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Ah, of course, blood… How else are you supposed to make anything look (supposedly) badass?
Flip Flappers 13: Turns out Cocona's grandma is a robot, so nobody's surprised to find out that her mother is some weird science-experiment-monster. But things are a bit more complicated than you'd think and her mother is a good guy but during the escape, she turned into a bad guy. Go figure what Cocona is supposed to do about that.
As all bad mothers, Mimi wants to smother her daughter Cocona in comfort. Naturally, Cocona rejects this since she had just accepted Papika's proposal (which teaches you something about where persistence gets you in the dating-world).
What follows is a lot of fighting. But who can possibly know what will happen when the good guys battle the villain during the last episode of a series…
Wait, since when has this been a concern of the story…? Cocona's purity was never in doubt. It's her doubts and fears that are important. Nobody (except evilMimi) is looking at Cocona as a "bad girl" that needs to be punished!
Probably one of the series biggest flaws is its attempt to make a case of necessity for most of its more intricate elements. It's clear that someone put a lot of thought and care into the creative decisions that have constructed a lot of the show's appeal. But it's also equally clear with its ending that the show doesn't reward those viewers who care about its depths. My experience with the series wasn't certainly founded on enjoyment but I also didn't hate the series. It was just interesting to me and writing these reviews, I always tried to find the ultimate message of the series in its depths (ie. all the weird bits and pieces). But having seen the ending, I think this series' story is more present on the surface than the convoluted references and messages that are obscured by metaphor and symbolism in the show.
Piecing together what the show ultimately wants to say and aspires to be, it isn't the obscure and hidden stuff that made it all click into place for me personally but the few things the show consistently did on the surface. And on its surface, Flip Flappers is nothing but a magical-girl-show. One of the central elements of the show and what it's named after is Flip-Flapping and essentially it's another name for the transformation the girls undergo in this series. Even Mimi is 'Flip-Flapping' in the end. And fitting the magical-girl-genre Cocona is a naïve, innocent girl whose transformation happens figuratively and metaphorically. The helpless, clueless girl gets magical-girl-powers to figure out her place in life.
Before I talk further about Flip-Flappers' take on the magical-girl-genre, there's, of course, a certain question that can't be ignored: But what about Pure Illusion? A lot of creativity went into designing that setting and what it represents, of course. And a ton of people are trying to interpret the finer points the series is making through the Pure Illusion setting. But I don't believe that Pure Illusion enhances the show's Magical-Girl-aspects of the show. In fact, one of the show's biggest problems is that the show has shown itself incapable of connecting its stranger aspects with the more typical magical-girl-elements.
The series as a whole has a hard time deciding what the story of the show is supposed to be. Is it about Pure Illusion? Is it about Cocona? Is it about Mimi? In some ways, it's all three and the series has a hard time explaining the shifting focus. Just take the finale: The flashbacks with Papika, Salt and Mimi are about Mimi. When Papika is confronting her, she's confronting Mimi's evil side and tries to bring back the good in her. Cocona is just a plot-device in that instance. What Cocona wants doesn't matter in those scenes. Those moments are entirely based on the tragic backstory of Mimi. But as Cocona gets her will back, the focus is now on Cocona's struggle to find herself and Mimi's tragic backstory doesn't matter so much as it has to bow down before Cocona's story. And before either character really had any big character-beats, the show seemed to be about Pure Illusion. You had the cult, you had the Amorphous stones, you had the kids plus Yayaka and you had all the weirdness of Pure Illusion. That's what the show had been at that point – mostly because of how little the audience actually knew what was going on.
It's a strange decision, though, to end the series by focusing on Cocona's story-arc. Looking back on what the series has been doing, you come back to episode one to notice something peculiar: Cocona's story-arc is pretty much done in episode one. Her story-arc is about her lack of commitment and fear of making the wrong choice being confronted by Papika's love and her desire for adventures. And ultimately Cocona has to realize that she can't stay in a safe cocoon and have a fulfilling life at the same time. She has to take risks and that's how she finds purpose in life. Papika facilitates that by being in love with her (for some reason…). But that first episode already covered pretty much all of that. Cocona's silent frustration over her directionless life, her reluctance to go on adventures, Pure Illusion being some weird place, her love for Papika, the joy of adventure and the essential transformation that shows off her change in attitude: It's already all there in episode one. While in a better series, this may be seen as a sign of a clever narrative structure, here it just illustrates how pointless all the Cocona-specific drama in the following episodes has been. After the final episode, it really does give you the feeling that this show never had more story to tell than it did in episode 01, it just complicated the context and expanded the cast for the finale.
But with a magical-girl-story so straightforward, you start to wonder what the series is actually bringing to the table beside the well-known platitudes and morals of that genre. In this case, Flip Flappers is trying to bring 90s ideas of homeostasis and a fundamental conflict between fiction and reality to the table. But what can the magical-girl-genre say about these 90s themes which we haven't already seen in Evangelion and its ilk? Sadly not much. That is where the series just falls flat on its face. All the weirdness from the first two-thirds of the show and its mysterious air completely dissipate once the series had to figure out what the series' story is supposed to be. Very straightforward flashbacks just presented you the whole story within a few episodes and characters just told you what their deal is without any finesse or subtlety.
Another weird Pure-Illusion-bit that might or might not mean something! Does it matter to know what it means…? No!
Of course, it seems like a paradox to claim that a lot of thought and care was put into this series and then go on to complain about how simplistic its actual story is while all the finer points of the series don't seem to amount to much. But it describes perfectly a series where you have a green rabbit whose name references an obscure German philosopher side by side with someone like Papika who has a nearly moe-blob-esque obsession with Cocona. The desire to be a breezy, straightforward magical-girl-adventure and to present both the characters and the audience with a night-impenetrable maze of references and metaphors are constantly battling in this series. And I guess, there are only three ways of looking at this series: 1. You came to like the series because of its magical-girl-adventures and care about the characters. 2. You're fascinated by the enigmas of Pure Illusion, what they represent and add to the story. 3. Or… you simply don't like the series because you dislike the characters and aren't curious about the mysteries of Pure Illusion. But I don't think there's a way to go away satisfied by this series. Even if you fall into the first or second group of audience-members, it's hard to imagine that the characters or Pure Illusion ended up being satisfactory. After all, if you like the characters you certainly would have liked to see more of them instead of them just wandering through Pure Illusion (which doesn't seem to add this much). If you care about the weirder stuff, then what's happening on the surface is probably frustrating to watch as it's nothing as weird and complex as what Pure Illusion seems to hint at. Flip Flappers just isn't a series that has been able to bring all those disparate elements together.
No matter what parts you like and dislike, I don't think Flip Flappers is the hill to die on if you want to champion weirder and more experimental animes. As I've described a lot of 90s-elements can be found in this series but I wouldn't call it a show that's banking nostalgia for the days of Evangelion, Boogiepop Phantom and Serial Experiments Lain. Especially considering how weak the ending of the show has been, Flip Flappers ends up feeling more like a weird Frankenstein-monster that's a mix between moe-esque fuzzy sentimentality and psychological, surreal angst. Cocona isn't a Shinji-clone and Pure Illusion isn't The Wired (from Serial Experiments Lain). If anything, Mimi is the one who has the 90s-esque fucked up reality that pushes her towards angst while Cocona has such an easy time that all it needed was an attitude-change for her to transcend the heaviness of reality.
Actually, rather than trying to figure out how much of the 90s is in this series, I think it's to observe just how different this show is from the misery/angst/confusion of those experimental 90s-series. The reason why I don't clamor for more series to go back the weirdness of achieving homeostasis amongst delusions and apocalypses is that it isn't enough to merely repeat what has already happened. Of course, you can do it later on in the name of nostalgia and romanticization. But what's more worthwhile is to comment on it from a new angle. And this show certainly tries to do that with its warm and fuzzy Cocona/Papika-story-arc but that part is so simplistic that it simply becomes wish-fulfillment.
It's been a while since the 90s happened and to really put into perspective how one should approach the themes of the 90s is to look at what comes after. So, you've got your mindfucks, angsty protagonists and psychological mumbo-jumbo – what came next? Death Note. Light was the next milestone in anime-protagonists after Shinji. Those two couldn't be more different obviously and that already tells you a lot about how dramatic the shift in anime-culture is. One of the factors is of course that the whole Otaku-culture is becoming more and more open and mainstream (if you want to know how big of a change it has been, just know that Kirito from Sword Art Online probably wouldn't have even been the main-chara in the 80s but instead a introverted, slightly perverted, uncool guy with glasses who cares more about his dakimakura with his favorite waifu on it than dating). I've mentioned Miyadai Shinji's essay before in another review and it also covers the transition from Evangelion-era of animes over to the period post-2000. It's well worth a read if you want to know why all these experimental animes have fallen out of favor and what has replaced them.
Sadly I don't think Flip Flappers will leave much of an impression (despite its ambitions). It's hard to say why the series has specifically gone down the road it did but the series has promised more than delivered and what it has delivered hasn't even come from the series' stronger parts. There are some interesting aspects to this series but overall it isn't as impressive as some discussions over the course of its airtime might have made you think.
Episode-Rating: 5.0/10
Series-Rating: 6.5/10
Random Thoughts:
One bit I didn't mention which you may wonder about: What was the deal with Cocona arriving in a real world that seemingly had no Papika and no access to Pure Illusion anymore…? So, my interpretation is that Cocona landed in her own new Pure Illusion which is her fear of a world without the "fictional" paradise of Pure Illusion. See, for Mimi Pure Illusion was just a tool to escape the problems of her life and reality. But for Cocona no burdens exist and so Pure Illusion just becomes a playground instead of the reflection of a tortured psche. So, a world with no fictional "paradise" full of adventure waiting around the corner would be like hell. But Cocona isn't rejecting reality at the same time. Instead, the "fiction"-part gets normalized and integrated into daily life. You certainly wouldn't get that in a 90s-series but after all the moe we've gotten in the 2010s, I don't think this series' sentimental take on the clash between fiction and reality is fresh either.
