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The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human by V. S. Ramachandran (W.W. Norton) Drawing on strange and thought-provoking case studies, a neurologist in The Tell-Tale Brain offers insight into the evolution of the uniquely human brain.
Preeminent neuroscientist V. S. Ramachandran, the director of the Center for Brain and Cognition and a professor with the Psychology Department and Neurosciences Program at the University of California, San Diego, is at the forefront of his field. One of the most original and daring neuroscientists of our age, Ramachandran has spent much of his life's work expanding our understanding of the human brain. His pioneering spirit and innovative methods have resulted in Richard Dawkins dubbing him the Marco Polo of neuroscience. And Nobel laureate Eric Kandel hails Ramachandran as the modern Paul Broca, referring to the founding father of neurology. But if Ramachandran takes after anyone, it may just be Sherlock Holmes.
In this major new work, Ramachandran sets his sights on the mystery of human uniqueness. Taking readers to the frontiers of neurology, he reveals what baffling and extreme case studies can teach readers about normal brain function and how it evolved. Synesthesia becomes a window into the brain mechanisms that make some of us more creative than others. And autism gives readers a glimpse of the aspect of being human that is least understood: self-awareness. Tracing the strange links between neurology and behavior, The Tell-Tale Brain unveils a wealth of clues into the deepest mysteries of the human brain.
In The Tell-Tale Brain Ramachandran takes on some of the brain's deepest and most intriguing mysteries: What evolutionary developments made human brains so remarkably distinct from those of even our closest ancestors? How did language develop? What are the origins of art? What is the relationship between our subjective perceptions and external reality? What causes autism, and how might it be detected and treated? Why do we find certain things beautiful? How did language evolve? These are just a few of the fascinating neurological mysteries that Ramachandran tackles in his landmark new work.
Ramachandran doesn't tackle these mysteries in the abstract. He draws on years of working with actual patients, presenting readers with case studies like the following:
A blind patient is asked by his doctor to touch a spot of light on the wall. After protesting that he can't see it, the patient makes what feels like a wild guess. He is right, and in further trials he succeeds time and again even though he cannot consciously see the spot.
A patient with synesthesia a blending of the senses claims to feel strong emotions when she touches different textures: denim evokes sadness, silk calms her, and orange peel sends her into shock. To see if she is faking, Ramachandran measures her skin conductance an indicator of physical stress only to find that she truly does experience these reactions.
A patient in a coma seems not to recognize his family or comprehend speech. But if his father calls him from a telephone in the next room, the patient becomes suddenly alert, recognizing his father and engaging him in conversation. When his father reenters the room, the patient lapses back into his semiconscious zombie state.
Following the amputation of his right arm, a patient develops phantom limb syndrome; he still feels as if he has a right arm and even experiences pain in it. But watching a volunteer massage her hand makes him feel as if his own phantom hand is being massaged, relieving the painful cramp in it.
Through close observation, the occasional brain scan, and a few low-tech tests, Ramachandran in The Tell-Tale Brain reveals the neural mechanisms that underlie these seemingly inexplicable cases. In elegant deductive maneuvers, Ramachandran uncovers what these exceptional patients can teach us about the normal human brain.
For example, the first phenomenon described, known as blindsight, shows that vision is not entirely conscious, providing clues into the unconscious brain processes that occur without our knowing. In the second case, synesthesia becomes a window on the uniquely human ability to create metaphors as well as an indicator of why some of us are more creative than others. The splitting of the self in the third case reveals that consciousness isn't unitary, but rather arises from multiple layers of neural processes. And the experience of the fourth patient points to the existence of remarkable brain cells known as mirror neurons, which fire not only when one performs a particular action but also when one simply watches someone else perform that action.
As Ramachandran reveals, the implications of these case studies are extraordinary. Mirror neurons alone help explain empathy, the transmission of culture, and linguistic capabilities. Their unique strength in humans is most likely what enabled the human species to transcend the narrow instinctual drives of evolution and achieve civilization. Moreover, in one of The Tell-Tale Brain's most provocative chapters, Ramachandran suggests a link between autism and a deficiency in mirror neurons, opening the door for new methods of diagnosis and treatment.
Boldly asserting, right off the bat, that Homo sapiens is no mere ape, Ramachandran tells us why the day of neuroscience has dawned. A physician (like Oliver Sacks, a neurologist) as well as a researcher, Ramachandran uses his neurology patients predicaments to inspire inquiries into how we see and know, the origins of language, the mental basis of civilization, how we conceive of and assess art, and how the self is constructed. Always careful to point out when he is speculating rather than announcing research findings, he is also prompt to emphasize why his speculations, or theories, are not just of the armchair variety but can be put to the test because of what neuroscience has already discovered about the active structures of the human brain. Ray Olson, Booklist, starred review
Ramachandran has written an astonishing book. His humanity, humor and scientific genius inform every passage. The Tell-Tale Brain is a veritable Voyage of the Beagle through the terrain of brain science and psychology. Nicholas Humphrey, author of Seeing Red
A masterpiece. The best of its kind and beautifully crafted. Alluring story telling, building to a penetrating understanding of what it is to be uniquely human. Ramachandran is the foremost pioneer the Galileo of neurocognition. Allan Snyder, FRS, Director of the Centre for the Mind
Ramachandran is the modern wizard of neuroscience. In The Tell-Tale Brain, we see the genius at work, tackling extraordinary cases, many of which mark turning points in neuroscientific knowledge. In this utterly entertaining account, we see how these fascinating cases fit together, and how he uses them to explain, from a Darwinian point of view, how our brains, though evolved from those of other animals, become neurologically distinct and fundamentally human. Norman Doidge, M.D., author of The Brain That Changes Itself
No one is better than V. S. Ramachandran at combining minute, careful observation with ingenious experiments and bold, adventurous theorizing. The Tell-Tale Brain is Ramachandran at his best, a profoundly intriguing and compelling guide to the intricacies of the human brain. Oliver Sacks
Exhilarating. Kirkus Reviews
As entertaining as it is illuminating, The Tell-Tale Brain is a delightful tour of recent advances in neuroscience, enriched throughout by Ramachandran's engaging conversational style, wit, and insight. Ramachandran tackles the most exciting and controversial topics in neurology with a storyteller's eye for compelling case studies and a researcher's flair for new approaches to age-old questions. Tracing the strange links between neurology and behavior, this landmark work rewards readers with a wealth of new clues into the mysteries and the remarkable abilities of the human brain.
Shine: Using Brain Science to Get the Best from Your People by Edward M. Hallowell (Harvard Business Review Press)
Great managers serve others; they develop the shine in their people.
In Shine, bestselling author and ADD expert Edward Hallowell draws on brain science, performance research, and his own experience helping people maximize their potential to present a proven process for getting the best from their people.
The central question for all managers in these pressure-packed, confusing, unsettled times is how to draw the most from their talent. Finding the shine in someone, helping all ones people perform at their highest levels, isn't rocket science. It is brain science, but it has yet to be codified into a simple and reliable process that all managers can use. In Shine, Hallowell formulates such a code, the Cycle of Excellence. It is a process that he has created and honed over the past twenty-five years as a doctor, practicing psychiatrist, author, consultant, instructor at the Harvard Medical School and director of the Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health. He explains peak performance and provides managers with a practical plan to bring the best from the people who work for them.
Rather than touting a single key idea for peak performance, the process he describes in Shine incorporates many ideas while drawing upon the latest research from diverse disciplines. The five steps in the Cycle of Excellence, and what they teach readers, are:
Select: How to put people into the right jobs so that their brains light up.
Connect: How to overcome the potent forces that disconnect people in the workplace both from each other and from the mission of the organization, and how to restore the force of positive connection which is the most powerful fuel for peak performance.
Play: Why play imaginative engagement catalyzes advanced work, and how managers can help people tap into this phenomenally productive yet undervalued activity of the mind.
Grapple and grow: How managers can create conditions where people want to work hard, and why making progress at a task that is challenging and important turns ordinary performers into superstars.
Shine: Why doing well shining feels so good, why giving recognition and noticing when a person shines is so critical, and why a culture that helps people shine inevitably becomes a culture of self-perpetuating excellence.
Each step is critical in its own right and translates into actions a manager or worker can do. Each step builds upon the other. The most common mistake managers make is to jump to step 4 and ask people to work harder; without first having created the conditions that will lead workers to want to work harder. There is no point in challenging employees to exceed their personal best if they haven't first been placed in the right job, found a safe and connected atmosphere within which to work, and been given a chance to imaginatively engage and contribute to the design of the task. This plan works because it brings together the empirical evidence on peak performance into one integrated series of steps that create the ideal conditions, the perfect tension in the violin string, for managers to propel their people to excellence.
According to Shine, a key to working the Cycle of Excellence is making the critical step of connection. When that is threatened, all the other steps go awry. Unless managers realize how crucial it is to create an emotionally stable, connected environment in the midst of the maelstrom of modern business life, they will and do sacrifice performance in the name of speed, cost cutting, efficiency, and what they perceive to be necessity. In such a context, deep thought disappears, only to be replaced by decisions based on fear. Frazzled becomes the order of the day.
As global competition and economic stress create problems for businesses of all kinds everywhere, managers who don't have a plan to stabilize operations will be compelled to revert to crisis mode, putting out fires all day, just hoping to survive. The managers who do best develop a method that enables their people to do their work without toxic stress. Most of the time, such plans and methods languish in a book on the shelf, and never get put into action. The method that actually gets used is some simple version of the carrot-and-stick approach: do this and you'll get that. Work hard or else.
Shine offers an alternative to panic or serial crisis management. Readers learn a method they can set in motion anywhere to bring out the best in any person, no matter what is going on in the wider world. Once readers understand the Cycle of Excellence as well as the ways it can break down, they will have a more effective plan for bringing out the best in people than simply wielding the fear of job loss or exhorting them to try harder. They will be able to creatively manage for growth, rather than manage for mere survival. They will know how to capture the positive energy and not let it blow them or their organization away.
With Shine, Hallowell gives managers at every level an exciting new way to think about leading their people. Its stories delight, and its message enlightens. An important book. Suzy Welch, Business journalist and Coauthor of the international bestseller Winning
In his newest book, Hallowell masterfully reinforces the positive reactions that can be created when you take the time to compassionately connect with people around you. His insightful and highly practical lessons are universal whether you are beginning your career, midway through, or sitting in the corner office. This is a must-read. Howard J. Breen, Former Chairman and CEO, MacLaren McCann WorldGroup and author, A Page from a CEO's Diary
If you read Shine, it will make your life and everyone with whom you interact shine as well. It's a must-read for anyone who cares about bringing out the best in people. Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One-Minute Manager and numerous other books
Information overload, busywork, burnout: It's easy to feel like a bike chain that's jumped the sprockets. Hallowell's five steps to a better work environment can get you and your people back in gear and on the road to peak performance. Daniel H. Pink, author, A Whole New Mind and Drive
Brimming with Hallowells trademark candor and warmth, Shine is a vital new resource for all managers seeking to inspire excellence in their teams.
Brain Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry: Drugs, Electroshock, and the Psychopharmaceutical Complex, second edition by Peter R. Breggin MD (Springer Publications) Renowned psychologist Peter Breggin documents how psychiatric drugs and electroshock disable the brain. He presents the latest scientific information on potential brain dysfunction and dangerous behavioral abnormalities produced by the most widely used drugs including Prozac, Xanax, Halcion, Ritalin, and lithium.
For this edition of the book, the concept of brain-disabling treatment has been updated and expanded with the additional concept of medication spellbinding (intoxication anosognosia). The neuroleptic chapters have been updated to include much more material on the newer, atypical drugs, and well as new information on the neurotoxicity and cytotoxicity of all antipsychotic drugs. A massive amount of new information about antidepressant drugs and the stimulant drugs has resulted in an additional chapter on each drug.
The new edition concludes with two entirely new chapters on treatment--one on how to safely withdraw from psychiatric drugs and the other about psychosocial and educational approaches to very disturbed people, including 20 guidelines for therapy.
"Peter Breggin has written the definitive text for professionals and the public alike who really want to know the hazards, inadequacies and illusions of psychopharmacology. This book will be a foundation for those who specialize in medication-free treatment." -Kevin F. McCready, PhD Clinical Director, San Joaquin Psychotherapy Center "This book proves once again that Peter Breggin truly is the 'conscience of American psychiatry.' Breggin shows that the brain-disabling hypothesis of organic psychiatric treatments is overwhelmingly confirmed by clinical experience and the scientific literature. With astounding numbers of elderly, adults, and children on prescribed psychoactive drugs, Brain-Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry should be required reading for all medical interns, practicing physicians, and mental health professionals." -David Cohen, PhD Professor of Social Services, University of Montreal"
Throughout this book, I use diagnostic terms such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia. If I were to express my scientific skepticism toward these terms each time I used them, the book would be marred by constant interruptions. Instead, I want to establish from the beginning that I am using these diagnostic terms only for the purpose of consistency with current usage in the various sources on which I am drawing, such as clinical studies, research reports, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug labels.
As the book will indicate, these diagnostic categories do not reflect valid diseases or illnesses comparable to Alzheimer's disease, stroke, or diabetes. Despite claims to the contrary, these psychiatric disorders have no proven genetic, chemical, or biological basis. They cannot be diagnosed with physical symptoms or laboratory studies.
Of course, no one denies that people can become highly irrational, lose touch with ordinary reality, or become suicidal or violent; but an extreme emotional response, however destructive, in itself does not demand an explanation rooted in biological dysfunction. Without any underlying medical disorder, human beings have the capacity for extreme psychological reactions, especially under stress.
Of course, genuine diseases or disorders of the brain, such as endocrine disorders or dementia, can change and disrupt human behavior. In this book and in Medication Madness (in press), I describe how psychiatric drugs cause brain disorders that lead to mayhem, murder, and suicide. Indeed, the FDA at long last has begun to confirm observations that I made long ago concerning antidepressant-induced mental and behavioral abnormalities. However, except for the brain dysfunction and biochemical imbalances caused by psychiatric drugs, there are no known abnormalities in the brains of people who routinely seek help from psychiatrists and
who become diagnosed with disorders like ADHD, schizophrenia, an major depressive disorder.
