 14 Buffalo this season are obvious examples. Marquette, however, cannot live on Howard alone. It has sometimes, like in that Providence win and the second half against Buffalo. Other times, like when Howard went 7-for-29 against No. 12 Wisconsin, it tried and only barely succeeded. Still other times, like when he went 2-for-15 against St. John's, Marquette looked like it desperately needed a reliable second scoring option.
While most folks think Sam Hauser can be that guy, his numbers have been up-and-down at best. Since the K-State game, when he all he did from the floor was miss two shots, he has a 4-for-10 shooting night against UTEP where he went 0-for-6 from outside, a 10-point game against St. John's where he really didn't start doing damage until late in the contest, and a 1-for-8 outing against Xavier with 0-for-6 outside shooting again. Last year, Sam fought injuries. Given the inconsistency thus far, one has to wonder if maybe he's a little beat up again. At a time of year when averages start getting difficult to move, he's dropped from a high-water mark of 17.3 points per game down to 13.5.
We've mentioned the St. John's game twice now. With Howard and Sam Hauser both struggling, Marquette looked lost against the Red Storm. That's why usage was notable against Xavier.
Sure, Howard got his, hitting 10-of-21 shots and going 6-for-15 beyond the arc. But early on, before we knew Sam Hauser would struggle, Sacar Anim got the ball plenty. With moves to the basket, work off the dribble and pull-up jumpers, Anim had his second-best scoring performance at Marquette, pouring in 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Anim has off nights, too — he went 1-for-10 against Buffalo — and he doesn't always distribute the ball as much as he should, but I think that's partly the result of his role in the offense. If he were to validate himself with a few more games where he scores like he did against Xavier, Anim creates another matchup problem and forces teams to commit more resources to the drive, better opening things up outside for Howard and Sam Hauser.
Meanwhile, we haven't brought up Joey Hauser yet. It's time to stop being surprised when he puts up double-digits, having done so in five of his last seven games, while averaging 16.5 points through two BIG EAST contests. Hauser the Younger isn't the smoothest-looking player yet. He's long and rangy, but still has moments where he looks out of control. On one of three assists Sunday, he got the pass off to Howard while stumbling to the ground near the post. Still, if Joey is doing those sorts of things when he's not looking totally comfortable, imagine what he'll do once he gets settled. It's not like Marquette is afraid to go to Joey, as he's averaging just under seven shots a game. But he looks like he's for real, and if teams don't give him proper respect, Steve Wojciechowski and Marquette shouldn't be afraid to let him take over. A stretch where he hit three-straight threes in the first half against Buffalo was a turning point. It almost certainly will happen again at some point.
Let's not neglect Theo John, who has showed signs of breaking out down low, but has struggled with foul trouble in his first two BIG EAST games. John is ever so close to being a dominant presence. He just needs to stay on the floor. In my mind, I can hear Wojo say he just needs to keep working hard.
Depth of scoring, or just depth, period, is something new and different for Marquette this year. It puts more pressure on the coaches to do two things: First, they must identify matchups they can exploit in
the run-up to games. That determines which offenses they should run. Not every play should be set up for Howard or Sam Hauser, given what other guys have shown they can do. Secondly, when it becomes clear someone has a hot hand, there have to be in-game adjustments. This is especially the case with teams sometimes entering kitchen-sink mode defending Howard. You can't "coach flat," going in with one gameplan and continuing to run with it. You have to constantly observe, adjust and see what does and doesn't work, while also not straying too far from the things you know work best, or thing, which is Howard. No one said it was easy.
Because Marquette's defense is improved this year, there's more scoring in transition off turnovers and steals, so points alone aren't always the best way to measure offensive usage. Still, Marquette will be at its best when every option on the floor is a viable one in a half-court offense. Xavier coach Travis Steele said his team "shut down" Marquette in the half-court. I somewhat disagree. Maybe he felt that way because Sam Hauser struggled, and Howard didn't explode. But Anim got the job done, and more than just in transition. If Marquette can get to the point where opponents need to take all five guys seriously when MU's on offense, they're going to be nearly impossible to stop. The scary part is, each of the five starters have shown they're up to that task at times. It's the team's responsibility, as well as the coaches', to show it on a consistent basis.
