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Festival chiefs preview the upcoming season
The cost of living crisis, an oversaturated market and rising costs threaten to create a "recipe for disaster" for the first full festival season since 2019, it has been claimed.
ILMC's Festival Forum: New lands, new adventures panel heard divergent views from event bosses on prospects for this summer, with the public's appetite for returning to music shows evident, but two years of lockdown and restrictions throwing up a litany of new problems.
UTA agent Beth Morton moderated the illuminating debate starring Eric van Eerdenburg of Mojo Concerts (NL), Geoff Ellis of DF Concerts (UK), Sophie Lobl of C3 Presents (US), Henrik Bondo Nielsen of Roskilde Festival (DK), Stephan Thanscheidt of FKP Scorpio (DE) and Reshad Hossenally of Festicket's Event Genius ticketing and event technology platform.
Event Genius COO Hossenally said that, despite the anticipated rush for concert tickets after two lost years to Covid-19, other issues were cropping up.
"People don't trust that everything is back to normal yet"
"There are a hell of a lot of shows and it's almost a bit of a recipe for disaster because you've got costs going up, a lot of tickets being carried across and a huge amount of competition," he said. "The other part is people are being told they don't have any money in the press. I think you'll see the buying pattern starting to become a lot later. People don't trust that everything is back to normal yet.
"We ran a global survey and 75% of people said that they want to understand what the cancellation policies are. Before, that would have been an impulse buy – people didn't even look at terms and conditions beforehand. The decision of buying a festival ticket now is a lot more considered. So as a festival promoter, I suspect it must be quite a scary road to see that we're not selling as quickly."
Roskilde head of safety and service Bondo Nielsen referenced complaints from some of his European contemporaries regarding fan behaviour since the restart, with the pandemic resulting in a lag in younger consumers attending their first festival.
"What I hear is that people talk about inexperienced audience and that they are not behaving well," he said. "My view is that, as a festival organiser, it's your job to manage the audience that you invite. So if they don't behave well, you have to teach them."
"Costs are going up at least 25% from 2019 prices"
Ellis, who heads up events such as Scotland's Transmt, responded: "You've got gig veterans, and then you always get new people coming in – 16 to 17-year-olds coming along for the first time – and I think they get carried along and looked after by the older members of the audience a bit. It is a real community spirit that you get, no matter what the festival is. They're all there for the same purpose: to enjoy music, and the shared experience of being at an event."
Ellis considered increasing costs, exacerbated by supply chain and staffing issues, as the biggest challenge for festivals going forward.
"Certainly in the UK, costs are going up at least 25% from 2019 prices, which is really difficult," he said. "And it's the scarcity of kit as well, so stages, barriers – we're having to beg, borrow and steal barriers from different arenas, because there are so many shows on. There are shows that have moved from 2020, and didn't happen in '21, all happening, plus the festivals, plus the outdoor business that would have taken place in '22.
"Also, staff – lots of stewards left the industry during the pandemic. Toilets, again, lots of sporting events are taking certainly the high end toilets, maybe not the actual portaloos but the flushable toilets and trailers, so that's a real challenge."
"People have hung on to their tickets for a couple of years, you can't go back to them and ask for more money"
The promoter added that simply hiking up ticket prices was not an option for this year.
"People have hung on to their tickets for a couple of years, you can't go back to them and ask for more money," he said. "And we're going into a cost of living crisis globally, with people having concerns about how they're going to pay their energy bills and everything else. So some of it will have to be passed on going forward, but it's too late for this year.
"I think we all have to try our best to get costs down and look at innovative ways of delivering things as well. We need suppliers to give us a bit of a break really.
"The positive thing is there was a recent survey in America showing what people are looking forward to getting back to most, and concerts was top of the list, so that's reassuring. Obviously we're all worried about how they're going to afford to do it, but at least they want to go to concerts."
"There are so many artists, coming out of Covid, that haven't done a hard ticket tour"
The conversation later switched to social media's influence on programming and its correlation to ticket sales.
"There is so much that we have to take into account that's not just ticket sales," revealed C3 and Live Nation global festival talent buyer Lobl. "Obviously socials, obviously TikTok, but the show we're booking kind of determines what we look at."
She continued: "There are so many artists, coming out of Covid, that haven't done a hard ticket tour. If you take someone like Doja Cat, who has been one of our biggest artists at all of our festivals, and probably had the biggest crowd at Austin City Limits and in South America, hasn't done her own hard ticket run yet.
"It's also a lot more global now, which makes it more fun. But it also makes it a lot harder to navigate. For us, the Latin market has been huge and there's a lot more global booking of really sizeable bands."
"We have also analysing tools for social media," noted FKP head of festival booking Thanscheidt. "You also have to do look at where are the likes and plays are coming from because if they're coming from another part of the world, it's nice for the band, but maybe not for us putting on a festival or a show with them. Also, not every Tiktok hype translates to the festivals we book.
"In general, you don't want to go away from the history of the festival. But you also want to keep it modern and fresh and cool at the same time. In the end, booking is a process. It is, of course, influenced by other things nowadays, but it's still a mixture of very different facts coming together.
"It also really depends on the festival – because if you have an older audience, TikTok and all that does not play the biggest role and vice-versa, so you have to look at it very individually to make the right decisions. You have to know your market and your audiences because sometimes it's hard to explain, especially to agents, why this act is working and the other one is not."
"It's not an exact science and it never has been"
Van Eerdenberg, director of Netherlands' Lowlands festival, shared his own booking philosophy.
"We had discussions in our programming team about this, and we ended up saying quality is not the thing we measure, but whether people are reacting and responding to it," he said. "You have to work with what you see happening online. But it's difficult to determine the value of an act, especially when agents are very convincing."
Ellis pointed out that hard ticket sales were not always a barometer of an artist's value to a festival because their audience might steer away from outdoor shows.
"It's not an exact science and it never has been," he added. "It's always been a bit of gut feel, a bit of scarcity – if somebody's not doing shows they're more valuable to a festival than if they are doing shows because there's a pent up demand to see them.
"Over the years at T in the Park, an act like Tom Jones went down an absolute storm. His audience wouldn't have particularly come to a music festival, but… we had 50,000 people in front of the main stage, singing along to him, and none of them had ever seen him before. With that kind of booking, if you tried to look at the TikTok figures, it wouldn't have synced. There was a gut feel that it would go down well, and it went down well, but sometimes we get those things wrong and nobody's watching the act."

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Somalia's al-Shabaab Launches Suicide Strikes after al-Qaeda Calls for Attacks on AU Peacekeepers
Posted on February 25, 2009 by McGregor
Eleven Burundian peacekeepers were killed in a two-man suicide assault on an African Union peacekeeping base in Mogadishu on February 22, 2009. Shaykh Mukhtar Robow "Abu Mansur," the spokesman for Somalia's radical Islamist al-Shabaab movement, claimed responsibility for the attacks shortly afterwards (Radio Garowe, February 22). Al-Shabaab has made extensive use of suicide attacks since 2006, a tactical innovation in Somalia.
Abu Yahya al-Libi
The bombings followed a communiqué issued earlier this month by leading al-Qaeda strategist Abu Yahya al-Libi that called for renewed attacks on AU peacekeepers in Somalia (As-Sahab Media Productions, February 13). Abu Yahya frequently provides advice or direction to al-Shabaab, urging them to reject all efforts at reconciliation, even with fellow Islamists deemed to lack sufficient enthusiasm for a relentless jihad against secularists, nationalists, and foreign troops (muslm.net, June 23, 2008). In turn, Abu Yahya has been praised by al-Shabaab leader Shaykh Ahmad Abi Godane and greeted in the martyrdom videos of Somali suicide bombers.
Abu Yahya's message opened with congratulations to the "brave, well-born tribes" of Somalia and its "courageous heroes of jihad" for their "splendid victory" over the Ethiopian military after it withdrew from its occupation of Somalia in January. The senior al-Qaeda leader points out that the withdrawal was not achieved as a result of diplomatic efforts, but through a jihad carried out by patient and serious men: "It was impossible for those [Somali] men to flee the heat of the battle while seeing the forces of the Abyssinians [Ethiopians] raiding their homeland, raping their women, tyrannizing their elderly people, massacring their youth, and boasting on their land."
Describing the peacekeeping mission as a kind of concealed occupation, Abu Yahya urges al-Shabaab to attack the AU peacekeepers with all the determination they applied to attacks on Ethiopian forces:
[Concealed occupation] has been adapted by the West as a new method to control Muslim countries by flashing slogans like "Peacekeeping Forces" and others that belong to either the UN, the African Union, or other regional or international organizations. Therefore, you should continue to carry out your attacks on the Ugandan [and Burundian] forces that occupy your territory, so you would inflict them with what you have done to the crusader Ethiopian forces. Kill them everywhere you find them without distinction. Take them on, close in on them, and disable them through ambushes.
Abu Yahya also urges al-Shabaab to do everything it can to avoid internal disputes (a constant problem in the radical organization) and avoid needlessly antagonizing the Somali people (another problem stemming from al-Shabaab's crude application of a version of Shari'a law). Somalia's new Islamist president, Shaykh Sharif Shaykh Ahmad, is denounced as "one of the Karzais [Quislings] of modern times" that have begun to proliferate in Muslim countries. According to Abu Yahya, the "enemies of Islam" seek to bring Somalia "within their orbit and control it as they please, forcing you to believe its legitimacy and adhering to the decisions of their organizations, while wasting your efforts, burying your sacrifices in its graveyards and looting the wealth of your country."
This article first appeared in the February 25, 2009 issue of the Jamestown Foundation's Terrorism Focus
Posted in African Union, Peacekeeping, Somalia
Government Forces Overrun Tuareg Rebel Camps in Northern Mali
Mali's security forces appear to have broken the latest Tuareg rebellion in that country as a month-long offensive concludes with the seizure of all Tuareg bases in north Mali. The leader of the revolt, Ibrahim Ag Bahanga, is believed to have escaped across the border to Algeria, where he may try to regroup despite the loss of most of his fighters to amnesties or Malian military operations. Mali is eager to bring a series of Tuareg rebellions to an end to allow for more intensive oil exploration by Chinese and Australian firms already at work in northern Mali.
