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A Spider Trained to Jump on Command Can Help Scientists Create Tiny Leaping Robots
Jonathan Kesh
Tuesday, 08 May 2018 - 6:35PM
YouTube/University of Manchester Media Relations
While spiders can make good pets, they don't usually come with the same expectations as a dog. You can feed them and watch them crawl around, but you can't teach them many tricks.
But impressively, a group of researchers at the University of Manchester have actually trained a regal jumping spider (Phidippus regius) to leap on command to help them out with research. The spider, nicknamed "Kim", has learned how to jump at different heights and distances in a controlled lab setting, so the researchers can closely track and record its movements using high-resolution cameras.
Their research was just published in Nature Scientific Reports. You can watch the little fella go below:
With those high-resolutions recordings, as well as some 3D computed tomography (CT) scans, the researchers are now able to examine the spider's impressive jumping capabilities in more detail than ever before, looking at minute little details in the spider's form as it takes off. The team already put together some computer models of Kim's jumps using the new data.
They also picked up other details as well, like how Kim would take on a faster trajectory that uses more energy for shorter jumps, in order to minimize its flight time. While in other scenarios, Kim was more likely to prefer methods and trajectories that take up less energy. According to Mostafa Nabawy, the study's lead author, who said the following in a press release from the University of Manchester:
"The focus of the present work is on the extraordinary jumping capability of these spiders. A jumping spider can leap up to six times its body length from a standing start. The best a human can achieve is about 1.5 body lengths. The force on the legs at take-off can be up to 5 times the weight of the spider - this is amazing and if we can understand these biomechanics we can apply them to other areas of research."
Beyond knowledge for knowledge's sake, the researchers also have another goal that they can now start working on: building more accurate micro-robots that can jump just like the spiders.
Robots inspired by spiders are hardly a new idea, but with the precise data they've taken from their trained spider, who's had millions of years of natural selection to perfect those jumping skills, a micro-robot could be much more minutely designed to jump as efficiently and powerfully as possible.
Considering most other spider-inspired robots mostly just incorporate some traits and the general shape of the spider, these micro-robots could be among the most spider-like yet.
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Captain Scarlet – The Mysterons
Posted byJack Knoll September 1, 2017 September 1, 2017 Posted inReviewsTags:50th anniversary, captain scarlet, episode, gerry anderson, pilot, review, Reviews, september, the mysterons
Directed by Desmond Saunders
Teleplay by Gerry & Sylvia Anderson
First Broadcast – 29th September 1967
This month, we are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons in the only way we knew how. Based on your votes, 5 episodes have been selected to be reviewed, poked and prodded in typical Security Hazard style, and where better to start things off than at the beginning? Episode 1, commonly referred to as The Mysterons, scored very highly in our poll which didn't come as much of a surprise. It's probably the episode that everyone's seen the most, and the events of this story are referred to throughout the rest of the series. It's essential viewing really, and it's also pretty action-packed which always helps. There's a lot going on actually, an awful lot, possibly too much to adequately squeeze into the 25 minutes of running time…
So it goes without saying that Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons is quite a different kettle of fish to its predecessor, Thunderbirds. Production on the final six episodes of Thunderbirds, and its feature film tie-in Thunderbirds Are Go was completed around August 1966. Lew Grade had failed to sell Thunderbirds to any of the major American television networks, and thus the funding of the series was no longer viable. But the recently renamed Century 21 team were all set to keep moving forward. Gerry had previously submitted an idea to Lew Grade for a live action detective show which saw the lead character killed off halfway through the series. This shocking premise didn't tickle Grade's fancy, but it was re-worked in multiple ways to eventually create Captain Scarlet. The initial script for The Mysterons saw Captain Scarlet killed and resurrected mechanically by an advanced Spectrum computer, rather than the more supernatural and mysterious resurrection which he receives under the control of the Mysterons in the finished episode.
In place of the high-energy montages of Thunderbirds and Stingray, the Captain Scarlet titles are quite different. The music is eerie, quiet and atmospheric – a feel that composer Barry Gray was no stranger to, but really had the opportunity to hone on this series. The model set of the alleyway is highly detailed and very carefully lit. Already these titles look and feel different to anything we saw in Thunderbirds. Now that isn't to say that the series as a whole is a complete departure from the look and feel of Thunderbirds – the brightly coloured costumes and vehicles will never allow you to forget that this is Supermarionation. But these titles emphasise more clearly than anything else that Century 21 were doing something a bit different, even if the intended audience was almost exactly the same – just a little nudge towards a more adult audience. The narration provided by Ed Bishop is unique to this episode but serves the same purpose as the standard opening narration – to set up the basic premise of the show. The Mysterons, perhaps more-so than any other Anderson pilot show, puts establishing the premise as the number one priority. There's a lot to explain, and Lew Grade wasn't exactly known for having a strong attention span so no time is wasted!
It's also worth noting that this is the first time that specific members of the crew are named in the opening credits of a Supermarionation television series. Not only is this a more cinematic approach, but it suggests that either the names behind the series were considered an important selling point, or there was a feeling that certain team members should stand out above the rest, a standard practice in most film studios. The success of Supermarionation did, however, rely on the collaboration of many talented people across several departments, rather than a select few at the top of the food chain. It seems a little odd to highlight Derek Meddings as Supervising Visual Effects Director, but not Christine Glanville or Mary Turner as puppetry supervisors, or a vast number of other contributors.
The camera spins and a cat makes a noise like it's had a sofa dropped on it. Our hero is revealed. A machine gun opens fire but the figure remains unmoved until firing a single shot which kills the assailant stone dead. It's a bit of an odd moment and seems to be more about selling the concept of an indestructible officer as quickly as possible, rather than actually remaining faithful to the real premise of the show. That machine gun should have cut through Scarlet like an SPV rocket through a fridge, and a single bullet from Scarlet's gun shouldn't have affected the attacking Mysteron agent one little bit. But it's all about the headline – Captain Scarlet is indestructible… just not as indestructible as these opening titles try to make out.
