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Marksmanship was one of the first Scout activities. It is as a sport that it is currently offered, shooting at numbered targets and never at living things or representations of living things (no, before you ask, not even Zombies or Aliens).
It is difficult to untangle the target requirements of the first badges but the competitions were marked with a numerical score. In the midst of WW1 the Scout Defence corps was formed to train some Scouts in anticipation of joining the armed forces. This is not and has not been the function of Scouting for the vast majority of its existence. See separate page.
1908 A marksmanship badge was available from 1908.
1911 In July the Duke of Connaught, President of the Boy Scout Association from 1913, offered the Connaught Banner as a prize for an Annual shooting competition. By November this had become the Connaught Shield. A Junior shield was introduced in 1925.
Also in 1913 there was a rally in the grounds of Downing College; I recall seeing this and its grand finale "captured by redskins", the captives being rescued amid a fusillade of blank cartridges. Interestingly, there was also on display a wireless transmitting and receiving apparatus set up by one of the Troops W T Thurbon Archaeology
1915 Scout Defence Corp and the Red Feather League were introduced to train with small arms for defence in this time of war. This was the only period when the focus was on the martial element of shooting. Members of this voluntary group had to be sixteen.
1919 Competition for Donegal Medals were held in the District. Only two per troop and two competitions, over 15 and under 15.
1999 The Connaught Shields, formerly Scouting's Miniature Rifle (.22 inch rim fire) Trophies, are now the Grand Aggregate Trophies of the National Scout Air Rifle Competition
District Archive
Note: Indoor air rifle target shooting has standard distances of 6 yards and 10 meters. The lengths of the ranges mentioned below are not known.
1912 Rifle shooting was available in the district. 14th Cambridge entered the Imperial Shield competition of the National Rifle Association 2nd annual Report
1918 Purchase of air gun for range District Minutes
1920 'There will be a Shooting Competition (juniors and seniors) for the Donegal medals towards the end of January. The range is now managed by our old friend and former Secretary, Mr. Howard Mallett (39, Halifax Road). Scoutmasters taking a party to shoot must have a permit signed by the D.C. or D.S.M.' Reveille
1920 '…rifles removed for cleaning. There was a great laxity in signing for ammunition.' District Minutes
1921 Donegal Badge Shooting Competition; Targets to be sent to District Scoutmaster.
1923-24 Association rifle range Kings Mill (The Granary) Annual Report
1924 The rifle range was still operative Ken North 70 Years
1928 – 1934 25th Cambridge Babraham, Abington and Hildersham
This Troop ran from 1928 until about 1934 and the orders of the names vary in different sources. Only five different Proficiency badges are recorded 12 Ambulanceman, 9 Pioneer, 7 Marksman, 3 Cyclist and 3 Farmer.
The Troop had a Duke of Connaught team of marksmen. In the 1930 competition the 25th Cambridge came second in the Senior Section, behind 45th Nottingham who were the pre-eminent shooting Scout Troop of the time.
1930 New air rifle range arranged by Rovers at Grafton Street. This frequently referenced range was for air rifles and lasted until 1934.
1931 Air Rifle range affiliated with SMRC (almost certainly the Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs))
1931 'It was agreed to sell two rifles to Mr MacFarlane Grieve at 2/6. …(and) to cancel the firearms certificate at present in the name of C T Wood'. District Minutes. (See below)
1933 Miniature Rifle range at Grafton Street District Minutes
1934 Rifle range closed District Minutes
1934 The rifle range at Grafton Street Headquarters was closed and the equipment sold. A later plan of Grafton Street does not clearly indicate where the rifle range was set up. It is described as being used as the Equipment store (Scout shop) half way up the stairs.
1938 POR Ref. Duke of Connaught's Shield is a competition open to Scouts
WW2 Duke of Connaught's Shield was not held as a National competition during the war but Home Guard rifle ranges were made available for Scout use.
1946 12th Cambridge competed in the Duke of Connaught's Shield coming 8th and 11th in the Senior Section. For many years after this date they were paying membership fees for the Small Bore Rifle Association.
1958 60th Cambridge competed in the Duke of Connaught's Shield
1950 An inventory was held of Association property and it was reported as 'complete except for the Rifle Range'
1951 Target shooting with a .22 was recorded on a cruise on the Adventurer, the boat owned by the 12th Cambridge.
Note: Donegal Medals The Donegal Challenge Cup is to be open to winners of the Bronze Badges, which the National Rifle Association will present to rifle clubs, to be competed for as club committees may direct, the Challenge Cup being shot for at 200 and 600 yards: and other prizes are offered for rifle club teams at 200 and 500 yards, shooting individually and by teams.
I think this adds up to rifle clubs set a competition, the details of which are up to them. The winners receive Bronze Badges and may enter for the Donegal Challenge Cup.
2019 Target shooting remains a sport offered by Scouting. Leaders are required to obtain a Nationally recognised qualification to act as Range Master and parents must sign to give permission for Scouts to participate.
These rifles are no longer Scout property. The date of the information is unclear. If the guns were in existence at the 1938 Munich Crisis and 1939 declaration of war it is likely that they became property of the Local Defense Volunteers (later the Home Guard). However, the 12th were paying both membership of Small Bore Rifle Association and for a Fire Arms license in the 1950's and 60's.
Cambridge Scouts' Boat Club
Not marksmanship but it is recorded by Ken Drake in 'Cantabrigian Boat Club 1950 – 2010' that at one time the Cambridge Scouts Boat Club had a Webley .45 revolver which it used to signal the proximity of a bump. One shot at a length, two at a half and three at a canvas (as the opponent gets closer to you). Six shots emptied the revolver. From other mentions this was either a well known individual habit and required no explanation or was not unusual for some or all clubs. In a presentation to S A (Squid) Elwood we have 'largely due to his encouragement with the gun that they rowed over on the last two nights'. In 1972/3 they were paying £2.50 for a gun license.
The killing of animals for pleasure was, from the beginning, directly against the Scout laws. The use of guns to control vermin or to hunt for food was permissible. See Activities/ Hunting, Shooting and Fishing. No evidence of guns for hunting being held by Scouters within the District has been identified. It is clear that they have been used on occasion.
1927 His first rabbit 7th Cambridge
JWR Archivist Feb 2019


A landscaped pedestrian sidewalk that demonstrates solar technologies is complete. The Solar Walk links Exploration and Innovation Halls and extends the public sidewalk to the intersection of GW Boulevard and University Drive. The walk features a trellis with solar panels that supplements electricity for lighting, and a test installation of 'walkable' solar panels is also being pursued as an additional solar element.
Construction began November 5, 2012 on GW's new dual-purpose building on the Virginia Science and Technology Campus. Located at the intersection of Presidential Drive and George Washington Boulevard, the Collections and Conservation Resource Center will feature a 22,000 square foot state-of-the-art collections and conservation resource center and an adjacent 30,000 square feet of additional space, to be designed and built out for future academic and research activities. The separate buildings will share a common entrance and some support functions.
The School of Nursing has added an additional 3,300 square feet to its Simulation and Skills Lab in Innovation Hall. The new facility, which opened for the fall 2012 class, includes an eight bed hospital ward, two private rooms and a studio apartment dedicated to in-home care. The state-of-the art video capabilities allow for enhanced training and monitoring of students using the latest in video and voice capture technology.


