WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 05, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Repligen Corporation (NASDAQ:RGEN), a life sciences company focused on bioprocessing technology leadership, today announced the commercial launch of its single-use version of XCell™ ATF, a proprietary cell retention system used by biologic drug manufacturers to intensify cell culture and improve the efficiency and productivity of upstream processes. This innovative new single-use format, which will be offered alongside the existing stainless steel line, significantly reduces implementation time and improves overall ease of use for Repligen's biopharmaceutical manufacturing customers. The new XCell ATF format aligns with single-use and continuous processing workflows that biomanufacturers are increasingly adopting for their flexibility, convenience and cost-saving advantages.
Repligen's single-use version of its XCell™ ATF system for bioprocess intensification complements the Company's stainless steel XCell ATF line. The single-use format aligns with continuous processing workflows, offering ease of use and faster implementation with equivalent performance to the stainless steel line.
The single-use XCell ATF will be formally introduced at Biotech Week Boston, taking place October 4-7 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Repligen will initially offer the single-use version of XCell ATF in sizes suitable for lab-scale and production-scale biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Additional information and features of this technology can be found on Repligen's website.
The XCell™ ATF System is a filtration device that attaches to a bioreactor and is used by many of the world's largest biopharmaceutical companies and contract manufacturing organizations to improve productivity during the cell culture step of biomanufacturing. The XCell ATF System routinely increases cell densities to 2- or 3-times the levels achieved by standard batch processes. As a result, product yield is increased which improves facility utilization and can reduce the size of bioreactor required to manufacture a given volume of biologic drug product.
The XCell ATF System is available in a range of sizes from lab-scale through to commercial manufacturing in both stainless steel and single-use formats. Repligen is initially offering the single-use format device in two sizes: the XCell ATF 2 (lab-scale) and the XCell ATF 6 (production-scale).
Repligen Corporation (NASDAQ:RGEN) is a bioprocessing company focused on the development, manufacture and commercialization of highly innovative products used to manufacture biologic drugs. Our bioprocessing products are sold to major life sciences companies, biopharmaceutical development companies and contract manufacturing organizations worldwide. We are the leading manufacturer of Protein A affinity ligands, a critical component of Protein A resins that are used to separate and purify monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics. In upstream processes, our XCell™ ATF systems and cell culture growth factors are used to accelerate and increase product yield during the fermentation stage of biologic drug manufacturing. In downstream processes, we developed and market our innovative line of OPUS® chromatography columns that we deliver pre-packed with our customers' choice of resin for their bench-scale through clinical production-scale purification needs. Repligen's corporate headquarters are in Waltham, MA (USA) and our manufacturing facilities are located in Waltham, MA, Lund, Sweden and Weingarten, Germany.
The following constitutes a "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical statements, constitute forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, express or implied statements regarding current or future financial performance, management's strategy, plans and objectives for future operations, product development and sales, the success of the XCell™ ATF product line and other statements identified by words like "expect," "may," "will," or "could" and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation, risks associated with: our ability to develop and commercialize products and the market acceptance of our products, including the XCell™ ATF System; reduced demand for our products that adversely impacts our future operations and financial condition; and other risks detailed in Repligen's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the other reports that Repligen periodically files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those Repligen contemplated by these forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements reflect management's current views and Repligen does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views or events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof except as required by law.


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Tag: seafarers
Yachts given reprieve from Covid-19 rules to enter SA ports: SAMSA
Pretoria: 09 November 2020
With Covid-19 entry restrictions still on for crossborder travels, the world's yachting community will find relief in the special dispensation by South Africa allowing them to call into the country's ports.
That is according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) Marine Notice No.50 published on the agency' website on Monday.
The notice titled: "COVID-19: Humanitarian Relief Project to Support Stranded Yachts to enter South Africa during Lockdown Period" dated 4 November 2020 states that, the implementation of the new measures is in recognition that Covid-19 restrictions in the maritime sector, particularly seafaring, have had highly negative consequences for sailors worldwide.
"The issue of stranded yachts has become topical in the past months and it is a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic that had dire consequences for the ocean cruising community. This community utilizes a wide range of yachts and small pleasure craft to navigate their way across the oceans and who primarily sail the world's oceans as a way of life.
'As a response to Covid-19, many countries around the world closed their borders and making it extremely difficult for sailors to proceed with their traditional sailing voyage along the Indian Ocean The current weather patterns along the Indian Ocean (are) posing a huge risk to yachts and sailors.
With these and related issues in mind, says the notice: "The South African government is continuously reviewing its processes and procedures to identify challenges within the maritime sphere during the Covid-19 Pandemic. As such, the government has found that there is a need to address the challenges faced by the yachting industry."
In terms of the new measures, according to SAMSA, "Sou1h A!ica will offer a safe corridor and humanitarian services to yachts stranded along the Indian Ocean from 09 November 2020 to 15 December 2020.
"Yachts falling within this category must only utilise Yacht Clubs wthin the port of Richards Bay, port of Durban (both Indian Ocean) and port of Cape Town (straddles both the Indian and Atlantic Ocean). All yachts will be eligible to receive all services including stores, provisions, refuelling, repairs, maintenance and disembarkation of foreign sailors."
The SAMSA notice further gives operational procedures on how relevant applications and related matters will be handled by the various government departments and institutions in conjuction with sailing communities organisation, with emphasis that: "these operational procedures are only applicable to yachts that fall within the humanitarian scope as outlined."
Posted on November 10, 2020 November 10, 2020 by South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)Posted in Breaking News, Maritime Education, Research & Development, sea rescue, seafarers, shipping, Training & Skills DevelopmentTagged Covid-19 pandemic, Department of Transport, humanitarian aid, operational procedures, SAMSA, seafarers, South Africa port entry, South African Maritime Safety Authority, special measures, special permission, yatching. Leave a comment
A SLIVER OF A SILVER LINING – Covid-19 pandemic outbreak breaks new ground for SA bunkering services firm in PE
Port Elizabeth: 09 June 2020
The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in China some six months ago has without doubt brought about the greatest health risk globally and, in its wake, by some accounts, the biggest economic threat and devastation in more than 100 years.
Yet as the old adage has it: 'every dark cloud has a silver lining,' so it turns out that the outbreak of the pandemic that's forced many countries to close their borders, would also lead to new business opportunities for others that were not readily available before, and in the process, giving rise to creative thinking and innovation.
The Carnival Dream at anchor off the coast of Port Elizabeth receiving bunkering services during its last visit to South Africa to disembark cruise liner seafarers.
Heron Marine, a black woman owned bunkering services company based in Port Elizabeth is one such business operator to be presented with an opportunity that would call for its creativeness in delivering services to four huge international cruise vessels it has never serviced before.
According to Kgomotso Selokane, Chief Executive Officer of Heron Marine, four international cruise liners from Carnival, namely, the Carnival Dream, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Conquest and Carnival Ecstasy, came calling into the port of Ngqura in May.
The call into South African ports by these four cruise liners – among several similar – was to disembark the country's seafarers who – along with the entire cruise line industry– have become economic victims of the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
Enroute to disembarking crew at Durban and other ports outside of South Africa the Carnival cruise ships required replenishments, among which was fuel for the journey to return home their thousands of seafarers rendered stranded due to closure of the industry worldwide.
Unlike its three sisters, the Carnival Dream – at 130,000gt and 305.47 meters long, with a guest capacity of some 3646 people as well as 1367 crew members – was to be refuelled seat anchorage. That presented some interesting challenges.
According to Ms Selokane, due to the configuration of the vessel and barge, the actual refuelling operation at anchorage required for the first time, the utilisation of a spacer barge with two Yokahama fenders on either side to serve as a bulwark between the company's bunker barge and the cruise ship. In turn, this required not only tugs to shove and hold vessels in place, but also the utilisation of a mooring boat to layout oil booms to cover stern of the vessel.
Once arrangements had been finalised, and with a keen eye constantly on the weather conditions as the refuelling had to be conducted in open anchorage , Heron Marine called on, among others, Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) for assistance with tugs and consulted with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to ensure compliance with the strictest safety standards during the bunkering operation.
The final alignment of all parties and equipment and calm weather conditions allowed for a successful refuelling of the Carnival Dream by one of Heron Marine's bunkering barges, the Bonaire Trader.
She added: "SAMSA and TNPA's approvals… demonstrated South Africa's commitment to implementing the Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy's (CMTP) in making the country an international maritime centre, but more so our contribution to the global maritime economy during these trying times."
Part of the economic contribution involved the deliberate utilisation of all local based services suppliers for support infrastructure, she said
"In our commitment to our license requirements, we use local suppliers as much as possible. In this operation specifically we procured the services of a drone operator to take footage of the entire operation.
"However, the pinnacle of our excitement was how we committed ourselves, as an entity, to SAMSA's SMME Development requirement, as our mooring boat was provided by a local 100% Black Owned SMME.
"We would really like to thank SAMSA and the TNPA team for allowing this operation to take place and supporting its precedence as a first of its kind offshore ALGOA BAY or maybe even South Africa. "Working together like this is a true indication of our South African Spirit – not matter what we endeavour," said Ms Selokane.