To label children with ADHD or to label adults with schizophrenia or major depressive disorder is to stigmatize them with damaging, discouraging labels and to encourage or coerce them to submit to biopsychiatric interventions such as drugs and electroshock. In my own psychiatric practice, I do not think in conventional diagnostic terms or tell patients that they have so-called mental disorders. Instead, I try to understand the life story of each individual—his or her personal biography—in all its subtle complexity. Often, I involve loved ones and family to help them understand each other. On this basis of genuine understanding, instead of cookie-cutter diagnoses, I am far more able to help individuals lead more satisfying, successful lives.
This book is aimed at professional audiences, but it is hoped that it is written with sufficient clarity and explanation to be read by nonprofessionals. The current edition has been very thoroughly revised, but the basic scientific thrust remains essentially the same. The past several years have confirmed the brain-disabling principle of psychiatric treatment, and many of the author's seemingly controversial conclusions have become more widely accepted.
A THOROUGH UPDATE OF THE SCIENCE
For this edition of the book, the concept of brain-disabling treatment has been updated and expanded with the additional concept of medication spellbinding (intoxication anosognosia). The neuroleptic chapters have been updated to include much more material on the newer, atypical drugs as well as new information on the neurotoxicity and cytotoxicity of all antipsychotic drugs. A massive amount of new information about antidepressant drugs and the stimulant drugs has resulted in an additional chapter on each drug.
The new edition concludes with two entirely new chapters on treatment—one on how to safely withdraw from psychiatric drugs, and the other about psychosocial and educational approaches to very disturbed people, including 20 guidelines for therapy. I am pleased to include how-to treatment information in the book for the first time.
GROWING CONFIRMATION OF THE
PREVIOUS EDITION
My observations that antidepressant drugs cause a spectrum of stimulant or activation effects—including agitation, hostility, aggression, and mania as well as crashing into depression and suicidality—have been elevated to the status of official dogma in the new Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-mandated changes in antidepressant labels. The concept that psychiatric drugs are neurotoxic is now a widely accepted principle in scientific research, especially concerning the antipsychotic drugs and mood stabilizers, and research has mounted up that demonstrates similar neurotoxic effects in all categories of psychiatric drugs. Many other medical experts have now joined in my criticism of the FDA's failure to do its duty and my concern about the corrupting influence of the drug companies on the theory and practice of psychiatry. Put simply, I am no longer quite such a lonely voice crying in the wilderness.
CONFIRMING THE LONGER VIEW
STARTING IN 1983
The lineage of this new edition began in 1983 with Psychiatric Drugs: Hazards to the Brain, a book that broke new ground with the first extensive review of the subject of neuroleptic-induced dementia. It also took a firm stand on the view that neuroleptics frequently cause tardive dyskinesia (TD) in young people. TD in children has become an accepted reality, and so that section has been reduced in size. Tardive psychosis is gaining increasing, if slow, recognition. Tardive dementia remains controversial—although it should not be—and an increasing amount of evidence supports my earlier observations on the cognitive deficits caused by neuroleptics. In addition, the neurotoxicity of psychiatric drugs is being studied more openly in laboratories.
In the 1970s, when I first began offering detailed critiques of psychiatric
drugs, the medical model, and the psychopharmaceutical complex, I was, in
many cases, breaking new ground, and initially, there were few supporters.
By the time of the first edition of Brain-Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry
in 1997, I could already cite many books that voiced strong criticism of
the biological model and physical treatments from a variety of perspectives
(Armstrong, 1993; Breeding, 1996; Caplan, 1995; Cohen, 1990; Colbert,
1995; Fisher et al., 1989; Grobe, 1995; Jacobs, 1995; Kirk et al., 1992;
Modrow, 1992; Mosher et al., 1989; Romme et al., 1993; Sharkey, 1994).
Especially in the last few years, an escalating number of authors,
many from within the medical establishment, have been offering strong
criticism of that conglomerate of powerful interest groups, and especially the dominating influence of the pharmaceutical industry (Abramson et al., 2005; Angell, 2004, 2007; Glenmullen, 2000, 2005; Healy, 2004; Jackson, 2005; Kean, 2005, 2006; Medwar et al., 2004; Moncrieff, 2006a, 2006b; O'Meara, 2006; Rost, 2006).
THE SITUATION IN PSYCHIATRY WORSENS
Although many of my critiques and criticisms of biological psychiatry and the psychopharmaceutical complex have a broader acceptance, in many ways, the situation has deteriorated as the strength of the drug companies has grown. In the process, my predictions about the growing power of the psychopharmaceutical complex have come true.
The last two decades have seen escalating reliance on psychiatric drugs, not only within psychiatry but also throughout medicine, mental health, and even education. In private-practice psychiatry, it is common to give patients a medication on the first visit and then instruct them that they will need drugs for their lifetimes. Family practitioners, internists, and other physicians liberally dispense antidepressants and benzodiazepine tranquilizers. Nonmedical professionals, such as psychologists and social workers, feel obliged to refer their patients for drug evaluations. Managed care aggressively pushes drugs to the exclusion of psychotherapy. Adult medications are increasingly prescribed to children. Hospitals force psychiatric drugs on patients against their will.
There is a successful movement within psychiatry, implemented in many states, that makes it easy to force clinic outpatients to take long-acting injections of drugs. Under these outpatient commitment laws, if the person refuses to come to the clinic, mental health workers can come to the home to administer the injections by force. At the same time, there is a movement to screen schoolchildren, and even preschoolers, for so-called mental illness. This potentially disastrous movement is driven by drug company money and aims at increasing the market for their products.
Laypersons have joined in the enthusiasm for drugs. Because of media support for medication as well as direct advertising and promotion to the public, patients frequently arrive at the doctor's office with the name of a psychiatric drug already in mind. Teachers often recommend children for drug evaluation or treatment.
This drug revolution views psychiatric medications as far more helpful than harmful, even as an unmitigated blessing. Much as insulin or penicillin, they are vigorously promoted as specific treatments for specific illnesses. Often, they are said to correct biochemical imbalances in the brain. These beliefs have created an environment in which emphasis on
adverse drug effects is greeted without enthusiasm, and criticism of psychiatric medication in principle is uncommon heresy.
Drug companies heavily promote that unproven speculation that the problems they treat are biological in origin and result from biochemical imbalances. Advertising slogans are used to justify the prescription of medications. For example, Janssen (2005), the manufacturer of the antipsychotic drug Risperdal, offers a section "About Bipolar Disorder," downloaded from its Web site in February 2006. It declares,
Mental illness is a medical illness, just like high blood pressure or heart disease.
The Janssen Web site goes on to say, "It is also thought that bipolar disorder may be caused by a genetic predisposition to the illness because it tends to run in families." Notice again that no claim to scientific veracity is made. But the repetition of these unscientific biochemical and genetic speculations nonetheless conditions people to believe that psychiatric drugs are specific treatments for genetic, biochemical disorders, much like antihypertensive drugs for high blood pressure or insulin for diabetes.
This book takes a decidedly different viewpoint from that of biological psychiatry. It provides theory and evidence that psychiatric drugs achieve their primary or essential effect by causing brain dysfunction and that they tend to do far more harm than good. I will show that psychiatric drugs are not specific treatments for any particular so-called mental disorder. Instead of correcting biochemical imbalances, psychiatric drugs cause them, sometimes permanently.
Health care providers and the general public have also been bamboozled by the much-advertised speculation that brain scans can demonstrate the existence of mental disorders, and even diagnose them. In reality, no psychiatric disorder is demonstrable or diagnosable by brain scan (Jackson, 2006a) or by any other medical or biological means.
This second-edition book discusses how to stop taking psychiatric drugs and presents 20 guidelines for therapy. Considerably more information on how to help disturbed and disturbing people without resort to drugs or electroshock is readily available elsewhere (Breggin, 1991a, 1992a, 1997; Breggin et al., 1994a, 1996, 2002). Chapters in Reclaiming Our Children (2000b), Talking Back to Ritalin (2001c), The Antidepressant Fact Book (2001a), and The Ritalin Fact Book (2002b) also deal with therapeutic approaches. The best overall summary of my approach to helping people can be found in The Heart of Being Helpful (1997b). Finally, Medication Madness: The Role of Psychiatric Drugs in Cases of Violence, Suicide, and Crime (St. Martin's Griffin) can be viewed as a companion to this book, providing real-life cases of the devastating impact of these drugs on individual lives.
Medication Madness: The Role of Psychiatric Drugs in Cases of Violence, Suicide, and Crime by Peter R. Breggin MD(St. Martin's Griffin)	describes how people taking psychiatric medication can experience abnormal behavioral reactions, including suicide, violence, emotional breakdowns, and criminal acts. Dr. Breggin explains his concept of "medication spellbinding": individuals taking psychiatric drugs may have no idea whatsoever that their mental conditions are deteriorating and that their actions are no longer under control. He proves his argument by documenting dozens of cases from his practice and his consultations in legal cases. Reading like a thriller, the book also examines how the FDA, the pharmaceutical industry, and the medical establishment continue to oversell the value of these drugs, and he provides information on how to safely stop taking psychiatric medications. Medication Madness is a compelling and frightening read as well as a cautionary tale about our reliance on medicine to fix what ails us.
Does Stress Damage the Brain? Understanding Trauma-Related Disorders from a Neurological Perspective by J. Douglas Bremner (Norton) The compelling story of how stress affects the brain. Can what you see, hear, feel, and experience result in a permanent change in your brain? This provocative question arose from research discoveries by Douglas Bremner and others that showed that extreme stress may result in lasting damage to the brain, especially a part of the brain involved in memory called the hippocampus. Anyone who has experienced even moderate stress in their life will benefit from the insights in this clearly written, accessible book. It is a aid in self-understanding and in sympathy for others who have experienced various degrees of stress in their lives. It brings a balanced view of clinical insight to recently emerging experimental and theoretical research.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Court rules Kimberly-Clark 'flushable' wipes claim not misleading
Eliza Booth, June 28, 2019 July 3, 2019 , News, Water & wastewater, 0
The Federal Court has dismissed a case instituted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) against Kimberly Clark and their 'flushable' branded wipes.
The ACCC alleged that Kimberly-Clark was misleading consumers about the suitability of its wipes to be flushed down the toilet by describing its products as 'flushable' on product packaging and its website.
The ACCC argued that Kimberly-Clark's wipes did not break apart quickly once flushed and therefore should not have been considered 'flushable', however the Court found that Kimberly-Clark's claims were not false or misleading.
The Court ruled there was insufficient evidence to show that Kleenex Cottonelle 'flushable' wipes in this case, as opposed to 'wipes' products more broadly, had contributed to the problems in municipal sewerage systems.
The Court also found that it was reasonable for Kimberly-Clark to rely on guidelines, developed largely by nonwovens industry associations, to substantiate its 'flushable' claims.
The ACCC had argued these guidelines were not an independent testing regime, as they were developed by the manufacturers of 'flushable' labelled products, without substantial input from wastewater authorities.
The Court noted that Kimberly-Clark did not expect its wipes to fully disperse in the sewerage system and that the wipes had inferior properties of breakdown and dispersion than toilet paper.
The Court noted this was consistent with a conclusion the wipes posed a risk of harm to the sewerage system, but there was insufficient evidence this harm actually occurred, except in limited circumstances.
ACCC Chair, Rod Sims, said that the ACCC took action because it was concerned that consumers were being misled about the very nature of the product they were buying.
"We also took this case because we are aware of increasing problems reported by Australian water authorities as a result of non-suitable products being flushed down the toilet and contributing to blockages and other operational issues," Mr Sims said.
"The ACCC is carefully considering the Court's decision."
While the Court dismissed the ACCC's case in relation to the suitability of Kimberly-Clark's wipes to be flushed, the Court did find Kimberly-Clark made a false representation when it claimed its wipes were made in Australia, in breach of the Australian Consumer Law. In fact, Kimberly-Clark's Kleenex Cottonelle range of wipes were variously made in Germany, South Korea and the UK.
"Kimberly-Clark misled consumers into thinking they were purchasing an Australian product when this was not the case," Mr Sims said.
"Business must not mislead consumers about where their products are made, or they risk facing court penalties."
Last April, in a similar case brought against consumer products group Pental, the Federal Court ruled in favour of the ACCC.
Pental was fined $700,000 for making false and misleading representations about its White King 'flushable' toilet and bathroom cleaning wipes.
Sydney Water spokesperson, Peter Hadfield, said, "We are obviously disappointed with the decision, but we must abide by the Federal Court ruling.
"Sydney Water removes over 500kg of wipes from our network every year at a cost of over $8 million dollars.
"We commenced our 'keep wipes out of pipes' campaign in 2015 and we have seen positive behavioural change in our customers. Hopefully the decision by the Federal Court won't set back this behavioural change.
"Customers across Australia have been hit with expensive plumbing bills to remove blockages or to repair damage to their private sewer pipes caused by flushing wet wipes – one Sydney Water customer reported a $16,000 plumbing bill to repair damage to her sewer pipes caused by her flushing wet wipes!
"Despite the Federal Court decision, in order to save the environment and to prevent expensive future plumbing bills for Australian households, it is up to all consumers to stop flushing wet wipes or any other bathroom or personal hygiene products down the toilet."
A hearing in relation to Kimberly-Clark's 'made in Australia' claims will be held at a later date.
Franklin Electric
WOMA (Australia) Pty Ltd
Tender: vacuum sewer extension (1)
New initiative supports Victorian irrigators (1)
Tender: sewage pump replacement and rehabilitation (1)
City of Rockingham wastewater upgrades complete (1)
Wastewater treatment plant upgrade reaches milestone (1)
Cost efficient wastewater treatment
Pumps Journalist, July 15, 2015 July 14, 2015 , Partner Solutions, Water & wastewater, 0
Australian Pump Industries, Australian distributors for Tsurumi Pump products, is bringing an exciting range of wastewater treatment pump products...
Ichthys project receives mooring installation
Pumps Journalist, May 18, 2015 December 29, 2017 , LNG, News, Oil & gas, 0
Mooring installation works have begun at the Ichthys Field in the Browse Basin (WA) as part of the INPEX-operated...
Pumps remove millions of litres of wastewater at treatment plant
Pumps Journalist, October 30, 2017 November 27, 2017 , News, Spotlight, Water & wastewater, 0
More than 140 million litres of contaminated water has been pumped out of Merlynston Creek, following a massive fire...
KSB to supply Indonesian power station pumps
Michelle Goldsmith, December 3, 2013 November 29, 2013 , Contracts and tenders awarded, International news, News, Power Generation, 0
KSB has been chosen to supply eight boiler feed pumps for a new power station in Babelan, Indonesia. The...
The Entrance Channel dredging begins
Pumps Journalist, March 30, 2015 March 27, 2015 , News, Water & wastewater, 0
After receiving a grant from the NSW government, the Wyong Shire Council will begin pumping sand from The Entrance...
Tender: irrigation system installation
Pumps Journalist, January 30, 2017 January 30, 2017 , Irrigation, Projects, Tenders, Water & wastewater, 0
The City of South Perth (WA) is seeking tenders for the supply and installation of an automatic irrigation system...
Cockle Bay sewage project almost complete
Jessica Dickers, March 21, 2016 March 22, 2016 , News, Projects, Sewage Pumping Stations, Water & wastewater, 0
Gosford City Council's $11million Cockle Bay Towns Sewerage Project is near completion, with construction of the project's sewage pump...
Contract awarded: pump station, rising main and sewer
Michelle Goldsmith, November 29, 2013 November 22, 2013 , Contracts and tenders awarded, News, Sewage Pumping Stations, Water & wastewater, 0
The NT Power and Water Corporation has awarded the contract for works on the McArthur Caravan Park Sewer pump...
AGL flag delay on Crib Point gas import projectTender: East Grampians Rural Pipeline Project works