Hassan ag Fagaga (left) and Hajj ag Gamou (center)
The offensive followed a deadly raid by Ag Bahanga's Alliance Touareg Nord-Mali (ATNM) forces on a military camp in northern Mali in December. A rebel column led by Ag Bahanga is reported to have traveled 1,000 kilometers from its base near the Algerian border to attack the military garrison at Namapala. After the garrison repelled the first attack, a former rebel recently integrated into the army killed his platoon leader, leading to panic in the garrison forces. The second attack overran the camp, killing anywhere from 9 to 20 soldiers (Jeune Afrique, January 27). Afterwards, questions were raised as to how a Tuareg column was able to advance for a week undetected. Newsmagazine Jeune Afrique reported that the column was spotted by U.S. satellites, but the intelligence was not taken seriously in Bamako. Mali lost its own aerial reconnaissance capability when the Ukrainian pilots from its military helicopters returned home last April after one of the pilots was killed by rebel fire (Jeune Afrique, January 27).
At least 30 rebels were killed during the government's response, an offensive through the Gao and Kidal regions of north Mali that included a three-hour battle at Tin Essalek on January 19 (Le Malien [Bamako], January 22). A prisoner who later succumbed to his wounds was identified by the Malian press as Shaykh Abdul, a Lebanese mercenary (Le Malien, January 19). Ag Bahanga proclaimed, "Today, the only alternative offered to us is the counter-thrust and armed warfare" (El Khabar [Algiers], January 25). U.S. Special Forces training missions are based in Mali as part of the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership, but there are no reports of direct U.S. involvement in the government offensive.
The offensive was led by Colonel al-Hajj ag Gamou, a Tuareg, and Colonel Muhammad Ould Meïdou, an Arab from Timbuktu (L'Indépendant [Bamako], February 4). The combination of these two hardened officers with an intimate knowledge of northern Mali's barren and inhospitable terrain shattered Ag Bahanga's forces in a matter of weeks. At the risk of pitting Tuaregs against Arabs, Bamako has allowed Colonel Meïdou to assemble a force of several hundred Bérabiche Arabs for the work of eliminating Ag Bahanga's rebels (Jeune Afrique, January 27). Hama Ag Sidahmed, an ATNM spokesman, alleged that Mali's regular army has yielded its place to combined Arab-Tuareg militias designed to fight the Tuareg rebel movement (L'Indépendant [Bamako], February 4). The Bamako government is dominated by the southern Bambara, part of the larger West African Mande group.
Security forces reported the capture of 22 rebels and quantities of vehicles, fuel, food, arms (including heavy machine guns), and ammunition as they swept through the Tuareg camps. A Malian government official claimed that "All the operational and logistical bases of the group of Ibrahim Ag Bahanga have been taken and are under the control of our army and security forces" (Independent, February 11; L'Essor [Bamako], February 11). A spokesman for Ag Bahanga later denied in an interview that any rebel bases had been captured, claiming that the only bases taken by the military belonged to Algerian traders (BBC, February 11). Ag Bahanga's main base was at Tinzaoutin, close to the Algerian border. Other bases were located at Tin Assalek, Abeïbara, Boureïssa, and Inerdjane (L'Essor, February 11). From these locations his men took scores of soldiers hostage and planted land mines on routes likely to be used by the military.
Ag Bahanga has repeatedly rejected participation in the Algerian-brokered peace talks that have brought most Tuareg rebels back into the national fold. Under pressure from the military offensive, Ag Bahanga had a sudden change of heart and appealed to Bamako and Algiers to reopen the peace process, but Mali's government has run out of patience with Ag Bahanga and clearly stated there would be no further negotiations (El Watan [Algiers], February 12; L'Indépendant, February 4). The government in Bamako described Ag Bahanga's appeal as a typical delaying tactic employed whenever things began to turn badly for the rebel leader (Afrol News, February 5). The last of Ag Bahanga's hostages were released on January 25, 2009, after mediation from Libya and Algeria (Afrique en ligne, January 26).
The July 2006 Algiers agreement calls for greater development efforts in the northern regions of Gao, Timbuktu, and Kidal on the part of the national government in return for Tuareg rebels abandoning their demands for regional autonomy. A key part of the negotiations focused on the creation of mixed security units of former rebels and government troops to keep order in the north. Ag Bahanga's rapidly diminishing group of rebels appears to have little public support in the region, possibly confirming speculation that the ATNM is only a front for Ag Bahanga's smuggling activities (Le Malien, January 22; BBC, November 5, 2007).
On February 6, a Malian army officer spoke to the French press from the remote northern region, stating that Ag Bahanga was "no longer on Malian territory" (AFP, February 6). Algerian officials monitoring implementation of the Algiers agreement confirmed Malian reports that Ag Bahanga had crossed into Algeria with Malian troops in a pursuit as far as the border (Ennahar [Algiers], February 6). As the government offensive continued, ATNM fighters and members of Ag Bahanga's own family began to pour into camps where former members of the dominant Tuareg rebel group, The Alliance for Democracy and Change (ADC), were gathering for a disarmament ceremony in the town of Kidal rather than follow Ag Bahanga across the frontier (Radio France Internationale, February 12). One of the leaders of those seeking reconciliation with the government is Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Ag Fagaga, who twice deserted the army to join his rebel cousin, Ag Bahanga (L'Essor, September 18, 2007).
The Ag Bahanga rebellion is the latest in a series of Tuareg uprisings in Mali and Niger since those countries gained independence from France in the 1960s. In a promising sign of surrender, nearly 600 former rebels met with authorities in Kidal on February 17 to lay down their weapons and return arms and vehicles seized from government forces (Elkhabar, February 17). The Tuareg rebellion has been exhausted for now, but continuing oil exploration on Tuareg lands in northern Mali promises to provide a new point of contention between the vastly different peoples of northern and southern Mali.
Posted in Mali, Tuareg
Al-Qaeda's Leader in Afghanistan Returns from the Dead to Threaten India
Despite Pakistani claims to have killed al-Qaeda's commander in Afghanistan last summer, the veteran Egyptian militant Mustafa Ahmad "Abu al-Yazid" (a.k.a. Shaykh Said al-Misri) appeared in a 20-minute video last week threatening India with a repetition of last November's terrorist outrage in Mumbai. Al-Yazid spoke of the shame India endured through its inability to contain the Mumbai attack and warned India that it could expect more of the same if it dared to attack Pakistan: "India should know that it will have to pay a heavy price if it attacks Pakistan… The mujahideen will sunder your armies into the ground, like they did to the Russians in Afghanistan. They will target your economic centers and raze them to the ground" (Press Trust of India, February 10; BBC, February 10).
Mustafa Ahmad "Abu al-Yazid"
Lest anyone think the al-Qaeda commander was in league with Pakistan's government, al-Yazid urged the masses of Pakistan to overthrow the government of President Asif Ali Zardari and declared that former president Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on the order of al-Qaeda leader Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Abu al-Yazid is a former member of al-Zawahiri's Egyptian Islamic Jihad group and served several years in prison before leaving Egypt for Afghanistan in 1988. Already under an Egyptian death sentence issued in absentia for terrorist activities in that country, Abu al-Yazid spent two years in Iraq before being appointed leader of al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan in May 2007. The 54-year-old appears to be primarily a financial and logistical manager for jihad activities (in the original intention of al-Qaeda) rather than a military leader.
Reports of Abu al-Yazid's death in an August 12, 2008, Pakistani airstrike were carried widely in the international press at the time, though Pakistani authorities offered no evidence for their claim. A spokesman for the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) denied the reports of Abu al-Yazid's death (AFP, August 11).
One of Pakistan's largest newspapers carried a report saying intelligence experts had determined Abu al-Yazid's statement was actually the work of India's external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) (Jang [Rawalpindi], February 11). The intent was to "defame Pakistan and show that it has links with Al-Qaeda."
This article first appeared in the February 19 2009 issue of the Jamestown Foundation's Terrorism Focus
Posted in Afghanistan, India, Pakistan
Egyptian Islamists Urge al-Qaeda to Declare a Truce
Al-Gama'a al-Islamiya (GI – The Islamic Group), once one of Egypt's most feared Islamist terrorist organizations, has issued a statement urging al-Qaeda to observe a ceasefire to better assess the intentions of the new Obama administration in Washington (Al-Sharq al-Awsat, January 24).
Shaykh Najih Ibrahim (Al-Ahram)
GI has observed its own ceasefire agreement with the Egyptian government since March 1999. The agreement followed a number of spectacular terrorist attacks by the group, such as the 1997 Luxor attack that killed 58 tourists and four Egyptians. These attacks, however, only succeeded in alienating the movement from public support. The targeting of tourists and the tourism infrastructure proved highly unpopular in a nation that relies heavily on revenues from these sources (up to $4 billion per year in much-needed foreign currency). The group's often pointless attacks on Egypt's large Coptic Christian community inflamed sectarian divisions within the country while doing little to further the Islamist cause. In August 2006, al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Egyptian national Ayman al-Zawahiri, announced the merger of GI with al-Qaeda, but this development was immediately denied by JI leaders within Egypt (Al-Sharq al-Awsat, August 14, 2006).
The GI's chief theorist, Shaykh Najih Ibrahim, was released in 2004 after spending 24 years behind bars following his conviction as a ringleader in the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat. Since then he has adopted a more conciliatory role in Egypt while rejecting the violence of al-Qaeda: "Their aim is jihad and our aim is Islam."
Shaykh Najih rejected a call from al-Qaeda strategist Abu Yahya al-Libi for immediate attacks on Britain and other Western nations as retaliation for the Israeli assault on Gaza: "We fear that the al-Qaeda organization might carry out operations that will turn Obama into another George Bush and turn the good [in President Obama's stated intention to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq and close Guantanamo Bay], albeit small, into evil from which only Israel will benefit" (Al-Arabiya TV [Dubai], January 23; Al-Sharq al-Awsat, January 24).
