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Gertrud "Gerti" Drassl (* 13. April 1978 in Eppan bei Bozen, Südtirol, Italien) ist eine italienische Schauspielerin. Sie arbeitet hauptsächlich in Österreich und Deutschland für Theater, Film und Fernsehen.

Leben

Ausbildung und Theater
Bereits während ihrer Schulzeit nahm Drassl Unterricht in klassischem Ballett. Nach ihrer Matura studierte sie zunächst Kunstgeschichte in Wien, bis sie 1998 am dortigen Max-Reinhardt-Seminar aufgenommen wurde. Hier beendete sie 2002 ihre Schauspielausbildung. Seit 2002 gehört sie zum Ensemble des Theaters in der Josefstadt in Wien.

Im September 2016 spielte sie in der Uraufführung von Ödön von Horváths Tragödie Niemand im Theater an der Josefstadt die zentrale Rolle der Ursula. Es inszenierte Herbert Föttinger, den Fürchtegott Lehmann spielte Florian Teichtmeister.

Film und Fernsehen
Seit 2001 tritt Drassl neben ihrer Bühnentätigkeit regelmäßig in Film- und Fernsehproduktionen auf. Ihr Filmdebüt gab sie in Michael Hanekes Die Klavierspielerin. Für ihre Rolle der Vally in Michael Kreihsls Mein Vater, meine Frau und meine Geliebte wurde sie 2005 mit dem Undine Award in der Kategorie Beste jugendliche Schauspielerin in einem Fernsehfilm ausgezeichnet. 2013 bekam sie für ihre Nebenrollen in Das Wunder von Kärnten und Spuren des Bösen den Deutschen Schauspielerpreis in der Kategorie "Beste Schauspielerin Nebenrolle".

Von 2015 bis 2018 übernahm Drassl als Hausfrau Maria Schneider eine der Serienhauptrollen in der österreichischen Fernsehserie Vorstadtweiber. Für ihre dortige schauspielerische Leistung erhielt sie 2017 den Deutschen Schauspielpreis als "beste Schauspielerin in einer komödiantischen Rolle".

In der Literaturverfilmung Das Tagebuch der Anne Frank, die im Frühjahr 2015 gedreht wurde und am 3. März 2016 in die Kinos kam, spielte sie Miep Gies, die zu den Helfern der im Hinterhaus untergetauchten Juden gehörte und nach deren Verhaftung das Tagebuch rettete.

Filmografie

Kino

Fernsehfilme

Fernsehserien und -reihen

Theatrografie (Auswahl)
 2001: Marie in Heimliches Geld, heimliche Liebe von Johann Nestroy, Theater in der Josefstadt Wien
 2002: Hedwig in Die Wildente von Henrik Ibsen, Theater in der Josefstadt
 2002: Marianne in Geschichten aus dem Wiener Wald von Ödön von Horváth, Sommerspiele Perchtoldsdorf
 2003: Olivia in Was ihr wollt von William Shakespeare, Sommerspiele Perchtoldsdorf
 2004: Nina in Mein Bulgarien von Nina C. Gabriel. Produktion des Theatervereins Balkanrose im Kabelwerk, Wien
 2005: Julie in Liliom von Ferenc Molnár, Schloss-Spiele Kobersdorf
 2005: Laura in Die Glasmenagerie von Tennessee Williams, Theater in der Josefstadt
 2005: Mascha in Drei Schwestern von Anton Tschechow, Landestheater Niederösterreich St. Pölten
 2006: Barblin in Andorra von Max Frisch, Theater in der Josefstadt
 2006: Katharina in Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung von William Shakespeare, Bad Hersfelder Festspiele
 2008: Elisabeth in Glaube Liebe Hoffnung von Ödön von Horváth, Theater Dortmund
 2010: Engel in Die Liebe in Madagaskar von Peter Turrini, stadtTheater walfischgasse
 2013: Franziska Jägerstätter in Jägerstätter von Felix Mitterer, Theater in der Josefstadt/Theatersommer Haag
 2014: Louisa in Hotel California von Nina C. Gabriel, Ateliertheater, Uraufführung
 2018: Maria in Was ihr wollt von William Shakespeare, Theatersommer Haag

Hörspiele und Feature (Auswahl)
 2007: Eberhard Petschinka/Herbert Lauermann: Bis die Hunde uns finden (Reiseberichte von illegalen Grenzüberschreitungen) – Regie: Eberhard Petschinka/Herbert Lauermann (Feature – Autorenproduktion für DKultur)
 2009: Iris Nindl/Elisabeth Putz: Inferno Livestream – Regie: Elisabeth Putz (DKultur/ORF)
 2015: David Zane Mairowitz: Hornissengedächtnis – Regie: David Zane Mairowitz (Hörspiel – SRF/ORF)
 2016: Franz Kafka, Das Schloss. Hörspiel in 12 Teilen. Rolle: Frieda, Regie: Klaus Buhlert (BR Hörspiel und Medienkunst)
 2019: Ruth Johanna Benrath: GEH DICHT DICHTIG! Ein Hörspieldialog mit Elfriede Gerstl – Regie: Christine Nagel – (ORF/BR)
 2019: Karl Schönherr: Der Weibsteufel – Regie: Ursula Scheidle – (ORF/SWR)
 2021: Teresa Dopler: Unsere blauen Augen (Obstbaum 1) – Regie: Stefan Kanis (MDR)
 2021: Felix Mitterer: Wurlitzergassen 22 zwozl-zwozl -  Regie: Martin Sailer (ORF)

Auszeichnungen
 2003: Nestroy-Theaterpreis in der Kategorie Beste Nachwuchsschauspielerin für Die Wildente
 2005: Undine Award in der Kategorie Beste jugendliche Schauspielerin in einem Fernsehfilm für Mein Vater, meine Frau und meine Geliebte
 2006: Romy in der Kategorie Beliebtester weiblicher Shootingstar
 2011: ORF Hörspielpreis in der Kategorie Schauspieler/-in des Jahres
 2012: Sonderpreis Oberbürgermeisters des Günter-Rohrbach-Filmpreises für ihre Rolle in Das Wunder von Kärnten zusammen mit Gerhard Liebmann
 2013: Deutscher Schauspielerpreis (Beste Schauspielerin Nebenrolle für Das Wunder von Kärnten und Spuren des Bösen)
 2016: Österreichischer Filmpreis in der Kategorie Beste weibliche Nebenrolle für Ma Folie
 2017: Deutscher Schauspielpreis als beste Schauspielerin in einer komödiantischen Rolle für Vorstadtweiber
 2018: Wiener Schauspielerring

Weblinks

 Gerti Drassl bei der Agentur Felix Bloch Erben
 Theater in der Josefstadt, Wien

Einzelnachweise

Filmschauspieler
Theaterschauspieler
Hörspielsprecher
Nestroypreisträger
Romy-Preisträger
Träger des Österreichischen Filmpreises
Person (Südtirol)
Italiener
Geboren 1978
Frau


Yes, I am starting this post again. This is the 3rd version. I lost the other posts and pages when I moved this blog from my initial hosting company. So started to many projects and had a ton of disappointment. I always try to see the brighter side and to learn the lesson from every experience. So now that I have had a spark. I will end each post with a positive.
Back to this portion of the journey. Decided 3 years ago this was what I wanted to do…needless to stay…I've made less then $1000.00 and spent a lot more then I made.
During this journey I have self taught myself wordpress, seo on-page, off-page, understand social media, youtube, affiliate marketing and offline marketing…the list goes on and on.
So in the spirit of keeping this short. I decide I need a mentor…I don't believe in insanity; that is where you keep doing the same thing over and over and expect a different result.
I was on a path to run into the same products and method for a 2nd time. I decide it was time to find someone who could mentor me.
I made the decision to do what exactly he says, versus only doing somethings and 'knowing' better. I have mind dumped all the different projects I had going and will be focused on this primarily.
So here I am on the beginning of another part of my journey, being mentored.
I sure can relate to spending more than I have made!!
I never kept that great of a record but over the last 12-14 months I would guess it to be somewhere around, Spent $2,000 – $3,000 and earned a good solid $20!!!
Not the most lucrative career SO FAR.
You only fail when you give up right?
Well I'm still working and pushing to get this right and can't see myself giving up until such time as I have succeeded.
Sean you are absolutely right!
Lately I learned that addition to learning and determination that three other ingredients are needed. Planning, focus and action!
Stay with it! You will make it!
I'm visiting your blog after you were kind enough to visit mine and post a comment.
This post caught my eye and, in particular, Sean's comment about only failing when you give up. I totally agree – in which case none of us will be failures, right?
As log as we all know that each action taken is a step towards the objective it keeps us going, even if we can't actually see a finishing line (because there isn't one).
I have actually kept a spreadsheet of all my spending and all my income – I'm currently down close to $3k !! I see it as an investment in me (although with hindsight that investment would be lower and I would have signed up to a coaching/mentoring program sooner).
Absolutely agree. There are no mistakes if you learn from every experience. I actually get distracted with wanting everything to be perfect and planned out. There is a reason why they they say those who are successful take ACTION!
I am glad you stopped by. I really appreciate it!
You have put together an impressive looking blog. I love the colours and header and footer. I wish you all the best in you IM success and I will keep an eye out for your new posts.
I love putting together sites so I really appreciate the comment.