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Griffin People Ltd has ambitious expansion plans is actively looking to expand the team with elite performers whom can contribute to the growth, success and professionalism of our current divisions as well as other recruitment industry specialists who have the experience, drive and talent to develop new specialist industry divisions or practices.
Griffin People Ltd offers a progressive, dynamic and contributory work culture where individuals share the same corporate goals, business philosophy and hard work ethic required within a fast growing and evolving business environment. We place great importance in our ability to deliver a rewarding long term career for our employees. Ongoing training, career advancement, entrepreneurial mindsets and outstanding remuneration packages are an indication of our commitment to the future.
We are always looking for like-minded individuals to join our team, people with vision who are not afraid to try something different. If you have a strong and successful background in recruitment (search) or are young, tenacious and have a true self-belief then we would like to speak to you.


text:
    --从统计-英雄伤害发起
    local CreateText = function(damage, i)
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            speed = {120, 105}
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            --Debug(damage.time - nd.time)
            if damage.time - nd.time > 0.1 then return end
            if nd.from and damage.to == nd.to and GetOwningPlayer(nd.from) == p and nd.def == damage.def and nd.ant == damage.ant then
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Prepare to dine out, stay, work out and play as Village Hotel Club Portsmouth is set to open its doors next month.
Village Hotel Club Portsmouth is set to welcome its first guests on Monday 6th November following a significant investment of £21 million.
Guests can enjoy 153 stylish rooms, smart technology, comfy beds and a state-of-the-art gym facility all under one roof.
Club bedrooms are fitted with a virtual concierge, the Amazon Echo Dot. With the Echo, Portsmouth will be the brand's most high-tech offering yet and is the 29th Village Hotel.
Every aspect of the guest experience, from entertainment to air conditioning, is integrated. Hotel guests can choose to check in via the Village Hotel app or online for their convenience, or else be greeted by friendly welcoming hosts.
Village Gym provides gym goers with the latest equipment from Technogym, a world leader in providing truly innovative cardio and strength gym kit.
With more than 100 classes per week, Village Gym also offers an unbeatable range of group fitness classes, such as BodyPump, BodyCombat, BodyAttack Mind and Bodym, Village's HIIT class 'Burn', the ultimate calorie-burning session, and classes by Les Mills©.
These include the incredible immersive Les Mills© spin class THE TRIP – Village Gym Portsmouth is one of only seven locations in the UK to invest in this class.
In addition, the gym is home to a 20-metre swimming pool and luxury steam room and sauna, perfect for relaxing after a tough training session.
The Village Hotel sits on the edge of the largest business park in Portsmouth – Lakeside North Harbour is home to 100-plus companies with a combined workforce of 4,000 people.
The Village Hotels Business Club offers a versatile meeting space, with free superfast wi-fi and parking.
Guests can order tasty food and drinks from the all-day restaurant, Starbucks and from Village Pub, as well as book on-site meetings, events and seminars, all via the Village Hotel app.
With its simple click-and-book system, Village Business Club takes the stress out of meetings and events. For those who want additional support, there are dedicated event hosts available all day.
The space is designed to be flexible, so can be used for anything from intimate meetings to large conferences for the whole of the South.
Guests staying at the hotel can choose a high-spec standard room, or opt to upgrade to a Club room, which includes free access to Village Gym and the exclusive Village Business Club.
Pedro Mendes, General Manager of Village Hotel Club Portsmouth, said: "Our technology solutions, the most advanced for any new hotel in the South, are about enhancing the customer experience.
"We want to create a place where people want to come and spend the day whether it's to dine out, stay, work out or play.
Village Hotel Club Portsmouth is located just off the M27, J12, known as the 'Solent Corridor' between Portsmouth and Southampton.
For more information/book a room/take a tour of the Gym click here.
Others Village Hotels in the South are located at Bournemouth, Farnborough and Maidstone; work has now begun on the group's 30th property in Bristol.
The Village Hotels group comprises 28 hotels across the UK, with the addition of Portsmouth bringing the number to 29 in 2017.
More than just a hotel, Village offers more than just a bed for the night. Dine out, Stay. Work out, Play. Our comfy rooms come with big beds, mega TVs, great showers, in room technology, Sky Movies and more. We offer a state-of-the-art gym and pool, a Village Pub serving all day and Village Grill for a la carte dining, not forgetting a Starbucks coffee shop for that morning pick-me-up. Meet at the Business Club where we offer an office away from home, with flexible working space and membership options. After dark the party starts in our events suite where you'll fine tribute acts, weddings and banqueting functions.
UNVEILING: Pedro Mendes, general manager of the new 153-bedroom Village Hotel Club Portsmouth. The £21m high-tech hotel is by Portsmouth's largest business park, Lakeside North Harbour, home to 4,000 people working for 100-plus companies. The hotel opens on Monday, November 6th.