The reason I didn't review the last couple episodes was that whenever I tried to figure out what the series is about, I came back to the ending. See, this series could've gone the magical-girl-route or it could've focused more on the 90s-stuff. And the latter would've asked for a much deeper analysis of what this series is doing. Before episode 13 you just couldn't be sure if a mindfuck would be waiting for you – or if the series would do the thing it has done.
My jokey guess had been that the series would time-travel back to a mundane "paradise" where all the damage had been undone. I was pretty close with that guess, wasn't I ^^ ? (Of course, I know that's just bragging but I'll take what I can get)
Salt shooting the personification of his innocence made me laugh out loud. Such a cheesy portrayal of maturity…
I had this short discussion with sonicsenryaku during my last review about this series. He argued that the series portrays a coming-of-age-story focused on Cocona. And he mentioned FLCL. Of course, FLCL is a quintessential coming-of-age-story for obvious and not-so-obvious reasons (Brian Ruh has a good analysis of FLCL in the book Cinema Anime called "The Robots in Takkun's head: Cyborg-adolescence in FLCL"… although the skeptic in me would dispute the reach of his arguments regarding cyborgization, personally I would just file that stuff under magical realism instead of trying to find some deeper truth in that aspect). But in western terms Flip Flappers is more Young-Adult-fiction than a coming-of-age-story. Cocona's troubles are teenager-troubles, sure. But the goal of the narrative isn't for her to become an adult. For that there are far too few adult-figures in the narrative (neither Mimi nor Salt influence what Cocona decides to do, rather the point is even that she thinks for herself). Cocona's problem with Papika and finding purpose in life is a YA-problem that she solves. But she doesn't end the story by becoming an adult but rather by having come one step closer to that. It isn't so much the idea of adulthood that matters in this series but rather the idea of a teenager that matters here.
About M0rg0th
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
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Posted on January 2, 2017, in Anime, Flip Flappers, Reviews and tagged Anime, Flip Flappers, review. Bookmark the permalink.	19 Comments.
madreceiver | January 2, 2017 at 7:18 pm
I had liked the series for it's visual and seemingly interesting direction, but I'd have to agree the it fell on it's face in the last several episodes by never deciding what kind of story it was attempting to tell.
M0rg0th | January 2, 2017 at 7:31 pm
The structure/references are there for a loose justification of consistency but overall, yeah… the series never felt like it had this drive for a particular message or story.
I think if they had, perhaps, narrowed down their story ideas. It felt like by the end they were "kitchen sinking" it and threw too many ideas/ plot points in that nothing in the end really took hold to make it conclude in a satisfying matter.
"I think if they had, perhaps, narrowed down their story ideas."
You mean the part where the series suddenly started doling out exposition-flashbacks left and right… ^^ ? What a mess…
And it isn't like the series' dialogue has been subtle and ambiguous (unless the series wanted to hide a future plot-point).
Yes. Exactly. Too much exposition, too late in the story.
Like: okay: Mimi/ mom wants to protect Cocona, but it goes a step further and turns her into a raging psychopath with out any real good justification.
Too much and too messy.
The most egregious part for me was when the series turned her "grandma" into a robot. At that point, I had just given up. I just thought "Is everything in this series supposed to be a plottwist…?". This series spent like 6 or 7 episodes keeping the audience at arm's length only to then start a tirade of "No, actually…"-s. Like, why does the series think I would care about Mimi? I didn't even know who she was until episode 8 or so – and now she's turned out to be the central villain of the series…?! And the series has even wasted time on her backstory! Cocona has given no indication of having a problem with her parents. Making that an issue during the finale came completely out of left-field…
madreceiver | January 2, 2017 at 11:55 pm
Yes. I don't disagree at all. 🙂
The grandma robot made me go:"Really?
The show really had so much potential and then it all came crashing down in the last several episodes.
DP | January 5, 2017 at 6:41 am
I completely agree with your point here, but would note that the person who had been writing the script apparently left the show for unspecified reasons after episode 6. That might explain why it failed to come together towards the end, collapsing in upon itself in a pile of windy exposition.
Karandi | January 2, 2017 at 8:18 pm
Very much disappointed that this didn't really end up going anywhere given how interesting the start was.
What, it did go somewhere! It told us something about Cocona – that we knew since frigging episode 01!
Eurgh, I already said in my first review: "And this series doesn't try to find strangeness in its mundane story aspects but rather tries to find the mundane in its stranger elements." 13 fucking episodes and all I've got is to come back to an assumption from the first couple episodes being proven right.
prattle | January 2, 2017 at 11:47 pm
This was an all around solid write up, but I want to especially applaud you for addressing this:
"Probably one of the series biggest flaws is its attempt to make a case of necessity for most of its more intricate elements."
As I absolutely agree.
M0rg0th | January 3, 2017 at 12:21 am
Especially if you've seen your fair share of 90s animes, Pure Illusion isn't as impressive as some people make it out to be.
Any yeah, what exactly is the difference between some Tolkien-esque fantasy-landscape and Pure Illusion? What are we supposed to get from Pure Illusion? I've read my fair share of sophisticated interpretations of this series' episodes and not one could tell me why I should give a shit. All I got from the internet was a "translation".
Besides, I think, there are some references in this series where I probably would start an argument with the creators over how relevant they are (like the Uexkull-reference, for example).
sonicsenryaku | January 16, 2017 at 10:57 pm
Of the few points i disagree with, i think this is the one i cant quite wrap my head around:
"But that first episode already covered pretty much all of that. Cocona's silent frustration over her directionless life, her reluctance to go on adventures, Pure Illusion being some weird place, her love for Papika, the joy of adventure and the essential transformation that shows off her change in attitude: It's already all there in episode one".
"Cocona's story-arc is pretty much done in episode one."
"While in a better series, this may be seen as a sign of a clever narrative structure, here it just illustrates how pointless all the Cocona-specific drama in the following episodes has been." How?? If anything mimi's dialogue to cocona in ep 12 disproves this by showing how cocona's arc and how ep 1 structured it was clever narrative structure
Most characters in any piece of narrative mostly show all the hints pertaining to their character arc when they are introduced. Cocona demonstrating that she can be brave and take charge in episode 1 (along with the other elements of her character) doesnt all of a sudden complete her character arc or make following her arc less rewarding. That's like saying that naruto showing that he has what it takes to be a great shinobi in ep 1 means that we know everything about his character arc and everything after that is pointless; that makes little sense to me. Mimi says it herself in ep 12 to cocona that she was always capable of the things that she didnt think she could do; all she needed was a little bit of courage; and that's been the point of her journey: to find the courage to take risks, the courage to come out of her shell, the courage to accept change in life. Sure she demonstrates that she is capable of that in ep 1, but that doesnt tell you everything about her character; that doesnt tell you how she would act when confronted by something that challenges her ability to be forward-thinking or assertive.
If what you are implying about cocona is considered such a flaw in storytelling, then every story would have no point in establishing its characters narrative arc in the first ep. It's not about just learning new things about a character that may make them interesting to watch; watching a character struggle to achieve something that they could likely already do is also a part of character development and character writing; and that is interesting in and of itself. So yea, i dont really understand where you are coming from with this critique (maybe im missing something). With your other critiques? Sure, i could see your point even if i dont feel the same way. But this one? Nah; i think it's completely off-base.
M0rg0th | January 16, 2017 at 11:31 pm
"That's like saying that naruto showing that he has what it takes to be a great shinobi in ep 1 means that we know everything about his character arc and everything after that is pointless"
The Naruto-comparison pretty much proves my point, I would say. Of course, I'm not arguing Flip Flappers is like Naruto but we're working with the same sort of simplicity here. Cocona's character-arc is neither deep nor complicated. Sure, the series has a lot of nuance hiding in the background but it doesn't make use of it effectively to a degree where it changes that portrayal's nature. The series never makes it necessary to make this extra step in figuring out what Pure Illusion is about. And so what we're left with is just a generic mahou-shoujo-story.
Cocona's character-arc is as predictable as Naruto's – the only thing in both cases that makes it hard to make exact predictions is the plot. But the thematic points are pretty obvious and pretty consistent from the start. The plot is just there as an obstacle. Naruto has it easier in this regard, of course, because its plot isn't some highfaluting allegory about biosemiotics and the question of identity (while also being filled with tons of various references).
The reason I call attention to episode 01 that way is a matter of hindsight, of course. You couldn't possibly know that while watching episode 01 without the knowledge of what is to come. But in hindsight, I would argue the series never truly had much more to say about Cocona than what it did in episode 01. After all, it isn't just the flaw that gets presented there but the solution as well. It's just that we had to watch 13 episodes of wriggling and babysteps until Cocona had been deemed ready to really take that step she had already instinctively taken in episode 01. In a way, as far as Cocona's arc is concerned Pure Illusion is nothing more than a plot-mechanism. It's just the reason for her to get out the door and go on a quest to becoming a better person/hero.
And that's not enough! I mean, seriously, this series is bothering to create this treasure-trove of high-minded philosophy, psychology and biology and we're getting this tepid wallflower as a protagonist who hooks up with a crazy moe-person…? Sure, Cocona is a sympathetic figure but she hardly is an interesting one. And a BIG reason for that is that the kind of person you think Cocona is in episode 01 she pretty much keeps being until the end. There's no depth or complexity to investigate there, it's just more stuff elaborating on what you've already gotten from that first episode. The difference being that sure, I know more about Cocona at the end of the series in comparison to the beginning. But I didn't understand her better at the end of the series because that I had already achieved during the first episode and the series had nothing more to say about that.
sonicsenryaku | January 17, 2017 at 2:57 am
"After all, it isn't just the flaw that gets presented there but the solution as well. It's just that we had to watch 13 episodes of wriggling and babysteps until Cocona had been deemed ready to really take that step she had already instinctively taken in episode 01"
