text:
Deal Download: April 2018
Natural pet food deals
In the wake of General Mills' acquisition of Blue Buffalo Pet Products for about $8 billion in February, The J.M. Smucker Company announced its own mega-deal in premium and natural pet food by buying Ainsworth Pet Nutrition LLC and its star brand, Rachael Ray Nutrish, for approximately $1.9 billion from L Catterton and the Lang family. With Nutrish representing about two-thirds of Ainsworth's business, Smucker said it expects a contribution to net sales of approximately $800 million in the first full year after closing.
Natural pet food remains a driving force in the U.S. pet food market thanks to "mass premiumization," according to a new report by Packaged Facts that concludes: "For the first time in years, as of early 2018, mass channels appear poised to surpass pet specialty in pet-food sales growth."
In Canada, Dane Creek Capital Corp. added another manufacturer to its raw pet food portfolio with the acquisition of Naturawls Pet Products, which also makes Nothing Added dehydrated pet treats. The purchase represents 0.9 times trailing 2017 revenue and marks Dane Creek's third acquisition of a Canadian raw pet food manufacturer in less than a year.
C.J. Foods, a custom manufacturer of specialty dry pet food for super premium brands, is bullish on the super premium category and increased its share by acquiring Lortscher Animal Nutrition Inc., a custom milling and ingredient supplier to the pet food industry. Approximately $1.8 billion of U.S. pet food is currently private label, and with channel loyalty ebbing and e-commerce growing fast, Packaged Facts expects private labels and exclusive brands to take on even greater importance.
Supplement deals
Dietary supplement deals featured an international cast spanning five continents. The Procter & Gamble Company agreed to acquire Merck KGaA's billion-dollar consumer health business for approximately $4.2 billion, adding 900 products to the P&G portfolio. The brands involved include Neurobion vitamin B complex, Femibion for women during pregnancy, Bion3 vitamins, Seven Seas fish oil and Kytta herbal cream for pain, which are sold primarily in Europe, Latin America and Asia. Merck is not the only pharmaceutical company that has sought to offload OTC consumer products to focus on core business. The acquisition is a response to pressure on P&G to boost growth: Merck's consumer health products grew 6 percent in the past two years, faster than P&G's traditional household brands.
A Chinese state-backed consortium that includes China Jianyin Investment Ltd. and Tamar Alliance acquired a majority stake in Nature's Care, an Australian supplement and skin care company. Nature's Care is reported to be Australia's third-largest maker of vitamins behind Swisse Wellness and Blackmores. The deal values the company at around US$619.92 million, according to Reuters; Nature's Care was pitched to potential buyers last year as a fast-growing vitamins company with AU$178 million in annual net sales as of mid-2017, The Australian Financial Review reported. Chinese consumers consider supplements from Australia and the West to be of better quality, spurring Chinese enterprises to seek investments in Western brands. Other Australian companies with Chinese ownership include Vitaco, Swisse Wellness and Life-Space probiotics.
In Latin America, Mega Pharma of Uruguay acquired Laboratorios Garden House, based in Chile, for an undisclosed amount, according to the Global Legal Chronicle and LexLatin. Morales & Besa advised Garden House in the negotiation. Garden House develops, produces, and commercializes over-the-counter medicines and supplements based on plant extracts, nutraceuticals, vitamins, and minerals. Garden House operates in several countries in OTC medicines and dietary supplements; brands include Prunelax, which is sold in the United States and Australia.
Protein deals
In alternative protein, insect farming is creating buzz in investment circles. Beta Hatch, a company industrializing the production of insects as a sustainable protein for animal feed, closed a $2.1 million seed round that included the venture unit of Wilbur-Ellis, Element 8 Fund, Keiretsu Capital, NQV8 and Frontier Angels. Beta Hatch is developing proprietary technology for rearing mealworms on organic byproducts that would otherwise be landfilled. Beta Hatch could disrupt the fishmeal market, according to Wilbur-Ellis, an international distributor of agricultural products, animal feed and specialty chemicals.
Consistent with its vision to become "the most sustainable protein company on earth," Maple Leaf Foods—a large consumer packaged-meat company—made a minority investment in Entomo Farms. Founded in 2014, Entomo provides cricket and mealworm powders and whole roasted insects for human consumption. Maple Leaf acquired Lightlife refrigerated plant-based proteins in 2017 and Field Roast Grain Meat Co., a maker of grain-based meat alternatives, in January.
In Europe, Kerry Group of Ireland acquired the Dutch meat alternative processor Ojah BV, which sells textured meat alternatives under the Plenti brand, offering the soy- and pea-protein-based products in formats comparable to chicken, beef, pork and fish. The deal was reported at less than €20 million by the Irish Independent newspaper.
Impossible Foods announced closing $114 million in convertible note financing and total venture funding of about $396 million since the company's founding in 2011. The company's newest investors include Temasek and Sailing Capital. The flagship plant-based Impossible Burger contains heme (a protein typically found in hemoglobin), which the company derives from genetically engineered fermented yeast.
Big food
Campbell Soup Company has become the latest multinational to create an accelerator unit to invest in food innovation. The accelerator will encompass the Campbell Fresh business, the company's digital and e-commerce unit, as well as a network of cross-functional teams. This development was announced as part of a strategic reorganization to support the company's growth strategy, which includes a focus on food that addresses health and wellness.
Post Holdings Inc. announced a proposed initial public offering for its private brands business, which makes nut butters, healthy snacks and pasta, and includes Dakota Growers and Attune Foods organic and natural granolas and cereals. (Attune is primarily a private label business.) Post's private brands businesses reported net sales of $791.2 million for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30.
Healthy beverage deals
Functional beverage company Core Nutrition LLC has raised $38.7 million over the past 12 months from 48 investors, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Core Nutrition makes Core Hydration, a pH-balanced bottled water enhanced with electrolytes and minerals that is produced using a seven-stage purification process. Core Hydration had more than $93 million in sales in the 52-week period ending Jan. 28, up approximately 60 percent from the prior year, according to IRI data cited in an article on Bevnet.com. Core Nutrition also makes organic fruit-flavored bottled water and energy drinks.
Après, a "digital-first" company offering an organic plant-based protein beverage, closed a $1.1 million seed series fundraising round led by Rocana Venture Partners. Après launched direct-to-consumer sales nationally in November, generating momentum from its online community. The beverage is designed to provide essential nutrition and post-workout replenishment and targets "the modern wellness consumer," specifically women.
Here, a maker of cold-pressed juices, dips, and salad dressings, closed a $4 million Series A funding round led by Listen Co., Food Navigator reported. Here uses high-pressure pasteurization (HPP) to produce all its products and sources its ingredients from local farms in the Midwest.
Dunn's River Brands (DRB), a strategic beverage platform formed in partnership with private equity firm Fireman Capital Partners, acquired a majority interest in Temple Turmeric Inc., a maker of cold-pressed organic elixirs, wellness shots, raw vinegars and beverages with vegan probiotics. The DRB portfolio also includes Sweet Leaf Tea and Tradewinds.
Juice It Up!, a smoothie, raw juice and superfruit bowl franchise, announced its acquisition by SJB Brands LLC, a partnership between Dover Shores Capital, Britt Private Capital and Jupiter Holdings. Juice It Up! was founded in 1995 and has 100 locations open or in development across California, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Florida.
Nutrition bar deals
The large private-label bakery and nutrition bar manufacturer Hearthside Food Solutions was sold by Goldman Sachs and Vestar Capital Partners to Charlesbank Capital Partners and Partners Group. Hearthside produces nutrition bars, cookies, cereals and other baked goods, operating 25 manufacturing facilities in the United States and Europe. In 2015, Hearthside acquired VSI, the largest European producer of nutrition bars, followed in 2017 by U.S. bar manufacturer Standard Functional Foods Group.
In the UK, the maker of Primal Bars attracted £3 million of growth capital from NVM Private Equity to grow distribution and brand awareness. Founded by Suzie Walker in 2014 at her kitchen table, The Primal Pantry makes "real food" protein bars and snack bars sold at over 7,000 distribution points in the UK; international sales account for 30 percent of revenues.
In the ingredients category, UAS Labs strengthened its probiotics portfolio by acquiring Nebraska Cultures, a specialist in custom-manufactured probiotics including the DDS-1 strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus and the ProDURA brand of spore-based probiotics.
Technology startup Nutrino, a provider of nutrition-data services and analytics technology, announced an $8 million Series A round, bringing its total raised to $10 million. Pereg Ventures, Nielsen Ventures, and Gandyr Group joined existing investors. Nutrino uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand individual responses to foods via feedback from wearables and other data points. Funds will be used to expand Nutrino's nutrition services related to diabetes.
In agtech, McCain Foods Limited of Canada—the world's largest manufacturer of frozen potato products—completed a strategic investment in TruLeaf Sustainable Agriculture, a developer of proprietary, environmentally sustainable indoor vertical-farming technology. McCain Foods is engaging with entrepreneurs to develop and commercialize agri-food technologies. Its stable of startups include Resson, which analyzes farm data, and Fiddlehead Technology, which predicts consumer demand for food.
Natural personal care company Strand Equity made a minority investment in vegan skin care company Youth to the People, a brand that features superfood ingredients, cold-pressed extracts and natural botanicals but contains no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, dimethicone or mineral oil. Strand Equity's current and past investments include Banza, Hippeas, HUM Nutrition, Happy Baby, Revive Kombucha, Vita Coco and Bai Brands.
In natural and organic food, Land O'Frost purchased Wellshire Farms Inc., a brand of natural and organic deli meats sold in natural and specialty retailers. Wellshire products are minimally processed and free of nitrates, nitrites and preservatives.
In the restaurant industry, Bain Capital Double Impact made two investments. Sustainable Restaurant Group, operator of Bamboo Sushi and QuickFish sushi restaurants, announced a strategic investment from Bain Capital, joined by Kitchen Fund. The Group is committed to sustainability, environmental and social change. It has, it says, built a transparent supply chain that validates fishing practices, excludes severely overfished oceans, and addresses health risks associated with farm-raised fish. Also receiving investment from Bain Capital was CHLOE., a plant-based, fast-casual restaurant startup, with Kitchen Fund, Collaborative Fund and TGP International/Qoot International participating. Funds will be used to expand to 20 locations domestically and internationally over the next two years.
NCN presenter updates
Natreon receives patent for natural bioactive
Nutritional ingredient company Natreon (New Brunswick, New Jersey) has been granted a U.S. patent on Urolithin B for the prevention and treatment of weight gain. International patents are pending. Urolithin B is a natural bioactive present in shilajit, a mineral-rich substance found in the Himalayan mountains and used in Ayurvedic medicine. Natreon was also issued a U.S. patent on specific antioxidants for mitochondrial disorders. Natreon studies and tests Ayurvedic ingredients to introduce into the nutrition and health & wellness industry. It was a presenting company at the NCN Ingredients & Technology Investor Meeting in 2014.
Mixfit and DSM form partnership in personalized nutrition
DSM and digital health company Mixfit have forged a strategic partnership to deliver personalized nutrition. Mixfit's Intelligent Nutrition Assistant (Mina) uses artificial intelligence to analyze genetics, diet, lifestyle, and health goals to create beverages with a customized mix of DSM's Quali Blends vitamins and minerals. Mina will also benefit from DSM's research in micronutrients for specific health benefits. Mixfit was a presenting company at the NCN Canada Investor Meeting in 2017. DSM is an NCN Cornerstone Investor.
Disclaimer: NCN does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any NCN news item. Before relying on any NCN News item the information should be independently verified.
Packaged Facts reports growth in pet products and services
Clout wielded by natural and premium pet products is shifting into mass channels, according to U.S. Pet Market Outlook, 2018-2019, a new report by Packaged Facts. The total market for pet products and services grew 5 percent to an estimated $85.6 billion in 2017, and sales of retail channel pet food and treats rose to $33.1 billion. With super-premium/natural products accounting for more than 70 percent of sales in the pet specialty channel, much of the remaining potential for converting pet owners to higher-priced fare now lies in supermarkets and mass merchandisers, Packaged Facts concluded.
An indicator of the crumbling divide between pet specialty and mass retailers are the recent acquisitions of substantial natural and specialty brands by mass market players: Blue Buffalo by General Mills; Nutrish by J. M. Smucker; Pro-Pet by Cargill.
"Even as super-premium products continue to advance online and mass marketers and retailers face mounting pricing pressure, mass sales of super-premium/natural pet food should get a nice bump as more grocery and mass-merchandiser shoppers trade up to brands which—while still priced higher than the former pet foods of choice—suddenly seem more affordable and accessible," Packaged Facts reported.
As the fastest growth channel for pet product sales, the Internet is disproportionately responsible for helping to keep the U.S. pet industry on an upward track. Packaged Facts expects the pet industry to continue to experience a high level of M&A and investment activity during 2018 and 2019, driven not only by concern for pet health but principally by the realignment of pet retailers, marketers and service providers facing the reality of a business whose fortunes hinge increasingly on e-commerce.


