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Ultra Magnus (Generation 1)
For other uses, see Ultra Magnus.
Generation 1 Ultra Magnus box art
The Transformers: The Movie
Voiced by
Robert Stack (film)
Jack Angel (television series)
Sho Hayami (Japanese)
Ultra Mammoth
Superhuman durability
Superhuman longevity
Superhuman strength
Autobot, Maximal
Alternate mode
Freightliner Trucks' car carrier, Kenworth Oil Tanker Freightliner Cab-over, Cybertronian truck, Nissan GT-R, mammoth
City Commander/Deputy Supreme Commander
"I can't deal with that now."
Transformers: Generation 1
Transformers: Classics
Transformers: Titanium
Smallest Transformers
Transformers: Masterpiece
Transformers: Alternity
Transformers: Timelines
Transformers: Generations
Sub-group
Voyagers, Ultra Beasts
ST09 IN09 SP06 EN08
RN08 CO09 FB06 SK08
Ultra Magnus is a fictional character from the Transformers series. He first appeared in the 1986 The Transformers animated film as an Autobot commander who turned into a car-carrier. He is also known as a Ultra Mammoth.
1 Transformers: Generation 1
1.1 Fictional biography
1.2 Reception
1.3 Animated series
1.3.1 The Transformers
1.3.2 Transformers: The Headmasters
1.4.1 Ladybird Books
1.4.2 Marvel Books
1.5 Comics
1.5.1 Devil's Due Publishing
1.5.2 Dreamwave Productions
1.5.3 Fun Publications
1.5.3.1 Classicverse
1.5.3.2 Wings of Honor
1.5.4 IDW Publishing
1.5.5 Marvel Comics
1.5.6 TFcon comics
1.6 Binaltech
1.8 Other appearances
1.9 Toys
1.10 Gallery
The greatest Transformer of them all. A commander could want no finer a soldier than Ultra Magnus (Ultramag in Quebec, Convoy in Italy). Despite his incredible fighting skills, courage and unmatched talent for improvisation on the battlefield, Ultra Magnus is most comfortable when carrying out orders, and is naturally uncomfortable if the mantle of leadership should ever find itself placed upon him.
Fictional biography
In Ultra Magnus' mind, he is a follower, not a commander, and his reluctance to change that will see to it that he expends all options before accepting the idea that he is required to lead. As a leader, Magnus would be resolute, fair and courageous, ever-ready to sacrifice himself for the greater good of his companions and mission, and unyielding in preparation for protection of those under his command. Although not interested in overall command, Ultra Magnus was the City Commander for Autobot City in Transformers The Movie, and his toy also featured him in the role of City Commander (a title also held by his original opposite number, the Decepticon leader Galvatron), which indicates that he at least is willing to accept a leadership role in a smaller capacity rather than as supreme commander, a role filled by both Optimus Prime and later Rodimus Prime. Ultra Magnus is armed with missile launchers capable of hitting a target 30 miles away, and transforms into a car carrier able to transport his fellow Autobot troops.
Ultra Magnus was named the 30th top unfortunately named Transformer by Topless Robot.[1]
He was picked as the worst Transformer of all time by X-Entertainment.[2]
From the secret files of Teletraan II: Ultra Magnus is the most mature spokesman for the Autobot cause. As a soldier, he is always practical and serious. And he so is loved by his fellow Autobots that Wheelie and Daniel traveled millions of miles to the Autobot records asteroid, just so they could find out Ultra Magnus's birthday. In his vehicle mode, Ultra Magnus is an armored transport truck, a machine with magnificent fighting skills. His enemies, the Decepticons, respect his courage, but most of all, they fear Ultra Magnus's spirit of self-sacrifice. He always thinks first of the welfare of his fellow Autobots and his mission.
In The Transformers: The Movie, Ultra Magnus was voiced by Robert Stack. For the subsequent episodes of the animated series, he was voiced by Jack Angel, who had previously portrayed characters such as Astrotrain, Ramjet, and Omega Supreme. His character was most famous for uttering the line "I can't deal with that right now." whenever things got bad.
Ultra Magnus made his first animated appearance in the Earth year 2005 as commander of Autobot City on Earth. Leading the defense of the city when it came under Decepticon attack, Magnus suddenly found himself commanding the entire Autobot army when Optimus Prime died in battle and passed the Matrix of Leadership to him despite his protestations. Subsequently, in a confrontation with the Decepticons on the planet of Junk, Magnus was blown apart and lost the Matrix to Galvatron, but was reassembled and reactivated by the Junkions.[3] When Hot Rod recovered the Matrix from Galvatron and became Rodimus Prime, Ultra Magnus decided to step down as leader to give the role to Rodimus, but continued to act as his friend and advisor, keeping him on the straight and narrow and always reassuring him, attempting to urge him out of the shadow of Optimus Prime.
Magnus had his share of personal adventures in 2006, such as when he was captured by a Quintesson scientist for study, along with Wreck-Gar, Marissa Faireborn and the Decepticon, Cyclonus; he and Cyclonus developed a mutual, grudging respect for each other as warriors during the ensuing events, as they worked together to escape a negative universe on the other side of a black hole.
Magnus would later fall afoul of an unrepentant Cyclonus when he went to the aid of Wheelie and Daniel Witwicky when they stumbled into trouble while attempting to discover Magnus's birthday. In addition to these and other battles with Cyclonus, Magnus also found himself facing Galvatron on several occasions - the deranged Decepticon would even occasionally focus his rage more upon Magnus than Rodimus Prime; such a notion is not inappropriate, since Magnus was the being he was originally dispatched to destroy, and who thwarted him in varying ways, certainly enough to permanently earn the deranged Galvatron's ire.
Ultra Magnus, Springer, Rodimus Prime, and Arcee as humans
In the episode "Only Human", Ultra Magnus, Springer, Rodimus Prime and Arcee found their minds transferred into human-mimicking "synthoid" bodies by the human crime lord Victor Drath.
In episode 78, "Madman's Paradise", Spike and Carly hosted a banquet for a visiting ambassador. Daniel got bored and wandered off. Grimlock followed him, and they fell into a lost chamber where Quintessons banished their criminals to other dimensions. They slipped through to the sorcerous other-dimensional realm of Menonia, and were tricked into fighting on the Red Wizard's side, only to find out that he was the Quintesson criminal, who overthrew the Golden One. Ultra Magnus, Blaster, Eject, Rewind, Ramhorn, and Steeljaw followed, and using Blaster's amplification, they help the Golden One defeat the Red Wizard. With the help of Perceptor, the Autobots and Daniel are returned to Cybertron.
When the galaxy became infected by the Hate Plague, Ultra Magnus was one of the first victims, and his calm, restrained soldier attitude was stripped away, leaving behind a raving, battle-hungry maniac who had particular interest in destroying Rodimus Prime. After the plague was cured by the resurrected Optimus Prime, Magnus led the defense of Cybertron during the battle for the power of the Plasma Energy Chamber in 2007.
Transformers: The Headmasters
Prowl, Ultra Magnus, Inferno and Jazz in Transformer: The Headmasters
Although the American animated series ended with the three-parter "The Rebirth" storyline, it was decided in Japan to continue production of new episodes; to that end, "The Rebirth" was discarded, and in its place, a new 35-episode series, Transformers: The Headmasters was created.
Earlier Japanese-exclusive media such as Scramble City and TV Magazine's manga stories had previously detailed Ultra Magnus's earlier arrival on Earth and his role in the creation of Metroplex. In Headmasters, Magnus was a supporting character for the early part of the series, once again in charge of Autobot City on Earth, taking a proactive role in the defense of the planet against the Decepticons when they re-emerged in 2011. During the opening skirmish of the renewed conflict, Magnus crossed swords with the large and powerful Decepticon ninja, Sixshot, who went on to lead the villains' earth-based forces, leading to a smoldering enmity between the two. Their rivalry eventually came to a conclusive end when Sixshot and Magnus engaged in a one-on-one duel. Magnus was no match for the multiple powers of Sixshot's numerous transformations, and was felled by his seventh, secret mode. With his dying gasp, Magnus told the Autobots to protect the Earth. At Metroplex's request, the Autobots buried Magnus on Earth.
Ultra Magnus appears in the 1986 story book Galvatron's Air Attack by Ladybird Books.[4]
Ultra Magnus appears in the 1986 Ladybird Books story Decepticon Hideout by John Grant, where he is the leader of the Autobots on Earth.[5]
Ultra Magnus and Galvatron on the cover of the book The Invasion of the Decepticon Camp
Ultra Magnus appears in the 1986 story and coloring book The Lost Treasure of Cybertron by Marvel Books.
Devil's Due Publishing
Ultra Magnus would make another appearance in the second G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers crossover from Devil's Due Publishing, again as one of the leaders of the Autobot resistance to Shockwave. He and Perceptor saved a group of G.I. Joes and Cobras from Shockwave's Decepticons, erecting a forcefield to protect them while they worked to repair the damage caused by Teletran-3, powered by Magnus' own strength. The shield eventually gave out and Magnus was captured. However, they were all rescued when the Dinobots returned and routed Shockwave's forces.
He reappeared in the third crossover as part of the combined Autobot/G.I. Joe force attempting to rescue Optimus Prime, and even held off Trypticon single-handedly at one point. In the fourth crossover, Magnus was left in charge of the Autobot forces on Cybertron when Optimus Prime journeyed to Earth.
Dreamwave Productions
Ultra Magnus from Dreamwave Productions' 21st century re-imagining of the Generation One universe took the opportunity to indulge two contentious aspects of Ultra Magnus previously resigned to fan speculation: here, he was revealed to be Optimus Prime's "brother" in the Dreamwave continuity, and also hinted to be Dion, a childhood friend of Optimus Prime from the animated series, due to the name of a strike force he led.
Magnus first chronological appearance was in The War Within: Age of Wrath miniseries, where he had united the splintered Autobot factions such as the Wreckers and Lightning Strike Coalition (who had struck out on their own following Optimus Prime and Megatron's disappearance in a Space Bridge accident) and managed to negotiate a settlement with the Decepticons and Ultracons. The plan was derailed first by Starscream's Predacons and then by Megatron's return with an army of Seeker clones, with Grimlock taking a fatal shot meant for Magnus. After being beaten into submission by Megatron, Magnus was amongst those captured by the Decepticons. The closure of Dreamwave prevented the completion of the series.