But that doesnt intrinsically or objectively take away from cocona's growth as a character. Just because she intrinsically took steps towards her character growth in ep 1 doesnt leave her with nowhere to go. If anything, that's good storytelling because you're letting your audience be aware that this wallflower actually has what it takes to step up to the plate if she just believes in herself. Just because an ep seemingly points out the main elements of a person's entire character arc in its first ep doesnt mean a show is dragging its feet by not adding any other elements down the line. You can explore a character's growth by presenting the protagonist with challenges to see if they can be consistent in their growth. Shinji by the first two eps of eva showed a good portion of everything we needed to know about his character and yet the show still made him multi-faceted; why? because rather than add more new elements to his character, it challenged him to see if he could continue to make the adult decisions he would have to make in a world that had no mercy on him.
A great show can easily establish a character's whole narrative. You have to challenge your protagonists in a narrative. Just because cocona is a simple character doesnt make her an ineffective character (that's why i used the naruto comparison because naruto is a simple character, but he is fleshed out and his journey to hokage is a satisfyingly effective one). Just because your narrative is simple doesnt mean you cant present your themes in abstract and interesting ways. Flip flappers boast a lot of intellectualism, but it never went out to say that it's overarching narrative was complex; only in how it delivered its narrative. Think about any short film anime or live action that have told simple stories but through interesting layered ways; that's all flipflappers is for a good portion of its run. It was a simple narrative told with layers. This is the complaint that i cant seem to understand when it comes to those who argue against the show. Flip flappers always made it clear that it's overarching narrative was simple so when people say things like "flip flappers plot was acting as if it was building up to something incredible" im like "no it wasnt; it's just a simple coming of age tale; when did the show try to be any more complex than that storywise?".
Any who, to keep things short, if you were not invested in cocona and papika that's absolutely fine because i get it: i wasnt invested in them emotionally more than i was with how the narrative presented who they were through their adventures. Like i said to you previously, flip flappers is about experiencing cocona's coming of age through the visuals more than it is connect with them. While i necessarily didnt connect with cocona and crew, i enjoyed their adventure and how it was crafted. You didnt seem to care about the characters and you know what? That's a legitimate complaint. I still think that stating that the story didnt know what to do with cocona because the staff had played all their cards in ep 1 (or that cocona was an example of poor writing) is 100% false.
M0rg0th | January 20, 2017 at 2:22 am
Sorry for the late reply (I'm currently in the process of moving… *sigh* ). Anyway…
"It was a simple narrative told with layers."
See, I think, this is the one part where we both disagree the most. Personally, I never saw this structure as an effective or particularly compelling one. At the beginning, I imagined the series to do a pivot towards the abstract and philosophical at the end but of course, that isn't what happened. And at the same time, it isn't like the series clung to its surface-level-story of Cocona's character-arc either. Mimi only really became a thing in the second half and in the last third of this series invested SO MUCH time in giving her a backstory in which Cocona took a backseat. I mean, when I look at this series, I just see someone with a ton of ideas who has no idea how to put a series together. This time it's about Pure Illusion, this time it's about Cocona, this time it's about Mimi and how about Salt starts to matter for some reason: You have all this stuff in this series whose relationship is at best tangential.
The whole thing never comes together.
Look at the ending and what consequences it had to offer: First, it showed a world without Pure Illusion but which was freed of its chaotic influences as well. But then Papika showed up to lead Cocona back to the adventurous life she had learned to embrace. Yayaka and the Amorphous Children are uninvolved in the adventures, though – which is how the series started. For all the intellectual shenanigans in the background, the forefront had nothing more to offer than the most basic storytelling-ideas.
And Naruto focused on what mattered to it: The battle-shounen-stuff. But here you got a superficial story-arc tied to a rather unimpressive character who is only very loosely tied to all the creative effort that's been put into the Pure-Illusion-stuff. For all the intellectual prowess in this series' storytelling and presentation, it's hard to see it in action when you only pay attention to the character's story-arcs. That's how fragile the connection of the layers in Flip Flappers is.
"You can explore a character's growth by presenting the protagonist with challenges to see if they can be consistent in their growth."
The problem with this approach is that the media-savvy members of the audience (and there are A LOT of those out there these days) will simply read this as "predictable" and/or "boring". Just doing some Joseph-Campbell-esque hero-quest won't get you applause from the audience. Depth has to be a design-choice and not just a list of hokey ideas want to sprinkle over the the series because the director read a cool book or something.
"Shinji by the first two eps of eva showed a good portion of everything we needed to know about his character and yet the show still made him multi-faceted; why? because rather than add more new elements to his character, it challenged him to see if he could continue to make the adult decisions he would have to make in a world that had no mercy on him. "
Hmm, I would argue that NGE handles this approach much better because characters like Asuka, Kaworu and Toji add FAR more dramatic hurdles to Shinji's character-arc. It's part of the reason why NGE deals in psychological angst whereas Flip Flappers is merely about the choice between cocooning yourself or getting out there to enjoy adventures (at least in the case of Cocona). Cocona's troubles with Papika don't come even close to what Shinji goes through in NGE.
PS: Have you actually read the interview with the director?
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UK Triggers Brexit Process
March 29, 2017, Covington Alert
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Today, the UK Government published a White Paper envisaging an initial continuation of EU law in the UK "wherever practical and appropriate" on withdrawal from the EU ("Brexit"). Today's White Paper comes one day after the UK notified the EU of its intention to leave which triggers the two-year Brexit negotiation period. The UK Government intends on achieving ...
UK Votes to Leave the EU
June 24, 2016, Covington Alert
The UK has voted to leave the European Union in an advisory referendum. 52% leave - 48% remain. Were the UK to leave the EU, this would have significant implications for the UK and for international businesses operating in the UK. The longer term impact of the decision on the regulatory framework for the UK will depend, in part, on the relationship that the UK ...
Regulatory and Public Policy
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Archaeology and robotics don't typically go hand in hand, but the team of researchers in Harold Dibble's lab rely on one every day. It's affectionately called Super Igor, a moniker earned from its status as the more powerful version of the first iteration, Igor, that joined the lab in the early 2000s.
Postdoctoral fellows Tamara Dogandžić and George Leader prepare Super Igor, a hydraulic-powered machine that can produce up to 20,000 pounds of force, allowing the research team to test how early humans might have made stone tools and flakes.
Super Igor is a hydraulic-powered machine that can produce up to 20,000 pounds of force, and in the setting of Penn's Laboratory for the Study of Ancient Technology (LSAT), it allows Dibble and his team to test with pinpoint precision how early humans might have made stone tools and flakes, from as far back as 2 million years ago to as recently as 10,000 years ago. They can examine in a completely controlled setting which variables affect how these implements were fashioned, as well as investigate how much influence factors such as source material—obsidian versus basalt, for instance—had on the process.
In the decade-plus since LSAT began, Dibble and colleagues have made some important contributions to the field. Most recently Nature Ecology & Evolution paper set forth a methodological breakthrough in the way scholars think about stone tools, flipping on its head which pieces actually represent "finished" products. It also chronicled for the first time the evolution of these tools.
Super Igor, a hydraulic-powered machine that can produce up to 20,000 pounds of force, impacts a piece of flint, demonstrating how a flake might be removed from the stone.
Specifically, Dibble's latest work showed that at the inception of such tool-making, people started with a single method that resulted in just one kind of clunky tool. The techniques and end products improved until our ancestors arrived at more varied, effective implements. The findings paint a new story about how these artifacts helped people spread into novel environs.
George Leader, a postdoctoral fellow who has worked with Dibble for three years, describes the findings as a way to finally equate like with like.
That Dibble, Leader, and the others in the lab—postdoctoral fellow Tamara Dogandžić and graduate students Aylar Abdolahzahdeh and Li Li—can even offer such forward-thinking assertions shows a complete shift in thinking for the field.
Imagine for a moment a "stone tool." Perhaps an arrowhead-shaped object comes to mind, paperweight-sized, large and heavy, with enough mass to make an impact when thrust or thrown. Archaeologists previously held that such implements were the goal, the tools early humans had intended to create through a process called flintknapping, which Dibble likens to sculpting. "You remove little pieces called flakes," he says. "You make a hammer out of rock or bone or antler, and you strike the stone to remove a flake." The sculptor chips off more and more flakes until the envisioned shape emerges.
The problem is, dig after dig has uncovered far fewer of this prize than scientists would have expected. Dibble himself has excavated 10 sites, amassing some 150,000 artifacts; more often than not only 1 percent of findings from a field site would resemble the completed stone tool described above. The rest would comprise fragments or flakes—always just thought of as waste. The phenomenon got the Penn archaeologist thinking, and he brought the question back to the nascent LSAT and its newest teammate, the custom-built Igor, which could mount and strike different source materials at varying angles and depths.
Sample flakes sit atop their stones, representing a variety of controlled tests. "We knew going in that there were many variables that flintknappers could control, but we didn't know how each actually affected the flakes," Dibble says.
So far, the team has tested a wide range of actions that a flintknapper can vary when removing flakes with specific characteristics. They've proven that results generated from glass, which previously had been used almost exclusively to do most of their experiments, apply to many other materials used in the past, and they're expanding what they plan to test, adding quartzite and andesite to a list that already included obsidian, basalt, and flint. In the future, they'd like to investigate what heating does to raw material and how early humans made very large objects.
Flakes and stone tools, probably dating to 100,000 years ago or more, lay exposed on the ground surface at an archeological site in Egypt. Photo courtesy of Harold Dibble.
Super Igor as lab mate opens up the universe of questions these scientists can ask.