COURTSIDE SPLINTERS
LESS HELDT, MORE MORROW: With John in foul trouble against Xavier, Wojo had to look to different options down low. Matt Heldt saw six minutes of time, while Ed Morrow, who can be used in different ways, was on the floor for 20. Given the situation, it's possible Heldt simply had to spell Morrow. But it was pretty clear who the better player was. Morrow got 10 rebounds in those 20 minutes. Even though he only had two points, and committed two traveling violations, he had a nose for the ball and an understanding of how the offense would work, setting screens on the block to spring Anim to the basket. Meanwhile, Heldt drew two fouls, and when he wasn't getting pushed around, he looked slow and awkward against Xavier's bigs.
Heldt is a fan favorite, particularly for the shrinking percentage of Marquette attendees who hail from outstate Wisconsin or even suburban Milwaukee, many of whom see a lot of themselves in Heldt's Neenah roots. But he hasn't bulked up like anyone hoped and it's difficult to see a reason to consider him worthy of minutes over other options. Even though Morrow gives up a little height, his instincts and physicality make up for it. You can't really say the same for Heldt. Good kid, but with what Marquette is trying to accomplish right now, he's best used late in games that are already decided, not in the first half of conference contests, and if so, only by necessity.
FOX TRAX: A lot of Milwaukeeans were frustrated to find out that they couldn't see Marquette play Sunday because of the current Tribune Broadcasting/Spectrum cable dispute. Spectrum's claim that Tribune is demanding double their previous fees, and is offering above inflation, makes me side with the cable company on this one. Let's face it, though: Do you really want to see "The Masked Singer" that badly? As long as they get it figured out by Packers season next year, I'm fine without it. If only they'd shave the cost of those channels off our bills while we don't have them. That won't happen, though.
THANK U, NEXT: Marquette will head to Omaha for a game against Creighton at 6 p.m. tomorrow night, then plays a big game against Seton Hall Saturday at 1 downtown.


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The diary kept by Bartlett Yancey Malone, of Caswell County, N.C., during the War Between the States has been scanned and is available as an electronic resource as part of UNC's Documenting the American South collection.
The University Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill sponsors Documenting the American South, and the texts and materials come primarily from its southern holdings.
Bartlett Yancey Malone was first a private and then a sergeant in Company H, 6th North Carolina Regiment State Troops, when he was fighting in Virginia and imprisoned at Point Lookout, Md.
His diary is located at the following URL:
http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/malone/menu.html
Click here for his His service record


On Wednesday 30th January, as part of the Active Ageing Pathway Evaluation, Andy Powell of BUCRU attended Active Dorset's first Wellbeing Event of 2019, at Lighthouse, Poole.
Wellbeing Events form an integral part of the Active Ageing Pathway, whereby inactive individuals over the age of 55 are identified in clinical, workplace and community settings, and are invited to the events to learn about how physical activity can benefit them, and about the different activities available for them to participate in locally. Wednesday's event was aimed at individuals in Poole and Bournemouth who are receiving, or have received, treatment for cancer.
Andy attended in order to identify the different behaviour change techniques employed during the event, as part of a wider exercise that will see the systematic application of a theoretical behaviour change framework to the Active Ageing Pathway, to retrospectively underpin its design with an empirical foundation.
This very positive and inspiring event was enjoyed by all, as the pictures below demonstrate.
Attendees learn about the cognitive benefits of physical activity.
A Tai-Chi taster session, led by Andy Hall of the Three Dragons School.
Attendees were able to peruse various stalls and local physical activity offerings.
An invitation for attendees to learn to play the ukulele from the Poole Pluckers and Strummers!


During Open House, families have the opportunity to tour our spectacular campus and see how our teachers inspire students with innovative classroom lessons and 21st century teaching strategies.
There are no more Open Houses scheduled for the 2018-19 school year. Please stay tuned for the 2019-20 Open House dates, which will be posted here as soon as they are determined.