Following the disappearance of Optimus Prime and Megatron's troops four million years ago, Ultra Magnus and Fortress Maximus took fluctuating joint leadership of the Autobots, until Maximus abandoned the war.
Ultra Magnus appeared in as a major character in Dreamwave Productions Micromasters mini-series. In issue #1, "Destined For Nothing", Countdown and Groundshaker return from space to find the Autobot base largely abandoned. The first Autobots they encounter, Topspin and Twin Twist seem surprised to see them, and more surprised that Optimus Prime isn't with them. Countdown and Groundshaker are equally surprised that Optimus has not returned to Cybertron before they did. Countdown confronts Ultra Magnus and Fortress Maximus and informs them that Operation: Containment, an attempt to prevent the Decepticon threat from spreading beyond Cybertron, has failed. Countdown explains that the Decepticon Skystalker and his forces ravaged the peaceful planet, Paradron, and that the Autobots need to mount an intergalactic patrol force to prevent the same fate from befalling other worlds. Ultra Magnus and Fortress Maximus disagree, stating that Autobot forces are already underpowered and spread thin as it is. Groundshaker interrupts, belligerently demanding the Autobot command take action, before he is pulled from the room by Countdown. As Countdown and Groundshaker leave the command center, they overhear Big Daddy and his patrol griping about the day's events, which interests Countdown greatly. Big Daddy and company then confront Magnus and Maximus, upset that Crunch lost his life defending Roadbuster. The argument grows more heated, before Fortress Maximus orders the Hot Rod Patrol to turn in their weapons and dismisses them.]
100,000 years later, the Transformers, their war, and the entire planet of Cybertron itself ground to a halt when the world's energy supplies completely ran out, sending Cybertron into a period of reconstructive hibernation, during which the entire population was sent into stasis.
Three thousand years ago, Shockwave was the first Transformer to be reactivated, and set about restoring the planet and its populace, quietly working towards his own sinister ends. Successfully unifying the Autobot and Decepticon factions, he appointed Ultra Magnus as his second-in-command, who led the attack on the Ark when they travelled to Earth and arrested Optimus Prime and Megatron as war criminals. (In reference to the theory that Ultra Magnus was formerly Dion, the name of the team Ultra Magnus led to take the Autobots into custody was team Dion.)
When Optimus Prime then led a rebel attack on Iacon, Shockwave turned on Magnus, apparently deactivating him. Ultra Magnus survived, however, and his inner robot emerged from his damaged larger form, teaming with Prime to stop Shockwave's plan to use the Matrix to access Vector Sigma.
Ultra Magnus came away from the encounter with less damage than Prime, and soon had his systems repaired. He was seen in his familiar blue outer shell assisting Prowl when the burden of leadership threatened to become too much for him, and headed a mission to one of Cybertron's moons to fortify it against attack. Dreamwave's bankruptcy and subsequent closure, however, meant that any further stories of Ultra Magnus went untold.
Fun Publications
Classicverse
In Transformers: Timelines volume 2 #2, "Games of Deception" this series Ultra Magnus leads a team of Autobots, which includes Elita One, Huffer, Snarl, Springer, Strongarm, Swoop and Tryanotron in pursuit of the Decepticon Bug Bite and his forces to Earth. Once on Earth they contact Grimlock to aid them.
Ultra Magnus appears in "Beast Wars Shattered Glass". In this story Ultra Magnus and the Autobots aboard the Graviton battle Megatron and the Decepticons aboard the Talon. Both ships are pulled through a vortex into the past of Shattered Glass Earth. Crashing they discover that dangerous energon readings outside the ship will place them in stasis lock. The Autobots devise organic alternate modes to protect them from the energon. The Decepticons create energon-absorbing armor for protection. Ultra Magnus takes on the alternate form of a blue mammoth (his Timelines toy).[6] Ultra Magnus and his Autobots discover that their ship's high security storage rooms were damaged in the crash and the Autobot bodies in stasis pods were lost. They head out to recover the pods when they are attacked by Dirge and Seawing. They find the pods, but also discover that Megatron has gotten to them first. He's converted the three Autobots into Autojetter, Autolauncher and Scylla, who are loyal to him. The Decepticons attack the Autobots, who are only saved thanks to the intervention of Depth Charge. Ultra Magnus orders the retreat, as there is nothing left for them to recover. Depth Charge informs the Autobots of his mission to save the multiverse.[7]
Ultra Mammoth appeared in Another Light where he was among the mixed Autobot and Decepticon team stationed at the Ironworks base on Classicverse Earth. He witnessed Gaia teleport the humans and human looking Pretenders away when Shattered Glass Primus attacked the Earth. He evacuated on a shuttle commanded by Grimlock and was later seen as part of a governing council on New Cybertron.[8]
Wings of Honor
Ultra Magnus appears in "A Flash Forward" by Fun Publications. In the year 2005 Devastator attacks Autobot City. He is opposed by Ultra Magnus, Sideswipe, Red Alert and Tracks. Firing every weapon they have, the Autobots are able to force Devastator to break apart into the individual Constructicons. Now outnumbered the Autobots retreated. Red Alert is killed covering the withdrawal, as Megatron watches. These events and others are related to Jhaixus by Runabout and Runamuck in 2013.[9] Ultra Magnus travels to Autobot City and assigns Spark, Rapido and Sizzle to investigate a theft from Quantum Laboratories.[10]
In issue #3 of The Transformers: Megatron Origin, a white colored Transformer (resembling Magnus' Titanium War Within toy) is seen from behind at the funeral of Bumper and Fastback. Whether this is actually Magnus is unclear.
In the new IDW Publishing continuity Magnus is a feared Autobot law enforcement officer. Magnus tracked down all those who broke the accords - be they Autobot or Decepticon. After arresting the Decepticon weapons dealer Swindle, the unscrupulous Decepticon managed to talk his way out of it by offering Magnus an even more tempting prize - the whereabouts of Scorponok. Despite his own personal reservations about doing so, Magnus agreed (planting a tracker on Swindle in the process) and tracked Scorponok down on the planet Nebulos. There he discovered the Decepticon's plan - upgrading several of the Nebulans with Transformer technology. Magnus soon found Scorponok himself, and lost the subsequent fight. However, a shot from Scorponok's beast mode seemingly killed Scorponok's already upgraded partner Lord Zarak. Magnus managed to shoot Scorponok in the head, but the Decepticon escaped again. Much later, after apprehending Swindle (again), the Decepticon again attempted to deal his way out. He reappeared briefly again in the Spotlight issue on Arcee, where he tracked down, battled and defeated the deranged Arcee, not realising that the facility was in was actually being used by Jhiaxus for the expansion.
Ultra Magnus also appears in the IDW ongoing series. He comes to Earth some three years after the events of the All Hail Megatron series, once again tracking Swindle. As acting Autobot commander, Bumblebee attempts to persuade Ultra Magnus to abandon his law enforcement duties and take up the fight against the Decepticons that still remained on Earth. In this series, the original Ultra Magnus has been dead for some time, but his identity and form have been taken up as a suit of armor piloted by various individuals, with Minimus Ambus being the most recent to do so.
Ultra Magnus did not appear in Marvel Comics' American Transformers comic book series outside of a comic book adaptation of a third season episode of the animated Transformers series. However, its sister title in the UK did feature in the character extensively in its own original stories (particularly issues in and around the 100 mark); the American stories made no use of the new cast introduced in The Transformers: The Movie, and UK writer Simon Furman pounced on the opportunity to use them in his own ways. Whereas all the other movie characters who appeared in the stories — such as Galvatron, Hot Rod and Kup — appeared via the use of time travel, it was Ultra Magnus's present-day self who played a key role in many of the important UK story lines. As per the original intent of his character and toy, Magnus was presented as the arch-foe of Galvatron.
Ultra Magnus was first introduced in the Earth year 1986, as the underground Autobot resistance on Cybertron prepared to execute their daring "Operation: Volcano" plan, which would involve luring the Decepticons' crack troops to one location where Magnus and the Autobot commando squad, the Wreckers, would finish them off. However, when the Matrix Flame (a flame denoting the activity of the robot containing the Creation Matrix) suddenly extinguished, Magnus was dispatched to Earth to discover what had happened to Optimus Prime.
With time nipping at his heels, the launch of Operation: Volcano going ahead whether he returned or not, Magnus allied himself with the Earth Autobots and worked to discover what had caused Optimus Prime, Prowl and Ratchet to vanish from the middle of the Autobot base, while the other Autobots battled the threat posed by Galvatron, a Decepticon who had travelled back in time from the future. The appearance of three more Autobots from the future, Hot Rod, Kup and Blurr, gave Magnus his answer: the mass-displacement effect yielded by Galvatron's time travel had shunted Prime and the others into the limbo between dimensions. Ultra Magnus then engaged Galvatron in battle as Kup and the others set up a scheme to force Galvatron back into the future, and even though Magnus was severely beaten by the more-powerful Decepticon, the plan succeeded and the future Decepticon returned to his own time. Magnus, however, was too late to return for Operation: Volcano, but the plan was nullified when the intended Decepticon victims were called away by Megatron, but a parting shot took the life of the Wreckers' leader, Impactor.
In 1987, when Optimus Prime was transported to Cybertron, Ultra Magnus and the Wreckers nearly killed him due to deliberate Decepticon misinformation that claimed he was a masquerading Decepticon agent which was disproved by Emirate Xaaron. Prime and Magnus then fought side-by-side on Cybertron for a period, until Ratbat cleverly deployed the Spacebridge to displace Magnus, Prime, and an insane Megatron to Earth. As Magnus adjusted to his temporary new home, he stumbled across Galvatron, who had returned from the future with a new scheme to harness the power of the Earth's core. Continuing their deeply bitter feud, Galvatron battled Ultra Magnus with help from the future Autobots, but in the end, the two leaders were entombed in volcanic lava.
