text:
Record year for Linklaters as strong M&A run pushes firm over £1.3bn revenue boundary
Posted on 8 July 2016 07:00am 15 February 2018 11:52am | Tom Moore
Financial results 2015/16 Linklaters Corporate
Revenue at Linklaters has crossed £1.3bn for the first time, up 3% in 2015/16 to £1.31bn, as profits per equity partner hit a new high of £1.403m.
It may have taken eight years, but Linklaters has surpassed the £1.29bn it achieved in 2007/08, following strong performances across its M&A, project finance, dispute resolution and TMT practices. The firm added an extra £43.5m worth of revenue to the £1.266bn it achieved in 2014/15.
It's a strong showing, in keeping with the improved results released by other Magic Circle firms for 2015/16, following a five-year spell of flat performances broken only by a 5% jump in turnover during 2013/14. The growth is largely organic too, with headcount rising only by 18 lawyers last year.
The rise in partner numbers were smaller still, up by just two to 452, which meant most the rise in revenue ended up in the pockets of partners. Profits per equity partner (PEP) were up 3% to £1.403m, an increase of £35,000. This, perhaps crucially at a time of high-stakes lateral recruitment by US rivals in London and Hong Kong, takes the top of equity at Linklaters to back over £1.8m.
Gideon Moore (pictured), who succeeded Simon Davies as the firm's managing partner in January said: 'We had a decent pickup in the second half and we ended up with record profit, record revenue and record PEP. That doesn't mean there isn't room for further improvement but if you are hitting record levels in each of these three categories then you would want your partners to feel pretty comfortable with what they have achieved.'
While law firms were impacted by a slowdown in M&A volume towards the end of 2015, partially due to political and economic instability, Linklaters' corporate group landed a string of big-ticket mandates to outperform the market. 'M&A had a good year,' said Moore. 'Really solid and people thought that would wane because of Brexit but that wasn't the case.' Standout mandates include advising SABMiller on its $108bn takeover by brewing rival Anheuser-Busch InBev – last year's second biggest deal, acting for Belgian supermarket chain Delhaize on its €26bn merger with Dutch grocery giant Ahold and advising Visa Europe on its $23.4bn takeover by Visa.
Related Deal watch: Linklaters and White & Case in landmark Africa project as Slaughters and Macfarlanes lead on Cineworld takeover
While Moore is quick to add that he's 'quite happy with our current size and shape' given the 'low growth legal services environment', he noted 'there is a growth agenda' and a shift away from the cost cutting that symbolised his predecessor's time at the helm. During the handover period, Linklaters made a double hire in the US after a long period of stasis with the arrival of Baker & McKenzie New York litigation head Douglas Tween and Willkie Farr & Gallagher restructuring partner Margot Schonholtz. Those hires were followed up with the recruitment of Adam Lurie from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in February to head the firm's Washington, DC litigation and government investigations practice. 'Our US offering is good for what we're doing at the moment but there are opportunities that we can bolster our profile and presence,' said Moore. 'Investigations and disputes are two key growth areas.'
With popular M&A heavyweight Charlie Jacobs set to take up the senior partner role from Robert Elliott in October, the mood at Silk Street is largely upbeat, bar unease about a devastating raid by Kirkland & Ellis on the firm's private equity group. 'The mood within the firm is good,' said Moore. 'The best way to deal with the challenges out there is to rally the troops, remain collegiate and believe in our culture and work closely together.'
tom.moore@legalease.co.uk
Read our wrap of big four 2015/16 financial results here.
CategoriesBlogs TagsCorporate
'Maintaining momentum': Taylor Wessing posts UK income up 4.4% to £126.6m
Financials 2015/16: Clyde & Co posts double-digit revenue growth and record PEP
Improved strategy sees Addleshaw Goddard post modest revenue bump of 5% for 2015/16
Coronavirus impact widens as Links and Eversheds become latest City firms to send staff home
As rivals retrench Linklaters retains expansive German form as A&O veteran becomes third lateral of 2017
Linklaters reshuffles to boost corporate and disputes
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Next PostNext Life during law: Stephen Lloyd, Allen & Overy
NatWest SME law firm report warns lock-up a concern although business climate positive


text:
Q: regular expression tog et values of html tag attributes

                                        abc

how would i extract abc and link?
$pattern="/
\s*(.*)\s*<\/a> <\/li>/m";
preg_match_all($pattern, $content, $matches);

the one i have right now doesnt seems to work

A: Considering your are trying to extract some data from an HTML string, regex are generally not the right/best tool for the job.
Instead, why no use a DOM parser, like the DOMDocument class, provided with PHP, and its DOMDocument::loadHTML method ?
Then, you could navigate through your HTML document using DOM methods -- which is much easier than using regex, especially considering than HTML is not quite regular.

Here, for example, you could use something like this :
$html = <<<HTML

        abc

HTML;

$dom = new DOMDocument();
$dom->loadHTML($html);
$as = $dom->getElementsByTagName('a');
foreach ($as as $a) {
    var_dump($a->getAttribute('href'));
    var_dump(trim($a->nodeValue));
}

And you would get the following output :
string(4) "link"
string(3) "abc"

The code is not quite hard, I'd say, but, in a few words, here what it's doing :

*

*Load the HTML string : DOMDocument::loadHTML

*Extract all  tags : DOMDocument::getElementsByTagName

*Foreach tag found :

*

*get the href attribute : DOMElement::getAttribute

*and the value of the node : DOMNode::$nodeValue
Just a note : you might want to check if the href attribute exists, with DOMElement::hasAttribute, before trying to use its value...

EDIT after the comments : here's a quick example using DOMXpath to get to the links ; I supposed you want the link that's inside the
 tag with class="zk_list_c2 f_l" :
$dom = new DOMDocument();
$dom->loadHTML($html);

$xpath = new DOMXPath($dom);
$as = $xpath->query('//li[@class="zk_list_c2 f_l"]/a');

foreach ($as as $a) {
    var_dump($a->getAttribute('href'));
    var_dump(trim($a->nodeValue));
}

And, again, you get :
string(4) "link"
string(3) "abc"

As you can see, the only thing that changes is the way you're using to get to the right  tag : instead of DOMDocument::getElementsByTagName, it's just a matter of :

*

*instanciating The DOMXPath class

*and calling DOMXPath::query with the right XPath query.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
package com.recaptcha.utils;

import org.codehaus.jackson.annotate.JsonProperty;

import javax.ws.rs.*;
import java.util.List;

/**
 * Created by aquarius on 8/12/2015.
 */
public class ReCaptchaCheckerReponse {
    @JsonProperty("success")
    private Boolean success;

    @JsonProperty("error-codes")
    private List<String> errorCodes;

    public Boolean getSuccess() {
        return success;
    }

    public void setSuccess(Boolean success) {
        this.success = success;
    }

    public List<String> getErrorCodes() {
        return errorCodes;
    }

    public void setErrorCodes(List<String> errorCodes) {
        this.errorCodes = errorCodes;
    }
    ReCaptchaCheckerReponse() {}

};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


In most cases, people usually express their love to the public through a wedding where the declaration is done officially. Such an event is very important in somebody's life worthy to remember in the rest of the lifetime. Therefore, it requires the couples to bet prepared very well for that an occasion without any evident problems until the event is over. The correct choice of the wedding attire is the key to being well prepared for the wedding event and require being given adequate time in order to make the necessary choice. The wedding dress is given much attention when it comes to choosing the wedding attires but the thing is, the suit for the groom should also be given an equal attention as it is also important to make the wedding event attractive. The wedding suits for the groom can be acquired from reliable stores or from the tailor known to design the wedding suits in the appropriate manner.
There are two ways that a person can obtain wedding suits from the reliable stores or from the tailors. The first, one includes renting a wedding suit and the other one is buying it. Both methods usually depends on the preferences of an individual and the prevailing financial condition. Most of the people do not prefer having their suits tailored for them and instead they make a choice of renting one from various renting shops. The the following enumerates the advantages of renting a wedding suit over buying one from the renting shops.
Much time is saved upon renting a suit. Most of the stores that specifically deal with the wedding apparels do have ready-made suits of many designs and sizes to choose from and it only needs trying them and find the best one that fits. Renting can be a faster method or a process since it only takes a matter of several hours that giving the measurements to the tailor for the suit to be made for the groom which can consume a lot of time before completion.
The inconveniences can be much reduced upon renting a wedding suit and helps saving time according to the plans and arrangements. This is because, having the suit tailored can result into some errors to the design, size, or material of the ready attire that cannot fit for the groom.
The other reason is that it saves money as compared to when purchasing or owning completely. The amount of money that is spared can be utilized in another way since during such an event many people experience a shortage of money because of a lot of needs and requirements to be taken care of. Therefore, renting a suit can be a suitable alternative that buying or having it tailored.


text:
Q: crossdomain issue with Flex Application I have a flex application that has a button that calls a URL.
The source of the URL is a location on the same Apache web server as the Flex application.
I have dumped a crossdomain file under webapps and also under ROOT folder:
<cross-domain-policy>
<allow-access-from domain="*"/>
<site-control permitted-cross-domain-policies="all"/>
<allow-http-request-headers-from domain="*" headers="*"/>
</cross-domain-policy>

However, my Flex application is still returning a 2048 error, which I understand to be an issue relating to not having the cross-domain file setup correctly.
Please see this short screencast for more info.
In the long run, I need the tool to be able to open any publically accessible file from several different web servers.