If you would like to schedule a private tour, please call our admissions team at 954-262-4506 or email uschooladmissions@nova.edu, and we'd be happy to schedule another day and time for you to tour NSU University School.


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Chellsie Memmel, Alicia Sacramone Quinn to lead U.S. women's gymnastics program
By OlympicTalkMay 26, 2022, 2:16 PM EDT
Chellsie Memmel and Alicia Sacramone Quinn, who were on the 2008 U.S. Olympic silver medal team, and longtime coach Dan Baker have been named the leaders of the U.S. women's gymnastics program.
After USA Gymnastics changed its model from a single director to a trio, Memmel will be the technical lead, Quinn the strategic lead and Baker the developmental lead. They start next week.
"We are extremely pleased to have this well-rounded team of leaders to drive our program, from development to the Olympic stage," U.S. women's gymnastics vice president Annie Heffernon said in a press release. "They bring decades of experience in coaching, talent development, judging and elite competition. To have Olympians return to our national team in coaching and strategic capacities will have an even bigger impact on the next generation of women's elite athletes."
Memmel, who last year came out of a nine-year retirement and competed at nationals, will direct national team camps while providing "technical and coaching oversight" for the high performance program.
Quinn, captain of the 2008 Olympic team and a 10-time world championships medalist, will focus on "the overarching strategy for the national team," overseeing planning and direction of the high performance program.
Baker, a club coach since 1998 and USA Gymnastics elite women's development coordinator since 2018, will continue focusing on junior levels, overseeing the developmental program and camps.
Dominique Moceanu, a member of the 1996 Olympic gold medal team, said she applied for the strategic lead position and was interviewed.
Memmel, Quinn and Baker succeed Tom Forster, who stepped down at the end of 2021 after three and a half years at the helm that included a team silver-medal result at the Tokyo Games.
Top gymnasts are preparing for the U.S. Classic in July and national championships in August, after which the team for the world championships in October and November will be named.


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Zim Ahmadi
[EP REVIEW] 'RUNUT DALAM JEDA' - MIM
Purchase the EP via this Whatsapp link: bit.ly/rdjmim
RELEASE DATE: 27 APR 2020 GENRE: POST-ROCK / INSTRUMENTAL / AMBIENT / EXPERIMENTAL Post-rock with a clear direction & concept encompassing violence and war; although with unfortunate trenches along the way.
Runut Dalam Jeda is KL band MIM's latest EP. Roughly translated from Malay to "Scores/Soundtracks In Silence" or "Appearances In Pauses" (the word "Jeda" is hard to translate in context, but the word "intermission" is probably the closest), the EP predominantly contains familiar post-rock themes for post-rock fans, but also a lot of intriguing experimentation in ambience with a smattering of prog-metal. There are thematic concepts that slowly unpacks itself throughout the length of 6-tracks, namely war, isolation and death, to put things simply. According to their Bandcamp, MIM was formed in 2015 and they've cited many influences like jazz, metal, soundtracks, and rainforests. Over the years, they've been trying to trim their sound to solidify the aspects that work. You can hear this endeavour in their previous releases like the 2019 Cassette Store Day split, Notion & Impulse , with KL post-metal band, De Fusion. In fact, the split EP contains some early versions of two songs that are in Runut Dalam Jeda , 'Demon' & 'Exequy' (which used to have really long titles).
In their latest EP, you get tracks of alternating lengths with an instrumental palette that is big in magnitude but not in diversity, which isn't always a bad thing since narrowing things down sometimes work better when it comes to realising a concept. But in reviewing and relistening to 'Runut Dalam Jeda', I gotta talk about post-rock a bit and why it's a totally different animal to tackle review-wise. Different from many popular versions of rock or other genres. At the same time, there's a lot to be extracted from post-rock that can be used as a lens to look at other music. For a large portion of my life, I thought post-rock was dull. I remember falling in love with Explosions in the Sky only because the person I liked was into them but then I eventually really grew into it (...*cue Beauty and the Beast* tale as old as time). I also remember my peer-pressure-suggestible teenage self feeling instantly repulsed by it when another friend of mine listened to First Breath After Coma and commented: "What is this, there's barely any music, why isn't anyone singing, this is stupid". As an idiotic adolescent with significantly low(er) self-esteem, it was hard to go back to Explosions In the Sky after that. But then as with most past love, you fall back into it eventually, especially when no one's looking and you're feeling particularly alone. In that revisiting, I was introduced to Mogwai, or the rougher edges of This Will Destroy You, the pretty ethereality of Sigur Ros; bands that were a thousand times more ambitious than EITS. The pinnacle of my relationship with post-rock so far is, of course, Godspeed You! Black Emperor with that record.