Posted on June 9, 2020 June 9, 2020 by South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)Posted in Breaking News, Maritime Education, seafarers, shipping, Training & Skills DevelopmentTagged bunkering services, Carnival Dream, Covid-19 pandemic, cruise liners, Heron Marine, Indian Ocean, Port Elizabeth, Port of Ngqurha, SAMSA, seafarers, South African Maritime Safety Authority, Transnet National Ports Authority. 1 Comment
Maritime sector Covid-19 restrictions under constant review as South Africa settles with 21 day lockdown
Pretoria: 28 March 2019
Certain tough restrictions imposed on every aspect of life in South Africa on the basis of the country's recent declaration of a state of National Disaster, as well as a three weeks population lockdown that began on midnight Thursday (March 26), as a response to the global outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, are constantly receiving reviewal, according to the Department of Transport.
For the maritime sector, one such strict restriction is that related to the entry and exit of seafarers and associated personnel at any of the country's ports, which are virtually closed to all international trade cargo except that deemed to be essential supplies.
In terms of the new special rules, vessels dropping anchor at or near any of the country's ports are not allowed disembarkment of seafarers and therefore not permitted to change crews, even if the seafarers are South African.
South Africa Transport Minister, Mr Fikile Mbalula
However, in a statement in Pretoria on Friday, Minister of Transport, Mr Fikile Mbalula said that specific restriction was urgently being reviewed, this coming in the wake of an incident in Durban, where a crew of six (6) South African seafarers on a cruise ship, the Queen Mary 2 (erroneously named as the Queen Elizabeth 2), were disallowed disembarkment, according to the lockdown rules.
"These South Africans want to disembark and return home. However, our regulations do not allow crew changes at any of our ports, even if these are South Africans. The Queen Mary 2 is waiting for clearance to enter the port in order to refuel and take provisions. This is a matter we are urgently considering,' said Mr Mbalula in Pretoria on Friday.
The confirmation of the reviewal came as South Africa ended its first of 21 days of a national lockdown in terms of a declared State of Natonal Disaster in line with a global scramble to ward off or limit the grossly negative impacts of the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic now in its fourth month since its outbreak in China in December 2019.
As of Friday, the start of the national lockdown, South Africa recorded a rising figure of just over 1000 people found infected by the virus as well as confirmation of the death of the first person due to the pandemic.
The Health Ministry in a report on Friday gave a breakdown of the nature and extent of infection, stating that of the total 1170 people so far found to be positive of the Covid-19 virus, those hospitalised (both public and private) included 55 patients in intensive care units and three (3) in ventilations while 31 had recovered.
Of those infected, a total 4407 of those with whom they had been in contact had been identified and of these, 3465 successfully traced for their locations. The ministry also raised alarm that: "There is an increase in the rate of internal transmissions. Patients without a history of travelling abroad have been detected in many provinces." – a situation giving justification to a clampdown n the movement of people between provinces and districts during the 21 day nationwide lockdown in order to prevent further infections.
The SA Agulhas, South Africa's dedicated cadet training vessel owned and operated by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)
Meanwhile, with regards the fate of seafarers, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), announced a raft of measures aimed at assisting the country's seafarers.
The statement said:
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Republic of South Africa announced measures to combat the spread of the disease by declaring a State of Disaster and putting the country on lockdown effective midnight on 26 March 2020.
"The results of such lockdown is that all businesses are required to close doors except for those offering essential services. The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and its stakeholders have been affected by the lockdown as a result only with essential services being rendered. As such, the services for seafarers which are rendered directly by SAMSA and/or its clients/stakeholders may not be delivered during the lockdown, viz:
No training of seafarers for short courses over the period, academic programmes may continue through 'e-learning' platforms
No assessments for seafarer certification will be undertaken during this period.
No eye sights test will be undertaken during the period.
The results of this is that seafarers whose certificates expire during this period are not able to attend re-fresher training whilst some are unable to sign-off their vessels. SAMSA has granted a general extension to all certificates expiring during the National State of Disaster as set out in the Marine Notice.
For this purpose, the production of the said Marine Notice shall be sufficient for Seafarers working on vessels trading within the South African Ports.
Seafarers working on foreign vessels may be required to produce specific individual documents expressing the extension of the certificate. To this end, seafarers and the employers may obtain such extension by completing the application forms below.
All extension requests shall be made using the form below;
Certificate extension Application Form – FOP-524.8 – Extension of Certificate.pdf
We have also provided guidance below;
Completing Extension Form Guide – Completing Extension Form guide.docx
Users are requested to download the form from the link above and not to share with other persons to prevent missing out on changes that will produce negative results or return incorrect information. The system requires that all fields be completed correctly to ensure that the correct information is distributed.
Enquiries should be directed to the Registrar of Seafarers at seafarers@samsa.org.za or the Chief Examiner at exams@samsa.org.za
Posted on March 28, 2020 by anxusaniPosted in Breaking News, Maritime Education, Research & Development, sea rescue, seafarers, shipping, Training & Skills DevelopmentTagged certification, Covid-19, cruise vessels, Department of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, Health Ministry, Minister of Transport, rare of Covid-19 infections, SAMSA, seafarers, South African Maritime Safety Authority, South African ports, strict restrictions. Leave a comment
When is a sailor on a 'high' at sea – SA seafarers' ask!
Pretoria 01 July 2019
As South Africa joined the rest of the maritime world to mark and celebrate the international Day of the Seafarer as guided by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and organised locally by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) jointly with the Department of Transport (DoT), seafarer's general welfare was on the menu and there were few surprises about the issues raised or discussed.
After all, the IMO suggested theme for 2019 was #IamOnBoard – with Gender Equality.
South Africa's marking of the annual event this year took the same format as in 2018, with three of the country's coastal cities, Cape Town (Western Cape), Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape) and Durban (KwaZulu-Natal) hosting simultaneously the event. The idea according to the Department of Transport, is to ensure that as many of South Africa's seafarers – some based in these cities – participate in the celebrations as well as ensuing discussions.
The line up of speakers for the marking and celebration of the 2019 Day of the Seafarer in Cape Town on Tuesday, 25 June were (From far left), Ms Faye Kula (indepent professional), Ms Emma Dzinic (naval architect: SAMSA) , Ms Thembela Taboshe (standing: SHEQ Executive Oceana), Ms Leonie Louw (lecturer Cape Peninsula University of Technology) and Ms Yolisa Tshangela (Transnet National Ports Authority). With them (Far right) is Mr Dumisani Ntuli, acting Deputy Director General for Maritime Transport at the Department of Transport
Indeed, speakers lined up to lead discussions totaled about five people in each of the venues – all selected according to either or both their involvement as well as experience in seafaring or such other field of engagement directly related to or impacts seafaring. Emphasis was placed active seafarers – seagoing or not – employers, as well as education and training providers or professionals.
This blog covered the Cape Town leg of the event and this is where, among a range of issues raised for discussion concerning gender equality and empowerment of particularly women, the question about drug use by seafarers – and precisely the adequacy and appropriateness of rules and regulations governing its management arose.
Ms Thembela Taboshe
Ms Thembela Taboshe, one of the first three of South Africa's black African women seafarers to obtain a Master Mariner qualification in the past fives years and now currently serving as a SHEQ Executive for Blue Continental Products at fishing group Oceana, wanted to know what the allowable limit of narcotic drugs could a sailor have on his or her system to be deemed safe or unsafe at work.
She said the question was arising against the backdrop of law reform developments in the country concerning the use of especially dagga or "weed" and which now deemed it no longer illegal for people to use the narcotic drug in the privacy of their own homes.
The law reform was well and good, she said, but it raised a few questions regarding implications of the free, legal use of the narcotic drug.
"This is a matter I'd like to raise and speak with SAMSA and DoT about. We need to actually come up with legislation about how people find out…..what is the allowable limit….what is not. How do we know that a person who is on the 10th day after having taken weed is actually capable of doing the job?" said Ms Taboshe.
She contextualized the matter as one concerning and with implications for seafarers in general and therefore relevant in terms of gender equality, but also women empowerment. (Ms Taboshe's full remarks – average 6 minutes – along with those of the other participants are shared on the Day of the Seafarer's page)
The issue climbed quickly into the DoT and SAMSA list of issues requiring address over the next while and a report back to sailors prior to, or on Wednesday, 25 June 2020 and perhaps soon thereafter.
The DoT's representative at the Cape Town event, Acting Deputy Director-General, Maritime Transport, Mr Dumisani Ntuli committed the department to do exactly that.
Mr Dumisani Ntuli
As indicated the drug usage issue by seafarers was among several that led to a robust debate in Cape Town. For a comprehensive multimedia report on these discussions, click here or on this blog's main menu, click on the Day of the Seafarer's page at the top left of the bar.
Posted on July 2, 2019 July 2, 2019 by anxusaniPosted in Breaking News, Maritime Education, Research & Development, sea rescue, shipping, Training & Skills DevelopmentTagged Cape Town, Captain Thembela Taboshe, dagga, Day of the Seafarer, Department of Transport, DoT, drug use, Dumisani Ntuli, International Maritime Safety Authority, sailors, SAMSA, seafarers, South African Maritime Safety Authority, weed. Leave a comment
Seafarers' world due for a significant shakeup in South Africa: Department of Transport
Some of South Africa's growing cadre of seafarers, young and old, gathered on board the country's dedicated cadet training vessel, the SA Agulhas in Cape Town on Monday to observe the international Day of the Seafarer – one three venues in the country where the event was held in three cities simultaneously for the first time. The other venues were Durban and Port Elizabeth. In Cape Town, the event was marked by two distinct activities; while officials from government, industry, education representatives and related held a dialogue behind closed doors, the seafarers took time to have a cake as well as a braai.