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Erik Goeddel
Cubs Show Mets How Much Better They Are
For three and a half innings, the Mets had fight, and they were actually leading the Cubs 1-0. They were in that position for unlikely reasons.
The first is Travis Taijeron, who has struggled mightily since he was called up, delivered his first non-HR RBI as a major leaguer. That rally got started due to a Juan Lagares hustle double to start that inning.
At the time the run was scored, you figured it wasn't going to be enough for Robert Gsellman who was flirting with disaster only to be bailed out by some good defense and good luck.
In the first, the Cubs had bases loaded and one out. With Willson Contreras having been ruled to have gone out of the baseline to avoid a Jose Reyes tag, Ian Happ grounded into an inning ending double play.
The Mets turned their second double play in the third with Travis d'Arnaud throwing out Ben Zobrist after a Kris Bryant strikeout for the strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play. Before you get too excited by d'Arnaud, Zobrist was running at maybe half speed.
Through three Gsellman was well over 60 pitches, and despite him throwing three straight scoreless innings, he was laboring. For those three innings, he bent. In the fourth, he broke.
The Cubs tied the game on a Jose Quintana perfectly placed sacrifice bunt down the first base line. It not only allowed himself to reach safely, but he moved Jason Heyward to second. More than that, Kyle Schwarber scored on the play.
He scored because Dominic Smith somehow got a late break and still tried to get Schwarber at the plate. Many will disagree, but trying to get Schwarber wasn't a bad play because a better throw gets him.
From there, the Cubs played Home Run Derby blowing the doors off the Mets. The first was a three run homer by Bryant off Gsellman.
By the time the fourth inning was over, the Mets were down 4-1, and Gsellman had thrown 93 pitches. His final line in the loss was 4.0 innings, five hits, four runs, four earned, five walks, and four strikeouts.
Schwarber would hit a solo homer off Tommy Milone in the fifth. Ian Happ homered off Josh Smoker in the seventh.
In sum, the Mets would use four relievers to pitch the final four innings. All of them, Milone, Smoker, Jacob Rhame, and Chris Flexen, would pitch an inning and allow a run. They all contributed to the 8-3 loss.
If you're looking at a positive from this loss, Asdrubal Cabrera was 3-4 with a double. However, the contributions of Reyes and Cabrera don't mean much in what should be a 90 loss season.
Other than Cabrera, you're looking at Lagares and Amed Rosario each making terrific plays in the field. Short of that, there's not much to be enthusiastic about in this loss. That is unless you think d'Arnaud throwing out a base runner and his fifth inning sacrifice fly was a big deal.
Game Notes: Erik Goeddel was unavailable as he was in New York seeing a doctor for dizziness and blurred vision. Nori Aoki grounded out with the bases loaded in the ninth to make it 8-3.
Votto Is Great, The Mets Are Bad
It's a good thing the Mets had both Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera start this game. If not for them, the Mets probably would have been shut out instead of the team losing 7-2.
Reyes got things started in the first with a double off Reds starter Robert Stephenson. Naturally, Reyes was hitting lead-off because they need to see if he, rather than today's clean-up hitter Brandon Nimmo, could be the lead-off hitter of the future. Fellow prospect, and third place hitter in the line-up, Cabrera, would boost his chances of being on next year's team with a sacrifice fly.
After the Mets fell behind 2-1, Reyes and Cabrera showed what this young team is capable of doing by hitting a pair of singles. Reyes then scored when run producer Nimmo came to the plate and singled a ball off of the pitcher to tie the game at two.
From there, the Mets failed because they simply just didn't have enough players who played with as much fire and passion as Reyes and Cabrera. That was evident by the Mets going 1-11 with RISP and the team leaving eight men on base. That would never happen with a lineup full of Reyeses and Cabreras.
The Reds initially took the lead on a Scooter Gennett two run homer in the second inning. Gennett would later get to Jacob deGrom again in the fifth with an RBI double.
In the third, the Reds took the lead for good on an Amed Rosario miscue. Billy Hamilton found himself on second after a lead-off single and a stolen base. If we're being honest, there's just no way Travis d'Arnaud is ever going to throw out Hamilton. Joey Votto then hit a grounder to Rosario. Rather than take the sure out at first, which would have been the second out of the inning, Rosario rushed the play throwing off balance pegging Hamilton in the leg. Hamilton then scurried home.
Certainly, Terry Collins can no longer justify playing Rosario at shortstop when he has both Reyes and Cabrera available to play there. Nope, that error and a .240 batting average needs to be put on the bench so the Mets can win some games.
They weren't going to win this one with the way deGrom struggled, or at least struggled for him. The Mets ace would allow four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks. While he would take the loss, deGrom would strike out five. With those five strikeouts, he now has 206 on the season, which is a new career high.
After deGrom's relative struggles, we saw the bullpen struggle as well. Jeurys Familia allowed a homer to Votto. While you hate seeing the Mets give up a crucial homer, it was alright in this instance as Votto hit the home run for a six year old boy undergoing chemotherapy:
Joey Votto will just make your day. pic.twitter.com/dGj8wFzB63
— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) August 31, 2017
It's a reminder that even with the Mets doing incredibly stupid things, the strife we face across the country, and the flooding in Houston, there are still good things and good people in this world. To that end, Votto saved the day in what was an otherwise typically lousy and wasted Mets performance.
Game Notes: Erik Goeddel's struggles continue with him allowing a two run homer to Stuart Turner in the eighth.
Terry Collins Double Switches His Way to Double-Header Split
This was one of those days that makes you question why exactly the Mets are sticking with Terry Collins right now?
He's eschewing developing young players like Dominic Smith, but he makes sure to get Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera in the lineup.
He also continues to make just poor decisions with his pitching. If you didn't know any better, you'd expect Collins gets paid by the bullpen move, and he gets paid double for each double switch.
He really pressures his pitching staff. Today, Collins took that to an absurd level.
Even knowing Seth Lugo would be limited to 75 pitches in the second game of the double header, Collins ripped through his bullpen.
Part of that was Tommy Milone only lasting 4.1 innings. The bigger part of that was Collins managing the game like it was Game 7 of the World Series to try to protect a five run lead.
What was really irritating was Collins first ripped through the guys who could give him multiple innings – Hansel Robles, Rafael Montero, and Josh Smoker. The trio combined to pitch one inning with 35 pitches.
With all Collins histrionics, the Mets still blew the 5-0 lead. They got there because Cabrera and Flores hit a pair of homers.
With the Mets blowing the lead, they needed another homer. Amed Rosario came through with an eighth inning homer off Joe Blanton.
Rosario has 4 homers, 3 of them in the 8th inning or later, 2 to give the Mets a lead in a tie game.
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) August 27, 2017
The Mets would hold onto the 6-5 lead with AJ Ramos getting the sixth out save to preserve the rare Mets Sunday win. Of course, to get the rare win, you needed a play you rarely if ever see.
With Adam Lind getting the two out single to extend the game, Edwin Jackson pinch ran for him with Daniel Murphy coming to the plate as the go-ahead run.