Isam al-Din Darbalah, a long-time GI leader, also issued a statement addressed to all levels of al-Qaeda's leadership and membership. Noting that President Obama appears ready to abandon "Bush's dead-end and crazy path," Isam al-Din urged a four-month ceasefire designed to test American intentions: "Say [to the Western states] without fear: 'We will not start fighting you in the next four months, unless in self-defense, awaiting fair and practical stands on the part of Obama. We welcome a peace based on respect for the Islamic identity and our peoples' right to live independently under their creed and shari'a and on the basis of common interests with America and the world for the good of humanity, away from the conflict of cultures.'" While still in prison, Isam al-Din collaborated with Najih Ibrahim and several other imprisoned JI leaders in a reassessment of religious extremism entitled "Correcting Concepts." He later contributed to a book-length study of al-Qaeda's strategy that criticized the group for a flawed understanding of reality and the capabilities of the Muslim nation.
Posted in Egypt, Gama'a al-Islamiya, Jihad Theory
Russia's Arms Sales to Sudan a First Step in Return to Africa: Part Two
In March 2005, an earlier 2004 UN arms embargo on non-government forces in the Darfur conflict was expanded by the UN Security Council to include the Sudan government. Russia approved the passage of UN Resolution 1591, which bans the transfer of weapons to Darfur without the Security Council's permission. What is poorly understood is that Khartoum is still allowed to purchase all the arms it wants if the arms are designated for use outside of Darfur. Though deployment of new military equipment to Darfur must be approved by a UN committee on Sudan sanctions, Khartoum's disregard for this provision has left a giant hole in the arms embargo.
Sudanese Troops on a Russian-made T-54 Tank
Commenting on reports that Russia had transferred 33 military aircraft to Sudan since 2004, David Miliband the UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs noted the limitations of the UN embargo; "The UK continues to request that the UN extend its arms embargo on Darfur to all of Sudan, but not all Security Council members agree" (UK House of Commons, Hansard, November 6, 2008).
One of the issues Russia's new envoy must be dealing with is Khartoum's concerns over Russia's role in providing arms to South Sudan's Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) – arms that will almost certainly be used against government forces if fighting resumes between the South and the military-Islamist government in Khartoum. The Juba-based Government of South Sudan is building one of the largest armies in Africa with its share of Sudan's oil revenues and may soon be in the market for its own jet fighters. The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between north and south Sudan forbids either side from making major arms purchases without permission from a Joint Defense Board, though this provision is widely ignored by both sides (Anyuak Media, January 10).
The recently released Ukrainian cargo-ship, MV Faina, seized by Somali pirates in September, held 33 Russian-designed T-72 battle tanks and a substantial cargo of grenade launchers, anti-aircraft guns, small arms and ammunition believed to be on their way to landlocked South Sudan via Mombasa. The ship was released on February 5 after the payment of a reported ransom of $3.2 million, a fraction of the $35 million originally demanded (RIA Novosti, February 5). The American destroyer Mason and ocean tug Catawba provided the ship with fuel, water and humanitarian assistance as it proceeded to Mombasa, a transit point for arms shipments to South Sudan (Navy News, February 6). Unlike earlier arms shipments to South Sudan through Kenya that attracted little attention, the destination of the tanks and other arms will be closely watched by a host of interested parties. Both Ukrainian intelligence and Kenya's Defense Ministry insist the arms are destined for the Kenyan army, even though it does not use any Russian-designed equipment and has no training on Russian-designed equipment (Daily Nation [Nairobi], September 29, 2008). The ship's manifest, released by the pirates, indicated the end recipient of the cargo was "GOSS," the usual acronym for the Government of South Sudan.
Russian arms appeal to many countries with limited budgets, harsh conditions or a poorly-educated military. According to Russian defense analyst Pavel Felgenhauer, the continued production of outdated Soviet military equipment to developing countries has become a lucrative business:
The so-called production of arms using Soviet designs and equipment, a Soviet-trained workforce and Soviet-made weapons repainted to look like new is typical in the defense industry today. This keeps production costs low and profits high, while the veil of secrecy surrounding the arms trade allows firms to avoid taxes almost entirely… There is hardly a local war or conflict in the world where Russian arms are not extensively employed because they are reliable, relatively cheap and often specifically designed in the Soviet era for use by poorly trained and educated conscript soldiers (Moscow Times, July 27, 2004).
Konstantin Makienko of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies has offered an explanation for why Sudan and other African nations prefer to stick with Russian arms:
The presence of conflicts naturally leads to a demand for armaments, with the priority on the fastest possible delivery of low-cost weapons, especially those that are simple to use and maintain and which have been either used by the army in question or which could be supplied along with personnel from abroad to maintain the equipment. These factors encourage repeat purchases from the same suppliers (Moscow Defense Brief 4 (14), 2008).
Though China is frequently criticized for its arms shipments to Sudan, Russia has more quietly become Khartoum's major arms supplier, an activity in which it has been joined by former Soviet states such as Belarus and Ukraine. A SIPRI report based on its Arms Transfers Database stated that Russia had accounted for 87 percent of Sudan's major conventional weapons purchases in the period 2003-2007, while China was responsible for only eight percent (www.sipri.org/content/<wbr></wbr>armstrad/2008/04/01).
In a sense, it is a return for the Russians -the Soviet Union dominated the Sudanese market for military equipment after the left-leaning Revolutionary Command Council led by General Ja'afar Muhammad Nimeiri took power in May 1969 and began a massive expansion of the Sudanese military. The Soviets supplied armor, artillery, MiG-21 fighters, Antonov cargo planes and various military helicopters as well as Soviet technicians and trainers. By 1971, however, Nimeiri was purging communists from the government and banning communist-affiliated trade unions and professional associations. The Sudanese Communist Party responded with a violent three-day coup attempt in July, 1971 that ultimately failed when troops loyal to Nimeiri rallied for a counter-attack. Suspicions of Soviet involvement brought a swift deterioration in Soviet-Sudanese relations. When the Soviets backed the 1977 Marxist military coup in Sudan's rival, Ethiopia, the remaining Soviet military advisors in Sudan were expelled and Khartoum turned to a new supplier, the United States.
In 2006, the Russian press reported that Sudan was seeking not only new Russian arms, but also a $1 billion long-term loan to help pay for them. The request did not receive a warm response in Moscow, where memories are still fresh of the write-offs of billions in debt incurred by African nations purchasing arms on credit in the 1970s and 1980s (Kommersant, October 20, 2006).
The Sudanese army operates over 200 Russian-model T54 and T55 battle tanks, obtained from Russia, Belarus and Poland (the latter through a secondary sale by Yemen, which acts as a kind of arms bazaar for the region). The tanks are obsolete in the European context, but are still useful for providing fire support to infantry operations in Sudan. Khartoum, however, has switched to Chinese-made battle tanks and apparently intends to look to China for most future purchases of armor. Sudan has also purchased as many as 60 Soviet-designed BTR-80A armored personnel carriers from Russia in recent years.
In July 2008, International Criminal Courts (ICC) prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo charged Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir with various counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and murder. The ICC is still reviewing the charges, which will likely go forward unless there is intervention at the UN Security Council level, most likely from China or Russia.
With ongoing sanctions, international disapproval and possible war crimes charges pending against the Sudanese president, Moscow is well aware the Khartoum regime is looking for allies, especially ones with a presence on the UN Security Council. Russia has not yet announced its position on trying al-Bashir in the ICC, but has hinted it may be willing to support a deferral of the charges (Sudan Tribune, January 31). Supported by new-found wealth from its own immense oil industry, Russia's new engagement with Sudan is an expression of Russia's new confidence and apparent eagerness to pursue an aggressive and exclusive foreign policy. Sudan, of course, is not the only African nation to purchase large quantities of Russian arms, but it is a vast, strategically important, resource-rich nation with minimal American presence or influence. As such, it represents an important gateway for Russia to rebuild its once-formidable stature and presence in Africa.
This article was first published in the February 12, 2009 issue of the Eurasia Daily Monitor
Posted in Darfur, Russia, Sudan
Russia's Arms Sales to Sudan a First Step in Return to Africa: Part One
Flush with petrodollars and beset by regional insurgencies and a possible resumption of the North-South civil war, Khartoum has become an important consumer of foreign arms despite a widely ignored international embargo. The Sudanese military is embarking on a massive modernization campaign and appears to have found a willing partner in Russia, which seeks to extend its influence in Africa and find new customers for Russia's active arms industry as sales to China drop off dramatically. China has also become Russia's main competition in arms sales to Africa and is frequently able to supply Chinese-built Russian-designs for significantly less than Russia's arms industry.
Mikhail Margilov and President Omar al-Bashir
Aside from arms shipments, Russian trade and investment in Sudan is minimal – part of the ongoing legacy of the Cold War and the Soviet Union's often heavy-handed approach to Africa. A failed coup attempt by the Sudanese Communist Party in 1971 that led to the execution of most of the party's leadership and the Soviet occupation of Muslim Afghanistan in the 1980s left a climate of strained relations between the two countries. Relations have improved recently as Moscow joined China in opposing the deployment of UN peacekeepers to Darfur.
One sign of the importance Moscow now places on its relations with Sudan was the Russian president Dmitry Medvedev's appointment last December of a special envoy to Khartoum, Mikhail Margilov, head of the Russian Federation Council's foreign affairs committee. Margilov has stated Russia must re-establish its presence in Sudan and Africa by being an active participant in conflict resolution (RIA Novosti, December 8, 2008). The new envoy has already made visits to Darfur and the southern capital of Juba (Sudan Tribune, January 31). Following a meeting with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Margilov announced Moscow's intention to sponsor an international conference on Darfur later this year "to review the positive developments in Darfur." Margilov did not elaborate on the nature of these "positive developments," but added that Russia is now "actively engaged on Sudan issues and wants to play an active role in the UN Security Council (UNSC), Africa and in world affairs" (SUNA, January 30).
Last November, Sudan's Defense Minister, Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hussein, confirmed the sale of 12 Russian MiG-29 fighter jets to Sudan (RIA Novosti, November 14; AFP, November 14). Foreign Minister Hussein rejected American criticism of the sale, "It is not for the U.S. to determine what our priorities should be. We know what our country needs" (Sudan Tribune, November 16, 2008).
The Sudanese Defense Minister was in Moscow at the time, where he also invited Russian oil companies to invest in Sudan (Sudan Tribune, December 22, 2008). So far, Russia's only interaction with Sudan's growing energy sector came in 2002, when the Russian-Belarusian oil company Slavneft signed a $126 million production-sharing agreement with Sudan for oil exploration, but the project later fell through (Pravda, January 18, 2002). Since then, Sudan's oil industry has been dominated by oil firms from China, Malaysia and India, but Russia is interested in exporting its oil operations expertise (Russia is the world's second-largest oil producer).