Teen Mom 2 star Jenelle Eason was in yet another altercation involving Brunswick County Police last week, but this time — thanks in part to the influence of her husband David Eason I'm sure — is the first time that Jenelle has ever reportedly pulled a gun on someone!
The man says Jenelle "hit two vehicle in the yard," "ran over his mailbox" and and pulled a gun on him. He also claims that there were two children in the vehicle. The man told police he wanted Jenelle stopped and charged.
Following someone to their house and pulling a gun on him seems like a VERY serious allegation, especially given Jenelle's history of angry altercations. However, I checked online and could find no record of Jenelle being arrested.
It seems odd that there would have been a "full crew" there and it was not mentioned by the other driver when he talked with police. Of course, the crew probably would have been traveling in a separate vehicle following (but not tailgating!) Jenelle and they might have parked across the street or something? Can you imagine if you were a camera person or producer and you saw Jenelle chase another driver to his home and then pull out a gun?!
The Ashley's source says the footage has been sent up the ladder past show execs all the way up to MTV network execs to review it and decide what to do. "They're extremely upset by what they're seeing," the source reveals.
Kail Lowry gives 8-week-old son 'Baby Lo' a name!


Situated close to the borders of Sussex, Kent and Surrey, this hotel offers an historical atmosphere steeped with old world charm and hospitality and can accommodate up to 50 guests over 19 rooms.
Rooms from £65 to £140 including breakfast.
Internationally recognised luxury Hotel with stunning views of the racecourse and the golf course. Spa facilities.
Rooms from £80, room only. Please see website for more information.
This beautiful Elizabethan stone mansion, built in 1598, was one of the first country house hotels and is a proud member of Relais et Chateaux, an association in France that promotes hotels of excellence. All 17 rooms are decorated in traditional English style and are ensuite.
Situated at the rear of the Chequers Inn, all 21 rooms have ensuite facilities. The Smugglers Bar, which is in the original part of the building, dates back to 1452, its oak beams and inglenook fireplace lending an old world atmosphere. Family entertainment is provided at Pooh Corner, which is just a 10-minute drive from the inn. The Bluebell Railway is just under a 20-minute drive and features the largest collection of steam locomotives in the UK. Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club is 1 miles away; both Weir Wood reservoir and sailing club are 1 and half miles from the property.
Single rooms from £155 Double rooms from £185 Suites from £380 See website for latest prices.
This hotel, built around a 17th Century house, is situated 2 miles south of Forest Row in the middle of Ashdown Forest. The hotel has 27 bedrooms with ensuite facilities and flat screen televisions, conference and banqueting suites which are available to hire.
Twin Room from £50.00 per night. Double Room from £50.00 per night. Superior Room from £70.00 per night.


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Bright Idea: Biodegradable coffee pods - Macleans.ca
Bright Idea: Biodegradable coffee pods
Compostable coffee? How degrading!
by Sharon Oosthoek
Compostable coffee pods
Great minds do not think alike, and that's why universities and colleges are the mother of inventions. Click here for the rest of our Bright Ideas series. Click here for the rest of our Campus Food series.
Amar Mohanty: University of Guelph
Every year, billions of single-serve, non-compostable coffee pods end up in landfills. So when Toronto-based coffee roaster Club Coffee, the largest distributor of packaged coffee sold in Canadian grocery stores, approached Amar Mohanty about reducing that impact, the University of Guelph biomaterials expert got straight to work.
"The popularity of the pods is skyrocketing and the environmental impact is huge," says Mohanty. He is referring not only to landfill issues, but to the greenhouse gas emissions involved in sourcing the petroleum-based polypropylene plastic used in pods.
Mohanty, who helped design biopolymer pods made almost entirely from plant materials and coffee "chaff" (reclaimed coffee bean skins), will soon see his handiwork on grocery store shelves. Loblaw Companies Ltd. announced in September that it is launching a line of compostable President's Choice pods, compatible with most Keurig brewing systems.
READ: University of Guelph | Guelph, Ont. | Founded 1964
His contribution was a redesign of the ring that holds the pod together. The challenge was to create a cost-effective ring rigid enough to keep from falling apart during the brewing process. He also needed to meet the industry standard for a compostable product: 90 per cent of the material must biodegrade within six months under compostable conditions—the kind found in most municipal facilities.
Just over 20 per cent of the ring, called the PurPod 100, is made from coffee bean skins, while the rest, nearly 80 per cent, is biodegradable plastic. The coffee chaff helps speed up the rate at which the plastic degrades. It also diverts a waste product—the skins—from coffee production.
"Currently, coffee companies have to pay to dispose of it," says Mohanty. "So we have a huge supply of free food-grade material."
Mohanty is a committed tea drinker, but says he is already using the pods in his office and meeting rooms.
Program Rankings
Campus Food
University Rankings 2017

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Recent-updates
It's Always Sunny's Kaitlin Olson Set for Fox Comedy Pilot from 'Sunny' Team
Credit: FX
Even though The Mick shuffled off of the network's programming coil, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia star Kaitlin Olson isn't wasting any time diving back into the Fox fold. With Sunny returning to FXX for a 13th season on September 5, Olson will also serve as the co-lead opposite Leah Remini in Fox's half-hour comedy pilot from her Sunny co-star/co-creator Rob McElhenney, Rob Rosell (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Mick) and 20th Century Fox TV. Joining Olson as executive producers on the pilot are her Sunny co-stars/executive producers McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton; alongside Rosell and 3 Arts' Nick Frenkel.
Written by McElhenney and Rosell, the untitled comedy centers on Jean (Remini): a "patriot" who loves her country and firmly believes in everyone's right to be left alone. Jean in many ways fits the stereotype of a typical conservative. However, she leads a very progressive lifestyle as she is now married to a woman, Birdie (Olson). Together they're raising Jean's two boys with the help of the boys' father and Jean's ex-husband, Richie, who currently lives in the garage.
Here's a look at FXX's official synopsis for the upcoming season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia — and if you believe what you're reading, Howerton's Dennis Reynolds is going to be spending some serious "Daddy Dennis time" in North Dakota. Unless Dennis plans on lodging some serious "frequent flyer" miles back and forth to the bar, Howerton may be MIA for a decent chunk of the season:
Video can't be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia | Season 13: Board Teaser | FXX (https://youtu.be/rR3rp7_IIS0)
Video can't be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia | Season 13: Murder Mask Teaser | FXX (https://youtu.be/ijOuV83tE94)
Video can't be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia | Season 13: Shower Teaser | FXX (https://youtu.be/tNhJVvXXzD0)
"The Gang Returns… mostly…. in the 13th season of the FXX original comedy series It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Mac (Rob McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and Frank (Danny DeVito) return to their duplicitous, scheming ways at Paddy's Pub, while Dennis (Glenn Howerton) takes on the new role of father in North Dakota.
Even without Dennis Reynolds, the Gang has its hands full as Charlie hopes to have a child with The Waitress, Mac sets out to understand his newfound sexuality, Dee takes feminism to new heights, and Frank goes to great lengths for the Gang to experience the greatest moment in Philadelphia sports history – an Eagles Super Bowl victory."
Posted in: BC Network, Fox, Recent Updates, Trailer, TV | Tagged: bleeding cool, cable, Charlie Day, comedy, danny devito, fox, fx, FXX, Glenn Howerton, it's always sunny, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Kaitlin Olson, Leah Remini, rob mcelhenney, Rob Rosell, season 13, sitcom, streaming, television, The Mick, tv