In the manner of all the previous Supermarionation series, Captain Scarlet is introduced as the starring character. In a rather unnerving way he just sort of stands there motionless which emphasises a common weakness of the new Century 21 puppets. Oh did I mention there are new puppets? Well as every book on the subject will tell you, advances in the technology meant that Supermarionation puppets could now have smaller heads, in turn meaning that they could be realistically proportioned without enlarging the sets or the studios. That got a big tick from Gerry Anderson who wanted his audiences to forget he was actually working with puppets. The puppet sculptors and operators, however, were in a bit of a pickle. The smaller heads meant that less detail could be crafted into the faces, making them rather less distinctive. A superb job was done regardless of creating some good looking characters. The operators struggled to make the more realistic puppets also move in a more realistic way to match, partly because they were lighter, and partly because seeing something so human-like move in a puppety way just looked silly. As a result, you will rarely see a Captain Scarlet puppet move… at all. They're either always standing in one spot (literally fixed to the spot to avoid them swaying about), or they're sitting down. Granted, Thunderbirds puppets weren't exactly performing gymnastics, but they had a natural, fluid movement to them which helped to make their performances engaging. The Scarlet puppets are very restricted. They are incredibly impressive pieces of artistry, but as performers there's definitely some magic missing. So ends the obligatory rant about the Scarlet puppets.
The year is 2068 A.D. Not 2068 B.C. That would be quite different.
So here's a puzzle. This is the Martian Exploration Vehicle as seen in Thunderbirds Are Go. It's not just the same model, this is a part of another Zero-X mission to Mars. This is quite a landmark moment because it's the first time on screen that a direct crossover between two Anderson series is referenced. Numerous links are drawn in the TV Century 21 comic, but here it is basically confirmed once and for all that Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet take place in the same universe. Point one, unless the Zero-X program has been running, unaltered, for over 40 years that pretty much shuts down any thought of Thunderbirds taking place in 2026. Point two, what manner of horrific event took place to make everyone's heads so much smaller between the two series? Point three, fans can now endlessly pontificate about how all the different shows are linked even though it doesn't really make any difference. The MEV model itself has undergone some minor changes, namely the addition of the words 'Martian Exploration Vehicle' on the side. We get a good look at the detailed paneling which has been drawn on the side of the model, much of which would have probably needed to be refurbished after getting blasted a bit during the battle with the rock snakes in Thunderbirds Are Go. Speaking of which, anyone care to explain what happened to those?
The interior of the MEV is very similar to the version seen in Thunderbirds Are Go. Almost all of the controls are the same but the walls and panels have been repainted and lit differently. The uniforms worn by Lieutenant Dean and the blonde bloke in the background are very similar to those warn by Dr. Pierce and Captain Greg Martin in the film. The strong continuity ties here are frankly astounding considering just how apalling the continuity was in Thunderbirds at times. Leading this expedition is Spectrum agent Captain Black who for some reason gets to keep his uniform on. Apparently Spectrum have been monitoring some signals on Mars and Captain Black has been sent up to investigate… I would have assumed they were caused by those pesky rock snakes but there's a good chance everyone has forgotten all about them. Anyway, Black wants to look over one more ridge and then head back to Earth. According to Thunderbirds Are Go it takes Zero-X six weeks to travel to Mars and another six weeks to travel home. Let's hope they find something over that ridge or Captain Black will have just wasted three months of his life…
As luck would have it, there is something there. But first of all, let's just take a moment to appreciate how ruddy handsome Captain Black is. It sure would be a shame if something were to happen to him in the next two minutes…
Our first and only look at the Mysteron complex on Mars. It's unlike anything we've ever seen before in Supermarionation. According to Gerry Anderson's commentary on the episode, vaseline was smeared over some glass in front of the camera in order to achieve the effect of the blurred buildings. It's a surprisingly good effect, and perhaps saves the Mysteron complex from looking like a fairground made of kitchen utensils, rather than a futuristic city. The structures signify that the Mysterons are very definitely alien, but not necessarily that they are threatening or powerful.
Inside the complex, things get even weirder. I remember seeing this for the first time as a six year old and being thoroughly gob-smacked. There is no human logic applicable to anything that we see inside the complex. There's a screen showing a strange pattern. But who is watching it? What does it mean? There's an enormous glowing sphere. Is this the Mysteron intelligence? Is it a computer? Is it just a big lamp? There's an orange thing that looks like Number 2's chair from The Prisoner. Is it a chair? Do the Mysterons need chairs? There's a thing going up and down in a thing. Are they mining? Is this their power source? Which building is this? Why is it so big? Why are there so many different bits? Was this built or grown? For me, the Mysterons are some of the most alien aliens in television history. Their existence is completely outside of the human understanding of 'existence'. Their complexes have physical presence yet the Mysteron beings have none. I could go on and on about how weird the Mysterons are but frankly, they are just brilliantly conceived because there is next to no conception behind them at all. They have a base on Mars full of elaborate architecture, yet they have no physical form. Why? Never mind, we've got to get on with the story now. As I said, this pilot episode has so much to establish that it tends not to dwell on any details for too long. In some cases things end up being left under developed, but in the case of the Mysterons, we're left with a complete mystery which is never fully explained and that makes them totally alien.
The Mysterons begin to inspect the MEV, eager to welcome the curious earthmen. But because their camera looks like a gun, Lieutenant Dean and Captain Black immediately assume hostility and prepare to attack. It's an allegory as old as time but it never stops being an intriguing setup for a sci-fi story, examining the shallow and hostile instincts of humanity to defend themselves at the cost of all other life. It's certainly deep and not following the typical Anderson formula of a straight forward battle of good vs. evil.