A: Do you need the port?  Looks like you're on 8080 -

<cross-domain-policy>
<allow-access-from domain="*" to-ports="80,443,8080"/>
<site-control permitted-cross-domain-policies="all"/>
<allow-http-request-headers-from domain="*" headers="*"/>
</cross-domain-policy>


Iain is married to Liz and lives in Linlithgow. He has been an Approved Driving Instructor in the West Lothian and Falkirk areas for the past 14 years. He and Liz have a son and daughter, Gordon and Fiona, and two grandchildren, Andrew and Hannah.
Iain strives to be a faithful witness to God's amazing grace in our Lord Jesus Christ.


IBTM Arabia, part of IBTM's global portfolio of meetings and events industry trade shows, has announced that its 2019 event will take place at Jumeirah Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi from March 25-27.
The event's exclusive one-to-one pod format mutually-matches Hosted Buyers and exhibitors using IBTM's bespoke 'matchmaking' software, ensuring meetings take place between people with whom there is a great chance of doing business.
IBTM Arabia - run in partnership with Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism - will bring together exhibitors from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey, Russia, central Asia, Georgia, Armenia and Cyprus, as well as the UAE and GCC. Exhibitors signed up to attend so far include Cyprus Convention Bureau, Galaxia Tours, Rotana Hostel and Resorts and United Nations Economic Commissions for Africa (UNECA).
One of the highlights of IBTM Arabia is its strong focus on networking and cultural events. This includes a 'Discovery Day' in which all attendees can network in a relaxed setting to build relationships ahead of their formal business meetings, all whilst enjoying the sites and local culture of Abu Dhabi. The event's well-known White Party gala dinner, sponsored by Rotana Hotels and Resorts, will also return in 2019.


C2749BDG Inside Text: Have Yourselfie A Happy Birthday!
C4026BDG Inside Text: Vapy Birthday!
C4028BDG Inside Text: Drop Everything And Have A Happy Birthday!
C4527XSG Inside Text: It's Your Turn To Have A Merry Christmas!


text:
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II (Pre-Recorded Audio Player)
By Liza Mundy, Erin Bennett (Read by)
October 2017 Indie Next List
"There is so much arguing these days over the existence of women in STEM fields and whether they should be allowed to be there. 'Oh honey,' says Code Girls, wrapping an arm around your shoulder, 'we never left.' In riveting prose, Mundy shows the presence of these women from the very beginning -and then how they were almost forcibly forgotten after the war was over. Women who once had only a life of school-teaching to look forward to (even with a PhD) became people who saved lives and sunk ships. This book exists to remind us that women have always been in these stories, even if they're not shown."
— Alice Ahn, Water Street Books, Exeter, NH
Winter 2018 Reading Group Indie Next List
"I was stunned to learn that over 10,000 women served the U.S. during WWII as code breakers. They'd been instructed to keep their work strictly secret and to tell friends and family that they were working as secretaries for the war effort. Now their stories and efforts are becoming known. Time to ask Grandma if she was a secret cryptographer in the war."
— Genevieve Taylor, Boulder Book Store, Boulder, CO
Military - World War II
Intelligence & Espionage
Kobo eBook (October 1st, 2018): $9.99
Paperback (October 2nd, 2018): $16.99
Hardcover (October 10th, 2017): $28.00
Hardcover, Abridged (October 2nd, 2018): $17.99
Hardcover, Large Print (October 10th, 2017): $41.00
CD-Audio (October 10th, 2017): $35.00
Compact Disc (November 2017): $105.99

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We've realized through traveling the country that we don't only have beautiful sights, we also have an abundance of beautiful people.
The best part of traveling the Philippines – seeing one of the most beautiful smiles of the world. That warm genuine smile, highly contagious!
Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines – This is our winning entry for BookiePH First Anniversary Contest, Best Portrait Shot. Though we didn't get the grand prize ( roundtrip tickets for two to Basco, Batanes ), we're still glad to be chosen as one of those who will receive consolation prizes.


Digital Panel Meters | Test and Measurement Instruments C.C.
Notes on Digital Panel Meters.
4-20mA and 0-20mA inputs. 57, 100 or 180 mm Digits. 3 1/2 or 4 digit programmable. Supply Voltages: 24VDC or 220V,110VAC.Weatherproof IP65 Versions available.


If you're not accustomed to driving mountain roads and want to enjoy the scenery on the way to Yosemite National Park, leave the driving to the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS). Not only will you save money on gas and wear-and-tear on your car, you'll be able to focus on the scenery instead of the road. And you'll help reduce congestion in the park.
YARTS accesses the park year-round via Highway 140 out of Merced. In summer, buses also lead into the park from the north (service starts in Sonora) and from the east (servicing Mammoth Lakes). Each route has multiple stops, so you can get on or off at appealing gateway towns too. In Yosemite, ride the park's free shuttles to reach all major destinations, including summer bus service to hiking in Tuolumne Meadows. For a fun car-free way to tour Yosemite Valley, rent bikes at various locations, then follow paved paths to Mirror Lake, Yosemite Falls, and other top spots.


For something refreshingly different from traditional B & B's or hostels why not try us. We're much cheaper than B & B's and far more characterful and comfortable than most hostels. With prices averaging only £22 per person, double or twin occupancy, and £30 for singles, we're a great budget option for bed and breakfast here in the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast National Park.
Cut to the chase? Skim read what's underlined!
Our breakfast offerings are a far cry from the 'muffin in a box' offered by some budget hotel chains. Inclusive in our price is a light self service breakfast. This comprises a choice of cereals, a top quality muesli with 50% fruit and nuts, several porridge options including our popular organic version with sultanas and cinnamon. There's organic Welsh milk, fair trade tea and fair trade organic coffee, a choice of quality loaves for toast including a tasty sunflower and pumpkin cob and locally made jams and marmalade. For those who have acquired the taste, there's Marmite too!
So, no need to worry about setting the alarm to come down to breakfast at a set time. Whether you're setting off early for a full day on the coast path or you fancy a nice lie in, breakfast will be there for you whenever you'd like it.
As a further option there's an excellent café in the village that offers cooked breakfasts and packed lunches. Click on the 'Food Glorious Food' link below for more details including opening times.
Start with our reasonable rates, add in the self catering kitchen, and you've got yourself one of the best bargains around! One of the pleasures of a holiday or mini break is finding your favourite places to eat out, but, the expense aside, sometimes a night in and rustling up a familiar meal is just what appeals. There's all the equipment you will need in our well appointed kitchen and we do our best to keep it spotlessly clean.
Dine in style – There aren't many places that feature Charles Rennie Mackintosh dining chairs and The Old School Hostel is one of them. Ours are copies of the tallest of his famous high backed chairs and they create a wonderfully intimate dining experience at one of our tables. After your meal maybe retire to the lounge area to plan tomorrow's adventure or pop down to The Ship Inn for a drink..and just beyond the pub is the cove, the perfect spot to watch the sunset.
Walking the Pembrokeshire Coast Path?
If you're staying predominantly at B & B's you may find that a full cooked breakfast every day becomes a bit too much of a good thing! Our healthy breakfast options provide a nice change from the norm at up to half the price of traditional B & B's and guest houses. The slow burn carbs in our tasty organic porridge have kept many a walker going for hours! We also offer a packed lunch service and there's a pub in the village that serves evening meals 7 days a week. Click on the 'Food Glorious Food' link below for more details.


Watch and download whatever your Hive cameras have captured from the past 30 days. Plus get extended warranty and exclusive discounts. Choose monthly payments or save more with an annual membership. As a first time Video Playback customer, get your first month free if you choose monthly payments.
If you need a little help, a trusted British Gas engineer or certified professional can install your Hive View Outdoor camera. Just make sure you have a power socket within 7.5m of where you'd like to install your camera.


What a great day for a new paradigm shift. Today at a closed meeting of the core group of BiocharIndustries it was announced that project Biochar Learning Circles was complete and ready for active duty.
Dr Paul Wildman PhD has put in many hours of effort coupled with many years of industry experience together with Dr Paul Taylor PhD (editor of the new Biochar book called The Biochar Revolution) to create a truly new pathway to learning that Paul Wildman says will revolutionise the way people grasp the new information coming out of the Biochar Industry.
Dolph Cooke (Founder of Biochar Industries) was quoted "This indeed resonates with the Dream's and Goals of Biochar Industries. I am both proud and excited to be apart of changing the way people learn. Thank You Dr Paul Wildman your incredible foresight and wisdom has produced a diamond in the crown of Biochar Industries.
Biochar Industries will announce shortly the first Biochar Learning Circle event which will be based in and around the Tweed Shire NSW Australia.