text:
package org.apache.lucene.gdata.gom;

import java.util.List;

/**
 * Class representing the "atom:feed" element. The "atom:feed" element is the
 * document (i.e., top-level) element of an Atom Feed Document, acting as a
 * container for metadata and data associated with the feed. Its element
 * children consist of metadata elements followed by zero or more atom:entry
 * child elements.
 *
 *

 *        atom:feed {
 *        	atomCommonAttributes,
 *         	(atomAuthor* & atomCategory* &
 *        	atomContributor* &
 *         	atomGenerator? & atomIcon? &
 *         	atomId &
 *         	atomLink* &
 *        	atomLogo? &
 *        	atomRights? &
 *        	atomSubtitle? &
 *        	atomTitle &
 *        	atomUpdated &
 *        	extensionElement*),
 *        	 atomEntry* }
 *

 *
 *
 * @author Simon Willnauer
 * @see org.apache.lucene.gdata.gom.GOMExtensible
 * @see org.apache.lucene.gdata.gom.GOMExtension
 * @see org.apache.lucene.gdata.gom.GOMDocument
 */
public interface GOMFeed extends GOMSource, GOMExtensible {
	/**
	 * Atom local name for the xml element
	 */
	public static final String LOCALNAME = "feed";

	/**
	 * RSS local name for the xml element
	 */
	public static final String LOCALNAME_RSS = "rss";

	/**
	 * RSS channel localname as Rss starts with
	 *
	 *

	 *     <rss><channel>
	 *

	 */
	public static final String RSS_CHANNEL_ELEMENT_NAME = "channel";

	/**
	 * this class can contain namespaces which will be rendered into the start
	 * element.
	 *
	 *

	 *     <feed xmlns:myNs="someNamespace"></feed>
	 *

	 *
	 * @param aNamespace -
	 *            a namespace to add
	 */
	public void addNamespace(GOMNamespace aNamespace);

	/**
	 * @return - all declared namespaces, excluding the default namespace, this
	 *         method will never return null.
	 * @see GOMFeed#getDefaultNamespace()
	 */
	public List<GOMNamespace> getNamespaces();

	/**
	 *
	 * @return - a list of added entries, this method will never return
	 *         null.
	 */
	public List<GOMEntry> getEntries();

	/**
	 * @return - the OpenSearch namespace element itemsPerPage text
	 *         value.
	 */
	public int getItemsPerPage();

	/**
	 * @return - the OpenSearch namespace element startIndex text value.
	 */
	public int getStartIndex();

	/**
	 * @param aIndex -
	 *            the OpenSearch namespace element startIndex text value
	 *            as an integer.
	 */
	public void setStartIndex(int aIndex);

	/**
	 * @param aInt -
	 *            the OpenSearch namespace element itemsPerPage text
	 *            value as an integer.
	 */
	public void setItemsPerPage(int aInt);

	/**
	 *
	 * @return the default namespace - this will always be
	 *         {@link GOMNamespace#ATOM_NAMESPACE}
	 */
	public GOMNamespace getDefaultNamespace();