The destruction of the Mysteron complex is quite spectacular. The way the thick layers of dust on the Martian surface jump up with the shockwave is just superb. The first of many big bangs that this episode has to offer.
Dean volunteers to go out and collect some samples of the obliterated city with absolutely no remorse for the civilization he's just slaughtered.
But from the ruins of the city, a mysterious blue beam is fired from the mountainside. Moving across the debris, the beam soon restores the city entirely. Why is there a blue beam when all other reconstructions in the series are shown using the green Mysteron rings? Who knows, but it looks pretty cool, and hasn't aged as badly as some 1960's optical effects. The voice of the Mysterons makes an announcement – one unified voice which appears to speak for the entire Mysteron race. The use of the plural 'Mysterons' implies that there is more than one but we don't really know that for sure. We only ever hear the one voice speaking for all of them. In a split second, the Mysterons go from announcing that they are a peaceful race, to revealing their plan to take slow, painful revenge on the Earth which will result in humanity's ultimate destruction. It's as if destroying the complex has thrown a switch on a computer which cannot be reasoned with or countermanded. They will use humanity as a destructive weapon against itself, which makes complete sense for a race of peaceful beings with no weapons themselves.
Captain Black changes. One moment he looks one way, the next he's transformed. The process is not shown, we don't know how it happens or why he was chosen. In order to take over human beings, the Mysterons first have to kill, but we don't see Captain Black die. This is what makes him so illusive because we just don't really know what happened to him. Is he a Mysteron agent like any other, or has something even more horrific happened to him personally? We don't know why Captain Black speaks with a Mysteron voice while all other agents for the Mysterons retain their own voices and personalities. It's not just that this is never explained, I firmly believe that there simply is no explanation for it. So many of the things that happen in this first episode happen just because they do and it's only later that the lore of the series and how the Mysterons work becomes a little more solidified. Anyway, within about 5 minutes an alien race has been discovered, been destroyed, been brought back to life, declared war on Earth, killed one of the first guys we laid eyes on and announced a plan to kill the World President. Keeping up?
The first ever famous Captain Scarlet drum beat transition takes us to Cloudbase. When you mention Captain Scarlet to anyone who's ever seen it, they either think of "This is the voice of the Mysterons" or "BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM." There's no real explanation as to why it is so good except that there's just never been anything else quite like it on television that is so simple yet effective.
Anyway, this is Cloudbase. It's rather cool isn't it? Gerry Anderson has certainly come up with some cool ideas for headquarters throughout his entire career, and Cloudbase has to be one of the best, and totally suited to the feel of this new, much more serious series. Gone is the community of Marineville, or the absolute luxury of Tracy Island – Cloudbase is built for function alone, not the convenience or comfort of the Spectrum team. Sure they have their relaxation areas, but it's a far cry from Alan, Gordon and Tin-Tin going out fishing in between missions, or the Stingray crew going ice-skating on a snowy day. Spectrum are a group of serious people doing a serious job 24 hours a day… which is a bit depressing really.
In the control room, Colonel White barks an order at Lieutenant Green which he immediately obeys. Their relationship develops a little bit beyond that point over the course of the series, but not very much. Nevertheless, Colonel White is loveable for his barkiness, and Lieutenant Green for his obedience.
Angel 1 is ready for immediate launch. This is Destiny Angel. Unfortunately she doesn't get much of an opportunity to shine during the series, the writers often choosing to focus their attention on Symphony Angel. One of the other breakthroughs of the Captain Scarlet puppets was the regular use of under-control puppets rather than wires. During the early Supermarionation series you'll notice that a number of cars and planes have great big holes in the canopies to accommodate for the puppet control wires. Well the Angel pilots are safe and sound in air-tight cockpits now, with the operators working underneath the set.
Previous Supermarionation series had tended to focus on a star vehicle, with even some Thunderbird craft being considered more important than others. However, in Captain Scarlet there isn't necessarily one vehicle that stands out. That's possibly down to the high quality of the design work which unifies them as one fleet, as opposed to the Thunderbird machines which are a bit of a mish-mash. Each Spectrum vehicle has been designed with a certain amount of realism and functionality in mind, while still having some very special features. That being said, the Angel aircraft aren't necessarily all that special, with the skill of the pilots often being the focus of the dialogue, rather than the abilities of the machines which was certainly the focus of Thunderbirds. Throughout Scarlet people comment on what a great team the Angels are, but you don't hear anyone saying, "Cor, that Scott Tracy's an ace pilot" – instead they say things like "Boy, what a machine!"
Within seconds, Angel 1 is airborne. Certainly quite a change of pace to the lengthy launch sequences that have been a staple of Supermarionation since Supercar. There's no doubt that while vehicles do still heavily feature in the series, they are tools, not the stars.
Rhapsody, Harmony and a rather shy Symphony Angel are hanging out in the Amber Room. One of those press conference phones from Thunderbirds Are Go can be spotted behind Symphony – they also popped up all over the place in the second series of Thunderbirds so why break a habit I guess… The coffee service on the table was previously seen in the Thunderbirds episode Lord Parker's 'Oliday, among others.
Not wasting any time at all, Harmony and Rhapsody hop in their chairs which are raised straight up into the aircraft which then immediately blast off. No time is being wasted here! Maybe the original intention was for these sequences to be longer, but there's so much stuff crammed into this first script there just isn't time to focus on any of it for too long. There's just about enough of a plot to this episode to avoid the whole thing looking like a simple montage of all the bestest, coolest bits of the series.
Colonel White then immediately calls up Captain Scarlet. Yep, no time for any exposition about the Spectrum organisation or anything like that, we're whisked away from Cloudbase to look at another one of the Spectrum vehicles, the Spectrum Saloon Car… or Patrol Car… or apparently some people call them Spectrum Saloon Vehicles which sounds a bit mad to me.