Russia has successfully cornered the Sudanese market for modern warplanes. In 2001, Russia signed a $120 million deal with Sudan to supply ten MiG-28SE fighters and two MiG-29UB (a dual-seat trainer), which were delivered by 2003-2004 (Kommersant, August 16, 2006).
Sudan took delivery of 12 Russian MiG-29s in July 2004. The delivery was made five months early to avoid potential problems with a UN arms embargo, which was still under debate at the time. The sale was immediately criticized by the United States, which, despite extensive cooperation between the CIA and Sudanese intelligence, officially considers Sudan a sponsor of international terrorism. Asked about reports of the delivery of Russian warplanes to Sudan, a U.S. State Department spokesman replied:
The United States opposes all arms transfers to Sudan, which is a state sponsor of terrorism. Any transfer of lethal military equipment to state sponsors of terrorism is sanctionable under U.S. laws. In addition to U.S. law regarding lethal military equipment transfers to state sponsors of terrorism, the current crisis in Darfur, particularly the continuing violence, is cause for strong opposition to any transfers to Sudan (U.S. Dept. of State, Office of the Spokesman, July 22, 2004).
It is thought the fighters came from a stock of 200 MiG-29s kept at the MiG assembly plant at Lukhovtsy since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Russia was trying to sell these surplus fighters to Algeria and Yemen as well (Moscow Times, July 27, 2004).
Fourteen MiG-29 Fulcrums were supplied to Sudan in 2006, along with Russian trainers, who are rumored to have also flown combat missions against the Darfur rebels. A former Russian air-force pilot was killed when his MiG-29 was shot down on May 10, 2008 during an attack on Omdurman by rebels belonging to Darfur's Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) (Echo Moskvy, May 28, 2008; Interfax, May 29, 2008; Sudan Tribune, May 29, 2008).
A Khartoum newspaper, Alwan, was closed by authorities after reporting the loss of the Russian aircraft and pilot. Alwan's editor was charged with disclosing "sensitive military information harmful to the country's security and its accomplishments" (Sudanese Media Center, May 14, 2008; Sudan Tribune, May 16, 2008). There have been reports of Sudanese fighter pilots who (like most of the military) hail from Darfur refusing to carry out missions against the Darfur rebels, creating an urgent need for experienced pilots in the Sudanese air-force (Sudan Tribune, May 30, 2008).
In July 2008, 12 MiG-29 Fulcrum jet fighters were reported to have been shipped either from or through Belarus in cargo planes to a military airbase north of Khartoum (Sudan Tribune, July 21, 2008; RIA Novosti, July 21, 2008). Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport denied supplying the MiG-29s "either directly or indirectly" (Moscow Times, July 23, 2008). A spokesman for the Belarus Ministry of Defense described the reports as a "hoax," adding; "I do not see a point in commenting on stupidity (Pravda, July 21, 2008).
Most of Sudan's MiGs are based at Wadi Sayidna military airport, just north of Khartoum. JEM rebels reported attacking the airbase on their way to Omdurman last May, seizing a large quantity of modern arms (Sudan Tribune, May 11, 2008).
The Sudanese Air Force is eager to phase out its half-dozen decrepit Soviet-era Antonov AN-24 and AN-26 transport aircraft, which it has used as modified bombers in South Sudan and Darfur by rolling "barrel bombs" out the cargo door. Many other Soviet-supplied aircraft are at least 40 years old and no longer fit to operate in Sudan's difficult conditions. A number of Russian-made MiG-23BN fighter-bombers obtained as Libyan surplus have been phased out of service (Kommersant, August 16, 2006). Russia has the advantage of supplying aircraft that are modern but familiar to Sudanese pilots. Khartoum's main interest is in ground-attack aircraft, the only use Sudanese warplanes have ever received.
Russia has also supplied Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopter gunships to replace Sudan's ancient Soviet-era Mi-4 and Mi-8 helicopters. Several of these have been spotted in use in Darfur despite being delivered after the UN arms embargo on Darfur. Sudanese military helicopter pilots are trained under contract at the helicopter training center in the Russian town of Torzhok (Tver Oblast).
Russian and Ukrainian crews also operate most of the commercial aircraft in use in Sudan today. In 2005, Antonov opened a large technical maintenance center in Khartoum for the Antonov aircraft already in operation in Sudan and expected new purchases of AN-74s, designed for operation in hot climates (National Radio Company of Ukraine, November 18, 2005).
Is al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Testing Biological Weapons?
Posted on February 6, 2009 by McGregor
Rumors of a plague outbreak among al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) members in the caves of Algeria's eastern Tizi Ouzou province first appeared in Algiers' Arabic language Ech Chorouk el-Youmi newspaper on January 6. The story gathered little attention until a new version was published by London tabloid The Sun on January 19, 2009, under the sensational heading: "Anti-Terror bosses last night hailed their latest ally in the war on terror – the BLACK DEATH." The article went on to describe how "At least 40 al-Qaeda fanatics died horribly after being struck down with the disease that devastated Europe in the Middle Ages." The AQIM unit, based in caves of the coastal Tizi Ouzou province, "was forced to turn its shelters in the Yakouren forest into mass graves and flee," with AQIM leaders fearing the survivors would surrender to "escape a horrible death" (The Sun [London], January 19).
The Black Death in the 14th Century
Various news agencies quickly found "experts" who were willing to speculate on AQIM's alleged experimentation with biological weapons. Asian News International (ANI) quoted "a leading expert on chemical warfare" who suggested that, instead of bombs, terrorists could send people with infectious diseases walking through cities (ANI, January 20).
A Washington Times story cited an anonymous "senior U.S. intelligence official" who claimed a mishap during the development of biological weapons forced AQIM to close their Tizi Ouzou base, based on an intercepted (but undisclosed) message sent from Algeria to al-Qaeda leadership in the Afghanistan/Pakistan border region (Washington Times, January 19). The story then went on to use then-Secretary of State Colin Powell's long-discredited testimony before the United Nations as "proof" of al-Qaeda's development of biological and chemical weapons. Other anonymous sources were cited as saying that al-Qaeda was worried the plague could spread to their personnel in Afghanistan and Pakistan (UPI, January 19). A new twist on the story suggested the outbreak may have occurred after Algerian security forces used a biological weapon against AQIM's Tizi Ouzou base (al-Arabiya, January 26).
Dr. Saada Chougrani, an expert on infectious diseases with the University of Oran, stated that the rumors of plague in Tizi Ouzou were not taken seriously by Algerian health professionals, including the Laboratory for the Plague of the Pasteur Institute in Oran and the medical bacteriology laboratory in Algiers (ProMED [International Society for Infectious Diseases], January 21). Anis Rahmani, an Algerian security expert, noted that AQIM had trouble making explosives from fertilizer – the complicated and expensive process of weaponizing plague bacteria was far beyond the capability of the cave-dwelling insurgents (al-Arabiya, January 26).
Algerian Troops Conducting Counter-Terrorism Operations in the Tizi Ouzou Region
Last week, AQIM issued a denial of all reports of plague sweeping through their ranks, blaming their appearance on the Algerian intelligence services:
On January 6, 2009, several journalists wrote reports, based upon information they had received from their bosses in the Algerian intelligence bureaus, about dozens of mujahideen who died from contracting the plague. According to their claims, this disease was spread throughout the ranks of al-Qaeda organization and that it will soon cause the collapse of this organization! (…) We wanted to announce that there was no truth to these rumors… We don't know anything about this so-called plague, because it never happened – other than perhaps in the minds and hearts of those collaborators who falsely carry the title of 'journalists (Tout sur l'Algerie, January 26; NEFA Foundation, January 28).
A 2003 outbreak of bubonic plague in the Algerian port city of Oran led to 11 confirmed and seven suspected cases of the disease. It was the first confirmed case of plague in Algeria since 1950. A study of the 2003 outbreak notes reports of plague in Algerian records dating back to the 14th century, though the disease has gradually disappeared in the last century for unknown reasons. Nearly all outbreaks occurred in port cities rather than the interior. [1]
It is not impossible for AQIM to have experienced an outbreak of plague or another infectious disease in their rural camps (where conditions are similar to those experienced by the victims of the 2003 plague outbreak near Oran), but the very fact that no legitimate case has been reported suggests that this reported outbreak is unlikely. AQIM, like any militant group, does not exist in complete isolation – there are contacts with local farmers to obtain food, messengers to communicate with other AQIM sections, etc. Despite this, the epidemic does not seem to have spread (if indeed it ever existed). What can certainly be discounted is the possibility of AQIM conducting experiments in weaponizing the plague or other infectious diseases in their remote mountain hideouts.
E. Bertherat, S.Bekhoucha, R. Chougrani, F. Razik, J.B. Duchemin, L.Houti et al., "Plague reappearance in Algeria after 50 years, 2003," Emerging Infectious Diseases, Oct 2007.
This article first appeared in the February 6, 2009 issue of the Jamestown Foundation's Terrorism Focus
Posted in Algeria, Bio-Chemical Warfare
Somalia's Sufis Battle Salafists for Control of Central Somalia
Battle wagons belonging to Ahlu Sunnah wa'l-Jama'a, a Somali Sufi-oriented religious group, burst into the town of Dhusa Mareb (headquarters of the Galgudud region of Central Somalia) on January 29, 2009, driving out a large force of fighters from the Salafist al-Shabaab movement (Shabelle Media Network, January 29). Al-Shabaab returned at night to lob mortar shells at the town's hospital and residential districts, provoking a major outcry at the group's tactics (Shabelle Media Network, January 30).
Ahlu Sunnah wa'l-Jama'a Militia (Horseed Media)
In Somalia, al-Shabaab has recently engaged in the destruction of tombs belonging to venerated Sufi "saints." In early December 2008, al-Shabaab destroyed the tombs of several Sufi shaykhs in Kismayo, together with an unused Roman Catholic church. An al-Shabaab spokesman, Shaykh Hassan Yakub, declared, "We destroyed graves where people used to worship dead people" (Garowe Online, December 9, 2008). On December 26, al-Shabaab members (reportedly including a number of foreign fighters) repeated this act in the Jilib district of Middle Juba region, where they demolished the tombs of Shaykh Nur Hussein and his two sons: "We believe people were worshiping the dead… so we destroyed the graves" (Garowe Online, December 26, 2008).