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Worlds and ideas from my mind
When My Worlds Collide
Tavern by Deston J. Munden – Book Review
July 12, 2020 July 12, 2020 by Ernest Russell
Tavern (Dargath Chronicles Book 1)
By Deston Munden
Reviewed by Ernest Russell
I always enjoy a good fantasy and an author who can twist tropes just enough to make the story interesting. The main character in Tavern, Xelnath of the Gnarled Root Clan, or Xel, is such a relatable character, full of flaws and self-doubt. A stout heart, loyal to his friends, and genuinely wants to protect his adopted home. All of this and he is not above using its secrets to make a living. He faces adversity despite his anxieties and depression while maintaining a positive feel to the story. You will quickly find yourself cheering and rooting for Xel rather than pitying him. In the first chapter, you learn what I mean by how well Deston Munden twists tropes in Tavern.
Xel isn't the only well developed, every character is fleshed out, and you get to know them. The villain is one of my favorite types, they are the hero of their own story. You can see their point and still ask what made you think this was a good idea?
Tavern is the first of a planned series set in the world of Dargath. The world-building in this first book is impressive. Primarily set in the city of Lladad, a major seaport, you hear and see many of the different inhabitants of Dargath and their cultures. The city is alive in this story as you wander markets, slums, and royal abodes. Fear not, in Tavern, Deston Munden has resisted the urge to be overly detailed. There is enough description to set your imagination flowing while the characters and their dialogue drive the plot.
Role players who cut their gaming teeth on Chainmaile and Dungeons & Dragons while quoting Tolkien will find many characters they have known or played. If this series gains a following, campaign settings for D&D, Pathfinder, or any other fantasy RPG setting would be fun. I know I would play in them. Dargath is already a world where I would vacation and explore. That Tavern by Deston Munden reads like a game probably shouldn't be a surprise considering his degree in Game Art and Design. Here is a description of the entire party assembled before a battle with the villain.
"Two forest orcs on the wrong side of the world, a tribeswoman assassin, a former dragon pirate turned mercenary, a lady from the Glade's court, and a brilliant engineer in the shape of a dog. They were as rag-tag as they could get."
These are my kind of people for an adventure.
The plot is well-paced, without being too fast or bogging itself down. This is a book in which the story is a joy to read. Tavern was edited by Dominion Editorial. I commend Deston Munden for seeking editors, so many independents do not, and sound editing makes a difference. The content editing and continuity are quite good in Tavern. The copy editing came up short. Dominion offers various packages for their service, and I don't know if a copy edit was included. Any book can miss a couple of things, often minor enough your mind fills in or corrects for it. These don't tend to pull you out of the story. There are enough words missed, or incorrectly inserted, I was drawn out of the story multiple times. Fortunately, the story is strong enough and compelling enough to pull you back into it.
Tavern by Deston J. Munden is a book I recommend. The story is good. The characters are well rounded and developed, the subplots are well executed, and with all the elements combined, this is a book I can see becoming a favorite.
Tagged Adventure, Book review, fantasy, Magic, novel, SwashbucklingLeave a comment
CyPhaCon!! My Panel schedule…but wait! There is more….
April 5, 2019 by Ernest Russell
One week from today CyPhaCon Returns to Lake Charles!
Really excited as I prepare for CyPhaCon next weekend. Have my panel schedule and these are all going to be fun.
7 pm – Writing Science Fiction with Real Science
8 pm – Genres: Do They Still Matter?
3 p.m. – Creating Memorable Characters
8 pm – Vampires, Zombies, Elder Gods, and things that go bump in the night
In a first for CyPhaCon and Pro Se Productions, Pro Se will have a table at CyPhaCon.
Come see us and discover new worlds within our pages!
For complete information on CyPhaCon please visit our website!
Visit the official CyPhaCon Events Page for more details of the great panels, guests and activities.
CyPhaCon returns April 12th-14th, 2019 to the Lake Charles Civic Center in Lake Charles Louisiana.
Pre Reg Tickets still on sale at Paper Heroes until Monday, April 8th. Tickets also available on Ticket Master and Civic Center Box Office up to and during the entire weekend of CyPhaCon.
Ernest Russell
Tagged conventions, CyPhaCon, dark fantasy, events, fantasy, New Pulp, pulp, science fiction, VendorLeave a comment
Nominated for Best Pulp Anthology
March 6, 2019 March 6, 2019 by Ernest Russell
I am delighted to have been an editor for this really fun anthology now nominated for Best Pulp Anthology at this years WINDY CITY PULP & PAPER CONVENTION.
Tales of the Interstellar Bartenders Guild is available on Amazon and Pro Se Productions.
To find out what else from Pro Se Productions has been nominated for awards check out our Facebook page.
Tagged Adventure, fantasy, New Pulp, pulp, Pulp Fiction, science fictionLeave a comment
Serendipity Strikes!
February 13, 2019 February 12, 2019 by Ernest Russell
Took a break from book review which I am writing for a new magazine and came across an article in the New York Times, Every Building on Every Block: A Time Capsule of 1930's New York.
It has some great street scenes from the 1930's, since an upcoming digest novel coming out later this year and I have two works in progress, its sequel and another new novel, always enjoy looking at the old photos.
One in particular caught my eye and is going to find its way into a work in progress, Tales from The Sleeping Hare, is the Gnome Bakery. It should fit quite nicely into the Pulp Noir Fantasy world.
A quote from the Times article.
"In 1930, a small building on East 59th Street by the Queensboro Bridge was remodeled for the Gnome Bakery. By the time the tax photograph was taken, a retail bake shop in front had been turned into a loading dock for Gnome's trucks.
Today, Gnome is gone, and the building is dwarfed by postwar apartment houses. Gnome was swallowed up by a larger baking company. After housing a picture-frame maker, an exterminator and a kitchen-supply store, the building became a chiropractor's office with a rental apartment upstairs that was listed for $14,000 a month in 2015."
Thanks for reading and sharing a momentary excitement about my writing.
(image from Pixabay)
Tagged #detective #pulp #mystery #adventure, crime noir, fantasy, New Pulp, Pulp FictionLeave a comment
'SWORDS AGAINST THE SNAKES'
December 17, 2018 by Ernest Russell
STAND UP TO THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES MADE REAL! GLYNN OWEN BARRASS' 'SWORDS AGAINST THE SNAKES' DEBUTS
Love, murder, insanity, betrayal, and terror lay in wait for readers of SWORDS AGAINST THE SNAKES by Glynn Owen Barrass, now available from Pro Se Productions in print and digital formats.
For most The King in Yellow is a largely forgotten tome written by a rarely discussed author. Except people on both sides of an eternal battle for good and evil have not forgotten the book and the author is discussed often, especially in the shadows cast by death and depravity. A book that carries risks with it for any who read it…insanity…death…or worse.
The risk to the agents of the secret government department The Yellow Cross is all too real. It is a danger that deranges minds, destroys lives, warps reality. One such mind belongs to Rebecca Thale, a woman who read The King in Yellow and was never the same again. Her path of murder and destruction attracted the attention of The Yellow Cross, agents Ashton and Phillips in particular. Two of the department's top investigators, they undertake a journey of horror and self discovery that takes them across England and dimensions both deadly and unknown, as they unravel the mysteries of the terrifying entity known as The King in Yellow.
With a terrific cover by Marzia Marina and Antonino Lo Iacono and print formatting and logo design by Percival Constantine, SWORDS AGAINST THE SNAKES is available now at Amazon and Pro Se's own store for 9.99.
This horror thriller is also available as an Ebook, designed and formatted by Constantine for only $2.99 for the Kindle. The book is also available on Kindle Unlimited, which means Kindle Unlimited Members can read for free.
For more information on this title, interviews with the author, or digital copies to review this book, contact Pro Se Productions' Director of Corporate Operations, Kristi King-Morgan at directorofcorporateoperations@prose-press.com.
To learn more about Pro Se Productions, go to www.prose-press.com. Like Pro Se on Facebook .
Tagged Adventure, fantasy, novel, Sword and SorceryLeave a comment
Nightingale by Ellie Raine – A New Book Review
January 25, 2018 January 25, 2018 by Ernest Russell
Nightingale – Ellie Raine
Pro Se Productions
One of my favorite parts of any workday is my lunch time. It's not the food, it's a solid block of time I can count on for one my favorite past times. Reading. This past week lunch has been really pleasurable as I devoured the most recent offering from Ellie Raine, Nightingale.
I had the pleasure of meeting Ellie Raine at Memphis Comic and Fantasy Convention in November 2017. Her energy and smile were infectious. I picked up her first book, Willow of Ashes, and I immediately became an Ellie Raine fan.
Ellie Raine is a very talented author, bringing a distinct vision and fresh voice to her stories. I am glad to have an autographed copy of her first book. I will be getting her autograph for this one as well. She is an author in whom I believe will be a constant delight as she matures in her art.
When the chance came up to read and review Ellie Raine's current offering from Pro Se Productions – Nightingale, I leaped at the chance. All I knew about it was from the promo tease, "A New Take on the Private Eye tale…and Death as well." I already knew Ellie has a talent for writing fantasy that absorbs you into the story. Could she do it with a Detective Story?
Ellie's main character Alastor Deus, P.I. seems to be the archetype of a man seeking vengeance for the murder of his father. Nightingale properly opens straight into the action. While "discussing" a lead to his father's murderer, the interrogation is rudely interrupted by the murder of the informant. This is the last "normal" scene. From here on out, we are on the rollercoaster with Alastor as he finds his true family…even meeting Death. Just when you think you have a handle on the plot twists, Ellie finds a monkey wrench. But she doesn't hit you over the head with it. Most of the plot twists came with a subtle lagniappe, a little extra. As a veteran reader of detective stories, it was quite refreshing. Imagine, reading a story that is almost predictable, but not completely.
The world of Nightingale is a very different, yet familiar reflection of our own. The twists in mythologies are highly creative and well imagined. The marriage of Private Eye story and the mythologies invoked is just shy of brilliant. Her prose is clever and evocative in the best tradition of Pulp detectives. The characters begin a little flat but each page reveals more of their past, adding shades of depth and grey motivations. There is not quite enough growth for them to become fully 3D but enough I wanted to see more of them. What else is waiting to be told? Between the pace of the story with new questions and revelations constantly expanding the backgrounds of the characters, Nightingale was very difficult to put it down.
As a pulp story, this tale really sings.
DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not obligated to give a positive review, and all thoughts are my own.
Tagged Book review, Detective Stories, fantasy, New Pulp, novel, Occult Detective, pulp, reading, Review1 Comment
The Blood in Snowflake Garden
November 10, 2017 by Ernest Russell
Author: D. Alan Lewis
Narrated by: Clark Clayson
Christmas can be murder, a murder most foul. Murder and a note from S. Claus, pleading for help, was the only thing which could draw retired Inspector Max Sneed back to active duty. A duty to investigate the murder of the North Poles Premier. Robert Watson, sent by a London paper to write about the jolliest place on Earth, is put instead straight to work by Max. In a twinkling he finds a merry chase through Civil Rights, Labor Disputes and Cold War politics. Robert's sugar-plum laced pipe dreams of the cheeriest city on Earth are quickly shredded. The more Max and Robert slog through the sleazy, underbelly of the North Pole, the thinner the ice upon which they stand. This murder investigation is rife with a delicious trail of red-herrings, each with the lustre of new fallen snow. Do you want to know the secret history of Santa? How the city at the North Pole was founded? What is it about cupcakes? Once you know the answer, you may never see pastries the same way again.
The answer to these questions, and many more, will impact the world. The Cold War is heating up at the pole. Whoever is in charge at the North Pole could change the course of history. What is the connection between electronic toys and the military base proposed outside the warm zone?
The Blood in Snowflake Garden is one D. Alan Lewis's earlier books. As such, while this tale does have a few rough edges compared to his later books, the visions within will dance in your heads. His talent for blending real world historical events combined with a different take on a well-known mythology will satisfy your sweet tooth for knowledge. Though you be in 'kerchief or cap, and settled down in your bed, the last thing you will be taking is a long winter nap. Thoughts of all else, except what lies upon the next page, fly away like the down on a thistle.
The narrator, Clark Clayson, has just that right tone to bring the necessary grittiness upon the breast of the new-fallen snow sprinkled throughout the story. Switching easily between the world weary detective and the wide eyed reporter, err..journalist, to The Jolly Old Nick himself, Clark's narration helps to create an alternate history you can believe as the tale is unraveled. His enunciations are clear and there is no background noise. His voice is the little old driver of the tale by which soon you will know, there is nothing to dread.
Tagged Audiobook review, Book review, Entertainment, fantasy, Murder Mystery, mystery, novelLeave a comment
The Billy Goats Gruff – A Crime Noir Fairy Tale – Part 1
October 5, 2017 by Ernest Russell
Orland squinted as he tilted the bottle. Disappointed with how little remained, he downed it in a swallow; then held it upside down. Where were the answers that were supposed to hide at the bottom?
He knew why there were no answers. He already had them.
It was late and the office echoed. Still, he looked over his shoulder. Billy needed the new medastinum surgery to fix his lungs. Orland had lost his wife. He was not going to lose his son.
Before his last swallow of liquid nerve waned, he made a few quick pen strokes. There! It was finished. Tomorrow, as part of routine processing, a clerk would set up an ongoing transfer of funds to his secret account. He was an honest sort, but the company had refused to help. His salary was just not enough. The evidence was well-hidden and another clerk processing it was the final shield. Even the best auditors would be hard-pressed to track this back to him.
Across town, splinters and dust flew as a stool attacked the wall. The wall won.
Detective Mikk Raud, enforcement services, had felt lucky his station was near home. He often stopped in for lunch. How could she? He never saw it coming. Knew she and the stoat had been friends. But he had been too trusting; it was a total shock coming home for lunch, maybe a little hanky-panky with the wife. Then he found all of her and their daughter's things gone.
Numb from shock, he had gone on a toot. A few bottles of Ol' Swamp Piss later and he'd woken to the landlord banging on the door. Stumbling over pieces of broken furniture, rubbing his sloped forehead, he'd answered the door. His landlord took a step back. "There've been complaints about the noise last night. I'm a nice guy, rented to you even though you're trolls. Hope I don't have cause to regret it."
Mikk promised it would not happen again and shut the door. Then he'd crawled back into a bottle until, still on edge and hung over, he reported for his shift. He had thought routine might help. First call was a stupid teen goat. Had the kid just come peacefully he would have gotten a slap on the wrist. But no, he'd attacked and Mikk reacted. His natural trollish strength amplified by red rage, he let fly with all the pent anger at his wife. The kid was flung into a wall. With the crack of a homerun, his neck snapped, killing him.
Now, family gone, career ruined, Mikk perched on the skeleton of a chair, surveying the damage to his home.
Head falling into his hands, he wept.
Tagged author, crime noir, excerpt, fantasy, pulp1 Comment
Opus Marduk – Pt 2
April 19, 2017 by Ernest Russell
It was then the scheme to gain the ultimate power came to me. The hope I dared not hope, nor let myself know I hoped it, ascendancy could be mine, ran his thoughts, in that moment, slaking my thirst from the blood running down my axe. I smiled as the warband roared in jubilation with the prospects of battle, none the wiser for the part they might play.
Others were aware of this event; it was a glorious, bloody series of battles. All added to the skulls and blood offered to Ghurzil, Mechron, Dark Yllie, Daks, Servants of Kurupi all provided ecstasy and rush of battle. After each battle, each sacrifice, Marduk could feel himself growing stronger, more powerful, filled with a rage so pure as to be euphoric. As the weak follower of Kurupi succumbed to the might of Ghurzil, it breathed the last temptation; the artifact they sought was the Pandorica Libre. Of such intense power, even fabled librarians of Tezcatlipoca had sought it for millennia.
Breaking through the jungles, the mythical temples came into view. To bleed a sacrifice upon the altar of the pylons situated atop each of the twin ziggurats would open a stable portal into the warp. The power of chaos could flow freely and he, Marduk, with the aid of the Pandorica would become legend. From afar a glint of metals gave rise to knowledge; this would be a special battle. One against a most hated foe, the Ashen Cabelleros. A foe especially despised since their banishment of Ka'jagga'nath , Lord of the Bloodtide, chosen among Khorne, whose epic corruption of a Sisters of Fortune garrison on Van Horne songs are still sung.
The battle was the fiercest in many a year, as wave on wave of the Ashen Cabelleros raced to the challenge of the ancient ziggurats. The Marauders fought as demons themselves, and Ghurzil smiled. The Grand Master of the Ashen Cabelleros JonDuc intent upon reaching the chaos artifact within the temple cut his way through the fray, one of the dreaded a Adversary Knights at his back.
Finally, as the great land raider, Grim Skull crushed the temple to ruins Marduk emerged with his retinue. Wearing the skulls of fallen as a mask, they inspired fear in even the fearless. The hideous heat of the heavy flamer, in support of the Berzerkers against a group of Purifiers, lent its sulfurous fumes to the stench of melting meat.
Marduk strode forth, confident of his power challenging the Grand Master to single combat. As all the followers of the Corpse of Mankind, he treacherously accepted and stepped aside for the Adversary Knight to come forward. Marduk's roar of rage at the cowardice shirking of battle could be heard over the battle field. With a thunderous crash of ancient ceramite and metal, the demon trapped within his weapon screaming, the rending shriek of metal as Marduk clove the Adversary Knight, reached into its belly and withdrew the mewling occupant within. In a snarling growl Marduk asked, "You Ashen Cabelleros are supposed to know Chaos, I am here to give you a chance..Give yourself to Ghurzil and live", eyes blazing, the devastated body of the once proud purifier released his hand. The dead man switch clanked and clunked down the face of the ruined temple, closing his remaining eye, gave one last scream from his tortured lungs, "For the Empire!", and the Adversary Knight exploded.
The blast wave washed over Marduk, hot, powerful, but nothing as compared to his fury being denied his prize. Ripping the head from the fallen warrior, he turned up the body as a grotesque tankard, pouring the blood down his throat and over his face.
True sanity, after one fashion or another, entails dissolving the normal ego. That piece of false security, competency adjusted, to our alien, material world. In that moment the final shreds of Marduks sanity and connection to this mortal plane began to dissolve. Turning began to stalk after the Grand Master.
Tagged author, Cthulhu, dark fantasy, fantasy, Lovecraft, mythos, science fictionLeave a comment
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Insurance arrangements for the new Police Headquarters at Mereside, Blackpool.
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Free Speech: 1st Amendment doesn't apply to Twitter, Facebook
Delbert D. Anderst, 89
By Daily Herald
Published 8:39 am Thursday, October 22, 2020
Delbert DeWayne Anderst, 89, Lake City, MN passed away peacefully at home, Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
Delbert was born December 14, 1930 in Armour, South Dakota to Reinhold and Magdalena Anderst. His family later mover to Sherburn, MN then to Hayfield, MN where he attended high school until his senior year. Delbert was a graduate of Austin High School. He married Barbara (Chase) and had four children, later divorced. On October 1, 1966 Delbert married Darlene (Crouch) combining two families. Delbert retired from Hormel Foods after 36 years of employment. He also developed the skills as a mason. He laid block for many homes and businesses in Austin. One such business was the Sterling strip mall. Delbert also worked at the Lake City Marina for ten years and various woodworking shops in Lake City for an additional ten years. He had a very strong work ethic which he instilled in his children. He stopped working at the age of 76 not because he wanted to but because of the downturn in the economy. He had the motto "If you are not going to do it right then do not do it at all".
Delbert loved to play cards and was awarded the title of Master of cribbage. He was an avid walleye fisherman which he shared his skills with family and friends. He had a green thumb and had beautiful gardens year after year. He took the produce from the garden and canned and pickled the most wonderful bloody Mary mix and garlic hot pickles. Delbert was very personable and could strike up a conversation with most. He will be missed.
Delbert is survived by his, wife Darlene Anderst, children Connie Anderst (Barb Gallagher) Cheyenne, WY, Ronda Subia of Riverside, CA and Gary (Robin) Anderst of Royalton, MN, sister Joyce Lillquist of Lakefield, MN, grandchildren Derek Anderst, Danielle (Lee) Kiedrowski, Alexandra (Tyler Johnson) Fonseca, Alina Kobasic, Elizabeth Anderst and Kathryn Anderst, great grandchildren Lucy, Anastasia, and Ambrose Kiedrowski.
He is preceded in death by his parents Reinhold and Magdalena Anderst, daughter Diana Anderst, son James Anderst and sister Darlene Sherwood.
Memorial services and a celebration of life will be held in the Spring of 2021.
Arrangements by Mahn Family Funeral Home, Anderson-Peterson Chapel, Lake City, MN. Online condolences may be sent to www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com
Lowe homers twice, Rays hold off Dodgers 6-4 to even Series
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brandon Lowe kept finding his name near the top of Tampa Bay's lineup even as his... read more