Cityview Farm specialises in mares and foals, offering agistment, foaling down and weaning, as well as servicing many of the local studs with walk-in mares. We also offer yearling and racehorse spelling.
Permanent or seasonal agistment for broodmares and their progeny.
Our attending veterinarian is Dr Ian V Douglas BVSc MACVSc from Equine Consultants Australia.
Regular communication by phone or email, to ensure you are kept up to date with your horse's progress. Farm visits are welcome any time via appointment.
24/7 foal watch on imminent mares. Owners are notified of their foal as soon as practicable followed by an emailed report with photos.
Available annually in February for weanlings or as requested.
Full broodmare, foal, weanling and yearling management including regular farrier, worming and dental maintenance programs. Administration can manage all aspects of Stud Book, RISA and incentive scheme procedure.
A complete and balanced feed mix that is tailored to differing ages and requirements.
Preparation of yearlings and broodmares for sale, with the option to sell them in our draft. Every horse is catered for as an individual to ensure the best result in the sale ring.
Comfortable delivery to and from all studs in Victoria in the farms' personally designed, angle-loading float.
From birth onwards we continue to handle and familiarise the foals in our care. The weaning process also includes the arrangement of vaccinations, DNA testing and micro chipping.


Shelby Plante, DC, is a 2013 chiropractic medicine graduate of National University Health Sciences - Florida site. Currently based in Georgia, Dr. Plante was inspired to become a chiropractic physician after personally watching chiropractic care have a profoundly positive effect on the health of her son when he was just a toddler. She also holds a Masters degree in recreational therapy administration from East Carolina University and a Bachelors degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
I am often asked by prospective students why they should choose National University's Doctor of Chiropractic medicine program over other chiropractic educational institutions. My answer has evolved through the years, but I do not waiver in believing NUHS is the best education available.
During school, I would have answered the question based off the culture of the school and classes I had maneuvered through. Immediately after school, I would have answered by focusing on the rigor of the overall education. But now, as a few years have passed, and I have been able to compare my knowledge base to my colleagues, I value other parts of my education.
Today's young athletes work harder, longer hours, and push through injury more than ever before.
Traveling sports start at a younger age, which usually means more practices per week and tournaments multiple weekends per month. Tee ball starts by age 4. Travel baseball and football begins by age 8. Kids committing to one sport, also called specializing, is seen by middle school.
Often times, lay people are shocked to hear what the education of a chiropractic physician looks like. The rigor, length, detail, and difficulty of education is expected for medical doctors, but often a surprise to many when discussing chiropractic education. For instance, like medical doctors, chiropractic physicians are responsible for the health of their patients.
If you're interested in learning more about how to become a chiropractor, you must understand that the path to becoming a chiropractic physician must be rigorous and demanding in order to ensure the safety and health of chiropractic patients.


For future use and updates on my character.
Okay Approved for the holiday present would you like to have the extra ten points for already having an approved character. I will look over the other soon.
370 word count is approved good job.
Okay all Approved great Job.
Girls Number Prize Over 70: 8 Purchase Point?


Peace Corps Online: December 23, 2004: Headlines: Speaking Out: Vail Trail: Rom Boyd says: I have great respect for our American men and women who are overseas as military personnel – but there is nothing more satisfying than remembering, as our soldiers fight wars in the Middle East, that we also have a different breed of soldier abroad: the soldier of Peace.
December 23, 2004: Headlines: Speaking Out: Vail Trail: Rom Boyd says: I have great respect for our American men and women who are overseas as military personnel – but there is nothing more satisfying than remembering, as our soldiers fight wars in the Middle East, that we also have a different breed of soldier abroad: the soldier of Peace.
Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Speaking Out: January 23, 2005: Index: PCOL Exclusive: Speaking Out (1 of 5) : Peace Corps: Speaking Out: December 23, 2004: Headlines: Speaking Out: Vail Trail: Rom Boyd says: I have great respect for our American men and women who are overseas as military personnel – but there is nothing more satisfying than remembering, as our soldiers fight wars in the Middle East, that we also have a different breed of soldier abroad: the soldier of Peace.
Tom Boyd says: I have great respect for our American men and women who are overseas as military personnel – but there is nothing more satisfying than remembering, as our soldiers fight wars in the Middle East, that we also have a different breed of soldier abroad: the soldier of Peace.
For the past month or so I've been corresponding with Vail locals who are abroad this winter, working to make a better world through the Peace Corps.
Even in a digital world, which comes replete with email, cell phones and satellites in orbit, these folks were surprisingly hard to get a hold of. Many of them must travel miles to reach phones and electricity. They are surrounded by millions of people who speak no English, who share very different customs, and who are usually submersed in poverty, or illness, or both.
I have great respect for our American men and women who are overseas as military personnel – but there is nothing more satisfying than remembering, as our soldiers fight wars in the Middle East, that we also have a different breed of soldier abroad: the soldier of Peace.
It makes me proud of America.
It also makes me proud of our valley. With four born-and-bred locals participating in Peace Corps, and another with close ties to the town, it's clear we are producing people of compassion and courage in our community.
The commitment to Peace Corps is a daunting one. Picture the past two years of your life, strip away everything you've experienced (every electric-lighted night, every trip in a car, every moment in a restaurant), and replace it with the Spartan life found in Zambia, or Guyana, or Senegal, or any other place where people live in conditions only our most distant ancestors experienced.
During the holidays, life in the Peace Corps can be especially difficult. While their American families are gathered around a massive turkey, fresh cranberries, green vegetables, fine china, red wine and stacks of dessert, a Peace Corps volunteer is most likely huddled in a dark, grass-thatched hut, surrounded by dirt, snakes, weird spiders and people who have never heard of Christmas – and couldn't understand such a holiday if they tried.
Perhaps, if a volunteer is lucky, she can raise a cup of palm wine to her distant American relatives.
As for me, I'm able to raise a cup of wine with my relatives virtually any time I wish. The Boyd family hasn't wandered far – my brother, sister, and myself are all still here in the valley, where we see mom and dad on a regular basis.
Here's another fact that may shock you: I still live in the home where I grew up.
Yep, that's correct: I live with my mother.
Well, technically that's not true – I live in the apartment downstairs, with my own door and everything (as if that makes a difference).
It's not exactly the kind of adventure I'd find if I joined the Peace Corps … but it's got its moments.
I catch a lot of flack for living at home (and I'll probably get more now that I'm writing it here in this column), but I say go ahead, laugh all you want. First of all, in a town like this, it isn't easy to survive without finding a good deal on rent.
But that's not really why I'm there.
The real reason is because I know a secret – and so do the many other locals who have stayed around, stayed in contact with their families, and settled down to a life where grandma and grandpa are only a short trip away.
The secret is this: Family rules.
Especially now, during the holidays, I couldn't be happier with the choices I've made. I've seen the world, traveled outside our borders many times, and will probably do so again. But in the meantime, here at Base Camp Vail, I'm able to spend time with my family, look out for my mom, go hunting with dad and my brother (though not as much as I'd like), and have a quick lunch with my sister on any given day.
And I've got a niece and nephew, Rilee and Kienan, who I can't help but put into my Christmas column every year (if you haven't been sledding with a three-year-old lately, give it a shot: there's really nothing better in the world than playing in the snow with the next generation of your family).
All these family moments make me even more proud of our ambassadors overseas. They give up so much in order to do what they feel is right for the people of our planet. In the meantime, they gather important lessons from abroad, which, thankfully, they can share with us in turn.
Tom Boyd can be reached at tboyd@vailtrail.com.