Murphy ripped a liner above a leaping Cabrera. Travis Taijeron, who had some on in one of the multitude of double switches, overran the ball, and Jackson broke towards home.
Juan Lagares adeptly backup up Taijeron on the play. He then made a strong throw to Cabrera, who in turn, made a strong throw to Travis d'Arnaud. With the tag, the Mets cut down Jackson, and the Mets won the game on your typical 9-8-4-2 put out.
After this game, the question was whether the Mets pitching staff had enough bullets left to pull out a win in the nightcap. The answer was a resounding no.
The Mets had rallied from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead in the second game.
Lagares knocked in the first run on an RBI double. He then came home to score on a Brandon Nimmo two run homer to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. It was short-lived.
After Lugo went 3.2 innings allowing two runs, Smoker came on, and he kept the Nationals at bay in his 1.1 innings of work.
Then came Robles in his second appearance on the day. After getting a Murphy line out, the Nationals had a runner on first with one out.
Robles continued by walking the first four batters allowing the Nationals to not only tie the game, but also take a lead. On the bright side, Collins double-switched Smith out of the game meaning he was willing to sacrifice development to win this one game.
Things could've been worse, but Chasen Bradford enduced Howie Kendrick to hit into the inning ending 4-4-3 double play.
Ultimately, it didn't matter. Erik Goeddel pitched the eighth, and Lind took him deep to give the Nationals a 5-3 lead. The insurance run loomed large with the Mets rallying in the ninth off Sean Doolittle.
d'Arnaud led off with a pinch hit single, and Gavin Cecchini singled to move d'Arnaud to second. With a 0-2 count, Reyes dropped a single right in front of Taylor allowing d'Arnaud to score to pull the Mets within one.
The tomfoolery ended with a Lagares line out to Alejandro De Aza.
Collins did everything he could to win both ends of the double header even if it meant eschewing his main responsibility right now- developing players. He didn't care what he did to the bullpen. For all that effort, he just had a split to show for it.
Game Notes: Kevin McGowan was activated for the second half double-header as the 26th man. He would not pitch.
Mets Energy Level Better, Still Lose
Late in the season, both Robert Gsellman and Yoenis Cespedes gave you reasons to question their commitment.
Like he has most of his career, Cespedes has failed to hustle this year. While deemed acceptable when things are going well, this becomes an issue for everyone.
When he comes to Gsellman, he basically said as much. Well, that's a bit of a stretch. When he was told Sandy Alderson said he needed to pitch better, Gsellman replied he didn't care.
On the field tonight against a very good Diamondbacks team, they were both very good.
Gsellman was reminiscent of the pitcher we saw last year. He mostly kept the ball out of the air preventing him from being victimized by the long ball. With a much better defense behind him, which somehow included Wilmer Flores making some nice plays at third, Gsellman went deep into the game.
In the odd chance the ball was in the air, the outfield got to those balls. This included Cespedes making not one but two hustle plays in the outfield.
With the defense playing well behind him, and his sinker working, Gsellman arguably had his best start of the year. His final line was 6.1 innings, five hits, one run, one earned, one walk, and three strikeouts.
Even with that terrific outing, he still didn't get the win because the Mets offense continued to squander their scoring opportunities against Taijuan Walker.
The Mets could bring home Brandon Nimmo after he lead-off the top of the first with a double.
Wilmer Flores and Dominic Smith lead off the second with consecutive singles. Amed Rosario struck out. After Kevin Plawecki intentionally walked to load the bases, Gsellman struck out, and Nimmo lined out.
Flores came up in the third with runners at first and second with one out, and he grounded into the 6-4-3 inning ending double play.
Plawecki's two out double in the fourth didn't amount to anything with Gsellman hitting it back to the pitcher.
Plawecki came up in the sixth with runners on the corners and two outs. It would be runners on second and third after Rosario stole second. David Hernandez came on for Rubby De La Rosa, and he got Plawecki to tap it back to him to end the inning.
Finally, the Mets broke through in the sixth.
Travis d'Arnaud, who came on for Plawecki in a double switch in the top half of the inning, hit a lead-off double. Nimmo then sacrificed him to third.
Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Conforto then earned walks to load the bases putting the game in Cespedes' hands. As noted above, he played this game with a different energy than he has been playing with for most of the season.
Cespedes battled back from 0-2 against Archie Bradley to rip an RBI single past a diving Jake Lamb to tie the game.
It only tied the game because David Peralta nailed Cabrera at the plate. It's a tough play to pin blame on anyone. With it being so close, it was a good send by Glenn Sherlock. Likely, Cabrera would've been safe if his leg was on the ground instead of in the air. You can't blame Cabrera because that was just tough luck.
In any event, after a Flores foul out, this was now a battle of the bullpens.
Jerry Blevins, Paul Sewald, and AJ Ramos did their jobs combining to pitch 2.2 scoreless innings helping send the game into extra innings.
The Mets went to Erik Goeddel in a rare second straight day of work to pitch the 10th. In a rare appearance on consecutive days. We saw the reason why he rarely does this.
Goeddel issued a lead-off walk to Gregor Blanco before allowing a game winning two run homer to A.J. Pollock:
https://twitter.com/citifieldhr/status/899824587944452096
The homer snapped a Meys bullpen 17.2 streak of not allowing an earned run.
Mets still has a chance in the bottom of the 10th with the heart of the lineup due up against Diamondbacks closer Fernando Rodney.
Conforto got the inning off on the right foot hitting an opposite field lead-off home run to pull the Meys within 3-2. That's as close as the Mets got as Rodney set down Cespedes, Flores, and Smith to end the game.
The main thing that really stood out today was the Mets played with a different energy. At this point in the season, it's all we can reasonably expect. Well that and better situational hitting.
When that happen, we will see a much better brand of baseball much like we saw tonight.
GAME NOTES: Steven Matz is done for the year as he will undergo surgery to re-position his ulnar nerve. It is the same surgery Jacob deGrom underwent last year.
Mets Blow Winnable Game To Yankees
With Rafael Montero and Luis Cessa on the mound, we got the pitcher's duel we all expected.
The Mets got to Cessa first with Curtis Granderson and Yoenis Cespedes hitting a pair of third inning homers. What was interesting with the Cespedes' homer was his homer was against one of the two prospects the Mets traded to get him in 2015.
Unfortunately, the Mets bats went completely cold after this leaving Montero and the pen to hold a 2-0 lead. Most of that was due to Chad Green, who pitched 2.2 hitless and scoreless innings, after coming on for a hurting Cessa with one out in the fifth.
For his part, Montero cruised into the fourth. All of his pitches were working, especially his fastball which was clocked in the high 90s. However, he would walk consecutive batters helping load the bases with one out.
Surprisingly, he got out of the jam mostly unscathed. The only run he allowed was when Aaron Hicks beat out a Cespedes throw on Gary Sanchez's sacrifice fly.
Montero got out of the inning without further damage, and he was back on cruise mode. That was until he left one over the plate against Aaron Judge who went opposite field to tie the game in the sixth.
That closed the door on Montero who pitched a fine game. His final line was six innings, five hits, two runs, two earned, two walks, and six strikeouts.
