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Weekly Discussion Question
October 27, 2022 Julia McMahon 43 Comments
In the opening sections of Billion Dollar Fish there are some immediate similarities and differences to the northern cod story of Newfoundland. What strikes you as similar? What is different?
Share with us in a post of at least 250 words by 11:59 pm on the 26th. Join the conversation with at least 2 posts by 11:59 pm on the 27th as per usual.
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43 thoughts on "FTT Due November 1 by 11:59pm"
Elle Nelson says:
Some similarities I found between the openings of Billion Dollar Fish and the northern cod story of Newfoundland focused mainly on comparisons with the pollock fishery discussed in the novel: Both fisheries grew from obscurity to large, worldwide fisheries that developed with "explosive force" comparative to a gold rush, the activity within both fisheries led to exploitation and depletion, the primary stocks were whitefish, both fisheries built large ships, many within the fisheries sought great fortunes, there were numerous fights and contentious points regarding fisheries (political, economic, social, cultural aspects), both fisheries were largely Americanized over time, and there were cultural implications. Some differences I found were the lack of a pollock moratorium, discussion of cheating within fisheries, irregularities in the catching and reporting system of industrial fishing ships, and the issue of dredging the sea floor through the water column to catch shrimp (throwing back all other catch).
Further, I appreciate the insight into life on a Japanese commercial fishing ship. Cultural differences, communication faculties, and misunderstandings created a hostile environment. I want to learn if adequate safeguards exist for people working at sea. This can be an extremely isolated environment, meaning those on the boat need appropriate protection.
After the introduction, Bailey asks, "…is the wealth of the sea unlimited? This reminds me of northern cod stock as so abundant and fecund that the populations were inexhaustible. There are limits on the wealth of the sea. If you agree that there are limits on the wealth of the sea, what do you think these limits are?
Tony Blade says:
I also really enjoyed Bailey's sea stories; I can relate to the atmosphere that he talks about when you're out to sea for long stretches. Being out to sea for any period of time for some purpose can foster a really tight and close bond between a group, so much so that it can often become insular. The pressure to conform and not present yourself as an obstacle to the work that the fishers are there to do must be tremendous, and any explicit or implicit hostility could make that environment unbearable to the person left out.
Queenie Turner says:
Hey Elle,
You made some really good points about this and I think your thought on cultural differences is really important. I agree that cultural differences in a workplace have the opportunity or potential to make the environment uncomfortable, especially in a field like fishing and fisheries. I wonder if there are people to be on these ships to monitor what goes on. Going off your isolation note, I don't know how accurate this is, but I remember hearing that if you have a semicolon tattoo (it represents fighting with suicidal thoughts and wanting to end your life but choosing not to) that people are less likely to hire you for long trips or studies out on the water with the thought that you may become too isolated. But like I said, I don't know the accuracy of that.
Rio Barkhau says:
I can't speak for foreign ships, but I know for the fisheries I participate in every boat over 40 ft is required to have an observer or electronic monitoring system, but this is mostly for monitoring the catch. Other than that there really isn't any monitoring of what goes on when boats are fishing, besides the occasional ADF&G inspection. I would imagine that on 100+ foot ships there could be, but there isn't room for an extra person on the majority of the local boats, some of which are as small as 13 ft. To the point about isolation, I think the majority of crewmembers just learn to get along with each other since I haven't heard many (if any) stories of bad things happening while fishing.
In the very first paragraph of the book it becomes clear that there are many similarities between the northern cod story and the Alaskan pollock one. Both fisheries became massive sources of income at similar times, both were changed in a way in 1976 when the 200 nautical mile territorial waters law was passed, and both ended up getting overfished to the point of collapse. Another similarity is that both became large-scale, industrial fisheries, utilizing trawling and technologies developed during World War II, which made them both very productive and ultimately caused them to collapse. However, there are some differences. From what the book said it seemed like the pollock fishery did not really exist until 1950, whereas the northern cod fishery had existed in different forms for hundreds of years before it collapsed. Also, the pollock fishery still exists currently, it was just some of the major populations that collapsed instead of the entire fishery and is still (at the time the book was written) the largest fishery in the world, so it differs from the northern cod fishery in that way too. Another point of difference, at least between the stories as they were presented to us, is that the author of this book was involved in the pollock fishery well before the collapse, whereas both of the stories we were told about the cod fishery (the section of Four Fish and the presentation in class) were told by people who weren't directly involved with the cod fishery until after the collapse, so it is a different perspective. Both collapses seem to be the result of bad management decisions, although the pollock fishery mostly got away with it.
Hey Rio,
Do you think there are any other factors as to why the pollock fishery is still up and running other than that just some of the populations were fished to collapse? I agree that these fisheries' main reasons for collapsing were poor management and decisions.
Rio,
Your last sentence was interesting- both collapsed due to bad management, but "the pollock fishery mostly got away with it." I agree. Why do you think the pollock fishery got away with it and not northern cod?
Although the cod fishery came around before the pollock fishery, do you think the first settlers in Alaska (around 7000-8000 yrs ago) utilized this resource?
I appreciate that you pointed out the similarities between the causes of collapse for each fishery. The overlap of cause is something present-day fisheries should be taking into consideration.
I think one factor that could have led to the pollock fishery getting away with it was that the population was never so massive and present that it was a hazard to navigation like the cod were a long time ago, so there might not have been the illusion that the fish were infinite, but that's just an idea. To your second point, I think that, for the same reason, pollock were not harvested by the first settlers of Alaska, because people might not have known that they were there, and there were other fish that were much easier to see and catch, like salmon.
The comparisons between the pollock and northern cod fishery stories boil down, in my view, to a fundamental struggle between ecological science, economic opportunity, and political interest. The similarities lie in their huge rise in harvest rates post-WWII, when technology allowed for greater catch capability. The conflict between international stock exploitation and exclusionary "nationalization" of the fishery is also an element that appears to be important in the history of pollock and northern cod. Further, I think that Bailey makes a specific point to discuss how those responsible for management of the fishery may often be internally conflicted and contradictory, and that the considerations that have to be taken into account for how a fishery is managed often extends beyond the pure science of the matter.
I think that the main difference lies in their chronological span, where northern cod was a longstanding fishery in the Atlantic while pollock as a major fishery is far younger relatively. I think that might have an additional factor in making the management decisions for pollock, where commercial cod fishing was shown as being very much entwined into the cultural fabric of places like Newfoundland, pollock may not have as much of a sentimental element despite a similar story of rise-and-fall in harvest. That dynamic might influence how both stories are presented, where northern cod is often presented as a tragedy in fisheries and pollock is (aptly part of this book's title) an "untold story".
Kerra Witte says:
I love the way you phrased the closing sentence to your writing!
Maureen Blair says:
It is interesting that the research and science does not always appear to take top priority when it comes to crucial moves and decisions in fisheries management. I hadn't thought as much about the culture revolving around northern cod in comparison to Alaskan pollock. From what I understand from the readings, it seemed like the pollock fishery initially came into play due to a high demand for food purposes and it's roe.
I appreciate your acknowledgment that considerations, decisions, and management strategies within fisheries expand well beyond solely scientific matters.
You stated that the chronological difference between the pollock and cod fishery is an important aspect; as the pollock fishery ages, do you expect it to share more similarities with the trajectory of northern cod? Further, how do you think the cultural entwining of a fish into the fabric of societies'/a society affects the outcome and experience of a fishery?
I agree with your observations!
At the beginning of Billion Dollar Fish, the author discusses the Alaskan pollock fishery and there are some similarities between that fishery and the story of the northern cod of Newfoundland. A few similarities are both fisheries grew rapidly in size and source of income compared to a gold rush, activities in and around the fisheries eventually led to exploitation and insufficiency of resources, and the main fish of the fisheries were whitefish. Some additional similarities are in 1976 when the 200-mile territory law was passed causing the fisheries to be overfished and eventually collapsed, both used technologies that were developed during World War II, and both were large-scale industrial fisheries before they collapsed.
There are also some differences between the northern cod and the Alaskan pollock. Some differences include the lifespan of the fisheries, the northern cod was a longstanding and successful fishery from before the 1900s whereas the Alaskan pollock fishery was quite younger, starting around 1950. An important and big difference is that the pollock fishery still exists due to large populations of pollock collapsing rather than the whole fishery. As of when the book was written, the Alaskan pollock fishery is the largest fishery worldwide, another major difference from the northern cod. A few additional differences were record keeping of catch, cheating within the fishery, and the use of dredging the seafloor.
These two real-life stories of fisheries have quite a bit in common as well as some important differences. I hope that fisheries now and in the future can take what these fisheries failed at and learn from them. Not to be cliche or anything but, they can learn from previous mistakes.