text:
Berlinale '15: Mor Loushy unearths "Censored Voices"
In Censored Voices (pictured), filmmaker Mor Loushy looks back at Israel's victory in the Six-Day War using previously censored interviews with front-line soldiers recorded a week after the conflict.
By Kevin Ritchie
While the Israeli-Palestinian issue tends to inspire a lot of heated discussion, a filmmaker is imploring viewers to stop talking for a moment and listen in a documentary that revisits the origins of that conflict.
Censored Voices (pictured), which is screening at the Berlinale this week, is based on interviews with a group of soldiers recorded the week after Israel's victory in the Six-Day War of 1967.
The recordings formed the basis of author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira's book The Seventh Day, but roughly 70% of what the soldiers said was censored by the Israeli military prior to publication.
When filmmaker Mor Loushy read the book as a university student, she was startled by how dramatically the soldiers' accounts of Israel conquering Jerusalem, Gaza, Sinai and the West Bank ran counter to the nationalistic narrative she learned growing up.
Determined to hear the rest of the tapes, she chased after Shapira who was initially reluctant to share the complete recordings. Eventually, he agreed and she spent three years listening to 200 hours of interviews and combing through archives in Israel, the U.S. and the UK to find footage from the Arab-Israeli conflict that would illustrate the soldiers' words.
In Censored Voices, Loushy cuts together images of the unidentified veterans listening to themselves with archival news footage to give a real-time account of the war. As Israelis celebrate their surprise victory over the massive build-up of Arab armies on its borders, the soldiers share sad, emotionally fraught and prescient tales from the front lines.
"No one even thought that this victory was going to ruin us," she tells realscreen in an interview from Berlin. "It really shocked me how they predicted the future and how they were so precise with their opinions. How come I had never heard about this until now?"
A few soldiers recount instances when Israeli officers – themselves included – shot and killed unarmed soldiers and civilians. One veteran likens encountering the broken Egyptian army as a vision of "dust and ashes," and another compares the evacuation of villages to the Nazi treatment of European Jews during World War II.
"I could see myself in those kids who were carried in their parents' arms, when my father carried me," he says.
Ironically, Censored Voices was also submitted to military censors – as per the law – but producer Hilla Medalia (Dancing In Jaffa, Web Junkie) calls the requested cuts "insignificant."
"It's not an easy film," says Medalia. "But it reflects on something bigger than just Israel. It's important to listen to these voices, especially today."
An Israeli-German coproduction, Censored Voices was financed through a combination of grants, government film funds and pre-sales with broadcasters including BBC, ARTE and Israel's YesDocu. Impact Partners and Morgan Spurlock's Warrior Poets also signed on to executive produce. Much of the nearly US$1 million budget went toward sourcing and digitizing 16mm and 35mm archival footage, some of which has never been seen in Israel before.
In Berlin, the filmmakers are hoping to secure a North American deal. Distributor Dogwoof picked up the global rights to the film prior to its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and has sold it in Australia, Germany and Israel.
Censored Voices director Mor Loushy
Realscreen: When you first heard the tapes, what type of film did you envision?
Mor Loushy: From the very first time I heard those voices I started imagining the film. They were so sincere, so fresh and very unique. I really wanted to use visuals from the Six Day War and give as much respect and room to hear those unique voices as possible. I didn't want to make a film with interviews. I didn't want it to be a nostalgic film of people talking 46 years later about the war. I was a bit afraid at first because it was only a six-day war and Israeli television didn't even exist at the time. When we started the visual research I was shocked at how much footage we found.
We found color and black and white footage and also very cinematic shots. The archival research was a big journey. It took us around three years to finish the film. For eight months I only sat and listened to the voices and it took us another year and a half to edit it with the visuals.
RS: How difficult was it to access the uncensored tapes?
ML: Very. From the moment they were censored back in '67, the editor of the book, Avraham Shapira, just kept all the reels in his closet and didn't let anyone touch it. They are intimate and personal conversations so he was waiting for the right stage for these voices.
A lot of major news outlets from Israel tried to take it from him and so did foreign journalists. He never agreed to give it to anyone. I started chasing after him and at first he didn't answer my calls. Finally I went to a lecture that he gave. Immediately he told me, 'OK, come to my kibbutz.' From the first moment we met, there was something there. I don't know how but he believed in me and we started this amazing journey together. He really gave me everything: all the tapes, all the reels. Everything. It was really amazing.
RS: How do you hope the film will be received in Israel? Do you think a documentary can impact public perception of the Six Day War?
ML: I hope so. I can't tell you if it will change the reality but I'm sure it will raise a very important public debate. It also deals with morals and consciousness. That's a discourse that is gone now in Israel. It's so important to hear these sincere voices, to go back to this authentic moment in 1967 and to really hear these very special conversations because after that a lot of politics came and a lot of myths came. We have an opportunity to hear something naked before it became about politics – left, right. These men were the heart of Israel. They were the soldiers. They gave their lives to their country. They built the country. So it's not my story, it's their story. I think it's very important to hear them and raise this debate in Israel. It's not an outside criticism. It's coming from people that gave everything to Israel. I do hope that it will not become about left or right because it's bigger than that.
RS: You show them listening to the tapes, but we never see them speak. Why did you make that choice?
ML: I really wanted to give as much room and space to the incredible raw material I got from these conversations. I wanted also to tell a story of the censorship because these voices have not been heard in Israel. By only showing them listening, that tells a story of how they were not being heard. It also tells the story of the connection between the past and the present. You can understand the whole story through their faces. What was interesting to me was their first reaction to hearing their voices.
RS: How keen were the veterans to participate in the film?
ML: I was very surprised. Everyone was very, very open. They were also very proud to be a part of the book because it is a discourse of morals and consciousness. I think they all wanted this experience of hearing their voices for the first time after 46 years.
RS: This is a film about listening but invariably there will be people talking about it. How do you plan on handling people who are upset by what they hear?
ML: I stand 100% behind my film. I believe in the film and I believe in those voices. I believe that my son, who is two-and-a-half-years-old, needs another future in Israel. I'm fighting for a different future. I'm fighting for a better future – for a future of peace and for a future of two states side by side or any other solution. I don't want to keep being in this bloody circle. I do believe that democratic states should be transparent in our history. If this film is a part of that, then I'm proud to be a part of that. Truly, I'm not afraid.
Censored Voices next screens at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Zoo Palast 2.
Berlin International Film Festival, Berlinale, Censored Voices, Dogwoof, Hilla Medalia, Mor Loushy
Dogwoof acquires "Censored Voices" ahead of Sundance
"Act of Killing" picks up two prizes in Berlin
Gondry's animated Chomsky doc heads to Berlin
Sundance '14: BBC 'Storyville' acquires "Web Junkie"


Our vision is to see Poland transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit through Biblical education and Christian literature ministry.
In XVI-XVIII centuries the city of Torun was a flourishing centre of protestant education and publishing ministry. Polish Christian books published in Torun, influenced Poles of the time and many future generations.
Piotr Artomius (1552-1609) a Polish protestant preacher and writer working in Torun (who published one of the first protestant Polish hymnals) was placing emphasis on the importance of education. He was warning his contemporaries that desisting from it will result in loosing ground and disappearance of protestant congregations in future. Unfortunately Artomius turned out to be a prophet. Today Torun is a Catholic city, and its population of evangelicals equals the country average 0.1%. Today, deriving inspiration from our predecessors and taking the Artomius warnings to heart, we commit ourselves to revive and re-start a nation-wide education and literature ministry to reach our contemporaries for Christ and help them to grow. We believe that Torun once again could become a flourishing centre of quality protestant education and publishing ministry influencing all the country.
To proclaim the Gospel and to teach the nation of Poland through Christian education, literature and other media - that all people shall put their trust in Jesus and serve Him as their Lord in the fellowship of His church.
To promote and defend the Bible as the inspired, the only infallible Word of God and a guide to life.
To equip church planters, mission organisations, churches and individuals with evangelistic, teaching and pastoral literature resources; to assist them in reaching people for Jesus, teaching/discipling them and preparing for ministry in the Church.
To train Christian leaders in biblical, theological and missiological understanding, together with training in practical skills for ministry, in evangelical context.
To encourage Polish evangelicals (0.01% of the population of Poland) and to assist them in their spiritual growth through Bible studies, commentaries, discipleship courses, devotional materials both printed and electronic, and to help individuals identify with and relate to the lifestyle and values of Jesus Christ.
To conduct the ministry with integrity and fidelity to Jesus Christ and God's Word, and to focus at all times on the interests of God's Kingdom.
To seek excellence, efficiency, and effectiveness in whatever we do, and to be good stewards of God's resources. To reduce administrative expenditures and infrastructure to an indispensable minimum in order to use more resources for ministry purposes.
To serve as an encourager and equipper to those who are directly spreading the Gospel and ministering to people.
To prayerfully depend on God to guide the mission and to provide all the resources necessary to further the vision.
To establish partnership with other believers, churches, and groups that can help fulfil the vision, and to be accountable and transparent to our partners in all we do and in all relationships - we will value our donors by providing appropriate financial and ministry reports.
To prepare future generations to carry the Great Commission forward until the Lord brings this work to completion; to focus on mission, evangelism, discipleship and training indigenous Christian leaders for future.
To be open to all evangelicals (in the context of an unwavering commitment to the biblical view of the Christian message), who are interested in EF literature resources and training.
The Evangelical Foundation is founded on evangelical convictions - which we recognize as our 'Statement of faith'. These truths will be reflected in both the content and spirit of our publications.
We believe the Bible (66 books) to be the inspired, the only infallible Word of God, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men and the divine authority for all matters of faith and life.
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, arose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost. Salvation of the humanity is possible only through the merits of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, received by faith apart from works, and is characterized by regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and enable believers to live a holy life, to witness and work for the Lord.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church, which is composed of all people who have placed saving faith in Him.
We believe in the personal and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead, those who are saved unto the resurrection of life, those who are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
Because of the above, in our endeavour we desire for our publications to deepen our readers biblical knowledge, inspire deeper reflection, pose an intellectual challenge and consequently contribute to their spiritual growth in relationship with God. In our mission we remain biblical in all aspects of our ministry.