Terry Collins went to Hansel Robles, who pitched a scoreless seventh. Then, like Collins always does with Robles, he pushed the envelope with him. It's all the more puzzling when you consider that not too long ago Robles couldn't even feel his fingers.
Hicks led off the eighth, and we soon found Robles pointing to the sky.
After the homer, the Yankees had a 3-2 lead, and Collins overreacted like he always does. Collins went into super matchup mode using Jerry Blevins for a batter, and then bringing in Erik Goeddel. Goeddel was greeted with a Sanchez home run.
Unfortunately, the Mets wouldn't have an outburst in the ninth. That's partially due to Joe Girardi going with Dellin Betances instead of Aroldis Chapman.
In fact, you question a bit where the effort level was with some of the Mets players. In the eighth, Asdrubal Cabrera walked on a 3-2 pitch that ricocheted off the umpire. Instead of busting it to first to see if he could get into scoring position with two outs, he took his time. When Cespedes struck out in the next at-bat, the ball would get away from Sanchez, but he couldn't be bothered to try to go to first.
The Mets blew a winnable game, but there's a silver lining. The Wilpons got their wish that they didn't have to pay Jay Bruce to beat them. Instead, they paid Collins and a bullpen to do that.
Game Notes: Granderson's homer was his 69th in Yankee Stadium since 2010. That trails just Mark Teixeira.
Tough Loss But The Young Guys Did Play
Don't read too much into tonight's game. The game started off on a strange foot when Neil Walker was pulled off the field (and his being removed from the lineup) during batting practice with his reportedly being dealt to the Brewers.
There was also the matter of Aaron Nola, who has been pitching like a Cy Young contender of late. Including tonight's start, Nola now has a 10 start streak with him pitching at least seven innings while allowing two or fewer runs.
Tonight, that one run came off a Yoenis Cespedes fourth inning homer that briefly gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. There's the argument it should have been a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Amed Rosario hit a one out double. He found himself on third when Brandon Nimmo struck out on a wild pitch. The wild pitch allowed Nimmo to reach first instead of the inning ending.
Rosario and Nimmo then attempted a double steal. Cameron Rupp threw through. Seeing this Rosario took off. With Nimmo seemingly having the base, Freddy Galvis didn't hesitate coming off the bag to meet the throw and go home nailing Rosario.
That play would loom large during a two run fifth inning.
Up until that point, Steven Matz was cruising. He had four no-hit innings, which ended with the Phillies hitting back-to-back singles to start the fifth. Matz was so close to getting out of this jam.
First, Rupp popped out, and then Nola laid down a sac bunt. Matz couldn't get the big out yielding a game tying single to Cesar Hernandez. Galvis then hit a seeing eye single that was just past Jose Reyes giving the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Ultimately, that was the game-winning hit.
Nola continued to shut down the Mets. His final line was seven innings, two hits, one run, one earned, one walk, and eight strikeouts. This made Ricardo Pinto a welcome sight in the eighth.
Curtis Granderson and Reyes each walked setting up two on and two out for Cespedes. Pinto would strike out Cespedes on three straight pitches to end the rally.
From there, the Phillies would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth off Erik Goeddel giving them a 3-1 lead.
Ultimately, the Mets lost a difficult game. They lost a teammate, and they faced a tough pitcher. With that said, they did the right thing and played some young guys. More than that Matz progressed from where he has been.
Given how the Mets are constituted, they're going to lose a lot of games. That's understandable. The only thing you can reasonably ask is when they lose, it's a good game, and the young players are getting their feet wet. That happened today, so all-in-all, that's not too bad a day.
Game Notes: Michael Conforto started the game in center, and Nimmo played right. Reyes wasn't initially supposed to be in the lineup, but took over for Walker in the lineup and played second. Asdrubal Cabrera played second.
Mets Straight Flexen
After two straight tough starts to begin his career, Chris Flexen finally had that magical major league experience every organization's young top prospect envisions they'll have.
Staked with a 4-0 lead on the strength of homers hit by Michael Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes, and Travis d'Arnaud off Rangers starter A.J. Griffin, Flexen was able to go out there and just focus on getting the batters out.
Now, it wasn't always pretty. He did wind up walking three batters. He also came close to hitting a few batters until he finally plunked Rougned Odor in the fourth. With that said, Flexen pitching inside was a welcome change, and it was part of his effectiveness.
The Rangers wouldn't score off of him until a Joey Gallo homer to lead-off the fifth.
Despite the homer in the fifth, Flexen would start the sixth. He would come just short of finishing the inning. If he had, he would've doubled the amount of innings he lasted in his first two starts.
First, it was an Adrian Beltre homer. After a Carlos Gomez two out walk, Terry Collins pulled his young starter and entrusted Erik Goeddel to get the Mets out of the jam. Goeddel would first allow Gallo to hit an RBI double to pull the Rangers to within 4-3 before Goeddel would get out of the inning.
Flexen's final line in his first career win was 5.2 innings, four hits, three runs, three earned, three walks, and four strikeouts. In addition to that, Flexen would double in the fifth to collect his first career hit.
The win would be secured with some good bullpen work from Jerry Blevins and AJ Ramos, who collected his first save in a Mets uniform.
It also helped Asdrubal Cabrera hit an RBI double scoring Conforto in the seventh to provide an insurance run in the 5-4 victory. That homer loomed large with the Robinson Chirinos two out homer in the ninth.
The game certainly earned Flexen another opportunity to start. That's a good thing when you consider the Mets are stubbornly playing their vets over the young kids. At a minimum, we can see the maturation of Flexen.
Game Notes: Neil Walker had his first career start at first base. Matt Harvey threw a 25 pitch bullpen before the game.
Rosario Flashes Talent And Inexperience In Debut
Surrounding all the hoopla of Amed Rosario's first game with the Mets, a baseball game broke out, and it was a pretty good one at that.
Rosario's impact was felt immediately. In the first, he made a couple of plays including turning a 1-6-3 double play.
That play helped preserve a 1-0 lead when Yoenis Cespedes doubled home Michael Conforto, who has reached with a lead-off walk against Rockies starter Jeff Hoffman.
That lead grew to 2-0 when Jay Bruce doubled in Cespedes from first in the sixth.
At that point, things looked great for Steven Matz. Despite a rough stretch over his last four starts where he pitched to a 14.18 ERA (not a typo), he was dealing.
Through the first four innings, he had a no-hitter going. That was broken up on a Trevor Story lead-off single. On the play, Rosario got to a ball no other shortstop on the roster comes near, but with one slight tap of the glove before the throw, Story was able to beat it out.
In that inning, he labored, but he managed to work his way out of the jam. He wasn't so lucky in the sixth.
A DJ LeMahieu double set up second and third with no outs. Matz was flirting with disaster since the fifth and in the following at-bat. He fought back into the st-bat getting it to a 3-2 count, and that's when Nolan Arenado hit an opposite field go-ahead homer.
After a Mark Reynolds double, Terry Collins finally pulled Matz. The combination of Josh Smoker and Erik Goeddel would limit the damage keeping the game at 3-2.