It is apparent that northern cod and Alaskan pollock both display similar "boom and bust" characteristics, having both soared in abundance, appearing to be endless fisheries resources. In the case with northern cod though, we learned that the habits of overfishing led to the overexploitation and overnight collapse of the fishery, whereas with the more current Alaskan pollock fishery, we have not yet experienced the same dramatic depletion to the point of collapse. Biologists and scientific researchers providing managers with advice for these fisheries seems to have not been effective for the case of northern cod, but perhaps has had some influence on the Alaskan pollock fisheries, which has had multiple declining dips in population and ultimately resulted in significantly decreased quotas in an attempt to be conservative with the resource. Either way, overfishing seems to be an overarching theme in both the northern cod and Alaskan pollock histories.
A major difference between these two fisheries lies in the time frame surrounding northern cod and Alaskan pollock, with northern cod having emerged significantly earlier on than pollock, and pollock standing as a viable fishery today. Entangled in both fisheries is a long history of opposing opinions when determining whether the harvest of the sea is inexhaustible. As time has passed and new technologies in the fishing industry have been utilized with both cod and pollock, we have more understanding of fisheries as a limited resource. The introduction of trawlers post-war revolutionized the fishing industry and aided fisheries scientists and researchers in understanding these limitations.
Lucy White says:
Maureen,
I liked the point you made about the improvement of both the technology and knowledge surrounding fisheries improving over time, which chronologically would place the cod and pollock fisheries at different levels due to their differing times of emergence. Considering how much has changed between the outset of these two fisheries, one could only imagine where the industry is heading in the next century or so.
Julia White says:
I first noticed some similarities when Polluck was being introduced as a "catch all" type of fish. It seemed like it was being used as a substitute and easy solution to a lot of different issues due to its abundance. Cod was also used as a way to solve issues and create market space due to its abundance. Pollock are also predators for lower trophic fish. I remember learning about how cod are predators for lower tropic fish. This was especially apparent when the shrimp populations boomed when the cod populations were depleted. It's also interesting that Alaskan pollock and Atlantic cod are genetically similar! One of the quotes that stood out to me was "Alaska pollock is the shy little sister of the cod fish." Another similarity between cod and pollock is the severe depletion of populations due to overfishing.
I also had no idea that Polluck was so popular. It's really interesting to think about how many times I have probably eaten Polluck and never knew that I was consuming it. I assumed I hadn't ever had it before, but after reading this, it is clear that I definitely have. In the past, when I have eaten cod, I have always been aware of what I was eating. That seems to be one difference I have noticed between cod and pollock.
Another difference I noticed was the variety of products that pollock are harvested for. Polluck eggs are valuable in Asia, and the only part of it that is not used in some way is the skin.
Jocelyn Curry says:
Julia,
I also had no idea that pollock was so popular and used for so many other things besides food. Growing up in Alaska most of the fish I eat are fish I've caught, so it makes me wonder if I have eaten pollock at restaurants and just not have known.
Tj Ohlinger says:
While I think there are some similarities between the opening of the book and the Newfoundland Cod fishery there's quite a few differences too. Both of these stories are quite intriguing however as it shows the decline of fisheries and this can be a common thing of fisheries crashing and coming back.
Some similarities I saw were all these fisheries whether it be the freshwater ponds and canals or the ocean where these fisheries died off due to overfishing or other elements such as a bad winter. In both cases we saw the first hand experiences of these fisheries dying off and what happened to the environment and economy around them. Both of these fisheries suffered and caused life around these fisheries to suffer.
One major difference is that for the book it was the whole fishery with multiple species being affected while it was just the cod that crashed. For Greenberg his home fishery crashed where he knew when what species would be around during specific times of the year. While for Newfoundland this was just the cod that crashed, however, this probably caused other species to profit off of the lack of competition for food. Another example is that the beginning of Greenberg's story is about freshwater versus the saltwater fishery.
While both of these cases were depressing and affected a lot of peoples day to day lives and their income. These cases also can be an important thing for these fisheries as this is normal in the animal kingdom of spikes and droughts of species. This kind of thing happens constantly and these fisheries hopefully came back stronger than before and the new regulations will protect them in the future.
Tj,
I appreciate you bringing up how failed fisheries can also negatively impact the environments surrounding them, as I had mainly fixated on the human side of the topic and how only people were affected when reading. It is always important to consider all aspects of fisheries, which would include the environment these fisheries harvest from.
Lillian Nelson says:
Kevin Bailey mentions in his book, "Billion Dollar Fish," that pollock apparently evolved from Atlantic cod which would be the first immediate similarity that stuck out to me. This means that they likely have similar builds, meat types,they might even fill similar environmental niches you could then use similar fishing techniques to capture them. They also seem to have parallel story arcs when it comes to the exploitation of the fisheries, although the pollock fishery of Alaska is hopefully not quite at the same irreversible point that the cod fishery of the Grand Banks off of Newfoundland. The similarities of their fisheries management arcs begin with the typical misconception of the species being inexhaustible resources. They then progress to fill food needs locally followed by the eventual globalization of the fish as a food resource. Both fisheries seem to have been exploited by the international fishing community, as well as by local state/ provincial populations. The two fisheries are a couple of decades staggered in their exploitation (or are they/ comparably harvested percentage biomass?), so while the cod populations of the Grand Banks have declined past the point of return and the ecosystem is being forced to find a new equilibrium, it seems like there may still be some hope for the pollock populations in the arctic.
The biggest difference that stood out to me is the hope that there might be a chance to maintain a more sustainable population of pollock? I'm not sure if that is possible, but at least there has not yet had to be a moratorium placed on them, although I do hope it never has to get to that point.
Pollock and cod definitely seem to have many characteristic similarities to them, as you have pointed out. I think I recall reading how pollock are a schooling species, existing in large groups off the ocean floor. This similar to what I was remembering from the northern cod species, and I would think your mentioning of similar fishing techniques being used to harvest both species would be accurate! It sounded as though the two species were also similar in their ecological roles, as predators of lower trophic levels. If pollock were to collapse as northern cod did, it seems we would surely see increases in some of those lower trophic level species.
I definitely didn't catch on to the genetic relationship between cod and pollock. I thought maybe it was coincidental that they faced similar surges in catch abundance and decline, but maybe you're on to something in that their closer-than-thought genetic relationship might influence how they behave, and by extension, how they have been caught.
Amanda Frantz says:
Both are schooling whitefish, but I didn't think about their genetic connection. This paper (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/034926v1) writes that what's known today as walleye pollock is actually a hybrid of Arctic cod and Atlantic cod, which I thought was a funny coincidence.
Jaden Andrew says:
Howdy Lillian,
The international fishing community and the local/state provincial populations sure did have a role in the exploitation. I am glad you mentioned the genetic builds between the two species and how you could catch the fish with similar fishing techniques.
Both the Newfoundland cod and Alaska pollock stocks were initially untouched by Big Fishing, harvested substantially only by niche groups or residents. However, their versatility (although I've read pollock has a milder flavor, cod is easily preserved) and biomass were soon enough taken advantage of by capitalist forces, inspiring a fervor of fishing and triggering waves of americanization, including massive, smoke-heaving ships, boosted by post-war programs meant to bolster the burgeoning fishing industry and it's employees, and also commercial panic. (Sister fishes, indeed!) Pollock were almost unusually available and versatile: a lack of consensus between the political, economical, and ecological interests of fishery managers and the forces acting upon them resulted in uneasiness with their management and dispute over how they fit into both cultural and financial workings. Pollock has now declined, and is under stricter management – however, no moratorium has been enacted, pollock is still fished in international waters (albeit under quotas and is barred to new fishers). Their downfall doesn't have ties to one particular country, but rather an ecosystem. I have the feeling that pollack is just a few strides behind her older sister, as the youngest is always apt to be, but maybe that's a good thing – perhaps the current state of cod can help control the fate of pollock. Because they came later, the fishery swam into the (slightly desperate) hands of more-seasoned managers, who'd witnessed the catastrophe brought about by collapsed fish stocks and it's dire consequences that ripple throughout all levels of societies.
Taryn Aho says:
I liked the optimism you had at the end of your post. I agree that the loss of the pollock fishery would be detrimental, I would argue that it would have greater ecological impacts than the loss of northern cod. But I liked how you pointed out that pollock have more well seasoned managers, who will hopefully have learned from the loss of northern cod.
In the opening paragraph of Billion Dollar Fish there were some similarities to the cod story of Newfoundland. They described fishermen coming to the arctic seas as a "gold rush." Both fisheries grew at an alarming rate and fish became in high demand, they were also fished by large scale fisheries. With these fisheries we can see a boom and bust cycle, because the stock couldn't keep up with the constant high demand. One of the main differences between the two is the time they occurred at and the fact that the pollock fishery has not completely collapsed. Which could be tied to the timing of the fisheries. There is new technology present and it could be related to why only some stocks of pollock have collapsed, but not all of them. There also seems to be more of an abundance of pollock because it was described as "world's largest food fishery," while the Newfoundland stock was only focused in that area. We also saw how it affected people's way of life when the moratorium was put into place, because it was focused in Newfoundland.