Were you at The Opera not too long ago for the Hennessy-Artistry 'The Global Art of Mixing'?
Check out some of my previous posts.
Back from Hennessy Artistry The Opera!
It will once again hit the Malaysian clubbing scene with not one, but TWO astral parties in May! Promising a colourful blend of music, delectable Hennessy VSOP long drinks and an expected crowd of 1,500 sophisticated clubbers, the most talked about party in town will be storming through QEII, Penang on May 27 and Zouk KL on May 29.
The newly revamped Hennessy Mixing Zone is also set to return to allow fans to once again experience the Hennessy Digital Light Art FX booth, Hennessy Mix Master, and Hennessy Mixing Bar.
Party goers will also again, be able to look forward to the delectable tastes of some of Hennessy VSOP's signature long drinks – Hennessy Apple, Hennessy Ginger, Hennessy Berry and Hennessy Citrus.
Headlining the night are Summer Daniels and DJ Tempo, two of four members from the electro house hip-hop quartet, Speaker Junkies. As a band, Speaker Junkies has opened for various acts such as LMFAO, Far East Movement, Sublime, Boomkat, and 2 Live Crew.
Joining them on the H-Artistry stage are local hip-hop extraordinaires, Joe Flizzow and Sona One. Joe, who is one half of the internationally renowned Malaysian hip-hop duo, Too Phat is definitely no stranger to the Malaysian music scene. As Too Phat, he released multi-platinum albums, sold over half a million records and even achieved international recognitions from MTV Asia and Channel V – incredible feats for a local artiste. He has also collaborated with various pop acts from Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada and the United States. Among some of his standout credentials include performances for Linkin Park, the Black Eyed Peas, and Kanye West.
Bringing to life its trademark repertoire, 'The Global Art of Mixing', revellers can also expect to be blown away by the Ad Bangers, a DJ duo comprising of Didjital and Blink (of Lap Sap). As two advertising peons, who from the abyss of surmountable pressure rose to a quest for greatness at work, to the pursuit of immortality at play. Their aim: to connect people from the same industry, and integrating creative individuals from all walks of life into a quintessential world of turntablism, featuring a music mash-up ranging from House to HipHop to Mambo.
With more than just music reverberating through the club's walls, H-Artistry 'The Global Art of Mixing' is where music and cocktails find the perfect match. The blending of musical experiences provides the core essence, while Hennessy VSOP long drinks provide the evening's inimitable spirit to complete the distinct ultimate clubbing experience.


Interesting Article by Cameron Kusher senior research analyst with rpdata: Price drops? Not in our neighbourhood.
GET POSITIVE, well there is definitely a lot to be positive about at the moment, so to Anonymous, appreciate your take on things.
In regards to moving forward and with InsideStory, frankly my intention is to provide an Insiders view on the market, and I do not expect to be right all the time. My view is based on what I see in the front lines and not just what we read in the papers. Good, Bad, Indifferent….just what we observe from the feedback we can get from running 7 offices and the largest independent real estate agency in this State, along with my personal take on things…. at any particular time.
Hopefully we will stimulate debate, and I although I appreciate your view to the contrary, over the period we have been providing the InsideStory, we have been pretty much on the money.
The big test as to our Adelaide market will be October and November 09, and that is due to seasonal factors (flood on stock onto the market) and the simultaneous winding back of the First Home Owners Boost, if we get through that OK, it will be a relief and a sure sign we have turned the corner. Unemployment and interest rates remain the wild cards as well, and I think a considered approach to reporting is more responsible than being a self serving real estate spin Doctor, where over time, our reports would simply be seen as totally credibility.
So, I am happy to stand by the InsideStory content, and will always attempt to be real and balanced. I am happy to post considered feedback/debate for all to read.
I believe passionately in property and in our property market in South Australia to the point that I am a true South Australian with pretty much all of our investments in this State. I passionately believe property in South Australia will not only survive but thrive, irrespective of any commentary, good or bad.
Just as a reminder, industry statistics run up to 6 months behind the market….InsideStory attempts to provide information on the week that has just gone and therefore provides a valuable weekly pulse!
The InsideStory will continue to have its own view on the property world. InsideStory is intentionally both a macro and micro view on real estate and through the eyes of hands on weekly practitioner; we do want more considered interaction so keep it coming.
Thanks again for the feedback, and feel free to call me any time to discuss in more detail.


This Memorial Day send flowers of gratitude to honor the men and women veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country. Whoever you decide to honor. Flower Center can send your bouquet to Dallas, TX or nationwide!


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JCC Maccabi Midot/Values
Be An Athlete or Artist
JCC Maccabi's Got Talent
Sunday to Friday
A Day in the Life of a JCC Maccabi Athlete
December 3, 2018	• 0 Comment
By Taliah Ausby
Editor's Note: The JCC Maccabi Games are returning to Detroit in 2019 and host families and volunteers are needed. Here is a snapshot of what it was like for one Detroit athlete at his host family's house in Denver. There will be a kickoff meeting Sunday, Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. at JCC's Handelman Hall.
It's 7:30 a.m. and athlete, Brett Rubenfire, is leaving his host family's house. He is one of the 1,200 participants at the 2010 JCC Maccabi Games and ArtsFest in Denver. He's anxious, he's nervous and he's pumped for his long day ahead of him. This isn't Brett's first games, though, he comes from a family who has a long connection to Maccabi.
After arriving to the JCC, Brett met up with friends at the JCC Maccabi Café for breakfast. There he looks over his schedule for the day. He's on the Detroit's soccer team this year. "I wasn't a starter but I came in early and was able to make a big difference and got an assist in my first game." The competition is very real, "a lot of teams are really serious teams and have played together before and have a lot of chemistry."
Unfortunately, Brett's team lost, but he was able to cheer on his friends for the rest of the day. He said, "I love watching the games. I was a huge fan of watching volleyball and, of course, the basketball games because that's where most of my friends outside of soccer played." The JCC Maccabi games are spread out at five to six venues. Brett visited four of those venues that day via JCC Maccabi's shuttle bus. He loved that he was able to bounce around to see how his friends were playing.
Artists and Athletes don't have to worry about food or snacks their whole time here. "There was food everywhere you turned. You can't go hungry at (JCC) Maccabi." There is a dedicated area, called Hangtime, where participants who weren't scheduled for an activity would hang out, play games, interact with Israeli guests and eat. "If I wasn't playing, at JCC Cares or watching another game, I'd go eat and chill with my friends in Hangtime. It was a nice vibe!"
During the day, the participants that aren't organized to play or perform during various time blocks worked with JCC Cares. This program is a charity portion of the week's events. In 2010, participants worked with Denver Health and Book Bags for schools in the area. This is a very special part of the Games for many people. Rubenfire understands the impact JCC Cares has on the community. "I did the bag packing project. It felt like I was just packing my own backpack for school and then it hit me that I was helping hundreds of kids who are less fortunate be prepared for school. It felt awesome."
After hours of games and rehearsals, the artists and athletes get to let loose a bit. Brett lit up discussing their evening event at Dave and Busters. "It was great to be able to relax and have a fun time in the arcade with close friends and people we just met. There were tons of games, food and dancing. When it was all over, our host families picked us up and I was lucky enough that my host family treated me with milkshakes after the event."
Brett understands that the idea of living with a host family might be a tough one for many people but to him getting to know the different families was one of the key parts to the games. "Living with a host family, at first, I was nervous but they were super awesome. I had an amazing family with an eight and ten year old one year and a wonderful grandmother the next year."
The days are long at Maccabi, but Brett still had a blast. "My host family thought I was sleep by 11, but I stayed up well past midnight with my roommates. They became my family!"
The connection is not over at the end of the week. Rubenfire made life-long friendships at the JCC Maccabi Games and ArtsFest and now he is on board as the Maccabi Associate for the 2019 Games in Detroit. He cannot wait for the Games and ArtsFest to begin! "My wish for Maccabi Games and ArtsFest is for everyone attending to have an amazing time where each participant can have as much fun as I did."
The 2019 JCC Maccabi Games and ArtsFest will be in Detroit, in participation from JCC of Greater Ann Arbor, from Aug. 4-9. For more information, go to www.maccabidetroit2019.com. Can't wait to see you all there! #DetroitIsBack
Article Courtesy of The Detroit Jewish News and can be retrieved from: https://thejewishnews.com/2018/11/28/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-jcc-maccabi-athlete/?fbclid=IwAR23LMpVbijH9nFoZP8b9dU7tj4dI6C8CxseZUuHbfMuiNbcXnZVEKyujHA


Sarcopygme pacifica (Reinecke) Setch. & Christoph.
This species is the type species of its genus, which is the only plant genus endemic to the Samoan Islands.
It contains five species of small trees, and is most closely related to the genus Morinda, and differs especially by its flowers, of which hundreds open simultaneously on one flower head.