The Mets tied it in the seventh with some help from Rockies catcher Ryan Hanigan. When Pat Neshek struck out Jose Reyes to start the inning, Hanigan whiffed on the ball. With the ball going to the backstop, Reyes reached base safely.
Reyes moved to third on a Conforto single, and he'd score the tying run on an Asdrubal Cabrera sacrifice fly. On the play, Charlie Blackmon didn't have much of a chance to get Reyes, but still:
Okay good catch but also pic.twitter.com/8evdHfjcZt
— Meditations in Panic City (@MedInPanicCity) August 2, 2017
It would be untied in the eighth on a Bruce homer off Chris Rusin:
https://twitter.com/therendermlb/status/892587987346886657
For a moment, it appeared as if that 4-3 lead might grow.
Rosario would get his first career hit off Scott Oberg. It was an infield single to short (turnabout is fair play). Rosario moved to second on Story's throwing error. It appeared as if Rosario was going to score his first career run when the ball left Travis d'Arnaud's bat.
Unfortunately, the ball ricocheted off Oberg's leg to Reynolds. Reynolds was able to flip to Oberg to record the out. It was a bigger out than originally anticipated.
Paul Sewald started his second inning of relief by allowing a base hit to Reynolds. Collins responded to this by bringing in Jerry Blevins to face a couple of lefties.
Blevins responded by allowing singles to Gerardo Parra and Carlos Gonzalez. The hit by Gonzalez was cued right off the end of the bat, and Cabrera had little to no chance to get anyone out. With Blevins allowing yet another inherited runner to score, it was a tie game.
The Rockies rally sputtered when Hansel Robles came on to get the last two outs. Robles wouldn't be so lucky in the ninth.
After allowing a lead-off walk to Blackmon, LeMahieu hit what could've been a double play ball. Likely, it was just a fielder's choice. Still, that play wasn't turned as Rosario broke towards second with Blackmon moving on the play. With Rosario booting it, it was first and second with no outs instead of bases empty with no outs.
After that, Arenado blooped the ball into center, and Conforto had no chance to get Blackmon. Ballgame.
Overall, it was an entertaining game where we saw all that Rosario could be. We also saw that he's an inexperienced rookie that needs more seasoning.
Game Notes: Matt Reynolds was sent down to make room for Rosario on the roster.
Last time Conforto and Rosario were in the same lineup? May 28, 2015 when St. Lucie lost 4-3 to Lakeland.
— Mets Daddy (@MetsDaddy2013) August 2, 2017
Defense Matters, That's Why The Mets Lost
Here's the game in a nutshell. Steven Matz didn't have it, and the Padres defense made the 85 Bears look like a sieve.
The Padres were hitting Matz hard right from the jump when Manuel Margot hit a two run homer to give the Padres a 2-0 lead.
After a scoreless second, the Padres jumped all over Matz again scoring four runs. Matz didn't get help from his defense. Case in point was the Cory Spangenberg grounder.
Jose Reyes couldn't pick it up cleanly, and he made an ever so slightly offline soft toss to Wilmer Flores. It wasn't a particularly difficulty play for either middle infielder, but neither could complete the play. Only because it was home town scoring, it was ruled a "single."
This was Reyes' second RBI of the night with him singling home Jay Bruce in the second inning.
After that third inning, Matz was done. His ugly final line was three innings, nine hits, six runs, six earned, no walks, and four strikeouts. Honestly, Matz probably wasn't even that good.
The Mets did have a chance to get back in this game in the sixth inning.
The Mets loaded the bases with one out against tiring Padres starter Jhoulys Chacin with Lucas Duda coming to the plate. Padres Manager Andy Green went to the left-handed Buddy Baumann to face Duda.
Duda hit a deep enough fly ball, but the combination of Hunter Renfroe's arm and Asdrubal Cabrera's lack of speed, there would be no sacrifice fly. Cabrera would score when Baumann walked Reyes pulling the Mets to within 6-2.
Craig Stammen came in to pitch to Rene Rivera, who hit a hot shot up the middle. Allen Córdoba made a nice play on the ball, which could've been a two RBI single, and got Rivera at first to end the inning.
With Reyes and Córdoba, we really witnessed what a difference defense makes. Then again, we saw it all game long with this Padres defense, especially with both Margot and Jabari Blash making sliding catches to rob Michael Conforto of a couple of hits.
The Mets did pull within 6-3 when Flores homered to center:
Even with the homer, the Mets couldn't catch up to the Padres. Maybe the Mets would've had a chance if they had better defense, but the Mets were content to punt on defense this year. It's haunted them many times. Tonight was the latest example.
Game Notes: Erik Goeddel, Tyler Pill, and Hansel Robles combined to pitch five scoreless innings out of the pen. Pill will likely be demoted tomorrow to make room for Chris Flexen, who is scheduled to make his MLB debut tomorrow.
Cardinals Pull A Mets
It is nice to see the Mets win a game because the other team had mental lapses in the field, poor managerial decisions, and had a bullpen blow a late lead and finally the game. Through the first 82 games, that seemed to be the Mets specialty. Today, in what was mostly a lethargic afternoon game, the Mets got bested by the Cardinals in something they had seemingly mastered.
Through the first 4.2 innings, Seth Lugo had a no-hitter going. Somewhere someone must've taken notice and said something because Greg Garcia hit a double for the Cardinals first hit of the game. Still, things were in good shape for the Mets because Lugo erased Garcia, and the team had a 1-0 lead.
That lead came because Lucas Duda hit a second inning homer against Cardinals starter Lance Lynn:
The sizzling hot Duda has homered three times over his last five games. Duda was also good in the field saving his infielders from a few errors. Most notably, his scoop of a bad T.J. Rivera throw in the seventh saved a run. Hopefully, one of the teams that needs a 1B/DH, and there are more of them than people will lead you to believe, have taken notice.
That 1-0 lead evaporated in the sixth. After a one out walk to Matt Carpenter, Tommy Pham, who has been killing the Mets of late, doubled him home to tie the score. Once again, Lugo settled in, shut the door in the sixth, and he pitched a scoreless seventh.
The Mets hurler deserved the win with his outstanding performance, but will have to settle for a no decision. His final line was 6.2 innings, four hits, one run, one earned, one walk, and five strikeouts. With him and Lynn out of the game, it became a battle of the bullpens, and a battle of wits between the managers.
With Erik Goeddel getting the last out of the seventh, Terry Collins turned to him to pitch the eighth. It's hard to fault Collins when everyone else in the bullpen is terrible, but the decision backfired when Pham hit a 3-1 pitch out of the park to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. With the way this game was going, and with how poorly the Mets have played of late, it seemed like this was how the game was going to end.
That was until Mike Matheny thought it was a good idea to let the left-handed Brett Cecil pitch to Wilmer Flores in the eighth. Everyone and their mother knows Flores crushes left-handed pitching. Matheny either didn't know that, or didn't care. That decision cost him as Cecil hung one to Flores:
From there, the Mets turned to the one reliever in their bullpen that they can have confidence – Addison Reed. Reed did his job pitching a scoreless ninth thereby giving the Mets a chance for a walk-off victory.