Cape Town: 26 June 2018
The seafarers career in South Africa is bound for a major shakeup in the coming months involving three major aspects: a re-look at the status of their qualifications for proper positioning, an overhaul of the process of their intake into the career path, as well as expansion of employment opportunities – the latter expected to involve the establishment of a South African fleet of vessels to do port to port shipments.
The policy shifts by government, driven by the Department of Transport in collaboration with the maritime sector and various others, emerged during observation of the international Day of the Seafarer held in Cape Town on Monday – one of three similar events held also in Port Elizabeth and Durban.
In dialogue: (From Left) Mr Leon Mouton of the Sea Safety Training Group, Mr Rob Whitehead
President – The Society of Master Mariners South Africa, Ms Leone Louw, a lecturer at Cape Peninsula University of Technology's Department of Maritime Studies and Mr Dumisani Ntuli, acting Chief Director General: Maritime at the Department of Transport during discussions of seafarers well-being related issues during observation of the international Day of the Seafarers in Cape Town on Monday.
It was the first time for South Africa to observe the annual seafarers' event at three locations simultaneously on the same day at three venues – the other two being Durban and Port Elizabeth.
Participants at all three events included government and its agencies including the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), higher education and training institutions, industry representatives as well as seafarers, among others.
Mr Dumisani Ntuli. Acting Chief Director General: Maritime; Department of Transport
In Cape Town, Department of Transport acting Chief Director General for Maritime, Mr Dumisani Ntuli said a policy revision was currently underway to shakeup the country's maritime sector but specifically shipping, with a view to facilitating the establishment of a domestic fleet of vessels to take over port-to-port shipping transport.
Primarily, this was to ensure greater participation of South Africa in the shipping sector involving its own people, but equally important, to create a stable and expanded opportunity for ongoing, sustainable development of a professional cadre of South African seafarers immersed in an own culture.
However, Mr Ntuli also acknowledged an urgent need currently to both address the issue of already qualified seafarers and whose qualifications as well as related experience do not enjoy recognition by the country's education system in terms of the South African Qualifications Authority.
He said a task team involving appropriate representations from relevant stakeholders would be set up to fast-track the process.
Mr Dumisani Ntuli with some of the seafarers that attended South Africa's observation of the Day of the Seafarers 2018 in Cape Town on Monday.
In tandem, the quality of young people entering the profession would also require a re-evaluation as it was being established that some, if not a significant number of people pursuing seafaring for a career were either ill-prepared or simply not suitable for the type of work.
Currently, it emerged, there was a high drop out rate of maritime sector education students by especially cadets, once they get employed fully at sea.
According to Mr Ntuli, the main goal of all the initiatives was to ensure a stable career path for seafarers and that they are absorbed into the shipping transport industry and remain employed for their working lifetime.
Having fun: Some of the aspirant seafarers currently undergoing the first ratings training of its kind on board the SA Agulhas at the Cape Sun hotel in Cape Town on Monday for the observation of the international Day of the Seafarer 201 event – one of three held in the South Africa's major coastal cities for the first time this year since inception of the Day of the Seafarer by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) eight years ago.
With regards the observation of the Day of the Seafarer annually, he said the new format involving the staging of the event in cities across the country's coastline would remain the feature, primarily to ensure engagement of all stakeholders for a continuous dialogue on matters affecting the sector.
For a detailed presentation of Mr Ntuli's remarks on this and related matters, Click on the video below.
A full round up of the various participants' contributions to the discussion at the Cape Town event on Monday will follow soon.
Among the key participants were Ms Leone Louw, a lecturer in maritime studies at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Mr Rob Whitehead, president of the Society of Master Mariners South Africa, Mr Leon Mouton of the Safety Training Group, Captain Ravi Naicker of the South African Maritime Safety Authority, as well industry and seafarer representatives.
Miss Lelethu Ntuzula. A Deck Cadet
Mr Sanele Hlongwane. Ratings Trainee
Meanwhile, dozens of young and aspirant seafarers attending the event were all enthusiastic about the prospects of their careers given the increasing attention that was now being given to their well-being going into the future.
Among these were Ms Lelethu Ntuzula and Mr Sanele Hlongwane, both in their 20's – one a deck cadet and the other currently undergoing the first ratings training of its kind on board the SA Agulhas – an initiative of the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) together with the TETA, that began three weeks ago in Port Elizabeth.
To hear their views, click on the video below.
Still in Cape Town, about two kilometers or so from the Cape Sun venue of the Cape Town leg of the Day of the Seafarers observation, at the Cape Town harbour, dozens of seafarers, young and old, on board the country's dedicated cadet training vessel, the St Agulhas, had a cake and a braai, to mark the day, and fun was had by all.
Seafarers on board SAMSA owned national cadet training vessel, the SA Agulhas taking time out to enjoy Day of the Seafarer 2018
In the other two coastal cities where the event was held, similar sentiment and merriment emerged.
Mr Sobantu Tilayi, Chief Operating Officer for SAMSA reiterated the authority's openness to seafarers and informed those gathered that the overall wellbeing of seafarers was their priority.
Mr Sobantu Tilayi. COO: SAMSA
Seafarers had to prepare themselves for the challenges associated with working in a diverse and multi-cultural environment, he said.
Some seafarers gathered in Durban asserted that one of the challenges they faced at sea was being perceived as ill-disciplined when they raised labour-related issues with their superiors on-board.
Mr Tilayi said: "It is important for our seafarers to understand that it is the Merchant Shipping Act, rather than the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, which governs the labour rights of seafarers."
He encouraged seafarers to view the maritime industry in its global context, and consider the norms and standards established in the companies in which they worked.
"We encourage all our seafarers to understand the complexities of the industry they serve," Mr Tilayi said.
In summary the DoT and SAMSA said the maritime industry had the potential to address the high unemployment rate, and a plan of action was necessary to include the following interventions:
Adopt South African models and knowledge to solve the country's unemployment rate.
Develop and own a South African shipping fleet for economic growth.
Develop a seafarers' culture and create employment opportunities for qualified South African seafarers.
Develop a career path plan.
Build the fishing industry to accommodate SA seafarers.
Strengthen the capacity of the SA Agulhas to use it as a training vessel for South African seafarers.
Integrate technological advancements in the industry.
Posted on June 26, 2018 June 26, 2018 by anxusaniPosted in Breaking News, Maritime Education, Research & Development, seafarers, shipping, Training & Skills DevelopmentTagged cadet training, Cape Town, CPUT, dailogue, Day of the Seafarers 2018, Department of Transport, Dumisani Ntuli, Durban, IMO, maritime policy review, Merchant Shipping Act, Port Elizabeth, port to port shipping, ratings training, SA Agulhas, SAIMI, SAMSA, seafarers, seafarers education and training, Sobantu Tilayi, TETA. 1 Comment
Day of the Seafarer, Monday June 25. Giving recognition where it's due, seafarers: DoT
The eyes of the maritime sector globally turn their focus on Monday onto the role of one of the most critical key role players in the field, seafarers – upon whose shoulders the movement of ships of all sizes as well as safety of global goods trade rests.
It is observance internationally of the Day of the Seafarer (DosT) in South Africa for the first time, the event led by the Department of Transport (DoT), with assistance by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) will be marked simultaneously in the three coastal cities of Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, beginning from about 9am.
Deputy Transport Minister, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga (Left) and (former) Transport Minister Mr Joe Masangwanyi (Right ) with Ayanda Miya and Mluleki Khwela – two of the SA Agulhas cadets that returned with the vessel from a trip to Antarctica over 80 days in November 2017 to January 2018. They were invited for the opening of South Africa's Parliament in
Two of the SA Agulhas 20 cadets that returned with the vessel earlier this year, Ayanda Miya and Mluleki Khwela with President Cyril Ramaphosa at the opening of 2018 installment of the sitting of South African Parliament in February
Young cadets returning from a three months sojourn into the Antarctica in 2018
Participants are expected to include several role players in the country's maritime sector inclusive of government agencies, shipping and related company representatives, higher education and related institutions, seafarers and others.
And central to the events, in addition to messages both by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Department of Transport, will be a round-table session (Duban) and panel discussions (Port Elizabeth and Cape Town) on matters affecting seafarers.
(For a preview of the Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga's full message for DosT pre-recorded earlier, and for that of the IMO, Click on the videos below)
According to the DoT, for this reason, the South African Day of the Seafarer event will have as its supportive domestic theme: "A Dialogue with the South African Seafarer on the Day of the Seafarer."
Reflecting on how the annual observation of the seafarers day came about eight years ago, the department says the IMO designated 25 June as the international Day of the Seafarer "as a way to recognize that almost everything that we use in our daily lives has been directly or indirectly affected by sea transport.
"International shipping transports more than 90 percent of global trade to peoples and communities all over the world and about 20 million containers are traveling across the oceans every day.
"Driven by the IMO together with partner countries including South Africa, this year's Seafarers Day celebration theme is "seafarers' well-being". IMO asserts that the year 2017 and 2018 have seen strong momentum in the industry to address seafarer's well-being, particularly their mental health." says the DoT
Also noting that "South Africa, as a member of IMO has traditionally supported and participated in the Seafarers Day celebration," the department says the country's approach this year to include a stakeholder dialogue as part of the observation is intended to ensure that seafarers are not just celebrated, but also given opportunity to share their owns views about matters that impact their profession.