Here's a slightly unattractive shot, partly because of the incredibly flat angle in order to avoid showing the hole in the top of the car for the strings, but also because of bouncy back projection footage of a real road – a technique which is used a lot less as the series goes on.
Captain Brown… the chap in brown… is assigned the task of protecting the World President. Scarlet announces that this is Brown's first big assignment and wishes him luck with all the sincerity of a brick through a window. So hang on a minute, a terrifying and completely unknown alien intelligence broadcasts a message to the entire planet announcing that they are going to assassinate the World President – literally the most powerful person on Earth – and Spectrum decides to give that job to a newbie, while designating Captain Scarlet (whom we assume is reasonably important within the organisation even at this point) as Captain Brown's driver. Scarlet and Brown have a brief discussion to remind the viewer that they know absolutely nothing about the Mysterons, but Scarlet references "what happened on the Martian expedition." So Spectrum are aware that something happened then, okay good to know.
Then this happens, and mercifully it never happens ever again.
The world of Captain Scarlet has a lot of roads built next to sheer drops. So when the Mysterons blow the tyre of the car, it plummets straight down the cliff and explodes in an enormous fireball. That's Captain Scarlet dead. The star of the show, dead within about 7 minutes. You've got to admit the Andersons were feeling pretty bold when they came up with this one.
Oh and Captain Brown's dead as well by the way…
The bloody corpse of our hero gets dragged behind a bush… well I'm sure no-one will find it there. But what's this? Standing right next to the body is an exact replica of Captain Scarlet! A beautifully executed reveal.
Back on Cloudbase, three Angel aircraft are on the deck. Assuming that the three we saw earlier are still in the air, that means there are six aircraft in total… even though there are only five pilots… hmmm…
Scarlet has made it back to Cloudbase. Who knows how long it took him to get back there but it must have been pretty quick. In fact we have no real idea what kind of time expanse this episode is supposed to take place over. One assumes it hasn't been all that long since the Mysteron threat was made as Spectrum have only just come into action… but we'll discuss that more later… Anyway, everything is carrying on – everyone in New York has been told to stay indoors while the World President is escorted to Spectrum Maximum Security Building.
A Maximum Security Vehicle is driven through the deserted streets. Captain Scarlet street scenes are delightful in their level of detail, but are almost always lacking in people.
The MSV achieved fame thanks to Dinky Toys, despite quickly being superseded in the series by the Yellow Fox Tanker which could transport passengers in safety and secrecy, without having a giant Spectrum logo slapped on the side to inform the enemy exactly where their target is.
Captain Brown is looking well. Of course we don't know for a certain that he definitely died in the car crash so we're left to wonder for a bit whether this is a Mysteron replica or not. The World President is voiced by the charming Paul Maxwell of Steve Zodiac fame. The original choice for the role was in fact superstar actor Patrick McGoohan of Danger Man and The Prisoner fame. The intention was to have a different guest star every week to join the voice cast and get a puppet made in their image. This never came to fruition. A part of me would have liked to see who they could have got in the series, but another part of me is glad it didn't happen because I'm sure that not all the stars would have had the gravitas of Pat McGoohan, based on the appearance of Cliff Richard in Thunderbirds Are Go which I guess the Andersons believed worked quite well…
The President is conveniently told about some of Spectrum's arsenal. Spectrum guards who are basically Spectrum agents but not as good are standing on top of the buildings. You can spot the Jet Air Transporter from the Thunderbirds episode Move – And You're Dead posing as a transmitter. The rarely seen Spectrum Helicopter is overflying the motorcade while the Angels continue their patrol. The President remarks – "Angels is the right word for that team." It's not explicitly clear that he's saying that just because they're an all-woman team, but it's certainly implied – and thankfully the writers get over that fact pretty quickly.
Captain Brown's face goes all out of focus while the President talks about the Mysterons… which probably means he's one of them.
Can anyone spot the flaw with the Spectrum Maximum Security Building? Well I know if I were constructing a building of maximum security there are two things I probably wouldn't do. The first is build it in the middle of New York City where people might notice. The second, and perhaps the most important, I wouldn't put a whacking great sign above the door advertising that this is a Maximum Security Building. You're pretty much inviting any attacker to walk straight in a pick off whichever important person happens to be staying that week.
Yeah puppet walks aren't a thing anymore. These human conveyor belts are all over the place because people can't be bothered to put one foot in front of another anymore. So when you enter the Spectrum Maximum Security Building you are greeted by massive guns and some lovely shrubbery.
The really lucky Spectrum guards get to sit inside plastic capsules all day long. The blonde guy is destined for greater things though – the same puppet goes on to become Shane Weston in Joe 90.
Captain Brown sets off the weapon detectors because he's a wrong'n. Shane is ready to shoot him to bits while we're treated to the first live action hand insert of the series.
Is it me or is this not the same puppet for a brief second?
So are the cigarettes considered the weapon here or the cigarette case? Because surely the cigarette lighter is the bigger issue…
For goodness sake, the conveyor belt even turns them around in the lift. The puppets couldn't even be trusted to do that convincingly.
The lift takes them all the way down to a very strange office. There's an entire room dedicated to a tree.
The World President is quite happy with the idea of playing three-dimensional chess while trapped in the basement for weeks on end. Captain Brown is thrilled. You'll notice that the pace of things has slowed down a bit, allowing a bit of tension to build as we wait for the moment Captain Brown reveals his true nature…
The President is a bit spooked by the camera in the wall. Video surveillance technology has apparently become rather less subtle by 2068 than it is today. Let's also take a moment to appreciate the beautiful detail of the set, from the miniature cushions to the plaster effect on the walls.
Captain Brown suddenly runs out of things to say. The President is a tad concerned.
President probably getting a little more concerned now.
Despite being Captain Brown's stunt double, this puppet is still beautifully finished – even if he doesn't look that much like Captain Brown.
Sleep tight kids.