In Sufi-dominated Islamic societies like Somalia it is customary for the graves or tombs of noted Sufi shaykhs to become shrines and even places of pilgrimage for members of the Sufi orders. Salafists like those in the leadership of al-Shabaab condemn this practice as un-Islamic. Since the Salafist followers of Saudi religious reformer Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab vandalized the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad in Medina and destroyed the tomb of his daughter Fatimah in 1803-04, the spread of Salafism in the Muslim world has often been accompanied by similar acts of desecration.
By pursuing the demolition of sacred sites, al-Shabaab has succeeded in alienating a large number of Somali Islamists who continue to practice Sufism rather than follow the Salafist trend of al-Shabaab. The militants' efforts were roundly denounced by Shaykh Abdulkadir Somow, a spokesman for Ahlu Sunnah wa'l-Jama'a, and within days the Sufi movement mobilized a group of fighters and joined battle against al-Shabaab just as the latter was on the verge of finalizing their conquest of the country (Garowe Online, December 7, 2008).
A spokesman for Ahlu Sunnah wa'l-Jama'a claimed that the group had killed over 50 al-Shabaab fighters and seized a large quantity of military equipment in the fight for Dhusa Mareb. Dozens of young al-Shabaab fighters had been captured: "We are holding over 50 very young youths who have clearly been misguided. We are going to de-brainwash them, cultivate them in Islam. We advise Somali parents whose son is missing to contact us" (Mareeg.com, January 31). The religious organization is battling al-Shabaab in the nearby Guri-El district of Galgudud and has also taken the town of Abudwaq (Somaliweyn, January 29. Mareeg.com, January 10).
Posted in Somalia, Sufism
Alleged Assassins of U.S. Diplomat Claim Khartoum Regime Incites People to Jihad
The ongoing trial in Khartoum North of the alleged assassins of a U.S. diplomat is revealing some of the lethal undercurrents in the continuing struggle between different Islamist factions in the capital.
John Granville
John Granville, an officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and his driver, Abdul Rahman Abbas Rahama, were killed in a rare attack on Western nationals in Khartoum. Returning home from a New Year's party, Granville and his driver were cut off by another vehicle around 4AM. A gunman opened fire, killing both before fleeing the scene.
At first, Sudanese officials insinuated the killer came from the capital's Western community by stating Granville had been gambling and was seen arguing with another individual before leaving the party. Officials also claimed that a number of cars with diplomatic plates were seen following Granville's vehicle (Dar al-Hayat, January 1, 2008). The Sudanese Foreign Ministry later suggested Granville became involved in a "street argument" as Sudanese were in the street celebrating the New Year (Sudan Tribune, January 4; AFP, January 4, 2008). An FBI team was sent to Sudan in the days after the murders to assist in the investigation (Reuters, January 5, 2008).
The timing of the attack on Granville raised suspicions of government sanction, if not participation, as it came only one day after U.S. President George Bush signed the "Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act," a bill drafted in response to Khartoum's alleged genocide in Darfur. Most American businesses were already prohibited from working in Sudan following a 1997 executive order signed by then-President Bill Clinton, but the 2007 bill was seen as the beginning of an expanded sanctions regime against Khartoum (Sudan Tribune, December 31, 2007). At the same time, the close cooperation between the Sudanese intelligence services and the CIA since 9/11 has angered many Sudanese Islamists. According to the chairman of Sudan's Foreign Affairs Committee, certain extremists "believe we have buckled in to the U.S. and are selling them out" (Los Angeles Times, April 13, 2008).
A claim of responsibility from a previously unknown group calling itself Ansar al-Tawhid (Supporters of Monotheism) was issued in the following days (AFP, January 4, 2008). The statement claimed the murders were in response to efforts to humiliate Muslim men, dishonor Muslim women, and raise the cross of Christianity over the Sudan.
Another previously unknown group, al-Qaeda in the Land of the Two Niles, also issued a statement claiming to have killed Granville and Rahama as part of its jihad against the United States and its "Crusader and infidel allies" (Al-Sharq al-Awsat, October 12, 2008). The veracity of both claims was disputed by Sudanese authorities and the men on trial are not accused of belonging to either group.
Two of the suspects were arrested by security forces after a gunfight in a suburb of Omdurman in February, 2008 (SUNA, February 11, 2008; Reuters, February 11, 2008). Authorities claimed the men were part of the group behind a foiled August 2007 plot to bomb Western embassies in Khartoum. Sudanese security forces reported a plot designed to attack the British, French, and American embassies, but the plotters were arrested after causing an accidental explosion while manufacturing bombs in a house (Al-Sharq al-Awsat, October 12, 2008).
A preliminary hearing was held under tight security last August and was attended by U.S. embassy personnel, FBI agents, and members of the U.S Bureau of Diplomatic Security (AFP, August 17, 2008). Supporters of the accused gathered outside, raising clenched fists and flashing "V for victory" signs (Reuters, August 17, 2008). When the hearing resumed on August 31, the shackled defendants entered the court chanting "God is great" before pausing to spit in the faces of two Western female journalists (Reuters, August 31, 2008).
The prosecution's statement alleged that the five men, being misled by Satan into believing their activities were religiously sanctioned, had organized a cell in the northern city of Atbara, where they trained and armed themselves with rifles and handguns. After moving to Omdurman they began scouting possible sites of New Year's parties that might be attended by Westerners with the intention of attacking them. They were disappointed to find their chosen venues either empty or heavily guarded on New Year's Eve, so they began driving around, hoping to find a victim on their way home from a party until eventually encountering Granville (Reuters, August 31).
Last September chief investigator Police General Abdul Rahim Ahmad Abdullah told the court that the men had scouted American housing in Khartoum as well as plotting to kill a British diplomat in response to British schoolteacher Gilian Gibbons allowing her Khartoum students to name a teddy bear "Muhammad." The five were also alleged to have planned to join the jihad in Somalia, but decided to initiate their own activities in Sudan (AP, September 11, 2008).
In the current session of the trial, three of the five defendants, Muhammad Makkawi Ibrahim Muhammad (a 23-year-old civil engineering student); Abdul Basit al-Hajj Hassan (a 20-year-old trader); and Muhammad Osman Yusuf Muhammad (a 29-year-old ex-Sudan Armed Forces officer still on active service at the time of the killings) claimed that their confessions were made under torture and now refute the charges. "Killing American unbelievers is an honor, but I was not involved in this case," declared Muhammad Makkawi (Al-Arabiya, January 21; Reuters, January 21).
The other two accused are Murad Abdul Rahman (a 35-year-old driver) and Abdul Raouf Abu Zaid Muhammad, a 23-year-old merchant but more importantly the son of the leader of Sudan's Ansar al-Sunna al-Muhammadiya, a Salafist religious group whose mosques have been the target of bloody assaults by rival Islamists.
Ansar al-Sunna is well known for its adversarial relationship with the governing Islamists of the National Congress Party (and its predecessor, the National Islamic Front). Though Ansar al-Sunna tends towards Saudi-style Salafism and advocates the implementation of Shari'a, it opposes the political exploitation of Islam or the violent imposition of Islamic law. For this, it has drawn the ire of Takfir wa'l-Hijra (Renunciation and Exile), a radical Islamist group that conducted attacks on Ansar al-Sunna mosques in Omdurman and Wad Medani in 1994, 1997, and 2000. In the February 1994 incident, five armed men attacked the group's Omdurman mosque, killing 19 and injuring 26 (Sudan News and Views, May 19, 1994). The government seized the Ansar al-Sunna mosques after the attack and arrested the group's leader, Shaykh Abu Zaid Muhammad Hamza. The 1996 attack on the group's Omdurman mosque left 12 dead. In December 2000, 23 members of Ansar al-Sunna were killed and over 40 were wounded in an assault by a lone gunman (Abbas Baqir Abbas) armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the same mosque during evening prayers. The gunman was shot dead during the attack and 60 members of Takfir wa'l-Hijra were arrested afterwards. The Libyan/Tunisian founder of Takfir wa'l-Hijra was executed by the Khartoum regime in 1995.
Facing death by hanging if found guilty, the defendants in the Granville case have attacked the Khartoum government, accusing it of encouraging jihadi violence" "They incite people to jihad against the kufar [unbelievers] but when believers are accused of putting the words into action, they get beaten… The regime's leaders should be in court because they pushed people towards jihad" (AFP, January 21).
Posted in Sudan


I signed up for this race when it first opened. I was excited about it and the timing was just right for my mid season break and before starting my build for the rest of the year going into Ironman Cozumel.
I felt ready for this race and was hoping for a good showing. On Friday, I drove down to Atlantic City and started to prep for race day.
Checked in on Saturday and dropped off my bike. Had dinner with friends and went back to my hotel room to rest and try to go to bed early.
I didn't sleep well that night. Race start was at 6am, so we sat the alarm at 3:30am to have enough time to eat some more, and head down to transition and get everything setup and ready. I had my sleeveless wetsuit and was almost sure it will be a wetsuit swim as the temp the day before was about 74-76 degrees. But decided to take my swimskin anyway.
We got to transition and it was announced that the water temperature was 80 degrees and no wetsuit. Whoa! That was a big shocker. For me I would rather swim with no wetsuit but it really didn't matter as the sleeveless Roka suit I have is very comfortable.
I was in the 4th wave and my race started around 6:11am.
HED Disc Jet, and Jet 60 front, latex tubes, pumped tires to 105 psi.
Elite Crono bottle on the down tube for calories.
I added another bottle holder on the seat tube to take an extra bottle from aid stations if I need to.
Had 200 calories (100 carbo pro + 100 EFS ) in my BTA bottle. Drank that before first aid station and then switched it with water.
1x Powerbar wafer broken into 1/4 to eat in first couple hours of the bike before switching to all liquid.
Water: took 9 water bottles from aid stations on bike.