"The Department of Transport wants to create a platform to engage with seafarers in order to better understand the challenges they are facing and together to develop responses to the identified challenges. The purpose of participation is to create awareness about the role of seafarers and to inculcate the seafaring culture and excellence in South Africa.
"The IMO encourages governments, shipping organizations, companies, ship owners and all other parties concerned to duly and appropriately promote the Day of the Seafarer and take action to celebrate it meaningfully," it says.
Monday's observation of the Day of the Seafarer in South Africa in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban will then have its main goals; the initiation of a dialogue with the country's seafarers, with the intention to find possible solutions on how to tackle challenges they may be faced with, but also provide ideas and projects to improve seafarers prospects for placement on ships worldwide and related opportunities, says the DoT.
Captain Pretty Molefe
Captain Tsepo Motloutsi
TRAILBLAZERS: The Department of Maritime Studies has teamed up with industry and the College of Cape Town to train marine engineering students in workshop skills which are needed before they start working on ships
Notably, the DoT says it also wants to focus attention on the role of especially female seafarers and about whom it says, remain under represented in the shipping subsector.
"The Department of Transport will use the Seafarers Day to launch an annual platform of engagement on issues affecting seafarers including promotion of female seafarers. Shipping is one such wherein women constitute a very miniscule part of the shipboard workforce.
"The Seafarers day is a great opportunity for seafarers and maritime professionals in general from all sectors to promote and raise awareness of the value of seafaring culture and practice including training and development. The industry still foresees a shortfall of skilled, licensed officers and engineers in future years.
In keeping with modern communication trends, two hashtags are being used to highlight the event: #SupportSeafarersWellbeing through dialogue and #GoodDayatSea
According to the DoT, The first hashtag can be used by shipping companies and others within the industry, "to show how they create opportunities and decent working environment for seafarers and how they address mental health issues among their seagoing staff.
"The second hashtag can be used to engage the general public, to wish them a good day at sea and encourage seafarers to share photos of themselves in a positive work environment."
Meanwhile, in support of the 'dialogue' aspect of the observation, a couple of weeks ago SAMSA launched an initiative involving video interviews with local and international seafarers currently in South Africa, but also a social media initiative encouraging seafarers anywhere else to share their stories.
Ahead of and in marking the Day of the Seafarer, a few of them spoke out about their love and challenges of being a seafarer
International seafarers in South Africa sharing their experiences of the job as part of Day of the Seafarers 2018 celebrations
In the video interview series dubbed: "In Conversation with Seafarers – In celebration of Seafarers' Day 2018′ 10 seafarers ( five female and five male including three international) shared their joys as well as frustrations that they experience in the profession, yet with most stating that seafaring is remains their first love and so it shall remain for a while yet.
To view the interviews (averaging 15 minutes each) go to the "Day of the Seafarer 2018" page or Click Here.
Of Monday's Day of the Seafarer observation event nationally, in addition to traditional media coverage, SAMSA's news information online platforms, inclusive of social media, will share news and information flowing from the events on a regular basis throughout the day. In addition, this blog will provide a comprehensive multi media report, inclusive of interviews with some of the participants, from late afternoon on Monday through to Tuesday.
Posted on June 24, 2018 June 25, 2018 by anxusaniPosted in Breaking News, Maritime Education, seafarers, shipping, Training & Skills DevelopmentTagged Day of the Seafarer 2018, Department of Transport, dialogue, IMO, SAMSA, seafarers. Leave a comment
South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) saddened by death of SA seafarer in Arabian sea
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has expressed sadness at the confirmed death of a South African seafarer, Mr Stephen John Bouch of Johannesburg on board a Maersk Line cargo vessel that caught ablaze in the Arabian Sea near Oman a week ago.
South African marine engineer, Mr Stephen Bouch of Johannesburg, one of a number of seafarers that's been confirmed as casualties of a fire that broke out on board a Maersk Line shipping company cargo vessel on the Arabian Sea on 6 March 2018
Mr Bouch, 53, a veteran seafarer was believed to be among four missing crew members of the Maersk Honam cargo vessel that caught alight on Tuesday last week while en route from Singapore to the Suez in Egypt.
At the time of the incident, the vessel had 27 crew on board of which 23 were evacuated. One crew member, a Thai national, had passed away due to injuries sustained while four others remained missing until on Monday after three of the bodies were found, Maersk Line reported.
According to the shipping company's statement, the three bodies found had not yet been identified and the search for the fourth person, now presumed dead, was continuing.
It was not clear on Tuesday whether the South African seafarer, Mr Bouch was among those whose bodies had been found, since no identity had been established of any of the bodies.
In Pretoria on Tuesday, SAMSA which had been in touch with all relevant authorities as well as the affected family since reports of the incident last week, expressed sadness at the turn of events involving the death of Mr Bouch and the other sailors.
In a statement SAMSA said: "The South African Maritime Safety Authority joins the South African maritime fraternity in mourning the loss of seafarers on board the Maersk Honam.
"South Africa has lost Mr Stephen John Bouch, of Johannesburg. Our condolences goes to his family, colleagues and fellow seafarers."
According to SAMSA, Mr Bouch was a qualified and experienced Marine Engineer with seafarer certificates inclusive of a Certificate of Competency as an Officer in Charge of Engineering Watch or Designated Duty Engineer for which he Qualified 24 June 1991.
He had been an employee of Safmarine, later becoming part of Maersk, for the most part of his life.
SAMSA said during his time with Safmarine (Maersk), he worked and mentored many other young South African officers.
Mr Bouch is survived by his wife and a son.
Posted on March 13, 2018 by anxusaniPosted in Breaking News, sea rescue, seafarers, shippingTagged fire on board cargo vessel, Maersk Honam, Maersk Line, marine engineer, Mr Stephen. John Bouch, Oman, Safmarine, SAMSA, sea rescue, seafarers, South African Maritime Safety Authority. Leave a comment
South African seafarer among casualties of a container ship stricken off the Arabian Sea; Maersk Line confirms.
A South African seafarer has been confirmed dead along with three other crew members of a Maersk Line ship container that caught on fire in the Arabian Sea a week ago.
According to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), the name of the South African seafarer is Mr Stephen Bouch, a marine engineer from Johannesburg.
On Monday, Maersk Line, owners and operators of the container ship named Maersk Honam that caught on fire at sea some 900 km south of Oman while sailing from Singapore to the Suez last Tuesday, confirmed that three bodies of the four crew members who had been lost inside the vessel during an evacuation, were found in the vessel.
A fourth crew member of the container ship had not yet been found, but was also presumed dead, said Maersk Line Chief Operating Officer, Søren Toft.
It was not clear if Mr Bouch was among the three bodies found or might be the one whose body is still missing.
"It is with deep sadness that we announce that the human remains of three of the four missing crew members after the fire aboard Maersk Honam have been found on board the vessel. At this point in time our three colleagues are unidentified," said Mr Toft
He said: "Given the time passed and the severe fire damages of the vessel we must conclude by now that we have lost all four colleagues who have been missing since the fire onboard Maersk Honam which began on 6 March. All four families of our deceased colleagues have been informed.
"Our most heartfelt condolences go out to families of our deceased colleagues. We share their sorrow and do our outmost to support them in this devastating time," said Mr Toft in the statement.
A thorough search on board the Maersk Honam would continue, said Mr Toft adding that active search and rescue mission at sea would however be terminated.
A week ago, the company had confirmed that among the four crew members missing was a South African seafarer. The four were among a crew of 27 manning the vessel during its voyage when the massive blaze broke out of a cargo hold.
The 27 crew members were mostly from India (13), the Phillipines (9), Romania (1), South Africa (1), Thailand (2) and the United Kingdom (1).
Twenty three of the seafarers were successfully evacuated a while after the ship caught fire after it had become clear they could not contain the blaze themselves and called for assistance.
One of the 23 evacuated sailors, a Thai national, was reported eventually to have succumbed to his injuries last week while the rest of the crew was transferred to hospitals in India for treatment.
SAMSA which on behalf of South Africa, has declared itself a "substantially interested party" in the matter, said it would maintain contact with all relevant authorities while investigation of the incident continue.
These include the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) of the Singapore Transport Ministry which confirmed the launch of an investigation a week ago. The Maersk Line vessel built a year ago with a nominal capacity of 15 262 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit), is registered in Singapore.
Now also confirmed to be involved in the investigation is the India Marine Police, said Maersk Line on Monday.
The shipping company said in terms of the rest of the surviving crew of the Maersk Honam , all were recovering well and some had already been released from hospital.
"On land, the medical conditions of the evacuated crew members are progressing positively. All 22 have received medical treatment and the majority have been released from hospitals. Colleagues who initially received intensive care have been moved to a general ward and are recovering well. A crisis psychologist has been made available to all crew.
"Our colleagues that were evacuated to local hospitals in varying conditions of health are improving and we are now preparing to bring them back to their families as their condition allows," said Mr Palle Laursen, Chief Technical Officer for Maersk Line.
Posted on March 13, 2018 March 13, 2018 by anxusaniPosted in Breaking News, sea rescue, seafarers, shippingTagged Arabian Sea, cargo vessel on fire, casualties, Indian Marine Police, Maersk Line, Oman, SAMSA, Søren Toft, sea rescue, seafarers, Singapore, Suez, Transport Safety Investigation Bureau. Leave a comment
SA seafarers' Competency and Proficiency certificates up for re-validation and conversion: SAMSA
Pretoria: 18 August 2017
A process for the further standardization and conversion of certificates issued to South African seafarers, including certificates for persons working on fishing and other local vessels is underway, the South African Maritime Safety Authority announced this week.