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Rootkit Redux
REVISITING A PRIOR ISSUE
by DRP; Cybersecurity Lab Engineer
In season 1 of Mr. Robot, the much-exalted series, one of the female lead actors asks innocently during one of the conversations "What is a rootkit?" (eps1.0_hellofriend.mov, ~ 32-minute mark). Although this is known and appreciated in various levels, not all have been exposed to this issue.
The attacks used have various levels of complexity with the implementation. These range from the simple phishing attack with an embedded link to the malicious site to the more sophisticated, complex attacks involving multiple steps, access to hardware or other steps which normally could be carried out only by someone with significantly more experience. This form is not the easiest, however, would be seated in the middle portion of the spectrum, as averaged across the OS spectrum.
As difficult it is to perpetuate, this may be more difficult to detect by the non-IT personnel. Generally, the users will have a vendor's AV package, update it regularly, and run a scan periodically. As these have the full faith and credit placed in them by the users, these may be missing the rootkits, if present on the system. These have tended to be difficult to detect for many reasons. The primary issue has been these are active prior to the system's OS booting. This allows the rootkit to customize certain aspects to make it recognizable as an authorized part of the system and to avoid being noticed, or other attributes. This coding and functionality allow the rootkit to be hidden so the user is inclined to believe the system has not been breached.
The broad, general definition is a software tool that is placed on the target system to allow the attacker access in some form at a later date. Due to their function, these are not coded to propagate on their own. To code, these also require a certain level of expertise. The person trying to code for this would need to do more than watching a few YouTube videos or visit two or three DIY websites. Coding an effective rootkit requires time. There are many uses for these. The coder may create and deliver to the target a rootkit to accumulate data from the user's computer(s) and the user's accessing the system. This data could then be exfiltrated and later sold on the dark web or used by the attackers themselves. Depending on the data, this could provide the affected users with years of headaches. This could also cause the system(s) to malfunction or BSOD. For the enterprising attacker, this could be used to originate spam, as it is send across the globe. This allows the attacker root access to the system. This is particularly useful over the long- and short-term.
Methods of Infection
As with many of the other malware infection and attack vectors, there are a number of ways the user may infect their system. The user could be fortunate enough to receive malware with the rootkit present and download it. This may be provided to the user with the usual email attachment, that has been used with so many other malware examples. The user while perusing through the internet and open a malicious site and inadvertently infect their system. These are a few examples, which could be mitigated with user training and awareness.
The varied functionality has driven the number of rootkit types. Each type is used for the different types of targets. These may be application level, kernel level, or generally BIOS level kits. The ones mostly used at this point are the application and kernel level rootkits. With the application level rootkits, the executable files may be replaced with unauthorized files. With the kernel level rootkits, the attacker modifies the code or puts alternative code in place of the authorized code. With the Linux systems, this may be done with loadable kernel modules.
The BIOS level rootkit is more advanced than the prior two methodologies. This is widely used, due to its increased functionalities. This is however more difficult to install. As these are saved onto a memory chip, the rootkit is more difficult to remove.
Over the years, there have been many different samples of the rootkit to become known in the industry. With such significant functionality, it is natural for this to be well-used with the different industries. This was the first rootkit was coded in 1990 by Lane Davis and Steven Dake, targeting the UNIX OS. One of the first malicious rootkits was the NTRootkit, targeting Windows systems. The Mac platform was not left alone. The first Mac OS X rootkit was noted in 2009. This was coded to originate hidden system calls and kernel threads.
As a rule of thumb, the rootkit is generally coded by the attackers for a malicious purpose. This has been repeated for years with other malware also. The attackers are not going to code this for something to do. Curiously one of the highest profile instances was with a corporation coding this for one of their products sold to consumers. This was intended to infect their clients starting in 2005 with the Sony BMG copy protection issue. Sony BMG happened to include a rootkit on their CDs which unbeknownst tot he user was engineered to limit the user's access to the CD. This was rather significant and placed an unwanted spotlight directly on Sony for a long time. Other well-known examples have been the t0rnkit in 2000, Zeus, Stuxnet, and Flame in 2002.
Although difficult to detect, this is not impossible and merely takes a bit more effort and time. The user or IT staff member tasked to assist the user may use an OS that is trusted and not infected for the search, use behavior-based detection methods, scanning the system for the rootkits signature (if known), and analyzing a memory dump of the suspected systems.
Once found, the usual next step is to remove the issue. As easy as this appears, the process itself is much more complicated, and in certain cases impossible, as the rootkit is placed in the kernel. The user may have the pleasure of reinstalling their system's OS.
Although rootkits have the potential to give the IT Department a rather powerful and extensive headache, there are training topics, much like the ones for other malware, that are available to increase awareness and mitigate the potential for infection, and hours of clean-up.
DRP began coding in the 1980's. Presently DRP is a Cybersecurity Lab Engineer at a Tier One supplier to the automobile industry. DRP is presently completing the PhD (Information Assurance and Security) with completing the dissertation. DRP's interests include cryptography, SCADA, and securing communication channels. He has presented at regional InfoSec conferences.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
#179: An Old-Fashioned Mystery (1983) by Runa Fairleigh
December 15, 2016 December 11, 2016 / JJ
Writing a decent novel of detection is difficult enough, as evinced by the fact that the form virtually died out by the 1960s, so taking the classic detective story and turning into a pastiche of itself is even harder again — it has to be both a story of crime and detection and a cunning vehicle for transcending the tropes thereof while simultaneously wallowing in them. Leo Bruce did this near-perfectly in Case for Three Detectives (1936) and a great many luminaries of the form dipped their toe into such conceits with aspects of their books, plots, or characterisation, but for a full-length novel to take this on successfully is something of a challenge that it would be beyond the abilities of most mortals.
And then we must also deal with the belief that we understand something better because we have the freedom to look back upon it from a position of greater enlightenment, and nowhere is this better demonstrated than in the attitude displayed to Golden Age detective fiction by authors several decades later. Yes, their plots were convoluted and unlikely; yes, they relied on a webwork of Suspicious Behaviour and Hidden Motives that not merely borders but flat-out annexes the land of make believe; every time I see or hear these objections raised, it takes a tremendous amount of effort not to scream That was the fucking point, you moron! Anyone claiming now, in this day and age, to have a more enlightened perspective on the tropes of the novel of classic detective fiction than the people who devoted years of their life to writing them is so far wide of the mark as to be setting a new world record.
Which brings us to Runa Fairleigh's An Old-Fashioned Mystery, clearly a pastiche from that title all the way through, and so overbearingly self-indulgent that it makes Augustus Gloop look quite the paradigm of abstemious abnegation. Reader, I hated it. You may say it winks at the classics, I say it leers at, slobbers over, gropes, and drunkenly propositions them and then dismisses them as a slut when they have the class to retain their dignity and forcibly reject such advances. You may say it cleverly subverts the expectations of such books, I say that actually — after providing several wedges of exposition in the first chapter, then having a character complain that such novels are filled with too much exposition, then going on to provide another two chapters of almost pure exposition — it's really, really, embarrassingly poorly written.