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Traditional news Today's technology
John Werner, Scarsdale, NY, is the winner!
Join us for Number 505 of Orofino History Trivia a special feature to celebrate the history and heritage of Clearwater Country.
Join in the discovery!
Monday: Opened in September of 1921
Tuesday: A legislator helped.
Wednesday: School board involved
Thursday: Served the community
Friday: They moved to a new location in 1923.
Saturday: There was a major upgrade in 1970.
Monday: At the time it was established, there were 28 votes for and 10 against.
Tuesday: Louise Dinnison
Wednesday: A property tax
Thursday: 540 books
The Pierce Free Public Library was founded under a plan for school district libraries with the help of T.B. Reed, a state legislator from Clearwater County and a resident of the Pierce area, according to their web site: http://www.piercepubliclibrary.com/history.html. He directed the necessary legal actions for the formation. In a vote at the annual election, the measure to establish the library's tax district passed 28 to 10.
The library was opened Sept. 20, 1921 at the Pierce School with a teacher Laura J. Waters, as the librarian earning $30 per month. The number books grew by June 30, 1922 from 540 to 1,022 books. The facility was open 24 hours per week after school and in the early evening six days a week. Land was purchased on Main St. in 1922 and by 1923 the new building was finished. It served the community until 1970 when a new addition and major improvements were made.
Over the years many people have served as volunteers to keep the resources available to patrons updated and improve the collections.
Trivia Archives
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The reports are based on a large UK study which has calculated national death rates following home births over a 10-year period. The study found that home births were generally safe and not associated with an increased risk of death. However, it also revealed that the risk of mortality increased if the mother required emergency transfer to hospital due to complications.
This study is one of the first to attempt to quantify the risks associated with home births. Home births currently make up a small proportion of births in the UK but are increasing in popularity. However, the conclusions that can be drawn from the study are limited as there were gaps in the data. In particular, the definition of "home births transferred to hospital" included not just those that occurred during labour as a result of complications, but also those who transferred during the pregnancy (which may have been due to personal choice). For home births, transfer could be a proxy indicator of complications, and as such it is unsurprising that intended home births that transferred had higher risks. In hospital, pregnancy associated with complications probably leads to higher-risk births too.
Further research and improved data collection is required to clarify the issue. It would be better to compare women that have complications at home with others that have the same complication in hospital. For now, expectant parents should be fully supported and informed so that they can make the correct decision for themselves on where they would like their baby to be born.
Rintaro Mori and colleagues at the Osaka Medical Center and Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Japan, carried out this research. The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. It was published in the British Journal Obstetrics and Gynaecology , a peer-reviewed medical journal.
This was a cross-sectional study. It aimed to estimate the rate of death of babies in the time around labour and birth (the intra-partum related perinatal mortality rate, or IPPM) for booked home births in England and Wales.
The researchers used the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH) to examine the outcomes of all women who gave birth at home, intentionally or not, between 1994 and 2003. The CEMACH collects data on death rates and records whether women had booked hospital or home for delivery. The IPPM rate included all still births or deaths within the first week of life from asphyxia, lack of oxygen or trauma. The researchers looked at actual home births (those births that were booked to and did take place at home, and those that occurred at home unintentionally) and at booked home births (which may not have been actual home births if women either chose later to move to hospital or were transferred for emergency reasons). Within these two groups, the researchers also looked at whether there were differences in IPPM rate between women who chose to have a home birth and did, and those who had an unintended home birth.
Some of the information they needed was available through national data sets (such as the Office for National Statistics and CEMACH). However, data on how many home births were unintended and how many intended home births transfer to a hospital booking were collected through a systematic review where researchers pooled the results of studies that had previously considered these measures.
Between 1994 and 2003, 4,991 infant deaths occurred out of a total of 6,314,315 births in England and Wales (0.08%). IPPM tended to decrease with time. Among the 130,700 actual home births (which includes intended and unintended), there were 120 infant deaths (0.09%).
The researchers used two ways to determine the unintended home birth rate, which gave widely differing figures, ranging from 0.31% to 56%. Their systematic review suggested that the transfer rate of births that had originally been planned to take place at home was an average of 14.3%. The researchers used the unintended home birth rate and the transfer rate to calculate the IPPM rate. They found that in women who intended to have a home birth and did, IPPM rates were either 0.48/1000 or 0.28/1000, depending on which value of "unintended" birth rate they used (both results are lower than the overall IPPM rate of 0.79/1000).
Women in the "transferred group" (i.e. those who had intended to have a home birth but then transferred to hospital for whatever reason) tended towards a higher IPPM rate, either 6.05/1000 or 3.53/1000. There was also a higher IPPM rate in women who had not intended to have home births but did (either 1.42/1000 or 4.65/1000).
The authors conclude that the findings from their study "need to be interpreted with caution due to inconsistencies occurring in the recorded data". However, they note that infant mortality rates around the time of home birth do not appear to have improved much over the study period, even though overall rates did. They also note that the mortality rate for babies delivered at home appeared to be low, while rates were higher for women who transferred to hospital.
This is a large study which attempted to quantify the risks associated with home births. The majority of births take place in hospital, but home births are increasing in popularity, so their safety is paramount. However, the authors openly acknowledge that this study has important limitations because of the data available for analysis.
This study does not provide any evidence that there is any more risk of infant death associated with home birth than with hospital birth when it considers women who elect for a home birth and actually have one. In fact, the mortality rate in these women was lower than the overall rate.
The highest risk was found for transferred birth that was originally planned to take place at home. There is no information available on the reasons for the transfers, but a higher rate is unsurprising if transfer occurs because of an emergency. "Transfer to hospital" could be a proxy indicator of complications during a home birth.
No information was available on the numerous factors that may have a significant effect on infant mortality rates, such as the mother's medical and obstetric history, lifestyle, ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
The transfer rates and unintentional home births were obtained from a selection of regional studies. It is not possible to comment on the accuracy of these studies or the methods or definitions that they used, which may have been different. It would also be helpful to look at demographic data and characteristics of the women in the combined studies as these factors may influence death rates.
Due to reliance upon national databases, there may be errors introduced from miscoding of the different study variables that were investigated.
Further research and improved data collection will be needed to clarify the safety of home births. For now, expectant parents should be fully supported and informed so that they can make the correct decision for themselves about where they would like their baby to be born.
As is so often the case in medicine the key question is not 'is treatment A better than treatment B?' but 'which people do best with A and which with B?' and 'how can we best distinguish the two groups?'.
Home birth mothers 'need more support'.
Home birth to ward increases risk.
Home-birth babies 'at greater risk of dying'.
The Big Question: What are the risks of home births, and are they greater than in hospital?