Moving forward with the pollock, I hope that we can look at mistakes of the past and not repeat them. I feel like there is more progress with newer fisheries and trying to make sustainability top priority. One thing that was surprising about pollock fisheries management was that the National Marine Fisheries Service has the final say in pollock harvest. It also has "never allowed the harvest quota to exceed the recommended level set by scientists." Which is not common in all fisheries, so it was interesting to see that they do this for pollock.
Gwendolyn Bunch says:
Jocelyn,
I agree! I think it's very critical to look at past mistakes and attempt to not make the same mistakes in the present/future. Comparing the cod to the pollock is a great way to prevent a very huge mistake. And I agree with you that there are some good steps in place to preserve a sustainable fishery.
I agree with your statement that hopefully we can learn from past mistakes and make sustainability top priority. I am also hoping that, since we know more about fish and their habits, we can not severely deplete the pollock population in the way that we did with cod. I definitely think there is hope!
I agree with a lot of the points you brought up. Northern cod and Alaskan pollock seem to be very similar at the moment, and I agree that if we are not able to look at the mistakes of the past and learn from them pollock could be another lost fishery.
The intro to Billion-Dollar Fish provides exposition regarding the Alaskan pollock industry, its status and potential future forming a few notable parallels between itself and the North Atlantic cod fishery. For one, both of these fish are/were Ubiquitous in the economies they were involved with, with Pollock comprising around 40% of the U.S. catch at the time the book was written, and its fishery bringing in around $1 billion annually. Also like Cod, the catch for pollock has gone down in recent years, albeit not as drastically. This decrease in catch doesn't really have an agreed-upon cause, with the idea of overfishing within the fishery being a heavily debated topic. This confusion at the management level could also be considered a similarity between the two fisheries, as a disagreement regarding the maximum total catch in the nineties is what ended up doing Cod in. A major difference between the two would be their age, with the Atlantic Cod fishery being far older than that of Pollock. Due to its age, Cod had to contend with the cultural pressure that had grown to surround it, which was a contributor its collapse. Pollock, on the other hand, is much younger, and lacks some of this aforementioned pressure, which has made its management a little easier to deal with in that sense. The Pollock fishery's current youth also means that less resources have had to go into renovations of its practices and management in comparison to older fisheries like that of Cod. While I think looking at case studies such as the Atlantic cod fishery is an important step in assuring that fisheries going forward become less prone to mistakes made in the past, I also believe it is important to understand that there are several factors that make any given fishery unique, and these factors will also need to be put into consideration whenever talking about what a fishery's next steps should be.
Lucy,
I agree! You made a great point in saying that all fisheries are unique and shouldn't always be so closely compared. That was a great point to throw out there. In your opinion what should the "next step" be for the pollock fishery? What makes the pollock fishery unique?
Howdy Lucy,
I wanted to respond to your thought about the pollock fishery being a contextually younger fishery, because while it may be younger another difference would be that it is not yet considered overfished. Do you think that without pressure/ management change now, there may be that impending overexploitation of the pollock fishery, but it will be just a little too long after the collapse of cod (I guess another unfortunate death of a species due to shifting baselines)?
The foreboding and foreshadowing tale tells signs of something coming is the feeling I get. I know how the Northern cod played out and I can kinda tell from the first few paragraphs/chapters that Bailey hints at something not right in the pollock fishery. He titled one of his paragraphs Are Pollock Overfished and if you have to ask the question I would guess yes. You can see in the prologue that other nations rely on Pollock as they did northern cod, and they definitely reaped the reward a little too much (Bailey's observer story with the Japanese mothership). And the same thing is seen once the Law of the Sea was put in place. America began to capitalize off the Pollock industry as did the Canadians with the cod. Now what I think is different was I got the feeling that the Pollock are still doing okay whereas the cod were already in such a bad shape that there was no hope for return.
From what I've read online, fishing industries operating out of Japan also handle catch quotas for tuna poorly. (One chef bought a tuna weighing in at 608 pounds for 1.8 million USD. ) Whales, too, are an especially sensitive subject. Take it with a grain of salt, though.
This was my first time hearing about pollock. I didn't even really know it existed, but man was this interesting! Obviously, the rises and falls of fish and the industries around their management are similar between the two books, but a very outright difference is the fact that the styles of language in each writer's writing is so personally unique to each person.
The similarities I saw about the opening pages and the Newfoundland northern cod story are the Alaska pollock fishery outstripping the supply, if I remember correctly the Newfoundland northern cod decline was due to the cold temperatures in Canada as well as overfishing. "The current demand for Alaska pollock outstrips the supply. Pollock is the most lucrative marine fish harvest in American waters and compromises about 40% of the US catch. (13) Another similarity I noticed was the catch of the pollock and the Newfoundland northern cod had good years of harvest and some bad years of harvest. Figure 1.1 on page 13 shows that the Alaskan pollock fishery had a dramatic rise in the early 1970s, and then the collapse happened in 1972 due to preys in the ocean, and climate "regime" shifts that are sometimes associated with changes in the ecosystem(13) . On lecture slide 29 it shows the same pattern, good years and bad years with the collapse due to the temperatures. One last similarity I noticed was the fact that these two fishery's were really big, the one in the book says that it still remains the world's largest human food fishery (13). Then in Newfoundland the cod is basically the fish, I liked how he compared it to the Bristol Bay fishery.
The difference about the Northern cod fishery and the pollock fishery is that the pollock fishery started in 1950 (according to the figure 1.1) and the Northern cod fishery started in the early 1500s. So the pollock fishery is a younger fishery that is growing and the Northern cod fishery is fairly old.
Howdy Jaden,
I appreciated that one of the differences between the fisheries you mentioned was that the cod fishery decline also had to do with an initial population decline due to ocean cooling . I wonder if pollock were impacted by the same "mini-ice age" but were able to bounce back as they were not yet being exploited as heavily.
I like how you included that the changes in ecosystems can also cause the stock to decline. I wonder if we were to look at other species of fish in the fishing industry if we would see a similar trend in those species as well.
I think it's important to point out that the pollock fishery is a lot younger than the cod fishery. Hopefully we can catch the overfishing before it's too late. It will be interesting to learn about how fishermen and members of the pollock fisheries cope with restrictions on fishing.
The similarities between the northern cod stock and the Alaskan pollock stock are numerous, and I think that these similarities exemplify that if caution is not taken with the Alaskan pollock the fishery has the potential to end up exactly like that of the northern cod. These similarities are the contention over whether these stocks were/are being overfished and are declining as a result of this, or are declining as a result of climate changes. There also have been large declines and increases in the fish stocks. It also is contentious as to if the fisheries are/were being overfished at all. Along with this the size of these fisheries is another similarity, both were very large fisheries that were crucial to the local economy. There also are a few key differences between these two fisheries. The first being the history, northern cod had a very long history in Newfoundland, with the fishing of this fishery going back to the time of Vikings. In comparison the Alaskan pollock fishery is very young, starting in the 1950s. Another difference between these two is the management. It was stated that the Alaskan pollock fishery is completely privatized, while there was no mention of this with the northern cod fishery.
Howdy Taryn,
You're right on the part about the Alaska pollock fishery having the potential to end up exactly like the Newfoundland northern cod fishery. It is interesting to see how the graphs fluctuate in these two fishery's throughout the years. I didn't get to reading about the management about the Newfoundland northern cod fishery and the Alaska pollock fishery so thanks for putting that out there. I am in the same boat as you about the fisheries being overfished at all, I couldn't really find anything about the fisheries being overfished.


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It's hard to compete with Halloween when it comes to candy, but every year, Easter gives October 31 a run for its money.
But how did this happen? How is it that Easter – which began as a religious celebration of new life and rebirth – become a reliable source of revenue for candy makers?
It's time for one of our candy-related history lessons. Let's look at the connection between Easter and Easter candy.
This entry was posted in Candy History, easter and tagged Bucks County chocolate molds, easter candy on March 21, 2019 by stuadmin.


A while back, Philips made the claim that they could develop a display technology that was flexible like paper. Looks like they've already come up with a cool prototype. This could really change the way some consumer products are made and how interfaces of the future are designed. Imagine if you could take a website with you and expand the viewable area to whatever you like?


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TADS Constitution
People Memories
Tadley at War
Historic TADS Activities
VE Day – 8 May 2020
Lost Medieval Village of Tadley
Major George Roller's grave
Project News 2002-2010
Offline data – Births, Deaths and Marriages
Weather 1981-2010
History Online
Tadley during the '60s and '70s
A selection of photographs (with comments) taken in the 1960s and 1970s by Barry Howard.
Go to Tadley during the '60s and '70s.