This soothing, deeply penetrating eye gel contains powerful anti-oxidants to help protect skin and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The look of dark circles and puffiness is minimized for skin that appears firmer and more toned.
This soothing, deeply penetrating eye gel contains powerful anti-oxidants to help protect skin and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A combination of water binding and emollient ingredients moisturize delicate tissue around the eye area, while anti-inflammatory esculin and cucumber extract soothe and cool skin. The look of dark circles and puffiness is minimized for skin that appears firmer and more toned.
To soothe, moisturize, reduce puffiness and diminish the appearance of dark circles.
Powerful anti-oxidant ingredients help protect skin and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Formulated with emollients and physical humectants that moisturize and plump delicate skin tissue.
Helps reduce the appearance of under eye bags and dark circles.
Anti-inflammatory esculin helps calm skin while cucumber and aloe extracts soothe and cool.
Helps add resiliency, elasticity and firmness to skin.
Fragrance-free and color-free, ideal for ultra-sensitive skin.
Apply a small amount to clean fingertips and gently tap cream around the orbital eye area after cleansing. Apply morning and night. May also be used on the eyelid. May be used after showering or sports activities. For external use only. Should not be applied directly into eye. If contact occurs, rinse thoroughly with water. May be used in conjunction with the Sea Protein Foaming Cleanser, Soothing Aftershave Balm and Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer SPF 15.


text:
The Oklahoma City Barons were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team's first season was 2010–11. They played their home games at the Cox Convention Center, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

History
On February 9, 2010, the American Hockey League Board of Governors approved of the relocation of the Oilers' inactive AHL franchise to Oklahoma City, after a five-year dormancy. The franchise had gone through six incarnations, the first of which was the Nova Scotia Oilers and most recently the Edmonton Road Runners, who ceased play in 2005. The Barons were named through a fan contest. Before the Barons, the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City had also been the home to former Central Hockey League franchises, the Oklahoma City Stars and the Oklahoma City Blazers. Bob Funk Jr., who headed the former Blazers' ownership group, is also at the helm of Prodigal Hockey LLC, the Barons' ownership group.

Todd Nelson served as the Barons' first head coach with Gerry Fleming joining him as his assistant. Bill Scott, a former Director of Hockey Operations for the AHL, served as the Barons' first general manager.

In December 2014, Nelson was promoted to the Oilers' coaching staff as head coach and Fleming being promoted to the Barons' head coach position.

After the team's inaugural season in 2010–11, the Barons finished in the bottom five in the league for average attendance, including worst in the league in 2012–13. On December 18, 2014, the Oilers and Barons announced that the Barons would cease operations after the current season citing continued financial losses stemming from poor attendance.

On January 29, 2015, the AHL announced that the Edmonton Oilers' AHL franchise would be located in Bakersfield, California, replacing the Barons beginning with the 2015–16 season. The Oilers' owned-and-operated Bakersfield Condors are part of a new Pacific Division that introduced the league to the state of California.

Team information

Logos and uniforms

The Oklahoma City Barons colors were midnight blue, copper and white (with red used for outlining) later on changed to blue, orange and white. This color palette was also used by the Edmonton Oilers between 1996 and 2011. The Barons' logo prominently features an oil derrick, symbolizing a rich tradition in the production of oil in the state of Oklahoma, and further showcasing the similarities between the cities of Edmonton and Oklahoma City.

Like the other 29 teams in the American Hockey League, the Oklahoma City Barons played in the Reebok EDGE style uniforms.  The Barons' home uniform was a white jersey with a midnight blue collar and trim the white jersey, while their away uniform is a midnight blue jersey with a copper collar and trim, with the Barons logo placed on the front. These jerseys have been styled from the Edmonton Oilers' now-former away and alternate jerseys, respectively. The Barons' shoulder logos also include the Edmonton Oilers logo and the "OKC" secondary logo.

Mascot
The Oklahoma City Barons' official team mascot was a mountain lion, named Derrick. Derrick was officially introduced on July 27, 2010, after a lengthy "Name the Mascot" fan contest, which was held on the Barons' website. Derrick's role within the Barons' organization was to interact with fans; having his photo taken, meeting and greeting, and signing autographs during their home games. He also makes public appearances in and around Oklahoma City.