Throughout this very surface-level genre journey, I also discovered a lot of cool instrumental Malaysian acts like mutesite, Deepset, and Dirgahayu (some here are more math rock than others). The main thing I've acquired from all of this is the interesting subset of experimentation that post-rock occupies. A space that shares a lot with genres like ambient or drone. The experimentation is less about virtuosity or even technical proficiency (see: prog rock, symphonic rock, old school Cream/Hendrix stuff), but more about texture and timbre.
Oh the piano on this track. Taib jiddan.
For example, how the guitars sound. It's about the tone that it takes to convey a 'feeling'. Not how many chords you can play in 5 seconds, but how you can make one chord evoke 5 emotions. Often, this means that a lot of post-rock aficionados fall into this abyss of monotony. Using hackneyed riffs to convey the same shill. Post-rock doesn't lend itself well to straight-up imitation at all, unlike hardcore or pop-punk, where the performative uniqueness or personality of your band can make up for your 'purported lack of musical originality'. It's about crafting atmospheres. What other samples, production tricks, effects or sonic quips can you use to enhance it. Apropos to the EP title, it's almost the same process a film composer goes through. Immersion is key. It's hard to create that, it really is. Especially when sometimes the purpose of a post-rock track is to be unobtrusive. To fade into the background - just enough, not to totally disappear. At the end of the day, the review then has to be about how all of these arrangements make you feel. Even though we all know Mr Subjectivity is the main character in any art criticism, I feel like it gets harder with art that's not supposed to grind you down or build you up, but simply there to 'be'. Realising this made me think about "why" I thought a lot of post-rock is boring. And why it's fun to try and examine that view (like what I do with a lot of genres) So really, this review is going to be about what I feel the intent of each of these tracks are, and whether they do anything for me. Subsequently, I'll do the same for the EP as a whole. In Runut Dalam Jeda, I will say first and foremost that they are not in that aforementioned abyss of monotony. In the time allocated for this EP, MIM has shown that they know how to make the most out of a minimalist AND a maximalist soundscape. Tracks like 'Inter-Debacle' or 'Pre Ghost' show the nuance they can apply even to a quite desolate song. But you also have 'epics' with a lot of movements and chapters in this EP that are as enjoyable, like 'Demon'.
They're a band that gives the impression they know the importance of layers (*insert Shrek memes*) in post-rock songwriting. Harnessing something within the song that ascends or crashes down where people can anticipate or internalise. Although most of these ideas are tried and true, there are some really effective executions of these ideas.
The first track drew me in pretty fast as an ambient prelude. 'Pre-Ghost' uses the haunting sound of feedback to create this windy tunnel feel with a few faint lines of screaming. It's effectively eerie and honestly a very short-lived masterpiece of dark ambient. After that, you get straight to that maximalist side of the EP.