David Rose's photographs
David was born in Tadley in 1937 and his grandparents were Kimbers and Wests. He has a lot of family photographs from Tadley and of which a selection are reproduced here. His mother played piano for Tadley Band and has named most of the musicians in the Tadley Band photos he has. My uncle was Ernie Kimber.
Go to David Rose's photographs.
Jimmy Thatcher – local photographer
The photographs displayed here were taken by photographer James 'Jimmy' Thatcher (1851- 1941) who lived the latter part of his life in New Road, Tadley. Assisted by one of his daughters, Amelia, he toured the lanes with his tripod strapped to the crossbar and the camera on the carrier of his bicycle capturing daily life in and around Tadley.
Go to Jimmy Thatcher's photographs.
Photographs from TADS events, trips, outings etc.
Go to Historic TADS activities
Photos of Tadley
This was a sister website that had over 600 photos of Tadley from the early 1900s through to the present day underwent a review in Autumn 2014 and unfortunately, became unavailable to the public. TADS is in the process of reconstructing the contents of site at the present time. We are always on the look out for new photos to add to the collection. Even photographs that are five years old would get displayed, as it is amazing how quickly the area changes.
Go to Photos of Tadley
Poisons for Medicine Recent History talk
TADS 2021 Calendar
USAAF dedication to the people of Tadley
Tadley and the Parliament Fart
Tadley folklore – Did Tarzan ever visit Tadley?
Jane Austen and the Military – Recent Online Talk
"Putting Tadley on the map: from Gough to Google." By John Leighfield
Medieval Tadley Ring
The Roman Portway
Does anybody remember the "1944 Air-Crash" in Tadley?

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text:
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Photo illustration, contains element of Ai Weiwei's "Study of Perspective – Tiananmen", 1995-2010
China Decides Who May Love Berlin
Published on Feb 25, 2019 6:57PM EST ARGUMENTS Primary category in which blog post is published
JiaJing Liu	@JiaJing_Liu
On February 8, the film Berlin, I Love You made its world premiere, as the newest installment of the Cities of Love franchise, which collects short segments from individual filmmakers into a single work. A week later, Ai Weiwei—the artist, documentary filmmaker, human-rights activist, and one of the thorniest thorns in China's side—announced on his Instagram account that he had just learned that his own contribution to the project had been cut before its theatrical release.
In a statement titled "A New State of Mind" on his instagram account, Ai wrote that he had been asked to contribute a piece to the film in 2015 and had done so. "It was infuriating to find our involvement had been erased, especially since we had not received any prior notice from the production team," he wrote.
The reason he was given for the removal, he said, was that his "political status had made it difficult for the production team to secure further funding."
In the context of the China news cycle, which is currently dominated by Huawei, the incarceration of one million ethnic Uyghurs in reeducation camps in Xinjiang, and the trade war, a story about Ai Weiwei being censored was affirming in its familiarity. Ai clashing with the Chinese government wasn't news, but a restatement of a fact of life in the 21st century.
In less than two decades, the turn-of-the-century Western prediction that economic growth and globalization would necessarily bring liberalization to China has stalled out and has now begun running in reverse. Ai's chosen themes, or provocations, have made his life and career into a frontier on which cosmopolitan ideals are visibly tested against the realities of power and capital.
As he wrote in his statement:
Cultural institutions, including major film festivals and museums, often rely on the sponsorship of corporate partners. In the past few years, a phenomenon has afflicted cultural entities in the West, both public and private. In Germany, exhibitions associated with me have seen withdrawal of financial support from corporate partners, including multinational banks and automotive conglomerates with deeply rooted business interests in China.
Having openly criticized China and been punished for it, Ai was acutely aware of the liabilities he carried by participating in projects. With regard to Berlin, I Love You, Ai noted that his involvement had initially been used as advertisement for the project, only for his work to be left out of the final product because it was seen as a financial liability.
Two of the film's producers, Claus Clausen and Edda Reiser, told the Los Angeles Times that the pressure to exclude Ai's segment came from "many, many sides":
"We underestimated the power of China," Reiser said. "We were disappointed by the lack of support in the free world."
Interviewed by The Art Newspaper, Clausen provided more context:
"We would not have gotten distribution in China and some other territories," he says. "We got so much pressure. I am still not sure if this was Chinese political influence or just fear of it."
"We wanted to make sure that the other contributors had a chance to show their movies," Clausen adds. "We had a responsibility to the actors. I couldn't sleep for a very long time. I could still cry. I kept trying until the last moment. I tried my best, and we failed."
In Clausen's telling, it came down to the wire, an impossible choice between Ai's segment, which Clausen co-directed, or the film itself. But though Ai only found out this month that his segment had been cut, the producers had been omitting his participation in the project as far back as September 2017.
In announcements made during the Toronto International Film Festival, which touted the casting of A-list stars including Helen Mirren and Keira Knightley, Ai's name was nowhere to be found. Ai was again missing from reports from May 2018, when the film's North American rights sold to Saban Films, after it was shown to buyers during that year's Berlin International Film Festival. A version of the trailer that was first published in July 2018 didn't mention Ai at all. When the film was finally released on February 8, any participation by Ai had long been abandoned.
Emmanuel Benbihy, the creator of Cities of Love and executive producer of the film franchise gave Variety an account that contradicted Clausen and Reiser's:
"The assignment that is given to each director is to tell an encounter of love taking place today in a specific neighborhood of a city (Berlin here). It's a work to spread love 'in' and 'for' Berlin, and a global social enterprise based on doing good for cities and for urban citizens," Benbihy told Variety. "Ai Weiwei's segment did not comply with that assignment at all."
Benbihy went on: "[Ai] seems to be stuck in that prolific journalistic and public narrative that sustains fears and clichés about China. But there's no love here, just a man with a single agenda: himself, at the expense of everyone and everything else."
Just what was Ai Weiwei's segment that had failed to spread love for Berlin? Turned out it was a melancholic story about a young boy, played by Ai's son, Ai Lao, who was learning to navigate life in Berlin away from his father. Ai wrote the screenplay with his partner, Wang Fen, Ai Lao's mother. They drew inspiration from their own predicament at the time, with Ai Weiwei living in Beijing under "soft detention" by the Chinese government—under constant surveillance, after having been imprisoned in hard detention for 81 days—while Wang and Ai Lao had fled to the safety of Berlin. It is difficult to imagine a more ardent declaration of love for a city than entrusting one's family to it, to be comforted and cared for by strangers.
And with that simple question, Benbihy's pretension to a private narrative devoid of "fears and clichés about China" unravels. A curious person might want to know why Ai was under soft detention. Because he had begun a citizen's investigative effort to document the names, dates of birth, and schools of children who died in the Sichuan earthquake in 2008. How many kids died? The official count is 5,335, but the actual figure could be higher. How did they die? Corrupt officials had siphoned money away from school construction funds, which led to poorly built schoolhouses that collapsed during the earthquake while nearby buildings remained intact. Why was this tolerated? Has anything changed?
Ai can only be accused of having a "single agenda" inasmuch as these parochial questions of life under unaccountable authority have branched out to implicate the entire world in which he lives and works. The globalized funding structure for cultural production—a "joint venture between dictatorial and democratic societies," as Ai put it—has led to an era in which a French filmmaker has learned to speak the stock language of Chinese officials, accusing a dissident of self-aggrandizement and journalists of failing to tell the truth about the regime.
The web of interests, from talent agencies to distributors to film financing firms to production companies, work to shield each other from liability, rather than to hold anyone accountable for moral failures. China did not invent this system, but it has learned to operate within it, until the rest of the world sees what China wants it to see.
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ART AND MORALITY
BERLIN I LOVE YOU
CULTURAL WAR
POETRY Primary category in which blog post is published
Alex Balk
Published on Jul 18, 2019 11:59PM EDT
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The Superhero Industry Hates Children
Tom Scocca
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Bill McKay is a candidate for the U.S. Senate from California. He has no hope of winning, so he is willing to tweak the establishment.
Man of the Year (2006)
The irreverent host of a political satire talk show decides to run for president. But his stunt to expose Washington corruption goes further than he expects when he actually wins the election. Meanwhile, a software engineer suspects that a computer glitch is responsible for his surprising victory … but will she speak up?
Blue State (2007)
BLUE STATE is a romantic comedy about a disgruntled Democrat who actually follows through on a drunken campaign promise to move to Canada if George "Dubya" Bush gets re-elected.
Wag the Dog (1997)
During the final weeks of a presidential race, the President is accused of sexual misconduct. To distract the public until the election, the President's adviser hires a Hollywood producer to help him stage a fake war.
Bulworth (1998)
A suicidally disillusioned liberal politician puts a contract out on himself and takes the opportunity to be bluntly honest with his voters by affecting the rhythms and speech of hip-hop music and culture.