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Reichel bringing his 'Kukahi' show to Blaisdell | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper
Reichel bringing his 'Kukahi' show to Blaisdell
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Columnist
E. Kamae
K. Haugen
Daquioag
SHOW BREEZES: Keali'i Reichel, a Maui native, brings his acclaimed "Kukahi 2006" show (always a sellout on or close to Valentine's Day on the Valley Island), to Honolulu this year — albeit belatedly. The Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning and Grammy-nominated Hawaiian whiz will assemble 40 dancers from his Halau Ke'alaokamaile and stage his palette of riches — hula, vocals and a multimedia production — at the Blaisdell Center at 8 p.m. Sept. 23 and 24. Tickets ($28 to $68) go on sale tomorrow at the Blaisdell box office and at Ticketmaster locations, via phone (877) 750-4400 and at www .ticketmaster.com.
Maui folks can see the 2007 spectacle at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9 and 10, at Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Castle Theatre. ...
HAPPY TALK: Eddie Kamae and Keith and Carmen Haugen gave long-time friends Milt and Beth Kloetzel a memorable private performance to mark their 68th wedding anniversary recently at the Hawai'i Kai Retirement Community. Milt Kloetzel is a retired academic veep; Beth is a former Waikiki talent manager. Interestingly, Kamae and his wife, Myrna, have been married 40 years, the Haugens, 28. Combined, they match the Kloetzels' 68. ...
Frank DeLima celebrated his 57th with the David Talismans at Sam Choy's, then they went to see "Nacho Libre." Don't be surprised if DeLima resurrects his Pochoman costume, now that tights are back (thanks to "Libre" and "Superman Returns"). DeLima also brunched at the Royal Hawaiian's Surf Room with ex-manager Millie Fujinaga and wound up singing at a family birthday party nearby. ...
TABLE-HOPPING: At Romano's Macaroni Grill at Ala Moana Center, actress Stefanie Smart, who'll play Mrs. Lovett in Army Community Theatre's "Sweeney Todd" this fall, talked about meat pies (part of her role) with father Tony Smart and a group of pals. At a nearby table were Cherye and Jim Pierce, who picked up on the Stephen Sondheim musical patter, since they'd seen the Tony Award-winning show in New York. The Pierces were dining with Bob Carrigan of San Francisco (who had seen the original production with Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett), who was in town for the Hawai'i Restaurant Show at Blaisdell Center last week. ...
Mountain Apple Co. CEO Jon de Mello dined with daughter Kamokila at The Kahala Resort & Spa one night, near a table occupied by visitors pink from the sun. The strolling trio asked for a tune request, and one lady said "play my very most favorite Hawaiian song, 'Somewhere, Over the Rainbow.' " Wish granted, complete with Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's trademark "oohs" and "ahhs." DeMello's company is the one that licenses the signature Bruddah Iz fave. ...
WHEE, THE PEOPLE: William Daquioag, a member of the Society of Seven Las Vegas, music educator (Jasmine Trias' vocal coach) and producer, is mounting "Young Pinoy Idols Showcase of Stars," from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 20 at the Pearl City Cultural Center at Pearl City High. The event assembles Filipino troupers ages 8 to 19, including brother-and-sister act A2C (Troy and Cheesa Laureta), Jasmin Idica, Niki Badua, Alia Moon Kim, Summer Eguchi, Katrina Manongdo, Jaclyn Palola and girl group 4GetMeNot (Jaclyn, Jessica and Jocelyn Palola and Tiani Sojot). All are students at Daquioag's The Performing Artist Academy in Waipahu. Tickets are $15, $18 and $25, with $2 pre-sale discounts. Call 671-2547. ...
At an "Oliver!" performance at Paliku Theatre, Matt Brown, 10, who plays Oliver, accidentally sneezed — but remained in English character, apologizing, "Excuse me." Caden Waidyatilleka, 12, as the Artful Dodger, quipped in Cockney, "Why, that's all right!" Then the show continued with "Consider Yourself." Remaining performances are tonight through Saturday, with a 1 p.m. matinee tomorrow. ...
And that's Show Biz. ...
Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.