On February 19, 2012, the Barons introduced another mountain lion, named Bit, as a secondary mascot.

Season-by-season results

Records as of May 20, 2015.

Players

Team captains
Ben Ondrus, 2010–11
Bryan Helmer, 2011–12
Josh Green, 2012–13
Anton Lander, 2013–15
Ryan Hamilton, 2015

Notable alumni
List of Oklahoma City Barons alumni who played more than 100 games in Oklahoma City and 100 or more games in the National Hockey League.

Individual award winners

Willie Marshall Award (Leading Goal Scorer)
Colin McDonald, 2010–11
Eddie Shore Award (Best Defenseman)
Justin Schultz, 2012–13
Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award (Best Goaltender)
Yann Danis, 2011–12
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award
Brandon Davidson, 2012–13
Bryan Helmer, 2010–11

Team records

Single season

Goals: Colin McDonald, 42 (2010–11)
Assists: Brad Moran, 52 (2010–11)
Points: Alexandre Giroux, 78 (2010–11)
Penalty minutes: Triston Grant, 163 (2011–12)
Wins: Yann Danis, 26 (2011–12) & Richard Bachman, 26 (2013–14)
Shutouts: Yann Danis, 5 (2011-12)
GAA: Yann Danis, 2.07 (2011–12)
SV%: Yann Danis, .924 (2011–12)

Career
Career games: Curtis Hamilton, 208 (2011–15)
Career goals: Mark Arcobello, 60 (2010–14)
Career assists: Mark Arcobello, 101 (2010–14)
Career points: Mark Arcobello, 161 (2010–14)
Career penalty minutes: Alex Plante, 336 (2010–13)
Career wins: Yann Danis, 52 (2011–13)
Career shutouts: Yann Danis, 7 (2011–13)

References

External links

Edmonton Oilers minor league affiliates
Ice hockey teams in Oklahoma
Ice hockey clubs established in 2010
Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 2015
2015 disestablishments in Oklahoma
2010 establishments in Oklahoma

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
I was excited for the home season to start: Virat Kohli
The India batter smashed his 45th ODI ton during the game against Sri Lanka in Guwahati
Virat Kohli brought up his 45th One-Day International (ODI) ton during the first game of the series against Sri Lanka in Guwahati. His century, along with fifties by Rohit Sharma (83) and Shubman Gill (70) propelled India to 373 for 7. Speaking after his innings, Kohli who scored a century in the previous match against Bangladesh, said that he was looking forward for the home season to begin after a long break.
"I have had bit of a break, and a couple of practice sessions coming into this game, so I was fresh after that Bangladesh tour. I was excited for the home season to start," Kohli, who was given a couple of chances, said.
"The openers allowed me to get into the game and I tried to keep my strike rate in check. I was happy I was able to maintain the tempo and we finished with 370."
Kohli also reckons that it was important to get a cushion of 20-30 runs given that the dew will play a huge part later on. "Someone will have to score a 150, or 140 to chase this down. But it also gives our bowlers a chance to bowl with dew coming into play." Kohli who scored 113 off 87, reckons.
Kohli was among some of the senior players rested for the T20 International (T20I) series before the ODIs. Along with Kohli, skipper Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have returned to the XI.
India vs Sri LankaSri Lanka tour of India, 2023Sri LankaIndiaVirat Kohli


Our Commercial Belt is light-weight and good for everyday training. It provides the stability you need and has an adjustable Velcro closure for ease.
Adjustable velcro closure to easily put on and take off.
Your lifting belt size is not necessarily your regular pant size. You will want to measure with your clothing on. Wherever you will be wearing your belt, is where you will need to measure. For first time belt users, safe bet would be to measure around the waist on top of the belly button.
Small 54" (34" minus strap) 4.5"
Medium 56" (37" minus strap) 4.5"
Large 58.5" (39" minus strap) 4"


The writers of Rake would be hard-pushed trying to create a better scene than the one several witnesses have described being played out inside an exclusive party for a gathering of Sydney's elite legal eagles.
Richard Roxburgh as Cleaver Greene in the series Rake.
Sydney City Police confirmed to PS they are investigating an "incident" that allegedly occurred on August 2 at the swanky Calyx function centre in the Royal Botanic Garden, involving two of Sydney's most successful female lawyers.
On that night around 300 lawyers, barristers and clients had converged for an annual knees-up being hosted by Branco Chambers, which counts among its luminaries prominent Sydney silk Sandy Dawson.
According to the police statement issued to PS: "A 46-year-old woman was in a function room at the Royal Botanic Garden.
"Police have been told during the evening, another woman approached her and assaulted her.
"She left and police were alerted.
"An investigation into the incident is being conducted by officers from Sydney City Police Area Command."
For the past month the Branco Chambers party has become the talk of legal circles, especially as it has emerged that the woman at the centre of the allegations is Amanda Banton, a partner and prominent corporate lawyer at blue ribbon firm Squire Patton Boggs.
Banton, who is the partner of one of Australia's biggest litigation funders Paul Lindholm who was involved in a scuffle with police back in 2010 after being caught drink-driving twice in one night, was in the news in July after being called a "concurrent wrongdoer" in a separate court case involving the logistics company GetSwift, which is being sued in a class action by investors.
Ruffling feathers: Sydney legal eagle Amanda Banton.
it should pay less damages to investors because Banton's law firm, Squire Patton Boggs, falsely claimed the company was facing a $300 million claim when it was only about $75 million.
She also made headlines following the sale of her Victorian terrace house in Paddington in recent months, pocketing a hefty $7.4 million after buying the property for $2.55 million in 2010 from Adam Tilley.
But back to the August "incident" at the Banco Chambers soiree.
Bad blood: Elisabeth Pickthall was seen "gasping" for air.
PS can reveal the alleged assault victim was Elisabeth Pickthall, special counsel at rival law firm Hall & Wilcox, who friends say was deeply shaken and left "gasping for air" following the incident.
Partygoers have claimed to PS that Banton grabbed Pickthall by the throat, pinning her against a plate glass wall near an exit.
Another senior lawyer, Shaan Palmer, a colleague of Banton's and a fellow partner at Squire Patton Boggs, intervened and pushed Banton off Pickthall, but not before drawing the attention of many horrified onlookers in the room.
"It really was quite an ugly scene, you just don't expect that sort of behaviour at that kind of party. There were several people who saw it, several very senior legal figures in this town. I was blown away, she really went for her," one witness told PS.
When PS asked Pickthall what had sparked the incident she said: "I have no idea", but declined to comment any further. Pickthall, who left the party with two other lawyers and immediately reported the incident to police, had previously worked with Banton.
PS understands relations between the women degenerated four years ago over a work-related dispute and they parted ways professionally.
PS contacted Banton on Thursday, who said she was: "unable to discuss this, I am in the middle of a mediation, I'll have to call you back."
She is yet to call.
Prominent Sydney plastic surgeon Michael Miroshnik, AKA "The Breast Master", has a few more headaches to contend with other than how he is being plugged on those pesky online digital forums PS wrote about recently.
Dr. Michael Miroshnik, plastic and cosmetic surgeon.
Multimillionaire Miroshnik's company MSeven Pty Ltd is being sued in the Federal Court by his former housekeeper, Deborah Crighton, who claims her employment was unfairly terminated following a workplace accident when she suffered back injuries after falling off a step ladder while performing her duties at Miroshnik's home.
Crighton claims Miroshnik's mother-in-law, Karen Sharman, had "shouted" at her after she went to hospital following the fall, and that she felt unsafe remaining at Miroshnik's house. She has since moved to Queensland.
Crighton is seeking 52 weeks' lost pay – $43,161 – and compensation of $10,000 for "hurt, humiliation and distress".
The matter is due back in court on October 15 when it is listed for a directions hearing.
Friends of the late cardboard billionaire Richard Pratt say he would be bursting with pride if he was still alive today to see the woman his youngest child has grown into.
Last Saturday night around 100 family and friends gathered at Dunbar House in Watsons Bay for a cocktail party to mark Paula Pratt's 21st birthday. While none of the Pratt family were there, PS has previously revealed that Anthony Pratt has kept a close eye on his half-sister.
"It was really good to be able to share the night with family and friends, we had lots of photos of dad to share, we tried to make him part of it as much as we could," Paula told PS.
Paula Pratt at her 21st Birthday in Watson's Bay last Saturday.
"People say I have inherited my dad's sense of humour … I'm almost finished university and looking forward to getting on with my career. I'm not really that interested in the limelight, I'd rather just get on with my life now."
Set to graduate from her Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in finance and economics later this year, the youngest Pratt appears to have also inherited her father's business nous.
Among the speeches on Saturday night was one from Richard Pratt's good friend, prominent lawyer Andrew Fairley.
"Yeah, my head is fairly well screwed on, you won't see me on The Bachelor," Paula Pratt said.
Indeed the discovery of her existence 21 years ago set the Australian media into a frenzy after it was revealed she was the "love child" of Pratt and his mistress, Shari Lea Hitchcock.
As for recent reports Paula would inherit $100 million on her 21st birthday, she drolly commented: "don't believe everything you read, I work for a living".
The family that dresses together stays together? Or at least something like that.
The Simpson d'Alessandro making a fashion statement as a family.
PS has taken a particular shining to recent additions to Sydney's more fashionable hotspots with the arrival of English expats, Simpson d'Allessandros.
The young family comprises of father Tom Simpson, the head of menswear at The Iconic, one of Australia's largest online fashion retailers.
Then there is his wife, Rachael d'Alessandro, the head designer at Australian denim label One Teaspoon (famous for its barely-held-together 'destroyed' jeans, as seen on the Kardashians, Beyoncé and a host of other celebrities).
And rounding out the trio is their three-year-old social media sensation Venice Simpson d'Alessandro (sure she only has 53 followers on Instagram, but her 'content' is next level).
Catwalk family life – the Simpson d'Alessandros.
"It was my wife's idea to wear the matching commando overalls, it was just a bit of fun and Venice really enjoyed it … I think it has set a bit of a trend for us, we seem to be coordinating our clothing quite a bit," Simpson says.
The trio made a splash at the recent New Zealand Fashion Week in Auckland and PS has high hopes of a similar sartorial display soon on a Sydney red carpet.
PS felt thoroughly gypped on Monday night at this year's Vin de Champagne Awards, recognising Australia's greatest lovers of French fizz.
Having slavishly committed to honing my bubbly drinking skills over too many years to count, sadly there was no recognition coming your columnist's way at Quay restaurant as 200 of Australia's top wine experts soldiered on with a tasting of 18 champagnes paired with four gourmet courses.
Last year some 8,534,000 bottles of champagne was shipped from France to Australia, making us the sixth largest market in the world by volume.
Hats off to Leanne Altmann, the wine director at Melbourne's Super Normal and Cumulus Inc who wrote an extensive dissertation on her champagne knowledge and endured a gruelling panel interview.
And Sunshine Coast local Nicole Smith took out the amateur category. A third time finalist she was asked to match a menu to champagne. She took it on herself to actually create the menu and made the food (one course comprising of Mooloolaba prawns). According to one of the key judges, John Noble, "it was lovely".