This followed the issue recently of a Marine Notice (MN) No.16 of 2017 regarding the renewals and revalidation process.
SAMSA says the revalidation now due affects precisely South African seafarers holding Certificates of Competency and/or Proficiency issued in accordance with regulations repealed by the Merchant Shipping (Safe Manning, Training and Certification) Regulations, 2013.
These include groups of certificates in the categories of Marine Motorman, Fisherman, Port Operations and Radio Certificates. In these categories, according to a schedule released with the MN No.16, there are as many as 31 different seafarer operations certificates due for revalidation.
Changes in certificates titles
SAMSA says among highly significant issues with the announced revalidation is that a majority of the seafarers' certificates are changes in titles, in accordance with Regulations.
The 31 listed certificates for revalidation all carry news titles.
But in addition, says SAMSA, holders of certificates previously covered under Marine Notice 24 of 2016 (Applications for new Manila Compliant Certificates) may continue applying for their certificates as required to keep their certificates valid for service.
Meanwhile, in terms of the requirement now due to for re-validation of certificates in the categories highlighted, SAMSA says seafarers holding the certificates listed shall re-validate at five (5) yearly intervals with applications for re-validation acceptable from six (6) months before expiry.
Chief Examiner, Mr Azwimmbavhi Mulaudzi
"During the application for re-validation/conversion, candidates must select the appropriate new title of the certificate as set out in the equivalency table in Regulation 115 and summarized in the Annexure issued," says SAMSA's Chief Examiner – Mr Azwimmbavhi Mulaudzi.
"To be issued with the new format certificates, seafarers holding certificates listed in the Annexure of the Schedule posted on the SAMSA website, shall apply using appropriate forms found in all SAMSA offices countrywide, and on the website.
"Information, other than course certificates, submitted as prima facie evidence of the candidate being complied with the requirements for the new certificates must be in accordance with Paragraph 4 of GOP-506 – Revalidation of a Certificate of Competency
"Furthermore, all applications shall be submitted at the nearest SAMSA office, and applications submitted to the Head Office will be assigned to a port office. Candidates applying shall use the latest forms available on the SAMSA website."
Mr Mulaudzi says SAMSA will continue to accept applications and process, for first issue of the certificates, under the repealed Regulations, until 31 December 2018, except for Certificates of Competency which require candidates to complete their written examinations at SAMSA.
He says the last application for the Certificate of Competency which includes the written examination is scheduled for 15 October 2018 to allow such to be processed, while the last written examination at SAMSA shall be on or before 25 November 2018
Candidates being assessed successfully during this period shall be issued with the equivalent new format interim certificate as well as the final certificate.
According to Mr Mulaudzi, applications for re-validation and conversion may be made from next Monday, 21 August 2017.
He says, otherwise all certificates to which the issued Marine Notice applies, other than Short Range Radio Operators Certificates, shall remain valid for service until 31 December 2018
"Certificates for Long Range shall remain valid for a period of five (5) years from the date of issue, i.e. not valid beyond 31 July 2022, except that certificates issued on or before 31 December 2013 shall remain valid until 31 December 2018."
For further info, affected and or interested people may view the MN No.16 on the SAMSA website, or alternatively make inquiries with the Chief Examiner through the following email address: exams@samsa.org.za.
Posted on August 18, 2017 August 18, 2017 by anxusaniPosted in Breaking News, seafarersTagged Applications for new Manila Compliant Certificates, Captain Azwimbavhi Mulaudzi, Certificate of Competency, Certificate of Profiency, Chief Examiner, conversion, Marine Notice (No.24 of 2016), Marine Notice No.16 of 2017, Merchant Shipping (Safe Manning Training and Certification) Regulations 2013, re-validation, SAMSA, seafarers. Leave a comment
South Africa bags one more cargo vessel under its national flag!
Four cargo vessels now in the country's register, with about a dozen more due for registration in the next few months!
Port Elizabeth: 14 July 2016
South Africa's drive to expand growth and economic opportunity in the country's maritime economic sector is steadily gaining pace with one campaign of the broad Operation Phakisa (Ocean Economy) strategy – the local registration of trade cargo shipping vessels under the country's flag, gaining ground.
This became evident in Port Elizabeth this week when on Wednesday afternoon, the fourth so far of an estimated dozen international cargo vessels due for registration, had raised and held aloft at its stern for the first time, South Africa's flag for its identity.
The MT Lefkas, a bunker (ship fuelling) vessel, is owned by Greek shipping fleet group, Aegean; and will be officially stationed at the port of Port Elizabeth, to supply fuel at sea to vessels sailing along Africa's southern oceans.
For Aegean, the registration in South Africa of the R200-million worth bunkering vessel measuring some 102.5 meters, with a gross tonnage of 4580; is a kick-off to a medium to long term investment in the country involving a capital layout of about R1.6-billion, and which will involve two more vessels; according to regional manager Mr Kosta Argyros.
He said the MT Lefkas, with a capacity of some 6.8-million litres of oil, will effectively be the runner between the Aegean's other bigger tanker station offshore along the Eastern Cape coast and passing fleets requiring fuel supplies.
Mr Kosta Argyros, Eastern Cape regional manager of Greek shipping group, Aegean.
According to Mr Argyros, the positioning of the Greek's bunkering services vessels in the Eastern Cape coastal area is based also on projections of significant growth in oceans based cargo which, he said, would see an increase of as many as 300 trade vessels in the region in the near future.
However, for South Africa's broader economy, the addition of the vessel to the country's steadily yet progressively growing stock of locally registered cargo vessels – now numbering four since September 2015 – will expand opportunities for a whole range of ocean economy businesses, but also critically, provide berths for the training of seafarers.
Mr Argyros confirmed: "The registration of the "MT Lefkas" and other vessels that will follow is significant towards the employment of the South African seafarers. Every vessel has extra accommodation that allows for the training and development of cadets.
"The registration of the vessel is not restricted to the bunkering operation only but also introduces many economic benefits for the people of Port Elizabeth such as surveying, offshore services and crew changes" he said.
WELCOME ON BOARD THE MT LEFKAS: Displaying plaques denoting the formal registration of Aegean's bunkering services vessel, the MT Lefkus under the South African flag in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday are (From Left) Aegean shipping group Eastern Cape regional manager Mr Kosta Argyros; SAMSA acting CEO, Mr Sobantu Tilayi; port of Port Elizabeth manager, Mr Rajesh Dana; and port of Port Elizabeth Harbour Master, Captain Brynn Adamson.
According to Mr Argyros, these and a whole range of additional business opportunities could generate as much as R5-million for Port Elizabeth's local economy in a given time period and in the process, create more additional employment opportunities for the local communities, thereby spreading the income benefit.
Mr Rajesh Dana, Port Manager; port of Port Elizabeth
Port of Port Elizabeth Manager, Mr. Rajesh Dana added: "The Port of Port Elizabeth is proud and honoured to be the registered home port for the Aegean vessel, MT LEFKAS. We congratulate Aegean for the registration of the vessel on the South African flag and look forward to the opportunities that this will present to Nelson Mandela Bay and South Africa.
"This historic event is significant to the Port of Port Elizabeth and South Africa at large as it marks the catalytic growth in the South African Ship Registry and once again highlights Nelson Mandela Bay's attractiveness as a Maritime City and its potential to exploit the Blue Oceans Economy," he said.
(For Mr Dana's remarks, Click Below)…..
With the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) charged by Government with responsibility for developing and expanding the country's stock of locally registered vessels carrying the country's flag, the organization's acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sobantu Tilayi was on hand on Wednesday to witness and welcome the hoisting of the South Africa flag on the Greek owned vessel at the port of Port Elizabeth
Mr Sobantu Tilayi, acting Chief Executive Officer, South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) speaking at an event marking the hoisting of South Africa's flag onto the Greek shipping group, Aegean's bunkering services vessel in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.
Mr Sobantu said the positioning of the Aegean vessel in Port Elizabeth was with meeting a number of socio economic objectives among which was to strategically expand the location of fuel resources placement in the country, and which up to now, had been largely (66%) confined to the port of Durban in the KwaZulu-Natal province.
Mr Tilayi, flanked by the Mayor of Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Bay metro), Dr Danny Jordaan and port of Port Elizabeth manager Mr Rajesh Dana, said the development and operationalization of the Ngqurha deep water port also in Port Elizabeth had opened up opportunity for expansion of transshipment of not only South African goods, but that of the whole of southern Africa.
"This helps reposition this whole (Eastern Cape) region to become an important transshipment hub for the entire southern African region.
He added: "Port Elizabeth has a very big potential as a services port for a whole range of maritime economic activities, including cruise (leisure) vessels because of its strategic positioning geographically but also because of the geolocation of the two ports which among other things, enjoy significant protection from weather and ocean currents related conditions," he said.
(For Mr Tilayi:s full remarks, Click Below)
Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Dr Danny Jordaan
Also welcoming the Aegean business operation's location in Port Elizabeth, Dr Jordaan said the development was an indication of the progressive achievement of the objectives of the country's Operation Phakisa (Ocean Economy) initiative launched in 2014, and which he said, placed the Eastern Cape coastal city central to efforts to rejuvenate the country's maritime economic sector.
Dr Jordaan echoed words of encouragement to especially local business to take advantage of emerging opportunities linked to investment such as that of the Greek shipping company now based in the city.