This is a novel so ignorant in its intentions that I can honestly believe it will have put people off reading any proper detective fiction. Gather some people in a big house, have a Pompous Arse, a Bright Young Thing, a Foreigner, Some Overbearing Relatives, a Few Other Types, uh, then, I guess kill them one by one and have someone try to solve it. The young, attractive one, she's the heroine. Boom, novel written. Except — and here's something those old-timers with their dull sense of buttoned-up denial about how the world really is couldn't do — then I'll put a twist so devastatingly brilliant that no-one will have thought of it before. Which just goes to show how fusty and old-fashioned these old writers were — I mean, crikey, some of them are even dead themselves by now, can you believe? — and how clever I am that I've come up with something none of them thought of.
Now, look. There's a lot of talk about the 'rules' of detective fiction, mainly because Knox or Van Dine are — hey! irony! — not fully understood these days in their intentions when it came to the writing of their respective lists. That is a conversation for another time. But the point was the innovation has to take place inside of certain accepted conventions, and that's what made the writing and reading of such stories the delight it was: given the restrictions (it can't be a dream, it can't be aliens, or that the prime-numbered chapters are when the narrator suddenly just making stuff up that didn't happen, or that there's an extra person who's been there all along that no-one has mentioned or spoken to) there was still so much scope to slide clever — borderline genius — developments past you, the reader. Fine, if you want to write a story unencumbered by what you see as these transgressive tropes, go right ahead, but you're not writing a pastiche of detective fiction. You're simply revealing your own inability to write such a book. That, my friend, is a different game entirely.
It's like someone saying that toast is the best food ever because of the vast array of flavours that can be added to it — jams, chutneys, fruit, whatever the hell Marmite is — and someone else replying "Yeah, but when you want to move house you can't pack all of your stuff onto a piece of toast — you need a car for that, so cars are better than toast". And then mocking toast because it doesn't fit easily in their car's cup holder, or the glove box doesn't keep it warm, or you can only fit twelve slices side-by-side across the back seat and then there's no room for anyone else to sit in there…they are completely different things, and the more you force an overlap between them, simply put, the more of an arsehole you appear. And it becomes funny for the reason that you so clearly do not have any idea how wide of the mark your comments are. That, my friends, that is the experience of reading this book. Yup, toast and cars. You heard it here first.
Believe it or not, I take no pleasure in tearing something down like this. But when a voluntary undertaking such as this is so utterly wrong in everything it thinks it's doing, and when a misinformed attack such as this is launched on something as dear to me as classic era detective fiction, well, I feel some alternative perspective is required. And yet, weirdly, if you want to read this I don't dissuade you — it will give you a far better understanding of the genre to see someone mess it up so comprehensively — just don't expect it to be good, well-informed, funny, clever, insightful, original, knowledgable, respectful of its targets, or relevant to anything that has come before and you're all set. Dig in!
TomCat @ Beneath the Stains of Time: I would recommend An Old-Fashioned Mystery the strongest to devotees of Agatha Christie and people who have read altogether too many mysteries. They'll probably appreciate the book the most!
Impossible Crimes, Open Road, Pastiche, Runa Fairleigh, You're doing it wrong
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51 thoughts on "#179: An Old-Fashioned Mystery (1983) by Runa Fairleigh"
Santosh Iyer
Well, I won't be as harsh as you. I'll give it a 1 star rating ! 🙂
Good enough for me — always possible I've missed the point, after all 🙂
"You may say it winks at the classics, I say it leers at, slobbers over, gropes, and drunkenly propositions them and then dismisses them as a slut when they have the class to retain their dignity and forcibly reject such advances."
⊙▂⊙
I bought this from my local Amazon store, off the back of TomCat's reviews. Oh dear. Anyway, it's really hard to find contemporary mystery novels that pay proper tribute to the Golden Age. 😦
There's probably more about this to appreciate than I necessarily give it credit for — TC certainly found a lot to like in his reading of it — but its absolutly not a pastiche of Golden Age detective fiction. Perhaps I went in expecting that too strongly, and the snoobish, arrogant way Morse seeks to unpick problems that aren't actually problems at all grated on me to such an extent that I lost patience pretty bloody quickly.
So, y'know, don't give up hope. You now have two contrasting opinions to go in with…see which one you agree with when you get into it!
I feel like I need to apologize here, but, honestly, I barely remember anything about the book or what exactly appealed to me. However, glancing at my own review, I did note "others will probably hate it and call shenanigans." So I was spot on about that aspect of the story. 🙂
P.S. if you hate this one, you must stay as far away, as humanly possible, from R.H.W. Dillard's The Book of Changes. Forget I even mentioned it here.
Bah, no apology needed — I don't remember even reading your review until I was searching for alternative perspectives. IIRC, I came to this through a recommendation in a review of Murder in Pastiche by Marion Mainwaring, which I had read and enjoyed last year. This, however, is very much not that kind of a book, and I think it's specious to draw any comparison between them as they're both out to achieve very different things. So a pox, a pox on whoever it was that might have possibly linked these two books. If they even exist and I'm not misremembering it.
And The Book of Changes, you say? Hmmm, I'll definitely be sure not to check that out and buy it if it sounds interesting…
If one wants to read a story with a plot similar to And Then There Were None, I recommend the following:
1. I Know What You Did Last Wednesday by Anthony Horowitz
2. Nine Man's Murder by Eric Keith
3. The Eleventh Little Indian by Jacquemard Senecal
Also apparently The Franenstein Factory by Ed Hoch… At least, I hope so, beause that's the basis on which I bought it…
I have not read the book by Ed Hoch.
ravenking81
I would say that's one of the most faithful homages to ATTWN. There are plenty of nods to the Christie book, Hoch clearly wanted to write a loving tribute to the Queen and I would say he succeeded. But it's a pretty good mystery on its own right too, much better than Nine Man's Murder. It's the third part of a trilogy; I also have book 2 The Transvection Machine which is another SF mystery, alas without any Christie connection as far as I can tell.
Some other good books inspired by ATTWN:
"Maze Of Death" by Philip K. Dick, though it's really not a whodunit, it's very much a science-fiction story. Dick was inspired by ATTWN, but he turned it inot a typical PKD style mindfuck. A fabulous book nonetheless, but perhaps not for everyone.
"Stableford on Golf" by German author Rob Reef is a golf mystery and a fine traditional detective story, the English translation seems to be quite pricey though. A shame since Reef deserves to be read more widely.
Can one read Frankenstein Factory without the previoius instalments? I'm probably going to anyway, but it's nice toknow if you're missing out on something by doing so…
I've developed a real fondness for Philip K. Dick's work over the last few years. Spurred on by reading most of his short fiction, I've found his novels insanely inventive and playful, and it's been great to see his mind unfurl down the various paths that interested him. Still have a lot to go, of course, but I'll keep an eye out for A Maze of Death following this comparison — very interesting, much apreciated.
And, yeah, I've been searching for a sensibly price copy of Stableforon Golf since you first mentioned it, but so far no joy. Shall keep on searching…
Frankenstein Factory is pretty much a standalone, the only connection between the books is that they all feature computer-detective Carl Crader.
Rob Reef
Yes, "Stableford on Golf" is a rare book. There were only about 170 paperback copies sold. It was a self publishing project and I had to stop selling them when I signed a publishing contract with Dryas. The German version has been edited since and the new "Stableford" is still waiting for a proper translation.
How's this for weird timing: I have just this week tracked down a copy for a very good price, and it is now waiting on my TBR. Expect a report in due course…!
Hope you like it! And if not be gentle while tearing it down 😉
…The man writes almost a thousand short stories, has mutiple collections of them, some with locked rooms…
And you pick the *novel.*
I'll forgive such madness, both because I'll probably send you into a fury with this list of Halter books I'm doing at a snail's pace, and because I didn't know that it was a tribute to ATTWN. Might be worth my while after all!
Hahah, I know, right? But y'know what? I'm yet to read a Hoch story that I'm convinced by. Like, they're mostly fine, and I'm sure there must be some very good ones out there, but it seems to me that the first thing everyone cites is how many he wrote rather than specific titles…almost as if loquacity equals quality. Usually mentions of an author are backed up with "Read this one or this one" but I don't think I've ever seen that happen with Hoch. Steer me somwhere to convince me!