Galvatron was eventually able to effect his own release, and the Sparkler Mini-Bots (also known as the Sparkabots) extricated Ultra Magnus, who, by this stage, having suffered repeated defeats at Galvatron's hands, had developed a paralysing fear of confronting the Decepticon. Galvatron, to his own amusement, set about pulverizing the Sparklers, with the intention of further tormenting the temporarily quiescent Ultra Magnus. With his comrades' lives at risk, Magnus overcame his demons to defeat Galvatron.
The present-day Ultra Magnus would not have to face Galvatron again, but more terrifying threats were in store when he and the Sparklers returned to Cybertron and discovered that the city of Kalis had been overridden by hordes of zombie Transformers, reactivated by the renegade Autobot mad scientist, Flame. Ultra Magnus joined forces with the Wreckers and their allies to defeat Flame's plan to fire Cybertron's subterranean planetary engines and complete Megatron's ancient plan to turn the world into a huge battleship.
Soon after, Magnus found himself involved in a grotesque illegal gladiatorial game, and although he successfully defeated his monstrous opponent and delivered a stirring speech to the crowd decrying their spectation of such a sport, his words failed to get through.
Although that was the last appearance of the present-day Ultra Magnus, the future version of Ultra Magnus (from the same era as Rodimus Prime) made further appearances. He was present when Rodimus Prime, Kup, and Blurr went back in time to confront Galvatron and Death's Head, stating his doubts about the mission, teamed up with Soundwave's Decepticons to defeat the Quintessons, and was part of Rodimus Prime's team in the Time Wars. He did not get his final confrontation with Galvatron, however, as Galvatron used Decepticon leader Scorponok as a living shield against Magnus' fire, prompting Scorponok's troops to attack him.
The UK Transformers continuity records that Magnus and the other future Autobots returned find to their own time-stream changed to a different, darker future, where Galvatron was alive and ruling most of Cybertron.
TFcon comics
Ultra Magnus, Rodimus Prime, Roswell, Van Guardian and Blackarachnia in Grab and Go prelude
The biography for Powered Commander printed in the TFCon 2009 program mentioned that Ultra Magnus was created as part of the D.I.A. Clone program, like Powered Commander.
Ultra Magnus appeared in the TFcon 2013 live script reading Grab and Go, voiced by Jack Angel.
Binaltech
In the altered chronology of the Binaltech saga, Optimus Prime is still alive, having never had the final showdown with Megatron at the Battle of Autobot City. When Ravage arranges for the Autobots to be alone in the battle against the threat of Unicron, Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus team up to take on the planet-eater, having discovered that the Matrix is the key to Unicron's destruction. Within Unicron's body, Optimus Prime is severely damaged, and although not fatally, he passes the Matrix to Ultra Magnus to complete the mission. Ultra Magnus sheds his outer armor and proceeds on, successfully opening the Matrix and initiating the destruction of Unicron. Magnus and Prime escape the exploding giant.
Ultra Magnus is the main character in the Famicom video game Transformers: Convoy no Nazo. The game is a typical side-scroller in which he battles Decepticons. This game has been poorly received.
Both Generation 1 and Shattered Glass Ultra Magnus had cards in the Magic: The Gathering Brothers' War card game in 2022.
Ultra Magnus appears among the Transformers box art on the back of larger third year Transformers toys. He is flying in robot mode without his armor. For a many years this was his only depiction in non-armored mode.
Generation 1 Ultra Magnus (1986)
Based on the Diaclone toy similar to Optimus Prime, Powered Convoy. Despite the fact that this toy has a smaller robot identical to Optimus Prime that can combine with the trailer for a super robot, he was only depicted in super mode in the animated series and Marvel comics. According to the US patent for this toy the head and chest plate of the super robot mode combine to form a jet with a gun turret on it. Several variations of this toy were released, with varying amounts of paint applications and with rubber or plastic tires on his trailer.
Like many previous Transformers toys, the Ultra Magnus toy was a carry-over from the Japanese Diaclone line, where it was released in silver, red and dark blue colors as "Powered Convoy," a powered-up version of "Battle Convoy," the toy which had become Optimus Prime, hence the identical cabs.[11] Additionally, the Diaclone toy's instructions included several more alternate modes the toy could be configured into, which were omitted from Ultra Magnus's instructions in the US release. In the Japanese release of the Ultra Magnus character, however, two of these additional modes are kept, while the third (a battle station) is replaced with another battle station mode with a completely different arrangement.
Powered Convoy's original colors may have at one point been intended to be kept for the Ultra Magnus character -- an early promotional film advertising Transformers: The Movie features Ultra Magnus animated in these hues. In line with this, when the original Ultra Magnus toy was re-issued in Japan in 2000, a limited-edition version in the Diaclone colors was also released, referred to as a "Movie Edition." A third version also saw release, cast entirely in translucent yellow, intended to represent the moment that Magnus is caught in the light of the Matrix.
Ultra Magnus' toy consists of a smaller robot, identical to Optimus Prime but with a mostly white colouration, which acts as the cab of the car carrier and combines with the trailer to form the familiar Ultra Magnus as depicted in the cartoon and comics.
A collectible watch which looked like Ultra Magnus' super robot mode was released in Generation 2.
Generation 1 Reissue Ultra Magnus (2002)
The reissue of Ultra Magnus in 2002 had elongated missiles and shortened smokestacks to comply with new child safety laws.
Masterpiece MP-02 Ultra Magnus (2005)
A white recolor of Masterpiece Optimus Prime that comes with a Megatron in gun mode, energon axe and the Matrix of Leadership.
Generation 2 Laser Ultra Magnus (2006)
When the Generation 2 Laser Optimus Prime figure was reissued in Japan in 2006, online retailer eHobby offered an exclusive repainted version of it as a new version of the original Ultra Magnus, referencing - as other toylines had also since done - the connection between the original Prime and Magnus toys. As a repaint of Laser Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus has light-up eyes and headlights, and sword and gun which can also be illuminated when place in his fist. His trailer can, via a spring-loaded mechanism, transform into a heavily armed battle station with a five-shot missile launcher, disc shooter and bellows-activated foam-tipped rocket launcher.
The extensive bio for this toy reveals that after Magnus lost his life in a Decepticon attack, he was welcomed into the Allspark, his spark retaining its individuality like the other ancient Autobot leaders due to his brief ownership of the Matrix of Leadership. Magnus, however, did not feel that he truly belonged there, and, through the cosmic awareness that comes with being part of the Matrix, learned that Galvatron II was threatening the galaxy. Making contact with Optimus Prime's consciousness, Magnus used the power of Prime's "Reconfiguration Matrix" - the means by which Prime had adopted numerous body forms in the G2 line - to bring about his own resurrection. With the power of the Reconfiguration Matrix, Magnus is able to adopt several different forms of his own, including his original body, but has selected a duplicate version of Prime's "Laser Rod" form for particularly comprehensive offensive power.
Classic Voyager Ultra Magnus (2007)
A two pack of Ultra Magnus (recolor of Classic Voyager Optimus Prime) and Skywarp (recolor of Classics Deluxe Starscream) made a Target store exclusive. The pack was sold under the name "Battle for Autobot City".
A later released 2-pack included Classic Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus.
Titanium 6 inch War Within Ultra Magnus (2007)
Two different toys of Ultra Magnus appeared in the Titanium line. The first is a repaint of the 6" inch War Within Optimus Prime in white colors.
Titanium 6 inch Generation 1 Ultra Magnus (2007)
The second is a new 6" inch Titanium transforming mold which resembles his Generation 1 form. Only features vehicle and super-robot modes, with no separate smaller robot mode, as the trailer does not disconnect from the cab.
Convoy feat Nike Free 7.0 Ultra Magnus (2007)
A special repaint of the Optimus Prime from the "Transformers: Sports Label" series in Ultra Magnus' colors was released. However it was still packaged under the name Convoy, and is therefore still identified as a version of Optimus Prime.
Alternity Ultra Magnus Featuring Nissan GT-R (2010)
An eHobby exclusive and TF China Carnival exclusive white recolor of the Alternity Convoy figure.
Timelines Ultra Ultra Mammoth (2013)
A recolor of Beast Wars Neo Big Convoy. He is a 2013 Transformers Collectors Club exclusive. This toy was originally proposed as a BotCon 2011 exclusive, as en Evil Maximal from the negative universe.
Generations Combiner Wars Leader Ultra Magnus (2015)
Turns from robot to semi-truck and trailer and comes with Minimus Ambus figure; the Japanese release featured the smaller figure repainted as Alpha Trion. Remolded and recolored into Generations Titans Returns Leader Optimus Prime, and recolored into the Diaclone reboot figure Delta Magnus.
Heerotoysmaker Smallest Music Label Ultra Magnus
Heerotoysmaker Smallest Ultra Magnus with Trailer Armor (2010)
Heerotoysmaker Smallest Glow-in-the-dark Ultra Magnus with Trailer Armor (2010)
Heerotoysmaker Smallest Yellow Clear Ultra Magnus with Trailer Armor (2010)
Heerotoysmaker Smallest Diaclone Ultra Magnus with Trailer Armor (2010)
Heerotoysmaker Smallest Black Ultra Magnus with Trailer Armor (2010)
Heerotoysmaker Smallest Red Magnus with Trailer Armor (2010)
See also: Citizen Stack
See also: City Commander
See also: City Commander Upgrade
See also: Earth Commander
See also: Hosting Inside Custom Kit
See also: Primo Prafectus
See also: Ultra Leader
See also: Ultra vs. Warp
Classic Ultra Magnus toy
FansProject City Commander toy on Classic Ultra Magnus
↑ Kevin Guhl (December 16, 2009). "The 30 Most Unfortunately Named Transformers". http://www.toplessrobot.com/2009/12/the_30_most_unfortunately_named_transformers.php.
↑ http://www.x-entertainment.com/messages/547.html
↑ 'Transformers: The Movie' lights our darkest hour, University Wire, November 30, 2000, by Chris Kula
↑ Galvatron's Air Attack. Ladybird Books. 1986. ISBN 0721409881.
↑ Decepticon Hideout. Ladybird Books. 1986. ISBN 072140989X.