The swim course was a Y shape with lots of turns and twists. Unfortunately they didn't have the course ready the days before the race so we just relied on the map. Strategy was to keep close to shore line as much as possible.
Started swimming 11 minutes after pro started. I lead my AG group through the first 500-800 yards. I was hoping for someone to pass me so I can start drafting and save my energy. So finally I see one guy to my left making a pass and I stayed with him for another few minutes until we hit the previous wave. I lost him and tried to go around other swimmers and see if I can catch up to him but that didn't happen.
Made it to the first bridge and made the left turn and then another left turn to swim toward the express way bridge. The sun glare was very strong and I couldn't see any buoy to follow. I just hoped the previous swimmers knew where they were going and I just followed. That section was rough, the current was strong. After finally making it to the last buoy by the ACE bridge I made a left and then another left and things got really messy there. Had no idea where to go or which buoy to follow and the current was even stronger. We had to deal with horrible current in that section that was the landing threshold for the runway at the old Bader Field. I thought as long as I can see the shore to my right then I should be ok. I got off course and a kayak redirected me. Swimmers were all over and I lost trust to follow anyone. For a minute I thought I am never going to get out of this maze. Finally saw the finish line and swam toward it and got out. Probably my worst swim experience ever. However, it turns out I had a pretty good swim. I had around 10 minutes lead on my competition to start the bike.
Watts were coming by very easy and was hitting my goal with no problem. The course was very well marked and aid stations were stocked and volunteers were great. Some rough sections but overall the roads were in good shape. The first 30 miles were on the Atlantic City Express (ACE) way and then you head toward Hammonton area and do two loops before heading back to town. I was leading my AG at this point. Around mile 80, you get back on the ACE. I was on pace for a sub 5 hours bike. However, that section, about 30 miles, on the express way was all strong head wind and wide open. It was also getting hot. We were also going against the ACE traffic and cars where zipping by 65+ miles per hour and we had to deal with the head wind created by them as well. It was brutal and mentally exhausting. Tried to push but at the same time I wanted to save myself for the run and didn't want to burn all my matches at this point of the race. Not what you want to deal with after cycling for 80 miles. Pushed through it and made it back to T2 and finished 2nd and was very happy to get off the bike.
I was looking forward to this run. Worked a lot on my run this year and wanted to see what I can do. Legs were feeling good, I wasn't hungry or thirsty from the bike which is good. The first mile you run in Bader field which is an old airport. Wide open and no shades. Then you head toward the boardwalk. About a mile 1.5 miles in and still no aid stations. I was holding a good pace and what felt comfortable at that point. It quickly got hot on the boardwalk and no aid station on sight until around mile 2. My plan was to take water, ice and run through them rather than stopping. Didn't want to experience the feeling of stopping or walking at this point of the race because I knew it would be hard to restart the engine again. So took in water and ice from the first aid station and kept running. Then again no aid station for another 2 miles, this is when I decided to stop and walk through them to take in what I needed.
The first 9 miles we passed through 5 aid stations. Then from mile 9 to 13, we passed through 6 aid stations. This was all marked on the map but when I studied the map, I thought the mile markers don't make any sense and the athlete guide mentioned aid stations on the run were every mile. This is also what we come to expect when racing long distance so it threw me off a little.
From mile 9 to 13 buffet line, I took in too much and stopped too many times which was a big mistake on my part. Up to this point I was still running at a decent pace but that's when the wheels came off and started to walk a little extra after each aid station.
Crossed the finish line later that day 8th in my AG in 10:53. About an hour and half PR from my first Ironman.
Didn't eat like I had planned to. Only took about 50 calories from the flask I had with me.
Started running at my half ironman pace. Need to start my run about a minute slower.
Need to learn to stop at aid stations and QUICKLY take what I need and continue my run.
The event was very well organized. Truly enjoyed racing it and hope Challenge expand and flourish more in the U.S.
Can't thank the volunteers enough. They truly made this event special.
That little section in downtown Hammonton was awesome. The crowd and music gave us a lot of energy.
I really enjoyed running on the boardwalk. People everywhere gave us a lot of energy. Yes, many didn't know what was going on and that was good and kept asking questions. When I was heading out for dinner later that day, I over heard people talking about the event and kept asking us questions about the distance we covered. I heard so many congratulations that evening from strange people.
FIX THE SWIM. Use different color buoys to mark turns. Maybe Big red ones for turns and yellow between them. Make it two loops instead of Y shape or take it to the ocean.
Evenly space out the aid stations every mile on the boardwalk.
Security at transition the morning after was not present. I could've walked out with 10 bikes.
This is a tough and fair course. It is not fast by any mean, so if you are looking to PR your ironman distance then look somewhere else.
Thanks to my family who supported my training and my wonderful wife who never once complained about my long training hours on the weekend. My coach Heath Dotson for preparing me to face all these challenges and still come with a big PR.
It was really great meeting you and your friends. Hope we can do this again at another race.


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An Open Letter to the brass band movement in Wales
January 24, 2020 / welshtrumpeter	/ 4 Comments
The Blaina Band based near Brynmawr was formed in 1817 and it was claimed to be the first band in Britain to become 'all brass'. In the intervening 203 years, the brass band movement in Wales has successfully produced some of the movement's best and most successful players, conductors, ensembles, educators and teachers, composers and arrangers, administrators and commentators.
Welsh banding is firmly on the international contesting map
Ebbw Valley Brass – 2013 National Champions (Section 4)
Names such as; David, Nicholas and Robert Childs, the Cyfarthfa Band, the Cory Band led by Philip Harper, T.J. Powell, Bram Gay and Philip Morris, Iwan Fox and 4barsrest are just a handful of names recognised not only within the Principality, but across the world. These are luminaries who have successfully put Wales on the "musical map", and through their work have ensured that the movement has grown and flourished.
In 2013 no less than 4 Welsh bands were crowned National Champions of Great Britain in all but the Third Section. This was a truly remarkable achievement for such a small nation; however these successes, along with significant contest successes by Tredegar and the No.1 World-ranked Cory Band before and since, have masked the underlying decline of fortunes for Welsh banding at grass-roots level.
Demise of brass banding in Wales
With the demise of music in education due to austerity and the reduction of funding for the Arts in general, and with music services having to introduce charging for instrumental tuition in schools, the number of young player either joining, or being retained in the movement has reached extremely worrying numbers. More than ever, bands are relying on a small group of (mainly unpaid) volunteers, who are struggling to keep some semblance of a production line going in terms of young players. Bands in all sections are struggling to fill seats, with the pool of players ever-diminishing.
The administration and governance of banding in Wales, has to date lain with the respective BB Associations in West Wales, South East Wales and North Wales, with additional tiers added for the Welsh Regional Contest and the National Eisteddfod. These however, (with isolated exceptions) have almost exclusively existed in order to organise and oversee competitive banding in the Principality, with no clear structure or pathway mapped out to develop and nurture new projects and initiatives to benefit the movement in general.
Lack of a single unified voice to benefit from Arts Council Funding
Thus far, funding for any new projects has always been as a result of the diligence and initiative of hard-working individuals who have secured money from a variety of sources, usually benefiting an individual band, or small cluster of bands. Arts Council Wales have not been receptive to approaches for such funding, as the contesting tag has always been inextricably linked with most of the ideas presented and more importantly, the movement does not have a single unified voice to make those representations in the first place.
One representative body for Welsh banding
Surely the time has now come, before it is too late, to introduce a model similar to the Brass Band England organisation and have one representative body, speaking on behalf of the interests of ALL brass bands in Wales. This organisation would oversee ALL Youth and Senior Bands, ALL Competitive and non-competitive Bands and its primary function would be to nurture and encourage some "joined up thinking" across a wide range of stakeholders, including;
Arts Bodies and Administrators i.e. Arts Council Wales, the 3 Welsh Brass Band Associations, Tŷ Cerdd
Music Services and Hubs
Schools and Colleges (including Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama)
Peripatetic teachers
Composers & arrangers
Industry suppliers – i.e. instrument manufacturers, repairers, insurance providers, publishers
Arts and Concert venues
Influencers i.e. 4barsrest, Brass Band World, British Bandsman & others
Arts Festivals
Other Arts organisations e.g. Choirs, Folk Music, Theatre, Dance
These stakeholders could all contribute their knowledge and expertise and assist in the following areas:
Administration – help with running a Band on a day-to-day basis, access to template documentation, running a library, contracts for engagements
Governance – e.g. ensuring bands had a proper Constitution, Safeguarding & GDPR policies in place, advice on DBS checks, returns to the Charities Commission, Health & Safety and Risk Assessments
Funding advice – where to access funding, assistance with completing applications
Finances – accessing the best deals for; insurances (such as Public Liability or instruments), utilities, travel and accommodation
Artistic and Creative Development – Encouraging collaborative work amongst bands, new commissions, workshops
Education – developing new conductors and teachers, sharing good practise, collaborative projects
The new organisation would NOT be involved with;
The organising or promoting of any competitions
Many of these suggestions are not new ideas and this concept has been attempted once before, when Brass Band Forum Wales was launched in 2012. Sadly it did not achieve the traction and impact that was hoped for, however nearly 8 years down the line, the banding movement is in a much more precarious position and things needs to be revisited – and fast!
The need to promote Welsh banding interests
This is also not an attempt to reinvent the wheel and for sure, Brass Bands England fulfils many of the above issues, indeed there is no good reason why Welsh bands shouldn't be encouraged to join BBE, and make use of many of the resources already available. BBE however doesn't promote Welsh banding interests specifically. We need an organisation to be run by Welsh banding for Welsh banding.
Until the Welsh banding movement has one unified voice to represent the interests and promote the movement for ALL participants, I fear that the very existence and future of our wonderful movement is in grave jeopardy.
I have no mandate from any banding organisation to initiate or promote this venture, just a deep love and passion for a form of music-making which has given me so many opportunities and experiences over the last 40+ years and sincerely wish to see it flourish and bring the same joy to others for many years to come.
If you agree or have thoughts to add to this letter, please feel free to e-mail me at andrew@andrewjonesmusic.com or call 07973 869621 and together, see if we can formulate a plan of action for the good of Welsh banding.
Looking ahead to a new decade
January 4, 2020 / welshtrumpeter	/ 2 Comments
Let me start the new year (and decade) by wishing you all a happy and prosperous 2020 and hope that your dreams and aspirations become a reality.