(For Dr Jordaan's video clip, please Click Here)
And for the formal flagging of the Aegean owned bunkering services vessel, the MT Lefkas, Click Here)
Posted on July 15, 2016 July 16, 2016 by anxusaniPosted in Breaking NewsTagged Aegean, bunkering services, Captain Brynn Adamson, Dr Danny Jordaan, Mayor of Port Elizabeth, Mr Kosta Argyros, Mr Rajesh Dana, Mr Sobantu Tilayi, MT Lefkus, Nelson Mandela Bay, Ngqurha deep water port, Operation Phakisa (Ocean Economy), Port Elizabeth, port of Port Elizabeth, SAMSA, seafarers, Ship registration. 1 Comment

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


My son is a fan of the Disney Villains. I think it's because where there are bad guys, there are battle scenes. While retail stores don't have much for villains, the Disney Parks do. We went to Disney World a couple of weeks before his fourth birthday. At Disney World, his favorite bad guy (Gaston) has his own restaurant, meet-and-greet area, and even a fountain in his handsome likeness. Shows and nighttime attractions feature villains of all kinds. Both Wishes and Fantasmic have whole sequences full of villains. Hollywood Studios has a Villain-themed store: Villains in Vogue. And, at Magic Kingdom, you can help Merlin fight these scoundrels by playing Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom–a dream-come-true for our little guy.
So, when it was time for his birthday party, we knew a villain-themed party would be just the thing. Again, there is not much available in stores, and not even a lot of ideas online, so I was pretty much left to my own devices.
When I make birthday cakes, I like to frost the cakes with icing (because I like the flavor better than fondant) and decorate the cakes with fondant shapes (because I'm better at sculpting than piping). Don't be intimidated by using fondant. If you can make shapes with Play Doh, you can do this.
I knew I wanted to have a lot of different villains on his cake, so I ordered a Disney Villains Figurine Playset. It wasn't available from the Disney Store anymore, but I did a search on Amazon and found a new one there. I used that and a few characters that our son already had.
I bought a box of Wilton rolled, white fondant at Walmart for about $6.50. It comes in a box and is found with their cake decorating supplies (not in the baking aisle). I looked at my list of items and determined the colors I would need. Then, I tore a piece off for each color color and colored it with gel food coloring. The Wilton (or any brand) of gel coloring adds less moisture than a liquid. I used a toothpick to apply the gel coloring. (Follow the box directions on how to color fondant.) When I wasn't using the fondant, I had it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. After making all of the items for the villains, I probably had about 3/4 of the box of fondant left. It didn't take much to make these small cake toppers. To help different colors attach to one another, I wet my finger with water and rubbed a bit of moisture on the fondant, when needed.
For Gaston, I made simple arrows, using thin spaghetti for the shaft, gray fondant for the tip, and red fondant for the back. I used a toothpick to make indentations on the red part to resemble a feather. My first idea was to cut a Fruit Roll-Up for the red part and I honestly think that would have been cuter; I just didn't buy the Roll-Ups. Either option would work.
Maleficent's horns were entirely black. It takes a lot of food coloring to get a true black color. As I said, I usually use a toothpick to apply a little bit of gel food coloring, but for deep, dark colors, I dip the tip of a butter knife into the gel and apply it that way. Her horns are three pieces. I had trouble getting them to stay together. So, I halfway inserted a piece of thin spaghetti into the base of the headpiece and pushed a horn onto the remaining part of the spaghetti. I repeated that on the other side to help hold both horns onto the base. Again, I pressed into the fondant with a toothpick to create the lines that go up each horn.
The Wicked Queen's apple was one of the easiest pieces to make. I rolled a ball with red fondant, pressed a dent into the top center, and used a tiny bit of green for a stem.
Captain Hook used gray, white, and red fondant. I shaped a rounded cylinder for the end of his sleeve and made a thin, snake shape to form a rim around it. In the center of the rim, I put a small half-sphere shape of white to help strengthen the ruffly part of his sleeve, and to give me something to put the hook into. I rolled out a thin piece of white and made it look wavy like a ruffle as I attached it inside the red rim. The gray was rolled like a snake and formed into a hook shape. I put a piece of spaghetti into the end of it to attach it to the sleeve. I allowed the hook to dry on waxed paper for a couple of hours before I put stuck the other end of the spaghetti into the sleeve. Letting that thin piece dry helped ensure that it wouldn't droop once I stood it upright.
My son was in a bit of a Pocahontas phase at the time, so Governor Ratcliffe was a must. I sprinkled brown sugar around him to act as the dirt.
Cruella de Vil's dalmation fur was fun and easy to make. I slightly flattened a ball of white fondant. On top of that, I put little black balls of fondant here and there and flattened them slightly too. Then, I rolled it all out, until the white was thin and the black circles were blended in. I even included a Hidden Mickey in the spots!
For the Queen of Hearts' cards, I formed two, white rectangles and red hearts to go on top of them. I used a marker to write the A and 2 in the corners. I just made sure no one ate the parts with marker on it!
For Ursula's necklace, I rolled orange fondant like a snake, except I rolled one end more than the other, so it was more of a long cone. Then, I curled it to resemble the shell necklace that Ursula used to hold Ariel's voice. I used a toothpick to make a few little lines that can be seen on her necklace. I attached long, thin black fondant pieces to be the necklace chain.
A little bit of time spent sculpting these little pieces made for an impressive cake. They really weren't very difficult to do.
Soon, I will be adding Part 2 of this post to explain how I added the two-toned icing border and colored the inside of the cake with villainous colors. Check back soon or follow me on facebook or Pinterest!


text:
Universalium
Hudson's Bay Company
a company chartered in England in 1670 to carry on fur trading with the Indians in North America.
▪ Canadian company
corporation that occupies a prominent place in both the economic and the political history of Canada. It was incorporated in England on May 2, 1670, to seek a northwest passage to the Pacific, to occupy the lands adjacent to Hudson Bay, and to carry on any commerce with those lands that might prove profitable. It still exists as a commercial company and is active in real estate, merchandising, and natural resources, with headquarters in Toronto. It is the oldest incorporated joint-stock merchandising company in the English-speaking world.
The territories originally granted to the Hudson's Bay Company became known as Rupert's Land (after Prince Rupert of the Palatinate, who was a cousin of King Charles II of England and the first governor of the company). The boundaries of Rupert's Land were never clearly defined, but the area was commonly understood to extend from Labrador to the Rocky Mountains and from the headwaters of the Red River to Chesterfield Inlet on Hudson Bay.
The Hudson's Bay Company engaged in the fur trade during its first two centuries of existence. In the 1670s and '80s the company established a number of posts on the shores of James and Hudson bays. Most of these posts were captured by the French and were in French hands between 1686 and 1713, when they were restored to the company by the Treaty of Utrecht. After the British conquest of Canada (1759–60), increasing competition led the company to build fur-trading posts inland, starting with Cumberland House, in 1774.
By 1783 many of the Hudson's Bay Company's competitors had formed the North West Company (q.v.), and for nearly 40 years the two organizations engaged in bitter rivalry. Armed clashes in the early 19th century (see Seven Oaks Massacre) ended only when the British government brought about a union of the two companies in 1821 under the name and charter of the Hudson's Bay Company.
At this time the company was given an exclusive license to trade for 21 years (revived for the same term in 1838) in Rupert's Land, in the Northwest Territories beyond Rupert's Land, and on the Pacific slope. The company took over the fur trade of the Oregon Country (present Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia, and parts of Montana and Wyoming). Increasing American immigration, starting in 1834 and continuing into the next decade, diminished the company's influence in the southern part of the Oregon Country; and in 1846 the Oregon Country was divided between the United States and Great Britain. The Hudson's Bay Company continued to control the British part of the old Oregon Country until 1858.
In 1859 the company's monopoly was not renewed, and increasingly independent traders entered the fur trade. In 1870 the company's remaining territories, which comprised virtually all of present-day Canada except for the Maritime Provinces and part of Ontario and Quebec, were sold to the Canadian government in exchange for £300,000, blocks of territory around its posts, and title to one-twentieth of the lands in the "fertile belt," or habitable portion of western Canada, with mineral rights on all these lands. The company was governed solely from England until 1931, when a Canadian committee was given exclusive authority in Canada but was held responsible to the governor and committee in England.
In the 20th century the Hudson's Bay Company remained one of the largest fur-collecting and marketing agencies in the world but turned increasingly to retail merchandising. In the 1970s it supplemented its chain of long-established trading and fur-collecting stores in northern Canada with large chains of department and discount stores throughout Canada. The company also engaged in petroleum and natural-gas ventures, remained involved in real estate, and branched out into financial services. In 1979 the Hudson's Bay Company was bought by companies owned by the family of the late Roy Herbert Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson. The consequent heavy debt load forced Hudson's Bay into financial straits in the 1980s, and it sold off its northern Canadian stores and its ventures in gas and oil. Despite dropping out of the fur trade in 1991, at the beginning of the 21st century it remained one of the largest business firms of Canada and continued to own many department stores in Canada.
Universalium. 2010.