'Demon' almost feels like a stadium rock piece with a very in-your-face sense of largeness. The whispered voices in the background in the second half of this are tastefully used to convey a sense of suppressed panic. Probably to signify some type of battle with your inner demons and the many voices in your head like the title suggests. The strength of 'Demon' is the cool balance between the fuzzy, raw guitar lines in the second leg and your usual chiming post-rock guitar tones. The bass line in this track has a lot of body too, but just enough to not disrupt. I love the little chopped guitars at the end too which sounds like a wailing cyborg siren. A satisfying conclusion to a good track. 'Inter-Debacle' goes on a different path with some stellar spacey-sound goodness. It's a feat that MIM manages to simultaneously evoke feelings of being lost in a dark forest and a cyberpunk wasteland within this interlude. The next track 'Exequy' goes back in a maximalist direction. The composition reminds of 70s British heavy metal. There's a lot of chunky jagged riffs that essentially acts as a stage for huge atmospheric moods. The trudging bass and the way the song peters out into a funeral march is wonderfully arranged as well, lending weight to the song title (Exequy, n. funeral rites) My favourite part of this EP is 'Conglomerate'. The arrangement and production on this short piece of music are incredible. The way the song builds upon itself from the introductory percussion to the ongoing guitar layers is MIM at their songwriting best. It feels demented and not right in the head, all in the best way. Its only flaw is that it doesn't last as long as it should. The last track in Runut dalam Jeda is the one that makes me the most uncertain. 'Kodokushi' starts off strong: the heavy breathing perfectly punctuates the ending of 'Conglomerate' and heralds a great beginning. ('Kodokushi' is a Japanese term meaning 'lonely death. attributed largely to the 1980s when many lonely salarymen or elderly suffered from economic troubles & depression). The ominous sawing sounds in the background that I assume is a sliding effect from the guitar or some kind of warped synth sample is incredible. The way the song is paced makes it sound like a prog metal epic. It beckons images of earthquake footsteps from an apocalyptic mecha monster out to destroy the world. One of the major problems I have with 'Kodokushi' is the use of the crying clip at the end. It feels very inauthentic and put-on. Like kicking a dead horse, or over-explaining an emotion. The crying unnecessarily exaggerates something that was already done by the music. This is made worse by the music video that was released by the single. It's a personal thing, maybe, but listening to the cry as I watch footage of WW2 atrocities feels like I'm being patronised. Like I'm told what to feel. Like those laugh tracks in sitcoms. It nullifies the extent of the impact I could have received. Maybe the problem is not even in the clip itself, but the way it was mixed or its lengthy duration. I could come up with more comparisons for this, but I'll end it with the annoyance I feel when a movie has narration and it's telling me exactly what's happening on the screen, even though I can obviously see it. Like of course, Martha is crying Mr. Narrator, I wasn't under the presumption that she was leaking through her eyes.
'Kodokushi' is a mixed bag denouement to an overall punchy EP. The screams at the end of the track by Gheff (from Glistening Redchair) is a more effective artistic choice for the song even though it lasted for less than a minute.
(One very petty note, the music video that Kodokushi came with lowered my expectations a bit for the EP. My opinion was unfairly affected by the music video and the cringe-worthy disclaimer that came with it, which reads like a Rick and Morty copypasta (This music video requires a high level of understanding lol). I say unfairly because at the end of the day I admire that they grounded the track to a concept like war and ended up creating a pretty solid score (sans the scream) to one of mankind's worst atrocities. They probably didn't mean to be cringe-worthy or patronising. Might be a copywriting oversight. Honestly, I feel like it would work way better with just a disclaimer along the lines of "Viewers discretion advised: Some images in this video might offend or disturb. Contains mild depictions of deaths, war and violence")
Runut Dalam Jeda's heart is in the right place. There's a lot to be said about the potential and the ambition in this EP. If you're a fan of post-rock, Runut Dalam Jeda straddles the line between forgivingly cushy and surprisingly refreshing. Comparatively, MIM fumbles in the bigger songs but does exceptionally well in short bursts. The alternating pace of the tracklist allows room for introspection and inward-looking headbangs (you know what I mean, the ones you do when you don't want to get caught cause your dad is in front of you and he secretly thinks you're a Satanist based on your stickers of metal bands). Sonically as a post-rock band, Runut Dalam Jeda knows what to keep in their arsenal, even if they occasionally use it at the wrong times.