The Spectrum Maximum Security Building is blown to bits in the blink of an eye. The model was pretty much designed to explode as the whole thing breaks apart and collapses with ease.
Destiny Angel reports to Cloudbase. She doesn't sound the slightest bit phased by it. Destiny tends to have only two emotional states – either not bothered, or wildly hysterical. Voice artist Liz Morgan often tells the story of being reminded that puppets can't cry, requiring her to tone down her performance somewhat!
The World President managed to escape the disaster and has made it straight to Cloudbase… but don't worry, Colonel White promises to move him to a new place of maximum security which he somehow manages to say without giggling. Captain Scarlet looks as grumpy as ever despite having his victim handed to him on a plate.
Despite the whirlwind pace of this episode, we're apparently going to take some time out to watch that last bit again. Even though we all saw what happened.
Like an old git insisting on showing his grandkids some home movies, Colonel White yells out for the Spectrum Information Center to roll the video tape… which is presumably code for "bung the video on, Lieutenant." The Colonel teaches us how fast forwarding works for a bit… I won't lie, this scene is pretty bewildering. There's supposed to be a point to it but I don't get what that is. I guess video tape was a pretty revolutionary thing in 1967 so maybe the audience is supposed to be marveling at that for a bit.
The President escaped through the wall, just in case you were interested. He knew exactly where the button was though, which means he must have had some pretty thorough briefing about the facility before turning up. So while Captain Brown was babbling on about the building earlier, the World President must have known everything there was to know already.
Colonel White begins the dumbest lecture I have ever heard. He says that the video teaches us that the President only just got out alive… which he already knew. It also teaches us that Captain Brown exploded… which we also already knew. So reviewing that footage was pretty pointless. When the President sounds like he's about to have a go at Spectrum for hiring an exploding maniac, Colonel White immediately leaps to Brown's defence calling him "one of my finest men." I don't think that's going to put the President at ease funnily enough…
The Colonel continues to describe the happenings since the Zero-X mission to Mars as "peculiar." I think that's putting it lightly. He mentions that Captain Black, "again, a trusted man" disappeared upon returning from Mars… so picture the scene: The Zero-X touched down at Glenn Field after a six week journey from Mars (which means at least six weeks have passed since the initial Mysteron threat was made even though that doesn't make any sense). When the ship touched down, Captain Black just sort of slipped away – with nothing even said of his two crew mates who may well have been murdered immediately by Black for all we know. Surely it would have made a lot more sense for the Mysterons to have just teleported Captain Black down to Earth, therefore generating the story that he never left Mars. But no, Spectrum is well aware that Captain Black returned to Earth exactly as planned, but then just swanned off afterwards.
Anyway, Captain Scarlet is now being trusted to escort the World President to another highly populated city because that worked so well the first time. The camera goes all blurry again which is shorthand for "this Spectrum agent is now a bad person."
The Spectrum Passenger Jet sure is a pretty thing.
Already the President looks absolutely terrified. To be fair, they told him he would be sitting in business class with Captain Magenta acting as his personal flight attendant – being forced to take over as co-pilot probably wasn't what he had in mind. Nevertheless they soon take off with an Angel escort hot on their tail.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Green receives some disturbing news from Spectrum New York. Apparently the Mysterons didn't do a terribly good job hiding the body of Captain Brown after the car crash.
Colonel White can be utterly thick at times. He first assumes that the Captain Brown who escorted the President was some kind of impostor… well to be fair there are a lot of people in the world who look like Captain Brown…
So, y'know, it could be an impostor…
Fortunately, Lieutenant Green is the real brains of the outfit, pointing out that Captain Scarlet was also involved in the crash and therefore probably can't be relied upon to remain unexploded. Now you would have thought that after a major car accident Captain Scarlet would have received some sort of medical examination… maybe an x-ray or two… oh wait, the writers haven't come up with that Mysteron weakness yet…
Destiny is given orders to escort Scarlet "back to the carrier" which sounds a bit weird because nobody ever refers to Cloudbase as a carrier ever again. Scarlet's funky sepia shades make him look even grumpier than he already is as he ignores Destiny's demands.
White checks his big map and remarks that they are crossing the English coast. Of course it isn't directly referenced, but seeing as the World President was brought to Cloudbase from New York, and is now minutes away from London despite having only just taken off, the implication is that Cloudbase has moved. Sounds obvious, but the fact that Cloudbase can move isn't brought up for a while yet in the series.
Destiny is given orders to open fire on the SPJ but make sure she misses. I'm sure the President will be thrilled. He's almost been blown up by one of Spectrum's top agents, kidnapped by another, and now he's about to be fired upon by their best pilot. It's very satisfying to see the model Angel aircraft in the background of the puppet set, just to add that touch of realism.
Trouble is, Captain Scarlet isn't the least bit bothered about the attack. In fact the Mysterons would probably prefer Spectrum to murder the President – it would just prove their point.
The President gets more than he bargained for when he tries to call for help. So now he's been blown up, kidnapped, shot at and now whacked in the face by trusted Spectrum personnel. His bloody lip is rather well done.
Scarlet and the President both decide to take their sunglasses off (for some reason) and eject from the aircraft. Ejecting happens a lot in Scarlet and it's awfully fun.
Colonel White has the thrill of telling Spectrum Headquarters London about losing Scarlet and the President. I'm sure they think he's a complete wally. He informs them that the ejection took place 60 miles southwest of London City Centre. That puts them somewhere near Winchester, which coincidentally is listed as Captain Scarlet's hometown…
Destiny watches over this rather lovely countryside scene. We see more of this sort of thing during Thunderbird 6.
But never mind that, a dashing young Spectrum agent has arrived at a garage.
Captain Blue of Spectrum. Isn't he gorgeous? He's notable for being one of the only operatives within Spectrum who a) has his head screwed on at all times and b) is allowed to go out and do cool stuff. And he's about to do something pretty cool.