Susan's request to find the name of a certain type of pin used to hold antimacassars to the furniture they protected explained that most had a decorative head and a cork screw pin.
-- We used to call the pins upholstery pins.
-- The term 'Chesterfield' is a Canadian name for a sofa.
I don't know what these are called, but I have used them as recently as the 1990s to hold chair arm covers on a recliner.
My mother used these in central Pennsylvania over 60 years ago, and I know we have used them here in Bradenton in the past 14 years.
I am emailing the result of my search to find the screw-in pins for sofas because prices and firms are not usually allowed on genealogy websites.
I found on page 68, home furnishing in Home Trends catalog the requested items. They call them upholstery locks, item # 030044, a 24 pack for $8,95, 2 packs for $14.00. See: www.ShopHomeTrends.com Hope this satisfies your individual with the requirement to screw the arm & head covers to sofas & overstuffed chairs. Always enjoy your news letter!
So we can tell Susan, that from our collective recollections, the decorative pins with the cork-screw type shafts were merely called upholstery pins or upholstery locks. These are not to be confused with upholstery tacks, which are those decorative nail heads used in long rows around the edges of a chair, ottoman, sofa or headboard to hold the fabric in place and to add a distinctive detail. I initially saw them on a dark green leather chair in the den of our home as a child.


text:
Friday, June 23rd, 2000 #84
The Attack of the Yellow Demon The Fight Begins
28 29 30 31 1 2 3 W
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I feel a bit silly when I look at this comic again, because when it was new, I said something that was far too cocky for the position I was in. You see, one of my colleagues at my summer internship looked at this particular comic and commented that it didn't have a punchline. After all, what kind of comic strip doesn't have a punchline. I responded that, in my immense wisdom at having run a comic strip for almost three months by this point, I was more than confident enough that I could run a comic without a punchline. Looking back on that naive presumption makes me feel a bit silly, as I clearly didn't know what the hell I was talking about. Perhaps now, after having run a fairly successful webcomic for over seven years, I think I can say I'm fairly experienced at it, but three months? I didn't know anything.
That being said, I do like this particular comic. It's more subtle than most of my comics, what with the only real flourish being Proto Man's slight smile in the last panel, a nice touch I included to add to the underlying meaning of the comic. I mean, smirking when taking on a creature four times your size says volumes about your personality, which was exactly the point. So while I still don't think this comic needs a punchline, it doesn't mean I was right to be so cocky about it, all those years ago.


text:
Mayhem (IPA []) – norweska grupa muzyczna wykonująca black metal, zaliczana do prekursorów gatunku. W początkowym okresie działalności utożsamiana z nurtem satanizmu teistycznego. Zespół powstał w Oslo w 1983 roku z inicjatywy gitarzysty Øysteina "Euronymousa" Aarsetha, do którego dołączyli dwaj szkolni koledzy, perkusista Kjetil Manheim i Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud grający na gitarze basowej. Inspiracją dla nazwy zespołu był utwór brytyjskiego zespołu Venom pt. "Mayhem with Mercy".

W 1993 roku zespół został rozwiązany w wyniku morderstwa Aarsetha – lidera i założyciela Mayhem. Grupę ponownie reaktywowano w 1995 roku z udziałem gitarzysty Rune "Blasphemera" Eriksena. Na przestrzeni lat w zespole występowało kilkunastu muzyków, jednak mimo częstych zmian utrzymał łatwo rozpoznawalny styl oparty na szybkich partiach perkusji oraz nisko strojonej gitarze basowej.

Z zespołem były związane organizacje okultystyczne Inner Circle, którą założył Aarseth oraz Outer Circle założona przez fanów zespołu, będące odpowiedzialne w dużym stopniu za falę przemocy oraz przestępstw na tle antyreligijnym, w tym podpalenia kościołów luterańskich, jaka miała miejsce na początku lat 90. XX wieku w Norwegii. Muzycznie zespół prezentował różne oblicza black metalu, łącząc w swej muzyce wpływy industrialu oraz muzyki elektronicznej.

Do 2007 roku zespół wydał cztery wysoko oceniane albumy studyjne oraz szereg kompilacji i albumów koncertowych. Zespół z biegiem lat stał się przedmiotem krytyki oraz bohaterem wielu filmów i publikacji dokumentujących przemoc w muzyce metalowej. Podczas występów zespół prezentuje charakterystyczny rodzaj ekspresji włączając okaleczenia muzyków, corpse paint oraz scenografię z użyciem m.in. szczątków zwierząt i efektów pirotechnicznych.

Historia

Zespół powstał w 1983 roku w Oslo z inicjatywy wokalisty i gitarzysty Øysteina "Euronymousa" Aarsetha, który do współpracy zaprosił dwóch szkolnych kolegów basistę Jørna "Necrobutchera" Stubberuda oraz perkusistę Kjetila Manheima. W takim składzie grupa odbywała próby w małej sali w Langhus, dzielnicy Oslo, wykonując muzykę inspirowaną twórczością takich grup jak Slayer, Motörhead czy Celtic Frost. W 1986 roku odbył się pierwszy koncert grupy oraz wydane zostało demo zatytułowane Pure Fucking Armageddon. Wkrótce potem do zespołu dołączył wokalista Eirik "Messiah" Nordheim. W 1987 roku Nordheima zastąpił Sven Erik "Maniac" Kristiansen, z którym w składzie zespół nagrał swój pierwszy minialbum pt. Deathcrush. Tego samego roku z zespołu odszedł Kjetil Manheim oraz Sven Erik "Maniac" Kristiansen, których zastąpili odpowiednio Torben Grue i Kittil Kittilsen. Rok później zespół ponownie zmienił skład, perkusistę Grue zastąpił Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg, natomiast nowym wokalistą został Szwed Per Yngve "Dead" Ohlin znany z występów w deathmetalowej grupie Morbid. W 1991 roku ukazał się pierwszy album koncertowy grupy pt. Live in Leipzig będący zapisem ostatniego koncertu grupy z wokalistą Perem Yngve "Deadem" Ohlinem, który popełnił samobójstwo tego samego roku.

Również w 1991 roku z zespołu odszedł Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud, którego zastąpił Stian "Occultus" Johansen, który objął również rolę wokalisty w grupie. W 1992 roku do zespołu dołączyli multiinstrumentalista Varg "Grishnackh" Vikernes znany z projektu Burzum, węgierski wokalista Attila Csihar oraz drugi gitarzysta Snorre "Blackthorn" Ruch. Csihar i Vikernes wzięli udział w realizacji pierwszego albumu studyjnego zespołu. Wkrótce w wyniku nieporozumienia na niewyjaśnionym do dziś tle Vikernes zamordował lidera grupy Mayhem Øysteina "Euronymousa" Aarsetha, doprowadzając do rozwiązania zespołu. Dwa lata później ukazał się debiutancki album zespołu zatytułowany De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas wydany nakładem wytwórni muzycznej Deathlike Silence Productions.

W 1995 roku zespół wznowił działalność w następującym składzie: Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg (perkusja), Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud (gitara basowa), Rune "Blasphemer" Eriksen (gitara) oraz Sven Erik "Maniac" Kristiansen (śpiew). W 1997 roku ukazał się drugi minialbum zespołu pt. Wolf's Lair Abyss, tego samego roku ukazał się również singel Ancient Skin / Necrolust nakładem Misanthropy Records. Mayhem zaliczył również w tym okresie szereg koncertów, w tym występ w Mediolanie, który posłużył jako materiał do wydania albumu koncertowego pt. Mediolanum Capta Est oraz koncert we wschodnich Niemczech, który zarejestrowano i wydano w 1997 roku na kasecie VHS jako Live in Bischofswerda. Do zespołu dołączył również drugi gitarzysta Alexander Nordgaren. W 1998 roku Nordgaren opuścił zespół.