The Trial of Tony Blair (2007)
Biting political satire starring Robert Lindsay as a beleaguered Tony Blair, who stubbornly refuses to see the danger he faces from a Special Tribunal on Iraq that has been set up to investigate war crimes
C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America (2004)
Through the eyes of a British "documentary", this film takes a satirically humorous, and sometimes frightening, look at the history of an America where the South won the Civil War.
Children of the Revolution (1996)
A man (Richard Roxburgh) the Australian government blames for 1990s political woes blames his mother (Judy Davis), a communist Stalin seduced in 1951.
Tapeheads (1988)
The story of Ivan and Josh, two dim witted ex-security guards who love music videos. Out of work, with no job prospects, they form a music video production company. They soon learn the in's and out's of the business in LA and with some help from Mo Fuzz, they soon become hot property. But not all goes smoothly when they try to resurrect the career of their favorite R&B duo, the Swanky Modes.
Summer Heat (2008)
14 months after loosing his partner while making a UNICEF documentary in Afghanistan, Dutch photographer Bob Griffioen's benefactor Federico Federici has landed him a National Geographic assignment on the Wadden island Texel. Shooting wildlife there, Bob meets hedonistic waitress-student Kathleen, who practices nudism on the beach. Alas, her boss and sugar-daddy 'the Mummy' is involved in major drug trade. Both lovers are soon dragged into it, without knowing if they even can trust each-other.
Cold Weather (2010)
A guy who moves back to Portland, Oregon becomes involved in the mystery of his ex-girlfriend's disappearance.
Damn Yankees! (1958)
Film adaptation of the George Abbott Broadway musical about a Washington Senators fan who makes a pact with the Devil to help his baseball team win the league pennant.
Insignificance (1985)
Four 1950's cultural icons (Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio and Senator Joseph MacCarthy) who conceivably could have met and probably didn't, fictionally do in this modern fable of post-WWII America. Visually intriguing, the film has a fluid progression of flash-backs and flash-forwards centering on the fictional Einstein's current observations, childhood memories and apprehensions for the future.
Poster Boy (2004)
With the help of a hot, slightly older new acquaintance (Noseworthy), the closeted son (Newton) of a conservative U.S. Senator (Lerner) puts a shocking spin on his dad's re-election campaign.
Spinning Boris (2003)
Russian political elite hires American consultants to help with President Yeltsin's re-election campaign when his approval rating is down to single digits.
The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)
Bettie Page grew up in a conservative religious family in Tennessee and became a photo model sensation in 1950s New York. Bettie's legendary pin-up photos made her the target of a Senate investigation into pornography, and transformed her into an erotic icon who continues to enthrall fans to this day.
The First Amendment of Korea (2003)
Eun-bi, an orphaned girl who works as a prostitute, is moved to action when her prostitute friend is brutally gang raped and the police do nothing because her friend was a prostitute. Deciding to run for Korea's parliament, she runs into mob coercion and deception along with way. This movie is a funny but insightful satire of the corruption of Korean elections.
C'est Si Bon (2015)
In the late 1960s, C'est Si Bon is the music bar where every acoustic band's dream lies. There Geun-tae, a naïve country boy, meets the young musical prodigies Hyung-joo and Chang-sik, and forms the band named after it -- the C'est Si Bon Trio. As the three young artists bicker over their music, beautiful socialite Ja-young enters the picture and becomes their muse, and a series of moving love songs come from it. Geun-tae's pure-heartedness wins Ja-young over but when she accepts a once-in-lifetime opportunity for a shot at an acting career, they part ways. After 20 years, the untold story of their love, song, and youth at C'est Si Bon is finally brought to light.
The Best Man (1964)
The other party is in disarray. Five men vie for the party nomination for president. No one has a majority as the first ballot closes and the front-runners begin to decide how badly they want the job.
PEEPLI [Live] (2010)
Natha a poor farmer from Peepli village in the heart of rural India is about to lose his plot of land due to an unpaid bank loan. A quick fix to the problem is the a government program that aids the families of indebted farmers who have committed suicide. As a means of survival Farmer Natha can choose to die. His brother is happy to push him towards this unique 'honour' but Natha is reluctant. Local elections are around the corner and what might have been another unnoticed event turns into a 'cause celebre' with everyone wanting a piece of the action. Political bigwigs, high-ranking bureaucrats, local henchmen and the ever-zealous media descend upon sleepy Peepli to stake their claim. The question on everyone's lips - "Will he or Won't he?" As the mania escalates, nobody seems to care how Natha really feels.
God Help the Girl (2014)
Eve is a catastrophe—low on self-esteem but high on fantasy, especially when it comes to music. Over the course of one Glasgow summer, she meets two similarly rootless souls: posh Cass and fastidious James, and together they form a group.
Mary and Max (2009)
A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York. In the mid-1970's, a homely, friendless Australian girl of 8 picks a name out of a Manhattan phone book and writes to him; she includes a chocolate bar. She's Mary Dinkle, the only child of an alcoholic mother and a distracted father. He's Max Horowitz, living alone in New York, overweight, subject to anxiety attacks. He writes back, with chocolate. Thus begins a 20-year correspondence, interrupted by a stay in an asylum and a few misunderstandings. Mary falls in love with a neighbor, saves money to have a birthmark removed and deals with loss. Max has a friendship with a neighbor, tries to control his weight, and finally gets the dream job. Will the two ever meet face to face?
Our Brand Is Crisis (2015)
A feature film based on the documentary "Our Brand Is Crisis", which focuses on the use of American political campaign strategies in South America.
I'm Still Here is a portrayal of a tumultuous year in the life of actor Joaquin Phoenix. With remarkable access, the documentary follows the Oscar-nominee as he announces his retirement from a successful film career in the fall of 2008 and sets off to reinvent himself as a hip hop musician. The film is a portrait of an artist at a crossroads and explores notions of courage and creative reinvention, as well as the ramifications of a life spent in the public eye.
Pogoda na jutro (2003)
State of the Union (1948)
An industrialist is urged to run for President, but this requires uncomfortable compromises on both political and marital levels.
Cannes Man (1996)
Film producer Sy Lerner makes a bet with a fellow film executive that he can turn any nobody into a star at the Cannes Film Festival. A New York cab driver who is visiting the festival is chosen as the test subject to settle the bet and Sy uses his skills of hype and manipulation to try and turn the cab driver named Frank into the talk of the town. Many celebrities make cameos throughout the film.
Hard Core Logo (1996)
Bruce Macdonald follows punk bank Hard Core Logo on a harrowing last-gasp reunion tour throughout Western Canada. As magnetic lead-singer Joe Dick holds the whole magilla together through sheer force of will, all the tensions and pitfalls of life on the road come bubbling to the surface.
Take a Girl Like You (1970)
Young Jenny heads to the South of England to start a new career as a school teacher. Even before she has had a chance to settle in she meets Patrick, one of the local "lads". Within a short time she has her hands full when a number of the local boys take a liking to her. But who will be the lucky one who wins her affections?
Schoolgirl Report Part 4: What Drives Parents to Despair (1972)
A fake documentary about the sex lives of teenage girls.
Home Town Story (1951)
Blake Washburn blames manufacturer MacFarland for his defeat in the race for re-election to the state legislature. He takes over his uncle's newspaper to take on big business as an enemy of the people. Miss Martin works in the "Herald" newspaper office. When tragedy strikes, Blake must re-examine his views.
The Year of the Yahoo! (1972)
A country-western singer is recruited to run for the U.S. Senate, and soon clashes with his unscrupulous campaign manager on the tactics to run his political campaign.
When I Am Dead and Gone (1967)
The story about Jimmy the Dingy, a young vagabond who works as a seasonal worker. Having been sacked from the job, his dreams are to become a singer. As most of the things in the Balkans happen, he is destined to failure.
The White Sun of the Desert (1970)
The setting is the east shore of the Caspian Sea (today's Turkmenistan) where the Red Army soldier Fyodor Sukhov has been fighting the Civil War in Russian Asia for a number of years. After being hospitalised and then demobbed, he sets off home to join his wife, only to be caught up in a desert fight between a Red Army cavalry unit and Basmachi guerrillas. The cavalry unit commander, Rahimov, "convinces" Sukhov to help, temporarily, with the protection of abandoned women of the Basmachi guerrilla leader Abdullah's harem. Leaving a young Red Army soldier, Petrukha, to assist Sukhov with the task, Rahimov and his cavalry unit set out to pursue fleeing Abdullah.Sukhov and women from Abdullah's harem return to a nearby shore town. Soon, looking for a seaway across the border, Abdullah and his gang come to the same town...
To Die For (1995)
Susan wants to work in television and will therefore do anything it takes, even if it means killing her husband. A very dark comedy from independent director Gus Van Sant with a brilliant Nicole Kidman in the leading role.
As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe," who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby to impersonate "Doe." Ann and her bosses cynically milk the story for all it's worth, until the made-up "John Doe" philosophy starts a whole political movement.