This guy's a good laugh. Having granted Blue's request for a Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle he then explains to Blue exactly how they work… even though he already knows. Of course, this is entirely for the benefit of the audience, but seeing as we watch Blue driving backwards using a TV monitor in just a few seconds time it isn't really necessary to also tell us that he's going to do that.
A truck nearby explodes and collapses to reveal the magnificent Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle. The gimmick of, "Where's the SPV hidden this week?" is wonderful fun. The design of the vehicle itself is magnificent in its versatility and toughness. There's nothing to compare it to in the real world.
Captain Blue is soon on the road. We marvel as the back projection footage through the side window shows him moving backwards, but the TV monitor in front of him shows him moving forwards. All SPVs are fitted with sick buckets as standard while your brain does cartwheels to figure out all this motion.
Blue joins the M21 in hot pursuit of Captain Scarlet, as advised by Destiny Angel. It's worth noting that as of right now there is no M21 in the UK, but there is an A23 which runs from London to Brighton.
Meanwhile, Rhapsody Angel is dispatched on a special mission to destroy a bridge. Hopefully they got permission from someone first or Spectrum will have a big bill to pay. The plan is that this will force Captain Scarlet to divert towards the London Car-Vu.
Which he does at great and dangerous speed. The shots of Destiny Angel overflying the area are flipped to show her travelling from right to left, as indicated by the Spectrum emblem on her helmet appearing reversed.
Colonel White's map doesn't look terribly useful as it isn't showing anything any further east than Southampton… but hey, you keep monitoring that suspicious activity over in Somerset, Colonel… I'm sure it's relevant to the mission at hand… Anyway, White is now pretty confident that they've foiled Scarlet's plan as they attempt to trap him at the London Car-Vu.
Nobody is having a worse day than the World President by this point.
This is the London Car-Vu – a very unusual piece of design, the purpose of which I don't think I've quite grasped. As far as I can work out, the only purpose is that you drive to the top and look at London… you certainly can't just park at the top and go anywhere else. Why does this exist? Well just to serve the story really but who cares, it looks cool.
Scarlet crashes straight through the barrier which conveniently tells you the time it opens, the time it is currently, and tells you to stop – just in case that wasn't clear. Building 67 from the Thunderbirds episode, Alias Mr. Hackenbacker can be spotted in the background.
Scarlet and Blue begin their dizzying drives to the top of the Car-Vu. I really don't know how Blue hasn't lost his lunch by this point. The screeching of tyres suggests that maybe they're driving a bit fast. For the shots of the Car-Vu structure whizzing by, the camera remains stationary while the entire set is rotated.
Captain Blue makes contact with Spectrum Helicopter A42, but there is no pilot! The Mysterons reveal another of their incredible powers – to control vehicles without an operator. It's really rather chilling to hear the voice of a pilot that isn't there.
The chase up the tower does go on a bit I must say.
The President may be about to throw in the towel, give up world politics and take up gardening somewhere quiet…
According to the clock at the top of the tower the drive has taken five minutes. There's a few telescopes dotted about, but hurry because the places closes at 12pm despite only opening at 10am…
Watching from a safe distance from his cosy little retirement flat, Captain Black – still decked out in uniform – has his eye on things. He speaks telepathically to Scarlet, informing him that helicopter A42 is on the way to pick him up. Apparently they must have the World President alive… which isn't usually a requirement when you're trying to assassinate someone. There's something about this script which feels so fast paced and chopped together that there must have been a number of very heavy edits made which have made some of it rather nonsensical or glossed over far too quickly. Captain Scarlet has had sooo many opportunities to kill the President at this point but apparently the plan all along was to take him somewhere in a helicopter but none of that is ever explained. In the 50 minute Thunderbirds format there probably wouldn't have been this much of a problem of things being skipped or forgotten. As brilliant and action-packed as The Mysterons is, it is rather messy.
So while waiting for the helicopter to arrive, Scarlet takes the President over to a ridiculously dangerous looking structure on the side of the Car-Vu, which Destiny actually refers to as "the sky-park." It's a car park in the sky so I guess that makes sense.
The SPV finally arrives at the top, but for some reason Blue decides to park as far away as possible and take his hover-pack. He manages to climb out of his chair and put on the gear during the briefest of cutaways.
Captain Blue slowly comes to the realisation that helicopter A42 is no longer on his side. In a show which has already seen a lot of violence, one genuinely believes that the machine gun could cut Blue to pieces. The threat in Captain Scarlet always feel very real because we quickly learn that violence being depicted on screen is definitely on the cards.
With the helicopter raining down fire from the sky, and Destiny on her way to take it down, all Blue can do is open fire on Scarlet while desperately trying to avoid getting shot himself, or losing control of his hover-pack and falling.
And there's a long, long way for him to fall…
Stunning detail on this particular section of set as you can even see the bird droppings that have been painted on.
With incredible accuracy, Destiny knocks out the helicopter and, I might add, manages to pull out of the dive before ploughing straight into the Car-Vu.
The same can't be said for the helicopter which explodes in a spectacular fireball right at the heart of the structure… this may cause a few problems…
Things are starting to get wobbly at the top of the tower now. Scarlet and the President cling on for dear life.
It's time for the ultimate showdown, Blue vs. Scarlet. This moment has a little more impact when you've seen the entire series and know how close the two become as colleagues. For some reason, explosive charges were not actually loaded into either of the guns, and the shots firing are only suggested by the sound effects and the puppets jolting their arms slightly each time.
Blue wins, and as a prize we're treated to this very special puppet head sculpt. This is the face of a man who has been shot, and is unaware that he's about to fall a very, very long way. My hope is that somebody from the studio took this head, kept it in their attic, and one day somebody will come across it on a stormy night, royally peeing themselves in the process.