I only got 1/4 of the way through the book before I returned it to Amazon. I thought it'd be a nice change of pace . . . Turns out it was a change of pace, but not such a nice one!
Shakespears Macbeth is pretty depressing. Imagine how depressing the story becomes in modern language with fully developed characters! Plus the witches were disgusting and too graphic for me to enjoy.
A cool idea, but not for me.


"Every little thing you do they just respond to. It's been magical," Gooding Jr. said.
Gooding Jr. also co-wrote and stars in the new film "Bayou Caviar," which opened on October 5th. He plays a former professional boxer who gets caught up with mobsters after witnessing a crime.


The Australian Government has recently announced a series of cuts to the Defence budget. According to Greg Sheridan, writing in The Australian, more possibly loom on the horizon . Those with an awareness of Australian defence history will know that this is not unusual; alternating periods of largesse have consistently been followed by periods of intense austerity.
What is less commonly acknowledged is that, while such redirections of money offer the government a short-term defence-sourced dividend, they also create long-term liabilities in capability that don't reveal themselves until Government urgently requires the military to do something. Past history suggests that budget reductions quickly result in a hollow force, so that when the government next calls on the military, the services have far too little time in which to overcome such dividend-inspired deficiencies to provide the effect that is wanted.
One would hope that the cutbacks of the early 1990s are too recent in the national memory for us to overlook the fact that the military had been run down  to such an extent that even the relatively undemanding peace stabilisation mission in East Timor in 1999 was almost beyond the ADF's abilities. Looking further back, the budget reductions of the 1930s produced a defence force that was virtually non-existent when it was needed to counter a far more demanding threat in 1939 . Such examples aren't limited to Australia: US Army officers (and their Australian counterparts) would do well to remember the fate of Task Force Smith  in the opening days of the Korean War.
The main challenge—as well as the main responsibility—facing today's Defence leaders is to manage the current round of austerity better than those who managed previous instances. Can these leaders guide the ADF so that it retains a degree of core capability? Or, will the Services, particularly the Army, once again become pale shadows of what they should be? No doubt there are military and civilian staff working hard on this very issue, identifying those areas in which more risk and less depth can be traded off without adversely affecting capability, while still meeting Government requirements.
By all means the Services should seek economies and rationalisations that will reduce expenditure. After all, this is what Government has tasked them to do. However, in making decisions on where such economies should occur, it's critical for each Service to understand the operational inclinations of the organisation as a whole.
Australia relies upon a major power protector for its existential security.
Australia has never fought to defend its territory but has always fought to protect its interests.
Australia has always fought in an expeditionary capacity, invariably as part of a coalition.
Without exception, these principles form the bedrock of the Australian way of war.
Those members of the Department of Defence responsible for identifying savings need to remember that if the ADF is to retain utility to Government it must possess capabilities that best align with Australia's way of war. Otherwise, when the next war arrives, no matter its particular character, history suggests that Australia will conduct itself in conformity with the three principles outlined above. Unfortunately, planners have not always held fast to these principles when austerity has beckoned in the past. For example, those who crafted the Defence of Australia policy shifted the aim of defence spending towards assets that were more suitable for territorial defence, and starved of funds those capabilities that were more aligned with Australia's defence principles. The result should have been predictable. When the government needed the ADF for the East Timor Intervention it was found wanting. The ADF had been organised for territorial defence, yet in 1999 the Government needed its military to do what it has always asked it to do–conduct an expeditionary operation in support of national interests.
An argument can be made that I am being too linear, that the past doesn't serve as a clear and direct predictor of the future, and that the interaction between the past and future is more nuanced, more complex and more subtle. I could certainly agree with such an assessment. However, I'd also argue that what must be understood and absorbed by those seeking savings is that national culture is an undercurrent that shapes all that a people do, including determining its way of war. If the government and the ADF's leaders wish to construct a force whose organisation, posture, and intent is different from its existing principles for the conduct of war, they will first need to consider and change the underlying culture of the organisation (if not the nation), including the principles that define how Australia fights.
It can be done—it's possible to forge something different, but it must be done knowingly, with the understanding that a new way of war is the goal. If not, the organisation should strive to adhere to its principles by prioritising those assets that best align with the existing way of war in accordance with the three principles outlined above. If this isn't done, it's certain that when Government next calls upon the military it will discover that all it possesses is a hollowed out force lacking the capability that is urgently needed.
Albert Palazzo is a senior research fellow at the Australian Army's Land Warfare Studies Centre. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect those of the Department of Defence or the Australian Government. Image courtesy of Department of Defence .


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Bob Wise on House Speaker John Boehner's Resignation and Implications for NCLB Rewrite
By Caroline Waldman
The resignation of House Speaker John Boehner today has big implications on the ability of Congress to pass a final Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization bill, now known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), by the end of this session of Congress. Alliance for Excellent Education President Bob Wise was a member of the U.S House of Representatives for 18 years before becoming governor of West Virginia and was in office the last time a speaker resigned in 1989.
He shared his insight into Boehner's resignation and the turmoil this creates both in the House and the legislative process, but especially within the Republican majority party. "There are now shifting Alliances. The pro-Boehner people are going dark, the anti-Boehner people are jockeying for position, and even if a so-called moderate becomes the next speaker of the House, he or she is going to have to depend upon the very forces that brought the Speaker down. The implications for education are immense," says Wise. "For Education and ESEA, I believe this greatly shuffles the cards in the congressional deck."
"It was not going to be easy before, and now we have a much more difficult situation," cautions Wise. "Speaker Boehner knew ESEA, he was chairman of the Education Committee responsible for passing NCLB in 2001, he's the first speaker to actually have been the chair of the Education Committee, and the signing of the last ESEA ceremony took place at a school in Speaker Boehner's district. When John Kline, chairman of the House Education Committee, announced his retirement, it meant he would be relying on Speaker Boehner for assistance in pushing the ESEA reauthorization through.
"With Boehner's resignation, Kline's ability to secure Republican votes for a bill that will have to satisfy both House Democrats and President Obama becomes slim to none," says Wise. "In order to get a bill passed, Kline was going to need to rely on the Speaker having his back and being willing to bring wavering House Republicans to his office for strong persuasion. With today's action, every House Republican is thinking, "The Speaker is gone, the Education Chair is about to go, so I better make sure I am on good terms with the new leadership."
"In the upcoming months, the new speaker is going to need to flex his or her conservative muscles. We will not see the new speaker taking a walk to Nancy Pelosi's office and striking a deal with her and President Obama, even though it has been constantly assumed that Democratic votes will be necessary to pass ESEA in the House."
There is a bit of hope for ESEA reauthorization as the 2016 election nears, Wise notes, "It seems that Republicans and Democrats may want to demonstrate their ability to actually get something done, so they could decide to come together around an ESEA reauthorization, but I think that's a very remote possibility."
In regards to the potential government shutdown, Wise comments that "It appears that Boehner's sacrifice means that the government will stay open as the result of a deal in the House Republican conference. This is a short-term legislative gain, but his resignation ultimately creates even more long-term turmoil around pressing issues such as the debt ceiling, a transportation deal, and a long-term budget deal—not to mention ESEA." Wise noted that upon Speaker Jim Wright's resignation in 1989, "He passionately urged the House to take his resignation as the opportunity to return to a better operating procedure. It didn't happen then, and I have my doubts that this speakers' resignation will have any better results, especially for education."
Check out the Federal Flash video below to hear more of Bob Wise's insight on the topic:
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"What's a Soul Like You Doing in a World Like This?" Create Your Own Spiritual & Personal Development Plan
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"Our findings upend what has been universally accepted in the scientific community--that we use only one side of our brains for speech," says Bijan Pesaran, an associate professor in NYU's Center for Neural Science and the study's senior author. "In addition, now that we have a firmer understanding of how speech is generated, our work toward finding remedies for speech afflictions is much better informed."
Many in the scientific community have posited that both speech and language are lateralized--that is, we use only one side of our brains for speech, which involves listening and speaking, and language, which involves constructing and understanding sentences. However, the conclusions pertaining to speech generally stem from studies that rely on indirect measurements of brain activity, raising questions about characterizing speech as lateralized.
To address this matter, the researchers directly examined the connection between speech and the neurological process.
Specifically, the study relied on data collected at NYU ECoG , a center where brain activity is recorded directly from patients implanted with specialized electrodes placed directly inside and on the surface of the brain while the patients are performing sensory and cognitive tasks. Here, the researchers examined brain functions of patients suffering from epilepsy by using methods that coincided with their medical treatment.
"Recordings directly from the human brain are a rare opportunity," says Thomas Thesen, director of the NYU ECoG Center and co-author of the study.
"As such, they offer unparalleled spatial and temporal resolution over other imaging technologies to help us achieve a better understanding of complex and uniquely human brain functions, such as language," adds Thesen, an assistant professor at NYU Langone.
In their examination, the researchers tested the parts of the brain that were used during speech. Here, the study's subjects were asked to repeat two "non-words"--"kig" and "pob." Using non-words as a prompt to gauge neurological activity, the researchers were able to isolate speech from language.
An analysis of brain activity as patients engaged in speech tasks showed that both sides of the brain were used--that is, speech is, in fact, bi-lateral.
"Now that we have greater insights into the connection between the brain and speech, we can begin to develop new ways to aid those trying to regain the ability to speak after a stroke or injuries resulting in brain damage," observes Pesaran. "With this greater understanding of the speech process, we can retool rehabilitation methods in ways that isolate speech recovery and that don't involve language."
The study's other authors included: Gregory Cogan, a postdoctoral fellow at NYU's Center for Neural Science; Chad Carlson, an associate professor of neurology at the Medical College of Wisconsin; Werner Doyle, an associate professor of neurosurgery at NYU Langone; and Orrin Devinsky, professor of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry and the director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at NYU Langone.
The research was supported by grants from: the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (R03-DC010475), part of the National Institutes of Health; NYSTAR; the Sloan Foundation; the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience; and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and FACES (Finding a Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures).