Do you have breakfast in the classroom? Does the thought of breakfast in the classroom stress you out? Have you implemented breakfast in the classroom and you're looking for some ideas, tips and tricks?
When Did You Start Breakfast In The Classroom?
You know I'm all about being open and transparent. So here goes… 8 years ago our district came to the school I was working at and volun-told us that we were piloting this new breakfast in the classroom (BIC) program. My initial reaction was a big NOPE. I felt like it was another example of our district pushing more responsibility onto the classroom teacher. And I was 100% convinced the logistics would be a fail. Then there's the mess…so needless to say, I was not a fan.
And then we started breakfast in the classroom. And that all changed. Once we implemented breakfast, I was sold.
What are the benefits of Breakfast In The Classroom?
The first benefit is a much more calm morning time. You see, before BIC, our kids ALL ate breakfast in the cafeteria. K-4. Hundreds of kids. In the cafeteria. For 30 minutes. Allegedly being supervised. You can imagine the chaos. And the behavior issues. After breakfast they would come to the classroom all wound up. And sometimes upset if things happened in breakfast. With BIC, we eat in the classroom. It's much more calm and peaceful and we eliminate a lot of behavior issues first thing.
The next benefit is the sense of community. Now we have 30 minutes to hang out, eat, chat and do our morning work. This time means I can chat with the kids and the kids can chat with each other. So many valuable things are happening: language development, friendships are forming and our classroom community is strengthened.
Plus we can now make sure that everyone who wants breakfast gets fed! This is huge for so many of our kids. They can start the day with a full belly which helps them focus and can improve their behavior.
How Does Breakfast In The Classroom Work?
Here is how we've made breakfast in the classroom work for us.
Set a HARD CUT OFF TIME.
This is vital. Our breakfast ends at 8:00 a.m. Not 8:01. Not 8:05. 8:00. This keeps us on time and prevents us from dragging breakfast on until who knows when. Ya'll know they would be eating at 9:30 if we let them. This procedure is communicated to parents and is a classroom expectation. If you arrive at 8:01, breakfast is over. You can't get breakfast. However, we do keep extras along with other quick breakfast snacks like granola bars for late arrivals who want breakfast.
In our classroom, we have no tables and desks so we eat on the floor. The trays keep the food off the floor and contain messes. Ya'll. Even if you use tables and desks, USE TRAYS. This keeps the milk from going everywhere WHEN they spill the milk. Yes. Spills happen. IT'S OK! They are 5.
The students get their own breakfast. They clean up their own messes. They clean their own trays. I am a firm believer in teaching kids to be independent problem solvers. Breakfast in the classroom gives them lots of opportunities to be responsible.
Assign jobs so breakfast time isn't more work for you.
I have two students who bring the breakfast bags from the hallway. We have two students who return the bags at the end of breakfast. A student is responsible for putting away the trays and supply caddy. There is a student who gets the trash can from the hallway and returns the trash can after breakfast. My only job is to get our two Clorox wipes for the trays.
We also have a supply caddy for straws, spoons and napkins. This keeps things organized and means I don't have to find these materials for the kids.
Hopefully this post will give you a positive view of breakfast in the classroom and the many benefits it brings for you and your students!
Where did you get your trays from I can't find any that aren't stupid expensive.
The white/clear ones are from Ikea and the others are from Amazon.