↑ Benson Yee, Pete Sinclair & Matt Frank (w), Matt Frank (p), Matt Frank (i), Thomas Deer (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair (ed). "Beast Wars Shattered Glass Chapter One: Shattered Time" The Transformers Collectors Club 49 (February/March 2013), Fun Publications
↑ Benson Yee, Pete Sinclair & Matt Frank (w), Matt Frank (p), Matt Frank (i), Thomas Deer (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair (ed). "Beast Wars Shattered Glass Part 2" The Transformers Collectors Club (April/May 2013), Fun Publications
↑ Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair (w), Eryck Webb (p), Eryck Webb (i), Evan Gauntt (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair (ed). "Another Light Part 6 - The Future Buried" The Transformers Collectors Club 66 (December/January 2016), Fun Publications
↑ Flint Dille, Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair (w), Matt Frank & Josh Warner (p), Matt Frank (i), Thomas Deer (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair (ed). "A Flash Forward Part 1" The Transformers Collectors Club 44 (February/March 2012), Fun Publications
↑ Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair (w), Thomas Deer (p), Matt Frank (i), Thomas Deer (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair (ed). "A Flash Forward Part 2" The Transformers Collectors Club 44 (April/May 2012), Fun Publications
↑ Rare and exclusive plastic, New Straits Times; August 16, 2008
Furman, Simon (2004). Transformers: The Ultimate Guide. DK Publishing Inc.. p. 111. ISBN 1405304618.
Furman, Simon (2004). Transformers: The Ultimate Guide. DK Publishing Inc.. p. 38. ISBN 1405304618.
http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/UltraMagnus/ultramagnus.htm
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The great unravelling – Demise of the neoliberal centre (Part 2): The odd couples
In Part 1 of this series on 'the demise of the neoliberal centre' we examined the outcome of the Australian elections in May. Surprising all, the conservative Coalition won narrowly.
Despite talk of 'Trump conservatives' in Australian politics, a basic difference between recent Australian and US (and indeed UK) politics is that this election was won by the party promising stability, not radical change.
And yet – recent elections in all three countries reveal new fault lines in the old two-party systems dominated by a liberal-conservative bloc and a social democrat-labourist bloc, and between the economic prospects and ideological outlook of inner city, outer urban and country people.
In the US and UK, this has led to a radical break with the neoliberal economic policies championed by the very same countries in the 1980s. In place of free trade and (more) open borders, the Trump administration promises to 'build a wall' against Latino migrants and Chinese products. In the UK, the Conservatives, once champions of British membership of the European Union, has changed its mind, and the political divide between 'remainers' and 'leavers' is as bitter as that between Conservatives and Labor.
In Part 2, we ask why those two countries broke with the liberal economic order, and who supports the main advocates of aggressive nationalism in each country.
In future blogs, we'll move from politics to economics to examine neoliberalism (what it is and where it came from), recount the shift to neoliberal policies in Australia; and then move on to political philosophy (the contest between conservatism, liberalism and social democracy); to assess what might replace the 30 year neoliberal consensus that has prevailed in many, but not all, western nations.
What's wrong with these pictures?
Here we are at the White House in the mid 1980s, with the political founders of the neoliberal order that privileged 'free markets' over government regulation and services.* In the West, the post-war economic and political system was unravelling. In the East, the Soviet Union was about to unravel too, and China had set off down the capitalist road. Dominant in their own countries, these two led the West down a new path where 'government isn't the solution, it's the problem' and 'there is no such thing as society, only individual men and women'. It was a new dawn: morning in America.
* I'll try to define this in the next instalment
Returning to the same place 30 years later, the same parties are in power, but each leader, in their own way, is disrupting the order founded by Reagan and Thatcher.
Narcissus on the left came into office speaking darkly of 'this American carnage'. He set out on a different path, to 'protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs'. America as leader of the 'free world' is now regressing to the tribal isolationism of 'America First'.
Listening to Trump's inaugural speech, 'Morning in America' was now a dark and stormy night.
The Prime Minister on the right of the picture wanted to restore 'the bonds and obligations that make our society work'; to disrupt the power of those who 'behave as though they have more in common with international elites than with the people down the road'. Her solution was 'Government stepping up. Righting wrongs. Challenging vested interests,' and 'intervening where markets are dysfunctional'.
Having failed to convince the Parliament and a bitterly divided nation that her plan for the UK to leave the EU was either radical enough, or that the UK should leave the EU at all, she has just been replaced by the chameleon below.
"Do we have a plan for Brexit? We do. Are we ready for the effort it will take to see it through? We are. Can Boris Johnson stay on message for four days?" Teresa May speaks at her first Conservative conference as Leader (2016)
Trump and May were not tinkering at the edges of the neoliberal order to present a friendlier face to people whose lives were gutted by another recession. They were striking at its core institutions and beliefs: one starting a trade war with China and restricting immigration, the other doggedly pursuing Britain's divorce from the European Union (and restricting immigration).
The workers' revenge?
On the face of it, this was about the revenge of working people against an international business elite that destroyed their jobs in the wake of the Great Recession of 2008, and diverted resources from the many to the few. Leaders of the Right in the very countries that launched the neoliberal project were quickest to hop on board. In her first speech to a Conservative Party conference as Prime Minister, May enthused about an 'economy that's on the side of ordinary working class people'.
In the US, working class voters had every economic reason to revolt. From 1975 to 2014, male workers without a college degree saw their median incomes fall by more than 20 per cent, after adjusting for inflation. The share of pre-tax income going to the top 10% rose from 35% in 1979 to 47% in 2014. The share of the lowest 50% fell from 20% to 13%.
In the UK, while low and middle incomes did not stagnate as they did in the US, incomes became much less equal from the late 1970s. In 1979, the lowest 20% of households by disposable income received 10% of all income, the middle 20% got 18% and the top 10% received 37%. By 2014, the share of the lowest 20% had fallen by 2 percentage points, that of the middle 20% fell by 1%, while the top 10% share rose by 3%. These shifts mostly occurred under Thatcher during the 1980s.
In Australia, the rise in inequality was less extreme, but still substantial. The main trend was for high earners to leave the rest behind. The share of pre-tax income of the top 10% rose from 24% in 1979 to 32% in 2014.
The US: a workers' revolt?
An economic revolt by white manual workers is often blamed for Trump's narrow wins in key rust-belt States in 2016.
The rightward shift of working class communities across the rust-belt was epitomised by the strong showing of Republicans in Harlan County, Kentucky. This was the same dirt-poor coal mining community whose struggle to unionise a mine was celebrated in the brilliant 1974 documentary Harlan County, USA.
Yet there are gaping holes in the 'white working class switches to Trump' story. Clinton won the popular vote, including 52% of those earning less than $50,000 a year (against 41% for Trump). In the mid-west, Clinton's losses were due more to her failure to rally working class voters (including African-American and Latino voters who were generally poorer) than a groundswell for Trump.
Or a revolt of the white non-urban middle class?
The main divides between Trump and Clinton voters were race, education and geography rather than income. For example, 63% of white men and 67% of non college-educated white men and women opted for Trump. Clinton won 88% of the black vote and 65% of the Latino vote: a strong result but well below Obama's 93% and 71%.
This divide is an old one. For decades the Republicans have appealed to less-educated white voters in smaller cities and towns. Trump's gains in the mid-west were mainly in those districts.
When Trump voters were polled, racial resentment was a stronger motivator than economic anxiety (though that played a part). Much of the South has been fighting an undeclared civil war since the abolition of slavery. One striking consequence was that white middle-class voters in the South abandoned their political home (the Democratic Party) and voted for Nixon in response to President Johnson's civil rights reforms in the 1960s.
So Trump's election did not signal an economic backlash by people experiencing poverty (they mostly voted Democrat), rather a revolt by less-educated white middle-class voters outside the major cities. They had economic concerns, but what they really wanted was to restore a lost way of life – where their jobs were more secure, they held a higher status in the community and nation, and the USA was dominant in the world.
"Candidate preferences in 2016 reflected increasing anxiety among high-status groups rather than complaints about past treatment among low-status groups. Both growing domestic racial diversity and globalization contributed to a sense that white Americans are under siege by these engines of change." Dianne Mutz, PNAS May 8, 2018
And in the UK
In 2016, the British people voted to leave the EU by the whisker of a Eurosceptic: 51.9% to 48.1%, in a bitter campaign that cut across traditional party lines. This was seemingly another retreat to isolationism and 'national traditions' and a body-blow to the European project and liberal economic order.
Brexit voters in the UK were heterogenous. Natsen Social Research found that 'affluent Eurospceptics' (23% of the population), 'older working class' people (16%) and an 'economically deprived and anti-immigration' group (12%) were the three segments of the population most likely to vote Leave.
Consistent with the American pattern, around 70% of Black or Asian adults voted Remain, while men were more likely (at 54%) to vote Leave. The Leave vote was highest in the non-metropolitan East and West Midlands, and lowest in London and Scotland.
Overall, lower education levels, middle-class identification, and a declining economic position were key predictors of a Leave vote. As in the US, people who were once economically and socially comfortable and now felt threatened by international or 'elite' forces beyond their control, struck out against the existing order.
The referendum on EU membership was not supposed to end this way. Former PM David Cameron launched it to fend off the eurosceptics in his own party. He failed, and was replaced by May, who promised but failed to implement Brexit.
May's political philosophy, as framed by Chief-of-Staff Nick Timothy, harked back to pre-Thatcherite 'One Nation conservatism'. Timothy's role model was pre-war PM Joe Chamberlain, an former industrialist and Mayor of Birmingham who led the Liberal Party. Timothy's philosophy was a form of communitarian capitalism.
"Chamberlain is the Conservative Party's forgotten hero. At the
birth of mass democracy, he gave the Party an unambiguous mission: the
betterment of Britain's working classes.
He believed that the state must remain small, capitalism must be
preserved and private property protected, but working-class children needed to
be educated, workers protected from industrial injuries and unscrupulous
bosses, and the ownership of property extended to people of all classes."
Nick Timothy (2012), later Teresa May's Chief of Staff.
May's pitch was not to those in the lowest 20% of households by income, who according to Oxfam were the main victims of the government's relentless austerity policies. She pitched to the middle-income workers who were 'Just About Managing' (or JAMs).