Nah, fair. I like him because he's consistently good. It's like Case Closed, not every story will blow your mind, but you know that you're getting a solid mystery plot, if nothing else. I can admire that, even in his weaker/simpler stories.
As for recs, Diagnosis Impossible, maybe? All locked rooms, after all. 😛 I might toss more here when I can think about it a bit more.
In my opinion, More Things Impossible: The Second Casebook of Dr. Sam Hawthorne is the best Sam Hawthorne collection.
If you're looking for specific stories, try to find "The Long Way Down", "The Leopold Locked Room", "The Impossible 'Impossible' Mystery" or "The Oblong Room".
None of which feature Hoch's resident impossible mystery solver, Dr Sam Hawthorne, by the way. 🙂
Perfect, thanks Christian, not read any of these. I shall get to looking…
"The Leopold Locked Room" and "The Oblong Room" (which won an Edgar and was going to me my rec if you kept asking) are found in Leopold's Way. "The Long Way Down" can be found in The Night My Friend and "The 'Impossible' Impossible Crime" in The Night People: And Other Stories
Haven't read em, but there you go!
That makes it easier, thank-you!
Well, you'll have to buy three books in order to read the 4 stories ! 🙂
Haha, good point, but now I know which three to keep an eye out for. And if I sign up for Kindle Unlimited I'm prety sure a lot of the Hoch books are included in that, so I'll be able to borrow them for free…so at the very least this has saved me a bit of time if nothing else 🙂
Yes, most of the Hoch collections are in Kindle Unlimited.
By the way, I am a member of Kindle Unlimited and I recommend it. I got the last 2 Paul Halter, The Moai Island Puzzle and several British Library Crime Classics from Kindle Unlimited.
Good to know, thanks. Got a TBR pile to work through, but I'm considering it for next year sometime so it's reassuring to know someone who has done it is enthusiastic about it.
Your next book (The Poisoned Chocolates Case) is available in Kindle Unlimited.
Cavershamragu
Bought this a few weeks ago so will get back to you on this JJ …
Looking forward to it — I never entirely trust my own opinions when they're this strong, so any discussion will be greatly appreciated!
Oh dear sounds even worse than my recent experience with a detective fiction pastiche last month. Thanks for the taking the bullet, mainly because I can then avoid said bullets, but also because you're always so funny to read when something drives you up the wall (to the extent you add literary allusions to Jane Eyre (knew my degree would come in handy at some point)).
Jane Eyre and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, no less. Oh, yes, I expect my readers to have covered quite a curriculum before getting the full benefit of my ramblings. Must be why I have such low viewing figures… 🙂
Ho-Ling
"it can't be (…) that there's an extra person who's been there all along that no-one has mentioned or spoken to"
Oh man, this reminds me of a brilliant mystery novel that kinda did what you suggest here in a totally fair way that made use of how a person *wants* to read a text. Obviously not going to name the book, but in general, I'm open to anything from a dream to a narrator who only lies in certain chapters, as long as it's properly clued (and thus fair to the reader).
Is the author Gilbert Adair ?
No, the book I'm referring to is a Japanese novel not available in English translation AFAIK.
Well. I mean. Now I'm just exceptionally bloody curious.
And, yes, such ideas are perfectly fine if appropriately clewed, of course. The problem is that the more 'clever' ideas we seem to get in modern crime novels, the more it's taken as read that the idea is enough, and the experiecne of reading the book to that point will be swept away once the brilliant twist is revealed.
But, well, we live in hope…
Puzzle Doctor
I think I'll pass on this one, JJ. Thanks for the warning.
Guy Savage
I'm a bit wary of pastiches to be honest.
There's the occasional straight pastiche that works, but these 'humorous' ones miss the mark a vast majority of the time. It is not a well I shall be returning to any time soon.
Well, once again you're entirely wrong.
I checked it out, and I was able to fit SIXTEEN pieces of toast, side by side, on the back seat of my Prius. And thanks a lot, because now I have to take it to a carwash to have them scrub the melted butter off the upholstery.
You do have me intrigued as to what this horrific twist is. I checked with my local library system, and it's only available as an e-book, which may be too much bother. Maybe you can privately e-mail me with spoilers???
Finally, I've been leered at, slobbered over, groped, and drunkenly propositioned, but I have never been dismissed as a slut. The secret is to always wear nice shoes . . .
You've clearly put them in sideways, whereas I was putting them long-ways… thereal question is: which way is the correct way?
I loved the review – the part about leering at the classics had me laughing out loud. Definitely the best sentence I've read in a long time.
Noah Stewart
I wanted to mention first that this book actually was written by L.A. Morse, who's cited as the "editor"; the pen name is yet another post-modern layer to the novel. ("Runa Fairleigh" is a VERY rough transliteration of "Fairly Clued".) He wrote it during a period of time when he and I were trying to collaborate on writing a mystery together, which came to naught. But I didn't realize he was working on this book also; I might have been living elsewhere at the time. The first I knew of it was when he handed me a first edition with a written dedication that said "For Noah, without whom this book would not have been possible."
I honestly think that Larry was trying to make sense of the mind-set of people like me; at that point in time I would have read anything that said "mystery" on the cover and found something in it to enjoy. He might even have been making fun of me personally; I've never been sure. ("Sebastian Cornichon" might be based on me.) Over the years I've met many people who feel much like JJ about this book, and I halfway agree with them. Certainly I can't gainsay them. It's annoying and frustrating for mystery fans precisely because it is so completely irreverent about the mystery genre. I can't defend it and I won't try — I think it's funny because I can hear it being read in Larry's voice, and I can't share that with you.
But I do have to add that Larry had a HUGE library of mysteries and was thoroughly familiar with everything he was burlesquing. (He also won an Edgar the year before AOFM came out.) He introduced me to the works of Ronald Knox, for instance, who plays a role in this volume, and C. Daly King, and many other Golden Age writers. He may have had an annoying and supercilious attitude towards the Golden Age, but he knew it inside and out.
Great review, honest!! And if it's any satisfaction to you, I dimly remember the novel had TERRIBLE sales; worst failure of his career.
Oh, and if anyone is curious, Larry reused Violet and Sebastian Cornichon in another book that you will find impossible to get. It's called … bear with me … "Who Done Did It". The word Done is crossed out, because the book is a textbook for ESL students. It uses mystery stories with Violet (and Sebastian) as detectives to teach English. I haven't seen a copy in 30 years and I very much doubt that even collectors know of this book.
Can't help but feel that some sort of explanatpory spiel at the start — as opposed to that (clearly) fictionalised Runa Fairleigh biog — might help people appreciate this more (I'm reminded of Anthony Boucher's introduction to Carr's The Blind Barner here…); but, well, it's clearly just not for me, which is why I wanted to link to TC's review to show that someone sensible and intelligent had enjoyed it 🙂
I'm fairly sure that Morse's The Flesh Eaters — a book owned by my father, and with a title and cover that an inquisitive young mind couldn't help but the drawn to — contains the first sex scene I ever read. When I was far too young to understand sex, of course, but in retrospect that's quite a significant event and one I'd like to acknowledge!
It's been a long, long time since I read The Flesh Eaters … but those are important and formative things to find in books, aren't they? I remember, at some pre-pubescent age, some piece of trashy fiction where I put two and two together and realized that they were talking about having sex and I tried and tried to figure out what they were doing!! ROFL
I can't be sure, but it's very possible that my first description of sexual events was Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint, which some relative had and I snuck a look. This explains so much about my troubled sexual history that I can't even explain . . .
maxlcrepeau
And if I sign up for Kindle Unlimited I'm prety sure a lot of the Hoch books are included in that, so I'll be able to borrow them for free…so at the very least this has saved me a bit of time if nothing else 🙂
None of which feature Hoch's resident impossible mystery solver, Dr Sam Hawthorne, by the way.
S'alright, I'm right in saying that other non-Hawthorne tales are still impossible, right? Thanks for reminding me about these, I should get on and read some Hoch. Aaah, dammit, so many books… Okay, I'll pencil Hoch in for a September review…
The 3 Sam Hawthorne collections Diagnosis: Impossible, More Things Impossible and Nothing Is Impossible are all available in kindle unlimited. The fourth collection All But Impossible recently released is not yet available in kindle.