W 2000 roku po pięciu latach od wznowienia działalności ukazał się drugi album grupy pt. Grand Declaration of War, który zdecydowanie różnił się stylistycznie od dotychczasowych dokonań grupy. Nowy album Mayhem miał bardziej koncepcyjny charakter, jako swoisty manifest wojenny, przepełniony apokaliptycznymi wątkami, nihilistyczną oprawą tekstową oraz ogólną wizją świata po globalnej zagładzie. Muzycznie album miał bardziej progresywną formę, a selektywny dźwięk oraz elementy elektroniki czyniły go eksperymentalnym choć jednocześnie ambitnym wydawnictwem. Dominowały w nim raczej marszowe tempa o średniej szybkości niż typowe dla black metalu blasty. Sekcja wokalna również uległa zmianie. Maniac dużo częściej używał melorecytacji oraz czystych wokali niż growlu. Awangardowy charakter podkreślał również podział albumu na swoiste akty oraz fakt iż większość utworów przechodziła płynnie jeden w drugi. Muzykę na Grand Declaration of War skomponował Blasphemer, natomiast autorem wszystkich tektów był Maniac. Wydawnictwo było promowane podczas amerykańskiej trasy koncertowej wraz z grupami Hate Eternal i Exhumed. Rok później 16 czerwca 2001 roku ukazał się czwarty album koncertowy grupy pt. Live in Marseille 2000 oraz równolegle pierwszy album DVD European Legions: Live in Marseille 2000. 6 marca 2003 podczas koncertu Mayhem w Bergen zraniony został jeden z widzów, 25-letni Per Kristian Hagen, który został uderzony owczym łbem wskutek czego doznał pęknięcia czaszki. Hagen za nieumyślną napaść wniósł pozew do sądu przeciwko zespołowi. Natomiast we wrześniu zespół odnowił kontrakt płytowy z wytwórnią muzyczną Season of Mist.

29 marca 2004 roku ukazał się trzeci album Mayhem pt. Chimera wydany nakładem wytwórni muzycznej Season of Mist. Muzycznie album był powrotem do bardziej tradycyjnego black metalu niż kontynuacją eksperymentalnej drogi podjętej na Grand Declaration of War. Podobnie jak w przypadku poprzedniego albumu, autorem muzyki na Chimera był Blasphemer, natomiast wszystkie teksty poszczególnych piosenek napisał Maniac. Wydawnictwo zostało nagrane w mobilnym studio w norweskich górach. Jednakże początkowo planowana sesja miała odbyć się w kopenhaskich Puk Studios. Zaplanowana realizacja teledysku do utworu "My Death" w reżyserii Phillipa Burtema nie doszła do skutku z niewyjaśnionych przyczyn. Na początku kwietnia 2004 roku zespół rozpoczął serię koncertów. Trasa pod nazwą Rape Europe With Pride Tour promująca album Chimera, obejmowała większość europejskich państw. Na potrzeby trasy wykonano specjalną scenografię sceniczną, która towarzyszyła zespołowi podczas występów, zaprojektowaną przez norweską pracownię Spacebrain Future Trash, odpowiedzialną również za wykonywanie realizacji dla innych zespołów norweskiej sceny jak Satyricon czy Dimmu Borgir. Mayhem wystąpił także na festiwalach Inferno w Norwegii oraz Wacken w Niemczech. Tego samego roku z zespołu odszedł wokalista Sven Erik "Maniac" Kristiansen, którego zastąpił Attila Csihar znany z debiutanckiego albumu Mayhem De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. Oświadczenie zespołu odnośnie do odejścia wokalisty Svena Kristiansena: "Powodów tej zmiany należy upatrywać w sprawach osobistych, ale stało się tak również dlatego, że Maniac nie mógł wziąć udziału w trasie. Maniac był i zawsze będzie częścią naszej spuścizny, a dziesięcioletnia współpraca z nim była zaszczytem".

Na początku 2005 roku brytyjska stacja telewizyjna BBC sfilmowała koncert zespołu w norweskim mieście Tønsberg. Nagrania zostały wykorzystane w programie This World, podczas którego muzycy opowiadali o sobie i o działalności zespołu. 16 kwietnia 2007 roku nakładem Season of Mist ukazał się czwarty album studyjny grupy zatytułowany Ordo Ad Chao. Wydawnictwo było promowane podczas europejskiej trasy koncertowej, która odbyła się w grudniu. Koncerty Mayhem poprzedziły grupy Samael, Pro-Pain, Malevolent Creation, Onslaught, Wykked Wytch oraz Blood Red Throne.

W lutym 2008 roku zespół otrzymał nagrodę norweskiego przemysłu fonograficznego Spellemannprisen w kategorii metal za album Ordo Ad Chao. Nagrodę podczas gali odebrali perkusista Hellhammer i basista Necrobutcher. Tego samego roku po trzynastu latach występów w grupie, opuścił ją gitarzysta Rune "Blasphemer" Eriksen. Muzyk zagrał z zespołem ostatni koncert 6 sierpnia tego samego roku podczas festiwalu Øyafestivalen w Oslo. W październiku 2008 roku do grupy dołączył gitarzysta koncertowy Krister "Morfeus" Dreyer znany z grup Limbonic Art oraz Dimension F3H. Wziął on udział w trasie koncertowej South America Fucking Armageddon. W sierpniu 2009 roku zespół wystąpił podczas koncertów w Finlandii.

W 2014 roku, po 7 latach od nagrania Ordo Ad Chao ukazał się nowy album grupy pt. Esoteric Warfare. Album promował singiel Psywar do którego zrealizowano teledysk. Okładkę oraz szereg innych grafik związanych z wydaniem albumu zaprojektował polski artysta Zbigniew Bielak, współpracujący również z innymi zespołami sceny black metalowej jak Watain czy Tsjuder.

W kwietniu 2016 roku zespół zapowiedział powrót Maniaca jako wokalisty Mayhem. W oświadczeniu dotyczącym powrotu byłego wokalisty zespół wyraził iż: "Przez lata wielokrotnie rozmawialiśmy o ponownym zagraniu koncertu z Maniakiem. Oczywiście przebieg wydarzeń był inny niż planowaliśmy w tej kwestii. Pierwotna koncepcja zakładała wspólne wykonanie tylko kilku utworów. Ostatecznie pomysł ten ewoluował w pełnowymiarowy koncert pt. "Return of the Maniac" zawierający jedynie materiał z okresu kiedy był on wokalistą Mayhem". Zgodnie z wcześniejszymi informacjami opublikowanymi przez zespół, Maniac wystąpił wspólnie z Mayhem podczas norweskiego Inferno Festival 2016 oraz w czerwcu tego samego roku na szwedzkim Sweden Rock Festival.

15 grudnia 2016 roku ukazał się koncertowy album Mayhem pt. De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas Alive, stanowiący zapis występu jaki grupa dała w Norrkjöping w Szwecji 18 grudnia 2015 roku w ramach Black Christmass Festival. Podczas koncertu zespół zagrał wyłącznie materiał z pierwszego albumu De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, który został zaprezentowany w całości na żywo po raz pierwszy od jego wydania w 1994 roku. Album ukazał się jako wydanie własne zespołu na płytach CD, DVD oraz winylowych. W 2016 roku grupa odbyła także szereg innych koncertów upamiętniających album De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, w tym występy w Norwegii, Francji, Polsce oraz trasę po Ameryce Łacińskiej. W latach 2017–2018 zespół kontynuował trasę poświęconą debiutanckiemu albumowi, zaliczając występy w wielu krajach.

W maju 2019 roku Mayhem ujawnił pierwsze szczegóły dotyczące kolejnego albumu, którego premierę zapowiedziano na jesienni tego samego roku nakładem wytwórni Century Media. Perkusista grupy Hellhammer określił wówczas najnowsze dzieło norwegów jako muzycznie i dźwiękowo bardziej podobne do De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, mówiąc: "Ten album to klasyk. Teksty będą po łacinie. Wszystko będzie mroczne, dość mistyczne i satanistyczne". Z kolei basista grupy Necrobutcher nazwał nowy krążek jako najlepiej wykonana praca od czasów Chimery z 2004 roku.

Zgodnie ze wcześniejszymi informacjami, szósta płyta zespołu pt. Daemon ukazała się 25 października 2019 roku. Okładkę do nowego wydawnictwa zaprojektował włoski artysta Daniele Valeriani, mający także na swoim koncie współpracę z innymi przedstawicielami metalowej sceny jak: Dark Funeral, Triptykon, Rotting Christ czy Dissection. Album składał się z 10 utworów w wersji podstawowej oraz z 12 w wersji limitowanej. Do piosenki Falsified and Hated zrealizowano teledysk.

Wielu komentatorów oraz recenzentów podkreślało stylistyczne i muzyczne podobieństwo pomiędzy Daemon a klasycznymi albumami Mayhem jak De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, zauważając, że jego duch zdecydowanie przenika nową płytę, którą określano jako znacznie bliższą debiutanckim dokonaniom grupy niż temu co zespół osiągnął w późniejszym okresie swojej kariery. Wspominając w wywiadzie okoliczności i klimat wokół powstania płyty, gitarzysta Teloch oświadczył: "Przez około dwa i pół roku byliśmy w trasie, grając materiał z De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, więc na pewno do pewnego stopnia byliśmy pod wpływem tego albumu, ale jednocześnie nie rozmawialiśmy ze sobą w stylu: Teraz zamierzamy zrobić płytę brzmiącą jak De Mysteriis, ponieważ myślę, że byłby to w pewnym sensie strzał w stopę, natomiast zdecydowanie wróciliśmy do starej szkoły". W podobnym tonie ocenił tę kwestię wokalista grupy Attila Csihar, potwierdzając wpływ trasy na muzykę, strukturę piosenek oraz ogólną atmosferę nowego albumu.

W ramach promocji płyty Daemon, zespół odbył europejską trasę koncertową na przełomie września i października 2019 roku pod nazwą Northern Ritual.