The ninth inning rally started with Michael Conforto drawing a lead-off walk against Trevor Rosenthal. It was another excellent game for Conforto that has gone unnoticed. On the day, the Cardinals allowed eight baserunners (six hits and two walks). Conforto accounted for four of those with him going 2-2 with two walks on the day.
Conforto would be erased on the basepaths on what initially appeared to be a double play ball off the bat of Yoenis Cespedes. Credit should be given to Cespedes for busting it down the line and keeping a runner on base. It paid off as he went first to third on a Rivera single. He would then score on what should have been the last out of the inning:
That Jose Reyes "single" was the improbable winner that sent Mets fans home happy, and it enraged Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter:
I love Matt Carpenter. The look on his face, exasperation as he yelled "Trevor!" was priceless. Furious and rightly so. #STLCards #Mets
— Mike Vaccaro (@MikeVacc) July 20, 2017
It was nice to be on the other side of one of these games this year. It was also nice to earn a split in the series. Even if the Mets aren't going anywhere, it is still always a joy to beat the Cardinals. At the very least, it was a pleasure helping ensure they didn't get the sweep they needed to get back into an NL Central race that is suddenly in flux.
Game Notes: Neil Ramirez was designated for assignment before the game to make room for Josh Smoker on the roster.
MLB Should Re-Calibrate First Pitch Times
Mets Should Invite R.A. Dickey To Spring Training

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Original Albums Plus by Edsel Records UK at WA Tunes. MPN: 92008373427. Hurry! Limited time offer. Offer valid only while supplies last. UK two CD collection from the '70s singer/songwriter containing his three original albums plus 16 tracks released posthumously. Jim Croce's untimely death in a airplane crash (in September 1973) came at a point in his career when he seemed set for a lengthy and rewarding career. To the millions of fans he had made through his music, his death was almost like losing a close friend. Jim Croce's emergence to global prominence came in the early 1970's, an era dominated by the confessional
UK two CD collection from the '70s singer/songwriter containing his three original albums plus 16 tracks released posthumously. Jim Croce's untimely death in a airplane crash (in September 1973) came at a point in his career when he seemed set for a lengthy and rewarding career. To the millions of fans he had made through his music, his death was almost like losing a close friend. Jim Croce's emergence to global prominence came in the early 1970's, an era dominated by the confessional singer/songwriter albums such as Carole King's Tapestry, James Taylor's Sweet Baby James and Neil Young's Harvest sold in their multi-millions. This double disc set features a 32 page booklet that includes the lyrics to every song along with the full musician credits, and liner notes by Alan Robinson. Edsel Records. 2011.
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The Singles (20 7" Vinyl Single Box Set)
By Elektra Catalog Group
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This collection spotlights every single, and B-side, the band released, all gathered together for the first time..
A Legend Never Dies Essential Recordings 1976-1997
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Deluxe box set contains seven CDs, four DVDs and a book. Here you go. The box set celebrating the 20th anniversary of the passing of blues legend Luther Allison. This release is limited and numbered to 1500 CD sets; you should not wait to get your copy of this collection containing the essential albums Luther recorded after his Motown years. In addition to the albums, our friend Art Tipaldi has written an 88-page coffee table book featuring Luther's inspiring story, comments from his friends
Complete Album Collection
By Sony Legacy
A triumph of technology and design, with respect for history in every detail, The Complete Albums Collection features 14 classic Billy Joel albums plus a bonus disc of rare and original recordings. This deluxe limited edition package is the most comprehensive collection ever by a consummate artist who has sold over 100 million records in the course of his 40-year career. Featuring brand-new digital remasters by Ted Jensen for the best sound reproduction of Billy Joel's music ever on Compact
Smile Now Die Later
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Smile Now Die LaterRelativity/Ruthless Records.
Recycler [Vinyl]
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ZZ Top Recycler UK vinyl LP.
Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness
By Virgin
MELLON COLLIE AND THE INFINITE SADNESS is being released in multiple physical and digital configurations, including an expanded 5CD+DVD Deluxe Box Set (also available digitally) and the remastered original album in 4LP Vinyl, 2CD, and digital formats. The Deluxe Box Set's 5 CDs include 64 bonus tracks of previously unreleased material or alternate versions of MELLON COLLIE era songs, and its DVD features a live show filmed at the Brixton Academy, London (1996) and bonus performances from the
Seeds We Sow [2 LP][Limited Edition Red Vinyl]
By Back On Black
Lindsey Buckingham has accomplished almost everything that can be done in rock n roll, earning a spot in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with Fleetwood Mac, winning countless awards, selling out venues around the world, and helping define the sound of rock for the last 3 decades. Hes the predominant musical force behind such Mac albums as Rumours and the innovative Tusk, and has created a critically acclaimed body of solo work that yielded the hits, Trouble, Go Insane, and Holiday Road. Seeds We
By Blue Sky
Since 1967 Pink Floyd have produced one of the most outstanding and enduring catalogues in the history of recorded music. All 14 original Studio albums have now been painstakingly digitally remastered by James Guthrie (co-producer of The Wall), and are reissued with newly crafted packaging and booklets created by the band's long-time artwork collaborator Storm Thorgerson. 'Discovery' albums are designed as an introduction to the artist, with all booklets including full album lyrics. All
The Collection [8 LP][Box Set]
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mpn: 00602547428585, ean: 0602547428585,
Amy Winehouse The Collection is an 8LP, limited edition vinyl box set comprising Amy Winehouse's three studio albums - Frank, Back To Back and Lioness. It also includes live recordings from Amy's 2007 Shepherd's Bush shows, including tracks available for the first time on vinyl, and an album's worth of 'Rarities,' featuring live session tracks dating back to 2003. The box set is a lovingly assembled and beautifully packaged collection. Each LP will be pressed onto 180-gram vinyl and the box
Mozart - Complete Edition
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Mozart may have died heavy in debt, having encountered much fickleness on the part of the Viennese audiences and struggled to find suitable permanent employment for most of his career, but today his music is celebrated the world over; he is considered one of music history's greatest names, the vast majority of his works enjoying regular performances and being constantly reinterpreted by amateurs and top professionals alike. Stretching from his earliest years (Mozart started composing at the age


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> About Us> People> Richard Vellante
Richard Vellante
Executive Chef, Legal Sea Foods
rvellante@legalseafoods.com
Rich joined Legal Sea Foods as a chef in our restaurants and became Executive Chef in 1998. He now oversees all culinary operations, developing new recipes and menus as well as managing and training the culinary staff in all our kitchens.
A graduate of Hamilton College, he studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York City before spending two years in Italy, cooking his way through several provinces using traditional, farm-fresh ingredients and seafood. He is also the former chef-owner of a three-star restaurant in Massachusetts.
Rich earned a Chef 2000 award, was voted "Menu Strategist of the Year" by Restaurant Business and was included among the nation's Top 50 R&D Chefs by Nation's Restaurant News. He has designed numerous dinners for the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs; he was the first civilian chef in US history to cook for the nation's Senators (2002 and 2004) and he has repeated as guest chef at the prestigious James Beard House and Culinary Foundation in New York City.
He also recently attended the executive education program at Harvard Business School.