I'm on the 7th revision of the Kelso pattern. It's nearly done. My test knitter has really helped me clear up confusing sections. The final version will be much easier to follow than the original version.
In other news, I discovered today that kneecaps can sweat heavily. I never noticed this before. Today, after a short run in hot and humid conditions, I was standing in the yard checking out some bumblebees on the lavender. I felt something on my leg, which I assumed was a bee. When I looked down, there were my knees with beads of sweat rolling down my shins. What's up with that!


44 hours! The amount of time I went without actively participating in Portland Burger Week. We've been talking about unleashing a burger review site for years and it was finally the right time. I told my friends I'd build the site that would give them a platform to spew their burger nonsense. But I broke their now grease filled hearts when I said I wasn't going to participate in the consumption of delicious, melty $5 burgers. Tragic, I know. I started off the week strong with healthier items, including 3 salads. Go me! But the allure of close-up (NSFW) shots of newfangled burger icons on Instagram left me drooling and in a state of despair.
Did I mention I'm getting married in 24 days? It's exciting and while I might be dim to what a wedding entails I know there are things I should be doing and things I shouldn't be doing. Eating 33 burgers (Burger Odyssey) three weeks before I say "I DO" is the latter of the two. So where did I go wrong? Did I go wrong? We had a great meeting with our venue coordinator and day of coordinator (Man, this sounds fancy, it's not. We found them on Ashley Madison). Marc, my friend that is setting up a photo booth for us was also there. He was headed to find a Burger Week burger joint. Sadly, White Owl was closed due to a power outage. He informed me of his plan to hit Pause on Interstate. The info was just too real and Hannah ("Feyoncé") and I were high off our meeting. We were ready for our burger rewards.
A group of gingham print shirts are standing on the corner outside of Pause clearly discussing how large each square is on their shirt and how each drop of smoked tomato jam resembles a Rorschach test on it. We get inside and it's fairly empty. We see our friends and they had already ordered our burgers for us - Quick shout out to technology, text messages are the future. Our burgers finally come and it's a site for soar eyes. It feels like I've been waiting a lifetime for this moment, but really only 44 hours. The Italian Sausage Burger is half pork, half beef. It tastes like the cook pounded a bag of sausages with a hammer and formed the remnants into a patty. IT WAS DELICIOUS! Where the burger excels though is the condiment compliments; whole milk mozzarella, sweated onions and peppers, smoked tomato jam and roasted red pepper aioli on a Portland French Onion Kaiser roll. Each condiment/topping had its place. I might be biased because this was my first and ONLY Burger Week burger, but I highly recommend it.
TIP: Pairs well with a Miller High Life.