Muzycy

Dyskografia

 Albumy studyjne

 Single

 Minialbumy

 Kompilacje

 Splity

 Dema

 Albumy koncertowe

 Albumy wideo

Nagrody i wyróżnienia

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne
 Strona oficjalna

Norweskie zespoły blackmetalowe
Laureaci Spellemannprisen


text:
MacDonald keen for 38 year-old Carter to stick around at Blues
Legendary All Black fly-half Dan Carter will not turn out for the Blues next season, at least not in any playing capacity.
The 38 year old joined the Auckland-base franchise in 2020 but did not end up taking the field of play. He was scheduled to make his debut in the final game of the season against his old team, the Crusaders, however, the game was called off due to Coronavirus concerns.
Blues head coach Leon MacDonanld appears very keen to keep Carter involved in the Blues set-up.
"I was pretty relentless with Dan," MacDonald said.
"He would have been great because he would have given us that experience that we've lost with Beauden Barrett going around preparation.
"He's just down the road so I'm hoping we see him around even if it's just with the kickers having some sort of input."
Despite what ideas MacDonald may have harboured, Carter always saw his role at the Blues as more of a mentorship one.
"It wasn't about me getting on the pitch," Carter said in an interview with 66 Magazine.
"It was about helping the team grow and sharing my experience with the younger guys and the leadership group. I can't help myself though: I missed rugby."
The Blues announced their Super Rugby Aotearoa Squad this week which boasts 12 All Blacks and two Samoan internationals.
Leon MacDonald
Former All Black Tamati Ellison joins Crusaders coaching group
Hurricanes to play Blues, Chiefs at Upper Hutt's Maidstone Park
Clayton McMillan extends stay at Chiefs
Kieran Crowley to leave Benetton a year early
Nic Groom able to see the funny side of mistaking a train horn for the halftime hooter


text:
Kyrie Irving 3.0.
After the second opening night of the NBA, we saw the 3rd evolution of Kyrie Irving with the Brooklyn Nets appear right before our eyes, and he didn't disappoint.
Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Harris (12) and center Jarrett Allen (31) console guard Kyrie Irving, center, after Irving collapsed on the floor after missing a shot at the end of overtime in the team's NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, in New York - AP Photo/Kathy Willens/AP.
After the second opening night of the NBA, we saw the 3rd evolution of Kyrie Irving with the Brooklyn Nets appear right before our eyes, and he didn't disappoint. Kyrie scored 50 points on 33 shots in 38 minutes, with a whopping 40.2 percent usage. But they lost in overtime against the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-126.
So what happened? The Wolves were very solid coming out of the gate, which in the end was costly to the Nets. But the growing powerhouse Karl-Anthony Towns stepped in and matched nearly every move from Irving. He scored 36 points while grabbing 14 rebounds. It's funny to say, but Towns' surprising range from the 3-pointer jolted me every time I watched the ball swoosh through the net. He hit 7 for the game, and one of them was a dagger to silence the Brooklyn crowd late in the 4th.
It's the first game, and Nets fans can be optimistic going forward. It's a brand new look for this team, who made a complete makeover in the off-season. To me, it's like Brooklyn lost a 'team' and scored a one-man-show over the summer. Yes, it's super exciting and the NYC crowd eats it up, but last year the Nets were jelling and playing superfluid basketball. Now they just stand still and look on at ISO ball with Kyrie.
We all know everyone is excited about this team, come 2020-21, but can they keep Kyrie's high hopes and enthusiasm for this team afloat and not make the same thing happen in Boston?
Karl-Anthony TownsKyrie IrvingNetsTimberwolves


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text:
Kepler to co-develop third satellite with UK's Satellite Applications Catapult
by Caleb Henry — July 10, 2018
Artist's rendition of a Kepler cubesat. Credit: Kepler Communications
Updated at 9:52 a.m. Eastern.
WASHINGTON — Kepler Communications, a Canadian startup designing a network of 140 telecom cubesats, has teamed up with the Satellite Applications Catapult in the U.K. to build a third and final prototype before pressing on with the full constellation.
The Harwell, Oxfordshire-based Catapult will partially fund the satellite, and help Kepler establish roots in the U.K., where the company intends to place its first office outside of Canada.
Kepler plans to launch the prototype satellite during the summer of 2019, preceding the launch of the larger constellation later that year.
Jeffrey Osborne, Kepler's vice president of business development, told SpaceNews that the prototype, named TARS after a robot in the movie Interstellar, will be very different from Kepler's first two demo satellites.
To date Kepler has provided "store and forward" services with KIPP, a satellite launched to low-Earth orbit in January on a Chinese Long March 11 rocket. That satellite collects data, holds it in space and then dumps it when passing over designated very small aperture terminals. Kepler's second demo satellite, CASE, will perform the same function after it launches this summer (Osborne declined to name the launch provider).
TARS will be the first satellite to include a narrowband communications payload to carry small amounts of data from numerous Internet of Things devices, Osborne said. In prepping the narrowband service, Kepler realized it needed to do "a substantial amount of technology development," he said.
"In order to sell to this market, you need to provide effectively a cellular-like solution in terms of power, price, performance, size, etc.," he said. "It needs to be as close to cellular as possible."
Osborne said Kepler's Internet of Things focus is on devices that move around frequently and as a result have difficulty staying connected because of differences in cellular standards around the world. Instead of configuring those devices to work with multiple cellular networks, customers can use Kepler's satellite system to stay connected regardless of location.
Neither Osborne nor the Catapult would disclose how much funding the Catapult is putting towards the TARS mission.
"The collaboration involves contributions from both sides," said Christopher Brunskill, the Catapult's head of small satellites and future constellations.
"[Kepler] will be working with U.K. suppliers for the spacecraft platform, and we are working directly with them on their business development activities to help them establish their U.K. base and then their operations into Europe," he said.
The Satellite Applications Catapult procures spacecraft and launch slots for participants in its In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) mission series, with the requirement that beneficiaries of the program show a tangible return for the U.K. space sector. Two government agencies, Innovate U.K. and the U.K. Space Agency, provide funding for the Catapult's IOD program.
"We are trying to join the dots between the new 'Planets' or the new 'Spires,'" said Florian Deconinck, small satellites program manager at the Satellite Applications Catapult.
Companies like Kepler "are trying to effectively de-risk their service by launching prototype satellites," he said, and the Catapult seeks to make that feasible while drawing companies to the U.K.
Clyde Space, the same company that has provided the spacecraft platform for Kepler's first two prototypes, is one of the suppliers for the Catapult's IOD program, along with, more recently, Open Cosmos of Harwell.
Osborne said Kepler builds its payloads in-house, and will likely continue that arrangement for future satellites. The company has not selected a spacecraft platform supplier for the TARS satellite, he said.
Osborne said Kepler consists of around 20 people today. The company has not yet determined how big its U.K. office will be, he said.
Commercial cubesatsIoTKepler


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NBA: Hornets HC Steve Clifford Fired in Charlotte
On April 13, 2018 April 14, 2018 By Andrew Parrish
#INSCMagazine
According to reports from both Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, Steve Clifford has been fired as the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, joining Jeff Hornacek of the New York Knicks and Frank Vogel of the Orlando Magic as the coaches that have been fired after the NBA regular season ended.
Clifford posted an overall record of 196-214 in his 5 seasons at the helm of the Hornets, and even though he is regarded as one of the smartest coaches in the league by some, the Hornets had not made the playoffs since 2015-16, where they won 48 games, won a share of the Southeast Division title with Miami and Atlanta, and played the Heat tough for a full seven game series.
Since that playoff run, the Hornets posted identical 36-46 records, and with the removal of GM Rich Cho during the season, the signs became increasingly clear that Clifford would not be retained after this season, as new GM Mitch Kupchak will look to make his own hire as the Hornets look to move forward with a potential rebuild coming soon, given that Kemba Walker doesn't agree to a contract extension before the season starts in October.
For Clifford, there will be multiple NBA teams that will come calling for him to take a role in their respective organizations. Even with his removal from Charlotte, the general feeling around the NBA is that he is still a great coach and that he can be a good head coach in the league. Teams that might have been considering firing their coach and looking on the market for a new one will have one more option to look at when considering potential replacements. Clifford should be considered for every coaching vacancy that it already open (New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Milwaukee, and Memphis), as well as the potential openings that could come open in Atlanta, Indiana, Los Angeles (Clippers), and Cleveland.
For the Hornets, look for Kupchak to continue changing things as far as a roster perspective is concerned. Perennial All-Star Kemba Walker is on the last year of his contract this upcoming season, as is Dwight Howard, who is reaching the twilight of his career after signing a 3-year, $70.5 million deal with Atlanta in the summer of 2016. The Hornets will be looking to shed some of its long-term salary (Nicolas Batum to be specific), so dangling Walker out there in trades will be something to look out for, even with Michael Jordan's "ultimatum" that Walker will only be traded for an All-Star player.
Overall, this move makes sense for both sides, as the Hornets need a total refresh from a basketball perspective, and Clifford getting out on the open market will be better for him in the future, as he can move to a team with less cap flexibility issues and have more control of the personnel on the roster.
Posted in #INSCMagazine
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David Crookes was appointed by a leisure and entertainment client for the refurbishment of a basement site at 16 West Central Street, London WC1. The proposals involved the conversion of the existing basement spaces formerly a Post Office stable for use as a nightclub. In addition a new restaurant with basement space was to be constructed in the adjoining car park.
Early desktop research showed that the proposed basement space was to be constructed in close proximity of the West Central Street Post Office and that the Post Office railway ran diagonally across the site at a depth of approximately 12 metres. Taking account of this, the design was progressed with a basement scheme consisting of deep strip footings which had a formation some 3.5 metres deep in the natural gravel. This involved shuttering the trenches and deep excavation but avoid the use of piling techniques which would have possibly fouled the tunnel.
Construction of new basement close to Post Office railway tunnel ran the risk of disturbing the tunnel or breaching it with piles.
Disruption of the tunnel would have resulted in legal proceedings against the client.
Carry out desktop research to investigate history of site and search for utilities in site vicinity.
Contact Post Office to obtain any record maps and to confirm position of Post Office tunnels.
Agree exclusion zones and zones of influence with Post Office and prepare a design which takes these into account.
Submit proposals to Post Office and obtain their agreement to the design.