Down he goes! It's the best thing that's happened to the President all day. Goodness knows what state Scarlet's body will be in once it hits the ground, but it sure won't be pretty.
As the tower slips some more, the President is left dangling from the structure, with Blue quickly sweeping in to pick up the poor man. He looks thoroughly defeated by the whole ordeal. Despite this, he bounces back in time for another appearance in the episode Spectrum Strikes Back. Hurrah!
The tower finally takes a tumble, but rather unfortunately we cut away to Cloudbase before we get to watch the structure hit the ground and devastate the surrounding area. It can be excused I suppose because there are an awful lot of loose ends to tie up…
Doctor Fawn has the body of Scarlet in the sick bay which Destiny identifies with relative ease. He doesn't look bad for it y'know.
While Harmony Angel and Lieutenant Green watch from the sidelines, Colonel White chairs a briefing with key members of Spectrum. Captain Ochre must have missed the memo because everyone else remembered to turn up. In order to address everyone in the room, Colonel White's chair constantly rotates, which means motion sickness could strike at any moment. By the way, everyone always asks how Colonel White gets into the middle of the table… the table splits apart… easy…
So let's wrap this story up. Captain Scarlet is recovering in some very hideous pyjamas. He has returned to life but also managed to shake off the Mysteron influence. We have no idea how or why – it is never explained how he manages to do this while retaining certain characteristics, including his indestructibility of course. It's one of those great mysteries, or at least it would be if some attempt was made to investigate it further. Doctor Fawn gives up on the whole thing at the beginning of Winged Assassin, despite it potentially being one of the most important discoveries they could have possibly made during the fight against the Mysterons. The whole episode is wrapped up just a little bit too quickly because time has quite simply run out!
The Mysterons is a bizarre creature of a show. The story is simple at its core, but has so many key elements of the series to establish and explain that it often feels rushed and could have done with at least an extra 25 minutes of running time to do it proper justice. Nevertheless, all the vehicles are shown, all of the most important characters have their parts to play, we learn about who the Mysterons are and what they're going to do, how Captain Scarlet became indestructible (sort of), and we get some spectacular special effects and puppet work on top off all that. The entire Captain Scarlet premise has been set up, but perhaps the strength of this pilot episode is that there's a lot of room to grow. As we learn more about the Mysterons, the series develops and changes. The best is yet to come!
Next week, a nuclear device is lost in the heart of London! Will Spectrum hunt it down before the Mysterons have a chance to blow up the city? And why oh why does Big Ben strike 13?? Stay tuned for our review of Big Ben Strikes Again!
VOTING CLOSED: Captain Scarlet September Reviews!
Captain Scarlet – Big Ben Strikes Again
10 thoughts on "Captain Scarlet – The Mysterons"
Megan McConnell - Independent Jamberry Consultant says:
The shot of the Mysteron city – that actually looks like a model of TB4 with some bits taken off on the top!!!
darkspine10 says:
Maybe the Rock Snakes in TB Are Go! were some kind of remote Mysteron defence system, to prevent discovery of their complex?
I like the point you made about the Mysterons having no actual weapons, and having to rely on using Humans for their plans. It adds to the theme of Humanity's act of agression sparking the whole war off in the first place.
Christopher Jones says:
I always though the Rock snakes were tied to the Mysterons somehow tiooo
Argyledaft says:
Fantastic Review
Still cant work out how the Delta Garage attendant could see Cap Blue had "expert ratings on SPV's", but I guess "you get used to it"
The ejection sequences throughout the series are magnificent, Martin Baker Aircraft Company will be handing out a lot of ties!!! Also leaving an SPV or jet at 60 feet a second would compress Scarlet's spine a bit though!
Oh and I still don't know what the numbers of the Angels are.. 737 is destroyed a few times
Mark Simpson Wedge says:
There's one thing about this episode that still puzzles me. When the Car Vu collapses we see the car, but where's the SPV?
All in all; still a great episode!
A very good review. One thing of note, Captain Brown's body is found at the scene of the crash, but no mention is made of Captain Scarlet. Was his body ever found, and if so, did he attend his own funeral? A dark assumption I know, but puzzling.
Akmal Chaudhri says:
What is the sign on the wall on the right hand-side in the opening titles where we have mention of Derek Meddings? Looks like there is an arrow as well. Thanks.
Jack Knoll says:
I would guess that it says 'Tradesman's Entrance' but it's very difficult to make out!
Richard Baylis says:
I was confused by the change from full colour to the blue monochrome cast on the part where Captain Scarlet and Brown are in the vehicle just before it crashes. If this was to suggest the Mysterons causing the crash it wasn't the obvious way to do it, and I can't recall it ever being used again. I imagine there must have been a few children calling dad to come and fix the tv because it had gone wrong!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Read and Learn
Study Your Nation's History
Articles Of Confederation For Kids
May 26, 2019 admin American
Quizlet of the 13 Articles of Confederation Learn with flashcards, games, and more — for free.
Chairperson of Oil and Petroleum Industries Workers Confederation Muhammad Hamad AlHajri praised the bill as it cuts the way for employers who deprive workers of their rights under the pretext that.
Who Were Christopher Columbus Parents Jan 13, 2016 · Christopher Todd Conway, 39, of Hertford died Wednesday, January 13, 2016 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. A native of Whiteville, NC, he was the son of Robert and Deborah Brown Conway and the husband of Heather Jones Conway. Juan Ponce de León was born in San Servas, Spain. Although born into a noble family,
USConstitution.net offers the text of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, a FAQ, glossary, comment/question area, and links to other resources
Under the Articles of Confederation the limited financial administration of the United States was taken care of by a superintendent of finance, who was replaced in 1784 by a treasury board. One of the.
The students will be able to list the Articles of Confederation, determine the basis for the Articles, and the reasons why they were later changed. Materials Needed. Copy of the Articles of Confederation for each student. Butcher paper, or large sheet of paper for display purposes.