Hudson's Bay blanket
Hudson seal
Hudson's Bay Company — Hudson's Bay Company Compagnie de la Baie d Hudson Unternehmensform Gründung 2. Mai 1670 Unternehmenssitz … Deutsch Wikipedia
Hudson's Bay Company — Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson Rechtsform Aktiengesellschaft Gründung 2. Mai 1670 Sitz … Deutsch Wikipedia
Hudson's Bay Company — [ hʌdsnz beɪ kʌmpənɪ], Abkürzung HBC, älteste Handelsgesellschaft Nordamerikas, gegründet 1670 als englische Handelskompanie und von Karl II. von England mit Bergbau und Handelsprivilegien (z. B. Monopol des Pelzhandels) sowie dem Rechtstitel… … Universal-Lexikon
Hudson's Bay Company — Hbc redirects here. For other uses, see HBC (disambiguation). Hudson s Bay Company Compagnie de la Baie d Hudson Type Subsidiary Founded May 2, 1670 … Wikipedia
Hudson's Bay Company — A British trading company established by Royal Charter in 1670 to explore and develop northern Canada. Henry Hudson first entered the bay that was later named after him in 1610 in search of the Northwest Passage. This led to a realization of… … Encyclopedia of the Age of Imperialism, 1800–1914
Hudson's Bay Company — Organized by a number of English gentlemen, who sent out a trading expedition to Hudson Bay, in the Nonsuch, in 1668. This initial venture proved so successful that two other ships were sent out in 1670; and the same year King Charles granted… … The makers of Canada
Hudson's Bay Company — Compagnie de la Baie d Hudson Pour les articles homonymes, voir Baie d Hudson (homonymie). Logo de Compagnie de la Baie d Hudson Cr … Wikipédia en Français
Hudson's Bay Company — a company chartered in England in 1670 to carry on fur trading with the Indians in North America. * * * Hudson's Bay Company [Hudsons Bay Company] a British trading company set up in 1670 to buy and sell the products of northern Canada, such as… … Useful english dictionary
Hudson's Bay Company — Hudson s Bay Com|pa|ny a British company, established in 1670, which exchanged goods for furs with the Native Americans and once owned large areas of land in Canada … Dictionary of contemporary English
Hudson's Bay Company — a British trading company set up in 1670 to buy and sell the products of northern Canada, such as furs. The company helped to make it easier for people to settle in Canada by establishing trading posts and transport routes all across the country … Universalium


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"Distinct Kicking Motion" Has Got To Go
By Brad Gardner Apr 20, 2010, 1:00pm CDT
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The following is a half-baked editorial rant. While everyone is trying to figure out why they're enforcing the rules this way, I'm asking why they just don't alter the rule to match what they've been calling since they're obviously pretty stubborn about it...
I wasn't watching live when the NHL waived off the Sedin goal and tin foil hats all over Canada fell to the ground as outraged puck-heads leapt off their mothers couches in outrage with new conspiracy theories. No, my darling little screaming daughter saw to that. But I rushed to the DVR after witnessing the Twitter-wave of unpleasantness to see what all the fuss was about.
I watched a single replay and said "Well duh, that's clearly not a goal."
Which is to say that "Judging by the way I personally have seen this called so many times before, it's not a goal." Which is to say that the NHL has likely damaged my perception irreparably.
We all remember this one:
The rest of the league can't afford to have this happen to them repeatedly, as Brenden Morrow has, to learn how the rule is actually being enforced.
Discussions this morning in hockey-land have centered around changing the way the written rule is enforced. What if instead (because they're pretty attached to the way they enforce it), they change the way the enforced rule is written?...
"Distinct Kicking Motion"
This phrase is quite simply the cause of all the frustration from where I'm sitting. Most fans do not spend hours reading the rule book. They don't know the history (precedents set) with these kinds of calls. They don't know much outside of the fact that their team just put the puck in the net, and now the guy on the television is using the phrase "distinct kicking motion."
IF you were to do a "man on the street" kind of interview series with fans in nearly any building in the league, you would find that "distinct kicking motion" conjures in peoples minds a player that deliberately and intentionally sees the puck and uses his skate to propel it into the goal.
The phrase sounds to the common man like it implies intent. I think this is what people are upset about. It's what I myself have been upset about. "How can you say he kicked it in?? He didn't even see it!!" <-- Is what we've said in the past.
Intent doesn't matter, but the verbiage makes it sound as though it does to some.
Here's the rule as it appears in the 2009-2010 book, which you can download here.
39.4 Situations Subject to Video Review - The following situations are subject to review by the Video Goal Judge:
(i) Puck crossing the goal line.
(ii) Puck in the net prior to the goal frame being dislodged.
(iii) Puck in the net prior to, or after expiration of time at the end of the period.
(iv) Puck directed or batted into the net by a hand or foot or deliberately batted with any part of the attacking player's body. With the use of a foot/skate, was a distinct kicking motion evident? If so, the apparent goal must be disallowed. A DISTINCT KICKING MOTION is one which, with a pendulum motion, the player propels the puck with his skate into the net. If the Video Goal Judge determines that it was put into the net by an attacking player using a distinct kicking motion, it must be ruled NO GOAL. This would also be true even if the puck, after being kicked, deflects off any other player of either team and then into the net. This is still NO GOAL. See also 49.2.
Which refers you to this rule...
49.2 Goals - Kicking the puck shall be permitted in all zones. A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who uses a distinct kicking motion to propel the puck into the net. A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who kicks a puck that deflects into the net off any player, goalkeeper or official.
A puck that deflects into the net off an attacking player's skate who does not use a distinct kicking motion is a legitimate goal. A puck that is directed into the net by an attacking player's skate shall be a legitimate goal as long as no distinct kicking motion is evident. The following should clarify deflections following a kicked puck that enters the goal:
(i) A kicked puck that deflects off the body of any player of either team (including the goalkeeper) shall be ruled no goal.
(ii) A kicked puck that deflects off the stick of any player (excluding the goalkeeper's stick) shall be ruled a good goal.
(iii) A goal will be allowed when an attacking player kicks the puck and the puck deflects off his own stick and then into the net.
A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who kicks any equipment (stick, glove, helmet, etc.) at the puck, including kicking the blade of his own stick, causing the puck to cross the goal line.
And again:
78.5 Disallowed Goals - Apparent goals shall be disallowed by the Referee and the appropriate announcement made by the Public Address Announcer for the following reasons:
(i) When the puck has been directed, batted or thrown into the net by an attacking player other than with a stick.
(ii) When the puck has been kicked using a distinct kicking motion
And those probably aren't the only places it's discussed in the book. Mark Stepneski has told us that the league will also send out memo's periodically, further explaining rules.
Here it is again:
Change the Rule
But enforce it the same way you have been. (For a completely different discussion about enforcing the rule differently and whether or not Sedin meant to redirect that puck, see Puck Daddy)
There is a consistency to their enforcement. We've seen it in Dallas many times. It's how we all knew there was no way they were going to call that a goal last night, and it's how we all know there's no conspiracy against the Vancouver Canucks.
Take all this garbage about a "pendulum motion" and the word "deliberate" and the word "kick" and the phrase" distinct kicking motion" out of the book, and simply say it like you enforce it, Mr. NHL.
Say that the a players skate cannot be the object that propels the puck into the net. Say that it doesn't matter if the player is wearing a blindfold. It doesn't matter if the skate leaves the ice or not. Say it doesn't matter if the player is facing away from the goal (as we've also seen happen around these parts.) A skate cannot be moving toward the goal line and factor into a good goal. Regardless of intent. That's what you're enforcing, but it's not what your rule book says.
I'm sure you can find a way to word it much more eloquently than that.
Look at this one. Brenden Morrow was standing in the crease. Loui Eriksson uses his own stick to swipe at the puck, and in so doing, pushes Morrow's skate sideways into the puck, which then propels it into the net. It was ruled no-goal."Kicking" has nothing to do with this.
See a lengthier replay here.
Loui Eriksson's stick was the driving force that propelled the puck into the net. Brenden Morrow didn't even see it, but his skate was what touched the puck. To this day I don't think what's written in the book accurately reflects the ruling in this case and many others. "It's not a goal because of the things the league has said about the interpretation of the rule," someone said. Ok. But why does it have to be that hard?
The cause of the outrage is perception (well, and losing). The league knows how they want to enforce this rule, but they need to arm John Q. Public, and more importantly, the men with the microphones on television with better verbiage. Verbiage that doesn't conjure "intent" and kicking soccer balls in the minds of those listening.
If they're committed to continue calling these plays as they have been consistently for years, then "Distinct Kicking Motion" has got to go.
Otherwise, two wrongs don't make a right, and we have all been screwed: Stars and Canucks fans alike.
Defending Big D 2.0: Fundraising We hope to be able to find a way to continue this community in the future, but we need some help to do it.
GAME DAY THREAD: Stars vs. Devils (7:30 PM CT) On the doorstep of the All-Star break, the Stars take on a major Eastern Conference power in a playoffs readiness test.
Pete DeBoer Turns Dallas Upside Down All-Star coach turns the Dallas Stars into an All-Star team.
A Letter To Our Community - We Need Your Help Here's what we know and what we want to happen next. And we need you now.
Logan Stankoven in an exclusive interview: "My time in Dallas can't come soon enough" Logan Stankoven is one of the most exciting hockey prospects in the world. So when the opportunity to talk to him came up, I took a page from his play book and immediately was all over this chance. Here's how it turned out.


Cast: Andrea Sawatzki, Mert Dincer, Laurids Schürmann, Robert Kuchenbuch, Hadi Khanjanpour, Elmira Rafizadeh, Michael Benthin, uvm.
ZOROS SOLO (AT) is a H&V Entertainment GmbH production distributed by NFP marketing & distribution GmbH. More information is only available in German.