FAV TRACK:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CREDITS: Instrumentation; Abby, Am, Has, Kamil (except for piano; Ali Moghavvemi & Nawizik) Cries on Track 6; Mawar Roseka Scream on Track 6; Gheff Abd Ghafar from Glistening Redchair Recorded by; Hadeef Azlan (drums), Kamil (bass, synth, guitars), Ali & Nawi (piano), & Gheff (scream) Mixing and Mastering; Hadeef Azlan Illustrations; Huzaifah Mahmud & In Assembly
"Runut Dalam Jeda" by Ell All songs arranged, performed, composed and produced by MIM
Follow them here: facebook.com/soundsofmim
twitter.com/soundsofmim
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youtube.com/c/soundsofmim
'Boston' - Juan Karlos [TRACK REVIEW]
'LABU' - Budak Nakal Hujung Simpang [TRACK REVIEW]


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ICYMI: Cardinals loss gives Cubs first division title since 2008
By Mark Potash Sep 16, 2016, 9:53am CDT
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In case you missed it … despite losing to the Brewers 5-4 on Thursday night, the Cubs clinched the N.L. Central title when the Giants beat the Cardinals 6-2 in San Francisco.
It's the Cubs' first division title since 2008 and their sixth championship of any kind in the last 71 years. They also won the division in 1984, 1989, 2003, 2007 and 2008. With 16 games to play, this is the earliest the Cubs have ever clinched a championship — eclipsing the 2007 National League title, which they clinched with 14 games to play.
Even the seven-year drought was long by National League standards. Ten of the league's 15 teams have won division titles since the Cubs last won in 2008 under Lou Piniella — with the Cardinals and Dodgers winning four times, the Phillies three times and the Giants and Nationals two each.
Only four other teams have had longer dry spells — the Pirates (24 years), Marlins (24), Rockies (24) and Padres (10).
In fact, only eight current Cubs were in the big leagues the last time the Cubs won the division — Jon Lester (Red Sox), John Lackey (Angels), Jason Hammel (Devil Rays), Ben Zobrist (Devil Rays), Miguel Montero (Diamondbacks), Dexter Fowler (Rockies, as a September call-up) and Joe Smith (Mets).
The last time the Cubs won the division, Addison Russell was an eighth grader in Florida. Jake Arrieta was in A-ball with the Orioles organization. Kris Bryant was starting his junior year at Bonanza High School in Las Vegas. And Anthony Rizzo was with Class A Greenville in the Red Sox organization — undergoing chemotherapy treatment for Hodgkins Lymphoma, and getting the news that September that he was in remission.
The early clinching gives manager Joe Maddon the opportunity to set up his position players and particularly his rotation starters exactly as he wants them for the postseason.
But the next order of business is clinching the best record in the National League and home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs. The Cubs (93-53) have a six-game lead over the Nationals (87-59) with 16 games to play. The Nationals have won eight of their last 10 game and lead the Mets by 10 games in the NL East.
While the Cubs want to go into the postseason rested, they also have some individual honors at stake. Kris Bryant (.295, 37 home runs, 95 RBIs) and Anthony Rizzo (.290, 31, 101) are among the leading contenders for National League Most Valuable Player. Kyle Hendricks (15-7, 2.03 ERA, 0.960 WHIP) is a contender for the Cy Young Award.


December is here! I love the holiday season and everything it brings. The family traditions, comfort foods, indulging on tasty desserts, decorations, magical spirit in the air, fires roaring in the fireplace, gatherings with family and friends and so much more! No matter what holiday you celebrate, I know we can all relate to these things and the comfort that they bring. If you enjoy ballet, there is something everyone can appreciate from The Nutcracker this season.
The professional dance company began in 1997 and has had great success both nationally and internationally, read about their journey to where they are now on their company history page.
For many years of my daughters' lives, my mother has taken them to see The Nutcracker. It has turned into a favorite tradition for the holiday season. Whether you have a similar tradition or have never seen The Nutcracker, the Carolina Ballet puts on a great performance and is worth attending! Whether you are taking children or are going with fellow adults, this performance is captivating for people of all ages.
To view times and purchase tickets click here or on the individual location links!
Depending on the time of the show you choose to view, you can go to a delicious lunch or dinner before or after the ballet. My mother and daughters have even made a full day out of it and started with holiday shopping in the morning, a nice lunch, headed to the ballet and then topped their day with getting desserts after the show. Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh all have great options (in all price ranges) for restaurants and shopping.
Whatever holidays you celebrate, I hope that your holiday season is filled with fun and love and that you continue to create warm memories!