The coupon codes for each partner are listed below and explain what products they can be used on as well as any expiry date – please email us at sales@shoesonline.com.au if we have forgotten to update any of the coupons.
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Do You Need a Website Redesign to Improve Generic Ranking?
You may need a website redesign if your site has never gained much traffic, you suddenly lost keyword ranking, you want to update the banner and layout, or the focus of your business has changed. Some design features can deter ranking by not being search engine friendly, like having too much information in images instead of text. A sudden drop in ranking can have many causes as I will explain below.
If your keyword ranking dropped suddenly it may be due to a new Google algorithm such as Google's Panda or Penguin updates. Panda penalizing sites for over-optimization of content on your web pages or using your main keywords too often in internal links on your website. This may require a website redesign to eliminate over-optimization of keywords. The Penguin update is based mostly on getting too many backlinks focused on your main keywords instead of your brand or domain name. The key to correcting this problem is to either get offending links removed or get a lot more links using your brand name.
If you are not using your main keywords in strategic places then competitors may be able to out rank your site, however you also have to be careful to not over-optimize your keywords.
"Lori is great to work with. She put all the ideas I had rolling around in my head and created a beautiful site. She took the time to explain everything I needed to know about making my website rank higher." Jeff Lumia, Geoffrey James salon, NJ.
Sudden changes in ranking can also be caused by your competitors being more aggressive with SEO updates on their websites, gathering backlinks or getting more involved in social networking.
Mobile friendly websites are now usually ranking higher in search engines (all other factors being equal), so if your website isn't easily viewed on tablets or a mobile phone as well as a desktop you may want to consider a mobile website redesign. Google recommends the responsive mobile method which means there is only one website which adjusts for different size screens depending on the device being used.
Websites that have already been redesigned for mobile devices often see an increase in ranking and traffic. Google is now using the mobile version of your website to index your pages so it's important to get that done as soon as possible. Check out the Mobile Website Design Portfolio for sites I've already designed for mobile using the responsive method.
Another factor that can hold back generic keyword ranking on a website is if your site hasn't been upgraded to a SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which encrypts all data when people send you an email or fill out a form on your website. Google's Chrome browser now inserts a warning in the location bar when a site isn't set up for SSL, which may deter visitors and cause a very high bounce rate (see below). All internal links on the site need to change as well as off-site links like Google Search Console and social networking sites like Facebook. I have a list of over 40 items that need to be checked or changed for an upgrade to SSL and the same with a website redesign.
Some websites neglect to include a phone number or email or other means to contact the site owner so they can gain more information. Most people will leave a website instead of searching for a contact page. If this problem occurs on your website this information will need to be included in a website redesign for any page that people might want to contact you for more information.
A website that takes more than 3 seconds to load may cause visitors to leave and look elsewhere for what they are searching for and Google usually demotes ranking on pages that too slow. Reducing file size, avoiding code bloat, optimizing the images, installing browser cache dates and gzipping the page contents can all reduce page load time and should be incorporated into any website redesign.
Unless your navigation is easy to use and all your pages are listed in the menu then people may not be able to find the page they are looking for. If you have a lot of pages then adding a search feature with a new website redesign can help eliminate that problem.
HTML code standards get upgraded every few years and some html tags and attributes get deprecated when that occurs. For instance it used to be ok to use a font tag but now that needs to be placed in a CSS file, and the same with using an align or center tag, and using tables to set up a web page. CMS Programs, Website Builders and WordPress are some of the worst offenders. Check your website with the W3C validator to see if it has any errors. Also see other technology blockers that can prevent good ranking in search engines. A web page will no longer validate with deprecated code and it may not display correctly in modern browsers either unless the site undergoes a website redesign.
Most of the time spent on a website redesign is usually taken up in setting up a custom layout of the home page. Once that is done a template can be set up for the inner pages and then data can be entered into the template quickly. The price for a website redesign varies widely depending on how many pages, how many images, lists, tables full of data, videos, custom designed graphics and other features that will be included in the layout. One page websites are often ignored by search engines and they also deter ranking potential, therefore they are not a good idea. See the rates page for more information on website redesign pricing.
Hand coded HTML used on all web pages.
No templates or WYSIWYGs used here.
Lori hand codes all html websites, so no there is need for her to pay extra for WYSIWYG, CMS or Website Builder programs which keeps her costs down. This also means that the websites she designs have no code bloat and load faster than most websites of the same size built on programs like Wordpress and she can read the code if there is a problem with validating the code. Lori is also a graphic designer so she can set up graphic buttons and edit images if needed.
Fill out the Web Design Quote Form for pricing, or call Lori at 509-397-6000 or send an for more information.
You may need a SEO analysis report before a website redesign if your website has drastically dropped in rank, to determine the problems that are preventing higher keyword ranking.
changes that are usually made when redesigning a website.