Welcome to the online ARB Autumn trials 2018 for our latest Level 1 ARB formative assessment resources in development.
Student results from this trial enable us to adjust resources and write marking and support information before we publish them in May 2018.
Please read the Instructions for teachers about how to run the online trial in your class.
Students will need access to an online device (tablet, laptop, desktop).
Please read the National trialling for ARBs: information sheet (including ethics) for any further information.
These resources are designed for students working AT curriculum level 1. At the start of the year this is generally Year 3 students.
We have three collections with a mix of 4-5 Science, Maths and English items.
Thank you for your participation in these online trials.


text:
Local prep coaches miss players, find silver linings from COVID-19
LCC football coach Sean Sovacool
(Ken Grosse)
By Ken Grosse
High school coaches come in all shapes, sizes and styles. But when probing a group of nine area prep mentors about the personal and professional impact of COVID-19 and the shutdown of all campuses, including sports activities, it is apparent that they all have at least one thing in common—they love their teams. Since motivation is a key component in any coaching arsenal, it should probably come as no surprise they possessed the nearly universal point of view that plenty of positive that can be drawn locally from the predicament currently creating havoc worldwide.
But, first things first. The premise of the conversation with the coaching cluster was seeking reasons for optimism in the face of adversity. Yet unprompted first reactions inevitably focused on their teams, regardless of whether those questioned were veteran coaches, young to the profession, male, female, in-season or out-of-season. Here's a quick sampling…
"I miss seeing my players, we're a family," said Carlsbad girls' basketball coach Donna Huhn, a mother of four whose oldest daughter, Maddie, was her squad's leading scorer this year as a freshman. "I miss those sounds—the kids, the gym, the games. It's tough."
"The hardest part was the sudden disconnect," says La Costa Canyon boys' basketball coach Dave Cassaw, who just completed his 21st season at the helm of the Mavericks. "Some of those things that become so routine, you find out quickly how much you miss them. I don't always realize, on a consistent basis, how significant it is—seeing those kids, having those relationships."
"As a coach, you get so into the kids on your team, trying to make them better every day," professed San Dieguito girls' lacrosse coach Chuck Kaczmarek, a 40-year veteran in the game. "Their attitudes are so fabulous and it's great to be around that kind of good, positive energy every day."
Canyon Crest head cross country/track & field coach Andy Corman who has the special opportunity to be home full-time with a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and a four-week old son, still feels the tug of his campus clan. "Working with them, setting goals, building them up and seeing them achieve, that's why I got into coaching," he said. "That's what I'm missing the most right now, that development and daily interacting with those kids."
"I miss the connectivity," explained LCC football coach Sean Sovacool, husband and father of three, whose 7-on-7 season was jettisoned along with a variety of other spring activities. "I'm a coach and a teacher because I love it. It's fun to be around that population and there's no way you can replace it wholesale. I think we all want to be with each other."
Along with sharing thoughts like those above about their individual teams, the coaching collective addressed what they see as constructive outcomes of the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as well as personal undertakings and interests they have found rewarding during the quarantine.
Jackie Turpin, head coach of Cathedral Catholic's 2020 CIF Open Division runner-up girls' basketball team.
Jackie Turpin (Head Girls' Basketball Coach, Cathedral Catholic)
"For the kids, it's a mandatory break, something they don't always get—a chance to rest their legs, their bodies, hearts and minds. I believe it's going to be great at the end. I'm lucky, surrounded by a bunch of kids who are super-hungry—basketball is hard for them sometimes but they enjoy it and I'm sure they miss it.
"Just like the kids, it's a mandatory break for me. Everybody in the coaching fraternity is stopping and you get a kind of sanity. The athlete in me is constantly competing and trying to outwork opponents. Right now, we're all on the same page. It's special, being able to spend more time with family—dinners, conversations, just shared time.
"I've been taking some time to organize things like I couldn't before, putting things all together. I'm anticipating that I'll be the most organized that I've ever been come fall.
I'm also exploring other things that I haven't had time for, like online classes, TED Talks, getting more tech savvy. I'm expanding, learning. My mom and I both signed up for a free online class through Yale University that focuses on happiness and a well-rounded life. It gets into what makes you, as an individual, happy. I never would have done that and one thing I've found is that family and friends are what really make me happy. Having those human connections, not stuff but shared moments. I realized that in some cases, I haven't given family and friends my best. I think the conditions we're facing right now helped to renew my understanding of that."
Sean Sovacool (Head Football Coach, La Costa Canyon)
"There are a lot of benefits, starting with the fact that we're being forced to learn different ways to do things which is always good—it's testing our creative side. Through technology, we're learning new educational platforms that were supplemental but are now primary. I think this will help down the road with our mobility as both teachers and coaches—it's opened up some avenues that existed but we weren't using.
"The quarantine has been great for our family. I've always taken pride in making family a priority but this has brought it to a new level. We've never spent so much time together. We have a big, extended family and are taking advantage of the opportunity to connect with them, re-connect with high school classmates, college teammates and get to better know other teachers I work with.
"I think I'll leave this time with a better sense of appreciation for what we've had and hopefully will have again. I'm sure everyone will look at what was routine a little differently. And while I know our coaching staff will all be excited to get things re-started, I expect we'll see a high level of buy-in and effort from all of our kids too."
Chris Black, CCA boys' tennis coach
Chris Black (Head Boys' Tennis Coach, Canyon Crest Academy)
"Our boys were so excited about the possibilities this year, particularly our seniors. For our team, one of the best things I've seen is the amazing perspectives they have and how quickly they've pivoted off what they're missing and focused on opportunities this free time provides.
"I think this whole situation will ultimately reveal how we can be at our best. The whole country was galvanized after 9/11 and I foresee the same type of dynamic at work here.
"We can't be with one another but people are finding unique, cool ways to get together and interact. There are always those who point out the negatives of technology but in this set of circumstances, it has allowed us to stay connected.
"Being with family (he has third grade triplets, identical twin girls and a boy) more has also been a big plus. I've talked with my team about using this break to try something you've always wanted to do, check something off your bucket list. Whether it's playing the piano or writing a screenplay, take a shot at it. They could be learning to cook or do their own laundry, life skills that will be useful when they head off to college. Whatever it is, use this gift of time productively."
First-year Torrey Pines field hockey coach Courtney Spleen
Courtney Spleen (Head Field Hockey Coach, Torrey Pines)
"One positive that's come out of the social distancing initiative is that it's given a lot of people, including our players, time that they've always asked for, just to take a step back from things," says Spleen, who completed her first year leading the Falcons last fall. "I've been doing a lot more research on drills, game strategies and other things to implement when things get back to normal. I'll have more time to get re-charged and the team will have that same time to renew their love of the game. When we're back on line, I think the kids will be excited and focused.
"I'm also taking this chance to get started towards my teaching certificate. In May I'll begin an online program through Alliant University to get a masters in education with a teaching credential.
"Going forward, I think this experience will push me to be more productive and make the most of my free time. I'm not taking that for granted like I might have in the past."
LCC basketball coach Dave Cassaw, winner of four CIF titles.
Dave Cassaw (Head Boys' Basketball Coach, La Costa Canyon)
"I think we're going to emerge from this with a good re-set—both coaches and players—a better understanding of what we have the opportunity to do. We live real privileged lives and sometimes get caught up in the small details. Those things, like playing and coaching basketball, are not things we have to do. They are things we get to do. I think everyone's going to come back with renewed energy. There's a good possibility that in many ways this will eventually be seen as a huge positive.
"On a personal level, it's been a good time to re-connect at a higher level with my family and kids. Spending that time has given me a better appreciation for what they mean to mean to me as well as for those things we have that are sometimes taken for granted.
"It has also given me a chance to sit back and really think a lot, both personally and professionally. I've been online following other coaches, done a lot of reading—studying different philosophies and methods—working on things that will make me a better teacher and coach. It's also open a door for re-connecting with many of our alumni players."
Two-time CIF Open Division champion girls' soccer coach Martyn Hansford of Torrey Pines.
Martyn Hansford (Head Girls' Soccer Coach, Torrey Pines)
"This sort of re-emphasizes how good we've got it. When I wake up in the morning, I realize I'm better off than three-quarters of the people on the planet. I've always felt like that but a situation such as we have now makes you take stock of how fortunate we are to do what we do—coaching. That's a brilliant thing, working with kids, exposing them to the game while increasing their skill level and enjoyment. It doesn't get much better than that.
"My grandmother talked a lot about being in England and during the World War II bombings. Her message was always that 'you can't let something like that beat you down, it's important to carry on.' I shared some of those stories with my players because I think that applies to anything in life.
"I've been doing a lot of reading and right now it's a book called 'The Ball is Round." It's about soccer and the size of it makes the Bible look small. It ties together two of my interests, geopolitics and history, and centers on the development of football and how it has been used by different countries politically.
"This is kind of an unprecedented time and I'm trying to use the opportunity to better myself."
Carlsbad girls' basketball coach Donna Huhn
Donna Huhn (Head Girls' Basketball Coach, Carlsbad)
"Personally, the best part is that things have slowed down a little. Family dinners, card games, spending quality time with my fourth grader, those are all part of the daily schedule. I've found out that home schooling is not my forte but I've also taken time at night the last couple of weeks to watch a lot of film to see what I'm doing right and wrong. We can all grow and get better and I want try to take more accountability as a coach.
"I already knew it but this has underscored what an amazing Athletic Director (Amanda Waters) I have. She's checked on my well-being and that of my family on a consistent basis and kept us informed so we know what's happening. She goes above and beyond and is a great example for our staff and students. I recognize how fortunate I am to work for someone like her and be in the position I am. Going forward, I know I want to make sure I value my colleagues and express my appreciation at a higher level."
Chuck Kaczmarek (Head Boys' Lacrosse Coach, San Dieguito Academy)
"We started off 5-0 and were ranked 13th overall in the section so it was kind of tough to see that pulled away from the kids but assuming everybody stays healthy, they'll have learned how to deal with a crisis and, hopefully, with this experience, do it way better in the future than we did this time around.
"I think our players will get a good lesson in vulnerability as well. You think you're invincible until something like this happens. Just being exposed to the impact this has had around the world should make a person better understand how precious life is and the benefit of working together to come out stronger at the end. Kids are forced to grow up a little bit and find out that life is more fragile than they thought.
"On the lighter side, my house is a heck of a lot cleaner than usual and the yard looks pretty nice. Our family took the RV out to the desert (Borrego Springs) and got some serious solitude. I love being outside, out in nature. It was so beautiful, so quiet."
CCA's Andy Corman took the Raven boys' track & field team to the 2019 CIF crown.
Andy Corman (Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach, Canyon Crest Academy)
"It's not the most ideal situation, but personally, having the family time is incredible. I get to stay home more which is special, especially with a two-and-a-half -year-old and a four-week-old in the house. I've been watching a lot of Disney movies so that I can learn and be up-to-date on all the scripts and lyrics.
"Professionally, as a teacher, you're always forced to adapt, that's one of the things that makes it so interesting. Any time you challenge yourself or face a challenge, you improve. I've been re-reading 'The Obstacle is the Way' by Ryan Holiday. My athletes will probably laugh at that because I've pretty much taught them this book over the last four years. It stresses learning to control what you can control and how every obstacle can break you or help make you better—very appropriate today.
"These last few weeks have shown me that the next time I'm with my athletes and students, I'm going to take it a lot less for granted. The interactions are going to be different. Right now, we don't know what, if anything, will happen. We're like caterpillars who will turn into butterflies. We're in a cocoon now. We'll see what happens and hopefully come out bigger, better and stronger for this experience."
SportsPrep Sports
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Rancho San Dieguito Swim Team receives Silver Medal Club Excellence honor from USA Swimming
Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito's Rancho San Dieguito (RSD) Swim Team was named one of this year's Silver Medal Clubs in USA Swimming's National Club Excellence Program.
San Diego Sockers and Cardiff Soccer League partner to create Cardiff Sockers
The San Diego Sockers —14-time Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) champions -- and the Cardiff Soccer League (CSL) recently announced a new partnership, in which the Cardiff Mustangs youth soccer club will be re-named the Cardiff Sockers, according to a news release.
High school sports still waiting to play
But at least there have been some dates put forth
Santa Fe Christian Athletics announces new women's lacrosse coach
The Santa Fe Christian (SFC) Athletic Department recently announced the appointment of Kelsey Cuje to head women's lacrosse coach.
California quietly issues youth sports guidance for return to games
Sports are grouped by physical contact levels and a county's risk tier
Waiting game goes on and on for California high school sports
Lack of direction from Sacramento leaves coaches, athletes in limbo
Carlsbad's Eshelman looks for same success in new endeavor
If the topic on the table following last winter's CIF Championships was the best up-and-coming boys' basketball coaches in San Diego County, one of the names sure to be included would be Sam Eshelman.
Del Mar's 2020 race meetings successful in business, safety
Betting handle is up despite fewer dates; one racing fatality combined in summer and fall meetings
Business blooming at Del Mar fall meet
Numbers up heading into final week
Del Mar set to open fall meet sans Prat
Leading jockey staying in Kentucky for Breeders' Cup, but will return
Column: Economic hit from youth sports restrictions grows as California teams head to Arizona
Yuma is booming with baseball events, and Surf Cup soccer tournament moves to Phoenix
Encinitas resident sets new record at Montana Marathon
Encinitas resident Patrick Hutton won the Montana Marathon Sept. 20 and set a new course record, crossing the finish line at two hours, 31 minutes and 48 seconds.
Encinitas driver Max Root reaches Le Mans pinnacle at 21
Pepperdine senior calls it culmination of 'long journey'
Encinitas teen Luke Potter not fazed by being youngest golfer in U.S. Amateur
He won state high school golf title as a freshman last year
Prep coaches seek to firm up schedule in hopes of playing
San Diego County coaches, administrators try to iron out a plan
Football, other fall high school sports delayed until December or January
San Diego Section will meet to set master calendar but hopes to begin games in early January