Articles by Richard Vellante
Reimagining the Restaurant Industry in a Post-COVID-19 World
The impact of COVID-19 has proven how ill-prepared we are to deal with crises. It's time for hospitality businesses like restaurants to rethink how we operate so that we can create a more sustainable and resilient industry moving forward. More »
Seafood Restaurant Fishes for Problems Customers Really Care About
The executive chef at Legal Sea Foods explains how the restaurants are cutting lead times from fishing boat to your belly. More »
Why 'Yes Chef!' Is No Longer the Answer
In order to meet the changing demands of today's restaurants, chefs must learn to evolve from old-school methods of the "brigade system" and learn to be more mindful, holistic, and ask better questions, say Legal Sea Foods Executive Chef Rich Vellante More »
Additional Lean Resources
Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System The Lean Service Machine
Lean Lexicon Gemba Walks by Jim Womack Managing to Learn: Using the A3 management process by John Shook
Online Course: Introduction to Lean Thinking and Practice Key Concepts of Lean (Online version available)
How Lean Leaders Create Productive Problem-Solvers with John Shook and Jim Womack Lessons from "Lean Startups" with Eric Ries
The Lean Post Forums


website as well for use during IEP planning.
Registry Training contract using Individuals with Disabili􀆟􉽥es Educa􀆟􉽯on Act (IDEA) federal funds.
Purpose This is a special issue highlighting transitions through the lifespan. We understand transitions are often difficult for individuals with autism or autism spectrum disorders so we have dedicated an entire special edition of Autism Links to transition resources.
Full text Newsletter XII Autism Links A Special SEpdeictiiaoln E:d Aitiuotnis:m Tr aannsdit iAoSnDs Updates Welcome to Au􀆟􉽳sm Links This is a special issue highligh􀆟􉽮ng transi􀆟􉽯ons throughout the lifespan. We understand transi􀆟􉽯ons are o􀅌􄱥en difficult for individuals with au􀆟􉽳sm or au􀆟􉽳sm spectrum disorders so we have dedicated an en􀆟􉽲re special edi􀆟􉽯on of Au􀆟􉽳sm Links to transi􀆟􉽯on resources. Au􀆟􉽳sm Internet Modules: "...this series of online learning modules includes informa􀆟􉽯on on assessment and iden􀆟􉽦fica􀆟􉽯on…recognizing and understanding behaviors and characteris􀆟􉽣cs, transi􀆟􉽯on to adulthood, employment, and numerous evidence‐based prac􀆟􉽣ces and interven􀆟􉽯ons" (Au􀆟􉽳sm Internet Modules, 2013). h􀆩􊥰p://au􀆟􉽳sminternetmodules.org/ Au􀆟􉽳sm Speaks Transi􀆟􉽯on Tool Kit Professionals can download a free transi􀆟􉽯on tool kit designed from h􀆩􊥰p://www.au􀆟􉽳smspeaks.org/family‐services/tool‐kits/transi􀆟􉽯on‐tool‐kit. Student's parents or family members can also download or order a free Transi􀆟􉽯on Tool Kit from the Au􀆟􉽳sm Speaks website as well for use during IEP planning. Au􀆟􉽳sm Society Transi􀆟􉽯ons General informa􀆟􉽯on and 􀆟􉽰ps from the Au􀆟􉽳sm Society website, h􀆩􊥰p:// www.au􀆟􉽳sm‐society.org/living‐with‐au􀆟􉽳sm/lifespan/transi􀆟􉽯ons.html, about how transi􀆟􉽯ons affect individuals with au􀆟􉽳sm or au􀆟􉽳sm spectrum disorders (ASD). 2013 Funding for this publica􀆟􉽯on is provided by the Oklahoma State Department of Educa􀆟􉽯on through the Teacher Registry Training contract using Individuals with Disabili􀆟􉽥es Educa􀆟􉽯on Act (IDEA) federal funds.


When you can't hear…death comes silently.
Scotland Yard detective Valerie Crowther is assigned to investigate the murder of a student at a university for the Deaf in London, England. The murder investigation coincides with a deadly flu virus outbreak, resulting in the university being quarantined from the outside world.
When more Deaf students are murdered, it becomes clear there is a serial killer operating within the sealed-off university. A chilling cat-and-mouse game evolves as the unknown killer targets Valerie and the virus claims more lives.
A stunning, claustrophobic, "whodunit" murder mystery, Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) is the eighth novel by father-and-son writing team Lance & James Morcan. Included is a commentary by Deaf filmmaker Brent Macpherson on the unique aspects of Deaf culture the story covers. Together, the Morcans and Macpherson are currently developing a feature film adaptation of Silent Fear.
Thanks to Lance and James I have an awesome giveaway for you all today but this one is rather different than normal. We have one paperback copy that will have a winner chose a random (thank you Rafflecopter!) and I have ecopies for anyone who is interested in an e-ARC.
Or in this case, Meet the Authors!
New Zealand novelist, screenwriter and film producer Lance Morcan is a prolific writer with various published books and released movies to his credit.
Lance's novels include the top rating historical adventures INTO THE AMERICAS and WHITE SPIRIT (both based on true stories); the international thriller series THE ORPHAN TRILOGY (The Ninth Orphan / The Orphan Factory / The Orphan Uprising) and the historical adventure series THE WORLD DUOLOGY (World Odyssey / Fiji: A Novel).
These novels were co-written with his son James Morcan and published by Sterling Gate Books.
Their next book, SILENT FEAR (A novel inspired by true crimes), is scheduled for release in the final Quarter of 2017.
Morcan Motion Pictures (their production company) is developing SILENT FEAR and several other Morcan novels into feature films.
The Morcans' first non-fiction title, THE ORPHAN CONSPIRACIES, was followed by THE UNDERGROUND KNOWLEDGE SERIES of books, which include GENIUS INTELLIGENCE, ANTIGRAVITY PROPULSION, MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX, THE CATCHER IN THE RYE ENIGMA and INTERNATIONAL BANKSTER$.
They also co-authored DEBUNKING HOLOCAUST DENIAL THEORIES – a book they felt compelled to write to draw attention to the alarming global rise of anti-Semitism.
To date, 24 foreign rights agreements have been secured for the translation of their books into Arabic, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Afrikaans, Norwegian and Dutch with more contracts pending. These are available across a wide number of book retailers internationally including Amazon, iBooks (Apple), Google Play, Kobo, Nook, Scribd, Nook, Overdrive, Chegg, 3M, axis360 (Baker & Taylor) & Follett.
A former journalist and newspaper editor, Lance divides his time these days between novel writing, film producing and screenwriting. Numerous screenplays he has written are in active development as movies and as a producer his feature films have screened at cinemas in Australia, Italy and Cannes.
Lance is currently perfecting his solo-written NEW ZEALAND – an epic adventure novel covering 500 years of South Pacific and Polynesian history. Including research, writing (and life's distractions!), this novel has been over a decade in the making.
New Zealand-born actor/writer/producer James Morcan resides in Sydney, Australia. His books include the international thriller series THE ORPHAN TRILOGY (The Ninth Orphan / The Orphan Factory / The Orphan Uprising) and the historical adventure series THE WORLD DUOLOGY (World Odyssey / Fiji: A Novel) and the controversial non-fiction UNDERGROUND KNOWLEDGE SERIES (Genius Intelligence / Antigravity Propulsion etc). These books were all co-written with his father Lance Morcan and published by Sterling Gate Books. Their production company, Morcan Motion Pictures, is developing The Ninth Orphan and Fiji into feature films.