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As an institution of higher education dedicated to the mission of equipping its graduates with the tools and experiences to become globally-competitive leaders in academia as well as industry, BINUS UNIVERSITY in mid-May 2016 hosted its latest event organised to provide current students with greater international exposure. From 10th to 17th May 2016, the university cooperated with Coventry University from the United Kingdom to host Game Jam – a one-week programme in which 18 students (nine from each university) were provided with the opportunity to test their skills as budding game developers by actively carrying out the game creation process encompassing planning, designing and realisation in the form of a prototype.
To encourage collaboration between students from BINUS and Coventry, teams for the Game Jam programme were formed so that each group of three was comprised of individuals from both universities. As a means of preparing participants for the nuances of the game development industry, each team member was required to take upon a specific role in undertaking the project, namely as a game designer, artist or programmer. Following the completion of the prototypes, each game was reviewed by a panel of lecturers from BINUS UNIVERSITY and Coventry University, provided with feedback and subsequently judged on a number of factors such as aesthetics and programming quality. Of particular merit was 'Rock & Draw', the team awarded first place for its success in creating an engaging multiplayer game over the course of the short time frame.
Beyond providing participants with the chance to further their game development skills, Game Jam also sought to offer an immersive experience for students visiting Indonesia from Coventry University. In addition to the aforementioned project, programme participants also toured cultural heritage sites across Jakarta and engaged in traditional arts and crafts in Bogor. In this regard, BINUS UNIVERSITY hopes to play an active role in showcasing Indonesia as a vibrant destination for students as well as ensure its continued success in working closely with esteemed international partners.