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Railpictures.ca - Dave Beach Photo: A CP westbound coal train in the rugged lower Fraser Valley near Hell's Gate. | Railpictures.ca – Canadian Railway Photography – photographie ferroviaire Canadienne.
Caption: A CP westbound coal train in the rugged lower Fraser Valley near Hell's Gate.


text:
Michael Fremer | Feb 9, 2018 | First Published: Sep 1, 2001
In their "Noah's Ark" TV commercial, what DaimlerChrysler seems to consider worth hauling up the Ark's gangplank is a pair of Mercedes Benz E-Class sedans. There's also a guy schlepping an iMac (what else?), and another carrying recorded music—not CDs but a stack of LPs, the top one appearing to be an original of Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool. (Other recent analog sightings: a full-frame Clearaudio Reference turntable in Tomb Raider, and a Rega Planar 2 or 3 'table in Sex and the City.)
Speaking of cars, why would a reader object to BMW advertising in Stereophile, as recent letter-writers did? I draw the line at pitches for cigarettes, but cars...? Nor am I a bimmer guy. When I lived in L.A., my Saab's license plate was "BMWS UGH." I had no problem with the cars themselves, but with their drivers' repulsively smug attitude.
And what was with that Paradigm ad (June, p.8), in which a babe sits between the speakers facing the same way they're firing? Whatever she's hearing from that seat can't be good. Okay, okay—how else to show the faces of the speakers and the chick? But if you're going to have her holding up a copy of John Coltrane's A Love Supreme, get her an original pressing, not some farkuckt late-'70s MCA reissue. And what about those naked LPs gathering dust on the floor under her foot? The ad appears to be a case of a hi-fi company going "upscale" to a slick, mid-level ad agency that knows nothing about the marketplace its client is trying to reach, and hasn't bothered to find out. Good speakers, bad ad.
Return of the Laser Turntable
Analog veterans remember Finial Technology as the company that introduced the laser turntable in the late 1980s, just as the compact disc was taking off. A turntable that would read the grooves without making physical contact was a great idea, but timing is everything, and Finial's timing couldn't have been worse.
The laser 'table, the brainchild of Stanford graduate student Robert E. Stoddard, took seven years and some $20 million to go from idea to product. Apparently Stoddard's professors didn't think it could be done, but the stubborn grad and his team—including Robert N. Stark, designer of high-speed servos and analog processors—proved them wrong.
But inventing a product and putting it into production are two different things, and at a time when the LP was going away, finding investors willing to absorb the first $20 million already spent and sink the millions more needed to move the project forward proved impossible. The big Japanese companies, then tooling up for CD, were uninterested, and the once promising design seemed to disappear.
But now, 10 years later, the laser turntable is back, thanks to the ELP corporation of Japan and its president, Sanju Chiba, who was in New York City recently to demonstrate it. As you all know, LPs and the turntables on which to play them never really went away, but today, with the analog revival in full rotation, Chiba felt it was time to introduce to the American market three models of the laser turntable, all made by hand and priced from $13,500 to $23,5000, each price including a VPI 16.5 record-cleaning machine. Chiba claims to have sold 800 of them in Japan. In 1993, the BBC used one to broadcast its Christmas special. In 1995, two new models were added, and in 1996 the recapitalized ELP was founded to build and market the 'tables.
So, on a beautiful spring weekend afternoon, while normal people were lying in the sun or playing golf, I found myself on a PATH train under the Hudson River, on my way to the Hilton Millennium (next door to the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan), where I found Chiba and an American associate, David Williams, ready to demo the top-of-the-line LT-1XA 'table with Georgia-based Inner Sound electronics and hybrid electrostatic speakers. They also had an Elberg MD12 multi-curve phono preamp for the 78rpm part of the demo.
Sitting in a hotel room, looking out the upper-floor window at lower Manhattan, I thought, It's 2001 and, out of 15 million people living in the Metropolitan area, a laser turntable demo has drawn exactly five. Not too depressing! In all fairness, the demo wasn't well-publicized. I found out about it only from a note posted on the Phonogram Internet newsgroup.
First, the laser turntable's downside: It plays only black records. Forget about colored or transparent vinyl. In fact, I'm not even sure it will play JVC Super Vinyl (ie, original Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LPs); the laser needs reflectivity to read the grooves. (If you hold a MoFi up to the light, you can see through it. Same with Quiex II.) Also, the lasertable reads dirt and scratches as part of the signal, so you still need to clean your records—which is why ELP supplies a free VPI 16.5 with each turntable sold.
But think of the upside: no tracking error, no crosstalk, no inner-groove distortion, no VTA hassles, no acoustical feedback, no problems with warped or eccentric records, no stylus cleaning, no cartridges to worry about at all. Plus, you get CD-player–like conveniences: Put a record in the tray, press Play, and it slides in like a CD. The player scans the disc and registers the tracks, which you can then program as in a CD player. You can also adjust the laser pickup's height—not to adjust "VTA," but to find the least-worn section of the groove. With mono records you can choose the inner or outer wall, one of which might be less worn than the other. And, of course, from the moment you buy a laser turntable, your records stop wearing out. Unfortunately and inexplicably, there is no remote control.
The LT-1XA plays all sizes of 331/3, 45, and 78rpm records. Its speed can be varied, in 0.1rpm steps, from 30 to 50rpm, and in 0.2rpm steps from 60 to 90rpm. At one point, Chiba took a broken 78, mended it with transparent tape, and played it. The non-taped side played flawlessly. There was a slight bumping sound with each revolution on the taped side, but you could easily reverse the tape for each side. The overall fidelity of 78s played back with the correct EQ curve was astounding—especially an older acoustic recording of Jascha Heifetz.
But if you don't play 78s, you can buy the LT-1LA for $13,500. An original Belafonte at Carnegie Hall sounded impressively transparent and low in distortion, especially on sibilants. All of the LPs demo'd sounded open, unusually transparent, and nonmechanical, but it would be foolhardy to make any sonic judgments given the unfamiliar playback system. Dirt and scratches definitely "played," but the resulting noise was much further below the music, and less pernicious, than what you'd hear with conventional stylus playback of dirty, scratched LPs. And with an LT, of course, neither record nor "stylus" is damaged in the process.
Chiba also played LPs containing the same tracks, using a conventional stylus. They sounded remarkably similar, except that the laser-read ones sounded more open and transparent and less mechanical.
When I asked him about the laser pickup's lifespan, Chiba said, "About 10,000 hours." That's long, but not forever. A replacement costs about $1500—the price of a middle-of-the-field cartridge. If I bought one of these 'tables, I'd buy a spare pickup as well. Then there's the issue of the viability of the company itself, in terms of repairs, spare parts, etc. ELP's roots go back to 1972, but I'll spare you the corporate history. According to Chiba, ELP was well capitalized a few years ago and is quite solvent.
I've been promised a one-week audition of an LT soon. I'll let you know what I hear!
Meanwhile, back on Earth...Acoustic Signature's Final Tool turntable
Minneapolis-based analog specialist The Needle Doctor (www.needledoctor.com) is importing a new line of precision-made German turntables, one of which is the Acoustic Signature Final Tool. It's the least expensive of the three models being imported, but you'd never know it by looking, touching, or listening. I do not understand how they can sell this beautifully built and engineered product for $2000.
"Final Tool" is an appropriate name for this massive, impressively machined, suspensionless 'table: it looks and feels more like a tool than a turntable, and that's a compliment, though some may find its purely functional design lacking the requisite visual appeal.
Keying off of the Michell Gyrodec's physical essence, the Final Tool is all circles: a heavy circular main chassis resting on a trio of cones, sturdy circular aluminum arm platforms (up to three) raised to platter height via three tubular aluminum stanchions, and, of course, a circular, oversized, tall, extremely heavy (24 lbs), and superbly damped (with bitumen) aluminum platter (add $330). And while many German turntable manufacturers are keen on acrylic, Acoustic Signature uses none—except for the motor pulley.
The unique bearing includes two sets of self-lubricating, sintered bronze bushings that have absorbed oil from having been boiled in a vat of it—no additional oil needs to be squirted into the bearing well. The spindle is hardened steel tipped with a tungsten-carbide ball. The ball sits on Tidorfolon, a composite of vanadium, ferrite, Teflon, and titanium. The bearing is claimed to be noiseless and wear-free.
Drive is via an outboard 24V AC motor housed in a well-damped aluminum cylinder and juiced by a sophisticated power supply operating much like a PS Audio Power Plant: AC line voltage is stepped down to 36V and converted to DC. The DC is then used to drive a crystal oscillator that delivers a 24V sinewave. The speeds of 331/3 and 45rpm are selectable via a supply-mounted switch, as are On and Off.
The motor drives the platter via thin thread (supplied), which you measure, cut, and tie. A number of 'tables use thread drive, the rationale being superior isolation and a reduction of vibrational eddy currents traveling along the belt and affecting the speed of rotation. The knot ends up on the outside and doesn't appear to affect speed stability or accuracy, though I'm sure naysayers will explain exactly why thread is a bad idea and why the knot causes horrendous problems as it goes around. Maybe so, but I don't think I heard any.
More problematic for me conceptually was the grooved acrylic pulley attached to the motor spindle. The pulley is used because it can be polished in a way that lets the thread slip when you stop the platter with your hand (while the motor continues spinning) to change records. To get the heavy platter going, you have to give it a quick spin with your hand. Like the pulleys Clearaudio uses on its far more expensive 'tables, Acoustic Signature's didn't appear to have been precisely machined. I could see movement as it spun, and when I looked closely, I could see the thread riding up and down in the groove. That can't be a good thing for micro speed stability, though the designer will probably contend that the platter's momentum is sufficient to overcome any pulley irregularities. Given the Final Tool's superb fit and finish everywhere else, the pulley's lack of precision was somewhat disappointing, though the 'table ran precisely at 331/3 and 45rpm.
A felt mat à la Rega and Linn is supplied, but I found the Ring-Mat to be a fine addition (without a clamp). This suspensionless rig can easily handle a record clamp; if you buy it, I recommend using one. The power supply can drive up to three motors, and you can add one or two more as an option; the idea is popular in Germany. I'd prefer that my turntable had no motor, but as that's not practical, I grudgingly accept one. Why you'd want to triple the vibrational energy and noise is something I don't understand. And given the lack of pulley precision, it seems to me that adding motors can only make things worse, not better.
The review sample came with one motor, three armboards, and two arm mounts. The Final Tool comes with provisions for one arm; three are possible. Add $330 for each arm holder, mounting plate, and set of spacers, plus $150 for pre-cut armboard. Two boards were cut for a Rega arm, one of which included an integral feature for adjusting VTA. The other board was cut for SME. I got an Incognito-rewired RB300 arm from Lauerman Audio Imports and an SME 309 with Celebration cartridge from Sumiko. I also had an SME–to–Graham-2.0 adapter, which I hoped would allow me switch the Graham between the Final Tool and my reference Simon Yorke 'table in just a few minutes.
After trying the VTA-adjustable armboard ($60 option), I passed on it: It uses a pressure-locking system that squeezes and deforms the threads on the Rega's base pipe. I wouldn't do that to an arm I owned, and I especially wouldn't do it to an arm on loan from an importer. The armboard also seems to compromise rigidity, and the collar raised the arm's lowest VTA point too high for some cartridges. The standard Rega board worked fine, as did the SME board with the 309. However, when I added the Graham adapter, I found that the alignment hole in a spare Graham armtube didn't fit into the tip of the plastic spindle guide Graham supplies to ensure proper cartridge alignment when using Graham's overhang tool. The adapter worked perfectly on the SME 10 'table, so I have to assume that Acoustic Signature didn't cut the board to SME's precise spec (though the SME arm's sliding base made it easy to get perfect alignment). This forced a time-consuming cartridge realignment when switching between the Final Tool and Simon Yorke 'tables.
The Final Tool Performs: I first listened to the Transfiguration Temper Supreme cartridge in the Rega RB300 tonearm and was immediately impressed by the combination's exceptionally fine, deep, taut, well-focused bass. The Final Tool's rhythmic certainty, dynamic authority, and transient performance were equally impressive, as was the absence of obvious tonal irregularities. I thought the Temper Supreme sounded slightly more forward than usual and a bit grainy, and detail was a bit less than I'd expected. I figured I was hearing the arm.
I put a stethoscope to the turntable and to the motor housing before listening to the SME/Celebration combo, and ran an impulse test by putting the stylus in the groove (with the platter stationary) and tapping the mounting platform, the bearing housing (it's not really a plinth), and the side of the platter itself. The stethoscope revealed an exceptionally quiet bearing and a smooth-running, essentially vibration-free motor. Placing my hand on the motor cylinder was equally gratifying: It was difficult to know if the motor was actually spinning. The Final Tool's was the smoothest-running and/or best-isolated conventional motor I've ever encountered at any price. The impulse test was equally impressive: Tapping the bearing housing resulted in a clean, well-attenuated thump through the speakers. Tapping on the platter demonstrated even greater attenuation.
The SME/Celebration combo mellowed out and enriched the sound considerably, adding some midbass warmth, but there was a bit less detail—hardly surprising, given the Celebration's $1500 cost vs the Temper Supreme's $3800, not to mention their different sonic signatures. Nor is the 309, with its detachable headshell, the most detailed arm ever made. Still, the combo seemed to be a really nice match for the Final Tool. However, it took having the Graham arm as a constant to really understand what the 'table was doing.
Using the Clearaudio Insider and Lyra Helikon cartridges, I auditioned the Graham on the Final Tool and the Simon Yorke. There was nothing polite- or "budget"-sounding about the Final Tool. It produced a big, well-controlled, tightly focused sound, with bass control and dynamic authority to rival those of far more expensive turntables. Compared to the five-times-the-price Yorke (with Vibraplane), the Final Tool was clearly somewhat brighter and slightly grainy on top, drier in the midbass, and somewhat lacking in midrange lushness and transparency. That much was obvious on The Weavers' Reunion at Carnegie Hall 1963 (Analogue Productions APF 005, 180gm reissue) and on other revealing demo discs. Take the differences I reported between the Yorke and SME 10 a while back, in April 2000: sharpen and accentuate the edge detail a bit, and you have the essential differences.
I don't mean to sound negative. The Final Tool is a great-sounding 'table, especially if you want rhythm, pacing, dynamics, image focus, and rock-stable soundstaging. If you're shopping at this price point or well above and like the delicate, the plush, and the airy, the Tool is probably not the 'table for you, although adding something like the 309/Celebration combo or a Rega with a slightly forgiving cartridge will get you close. You're probably better off with a suspended design like the Michell Gyrodec, one of the small suspended Basis models, or perhaps a loaded VPI HW-19.
But if you eat on my side of the 'table, the Final Tool—with its solid construction, superb bearing, sophisticated electronic motor drive, provision for multiple tonearms, and heavy, oversized, well-damped platter—might be the best value out there. With the exception of the all-important pulley, nothing at this price point compares in terms of build quality and what you get for your two grand.
The $1200 Kuzma Stabi S was my previous champ for price, performance, and build quality. Now it's the Acoustic Signature Final Tool. Though it's no SME 10 killer, at a bit more than half the price (with a 309 arm) it'll give you a lot more than half of the SME 10's performance. Add a Ring-Mat and a good record clamp and you'll get even more.
1) Radiohead, Amnesiac, import EMI 10" LPs (2)
2) R.E.M., Reveal, Warner Bros. LP
3) Paul McCartney/Wings, Wingspan, import Parlophone LPs (4)
4) Hank Garland, Move! The Guitar Artistry of Hank Garland, Sundazed CD
5) Miles Davis, The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions, advance Columbia CDs (3)
6) West Coast Pop Art Band, A Child's Guide to Good and Evil, Sundazed LP
7) Travis, The Invisible Band, advance Epic CD
8) The Millennium, Magic Time: The Millennium/Ballroom Recordings, Sundazed CDs (3)
9) Anthony Wilson Trio, Our Gang, Groovenote gold CD
10) Various, The Rough Guide to Bluegrass, import Rough CD
Laser turntable
Submitted by TerryNYC on Sun, 2018-02-11 18:43
The reason the original failed was laser wavelength vs inner groove dimensions as I learned in a long conversation with David Fletcher. When you get your demo unit, please report current inner groove performance. Thanks.
When you get your demo unit,
Submitted by Hergest on Mon, 2018-02-12 20:43
When you get your demo unit, please report current inner groove performance
This is a 17 year old article.
noticed second date after posting
Submitted by TerryNYC on Tue, 2018-02-13 06:56
wavelength comment is correct regardless as a fundamental problem; dust was purely secondary.
Submitted by Rony on Fri, 2018-03-23 01:17
How to get a bigger dick without pills, surgery, jelqing etc. These 2 tips naturally make your penis look much bigger fast within a week.howtogetabiggerdick.org