James' most recent acting performance was a leading role in the post-Apocalyptic feature film 'After Armageddon' which he also wrote. The dystopian adventure film was shot in rural Australia in early 2015 and Morcan co-starred with Berynn Schwerdt ('Wyrmwood').
Other recent leading roles include the OZ-Bollywood productions 'My Cornerstone' and 'Love You Krishna'. Morcan also wrote the screenplays for both features which were filmed in Sydney and Mumbai and incorporated English and Hindi languages.
Additional productions he has perfromed in include a BBC TV series, several indie features and a live stadium production of Ben Hur headlined by Academy Award winner Russell Crowe. To date, his feature films have screened at cinemas in New Zealand, India, Australia, Italy and Cannes.


We've been talking about Powder Hunters (name not confirmed!) for a while and next year, 2020, we are officially going for it. We are organising several ski breaks in our top chalet. Andy and Millie will be hosting and offering an unrivalled 3 Valleys experience.
All our weeks are in our very own selected ski in and ski out chalet, with a full complement of staff, fully catered breakfast, afternoon tea and evening meal as well as a team of instructors and guides. We will also have our fitness and yoga team on site to help with some stretching winding down or if you need warming up!
An early January four day weekend and a late January week mainly aimed at a couples and solo travellers or skiiers who really want to progress.
Two family friendly February half term weeks, we totally understand the constraints of school holidays, these weeks are designed to have everything under one roof, you just book your flight and we will do the rest. We often found that just half a family want to come, the last couple of year we hosted lots off Dads and one of their kids or Mums and one of their kids, no problem if the whole family doesn't want to ski we can cater for half the team.
An all levels week in March, the idea is to grab some time off work and get out the Alps and have some fun. This week will be for everyone from Families to solo travellers.
These weeks are run by Andy and Millie, who have many years skiing in the 3 valleys, there is not much they don't know about the place, Millie has skiied every inch and Andy certainly knows where the best restaurants are.
For more information on our ski retreats click here to register your interest and we will send out more information.


The heart of the EDUCATOR Plus® is the PASS Educational Template Library CD. This collection is produced by Tonas Graphics exclusively for the EDUCATOR Plus® and includes 500 pre-designed templates designed specifically for schools. The EDUCATOR Plus® has unsurpassed versatility for schools with templates organized across 8 core school applications libraries. PASS templates actually turn the EDUCATOR Plus® into a Poster Maker, Banner Printer, Awards Maker, Cutout Maker, Sticker & Sign making, Fundraising Printer and more! Nobody else offers all of this from a single device!


Waterproof Sunscreen: Real or Fake News?
Scientists have discovered that excessive exposure to sunlight can have deleterious effects on your skin. If you're like most people, you know all too well the agony that comes with having a sunburn and real firsthand experience with the negative effects of sun overexposure. Fortunately, we have sunscreen to aid in protecting us. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of confusion surrounding the way sunscreens are labeled.
The title of this article is a prime example because there is no such thing as "waterproof" sunscreen.
How Is Water Resistance Determined?
The FDA has put forward specific procedures/protocols that companies must follow in order to label a sunscreen as "water resistant (40 minutes)" or "water resistant (80 minutes)." For example, the sun protective factor (SPF), which is a measure of how well sunscreens can protect from the sun's UVB sunburning rays, is determined after completing either 40 or 80 minutes of water immersion.
The set water immersion procedure is to be conducted in a whirlpool, indoor freshwater pool, and/or hot tub maintained at 23°C to 32°C. The FDA takes it as far as to also require the pool and air temperature as well as the relative humidity where the water immersion procedure is taking place.
Finally, apply the SPF standard and expose the test site to UV doses as designated by the FDA.
Why Should Water Testing of Sunscreens Matter?
Well, first off, there is nothing more powerful than being an informed consumer. Knowing what labels on products both mean and represent gives you the ability to choose the product most suited to your needs.
For example, in the procedure for sunscreen companies to test water resistance, the participants dry off out of the water without toweling. However, in everyday life, people tend to dry off with a towel every time they come out of the water. Subtle nuances like these are critical to catch so consumers can recognize that they may be scrubbing off their sunscreen each time they towel and thus need to constantly reapply after they get out of the water.
Secondly, there is no requirement that the water testing is done in chlorine or in beach conditions. So the testing is not as accurate if you are having fun with the waves washing over you at the beach or if you are splashing around in the neighborhood pool. In some cases, chlorine may even change how your sunscreens perform.
Furthermore, sunscreen companies are not actually required to confirm the legitimacy of "sweat resistant" claims. "Water resistant" means that you still need to reapply sunscreen after swimming or sweating. Reapplying sunscreens and understanding where the testing falls short is key enjoying the outdoors and reducing some of the negative effects of the sun's UV radiation when in the water.
D'Orazio J, Jarrett S, Amaro-Ortiz A, et al. UV radiation and the skin. Int J Mol Sci.2013;14(6):12222-12248; PMID: 23749111 Link to research.
Poh Agin P. Water resistance and extended wear sunscreens. Dermatol Clin.2006;24(1):75-79; PMID: 16311169 Link to research.
CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21.
Research CfDEa. Consumer Updates - Questions and Answers: FDA announces new requirements for over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreen products marketed in the U.S. [WebContent].
Research CfDEa. Understanding Over-the-Counter Medicines - Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun. [WebContent].


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Car News > All > Is driving now a cheaper way to commute?
Is driving now a cheaper way to commute?
The first week of January is not usually a happy occasion. The return to work after the festive joy of the Christmas period; the dark mornings and evenings, and the endless rain don't make for happy commuters at the best of times. But this January is a little more dreary than usual, as those travelling by train face price hikes averaging 4.2%.
The TUC has protested that the average train fare has risen nearly three times faster than the average income over the past few years, as many have faced pay freezes in light of the poor economic situation in Britain. However, this is the 10th year running that ticket prices have increased at a rate above inflation, making your average rail commuter much worse off than they were a decade ago. Leeds-Wakefield saw the biggest rise in prices, with a yearly season ticket now costing 6.16% more than it did in December 2012.
On the other hand, the 3p fuel duty rise that was scheduled to take place in January 2013 was scrapped by George Osborne due to potential political backlash. Fuel duty and VAT make up around two-thirds of fuel prices, which are already thought by most motorists to be too high. Since 1991, the UK's consumption of fuel has fallen by 20%, but the return on fuel duty has doubled. It was therefore a relief to many when the proposed fuel duty increase was axed after being postponed earlier in 2012.
With the consistent rise in train fares, it is now significantly cheaper for many to commute to work by car rather than by rail. The average price of commuting by rail is now £2,191 per year, making up around 8% of the median UK salary. The average fuel cost of driving to work, however, is significantly less at £1,441 per year. The cost is only part of the advantage of driving, but as the purse strings tighten after Christmas, it's definitely going to be an important factor for those travelling in to offices and workplaces across the country.
By Sarah Linguard