"All of those families have at least one person in work, and most work full-time, but they are under-represented in higher-paying jobs. They are also half as likely to have a degree as the rest of the population. However, not all 'just managing' families are low earners. Some have higher salaries – up to £50,000 in the case of larger families – but still struggle to cope with the additional cost pressures of having children." Resolution Foundation (2016), "Britain's 'just managing' families have experienced a 13 year income squeeze."
In this latest variant of 'one nation conservatism', the JAMs would be sheltered from the harsh winds of global markets, Brussels bureaucrats, London elites, and mass immigration; unified by christian patriotism; and helped to get ahead through property ownership and thrift.
A decade after the Global Financial Crisis, key elements of the neoliberal paradigm or 'Washington consensus' that dominated economic policy-making in the Anglophone countries (including free trade, large-scale immigration, and international rule-setting institutions) were aggressively challenged by anti-liberal right-wing insurgencies in two of the leading Anglophone countries, the US and UK.
The core political base for those movements was older white communities outside the major cities, and their inspiration came from nostalgia over a lost traditional order in which they earned a decent income, occupied a respected place, and 'others' (especially other races and people who challenged the traditional gender order) knew theirs.
Irony of ironies: this was a revolt to restore tradition, like Sulla's march on Rome (and that ended badly).
In Australia, as we have seen this anti-liberal movement was more politically marginal, but still had a big influence on mainstream politics, contributing to the un-seating of a Prime Minister by his own party.
The anti-liberal movement has spread across Europe, Russia, and more recently Brazil. The reasons can be traced to unique national conditions, but there is a common pattern, and the movement began in the countries that first championed the neoliberal order three-and-a-half decades ago.
The next blog in this series will go back in time to examine the emergence of neoliberal economic policies in Australia.
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Is the Job Services Australia model 'made for measure' for disadvantaged jobseekers?' →

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To celebrate our recent certification from Civil Aviation Authority for Part 102 drone operations, we've put together this reel of recent commercial drone work. It includes scenes from projects for Fonterra, Tranzalpine, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, Audi & the aforementioned Mike Pero TVC. CAA part 102 certification is becoming increasingly important, particularly in regards to managing risk and permitting processes. It's been a year long process and should prove valuable to both us and our clients.


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Home » Changing Tide for Milk
Changing Tide for Milk
David Phillips
Consumer preferences are shiftier than ever, and milk is now a whole new animal
Today's consumers may be more concerned about carbohydrates than fat levels. Some dairy processors have already responded.
Ask a dairy processor why per-capita milk sales continue to slide and the answer you are most likely to hear goes something like this:
The culprit is the ever-increasing variety of beverage choices in the market. With 30 different kinds of drinks in the cooler in front of him instead of say, three, Mr. Milk Drinker has gotten flighty and chosen beverages other than milk.
There has been, and still is a good deal of truth in that explanation. And just as milk has begun to reinvent itself, and is now at least a major component of say six or seven of those 30 choices, many consumers are coming to the beverage aisle with a brand new set of nutritional concerns.
Welcome to 2004! There's a helluva ride ahead for milk and other dairy beverages.
The dairy industry has made strides in recent years by offering better flavor, more flavors, improved packaging, and even shelf stability-by making milk fun. But when the industry began to take these steps some 10 or 12 years ago, no one could have anticipated that epidemic obesity, and low-carbohydrate diets would one day be getting so much attention.
The "Healthy Weight with Dairy" campaign launched in October by the major industry groups may provide a serendipitous opportunity for milk, as consumers are in the process of redefining for themselves what constitutes good and bad food choices. In the past year, public school administrators have begun to prioritize nutritional concerns over financial considerations and are putting the brakes on soft drink sales to students. Two of the top U.S. hamburger chains are test marketing milk as an optional beverage in kids' combo meals, and two soft drink companies have rolled out flavored beverages made with milk.
Most recently, low-carb dairy beverages, which are essentially milk with less lactose and more protein, have joined the other designer milk offerings that include lactose-free and reduced lactose milks, fortified milks, milks formulated for specific demographics, and even a milk with soy protein added.
Some industry experts say a preference for low-carbohydrate food and beverages is already having an impact on milk sales. Others say the hurdles and opportunities that dairy processors are facing have changed little in the last five or 10 years. Either way, the industry has its work cut out for it. But before we explore these ideas let's look at the most recent sales numbers.
Overall milk sales actually increased by a fraction of a percent in 2002-IDFA' Dairy Facts pegs it at 0.5%, while Beverage Marketing Corp.'s Milk and Dairy Alternative Beverages in the U.S. report goes with 0.3%. But a look at recent figures from Information Resources Inc., show that overall milk sales might have slowed significantly in 2003. IRI showed volume declines for each of the first three quarters of 2003, with a year-to date drop of 1.6%.
While overall sales may have showed some growth, per-capita sales continue to dog the industry. That number was down to 22.4 lbs in 2002 from 22.5 lbs in 2001.
But per-capita consumption numbers for teens may give milk marketers hope. In 2001, teen per-capita consumption was up for the first time in six years. It climbed to 22 gals-nearly a 3% increase. In 2002 per-capita consumption among teens was up another 6.8%.
The industry is particularly excited about this, because it may be the result of concerted efforts, says Tom Nagle, v.p. of marketing at the International Dairy Foods Assn.
"Over the last several years we have reduced the number of targets and goals to provide an adequate number of dollars over a smaller number of tasks.," Nagle says of the industry's generic marketing efforts. "We agreed to restrict our efforts to kids, teens and moms and adult women."
In these three areas there have been good results. The biggest increase in consumption right now is for toddlers, and Nagle says that is directly related to the mom focus. In two of the last three years consumption among kids is up, and teens have drunk more milk two years in a row.
"Those targets were selected based on a variety of criteria, and part of it is that these are already strong areas, and they offer long-term value. If we can keep consumption in those groups at higher levels, we really expect some follow-through for a whole life cycle."
There are some other numbers worth noting, in some cases because they are surprising:
With growth slowing in the past few years, the compound annual growth rate is now at -0.2% for the five years leading up to 2002, according to Beverage Marketing.
Vending sales actually decreased in 2001 and 2002. Explanation? Antiquated vending machines offering milk in gabletop cartons are being removed more quickly than modern machines are being added.
Per-capita volume consumption from vending machines has actually increased however, as larger units are now being offered.
Lactose-free milk grew by a remarkable 17% in 2002 as lactose-reduced and acidophilus milk lost share of this specialty segment.
Most other beverages categories also performed sluggishly in 2002 and 2003, with bottled water being the exception. Bottled water mustered double-digit dollar sales growth in all but one of six recent quarters according to IRI.
Even without factoring in low-carb dietary approaches, there is a complicated set of factors at work on milk's sales trends, especially the per-capita conundrum. Nagle says these factors include changing demographics, competitive choices and even price.
"Overall sales have been coming down the last part of 2002 and the first part of last year," he says. "We feel this is due in part to price changes. We've seen some increases in the last few months and we are seeing that reflected in sales."
Although the industry has put a lot of money into marketing, it is still dwarfed by the efforts of other beverage segments.
"Milk has a limited and declining share of voice. We used to make up about 14% of the advertising dollars spent on marketing beverages, but it has gone down to 8%," Nagle says. "Milk spending hasn't changed, while juice, soft drinks, and bottled water are spending more."
Redefining milk
You can't talk about milk sales trends without talking about how milk has been reinvented and redefined for the consumer. And in the last year or two those changes have taken on new dimensions.
Exhibit 1: Early in 2003 Dr. Pepper introduced its Raging Cow dairy-based beverage with a press release that claimed the company was bringing some excitement to the "boring" world of milk. A bit presumptuous, yes, but the very idea of a soft drink company taking on flavored milk shows that milk is no longer just a commodity. Even the competition agrees.
Exhibit 2: Also in 2003, two dairies introduced products that are essentially low-carb milk. Sold in milk-ish packaging in the dairy case, everyone but the government will call this stuff milk.
While flavored milk is included in most sales trend reports (including those cited in this article), things like Raging Cow, coffee drinks, and other dairy based beverages are not included.
"I think we might need to re-evaluate how we measure fluid milk sales," says Joe O'Donnell, executive dir. of the California Dairy Research Foundation. "I would imagine that if we are not looking at those sales as milk then we are missing something."
While they aren't considered statistically, they have to at least be considered in an analysis, O'Donnell says, and even in terms of product development.
"If you look at the way any food company operates, they will constantly be looking to cost-reduce the formula," O'Donnell says. "So if you look at these beverages you are going to see an evolution to more dairy by-products like whey protein and buttermilk solids being used. They are going to formulate to get the best results at the lowest price.
"This is an age of ingredients and reformulation, and that whole drive will cause us to rethink what we classify as milk products."
Some of that is already happening, but there is potential for more, says Market Analyst Jerry Dryer.
"I think the opportunity is there in terms of us developing some nice, high-end products using liquid milk protein concentrate for nutritional supplements like the Ensure beverages, and for making traditional milk products better too. In effect you can fortify milk with a liquid milk protein concentrate so that you have higher protein and maybe less lactose."
One company that has been successful at reinventing and repositioning milk is HP Hood, Chelsea, Mass.
One of the oldest and most well-know processors in the industry, HP Hood doesn't rest on its laurels. In 1999 Hood introduced Simply Smart, a line of reduced-fat milks formulated to taste ... well, less like reduced fat milk. Hood also manufactures and distributes the No. 1 national brand of milk, Lactaid, under a license from McNeil Consumer Healthcare. More recently, Hood has introduced a Lactaid branded product that is fortified with Soy Protein. Late last year it rolled out nationally a line of Hood branded products called Carb Countdown that is aimed at low-carb dieters. Carb Countdown competes with the Le Carb drink line introduced last year by SouthWest Foods, Tyler Texas. Both are essentially milk with less lactose and more milk solids.
In these examples, processors are adding value to what has traditionally been the commodity side of the business-that is, white and chocolate milk sold in multi-serve packages for in-home consumption.
John Kaneb, president of HP Hood says he sees the industry putting more focus on making fundamental changes in and adding value to these kinds of products.