text:
John Gilbert Talbot PC ( - ), est un homme politique du Parti conservateur britannique.

Jeunesse
Talbot est le fils de l'honorable John Chetwynd-Talbot, quatrième fils de Charles Chetwynd-Talbot (2e comte Talbot). Sa mère est l'honorable Jane Caroline, fille de James Stuart-Wortley (1er baron Wharncliffe), petit-fils du Premier ministre John Stuart (3e comte de Bute). Le très révérend Edward Talbot (évêque), évêque de Winchester, est son frère cadet et Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, son oncle.

Carrière politique

Talbot est entré au Parlement aux élections générales de 1868 pour Kent West un siège qu'il occupe jusqu'en 1878, date à laquelle il démissionne pour se présenter à une élection partielle dans la circonscription de l'Université d'Oxford. Il remporte l'élection partielle et occupe ce siège jusqu'à son départ aux élections générales de janvier 1910. Il sert sous Benjamin Disraeli comme secrétaire parlementaire de la Chambre de commerce de 1878 à 1880 et est admis au Conseil privé en 1897.

Famille
Talbot épouse l'honorable Meriel Sarah, fille de George Lyttelton (4e baron Lyttelton), et sœur de l'honorable Alfred Lyttelton, en 1860. Ils ont quatre fils et six filles. Leur fils aîné, Sir , est juge à la Haute Cour de justice tandis que leur fille Dame Meriel Talbot est devenue fonctionnaire et travailleuse sociale. Talbot est décédé en février 1910, à l'âge de 74 ans. Sa femme lui a survécu pendant quinze ans et est décédée en avril 1925.

Références

Liens externes

Membre du Conseil privé du Royaume-Uni
Député du Parti conservateur (Royaume-Uni)
Député du 28e Parlement du Royaume-Uni
Député du 27e Parlement du Royaume-Uni
Député du 26e Parlement du Royaume-Uni
Député du 25e Parlement du Royaume-Uni
Député du 24e Parlement du Royaume-Uni
Député du 23e Parlement du Royaume-Uni
Député du 22e Parlement du Royaume-Uni
Député du 21e Parlement du Royaume-Uni
Député du 20e Parlement du Royaume-Uni
Décès en février 1910
Naissance en février 1835

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


LIVERPOOL forward Luis Suarez has been banned for ten matches after a charge of violent conduct was upheld by the Independent Regulatory Commission.
Suarez originally admitted to biting Branislav Ivanovic during the Reds' 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Sunday.
However, he contested a claim made by the FA that a three-match ban was insufficient for the severity of the offence.
Liverpool's managing director, Ian Ayre, released a statement, which was published on the club's official website.
It read: "Both the club and player are shocked and disappointed at the severity of today's Independent Regulatory Commission decision.
Suarez was banned for seven games when he played for Ajax after biting PSV midfielder Otman Bakkal during a league encounter.
He will serve the ban with immediate effect but he has until Friday to appeal against the suspension.


text:
import React, { Component } from 'react';

class Books extends Component {
    render() {
        return (

                Here we have a top ten of historical Books list. Please use our search feature to search over 10,000 historical
                books by era, historical figures, etc.

            Audio Books

        );
    }
}

export default Books;