For years on end, like many others at the start of January I had always had the very best of intentions to make the new year a better one than the previous. The list of desired improvements would include the mandatory list of; lose weight, earn more money, spend more time with family etc. etc., but as always, I would falter and my plans would be in ruins within a matter of weeks (if not days!).
"The goal of this human adventure is to see what all we can become with all we have been given" – Jim Rohn
My "eureka" moment however came to me some 8 years ago, when I was introduced to the concept of personal development. I started listening to recordings and read books by leaders in this field such as Jim Rohn, Darren Hardy Robert Kelsey and Brian Tracy. Since then, I can honestly say that I am a different person and have been striving (with reasonable success, even if I say so myself) to improve, both professionally and personally and set myself targets and goals for each new year.
Sure I still fail to do things that I said I'd do, forget to ring my Mum, work in my office way beyond a sensible hour and neglect to go the gym as often as I should, BUT, the positives that I have benefited from by investing some time, effort and a little money in developing my existing skills, learning new ones, changing bad habits for good and allowing myself to dream a little and set some goals for the future – these range from tidying out the cupboard under the stairs, to paying off my mortgage early – cannot be under-estimated. I certainly wouldn't be the person I am today, without this help!
If you are someone who feels they are underachieving, or could get more out of life, but need some structure and guidance, give it a go and see where it takes you. You've nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Music for You only exists, because I engaged in personal development and the ideas and inspiration for pushing the business ahead came from many sources, including the ones shown below. I must stress however, that the improvements and changes I have implemented are not just business related and cover my personal and lifestyle aspirations too, which have also benefited greatly as a result.
I would seriously advocate the following authors and publications:
Lee Duncan – Double Your Business pub. Pearson/FT Publishing
Darren Hardy – Living Your Best Year Ever. This is a journal which is my absolute must-have book each year now. I review my previous year's achievements and then plan my goals and targets for the new year, with daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly reviews of my progress along the way. I can't recommend it enough – it also comes with 3 CD's so you can learn as you go in the car, gym or even in bed! – but don't be put off by the price. If you can implement the methods in this book, you would pay double and not give it a second thought! And no, before you ask, I'm not on commission for this recommendation.
The Brilliant series of books – can be found in all good bookshops such as Waterstones and WH Smith
Robert Kelsey – Get Things Done pub. Capstone
I hope that these suggestions have inspired you to be more proactive in making things happen for you this year and for those of you that do bite the bullet, that it makes as positive and significant a difference in your lives, as it did mine.
As a parting thought, I'll finish with the wise words of former US President, Thomas Jefferson:
"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude".
If you'd like some more advice on resources that I've found helpful, please don't hesitate to drop me a line at andrew@andrewjonesmusic.com
Returning to your roots and giving something back.
Going back to your roots, whether it is researching your family tree (as I have recently started doing), visiting your old school or driving past a former home, I always find to be a rather surreal experience. It doesn't matter whether some or all of the people have long gone, there still remain some sights, sounds and even smells that that can trigger a myriad of deep-seated memories, which have lain dormant for countless number of years, transporting you in an instant back to a bygone age.
My "blast from the past" has been a return to both my spiritual and musical roots. One might argue that they are one and the same, as they are inextricably linked.
I was brought up in the small village of Llangyndeyrn in the Gwendraeth Valley – a very rural part of Carmarthenshire, Wales. So rural in fact, that the last bus into Carmarthen (5 miles away) and any semblance of civilisation, left the village at 5.05pm. Even worse was the last bus back left at 5.45pm, thus curtailing any potential fun and nighttime revelry, before it had even started!
Bearing in mind that the local Primary School only had a total – yes total! of 14 pupils at the time I attended it, one had to be fairly creative as a result, when it came to childhood "recreation" and "entertainment".
My good luck and salvation was music. Both my parents were extremely musical with my Mum having sung in the London Philharmonic Chorus, under the great maestros such as Beecham, Boult and Barbirolli. Dad meanwhile was a keen singer too, having sung on the Eisteddfod circuit, with a certain degree of success too. In addition to this, he also played in the local brass band – Crwbin Silver Band (The difference between Silver and Brass I hear you ask? Silver was deemed posher, as it was a more valuable commodity than brass, therefore gave the band a tad more credibility).
So at the age of 7 and with a limited number of friends in the village to fulfil any meaningful sporting activities – cricket or rugby played by 3 people has its limitations you know! – and with a suitable number of trees climbed (and fallen out of), one looked to new horizons and took the obvious choice of learning to play an instrument in the local band. I was given a cornet to play. Like Father, like Son.
Lessons commenced, with my first teacher being my Uncle Stan, who also conducted the Band. Although I viewed him more as a grandfather figure, he was certainly no soft-touch and ensured that all who attended behaved and put in some hard work each rehearsal. Hymn tunes were the first melodies attempted once we had "mastered" enough notes and my first public performance was on the hymn "Hursley", quickly followed by "Whitburn".
Stan Jones (pictured left) who was my very first brass teacher. He is pictured at the opening ceremony of the new band room in Crwbin.
Much practising and hard work followed over the next couple of years and this was eventually rewarded with "promotion" to the full senior Band. Now things got serious as rehearsals were held 3 times a week – Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons if memory serves me correctly. Hard to imagine a Championship Section Band attempting that sort of commitment nowadays, not to mention a Fourth Section Band, but it certainly beat 1-a-side cricket and falling out of trees, so this was my pathway to a lifelong musical journey. No chance of getting bored now!
Yours truly sat in front of the Bass drum. Stan and my Dad are either side of the Drum, with my Cousin Julian in the back row (6th from right).
So, back to the reason for the blog. Having started my musical journey some cough, splutter, ahem years ago – okay, okay it was 45 years ago, happy? It was a huge privilege, buzz and pleasure to be asked back to the Band as a guest conductor a couple of years ago, with the working relationship getting stronger especially over the last few months, as the previous Musical Director had moved on to pastures new.
The return to the old band room where it had all started did indeed reignite all those memories with a sensory overload to boot. Apart from many friends who are still members in the Band, my cousin Julian (Stan's son) also still plays, so a stronger link from past to present you couldn't wish for. Pictures of family and friends (and one or two of me) on the wall, as well as memorabilia from times past, the view of the Gwendraeth Valley down to my home village, not forgetting the "Welshness" of the surroundings, where Welsh is still the main language spoken most of the time. Something I rarely get a chance to do even though I still live in the Principality.
Crwbin Silver Band c. mid 1960's. (Back row 4th from left is my cousin Julian, centre front row in the bow tie is my Uncle, Stan Jones (Bandmaster) and on the right hand end of the front row is my Father, Morley).
Imagine my delight then last weekend (03.08.19) when the Band were crowned 2nd Champions at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Llanrwst. This was a true return to my roots in every sense, allowing me the opportunity of giving back and thanking the organisation and some of the people who helped nurture me into the person that I am today.
Diolch Seindorf Arian Crwbin.
Thank you Crwbin Silver Band.
Crwbin Silver Band – 2019 National Eisteddfod 2nd Section Champions
For more information about Andrew Jones and Music for You, please visit http://www.andrewjonesmusic.com Contact andrew@andrewjonesmusic.com or 07973 869621.
Music for You – it's just that!
5 Trumpets and a Flugel Horn
May 31, 2019 May 31, 2019 / welshtrumpeter	/ Leave a comment
Following on from my last post, where I shared a recording I made of Thomas Morley's "It Was a Lover and His Lasse", here is another track, but from a totally different era.
This one will be instantly recognisable to many of you (especially of a certain age and generation), however the title may well be unknown and l can almost hear the cogs whirring as you try to remember where you've heard it from. To find out the answer, you'll need to read the programme notes at the bottom of the video.
As for the arrangement, it was done by a colleague and friend of mine, Mike Linskey, who I met when I was a student at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff (way back in 1985-89). Mike ran his own brass quintet and was a real whizz at arranging an assortment of pieces for the quintet and I asked him to arrange this for a Concert I organised at the College with my Trumpet Ensemble. He scored it for 6 Trumpets, but I added a little extra colour with a Flugel Horn on the 6th part, just to give an added bit of tonal contrast.
As always, thanks for your continued support and I hope that you enjoy it!
May 7, 2019 / welshtrumpeter	/ 2 Comments
It's been a while – to say the least! – since I last posted. Life has been extremely hectic and often things gets in the way of projects that we plan to carry out.
During this period, I've been trying to fulfil certain goals and among these goals was a project to record some further music tracks of Trumpet repertoire, both solo and ensembles. If truth be known, it was a bit of a vanity project, however there was a serious aspect to it too, in as much that during the quieter periods of work, one needs to keep playing standards to the highest levels possible and not lose focus on maintaining core skills, such as technique, stamina, range, as well as the ability to swap from one instrument to another.
The track entitled "It Was a Lover and His Lasse" is by English Renaissance Composer Thomas Morley (c.1557-1602), who was Organist of St. Paul's Cathedral in London and one of the foremost composers of his time, particularly in the writing of Madrigals. It was recorded by James Clarke at Ty Cerdd Recording Studio, at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff.
For more information about Andrew Jones, please visit http://www.andrewjonesmusic.com
Some jobs are more important than others, right?
September 25, 2018 / welshtrumpeter	/ Leave a comment
It's always an honour and a privilege to perform the Last Post at a funeral service and today's, which took place in a beautiful part of the Hampshire countryside, was no exception.
A Norman Church in the Hampshire countryside
When tasked to attend these engagements, it is often the case that you are unaware of the history and background of the deceased person, until you arrive at the Church or Crematorium.
Today's funeral was for a very interesting individual indeed! The deceased gentleman was not only for a former Brigadier, but he was also a former Commanding Officer of the South Wales Borderers (an antecedent Regiment of The Royal Welsh).
His military career saw him serve in Aden, Malaya and Hong Kong, but he also was one of the troops who landed on Gold Beach in Normandy on June 6th (D-Day) in 1944.
As if that wasn't impressive enough, add in to the mix that he was also a Knight of The Realm and this made the gentleman's story complete.
Despite all this and regardless of who the deceased person was, their rank, status in society and type of military service, they deserve the very highest of standards when the Last Post is performed.