BadPuss: A Popumentary ()
An Honest and hilarious look at the music industry through the eyes of an all girl rock band.
Cafe Tales (2003)
Cafe Tales is the story of five Israeli men and their efforts to save a local cafe from demolition.
Break Through! (2005)
Romeo, A.K.A. Kosuke Matsuyama (Shun Shioya), is a second-year high school student. A nice, normal, nonviolent type, he suddenly finds himself in the middle of a rampaging crowd of Korean boys, outraged by insults perpetrated by several of his idiotic class-mates on two Korean girls. He makes a narrow escape, but soon after, he and his best bud Yoshio (Keisuke Koide) are sent by their home-room teacher to invite the Korean students to a friendly soccer game as a way of restoring the peace.
Where the Buffalo Roam (1980)
Semi-biographical film based on the experiences of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.
Running Mates (2000)
A governor running for President gets revealed to be a serial philanderer.
Wonderful World (2009)
Ben Singer (Matthew Broderick) is a failed childrens folk singer, a career proofreader, a less-than-extraordinary weekend dad, and perhaps the most negative man alive. Floundering in all aspects of his life, Ben's only comfort comes from regular chess games and friendly debates on game theory with his Senegalese roommate Ibou (Michael Kenneth Williams). When Ibou is suddenly struck ill, Ben's pessimistic worldview seems unequivocally confirmed. It takes an extended visit from Ibou's sister Khadi (Sanaa Lathan) for Ben to realize that cynicism may be all a matter of perspective.
A water balloon suddenly dropping from the sky exploding on a mother's head in the frantic first moments of this striking debut feature, announces its director, Alonso Ruiz Palacios, as a bold new voice of Mexican cinema. Set amidst the 1999 student strikes in Mexico City, this coming-of-age tale finds two brothers venturing through the city in a sentimental search for an aging legendary musician. Shot in beautiful black-and-white, Gueros brims with youthful exuberance. In Spanish with subtitles.
Elvis Meets Nixon (1997)
A "mockumentary" about Elvis's real-life trip to the White House to become a federal marshal under the DEA
Jackie's Back! (1999)
A mockumentary of Jackie Washington, a fictonal star of music, stage and screen played by Jenifer Lewis. The movie now follows Jackie as she tells her story to stardom and fall from grace as she prepares for her own comeback. Full of cameo apperances and funny interviews from stars like Dolly Parton, Whoopi Goldberg, Liza Minnelli, Bette Midler, Chris Rock, Sean Hayes, Ricki Lake, Rosie O'Donnell, David Hyde Pierce, Melissa Etheridge and many others.
The Driftless Area (2015)
Pierre Hunter (Anton Yelchin), a bartender with unyielding optimism, returns to his tiny hometown after his parents' death. When he falls for the enigmatic Stella (Zooey Deschanel), Pierre is unknowingly pulled into a cat-and-mouse game that involves a duffel bag full of cash, a haphazard yet determined criminal (John Hawkes), and a mystery that will determine all of their fates. With Alia Shawkat, Frank Langella, Aubrey Plaza, and Ciarán Hinds. Zachary Sluser's film, based on the novel by Tom Drury, is a contemporary fable about the ways we struggle to control time and fate in a possibly predetermined universe.
Silver City (2004)
The discovery of a corpse threatens to unravel a bumbling local politician's campaign for governor of Colorado.
God Bless America (2011)
Fed up with the cruelty and stupidity of American culture, an unlikely duo goes on a killing spree, killing reality TV stars, bigots and others they find repugnant in this black comedy.
Wrong Is Right (1982)
Political double-talk, dirty tricks, hidden microphones, spy satellites, bugging the Oval Office and a nuclear bomb for sale are all ingredients in this swift, funny and frightening look at the possibilities in today's political arenas. Sean Connery stars as TV Newsman Patrick Hal on an international chase to track two suitcase sized nuclear weapons and to uncover the twisting maze of apparent involvement of US Government agencies.
Sudden Rain (1956)
Setsuko Hara plays Fumiko, whose unsuccessful marriage has made her become more and more cynical. When her niece, Ayako visits and complains about her own marriage, she is unsurprised. Meanwhile, a new couple, whose marriage is similarly unblissful, moves in next door. The two couples create a very awkward bond that could ruin both marriages, but everyone seems to be aware and nobody cares either way. [Cinema Talk Blog]
Jailbait! (2000)
It's not easy being the most popular couple in high school. Adam and Amber are the golden pair of Gaitlin High and are very busy being cool. Yet somehow Adam finds time for extracurricular activities, like making-it with Gynger, a sophomore, in the bathroom of a local restaurant. Soon, Adam's tidy world starts to fall apart when he finds out Gynger is pregnant. An ambitious Assistant District Attorney decides to file charges against Adam. Trying to help, Adam's parents hire a third-rate attorney whose every move just makes matters worse! Jailbait is a wickedly funny look at how far some guys will go to score. Can Adam find a way to keep himself out of jail and his girlfriend by his side? Watch this hysterical teen comedy featuring a cool cast of young stars and a hip soundtrack. See what happens when hormones rage and you're under age!!!
Fish Story (2009)
A rock band writes a song called "Fish Story" based on a sentence from a badly translated novel by a quack translator. The song exceeds the boundaries of space and time and ties people and their stories together. Thirty-seven years go by, and the song strikes a comet and saves the Earth from total destruction.
We Are Brothers (2014)
The Witness (1969)
Known as the best satire about communism, banned for over a decade in Hungary. 'The Witness' has become a cult classic, well received by critics and general audiences when it was finally released outside of Hungary. 'The Witness' takes place during the height of the Rákosi Era, which was closely modeled after the ruthless and brutal Stalin regime. The film follows the life of an ordinary dike keeper, József Pelikán, who has been caught for illegally slaughtering his pig, Dezsõ. Instead of doing hard time for his "heinous" crime, Pelikán is elevated into an important position, generally reserved for the communist elite. His new benefactor, the mysterious Comrade Virág, is reluctant to reveal the real reason behind Pelikán's preferential treatment. Thus, begins Pelikán's hilarious adventure deep within the "sophisticated" communist society... Until one day, when he gets called for to return the "favour" by falsely testifying against his long-time friend in a mock-up show trial.
The President's Barber (2004)
A well-meaning but politically naive barber gets pulled into the inner circle of the South Korean dictator Park Chung-Hee, with rather baleful consequences for his hapless family. This sharp political satire covers roughly twenty years in South Korean political history, from the viewpoint of the barber's son.
Fritz the Cat (1972)
A hypocritical swinging college student cat raises hell in a satiric vision of various elements on the 1960's.
Vox Populi (2008)
Vox Populi is a black comedy about an experienced politician suffering from a midlife crisis. When he comes into contact with the common-man's logic of his new in-laws, this has a far-reaching effect on both his political and his personal life.
A love-lorn script writer grows increasingly desperate in his quest to adapt the book 'The Orchid Thief'.
Su Excelencia (1967)
Lopitos, who is horribly inefficient but quick-witted, is invited (because of the current ambassador's superstition about 13 sitting down to a meal) to a banquet attended by the ambassadors of both superpowers. After the news of a series of coups d'état in Los Cocos arrives throughout the meal, Lopitos becomes the official ambassador. At a summit of world leaders, the representatives of the two world superpowers court the allegiances of third-world diplomats to tilt the balance of global power in their favor. The last diplomat to remain unaligned, Lopitos instead harangues the superpowers for infringing on the rights of developing countries to self determination, talking to them with his point of view as a citizen not as ambassador because he arranged his demise as ambassador one day before his speech.


Margo Humphries is a tough dame with moxie.  A Bryn Mawr graduate, she works the society page at the [[the_gotham_gazette|Gotham Gazette]].  However, she has used her society access to break a number of important crime and corruption stories.  She lives in a respectable, if not fashionable apartment in [[gotham_proper|Gotham Proper]]. Margo Humphries is a tough dame with moxie.  A Bryn Mawr graduate, she works the society page at the [[the_gotham_gazette|Gotham Gazette]].  However, she has used her society access to break a number of important crime and corruption stories.  She lives in a respectable, if not fashionable apartment in [[gotham_proper|Gotham Proper]].


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When you are exposed to the sun, cover up as much as you can, and never leave the house without sunscreen. Even for casual exposure, SPF 15 should be the minimum.
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In a perfect world, your life will never be touched by skin cancer. But if it is, having some basic knowledge will empower you to get treated and get better. Many skin cancer survivors use Smart Cover Concealing Crème when they feel like covering their scars. Life is precious, and we want you to enjoy as much of it as you can. For more information, check out the The Skin Cancer Foundation.