Colombo, 26 March (Asiantribune.com):-The Tamil National R.Sampanthan at the press conference Alliance has ducked the invitation extended by President Mahinda Rajapaksa this evening at 6.30 pm to discuss the ethnic question but has issued a letter to the President citing reasons for unable to attend the meeting.
TNA Leader Rajyavarothiam Sampathan, addressing a news conference at Colombo's Janaki Hotel and flanked by all the 15 MPs of his party said that he TNA has been deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis in the north and the part could not watch and wait and that it will be only after these issues were resolved that they will come to the negotiating table.
We have told President Rajapaksa the issues which need to be resolved and it is only then that we will respond any talks with him, he said.
Responding to questions from Asian Tribune as to why the allegations were only against the Government and the Security Forces and what the TNA's attitude was to the LTTE killing innocent and unarmed civilians and farmers who were guarding their paddy fields in the last two days and the LTTE firing anti aircraft missiles at Sri Lanka Air Force Bell Jet Ranger helicopters flying sick civilians from Pudukudirippu to Anuradhapura among the host of atrocities over the years, Sampanthan whose TNA which was hitherto holding a brief for the LTTE, said that killing in what ever form was bad and that who ever did it was wrong.
He also accused the Government of not allowing the Members of Parliament, NGOs and the media of not being allowed to visit the war areas to see what was happening, sounding as the war was a public circus meant for all to see!
We observe that you observe vaguely that you desire the prevailing political situation in the country without any specific references to the political issues that were discussed. There is no reference to the humanitarian crisis which is prevailing in the Mullaitivu. After the Government designated some of these areas as safe zones, civilians have moved there. Yet the Armed Forces have been firing artillery fire killing on an average 40-50 civilians and causing grave injuries to civilians many times more.
1.Evicting all humanitarian organizations, restrictions of food and essentials to these areas.
2.No independent media is allowed to go to the areas.
3.Non functioning of the Vanni hospital as the Government bombing has destroyed all the medical facilities there.
4.The IDPs do not have even toilet facilities.
5.Complete inadequacy of drinking water and the situation is further aggravated with the lack of fuel for the bowsers, and water pumps and the water is also dangerous with constant shelling and bombing of the areas.
6.Over 3000 civilians killed that the beginning of the year in the safe zones.
7.Armed Forces bombing in these areas suggest that civilians were targeted.
8.More than 60,000 families (around 240,000 civilians) are living in the open areas with shelter made from tarpaulin. During hot weather it has become impossible to live.
We thank you for the letter sent by your Secretary dated 20 March 2009, inviting us and all the other Members of Parliament belonging to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) for a meeting chaired by you, to be held on 26 March 2009 at 6.30 p.m. at Temple Trees to discuss the prevailing political situation in the country.
We observe that you vaguely state that you desire to discuss the prevailing political situation in the country without any specific reference to the political issues that need to be discussed. There is also no reference to the grave humanitarian crisis prevailing in a part of the Mullaitheevu District, relating to around 300,000 internally displaced Tamil civilians. After the government designated certain areas as safe zones, these displaced Tamil civilians largely moved into these areas.
We consider it necessary to state certain facts pertaining to this grave humanitarian crisis relating to the displaced Tamil civilians.
1.The fighting between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE's) military formations is said to be taking place on many fronts some distance away from the said government designated 'safe zones'. Yet the Sri Lankan armed forces have been bombing the safe zone areas by air and artillery fire killing an average between 40 to 45 civilians on a daily basis and causing grave injuries to civilians many times more.
2.Despite the grave humanitarian crisis prevalent in these areas, the government has evicted all international humanitarian organizations and has since imposed restrictions on supplies to these areas tantamount to an embargo on food, medicine, shelter and other basic humanitarian items.
3.No independent media is permitted access to this area to report on the situation really prevailing in this area.
4.No functioning hospitals remain in the Vani as government bombing campaigns have destroyed all such facilities. There are gross shortages of medicines. Despite numerous requests by the few remaining medical officers in the Vanni, the government has failed to send adequate medicine. Diseases related to overcrowding, poor nutritional intake, a lack of sanitation and exposure to the elements are becoming prevalent. People have died recently as a result of complications which could have been easily treated had three been proper health facilities and medicine.
5.The Internally Displaced Persons do not have any form of toilet facilities. The government has banned all construction materials into the area and as a result building of temporary toilets has not been possible.
6.More than 60,000 families (240,000 individuals) are living in open areas with shelter made from tarpaulin. Due to the very hot weather conditions, staying in these shelters has become intolerable. The government has not allowed shelter materials into the area.
7.Even though there are around 300,000 civilians in the relevant areas, the government insists that there are only about 70,000 civilians in the area. This position of the government is inconsistent with the assessment of UN and other international agencies who estimate that there are around 200,000 displaced civilians in this area. In doing so the quantity of food aid and medicine and other essential humanitarian supplies sent is grossly inadequate and as a result the civilian population is starving to death or dying due to unavailability of medical supplies. It should be noted that within the last month, several people have died to starvation. The dead have included many children.
8.There is also a complete inadequacy of drinking water. Water Bowsers from Puthukuddirruppu are used for transporting water. This water is dangerous to collect due to continuous shelling and bombing of the area by the Sri Lankan armed forces. To compound matters, lack of fuel for the Bowsers and the water pumps is also hampering water collection and delivery. The situation regard to non drinking water (toilet, washing, cooking, etc) is that it is almost nonexistent.
9.Since the beginning of this year alone, over 3000 civilians have been killed in these so called 'safe zones' by bombing campaigns carried out by the Sri Lankan armed forces. Well over 8000 civilians have been gravely injured. The fact that the armed forces have been bombing these areas suggests that the civilians are being deliberately targeted. It is also our submission that the government's failure to permit adequate food and medicine into these areas demonstrates that food and medicine are being used against the Tamil civilians as a weapon of war.
The TNA has made public this grave humanitarian situation and appealed to the government to take necessary steps to ensure that the Tamil civilians population is not harmed. The international community has similarly made strong appeals to the government on behalf of the Tamil civilian population. The government has not responded to these appeals. If the military attacks now humanitarian needs continue, a grave humanitarian catastrophe affecting the Tamil civilian population will before long occur in this area.
•That the military attacks be stopped immediately.
•Ensure that adequate supplies of food, medicines and shelter are sent immediately to sustain a civilian population of around 300,000 so that the displaced Tamil civilian population is not denied urgent humanitarian needs.
•Urge that UN agencies, the ICRC and other international NGOs are able to freely function in this area, and thereby ensure the fulfillment of the humanitarian needs of these displaced civilians.
We should also point out that international community has with one voice urged the government to swiftly take action on a foreside lines.
It is in the background of this grave humanitarian crisis relating to the Tamil civilian population that we have received your invitation. The Tamil people and our party are strongly of the view that the utmost priority must be given to the resolution of this humanitarian crisis before it assumes catastrophic proportions and that any political discussions to be purposeful and meaningful must follow such resolution.
Since you have hitherto consistently followed a policy of ignoring the TNA in regard to all political issues in the Northeast, we are glad that you now wish to engage in discussions with us, recognizing even though belatedly, that we represent that Tamil people.
We will extend our cooperation to any credible political process that seeks to evolve an adequate, acceptable and durable political solution to the Tamil question.
We would strongly urge that you take necessary steps to address forthwith the grave humanitarian crisis pertaining to the displaced Tamil civilian population.


The National Development Bank PLC was presented with the "Best Bank in Sri Lanka" award by the prestigious Global Finance Magazine at the 25th Annual Best Bank Awards.
The award was accepted by the Bank's Group CEO Dimantha Seneviratne at the award ceremony arranged by Global Finance held in parallel to the annual sessions by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Bali, Indonesia.
Chief Executive Officer NDB, Dimantha Seneviratne said, "We are honoured to be selected as the 'Best Bank in Sri Lanka', given the prestige and worldwide acceptance commanded by Global Finance, USA. This is the second year that NDB won this title, having won it in 2015.
This is the twenty-fifth year that the magazine has selected top banking performers in emerging markets. The report covers best banks in Latin America, Central & Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
NDB's ascendance to the 'Best Bank in Sri Lanka' comes in the backdrop of phenomenal growth in its balance sheet and profitability and its strategic focus in growing in the commercial banking space.
NDB Bank is an affiliate of the NDB Group. From its inception, the group which includes NDB Bank, NDB Investment Banking, NDB Wealth, NDB Securities, and NDB Capital has been a catalyst strengthening and empowering entrepreneurs, corporates and individuals.