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Home Fiction OUR SALLY by Ruth Deming
Fiction - Year III - Number 14 - July 2018
OUR SALLY by Ruth Deming
OUR SALLY
by Ruth Deming
Over the years, The Newman Girls followed the fortunes of their next door neighbors in Shaker Heights, the fashionable suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. It was just their good fortune to live next door to the Hunters. Each family had four daughters. Comparisons were inevitable. And inevitably unpleasant.
The Hunter's house had red shutters on the windows, the Newmans had green. The Hunters ate "shaved ham" from the deli and kept their butter in a kitchen cabinet, but not in the fridge. The Newmans were among the first Jews in the neighborhood back then. The Sherwins, on the next street, got eggs thrown at their windows.
The Hunters were debutantes, like in those Katherine Hepburn black and white films, where she'd come down the stairs with a smile and a wink. The names of the Hunter kids were as unforgettable as our backyard swing set with the blue seesaw the kids always tried to tip over.
Christina, Rosemary, Ellen, and little Sally. Four girls to The Newmans four girls. The Newmans were not allowed to have pets of any kind, while the Hunters had Pete, a black French poodle, a yapper, who followed them like a fifth child.
For the nouveau riche of Shaker there was an assortment of private schools. The Hunters attended Hathaway Brown, tucked away in the woods. A yellow mini-school bus would pick them up every morning for their special college-prep education. Pete would be outside yapping goodbye.
Trouble was unknown. When you're young, wealthy, athletic and poised trouble was one of the bad desserts that would greet you later in life.
Somehow the years swept by. Glenmore Road was no longer their home, with its "island" across the street, land that would never be built upon, perfect for baseball, building forts, and reading dirty books like Peyton Place by Grace Metalius. Sharon, Lilly, Annabell and Lynn Newman reluctantly left when Dad found new jobs in the women's apparel field in New York City and Boston.
The Hunters had indeed been "prepped" by their gentiles-only Hathaway Brown.
Christina Hunter became an expert on race relations. Wrote a couple of books on the subject. Married and divorced Kelsey, a black man. Their daughter, Judith, needed years of psychotherapy. Rosemary became a social worker who specialized in working with people with borderline personality disorder.
Annabell bought her own clothing store, "My Darling Daughter," which did quite well. Then she bought the store next door. "Hunter's Chocolateria." When her clothes bulged at the seams, she bought a yoga studio and lost weight.
Little Sally was as talented as the others. Were these in fact the modern-day Bronte sisters? Creative juices oozed from her pores like honey from Winnie the Pooh's honey pot. She was a portrait photographer, trying to get her name out to the public and much too busy to think of marriage or hooking up with a mate. Either sex would be fine.
And then came her stroke.
She lay in bed in her Manhattan flat. The morning light crept through her blinds. Today's the day, she thought, when she'd photograph the last of the twins, for a book on twins she was working on. She hoped Aperture Press, one of the best, would publish it. It was not impossible. Just improbable.
Then it happened. Slowly, like spilt milk dripping on the floor. The left side of her face, with her blue eyes, quivered and froze in place. Her entire left arm lost feeling, as did her left foot.
"A stroke?" she thought. "But I'm too young." She couldn't for now remember how old she was but she wondered how she could get help. A million thoughts came to mind. Bette Davis going blind in Dark Victory. Ray Milland attempting to kill his wife in Dial M for Murder. Of course, she couldn't remember the names of the films, but she clearly saw the famous scenes.
Her survival instinct sprang into action like a revved-up ballerina. Without a further thought, she rolled out of bed – thump! thump! – and kept rolling and crawling into the living room. Her hardwood floors scraped her elbows and knees through her pink silk pajamas. She was so dizzy the room spun about her as if she were on a Ferris wheel.
Her blond Ikea table sat waiting for her. Toast and jam is what she would have, if only she could. She stared up at it from the floor. Her land line hung on the wall, with its curlicue cord leering at her: Catch me if you can. She pulled the cord with her right arm, it flopped down onto the floor and she dialed 9-1-1.
She made a bargain with the universe. Save me and I will change my life.
It seemed to be working. Every morning Luis from the rehab knocked on her door and wheeled her down the elevator in her Hovercraft wheelchair. A water bottle sat in one of the pockets. Her sisters paid for everything and told her not to worry.
The rehab was in a former elementary school. The floor-to-ceiling windows allowed plenty of light. Cindy, her personal trainer, fixed Sally's hair. How good it felt to have her shoulder-length graying hair combed, straight down to the scalp. Sally was one of three people who'd suffered a stroke. Others were individuals with loathesome diseases such as Parkinson's and that dreadful ALS. "Just shoot me dead," thought Sally.
She had no intention of dying.
People flocked to help her, people she hadn't seen in decades.
One of The Newmans came to visit her in her Manhattan pad. Lynn took off from her job as manager of The Merlin Theatre and stayed with Sally a few days. They'd been close as children. Lynn's birthday was July 3, while Sally's was the fourth. Since Lynn was a pack rat, she brought a huge satchel of things for her friend, including a Minolta camera someone left at the theater.
"I tell you, Sal," she said when they sat together in the kitchen. "We could open a store with the things people leave behind at the theater."
Sally visualized a darkened movie theater, with 12 different theaters. Once when she brought her nieces Juliet and Robin to see the Disney film, "Fantastic Mr. Fox," the girls did somersaults across the carpet. How they laughed and didn't mind people staring. She encouraged their playfulness and individuality.
Lynn and Sally lounged at the kitchen table. Using two hands, Sally poured Lynn a cup of cinnamon tea. Her face was immovable. She pinched it. Then gave it a playful slap.
"Will you ever be able to speak?" asked Lynn.
"Noooo," came a sort of whisper.
Lynn, who had shoulder-length black hair, pushed the Minolta in front of Sally. Sally remembered attending summer camp and all the photos she had taken of fellow campers and counselors. They were somewhere in her apartment. She smiled as she remembered the short black-haired counselor Ina. They liked one another and had written postcards for a while. Wasn't it Ina who had organized the skinny dip in the lake?
Sally had never felt so free in her life. As she lowered her skinny body into the water she felt not a whiff of self-consciousness as the cooling waters embraced her like the white gloves they wore as debutantes.
She lifted up the camera with both hands and looked tentatively at Lynn. Gingerly, she stood up. She was quite good at this now. Rehab had taught her much. Everything, however, must be done slowly. As slowly as a little mouse sneaking into her flat and helping itself to the Cheerios she'd spilt on the floor or dribbles of popcorn. Did Cinderella's mice eat everything, like hers did?
After she picked up the camera, a sound came from Sally's mouth. Laughter. Real, genuine laughter. Lynn stared at her.
"Shit," said Lynn. "You can't tell me you're never gonna recover. You know what my daddy used to say?"
Sally looked over at her, remembering Lynn's father who would occasionally change into his Marine Corps uniform, and brag to the assembled neighbors, "I'm tough as nails.
"And so are you, Sally Hunter."
Sally got up from the table and haltingly walked into her bedroom. In one of the bottom drawers was a manila envelope. Inside was a swatch of Grandma Hunter's hair. With difficulty, she sat on the floor, opened up the envelope, and spread the hair out on the floor. She could feel its softness with her right hand, and now, with part of her left hand. With the Minolta, she photographed it.
Her craving to photograph became unstoppable. If the Stones had sung "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" she made it her motto to find satisfaction by photographing everything, with the help of Luis: pies and cakes on the counter at the Broadway Deli, where breakfast went for a good fifteen dollars. Wealthy people walking their dogs. Coffee carts parked on the street with foreign-born men and women dispensing hot dogs, hot salted peanuts, and sweet-smelling French fries. And, of course, children sitting on the lions at the New York Public Library.
Sally's sister Rosemary helped her find an agent. The photographs traveled around Manhattan, appearing in top galleries. "Healing through Photography" was a sensation. How many people in Manhattan were broken down, depressed, suffering from supposedly incurable conditions. Everyone wanted a piece of Sally Hunter and her positive outlook on life.
Lynn decided to visit her friend again. She got her friend Neil, the assistant manager, to take charge of the Merlin Theater, and she took the Greyhound to Manhattan.
Sally heard her friend walk down the linoleum hallway and waited for her at the door.
"Lynn?" she asked as she unlocked the chain.
It was not Lynn. It was a man in a black ski cap, who pushed Sally aside and rushed through her apartment. He lifted up the cushions in the living room, rifled through her underwear drawer, and when he saw her camera, he put it in his pocket.
Sally went after him with a broomstick, poking him wherever she could reach. Her strength was abysmal. He had a few unkind words for her, as he kicked her and punched her in the mouth.
"Celebrated photographer killed by intruder," read the obituary notice. "Memorial service will be held at the O'Toole Art Gallery, 530 West 25 th Street. Naturally the Newman Girls made the trip. Their sister, Annabell, met them at the art gallery in her late-model Mercedes SUV.
When Lynn signed the Legacy guestbook, a cryptic message had been left. "Sorry," said anonymous. "Was desperate to buy my cocaine. Am now enrolled in a 12-Step Program."
Ruth Z. Deming, a psychotherapist, lives in Willow Grove, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia in the good ole USA. A mental health advocate, she writes Guest Columns for local papers to help lessen stigma for mental illness. Her poetry and prose have been published in Blood and Thunder, Pure Slush, Page and Spine, Bookends Review and other literary venues. She writes a poem a day on Facebook.
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