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A Kent Downs AONB Project
The Darent Valley landscape
Art and Inspiration
Samuel Palmer
The River Darent
Chalk Grassland
Historic Parkland
Coastal Marsh
Self guided trails
Darent Valley Path
What are we doing
Home › The Darent Valley landscape › History & Heritage
The human settlement of the Darent Valley dates to more than 400,000 years ago. On the outskirts of the scheme area, the remains of the so-called 'Swanscombe Skull' were discovered close to Dartford. These were identified as being from a woman in her early twenties, and were dated as being some 300,000 years old. They are amongst the earliest human remains to be found in Europe. However, primitive stone axes found at Swanscombe provide evidence that a Clactonian tribe was present here even earlier and used it as an elephant butchery site (Dartford Grammar School, 2009).
Other Palaeolithic (500,000 BC to 10,000 BC) finds include a hand axe at Farningham Woods, one near Otford Mount and another near Sutton-at-Hone. Extensive remains of humans, woolly rhinoceros, wild horse and woolly mammoth were discovered at the former Redlands Pit (now the Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve) (Kent County Council, 2016).
With the extensive major infrastructure works of motorways and major roads, a considerable amount of evidence has been built up to demonstrate prehistoric settlement of the valley. Mesolithic (10,000 to 5,000 BC) evidence is substantial with many stone tools found along the valley. These include 16,000 worked flints at Darenth Gravel Pit, a pick near Eynsford, and multiple small flint flake finds throughout the valley (Andrew Simmonds, 2011).
The Neolithic period saw the establishment of organised farming communities in the Darent Valley and resulted in the clearance of woodlands and vegetation transforming the landscape. Numerous examples of carefully worked flint tools including scrapers, axes and arrowheads have been discovered throughout the valley including some finely worked examples close to the centre of Dartford.
Bronze Age (2,350 BC to 701 BC) activity is present with sites such as a bowl barrow at Otford Mount and a ditched prehistoric trackway at Lullingstone (Kent County Council, 2016), however, there is generally considered to be an underrepresentation of evidence for this period (Weller, 2014). The same cannot be said for the Iron Age with a plethora of sites and finds throughout the valley. Iron age pottery, agricultural implements and brooches have been found in and around the Dartford area (Dartford Grammar School, 2009), and a farmstead at Farningham Hill and two significant hill-forts from this period exist at Lullingstone Park and at Goodley Stock on the Squerryes Estate. The former is associated with the finding of the Hulbury billhook (Figure 17).
The River Darent and hence its surrounding valley was an important feature in Roman Kent. Archaeologists are already aware of at least eight Roman villas along the valley, but this is a rather incomplete picture of its occupation during Roman times. The best known and most notable example is the villa at Lullingstone which is in the ownership of English Heritage and is a popular tourist attraction within the valley.
Lullingstone Roman Villa represents a remarkable survival, both in terms of the preservation of some structural elements of the main villa-house, but also, and more significantly, with respect to the evidence for Romano-British Christianity that it produced. Built perhaps as early as the AD 80s, Lullingstone Villa reached the peak of luxury in the mid-4th century when its spectacular mosaics were laid. It is also important for its possible imperial associations, as well as the enigmatic nature of the wider site and the challenges that present to our interpretation and understanding (English Heritage, 2016).
The River Darent was an important Roman supply route, probably carrying grain downstream and possibly bringing back materials for construction and other purposes. The peak of Roman activity in the valley was probably between the 2nd and 3rd centuries when probably all the known villa sites were operating at the same time. There may have been as many as thirteen Roman sites between Dartford and Kemsing, although all may not have been villas. These include:
Dartford – Tenter's Field
Darenth
Horton Kirby
Farningham – possibly three villas
Eynsford
Lullingstone
Shoreham – Preston Farm
Otford – Otford Palace
Otford – Church Field
Surprisingly, awareness of many of these sites is poor. Several of the excavations date back to around a century ago, and with one exception, the last excavation of a Roman site was 26 years ago. However, a new group, the Discover Roman Otford Project (DROP) was established in 2016 and is carrying out research into the Roman occupation of the Darent Valley. It was born out of the West Kent Archaeological Society (WKAS) and is working on a five-year project (started in 2015) to investigate the Churchfield and Progress villas in Otford using archaeological methodology (Fromings, 2016).
Little is known about the siting, size and nature of Saxon settlements in the Darent Valley. Any traces of their sunken-floored huts made from timber, wattle and thatch have long-since disappeared. A few occupation sites have been identified in the local area, some of these were sited close to former Roman villa sites. Some of the largest or most interesting Saxon cemeteries in Kent have been found in and around Dartford – at Dartford, Riseley (Horton Kirby), Horton Kirby, Darenth, Farningham and Polhill.
In the absence of other archaeological evidence, cemeteries (such as the example located at Darenth Country Park) offer conclusive proof that there were people living in and around the Darent Valley in Saxon times. Grave-goods buried with the dead are an important indicator of the status, wealth, culture, beliefs and lifestyle of the population. Most of the archaeological evidence from local sites suggests that there was a significant influx of Saxon settlers into the Dartford area between the fifth and seventh centuries A.D.
Small Saxon settlements evolved into larger and more permanent villages as time progressed. The modern-day names of many of the villages around the Darent Valley contain elements characteristic of the Saxon language thus proving that they already existed before the Norman Conquest in 1066. Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone, Horton Kirby, Farningham, Lullingstone and Eynsford were all founded in Saxon times.
Entries in the Domesday Book compiled by the Normans in 1086 demonstrate that the Saxons settlements, which evolved over a period of five hundred years or more, were well administered and organised, with an emphasis on agriculture and animal husbandry.
Probably the most significant heritage feature in the valley from this period is Eynsford Castle. This is a rare survival of an early Norman 'enclosure castle', which remained unaltered by later building work. Begun by William de Eynsford I in the late 1080s, the castle was later the subject of a hotly disputed inheritance, which reached a climax in 1312 when one of the claimants broke in and vandalised it. Soon afterwards the castle was abandoned, and by the 18th century many of the buildings had fallen into disrepair, being used only as stables and kennels for hunting dogs.
Another site of note is St John's Jerusalem at Sutton-at-Hone just south of Dartford. Located on an island within a moat supplied by the River Darent, a small rectangular chapel built in the early 13th century can be found. It was originally constructed as a monastery belonging to crusading knights and was a Commandry of the Knights Hospitaller of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. The site did once contain many buildings to house the people that lived and worked there as well as possibly a hospital. Now owned by the National Trust it is a scheduled monument.
Several mediaeval churches are also found throughout the valley and include the very attractive example of St Botolph's Church in the grounds of Lullingstone Castle dating back to the 14th century.
In 1301, Dartford had become a small town, but its population was no more than 1,000. It was located on the (originally Roman) main road from London to the Kent coast (now the A2). This was an important pilgrimage route from London to Canterbury, and Dartford was just a single day's walking from the capital. Despite this, a proper pedestrian bridge over the Darent was not constructed until the early 15th century, and prior to this a ford was used by carts whilst passengers needed to be ferried across. The landscape around Dartford was dominated by orchards, fields and gardens, and these reached right into the heart of the town maintaining a very rural feel. In addition, the landscape to the north of the town would have been dominated by extensive salt and freshwater marsh.
Elsewhere in the valley, most of the villages would have been well established by this period, albeit at a much smaller scale. The large number of mediaeval buildings and homes that survive are testament to this. These include notable examples such as Filston Hall and Castle Farm near Shoreham.
The period from around 1500 onwards brought about significant change to the Darent Valley. Dartford developed into a market town, benefiting from the relatively close proximity of London. The reliable source of water power from the River Darent supported the valley's own 'Industrial Revolution'. The first commercially successful paper mill was established just upstream of Dartford by John Spilman who was Court Jeweller to Elizabeth I and James I. The mill made good quality white paper that was considered the finest ever produced in England at that time.
However, Spilman's Mill was not the only one present on the Darent. Some 38 mills are considered to have operated along the Darent and its tributaries and included other paper mills, corn and flour mills, gunpowder mills, iron slitting and brass mills, breweries and a cotton mill. These all provided local employment, expanding the villages and in turn enabled the exploitation of natural resources. The result was that the River Darent itself was manipulated and its course much changed to provide the heads of water to supply the mills. It also enabled the land beside the river to be used in new ways and consequently shaped the valley's landscape. However, quality of the Darent's waters remained extremely good and warranted a mention in Edmund Spenser's second book of The Faerie Queen in 1596:
"The Still Darent, in whose waters cleare
Ten Thousand fishes play and decke his pleasant stream"
The valley's population remained largely an agricultural community during this period, but saw the establishment of notable buildings. Foremost amongst these was Otford Palace, established in 1514 by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, William Warham. An earlier building existed on the site from the 11th century, but it was the Tudor building (of which only a tower and gallery remains) was the most impressive. Similar in style to Hampton Court Palace, it rivalled and possibly exceeded it in both size and grandeur. The palace was visited by Henry VIII and his entourage on his journey to France and was so coverted by him that Archbishop Cranmer was forced to transfer ownership to him in 1537. Its remains are now a scheduled monument.
Other important buildings from this period include Lullingstone Castle. The present building was started in 1497 and is said to have provided inspiration for Otford Palace. Both Henry VIII and Queen Anne were regular visitors, and the silk farm that was later established here provided silk for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation gown. The house was associated with an extensive parkland estate on the western side of the valley, established on a mediaeval deer park.
Similarly, other large estates were formed at this time and played a significant role in shaping the landscape. These included the 17th century Squerryes Court manor house and its surrounding parkland at Westerham; Combe Bank near Sundridge built in 1721 along with surrounding 60 ha parkland; Chevening House built in 1620 and its 280 ha parkland within a 1,400 ha estate; and Frank's Hall near Farningham built in 1591 and its associated parkland. All of these sites are on Historic England's Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
The importance of the valley at this time as a transport route, and the prosperity provided by its natural resources is summed up by Daniel Defoe (Defoe, 1724):
"From hence, crossing still the roads leading from London into Sussex, keeping on east we come to Westerham, the first market town in Kent on that side. This is a neat handsome well-built market-town, and is full of gentry, and consequently of good company. All this part of the country is very agreeably pleasant, wholesome and fruitful…and is accordingly overspread with good towns, gentlemen's houses, populous villages, abundance of fruit, with hop grounds and cherry orchards, and the lands well cultivated…"
Late Modern
The Darent Valley remained an idyllic rural setting well into the early 19th century as illustrated by Samuel Palmer's paintings of the time. The villages would have been recognisable as the settlements we see today, and the landscape would have looked very familiar. However, during this period the towns of Dartford and Sevenoaks began to grow, the former particularly in relation to the advent of the Industrial Revolution. London also began to exert a greater influence on the valley.
The valley remained a popular area for the rich and wealthy to set up home, due not only to the attractiveness of the landscape, but also due to its proximity to London. William Pitt the Younger lived temporarily in Westerham, and later Sir Winston Churchill set up residence at Chartwell just beyond the valley. It was also during this period that the parkland sites in the valley would have dominated the landscape and added to the grandeur of the setting.
However, with the introduction of the Enclosure Acts and the arrival of the Industrial Revolution a substantial change began to appear in the countryside of the Darent Valley. Mechanisation led to increased poverty for rural workers due to an over-supply of labour. During his time in Shoreham, Samuel Palmer was increasingly concerned about the plight of these workers, and his paintings demonstrated his support for them. He was also sympathetic towards the Swing Riots that broke out in Kent during 1830. It was during this time that the landscape we see in the valley today was shaped.
The opening of the Swanley to Sevenoaks Bat & Ball railway line in 1862 through the valley transformed access to and from London for both passengers and goods. This led to significant structures in the landscape such as the viaducts at Eynsford (built in 1859) and Horton Kirby (built in 1858). Additionally, the Westerham Valley Branch line (now subsumed under the M25) was constructed in 1881 and ran from the Bat & Ball station.
Industry grew rapidly. The mustard factory of Saunders and Harrison opened in 1842 and was described as "perhaps the largest in the kingdom". This was followed by the Dartford Paper Mills in 1862. Elsewhere along the valley, the various water-powered mills became more sophisticated and increasingly efficient at harnessing hydro-power. The Horton Kirby Paper Mill was built in 1820, today leaving the legacy of its 70m high brick chimney. The gunpowder mill, just south of Dartford on Powdermill Lane and powered by the Darent operated from 1732 through to the early 20th century, when the powder magazines at Dartford became the most extensive in the country.
To aid navigation and drainage, the channels of the Darent and Cray through Dartford and Crayford Marshes were straightened and 'improved' significantly, reducing flood events and making the area more suitable for grazing and other uses.