"What you are talking about is using raw cows milk in more imaginative ways, " Kaneb says. "I have a very strong feeling that it's going to be a lot more important than it has been. It certainly is very, very much a primary focus of this company."
Dryer says fortifying beverages with the right kinds of dairy ingredients could be a key to helping sell more milk in the form of nutritious dairy beverages. But he also says he's having second thoughts about soft drink companies helping the cause of dairy, even if they invent products that are largely made with milk.
"I think the downside is the soft drink guys getting into the business," he says. "They are selling milk and sugar now instead of water and sugar, and I think some of those products could give us a black eye."
Thinking outside the home
It's been more than a year since the Los Angeles Unified School District voted to ban on-campus sale of carbonate soft drinks during school hours. A number of schools across the country have since taken the same bold step. With the new vending options now available to dairy processors, this is yet another opportunity for processors to expand their business in an arena where milk has not traditionally sold well-out-of-home, immediate consumption sales.
Compared to the supermarket dairy case, this is an area where the industry has already introduced a lot of innovations. Going back to the invention of the Chug, new flavors, better labels, and new bottle shapes have flowed continuously for more than a decade. Single-serve milk can now be sold in attractive packaging from eye catching, high tech vending machines. Single serve aseptic packaging options include HDPE bottles, as well as the traditional brick and the flashier Prisma. National brands of chocolate milk are offered in more convenience stores, drug stores and foodservice locations than ever before.
When you talk about single-serve/immediate consumption, much of what you are talking about is flavored milk. Industry groups have worked hard to promote the residual nutritional value in the flavored milk while downplaying concerns about excessive sugar or artificial colors. Of course some processors have introduced products without artificial colors and excessive sugar. Some products targeted to kids are fortified with vitamins and made with less sugar or with other sweeteners. But recently, ordinary flavored milk, sugar and all, received a healthy dose of positive p.r.
A study published last month in the Journal of Adolescent Health, and funded by the Northeast Dairy Foods Research Center concluded that consumption of sweetened dairy foods and beverages and presweetened cereals has a positive impact on the diet quality of U.S. children and adolescents, whereas sugar-sweetened beverages, sugars and sweets, and sweetened grains had a negative impact on their diet quality. At the same time, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a policy statement recommending that pediatricians work to eliminate sweetened drinks in schools and encourage alternatives offerings including low-fat white or flavored milk.
If all the efforts of the industry and individual processors in the flavored milk/single-serve/out of home arena have not yet paid full dividends it's pretty likely that it will in the near future. IDFA's Nagle says flavored single-serve milk will continue to grow from these efforts.
"With all the different approaches that are being taken, if each one adds just a little it will eventually result in a 1% increase in the (compound annual growth rate), and for milk, that would be pretty substantial," he says.
Most sources say flavored milk now accounts for 7.4% of all milk sold. Throw in value-added milk, specialty dairy products, and dairy based beverages and that number could be close to 10%. And it may be higher than that in a couple of years.
So, that question arises: will value-added products ever become big enough to float the entire milk beverage category into positive sales growth?
"We certainly believe the answer is yes," Nagle says. "For several years in a row, flavored milk has been disproportionately responsible for milk's growth. For the two years prior to 2003, the flavored milk was 30-40% of the total category growth."
But because ordinary white milk still makes up more than 92% of milk sold, some are skeptical about how large a role value-added products can ultimately play.
"The move over the past five to 10 years to single-serve certainly has been a big boost to the industry perhaps more in terms of profits than in terms of total gallons," says Stanley Bennett, president of Oakhurst Dairy, Portland, Maine. "Certainly it helps, but, it will not float the whole category."
Dairy-based beverages are helping to redefine milk in the minds of consumers, but is that a good thing?
Good products and good service
On a fundamental level, what makes any company successful in any industry is good product and good service. The dairy industry has evolved into an industry that can provide both of these from vastly different types of organizations to vastly different types of customers.
Hood, and a couple other national companies, have built national sales and distribution networks that allows them to sell milk to huge national retailers. Oakhurst, on the other hand, has grown its milk business by serving a local customer base in Maine, by being local.
"Out of necessity we emphasize those things where we can distinguish ourselves. We are in fact a local family-run business and our milk comes from local dairy farmers," Bennett says. "We also have given 10% of all pre-tax profits to organizations protecting the environment throughout northern New England."
Bennett says the company also lives up to its often used slogan: "Oakhurst is preferred because there is a difference in milk."
Oakhurst was in the spotlight last year when it was sued by Monsanto over its no-rBGH label claim. It settled the suit by agreeing to adjust its claim. But quality goes beyond the hormone issue, Bennett says.
"We've never looked at milk as a commodity. Our milk tastes better, has a longer shelf life and has fewer off flavors, than most."
Back to the large end of the spectrum, Dean Foods, Dallas, recently increased its investment in the organic milk market by completing a full acquisition of Horizon Organic, a company it has owned a stake in for several years.
Meanwhile generic marketing efforts continue to promote milk across the board. There's no doubt that programs like gotMilk? and Milk Moustache have helped improve milk's image, but some have said the programs need to evolve into something that talks more specifically about milk's virtues.
For regional dairies like Oakhurst, of Portland, Maine, being the local player is still a good selling point, along with a no- rBGH pledge.
Certainly the "Healthy Weight with Dairy" campaign does just that. The campaign uses recent scientific evidence to convince consumers that healthful dairy products can be part of any weight management effort. While it is not associated with any specific diet, the campaign could reverse some of the commonly-held beliefs about milk contributing to weight gain. Milk's position as a good source of protein could also help win over some of those consumers who have vaguely embraced the concept of high-protein/low-carb eating. Those who are indeed counting carb grams may avoid milk, or they may turn to one of the low-carb dairy drinks now on the market.
Anecdotes of processors offering home delivery, organic milk, stronger brands, more marketing, and better packaging show that milk has come a long way and has a lot of potential. And most in the industry say all the efforts to increase milk sales will eventually show a result. Beverage Marketing predicts very slow growth over the next five years.
"Just as milk's decline has been slow over a long period, its rejuvenation may be similar" says Clay Boatright v.p., of trade marketing with the Dean's Dairy Group. "I think flavored and value-added items will continue to grow. Meanwhile, helping consumers remember that milk is one of nature's healthiest building blocks should help revitalize traditional white milk."
Sidebar: New Milk-type Beverages A-Plenty
By Donna Berry, Product Development Editor
Innovative beverages based on milk-fluid or dry-are hitting dairy cases and beverage aisles at full force. Consumers know drinking milk is healthful, but with the great new flavors, energy formulations and convenient packaging on the market today, it is also cool. Indeed, more and more people are turning to single-serve milk-based beverages to quench their thirst, and meet their daily requirement for essential nutrients.
More traditional flavored milk innovations include Mayfield Vanilla Lowfat Milk, a 1% milk beverage available in pint-sized Chugs, which are handy carry-along containers, and in half-pint cartons that are ideal for schools.
"Vanilla milk is the fastest-growing flavored milk in the United States, and a close second to chocolate milk in popularity," says Scottie Mayfield, president of Athens, Tenn.-based Mayfield Dairy Farms, a Dean Foods Co., Dallas. "The dairy industry is doing everything we can to help children and adults get the calcium they need-including introducing appealing new beverages like vanilla milk."
Byrne Dairy, Syracuse, N.Y., has added Cookies N' Cream Milk to its pint line. Everyone knows milk and cookies go together. Now there is no dipping required. Byrne Dairy has blended the chocolate flavor of a cookie with a smooth vanilla cream background into 1% milk.
Other flavor innovations include Hershey's York Mint Chocolate Milkshake from Dean Foods and Nesquik Ready-to-Drink Milkshakes in chocolate and strawberry flavors from Nestlé USA, Glendale, Calif.
To compete with the increasingly popular energy drinks in today's marketplace, a favorite among teens and college students, Hyper Cow Inc., St. Paul, Minn., debuted a three-flavor line of 1% milk enhanced with caffeine. The drinks have as much caffeine as a can of cola.
Even more interesting, Nutra Java Inc., Sierra Madre, Calif., has formulated a line of coffee and milk energy drinks that contain ginseng, green tea and kola nut.
To help consumers manage their sugar and carbohydrate intake, Shamrock Farms Dairy, a div. of Shamrock Foods Co., Phoenix, now offers single-serve bottles of No-Sugar-Added 1% Chocolate Milk. Sweetened with sucralose, one serving contains 40% less sugar than typical sugar-sweetened chocolate milk.
Finally, it's just a matter of time before a dairy-based beverage is formulated to contain phytosterols, which, when part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. For now, the closest thing to a cows milk-based beverage is Rice Dream Heart Wise drink from The Hain Celestial Group, Melville, N.Y. Rice Dream Heart Wise drink is a lactose-free and dairy-free beverage that contains the same amount of calcium as whole milk along with phytosterols. It is the first rice beverage to carry the FDA's approved heart health claim for phytosterols on its label.
The first beverage to contain phytosterols-Minute Maid Heart Wise Orange Juice-was introduced a few months earlier by Houston, Texas-based The Minute Maid Co., a div. of The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta. In
response, Tropicana Products Inc., Bradenton, Fla., a PepsiCo Inc., Purchase, N.Y., recently debuted Healthy Heart Orange Juice, which contains vitamins B6, B12, C and E, along with potassium and folate, vitamins and minerals also proven to positively effect risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
How are you going to respond to these innovations? Get busy!
Sidebar: Reaching Kids Creatively
When it comes to feeding school children, the greatest problem is getting kids to make the most nutritious choices. When it comes to beverage offerings, some schools are finally making moves to get soda out. Unfortunately, the replacement drinks are often not much better, as sports drinks and flavored beverages are taking their place. These beverages may sound healthier, but when you compare Nutrition Facts labels, there is little difference.
ESE Dairies, a subsidiary of East Side Entrees, Woodbury, N.Y., is helping schools help kids make healthier beverage purchases. Since the beginning of the current school year, the company has been marketing a range of aseptic milks and milkshakes that sport Nickelodeon® characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants®, Jimmy Neutron® and The Wild Thornberrys®.