text:
Q: Content too short error while using Buildozer with a kivy-python application I'm trying to package my application to an apk using Buildozer. I got WSL and Ubuntu working, along with buildozer and most of the dependencies. When I run buildozer android debug deploy run or buildozer -v android deploy run the Ubuntu console tries to install the Android NDK and eventually fails. It will download to about 25%-40% and then the error shown in the screenshot will display.
I've tried disabling my firewall, and I've also tried this solution even though I do have internet: No internet connection on WSL Ubuntu (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
Please let me know if you need any more information, thanks!

A: I just installed the dependency without running Buildozer and made sure it was in the Buildozer directory. Fixed the issue.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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For all those with small kitchen rooms, never fear. You could have a light fixture that simply brings style to your space. Some styles of chandeliers come in a variety of sizes, you might have measurements of your room readily available while you're taking a look at options. Linear chandeliers might not be the best option for your small space, as the rectangle condition may make the room look smaller.
Find the Right Height for the Microwave. The very best elevation and location for a microwave oven depends upon the chef and the amount of child friendliness desired in your kitchen. For people, 15 ins above countertop level is an excellent microwave height. For kids, a below kitchen counter setup might be safer and more suitable.
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There are several types of professional certification programs in the world today, be it in engineering, construction, auto repair, medicine, etc. Basically, certification is saying the holder is proficient in a specific subject and should be recognized as a legitimate professional. To the holder, certification looks good on a resume and, thereby, is useful for generating more income. To the customer, certification instills confidence that the holder theoretically knows what he or she is doing. Such programs are supposed to define the level of competency needed to perform certain tasks and means the holder is intimate with specific methods, tools and techniques needed to perform the work. It is also not unusual for certifications to be renewed periodically to assure the holder is staying abreast of industrial developments.
However, not all certification programs are created equally and many are not worth the paper they are printed on. Two things bother me about certification: when it becomes too easy to obtain one, and if the certification is based on sheer humbug.
I've seen some programs where a person is awarded certification simply for signing the attendance roster for a class or seminar (and then quietly slips away for a round of golf). It shouldn't be a matter of merely attending a class, but if you truly learned something which, of course, should mean passing a test of some kind. The validity of certification is dubious if it only requires signing your name and answering an open book test. All it means is that the holder knows how to read and write.
I have seen some certification programs based on plain quackery, particularly in the I.T. industry. It is one thing to demonstrate proficiency in a particular programming language or technology, quite another when it comes to theories of management, systems or any area lacking standardization. In other words, certification should be based on science, not art. The difference between an art and a science is subtle but significant. An art form is based on the intuitiveness of the person performing the work, something that is difficult, if not impossible, to pass on to another human being. For example, apprentices serving under an artist may try for years to emulate the master, but may never attain his level of skill and creativity. In contrast, a science is based on tried and proven concepts and facts and, as such, can be easily taught to others. Certification, therefore, should be based on science, not art. Any certification program Without a set of standard and proven principles is meaningless.
It should be no small wonder why I am skeptical of someone claiming to be certified in a particular field of endeavor. It might sound nice, but I still want to determine if the person is truly competent before they perform a service for me. I consider such things as: what they know, what experience they have, how rigorous was the testing for their certification, and the integrity of the institution issuing the certificate.
Just remember, certification programs are big business. True, there are legitimate certification programs out there, but there are also some that are nothing more than marketing ploys. Does all this mean I frown upon certification programs? Absolutely not. I'm just saying, "caveat emptor" and challenging the institutions to be less frivolous in how they are issued.