Schemel Forum Evening Course: "Ben Franklin as a Marketing Pioneer" presented by Abhijit Roy, D.B.A.
"Music Through Time" - Free and open to the public concert.
Make Your Own Origami Peace Crane!
Schemel Forum with the Weinberg Memorial Library Collaborative Program: "While Reason Slept" presented by Thomas Brier, Jr., J.D.
FRENCH MOVIE NIGHT AT LE MANHATTAN BISTRO MONDAY APRIL 1st 2019!!!


"Wesley Deeds is About to Discover the Person He Was Meant to Be."
Tyler Perry's Good Deeds (aka Good Deeds) is a 2012 romantic drama film that was written and directed by Tyler Perry. In a play on the film's title, Perry plays Wesley Deeds, a business man who lives a comfortable and well-ordered life. The owner of The Deeds Corporation, Wesley is engaged to the beautiful Natalie (Gabrielle Union), who is slightly discontented with Wesley's indifference regarding their wedding as well as everyday life.
Through an act of miscommunication, Wesley meets Lindsey (Thandie Newton), a single mother and cleaning woman for The Deeds Corporation. Lindsey is down on her luck and scrambling to get enough money together to pay rent. Through an act of kindness Wesley helps Lindsey get on her feet and Lindsey shows him apart of himself that he hardly knew existed, sparking a friendship that will help to ignite further good deeds for everyone in their lives. This newfound relationship may, however, have repercussions regarding Natalie's trust in Wesley.
Tyler Perry's Good Deeds is currently available to watch and stream, buy, rent on demand at FlixFling VOD, Vudu, FandangoNow, iTunes online.


Nikon, Canon, and Pentax lead the list of fine, classic 1960s and 1970s SLRs. Olympus and Minolta follow closely. An easy case can be made even for Konica, Fujica, Mamiya, and Yashica.
But Miranda seldom makes the list. It's too bad, because from 1955 to 1978, Miranda made some wonderful, but quirky, 35mm SLRs. But because Miranda is an overlooked brand, its cameras can be picked up today for a song. Meet my 1972 Miranda Sensorex II, which was delivered to my door for all of $38.50.
The Sensorex II's first quirk: the shutter button is on the face of the camera, not on the top (as with 99.9% of all SLRs). What a useful choice: as the camera is already braced against the face, pressing a button toward the face probably reduces the chance of shake. When I shot this camera, however, I frequently reached for a nonexistent button atop the camera. Old habits die hard.
A quirk you can't see is the dual lens mount: screw and bayonet, both Miranda-specific. Miranda shipped this camera with the bayonet-mount 50mm f/1.8 Auto Miranda lens, but didn't want to alienate any Miranda loyalists who already owned Miranda 44mm screw-mount lenses. M42/Pentax screw mount lenses don't fit; I hear adapters were made.
Miranda cameras had offered open-aperture, through-the-lens light metering for several years when the Sensorex II was introduced. Many SLR makers were still trying to catch up as late as 1972 and were still making cameras that used stop-down metering. But Miranda's system was predictably quirky, accomplished through an odd coupling arm. You can see it in the photo above on the left of the lens barrel. Part of the system requires you to tell the camera your lens's maximum aperture. You do that by turning the knob under the rewind knob: 1.8 for an f/1.8 lens.
The viewfinder is refreshingly bright. It's because the lens stays wide open until you press the shutter button, when the camera closes the lens to your selected aperture.
The Sensorex II's meter averages light readings across an odd pattern, sort of a U that fills most of the bottom 2/3 of the frame. I'm sure this means that a subject will be accurately exposed only when it's metered in that space.
This weird metering pattern was a limitation of placing the meter behind the mirror, rather than in the prism housing as in most SLRs. But keeping the prism housing free let Miranda offer its most quirky feature: interchangeable viewfinders. A range of waist-level and reflex-style viewfinders clip right in. You can even use the Sensorex II with the viewfinder removed, although the screen is far too small for my middle-aged eyes.
The Sensorex II is otherwise quite conventional, offering match-needle exposure, split-image focusing down to 17 inches, depth-of-field preview (the button on the top left of the lens barrel), a horizontal-plane shutter that operates from 1 to 1/1000 sec, and the ability to take film from ISO 25 to 1600.
This camera is heavy and well made. Everything works smoothly and elegantly. Seriously, this is Nikon F2 territory.
A 1.35-volt 675 mercury battery powers the meter. The manual is emphatic that other batteries must not be used. What's one to do when the required battery has been banned for years? I used a 1.55-volt SR44 battery, as it is the same size. People say that the voltage difference leads to misexposures, but with the color negative films I normally shoot it's never been a problem.
By the way, if you like odd old film SLRs, check out my reviews of the Konica Autoreflex T3 (here), the Pentax ES II (here), the Sears KS-2 (here), and the Canon FT QL (here). Or check out all of my camera reviews here.
To test this camera I shot Kodak Ektar 100. Meet the handlebars of my 1973 Schwinn Collegiate five-speed. It's my favorite shot from the roll.
Here's my bike, out standing in its field. That's some wicked flare, but I was shooting toward the sun. I wasn't going for this effect, but I liked how it turned out anyway.
When I moved in close to the first daylily to bloom in my front yard, I opened the lens wide to get shallow depth of field. I never anticipated such smeary bokeh. I think I like it, but I think I wouldn't always want this effect.
I also shot the lens wide open to capture these peonies I had cut into a vase and placed on my coffee table.
Then I moved in as close as the lens would let me to this Liberty bell replica in a cemetery near my home. The letters in STOW are knife sharp.
Bokeh is more conventional when shooting at less than wide open. I shot this at about f/4. The rake belongs to the crew that removed my ash trees. They left all sorts of equipment lying around overnight during the job, but cleaned up very well after themselves when it was over.
I also took the Sensorex on a walk along Georgetown Road, which is under reconstruction. This strip mall has seen happier days, but all is not lost as it recently attracted a Little Caesars. The coin laundry closed, however. I'm bummed; it's where I used to wash my bedspread, which doesn't fit in my home washer. The nearest coin laundry is now considerably farther away.
All is not skittles and beer with my Sensorex II, however. Sometimes the shutter drags at one end of its travel, creating a dark area on a photo's left end. Also, several photos had this light spotting. These artifacts appeared on about a third of the photos I took. I cropped out the dark area when I could, and used Photoshop's spot-healing tool to remove the spotting. This shot was beyond saving because the dark area encroaches upon the W in Wrecks.
But when this camera hit, it hit home runs.
See more photos in my Miranda Sensorex II gallery.
I buy and shoot old cameras because I enjoy the experience. When one I'm testing misbehaves like this Sensorex II, I usually just shrug and move on. When I shoot seriously, I have an embarrassing wealth of outstanding, fully functional cameras to choose from.
But I really liked this Sensorex II for its quirks, its solid build, and the lens's interesting smeary bokeh. As I shot my test roll, I imagined this camera among those I keep using just for the pleasure. But no camera joins that select group if I can't count on it. And unless a repair is dead simple, I generally don't do it.
All is not lost. Because Miranda cameras are overlooked, they go for very little. As I write this, I find a dozen Sensorex II bodies available on eBay for less than $50, and a few for less than $25. The entry cost is low enough that if I ever want to shoot this wonderfully quirky camera again, I'll just buy another and be off to the races.


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UK regulator issues draft rules to tighten crypto promotions
ESMA vice chair calls for proof of work mining ban
Just In DeFi
Ethereum DeFi protocol Cream Finance hacked for more than $130 million
by Tim Copeland
October 27, 2021, 10:45AM EDT · 2 min read
DeFi protocol Cream Finance has suffered another exploit, this time for more than $130 million
The funds stolen were mostly in Cream LP tokens and other ERC-20s.
UPDATE (4:25 p.m. ET): The Cream Finance team confirmed the theft of $130 million worth of tokens in a new tweet, saying that "Our Ethereum C.R.E.A.M. v1 lending markets were exploited and liquidity was removed on October 27, 1354 UTC."
"With the help of friends from @iearnfinance and others in the community, we were able to identify the vulnerabilities and patch them. In the meantime, we've paused our v1 lending markets on Ethereum and we're in the process of putting together a post-mortem review," the team said. "We apologize to our users and community for this unfortunate incident and thank you for your support."
DeFi protocol Cream Finance has been hacked for more than $130 million. The exploit was highlighted by PeckShield, who identified a large flash loan transaction that was used to carry it out.
According to blockchain records, $92 million was stolen into one address and $23 million into another, alongside other funds taken. The funds are now being moved around to different wallets.
The funds stolen were mostly in Cream LP tokens and other ERC-20 tokens. Cream LP tokens are tokens you receive when you deposit funds into the Cream pools.
The price of cream (CREAM) has plummeted following the news, down from $152 to $111 in minutes — a 27% drop — according to CoinGecko.
The price of cream has dropped to $111. Source: CoinGecko.
According to the exploit transaction, the hacker left a somewhat unusual message. They wrote, "gÃTµ Baave lucky, iron bank lucky, cream not. ydev : incest bad, dont do." This appears to refer to DeFi lending platforms Aave and Iron Bank, along with Cream Finance.
Cream Finance is a decentralized lending protocol built on the Ethereum blockchain. The protocol has notably suffered multiple flash loan attacks in its history, losing $37.5 million in February and then another $18.8 million in August.
Today's hack is the third largest DeFi hack in history, according to Rekt's leaderboard (although both of the two bigger hacks had funds returned).
This will bring the total amount of funds stolen in DeFi attacks above $500 million (graph not yet updated).
This story has been updated to show the amount of funds stolen was higher than initial estimates.
CrimeDeFi