East Side Entrees specializes in marketing and distributing nutritious, student-friendly food products to more than 3,000 school districts nationwide. Through a contract with USDA to use surplus nonfat dry milk, the company is able to make its products affordable for school lunch programs, according to East Side Entrees' CEO Gary Davis.
"We want to make milk fun for kids and convenient for schools," Davis says. "There are many schools that do not have the refrigeration space to readily stock milk for that first day back after a holiday break, or for after school or weekend activities. With our aseptic Shake 'n Sip™ milks and milkshakes, storage can be at ambient temperature until a few hours before serving."
The 1% milk line includes plain, chocolate, strawberry and vanilla flavors, with one serving containing 25% more calcium and protein than regular low-fat milk. "The milkshakes are made with 2% milk and contain even more added milk solids," says Davis. "The milk solids result in a milkshake with 50% more calcium and protein than regular 2% milk, without extra fat. The solids also create a milkshake-like froth when shaken." All products are made with Grade A milk and sport the Real Seal®.
"We ask the local dairy that provide refrigerated milk to the schools to be our distributor," says Davis. "See, we are not trying to come in and replace refrigerated milk, we simply want to increase consumption at times when refrigerated milk is not always available, like on fieldtrips and after school programs."
The beverages can be stored up to six months without refrigeration. For schools, this translates into improved food safety due to less spoilage, and convenience.
"This new milk offering is a win-win situation all-around because it's getting kids to drink more milk," says Cindy Hormel, foodservice director for Missouri's Liberty Public Schools. "We've definitely seen an increase in the number of kids drinking milk with lunch."
The milks and milkshakes are also being sold through a specially designed vending machine by The Vendo Co., Fresno, Calif., which can vend aseptic boxes and Tetra Pak Prisma® cartons.
"The initial reason for developing the machine was because so many healthful beverages are available in aseptic cartons," says Susan Freuler, marketing mgr., at Vendo. "The machine debuted just in time for the current school year and has been well received, particularly in California schools, which have been the most active in removing soda machines."
Davis adds, "Currently we are selling about 3% of our milk through Vendo's machines, and expect this to grow as more schools catch on."
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FM Bilawal, Saudi Counterpart Vow to Further deepen Bilateral Ties
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have reiterated their resolve to further deepen bilateral cooperation in all areas.
The understanding was reached during a meeting between Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Both foreign ministers reaffirmed the historic and deep-rooted fraternal ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
During the meeting, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its long-standing support to Pakistan.
Sharing pictures of the meeting on his twitter handle, the Foreign Minister said he was delighted to meet his Saudi counterpart.
On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, the Foreign Minister also held a meeting with his Finish counterpart Pekka Haavisto and discussed bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The Foreign Minister appreciated Finland for its support at Resilient Pakistan Conference in Geneva.
Both sides resolved to further enhance bilateral relations, particularly in trade, energy and education sector.
The post FM Bilawal, Saudi Counterpart Vow to Further deepen Bilateral Ties appeared first on Abb Takk News.


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Shown here modeled by by our 15 inch Bitty baby doll, this shirt can be worn as a girl or boy shirt and can be customized to add appliques or other decoration to the outside by the purchaser if so desired.
LISTING IS FOR SHIRT ONLY. DOLL IS NOT FOR SALE, OTHER CLOTHING MAY BE FOUND IN OUR INVENTORY.


The song is "Right Before My Eyes" from the broadway musical 'Lestat'. Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Bernie Taupin. For anyone who is in, or plans to be in, the New York area. I highly recommend seeing this show. It is very close to the books (Interview & Lestat) and the music is beautiful. Do NOT listen to the critics.
In the show, the song is sung by Lestat about Nicholas.
Lacroix sat alone at the table in the corner of the tavern. He liked the shadows the walls created which concealed his tall frame. He watched the group of returning crusaders as they ate and drank. The vampire had been watching them for the past week, since they had arrived in the city.
Almost from the start, his attention had focused on one individual. Nicholas, his name was. He was a bright shining light in the sea of darkness that was the world of the vampire. The knight seemed to unconciously separate himself from him comrades. Lacroix could sense the strength in this mortal. But it was something more than that. He could sense that this mortal man could be his equal. He could be someone to spend eternity with.
But as the nights passed, Lacroix could not understand why he didn't just take this man. What was it that held him back night after night?
Now, he sat in the shadows watching the knight sit silently as the other man laughed and talked together.
But why do I go back and forth?
What is this doubt that clouds my thoughts?
Each night it would come. Just as Lacroix made his decision to take this man, a bit of doubt would cross his mind. This knight was filled with a kind of inner light that was so rare among mortals. The vampire wondered if, because of his own selfish desires, he would crush the innocence that was still left in the weary crusader.
Even though the world of darkness held so many possibilites and wonders, Lacroix was not sure if this man would accept such a gift. And so, as the nights passed, he held back.
Would his bright fire not wish it so?
Tonight, he discovered, would be the group's final night in the city. When the morning came, they would all be returning to their homes. It must be now, or not at all. But that doubt still lingered in his mind. Is this the right decision?
Gazing at the man, Lacroix used his link to summon Janette.
Lacroix watched from the shadows of The Raven, as Nick crossed the dance floor to where Janette stood at the bar. Despite the loudness of the music and the darkness of the club, he could hear their words as if he stood next to them. Detective Knight was looking for a vampire who had attacked a guard at a museum.
Despite the passing of so many centuries, Nicholas still retained that light. Although, now it was clouded with guilt and regret. The ancient vampire watched sadly as his son turned and walked out of the door and into the night.


text:
Research on ancient writing linked with modern Mideast conflict
CHICAGO – Professorial colleagues think Ron Tappy has made a landmark breakthrough in our understanding of the world of the Bible. He himself is waiting for the other shoe to drop.
This week, Tappy will formally unveil his discovery at the meetings of the American Schools of Oriental Research. Normally a presentation titled "The 2005 Excavation Season at Tel Zayit, with Special Attention to the Tenth Century BCE" would hardly be noticed beyond the scholars who will gather at the Hyatt Penn's Landing hotel in Philadelphia.
This year's convention, though, has the potential for a media circus. Narrowly, Tappy's research involves the history of writing. He apparently has found a missing link in the evolution of the alphabet.
Because he found it in the Holy Land, his lecture will raise tempers. Archaeologists generally are gentle folk. But biblical studies imperceptibly shade over from scholarly pursuits to modern-day passions inflamed by contemporary struggles of Israelis and Palestinians. One camp, "the maximalists" implies the other harbors anti-Semites. The "minimalists," in turn, charge their accusers with confusing Zionism with scholarship.
"In the Middle East, you can start a mini war over who got there first," said William G. Dever, professor emeritus of the University of Arizona and a fierce opponent of the minimalists. "This isn't about ancient Israel. It's about modern Israel and the Palestinians."
Philip Davies, professor emeritus at the University of Sheffield in England, is generally considered the founding father of the minimalists – most of whom are European-based. He is coming to the Philadelphia meetings prepared for battle with his American colleagues.
"When I fly the Atlantic, I feel like a gladiator," Davies said. "Tappy's research is going to be a football, kicked around from one side to the other."
Over the summer, Tappy was excavating at Tel Zayit, an archaeological site southwest of Jerusalem, with his scholarly partners, P. Kyle McCarter of Johns Hopkins University, Bruce Zuckerman of the University of Southern California and Marilyn Lundberg of the West Semitic Research Project. He noticed a stone inscribed with letters on an ancient wall. They didn't form words but were arraigned in alphabetical order. He realized they connected the biblical age with the contemporary world.
"A word printed in a book today is linked to the scribes who worked on that stone," said Tappy, a professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
Scholars have long recognized that alphabetical writing was a one-time invention. It was created by the Phoenicians, who lived in what now is Lebanon. The Greeks borrowed it from them. The Romans picked it up from the Greeks, and the Latin alphabet became the writing vehicle of the European peoples and their overseas colonies from the New World to Australia. To the East, the Phoenicians' invention became the basis for writing Arabic and languages of India and Southeast Asia.
But until now, scholars couldn't see the process by which the Phoenicians' breakthrough was adopted by other ancient peoples. Tappy's stone seems to supply the missing evidence: Phoenician letters used to represent an early form of the Hebrew language. Tappy dates the site to the 10th century B.C.
And there's the scholarly – and the political – rub. By the Old Testament account, the 10th century was an era of the great kings David and Solomon, who built a mighty temple in Jerusalem. To Israeli nationalists, that version of the story gives their cause title to the Holy Land.
But minimalist scholars think the biblical account inflated; they argue that, in the 10th century, the Hebrews were wandering tribes, not nation or temple builders.
That account suits Palestinian nationalists just fine, because they claim Jerusalem as theirs.
"The minimalists argue that the ancient Hebrews didn't know how to write, so they couldn't have had a real state, a kingdom," noted Hershel Shanks, editor of Biblical Archeology Review. "But Tappy's discovery shows they were already writing in an outlying settlement. Imagine what you must have had in Jerusalem."
Tappy – who considers himself a mild maximalist – is bemused by the battles swirling around him. He still is on a scholarly high from his initial reaction to that alphabet on a wall at Tel Zayit.
"What a giant leap forward for humans, I thought," he said. "I was speechless. I realized the irony: Here were all the letters of the alphabet, and I couldn't put two or three together to make a single word."
Originally found at https://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/13159678.htm
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08 December 2018 Venue Kuflink Stadium Attendance
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Preview | Ebbsfleet United (a)
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Vanarama National League – Kuflink Stadium– Saturday 8th December 2018 – KO 15:00
The Bees are back in league action this weekend when they travel to Kent to face Ebbsfleet United on Saturday.
John Still's men go into the game off the back of another Emirates FA Cup victory. National League North side Stockport County travelled to The Hive London as the Bees booked their place in Round Three for the first time in a decade, winning 1-0. Dan Sparkes bagged the only goal of the game on seven minutes, heading in a Cheye Alexander cross.
Last Meeting:
The last time these two sides met was earlier on in the season, the Bees falling to a 3-0 home defeat back in August.