The health of your mind and body are closely related. If your body is suffering in any way, it is bound to impact your mental health. Conversely, if you are living with anxiety, depression, or any other mental health issues, those issues will often manifest themselves in a physical way. One example of this is excoriation disorder, which is a compulsion to pick at the skin. What do you do when you can't stop picking at your skin?
Recently, television personality Dr. Phil McGraw decided to shine a light on this affliction. A guest on his program confessed that she had been obsessively picking at her own skin for four years, beginning when she was 17 years old. A great deal of damage had already been done to her once-pristine complexion, but she was determined to stop and finally ready to ask for help.
This is a crucial first step: reaching out for help. If you think that you or someone you know is dealing with excoriation disorder, there are resources available to you, including the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors.
Smart Cover Cosmetics has always been dedicated to helping individuals with all kinds of skin concerns. If there is something you want to cover, our Concealing Crème will restore a smooth, clear appearance to your skin (as long as skin is not open). To wash the day away, we are proud to offer Smart Cover Makeup Remover & Cleanser. Most importantly, Smart Cover is here to remind you that you are not alone.
You choose how you want to look, and Smart Cover is here to support your vision. Want to cover up a skin concern? We've got your waterproof Concealing Crème. Think you might be ready to try filler injections for a more youthful appearance? Filler up!
As we age, our faces lose the plumpness, elasticity and firmness that we associate with being young. Round cheeks, pouty lips and smooth, line-free skin are pretty much what you think of when you hear the term "baby face." So how do filler injections help turn back the clock?
Hyaluronic acid gel, better known by the brand name Juvederm, "works by holding in water at the injection site and acting as a cushioning agent. It adds temporary volume and a smoother appearance to skin." This is used to restore plumpness to the lips, nasolabial folds, outer corners of the eyes, and other facial areas that can become hollowed by age.
The results typically last from six months to a year, in some cases lasting even longer than that. If you decide you want to do undo the results before then, an enzyme called hyaluronidase will dissolve the substance.
Even twentysomethings are getting in on the act, according to Cosmopolitan.com. Young folks who want to stop wrinkles before they start, or maybe just want more luscious lips, are seeking filler injections now. Kylie Jenner is arguably the poster child for this trend; she's built a billion-dollar company on her enhanced look.
If you're considering fillers, just remember that some bruising is normal after the injection. Gently apply Smart Cover Concealing Crème to the affected area so you can enjoy your results immediately. Not ready to head to the derm's office yet? Try our Camouflage Crème to conceal fine lines, and the Two-in-One Glow Stick for a fresh, natural look. You're only as young as you feel, especially with a little help from Smart Cover!
This bold statement comes courtesy of Huffington Post writer Julia Brucculieri, and she's far from the only media voice making this observation. Increasingly, men are seeking out concealer to hide skin issues, the same way that women have done for generations.
Men are experimenting with eyeliner and mascara. They are contouring with blush and bronzer to enhance their bone structure.
Cosmetics companies are taking notice. Some of the biggest names in the makeup industry are now boasting male spokesmodels, and think pieces on the virtues of makeup are emerging in highly circulated—and famously manly— publications.
GQ writer Sean Hotchkiss recounts a highly relatable tale of dealing with cystic acne. One night, as he and his girlfriend got ready to go out, Hotchkiss complained about a large pimple on his face. In seconds, his girlfriend had whipped out her concealer and made the blemish virtually disappear. He was an instant convert.
Smart Cover has been way ahead of this trend for a long time, with many loyal male customers. Smart Cover's waterproof Concealing Crème has often been the only thing that worked for men and women who wanted to cover scars, tattoos, razor burn, and other skin concerns.
Now that the world is catching on that makeup is for everybody, might we interest you in the Hollywood Makeup Artist Kit?
Freckles Are Having A Moment!
It would appear that freckles are having a moment. This is quite a paradigm shift!
In popular Western culture, freckles were often associated with endearingly mischievous children, like the famous comic strip character Dennis the Menace. Freckles were almost used as a shorthand to convey youthful impishness. They were not typically considered a beauty trait.
This was illustrated in the beloved literary classic Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. Anne's red hair and freckles were a source of frustration to her, and as she grew up and became more beautiful, her freckles faded.
The very freckled Pippi marched into the store and told the lady behind the counter that she did not suffer from freckles.
At long last, it seems like the world is catching up to Pippi. Instead of hiding freckles with concealer, beauty trends are moving in the opposite direction. There are now makeup pencils made expressly for drawing faux freckles. Indeed, freckles have become such a sought-after beauty trait, that people are getting permanent freckle tattoos!
If you still feel like covering up your freckles, of course that's your prerogative. Smart Cover's waterproof Concealing Crème can cover freckles, as well as most other skin concerns. If you want to show your freckles, try the Smart Cover Stick to conceal dark eye circles and blemishes, and touch up with the Compact Finishing Powder. Complete the look with the Two-in-One Glowstick on your lips and cheeks.
Your lovely freckles will shine through and so will your natural beauty!


We just finished up the new website design for Rhonda Parnell's law office. The site color scheme was based on Rhonda's office just outside Orlando in Winter Park. We think the site turned out great!
When you get a second, check out the site and leave us a comment.


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Home FEATURES 12 Most Popular Theme Parks Around The World!
12 Most Popular Theme Parks Around The World!
New parks, new coasters, new shows– 2008 is shaping up to be quite a season at theme parks and amusement parks. No matter where you may live throughout North America or where your vacation travels may be taking you this year, there's bound to be some new excitement awaiting you.
Theme Parks will offer great relaxation for everyone from small children to old people. Those who want to take a world trip can get great fun and enjoyment by visiting the popular theme parks around the world.
Wonderful Places To Visit In Your Lifetime
Here are some of the most popular theme parks around the world.
Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World:
The Magic Kingdom is the heart of Walt Disney World, where costumed Disney characters roam the streets and Space Mountain rules the rides. Cinderella's Castle, based on the turreted German castle Neuschwanstein, is a guaranteed favorite with little ones [Disney vacation].
You will find wonder, fantasy and pixie dust everywhere around the magic kingdom park. The seven enchanted lands lead the young and young hearts on a journey of fun, excitement and fantasy. Despite of whatever park you visit, the Magic Kingdom Park is the spot where the storybook dreams become a reality.
Magical adventures and Enchanting tales await your whole family at magic kingdom park.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/
Islands of Adventure – Florida, US:
Islands of Adventure consists of five "islands" plus the Port of Entry, arranged around a "lagoon." The islands are presented in clockwise order, starting at the park entrance.
This island is themed to ancient myths and legends, and is roughly divided into three smaller sections. The first section is designed to resemble medieval Europe. The second section is ancient Arabia. Last is mythological Greece. It contains several live-action shows.
This land is also home to Mythos, winner of best theme park restaurant several times by Theme Park Insider, and one of two full-service restaurants in the park.
http://www.universalorlando.com
Cedar Point – Ohio, US:
Cedar Point, the second oldest amusement park in the United States, sits at the end of a slender strip of land, at the edge of Lake Erie.
Cedar Point today is a fun place to visit for the entire family. It has beautifully landscaped gardens, lake views, a museum, an ice-skating show, plenty of shops and food outlets as well as water rides, four children's areas, a classic merry-go-round, and, of course, the roller coasters.
http://www.cedarpoint.com/
Epcot – Orlando, US:
Epcot is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. The park is dedicated to international culture and technological innovation. In 2007 Epcot hosted approximately 10.93 million guests, ranking it the third-most visited amusement park in the United States, and sixth-most visited in the world.
Future World focuses on emerging technologies while World Showcase features pavilions devoted to a rainbow of nations. From the start, the Disney theme parks have married technology and storytelling to whisk guests away to fantastic places. Mission: SPACE, the new, groundbreaking, awe-inspiring attraction at Epcot delivers sensations unlike any of you have ever felt (unless you're an astronaut) and replicates space travel with an astonishing degree of reality.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com
Travel Destinations for Singles
Blackpool Pleasure Beach – Lancashire, UK:
The park has a mixture of traditional wooden rides, modern steel roller-coasters, small family rides, highly-advanced thrill rides and generations-old rides still in original working order.
The park is currently re-branding with new rides and shows, and a casino. Other major attractions include the many shows the park has on offer, including Forbidden at the Globe and Hot Ice at the Arena.
Pleasure Beach attracts about 6 million visitors a year. In 2007, Pleasure Beach was ranked as 14th most popular theme park in the world with 5.5 million visitors. It was the only UK amusement park to make it onto the 'Top 25 Parks in the World' list.
http://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/
Port Aventura – Spain:
Port Aventura and Caribe Aquatic Park are part of a big resort complex on Costa Dorado in Spain. The resort has a wide array of roller coasters, from the Drago Khan, an intense eight-loop roller coaster, to the Stampida, two tracks wide and made of wood.