Why did you choose SCA and the Stark Program specifically? For me, when it came time to choose a school and program that I wanted to apply to, SCA and the Stark Program were the only choices for me. Since I had first read about the Stark Program many years ago, it was my dream to be a part of it. There is no film program out there that is as well-rounded as Stark, and SCA provides the optimal environment to learn and grow in. Stark does a fantastic job of teaching its students about every aspect of the film industry, not just the one they think they want to be to a part of when starting classes. You may come in to the program thinking you're going to be a writer, and by the time you graduate, your new goal might just be a studio executive. In addition to learning from some of the best people in the industry, you also become a part of a large family of previous Stark students, and relationships like that are incredibly important to have. You simply can't receive as much of a well-rounded education and as much experience as you can at Stark and SCA, so it was obvious to me this was the school and the program for me.
How is the program preparing you for the career you'd like to have? Stark has prepared me for my career by teaching me about every aspect of the industry so that no matter what area I end up going into, I will know how each and every piece around me is working which is incredibly valuable. As a hopeful producer someday, Stark is giving me every single tool necessary to be the best producer I can be. The program ensures that we are well-rounded and experienced individuals who can understand every member on their team and the role they play in any given production, and this has certainly set the groundwork for me to become a successful producer someday.
What has been your greatest achievement since coming to USC? My greatest achievement so far since coming to USC is the upcoming short film that I am in the middle of producing. I'm working with an absolutely incredible team of classmates and we have put in a lot of hard work to make this film spectacular. It's a really heartfelt story that I think will speak to a lot of people and I'm honored to play a part in telling it. Making a short film is a lot of hard work, especially on a limited budget and schedule, and we've done an incredible job to make it all come together and I couldn't be more proud of the work we've accomplished.
What has been your biggest challenge? The biggest challenge I have found so far in both SCA and the Stark Program is having enough time to take advantage of every opportunity. Being a part of this community has opened a lot of doors and afforded me a lot of opportunities to grow and expand my knowledge and experience in the industry, there's just simply not enough hours in the day to take advantage of all of them. Time management is a key skill to have as an SCA student, we are always juggling so many different tasks at once, that finding the right balance for it all can be tricky, but necessary.
What project(s) are you working on right now? I am currently in production on a short film I am producing, as well as in pre-production on a second short film that I will be the Director of Photography on. Additionally, I am preparing to pitch another short film with a fellow Stark student and working on some personal projects including a comic book series and a feature film screenplay.
What advice would you have for prospective Stark students? Stay focused and keep working hard. There are going to be roadblocks along the way but if you maintain your focus and keep pushing, you will move past them and achieve your goal. Nothing in this industry comes easy, but if you're willing to put the work in and refuse to give up, it will pay off in the end!


JASPER…I'm glad they missed you, amigo. Losing you an Baby Diego on the same day would be too much grief to bear. You did hear about Baby Diego.
JASPER…They say he was completely wasted.
THEO…….Baby Diego was always wasted.
THEO…….Yeah, but he was the youngest wanker on the planet.
We make things. We make one thing after another, endlessly.
We know that art critics will need words to clutch at; therefore we put down a couple of sentences in oder to please them: The art works featured in this exhibition are all frustrated by their bi-dimensional character and by art's inescapable doom of ending up in mere (bi -dimensional) pictures. They aim at eluding their sleek surfaces, sneaking into the exhibition space and meeting the visitor. Since they are conceived as trickeries whose ambition is to delight, seduce, or even mislead their audience, they are unstably balanced between virtuosity and clumsiness, theatricality and naked truth, behavior and belief.
The anti-corruption investigations carried out by the judges came to be collectively called "Mani pulite". No political party was spared, but in some parties corruption had become more endemic than elsewhere.
During the "Mani pulite" period Bettino Craxi (the leader of then-ruling coalition) tried to use a daring defense tactic: He maintained that all parties took money illegally to finance their activities. His defense was therefore not to declare himself innocent, but everybody guilty.


This isn't a death metal band by strict definition, but AGONY still deserves total metal respect. Cutting their teeth in the fertile Swedish crust scene, the band later morphed into an adroit Bay Area style thrash metal unit that paved the way for the deadly explosion that would change Sweden for ever!
Signed copies of Swedish Death Metal can be ordered HERE. Ships today with a bonus gold-and-black on steel badge!
Great band I never heard of. Thanks!
"Storm of the Apocalypse" is a cool song. Solid album.
Finski metall ja x rehab .
Don't forget fellow countrymen Hatred (which featured future members of Interment and Centinex)!!!


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Home > About Us > Our Response to Covid
Arrangements regarding Covid-19 management
As at 1 September 2021 for the 2021-2022 School year:
We would like to continue to ensure that Ashford School is a safe environment for our students. As such, there are measures in place to protect the School community.
All classrooms are well ventilated and high touch areas are cleaned regularly. At the Senior School, desks are cleaned at the end of each lesson and pupils in Years 7-11 should wear masks in lessons and in communal areas of the School.
A reminder, do not send your child to School if:
they are showing one or more Covid-19 symptoms
they have had a positive test result
there are other reasons requiring them to stay at home, for example, they are required to quarantine
We will no longer be operating in 'bubbles' but this will remain a part of our contingency plan. Other control measures may be reintroduced temporarily. If this is a requirement, we will notify you accordingly.
Currently children in Year 7-11 should wear a mask when in communal areas and in lessons. Staff are also advised to wear masks in communal areas. It is expected and recommended that pupils wear face coverings when travelling on public or dedicated transport.
Should your child, a member of your household or a close contact test positive for Covid-19, you should follow public health advice on when to self-isolate and what to do. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/how-long-to-self-isolate/
From 19 July 2021, as with positive cases in any other setting, NHS Test and Trace will work with the positive case and/or their parents to identify close contacts. This is likely to be a small number of individuals who would be most at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of the close contact. As parents or carers, you may be contacted to help with identifying close contacts.
Individuals are not required to self-isolate if they live in the same household as someone with Covid-19, or are a close contact of someone with Covid-19, and any of the following apply:
they are fully vaccinated
they are below the age of 18 years and 6 months
they have taken part in or are currently part of an approved Covid-19 vaccine trial
they are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons
Instead, NHS Test and Trace will inform affected individuals, children or their parents or carers that they have been in close contact with a positive case and advise them on next steps.
Children and young people aged under 18 years 6 months who usually attend school who have been identified as a close contact should continue to attend school as normal. Further information is available in the stay at home: guidance for households.
If a pupil is required to self-isolate but is well in themselves, then we will provide them with online learning. However, we will not provide online learning for children who are absent from school due to being unwell, either with Covid or other illnesses, as the focus should be on their recovery.
If you have a health-related query, please contact our nursing team at healthcentre@ashfordschool.co.uk.
Ashford Senior School - Covid-19 (Spring Term 2022) Risk Assessment
Ashford Prep School - Covid-19 (Spring Term 2022) Risk Assessment
The Department for Education has launched a new helpline to answer questions about Covid-19 related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline as follows:
Phone: 0800 046 8687 (Opening hours: 8am to 6pm- Monday to Friday)
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
You can read the latest advice from Public Health England here.
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Welcome from the Head