Danny Kedwell opened the scoring just before half-time with a very well-taken finish before Corey Whitely made it two on 66 minutes. Sean Shields then made sure of the three points from close range with two minutes of normal time remaining.
Manager: Garry Hill
Garry Hill was only appointed Ebbsfleet manager at the start of November and is yet to taste defeat in the league since arriving at Stonebridge Road.
The 59-year-old began his managerial career at Heybridge Swifts, winning promotion to the Isthmian Premier and taking them to the FA Cup first round for the first time.
He moved to St Albans City in 1999 before making the switch to Dagenham & Redbridge where he really made a name for himself. He guided the side to Isthmian Premier League title glory in his debut season before finishing in the Conference play-off final a few years later, losing out on promotion to Doncaster.
Hill then went on to manage Hornchurch in 2004 before moving to Weymouth the following year. Rushden & Diamonds was his next destination in 2007 but resigned from his post two years later.
Before Ebbsfleet, he took charge of Woking in 2011, achieving a Conference South play-off finish in his first season at the helm but missed out on promotion. However, he went one better the following season, topping the division to lift his side into the Conference Premier. Hill left Woking after six years in May 2017 before returning to management with Ebbsfleet over a year later.
One to Watch: Danny Kedwell
Danny Kedwell has bagged eight goals this season, including one against Barnet in August, becoming Ebbsfleet's goal machine this campaign and will undoubtedly be on the hunt for more tomorrow.
The former EFL striker has bagged over 50 goals in over 160 appearances for the Fleet which is unsurprising considering he has always had an eye for goal, no matter what level.
Before his move to the Conference South with his current club, he was rustling the net in Leagues One and Two for Gillingham. In over 136 appearances for the Gills, he found his name on the score-
sheet 45 times. This added to his 40-plus goals for Welling United, 15 at Grays Athletic and an impressive 67 in three seasons for AFC Wimbledon.
Recent League Form:
Sitting 10th, five points off the top seven, a play-off place is very much in Ebbsfleet's grasp again this season.
The Fleet have picked up three wins in their last five league games, drawing the other two. A 1-0 home victory over Barrow was followed up by a goalless draw away at Boreham Wood. However, they returned to winning ways in some style, thrashing Halifax Town 4-0. The points were shared in their next encounter though, drawing 1-1 away at Maidenhead United. They will go into tomorrow's game in high spirits after beating Aldershot 2-0 in their most recent fixture.
As for their home league form, The Fleet have only managed to clinch three wins in their 11 matches in Kent.
They have also bagged 28 goals this season, five more than Barnet. Up the other end of the field, they have conceded 24, only one less than the Bees.
Last 5 league games: WDWDW
Ebbsfleet's new Assistant Manager is Ian Hendon. Appointed to the role last month, Hendon is obviously no stranger to Barnet fans having captained the Bees to the Conference title in 2004/05. He made over 140 appearances for the Black and Amber and later became manager. His departure in April 2010 brought to an end a 7-year spell at Underhill. He also has had managerial experience at Dover Athletic, Leyton Orient and was a First Team Coach at West Ham United.
Report | Ebbsfleet United 1-0 Barnet FC
A scrappy game with few chances was snatched late on by the hosts through a single Danny Kedwell strike.
The Bees had the first opportunity of the game when Harrison's volley from Taylor's corner was saved two minutes in.
Cheek had a cross blocked by Sweeney at the other end before a barrage of rain really changed the game, making it difficult for either team to create a chance.
The rain would ease after the half hour and Sweeney was in the right place in the right time to clear Ebou Adams' free kick.
With virtually the last kick of the first 45, Whitely fired over from the edge of the box.
Barnet came out with more urgency after the break, Bettamer forcing Ashmore into a low save in the 46th minute after getting around the Ebbsfleet defence.
On the hour, near interplay between Johnson and Fonguck allowed the latter to get a shot off but it pooped just over the bar.
Jack Taylor hit the side netting which culminated the Bees best spell of pressure.
McDonald's half volley was dragged wide of the left hand post before Fonguck forced a comfortable save from Ashmore.
McDonald had a similar chance minutes later but again shot wide.
Bettamer cut inside onto his left in the 75th minute, had a chance to shoot but didn't, fed Johnson but his shot was blocked.
The deadlock was broken in the 84th minute when Kedwell got on the end of the ball over the top, had plenty of time to pick his spot and finished calmly past Cousins.
Barnet mounted additional pressure after the goal, which almost allowed McDonald a chance to score on the counter but Cousins made himself big to save.
With the last opportunity, Fonguck's low shot forced Ashmore to scramble down to his right to keep it out.
Barnet: Cousins, Alexander (Elito 43) Johnson, Reynolds, Robson, Adams, Harrison (Coulthirst 64), J. Taylor, Fonguck, Sweeney, Bettamer (Mason-Clark 85)
Unused - Matrevics, Sparkes
News | Ebbsfleet United (a) ticket details
Barnet return to National League action this Saturday and travel to Kent to take on Ebbsfleet United.
Ticket details for this fixture are as follows:
Adults (17-59) - £15
Concessions (Over 60 & Students) - £12
Junior (12-16) - £7
Under 12's - Free
This fixture is unlikely to be segregated but we will update you if this changes.
Advice for supporters driving to the game: The roads from the A2 to the Roundabout outside the ground are "Clearways" and any vehicles parked are liable to a parking ticket.
There is no parking available to fans at the ground, it is strongly advised that travelling fans park at Ebbsfleet United Car Park "C" (Domestic Passenger) as Ebbsfleet have an arrangement on match days for fans to park for £3. The local business parks also clamp vehicles.


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This article is about the post-2003 use of the phrase "Second Superpower". Prior to its collapse, this term and the related term Second World were sometimes used to describe the Soviet Union and its satellites.
"Second Superpower" is a term used to conceptualize a global civil society as a world force comparable to or counterbalancing the United States. The term originates from a 2003 New York Times article which described world public opinion as one of two superpowers.
The term second superpower has also been applied by scholars to the possibility that China will emerge as second superpower on par with the United States.
Anti-war protests which were the impetus for the invention of the term.
The New York Times article was widely circulated in the peace movement during February 2003, adding to the hope among many participants that galvanizing world public opinion could prevent the Iraq War.
Though worldwide popular opposition failed to prevent the invasion of Iraq, leading some to reject the notion, the phrase is still popular among people in the anti-war and anti-globalization movements.
On March 31, 2003, Dr. James F. Moore of Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet and Society posted an essay entitled The Second Superpower Rears Its Beautiful Head. In it, he advocated four ideas: embrace the concept explicitly within the peace movement as an inspirational goal and a counter to the "first superpower" idea promoted by the Bush administration, continue to develop blogging and other means of linking the community globally, find ways to influence first superpower institutions including international institutions and international law, and continue to develop reflective personal consciousness so as to be able to lead from love rather than fear.
This paper received 50,000 downloads in five days. The substance of the piece was debated by a number of authors, including Jonathan Rauch writing in National Journal. Many bloggers linked the paper with Joi Ito's Emergent Democracy concept and paper.
New York Times: "A New Power in the Streets"
James Moore's "The Second Superpower Rears Its Beautiful Head"
Andrew Orlowski's "Anti-war slogan coined, repurposed and Googlewashed… in 42 days"
Greenpeace Weblog: "If you tolerate this"


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Sitting in a pub, drinking beer, listening to one of my favorite songs by my favorite musician Glen Hansard ("Revelate," which more accurately is by The Frames), about to watch an Irish play - this pretty much describes my ideal Tuesday night. I love Irish culture, I love beer, and I love site-specific theater. Irish playwright Conor McPherson's play The Weir is pretty much just five people sitting in a pub trading stories, and the cozy space at Urban Growler Brewing (the first woman-owned microbrewery in Minnesota!) was chosen wisely by Wayward Theatre (which has also brought us Tartuffe at the James J. Hill House and Ghost Train at the Minnesota Transportation Museum). Head to Urban Growler (off 280 and University in St. Paul), grab a beverage from the tap room (or even a pre-show dinner, from the smell of it they have great food too), head back to the pub/theater space, and settle in for some good craic.
I'd never been to Urban Growler before so I'm not sure what the space in the back usually is, but it couldn't be more perfect for this play. Risers with a few rows of seating face a cozy pub, complete with fireplace, photos on the walls, bar, and a working tap with only Guinness and Harp (because what else do you need?). It's hard to say what's always in that space, and what was added for the show, because it all looks like it belongs there, and it looks so authentically Irish I'm itching to plan my second trip there (set design by Justin Hooper).
The play takes place on a typical night in a pub in the country, with pub owner/bartender Brendan (Tim McVean) and regulars Jack (Arthur Moss) and Jim (Lucas Gerstner) chatting about their days. The big news is that a woman named Valerie (Sarah Nargang) has come down from Dublin and rented a house from Finbar (Edwin Strout), the local hotelier who owns half the town. The boys are suspicious of married Finbar's motives in giving Valerie a tour of the area, but when they show up at the pub, he insists he's just being welcoming. The boys have a few pints (the Guinness tap is tragically on the fritz, so choices are Harp on tap or Guinness bottles) and a few small ones (Jameson of course, and they don't look that small), while Valerie asks for white wine (tip: if you're at a pub in rural Ireland, don't ask for Harp, and don't ask for white wine; ask for a pint and you'll get a Guinness and all will be right with the world).
After several rounds, the talk turns to fairy and ghost stories, and the jovial mood turns somber as the friends (and the audience) ponder what lies beyond. Valerie's ghost story, which is related to why she left Dublin, is the saddest of all. The play, and this production, capture that uniquely Irish tone of joy and pain, of ancient and new, of the very stuff of life, so bittersweet and grand. Just grand.
The five-person cast, under the direction of Michael Kelley, is wonderfully natural and conversational (my favorite is Arthur Moss' Jack, such a sweet and slightly cantankerous man). All have varying Irish accents that are just a delight to listen to, and close enough to accurate. Watching this play is about as close to sitting in a pub in Ireland listening to the locals tell stories as you can get, without actually being there.
The Weir continues Thursdays through Saturdays until November 4, as well as a pay-what-you-can night on Halloween - such a great way to celebrate the ghostly holiday!