The resort itself is made up of distinct regions, or "countries"; themed shows like "Can Can in the Saloon" are popular.
http://www.portaventura.co.uk/
Europa Park – Germany:
Europa-Park is the second-most-popular theme park in Europe, after Disneyland Paris. It is split into fourteen different areas, typically named after European countries or regions.Along with the park and rides, there are countless shows on offer every day.
Europa-Park is often criticized for its lack of thrill attractions. Indeed, unlike most major theme parks, there are currently no inversions (upside down spins) on any of the parks rides.
http://www.europapark.de/
Tivoli Gardens – Denmark:
Tivoli Gardens is a famous amusement park and pleasure garden in Copenhagen, Denmark. The park is best known for its wooden roller coaster, as it is one of world's oldest wooden roller coasters that is still operating today.
Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens are a delightful anomaly: a park where you can enjoy carnival thrills, eat polser sausages under the trees, swill ol in a beer garden, dine in an elegant restaurant, attend a symphony concert, enjoy free pantomime theatre, or sniff the 115,000 flowers that bloom during the park's season.
http://www.tivoli.dk
Tokyo Disneyland:
Tokyo Disneyland is part of a massive Disney complex that also includes Tokyo DisneySea and a number of branded hotels.. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States
There are seven themed areas, each complementing each other yet unique in their style. Made up of the World Bazaar, the four classic Disney lands: Adventureland, Westernland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, and two mini lands, Critter Country and Mickey's Toontown. Rides include Big Thunder Mountain in Westernland, a four-minute train ride through a "haunted" mine.
Tokyo Disneyland will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of its grand opening in 2008.
http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/
Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park – China:
This theme park is located in the Shijingshan district of Beijing in China. In this park, a modern temple fair is held at stated times. When you first enter into the park gate, you will see the jet tower and big dipper, first and unique in Beijing.
It has unique landscape and elegant scenery. Among the verdant pines, green grass and cypresses, the Arabic restaurant, the Russian entrance hall, the Gothic Cinderella Castle and the European blue bridge are full of exotic atmosphere.
http://www.bs-amusement-park.com/
Know what you cannot take on the plane
Ocean Park – Hong Kong:
The marine-themed amusement park covers the area of Wong Chuk Hang and Nam Long Shan, and is located in Hong Kong. The different parts of the park are connected by a gondola lift system (or cable car system), as well as the world's second longest outdoor escalator.
The theme park currently has over 14 rides and other attractions such as aquariums. Besides housing two roller coasters, Ocean Park also features a Giant panda exhibit, a jelly fish and shark aquarium, as well as a four-story aquarium displaying more than 2000 fish.
http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/
Suoi Tien Cultural Amusement Park – Vietnam:
This theme park is located in Ho Chi Minh City. This beautiful park consists of everything like rides, water parks, parades and go-carts.This park has all the amusement things that traditional amusement parks have including wild roller coaster water slides, rides, race cars, and other fun activities.
The park also features unicorn palace, sea palace, phoenix palace, mountain palace and heavenly palace which includes the animal kingdom.
http://www.suoitien.com.vn/
Here are The 9 Most Baffling Theme Parks From Around the World
Islands Of The Caribbean
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Council elections - Llandovery
Councillor Ivor Jackson's last words as he ended the March meeting of Carmarthenshire County Council were that he had survived his first year as Chair unscathed.
Whether he survives the May council elections unscathed is something we shall soon see, as the contest in Llandovery will be one of the most interesting in the county.
Four candidates are known to be standing. They include Ivor Jackson himself (Independent), Pat Racher (Plaid Cymru), Gill Wright (independent, as opposed to capital 'I' Independent), and Andrew Morgan (Conservative).
One of the biggest local issues is the future of the town's secondary school, Ysgol Pantycelyn. The council's plan is to merge it with Ysgol Tregib in Llandeilo and build a new school at Ffairfach just outside Llandeilo.
The proposals have understandably been bitterly opposed in the town, which faces a future without a state secondary school. Children from Llandovery and the surrounding area face long journey times to school, and without a secondary school the town will find it hard to keep and attract younger people and families to live and work there.
Cllr Jackson's pronouncements on the schools question have been few and often impossible to understand. Here he is talking to the Carmarthen Journal in May 2011 to mark his election to chair:
Although something like the fight to save Ysgol Pantycelyn, or anything else which goes all the way to the Welsh Assembly, it is never going to be about one person, I would like to think I could make a difference with many local issues.
A prize to the first person who can make out what that means. In a separate article in the same edition of the Journal the Executive Board member for Education, Gwynne Wooldridge, thanked Cllr Jackson and neighbouring councillors including Tom Theophilus for supporting the proposals in the face of such strong local opposition.
In March 2012 the Journal spoke to him again. "It's not for me to comment at this stage", he said, before adding that he thought the site chosen for the new merged school at Ffairfach outside Llandeilo was wrong.
Make of this what you will, but facing in all directions at once seems to sum it up.
The young Tory candidate for Llandovery is Andrew Morgan, originally from Llanelli. There can't be many Tories in Llanelli, although one or two sit as "Independent" councillors in County Hall.
Andrew Morgan has campaigned against the school plans, but he is fighting against a strong head-wind, and will not have been helped by the efforts of David Cameron and George Osborne to alienate Welsh voters once and for all.
An interesting question for voters to ask would be whether he will commit to not joining the Independent group if elected, because local people could forget any hope of a change in the schools plan if he did.
Gill Wright lives locally and is very active in promoting the Heart of Wales Railway. She is a member of the Town Council and is also active in Calon Cymru, the venture which seeks to revitalise mid-Wales.
Finally, Pat Racher is standing for Plaid. Of the four candidates she almost certainly has the most varied and interesting background. In a long career she has been an editor with "British Farmer and Stockbreeder", a feature writer for "Farmers Weekly" and a tourism promotion consultant for Dinefwr Borough Council, as well as a lay inspector of schools for Estyn in Wales and Ofsted in England.
Pat's interests include the environment and energy use as well as safeguarding and developing use of the Welsh language.
People in Llandovery will not be spoiled for choice, and Pat's experience, energy and ideas would certainly mark a dramatic change for the better from the way the town has been served in recent years. As part of a Plaid-run council, she would also be in the strongest position to ensure that a better solution is found to the schools question than the one currently on offer.
I suspect Andrew Morgan will fail to mention that he is (or certainly was until recently) an investment banker in London!
I'm confused as to where Mr. Morgan's loyalties are... one minute it's in Llanelli (2007), then it's Carmarthen East & Dinefwr (2010) and then Llanelli again (2011).
Anyone smell a career politician?
Patricia Dodd Racher certainly seems the strongest candidate out of this bunch
Plaid Cymru has lost my vote, for abusing the Welsh language. PC's election leaflet for Llandovery is strewn with errors, and some of it doesn't make sense. If Dr Rachar has learned Welsh and is responsible for the Welsh text, I congratulate her, but Plaid Cymru should have ensured that it was correct. This is no way to protect 'the Welsh language and identity'. Rhag eich cywilydd, Plaid Cymru. Mae'n amlwg nad ydych chi'n gweithredu yn ôl yr hyn a ddywedwch. Rydych chi'n gwneud mwy o ddrwg nag o les i'r iaith Gymraeg.
Diolch am eich sylwadau, Anhysbys, ond y gwir yw wrth gwrs mai Plaid Cymru yw'r unig blaid yn yr etholiadau hyn sydd am gryfhau sefyllfa'r iaith yn y sir. Mae polisi'r Annibynnwyr a Llafur yn gwbl ddi-ystyr - dim ond geiriau ar bapur yw e.
City regions: Quangopolis?
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Spending priorities - Chiefs and Indians (updated)
Labour in Carmarthenshire - will it be the Sun wot...
Election report: Hotting up in Hengoed
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Welsh blamed for town's economic problems
Tactical voting for town and community councils
Appallingly immature but still a candidate
Social care in Carmarthenshire - spin and reality
In praise of community councillors
Carmarthenshire council elections - town and commu...
Election news - twt, twt Tom
C4M - bigotry on the march in Carmarthenshire - Up...
Election Tour. Are we nearly there yet? Yes!
The tour grinds on - Lliedi to Saron
Election special - Llandeilo to Llansteffan
The next leg - from Gorslas to Laugharne
Council election tour: Carmarthen to Glanaman Updated
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Bant â'r cart! And they're off!
Abuse of vulnerable adults - more spin
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ShahidWatch goes off air
ShahidWatch - Update
Y Cneifiwr yn rhan bwysig o etifeddiaeth Cymru


We are always looking to buy medals, badges, coins and police collectables. Whether you have single items or a large collection we will offer a no hassle, fair and competitive service.
We are a family run business with over 60 years combined experience so you can be sure you're getting the best advice. We love what we do so it's important to us to provide a professional and reliable service so we can keep doing it.
Happy to provide free advice and information. If you have something you want to sell or if you just want a valuation please contact us.
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