I very much hope that this was the case and my efforts today would have met with his approval.
RIP Sir, your duty is done.
#LastPost #bugler #funeral #Military #Army
South Wales Borderers Cap Badge
For further information about the Last Post, please contact Andrew by clicking here.
Is there any point in attending networking events? Assume at your peril!
It is over 12 months since I last attended a networking event, (having tried to take the Music for You brand out to as wide an audience as possible), but I'd become somewhat disenchanted and cynical of people's' motives for going to such events.
Having tried to "play the game" by the rules;
getting to know, like, trust people.
hoping people got to know, like and trust me
not being pushy
not expecting loads of business instantly
not talking about ME, ME, ME
and by genuinely tying to listen to others and help them where possible.
Music for You – Networking
I found that the vast majority of the people I met, never even bothered responding to my follow-up e-mail after each event. This strengthened my intention to join the Cynical Society instead, but then I thought "What's the point, nobody will show up anyway"!
Nevertheless, despite my negativity about the whole process, I was determined to attend an event run by the Cardiff Business Club, where the Guest Speaker was Tim Rhys-Evans (Founder and Artistic Director of Men's Choir Only Men Aloud) and I was keen to hear him speak about his work as a musician, including his advocacy work for the Arts and The Aloud Charity.
Tim Rhys-Evans addressing Cardiff Business Club
For those of you who actively Network, you will undoubtedly be aware of the Six degrees of separation, which is the theory that any person on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries.
My point then? Well, apart from an impassioned, informative and extremely enjoyable speech by Tim, who spoke of his own difficult personal journey (dealing with prejudice and bullying) and his love for the Creative Arts, here are a selection of people who I met that evening:
Person A – I already knew and had done some business with previously, where he had provided my marketing materials
Person B – was an accountant who used to play a flute and was a prospective player for the Royal British Legion of Wales, whom I conduct
Person C – A Chartered Surveyor who previously played a brass instrument and we shared mutual friends and colleagues
Person D – was MD of a Commercial Finance Company, who had financed a fleet vehicle for a band that I have worked with and we shared a number of acquaintances
By the way, Tim, as well as being a singer and conductor also used to play a brass instrument with brass band that I used to conduct!
So, next time you ask yourself whether attending a networking event will be worth it, or whether you will have anything in common with anyone in the room, think hard before answering! Remember the old saying "To assume, is to make an ASS of U and ME"!
Music for You provides quality live music for all types of Corporate Events. For more details, please contact Andrew on 07973 869621 or andrew@andrewjonesmusic.com
Farewell and hwyl fawr to a National icon
He made the headlines, not only in Wales but all over the United Kingdom and beyond.
He was one of the most well-known and much-loved icons of Wales and his face was recognised by all wherever he went.
His appearances at the Millennium Stadium, (later to become the Principality Stadium) were legendary and caused England Rugby Manager Eddie Jones to name him as one of Welsh team's added threats. His performances on the field were first class.
He was on first name terms with Royalty, politicians, celebrities and the average man and woman on the street. Children loved him and everyone wanted to have their photograph taken with him.
He was a true figurehead and represented his "Team" with great pride and was the first person you saw leading his Comrades out on public engagements.
He did have a tendency to smell at times and would give you a fair bashing (if he was feeling grumpy) and even though he was only with us for just seven and a half years, he will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Rest in Peace Lance Corporal, your duty is done!
Lance Corporal Shenkin III (Regimental Mascot of the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Welsh)


Many of you have asked for my homemade granola recipe and I'm more than happy to share the recipe. Granola is just plain cozy. I mean, honestly there is something downright comforting about granola. What I love most about it is how versatile it is. Not only is it wonderful on yogurt or with milk, it's fantastic on ice cream and pairs perfectly with fruit. It's even better on apple crisp and so many other desserts!
This granola is spiced up for the fall season and uses some pumpkin. I love to have this on hand, mostly for myself, but also to give away as gifts. Put some in little bags or mason jars and you're all set. Who wouldn't want to receive homemade granola!?
In a small saucepan, combine the syrup ingredients. Place over medium low heat and stir occasionally while mixture melts together and everything becomes incorporated.
While the syrup is heating, mix together the granola ingredients in a large bowl.
When the syrup is melted and the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and pour over granola. Stir to combine and evenly coat.
Spread granola on two large rimmed baking sheets and place in preheated oven for 45-60 minutes. Stir granola every 10 minutes to ensure the mixture is evenly drying. When done, the granola should feel dry and not clump together easily.
Remove from oven and let cool for 1 hour.
To store, place in an airtight container. This will keep at room temperature at least a week, 2-4 weeks in the refrigerator, or up to three months in the freezer. But once you taste it, I don't think storage will be a problem.


text:
The Alberta Flying Heritage Museum was a proposed aviation museum for the Edmonton/Villeneuve Airport in Villeneuve, Alberta, Canada in order to move the Alberta Aviation Museum collection out of the City of Edmonton as a result of the closure of Edmonton City Centre Airport.

Development

The museum was officially announced by Alberta Aviation Museum on 16 November 2013,

As part of the museum, the Alberta Aviation Museum's Boeing 737-200, ident C-GIPW, in Pacific Western Airlines (PWA) livery (Fleet #745) was restored to operational capability with the assistance of Canadian North and, on 29 November 2013, was flown to Villeneuve on a Schedule A Special Flight Permit issued by Transport Canada.

Changes in leadership at the Alberta Aviation Museum resulted in the Flying Heritage Museum no longer being pursued.  Efforts were undertaken to improve the existing Alberta Aviation Museum on Kingsway.  With a renewed lease from the City of Edmonton, the inside transformation of Hangar 14 began with exhibits being brought to life.

The Boeing 737-200 in Pacific Western Airlines (PWA) livery remains at Villeneuve and is a ground attraction at the Edmonton Airshow.  Please contact the Alberta Aviation Museum for use for filming or police or fire training operations.

As of October 5, 2018, no further development had been announced. The website's domain registration is also expired and the website is no longer available.

References

Aerospace museums in Alberta

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Computing Professor Pushes Beyond the 'Persona of Teacher'
Atlanta, GA | Posted: April 5, 2017
No contact information submitted.
Dana Randall shares classroom strategies and advice for new faculty.
Dana Randall shares classroom strategies and advice for new faculty in this profile originally published in The Whistle, April 3.
Dana Randall - Whistle
(image/png)
By the time Dana Randall finished college, she had five years of teaching experience under her belt. She started teaching during her senior year at Stuyvesant High School, a math and science magnet school in New York. Then, while an undergraduate at Harvard University, she taught fellow students how to prepare for and pass the freshman requirements in quantitative analysis, and in computer science and programming.
"I had no experience programming," said Randall, now ADVANCE Professor of Computing in the College of Computing. "So I learned it to pass the exam. When I went to tell them that I had passed the test, they said, 'why don't you try out to teach?'"
She did, and then she spent several years
teaching other students from her self-described perspective of "I know nothing extraneous. I'm going to tell you how to learn and get through this exam."
During those early years, Randall said she very deliberately tried to make the classroom comfortable for the students. Sometimes, she would sit on the desk to be different from the students' usual classroom experiences, causing them to have different expectations.
Another early experience — two summers during high school spent at a math program at Hampshire College — taught her how to engage people and "trick" them into learning something complex by solving a puzzle.
"These experiences really shaped how I teach now," she said.
Classroom Strategies
This semester, Randall is teaching Honors Discrete Mathematics (CS 2051). She describes the class as an honors class on "how to think about discrete math, how to do proofs, and how to think mathematically [for mostly computer science students]."
"Early on, I explain my expectation that everyone in the class, at some point, will say, 'I don't understand.' And everyone at some point will say, 'wow.' I see it as my job to get them to the point where they feel comfortable saying those two things," she said.
When designing a course, Randall said she has a collection of topics that need to be covered. But she works to keep it from being boring.
"I definitely switch things up," she said.
"With some courses, you have to start with the basics, and it's just boring for the first couple of weeks."
Randall said she often starts with the 'meat' of the course — and even though the students may not have some of the fundamentals, they can follow along. Then she goes back later to fill in the missing details.
"I think it's more fun to go out and play tennis a little bit before you spend two hours learning how to hold the racket," she said.
Reaching the Students
Randall is excited when she sees students "thinking differently" after taking her class. She enjoys leading students and pushing them a little bit farther than they think they can go.
"In an honors class, you certainly have students who are very overly confident. But you're still pushing them," she said. "They have their style of learning. And, I teach very differently than most people do, so I definitely push them a little bit out of their comfort zones. I feel like I can do that with students at different levels."
Randall also enjoys the puzzle of trying to figure out what the students are missing and what will help them understand.
"As a teacher, you have to not be pre-programmed," she said. "You have to think on your feet and be reactive. I have a good ability to know — when students have their hand up — who is right and who is wrong, and I use that to help teach the class."
When Randall senses that her students don't understand what she's talking about, she repeats herself.
"Yesterday, I had a day like that. It just wasn't as smooth as it usually is," she said.
"When I see that they're amiss, I back up and say 'let me remind you of the salient points.' And I think that helps."
Advice for New Faculty
Randall said one of her biggest assets as a teacher is talking straight to students and having a conversation. That's one of her recommendations to new faculty.
"Have a real conversation with students, as though you're having coffee with them," she said. "The more you get away from this persona of teacher, I think that helps."
Randall said the demands on a new faculty member's time are overwhelming.
"You do have to put less time into absolutely everything than you wish you could," she said.
"When teaching, the place not to skimp is the energy you put into the classroom. It's worth engaging the students and enjoying that hour or hour-and-a-half that you're standing in front of them."
Randall suggests being clear about expectations for the class, but new faculty don't have to polish every piece of material they bring to the class.
"You don't have to practice your presentations 20 times before you come in," she said.
"Making mistakes is okay as long as you're honest and you own up, think quickly, and recover."
Article by Victor Rogers, Institute Communications
College of Computing, School of Computer Science
Data Engineering and Science
Dana Randall
Created By: Ben Snedeker
Created On: Apr 5, 2017 - 12:52pm
Last Updated: Apr 5, 2017 - 12:54pm