Whilst the effect of the Industrial Revolution was profound, substantial change continued into the twentieth century. London continued to grow and its impact on the communities, industry and landscape was significant. Dartford and the lower reaches of Dartford were enveloped by the Capital's expansion, and brought urbanisation to the very edge of the rest of the valley. Flooding was a major issue, particularly for Dartford, Darenth, Farningham and Eynsford when in 1900 snow melt further up the valley caused a 'great flood'. These continued right up to 1968.
The small pox epidemic towards the end of the 19th century also had an impact on the landscape of the Darent Valley into the following century. Converted ships were moored in the Thames at Long Reach off the Dartford Marshes. As these neared the end of their life, Joyce Green Hospital was built (in 1903) and the establishment of a tramway from the Long Reach pier to the hospital was constructed (Figure 23). This enabled small pox victims brought out of London on ambulance ships to be transported safely to the hospital. A cemetery was established at what is now Temple Hill just to the south-east of the hospital, where 1029 bodies were buried in 292 graves… 80% of which occurred in just one year in 1902 due to a severe small pox epidemic in London (Payne, 2016). The hospital and its associated Orchard Hospital were significant features in the landscape until the 1980s. Since then, they have been subsumed by the new 'Bridge' development.
This period was also significant for aviation history in the Darent Valley. In 1896, Percy Sinclair Pilcher experimented with flying his 'Gull' and 'Hawk' gliders from a location known as the 'knob' at Upper Austin Lodge near Eynsford (Figure 24). The open downland landscape and steep slopes provided perfect conditions for the test flights. These flights involved successful glides of up to 300 yards and occurred seven years before the Wright Brothers achieved manned powered flight in 1903 (Littledyke, 2010).
Just over a decade later Messrs Vickers Ltd became more active in the new field of aviation. The Vickers airfield was located at Dartford Marshes just east of Joyce Green Hospital and was used for testing prototype aeroplanes. However, Vickers did not construct a proper runway, preferring to board over the numerous drainage ditches across the marsh (Beard, 2006).
The two world wars had a major impact on the valley. The First World War for the first time brought the threat of aerial bombardment from enemy airships and planes. This was particularly the case for Dartford, but also subsequently left its mark in the Darent Valley villages. The hillside above Shoreham is marked with a white memorial cross dug in 1920 to remember the local men killed in action.
However, it was the Second World War that had the most profound impact on the landscape of the Darent Valley. Bombing raids killed 150 and injured 700 people, leaving 13,000 homes damaged in Dartford alone. With the valley en-route to and from London, it was subject to stray bombs as well as those jettisoned as the enemy planes retreated towards the Channel. These have left a legacy of pockmarks across the valley landscape.
Consequently, the skies above the Darent Valley were a major battleground during the Battle of Britain. On 15 September 1940, a force of about 100 German bombers approaching London was challenged by nine RAF squadrons over Shoreham. A series of individual 'dogfights' resulted and a Dornier Do 17Z was shot down and made an emergency landing at Castle Farm. Parts of the plane are held at the Shoreham Aircraft Museum and the event has been brought to life by local 'aviartist' Geoff Nutkins.
DVLPS is an exciting large-scale partnership, working to conserve and enhance the distinctive heritage landscapes of the Darent Valley and reconnect people to it. DVLPS is part of the wider Kent Downs AONB Unit.
Find out more about the partnership
Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme
The Tea Barn
Castle Farm, Redmans Lane
Shoreham, Kent
TN14 7UB
darent.valley@kentdowns.org.uk
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@ Copyright 2020 Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme (DVLPS), All Rights Reserved
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text:
by Peter Epstein, MBA | posted in: Cobalt, Copper, First Cobalt Corp., Nickel | 0
All $ figures US$ unless indicated otherwise. Co = cobalt, Ni = nickel, Cu = copper, Li = lithium. Note: {First Cobalt Corp. is changing its name to Electra Battery Materials Corp. Going forward I will use "Electra" to refer to the Company.}
First Cobalt Corp. [Electra] (TSX-V: FCC) / (OTCQX: FTSSF) has a number of compelling investment catalysts coming in the next 15 months. Most important is the ongoing de-risking of its fully-funded Phase 1 expansion of an emerging 100%-owned Battery Materials Park ("BMP") in northern Ontario.
The analysis of recycling opportunities to recover / refine cobalt, nickel, lithium, copper (and possibly 1 or 2 other materials) is moving forward as well. In recognition of this notable progress in other areas, FCC is changing its name to Electra Battery Materials Corp.
Name change to Electra Battery Materials Corp. to reflect multiple metal cash flow streams
In Sunday's press release management commented,
"The Company has been assessing black mass feed from recycled Li-ion batteries and will be announcing results from test work & engineering studies in coming weeks."
By month end, investors should have enough information to begin making rough estimates for Electra's recycling segment. Li-Cycle, a C$2.8 billion company, stated that it expects EBITDA of ~C$136M in 2023, a margin of 41%, and a 56% EBITDA margin in 2025. Li-Cycle's Enterprise Value ~20 times its forecast 2023 EBITDA — its [EV/2023e EBITDA = ~20x]
If Electra could achieve an EBITDA margin of 40% or more by 2023-24, it wouldn't take that much throughput to generate meaningful EBITDA relative to its pro forma Enterprise Value {market cap + debt – cash} of ~C$286M. Note: {The Company will have ~C$62M in net debt after completion of Phase 1}.
Compared to Li-Cycle's EV/2023e EBITDA estimate of ~20x, Electra's EV/2023e EBITDA multiple is much lower at ~5.0x, assuming C$10M of EBITDA from recycling in 2023.
CEO Trent Mell reports strong interest from automotive companies and cell makers in the Company's four-phased growth plan encompassing battery recycling, cobalt, and then nickel refining, followed by Li-ion battery precursor material manufacturing (co-locating with third parties).
In addition to a potential company-making recycling business, developing a BMP around it could take Electra's valuation to another level. BMPs are popping up all over Asia & Europe as the preferred way for OEMs & battery / cathode / precursor makers to operate in the most efficient & green manner possible.
Phase 1 plans include transforming clean, ethically-sourced cobalt hydroxide into battery-quality cobalt sulfate at Electra's 100%-owned refinery that's being expanded to run at 55 tonnes per day.
Many Lithium juniors have soared since their lows in July
In following > 120 lithium juniors listed in Canada, the U.S. & Australia, the top quartile (30 names) are up an average of 195% from their respective lows of the past four months. The top-10, +264%. By contrast, Electra is up far less, +65%.
Readers might be wondering what Li juniors have to do with a cobalt / recycling company. It turns out, there's a lot in common. Most notably, investors in Li juniors are demonstrating high conviction in the idea that Li-ion battery demand will be stronger for longer.
In the chart below, Li carbonate spot prices in China are at 194,500 yuan, +397% above the low in August 2020, making it one of the best performing commodities in the world.
Strong lithium demand can only be good for cobalt. The title of this article says there are SIX ways to win… #1 is by supplying battery-quality cobalt sulfate starting in a little over a year, potentially reaching an annual run-rate of C$45 – $50M in 2023.
There are dozens of high-flying battery materials, recycling, EV & EV charging companies that are several years from reaching positive EBITDA (if ever!).
Way to win #2? As Co sulfate production ramps up in 2023, management plans to concurrently be recycling black mass (crushed end-of-life batteries stripped of plastics & casings) + battery scrap (scrap material / rejects from newly manufactured EVs).
While it's too soon to know how much EBITDA a recycling segment might deliver, recycling is very important for a number of reasons. It diversifies risk by branching out from just Co to generating cash flow from recovered / refined lithium, cobalt, nickel & copper, and possibly manganese + graphite.
Recycling Li-ion Batteries + OEM/Battery makers' scrap material could be game-changer
Recycling contributes to a closed-loop supply chain which is critically important for OEMs & battery material companies. ESG mandates from industry players & institutional investors alike all but demand supply chains cover these key areas, (minimizing emissions & waste, avoiding excess use of water & chemicals, co-locating facilities, conserving energy, recycling & reclamation).
Electra has a lot of ESG bases covered, 100% hydro-electric power in Ontraio, plans to attract one or more battery materials companies to co-locate next to the Company's BMP, and (eventually) sourcing some cobalt feedstock from its own operations in Idaho.
The icing on the ESG cake will be selling its products locally in Canada and regionally into the U.S.
In the chart above, ING Research estimates annual demand growth over the next 20 years. I've been watching estimates like these for years, ING's latest work is neither overly conservative nor too aggressive.
It captures the heart of the situation readers need to understand — demand growth for the key EV metals that Electra will be recycling / refining. Anything north of 10% over a 20-yr period is insanely bullish, for example a 15% CAGR is a 16.4-fold increase over 20 years.
NOTE: {this chart is only demand growth tied to EVs, not for all metal uses}.
Way to win #3? In addition to Co sulfate production, and end-of-life Li-ion battery + OEM/battery scrap recycling, the Company plans to source regional nickel feedstock for refining into Ni sulfate. I've already touched upon the bright prospects for Ni as one of the primary materials coming from recycling circuits.
Way to win #4? Electra has promising copper & cobalt mineralization in Idaho. The current in-situ value of the Indicated & Inferred resource there is not that large, but management believes it can double the # of pounds from known areas, and possibly make new discoveries in untested or newly acquired zones.
A tripling or more of the resource size (subject to more drilling and new discoveries), plus increased Cu & Co prices, would make Idaho's mineral endowment quite meaningful compared to the Company's Enterprise Value. Readers can look to cobalt/copper peer Jervois Global Ltd. for an idea of what Idaho potentially brings to the table.
Assuming that Jervois' Idaho assets are worth 1/3 of the company's total Enterprise Value, that's ~C$226M for that company's Idaho assets alone. Electra's pro forma enterprise value is ~C$286M, with the vast majority of it tied to its BMP. Investors are ascribing very minimal (if any) value to Electra's Idaho assets.
Way to win #5? A takeout of Electra by a metals commodity trader like Glencore, a diversified miner like Teck Resources, a cobalt player like Umicore, a lithium producer like Livent / Albemarle or by a number of large battery / cathode / precursor makers.
Earlier I mentioned there are dozens of companies with multi-billion dollar valuations, yet negative EBITDA for years and years to come. Jumpstarting positive cash flow by a year or two with C$45 – 50M of Electra EBITDA, would be worth a lot.
Acquiring cash flow, not just revenue — especially long-term, high quality cash flow — should be very compelling.
Way to win #6? Electra is in the process of rebranding its mission statement to add recycling & Ni sulphate production in the next 2-3 years and enticing third parties to co-locate battery / cathode / precursor plants next to their BMP. The proposed name change is one part of this effort.
I'm especially excited about next year's listing of Electra on the NYSE American or NASDAQ stock exchange.
Having a full U.S. listing has proven to be incredibly valuable for lithium companies like Lithium Americas & Standard Lithium, uranium company Energy Fuels, copper/coking coal producer Teck Resources, and gold companies Barrick Gold & Pretium Resources.
For readers who believe that metals / mining sectors will be strong for most of the 2020s, First Cobalt Corp. [Electra Battery Materials Corp.] (TSX-V: FCC) / (OTCQX: FTSSF) warrants attention. No longer just a cobalt & copper play, now a company with exposure to lithium & nickel (and perhaps graphite & manganese).
Not an exploration play that will live or die based on drill results, a company with tangible wholly-owned hard assets that will be in production and meaningfully EBITDA+ in 2023.
Management is moving rapidly, yet prudently, to maximize its role in the paradigm shift to the electrification of transportation, while strictly adhering to increasingly important ESG mandates.
Disclosures: The content of this article is for information only. Readers understand & agree that nothing contained herein, written by Peter Epstein of Epstein Research [ER], (together, [ER]) about First Cobalt Corp. / Electra, incl. but not limited to, commentary, opinions, views, assumptions, reported facts, calculations, etc. is to be considered implicit or explicit investment advice. Nothing contained herein is a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any security. [ER] is not responsible under any circumstances for investment actions taken by the reader. [ER] has never been, and is not currently, a registered or licensed financial advisor or broker/dealer, investment advisor, stockbroker, trader, money manager, compliance or legal officer, and does not perform market making activities. [ER] is not directly employed by any company, group, organization, party or person. The shares of First Cobalt Corp. / Electra are highly speculative, not suitable for all investors. Readers understand and agree that investments in small cap stocks can result in a 100% loss of invested funds. It is assumed and agreed upon by readers that they will consult with their own licensed or registered financial advisors before making investment decisions.
At the time this article was originally posted, Peter Epstein owned shares of First Cobalt Corp. / Electra and the Company was an advertiser on [ER].
Readers should consider me biased in my view of the Company. Readers understand and agree that they must conduct their own due diligence above and beyond reading this article. While the author believes he's diligent in screening out companies that, for any reasons, are unattractive investment opportunities, he cannot guarantee that his efforts will (or have been) successful. [ER] is not responsible for any perceived, or actual, errors including, but not limited to, commentary, opinions, views, assumptions, reported facts & financial calculations, or for the completeness of this article or future content. [ER] is not expected or required to subsequently follow or cover events & news, or write about any particular company or topic. [ER] is not an expert in any company, industry sector or investment topic.
Portofino Resources shines in a Gold or a Lithium bull market
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Reseda is a neighborhood located in northwest Los Angeles. The area is primarily residential and has a quiet-town feel because there are no trains or major highways in the immediate vicinity. The population of Reseda is small, giving it a homey atmosphere. Those living in Reseda have a great view of the nearby mountains and the streets are lined with trees. The local bus system is the only public transit offering in the neighborhood.
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