So they had gone to the other extreme. The Articles of Confederation, the country's first constitution, didn't give Congress the power to do much of anything. There was no president except the.
Why Did The Articles Of Confederation Fail. The Articles of Confederation were approved and accepted by all thirteen states in the year 1781. This witnessed the beginning of a new era in world history. These Articles were complied and written by delegates representing their respective states. Most of these delegates belonged to the First and.
Andrew Jackson One Cent Stamp Value History, for Zinn, is looked at from "the bottom up": a view "of the Constitution from the standpoint of the slaves, of Andrew Jackson as seen by the Cherokees. has the same right as any author to. When Mary joined Goodwill in 1974, the cost of a first class stamp was 8 cents, the cost of a gallon of gasoline
1779. Militia beat Tories at Kettle Creek, NC (2/14) American George Rogers Clark captures Vincennes on the Wabash in the Western campaign (2/25) Fairfield, CT, burned by.
The Articles of Confederation were written a decade after Thomas Jefferson declared: ".all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." It would be.
George Washington Cancer Center The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a private research university in Washington, D.C. It was chartered in 1821 by an act of the United States Congress. The university is organized into 14 colleges and schools, including the Columbian College. Jay Paul Rohr, 62, of Charleston, went to be with his Lord Saturday, May 18, 2019 at the Hubbard
Why Did the Founding Fathers believe the Articles needed to be replaced by the US Constitution? The first system of government designed by the Founding Fathers was a Confederation. Under a Confederate system, the National or Central Government is given only a few powers, while most of the power is reserved for the States.
A crossword puzzle by PuzzleFast Instant Puzzle Maker (Puzzle 20140214730376)
U.S. Constitution Fun Zone U.S. Constitution Activities. Welcome to the Fun Zone at Constitutionfacts.com where you'll find U.S. Constitution Activities for all ages – from word finds to crossword puzzles to treasure hunts and more!
Take a look at TIME's coverage of the signing of the declaration of the original United Nations in 1942: The significance of the pact was slower being digested. In Washington, enthusiasts compared it.
Cameroonian side Coton Sport Garoua have sent a 7-page petition to the Confederation of African Football (CAF. which would be a violation of article 6.5 of the competition's rules. Kotoko meanwhile.
For the second time in three months, Fox heavily promoted anti-administration "tea party" events this past Fourth of July—rallies in praise of secession and the Articles of Confederation, at which.
Savill isn't giving up; he has built a makeshift jump at Confederation Park so the kids can continuing training. "It doesn't really replace it," Savill said. "The jump there [at WinSport] is built for.
The Articles of Confederation were effective from March 1, 1781 to March 4, 1789 and were the basis of the national government of the US during the American Revolutionary War.
Writing prompts for articles of confederation for kids Lesson at a Glance This lesson (which will take place over several class periods) is the 2nd in a series of three extensive lessons in the unit.
The job fair was organised by Samagra Shiksha at Government Model Senior Secondary School in Sector 10, in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on January 31. The fair was.
"KIFA is not just here for football but also to enhance these kids' education through EFootPlus because, without the right.
Info from the SHG Resource. August 3, 1492 – Christopher Columbus sets sail to find a westward route to the east. October 12, 1492 – Christopher Columbus reportly the 1st European to set foot on the New World (in what is now the Dominican Republic).
Reasons why the Articles of Confederation were weak 1. States held all the powers 2. States did not work together to make a strong new nation. 3. Each state wanted to control the workings of their state.
United States Constitution. During the American Revolutionary War, the American colonists officially declared independence from England on July 4, 1776.
Maria Aragona, president of the Confederation of Columbian Lawyers and law clerk to Hon. Kenneth Sherman, and Andrew Wenzel, law clerk to Hon. William Harrington, were each given a plaque during a.
He's the architect of the most important hard-rock band to ever walk the earth, but he looks more like a man who's just finished ratifying the Articles of Confederation. the likelihood of finding.
Well, this is less U.S. Constitution and more Articles of Confederation type of unity in the course of this. I mean, I don't see any unity at this point in time. And you get the sense that there's a.
After missing its third handover date, Ottawa's Confederation light-rail transit (LRT. Adults can get free single-ride tickets for kids five and younger, or apply for a special smart card for them.
The Constitution and Slavery. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Steele is president of the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators. and fewer mental health resources for kids. This last week saw the Oregon House take action to address this challenge and.
Industry Key Issues. Keep up to date on industry issues including energy, environment, packaging, recycling, forestry. Read more PaperWorks. Discover a world of paper and cardboard with PaperWorks, the Paper Industry's award winning school resource.
CONSTITUTION DAY: September 17. Lesson 2: "The Constitution vs. the Articles of Confederation" (Grades 3-5) Background: While the Articles of Confederation were an important first attempt at creating the guiding principles for our nascent government, it became clear very quickly that such a decentralized government would be ineffective in allowing anything to get done; however, the road to.
The eventual outcome of the Second Continental Congress was the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first try at a constitution. The. See full answer below.
Our neighbors say, "We send our kids to Holy Angels, so why should we pay for. and the Supreme Court will take us back to the original originalist position of the Articles of Confederation. The.
Trace the history of the United States of America. U.S. History. This page focuses on United States history in all its many forms in general terms.
Grover Cleveland High School Reunion Superstar pitchers Carl Hubbell, Lefty Grove, and Grover Cleveland Alexander finally got in on their third. the first time Jones became eligible. "He played at a high level for just 11 years and. Jun 11, 2012 · Site Navigation: There are over 441 pages to the Chenoweth site.[233 pages are descendant outlines, 109 various index listings, 66 information pages and narratives
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MASTER THE DISASTER! Burnout™ CRASH! explodes onto iPhone and iPad with huge pile-ups, mega disasters and more! Crash and burn with this spin-off from the award-winning console series.
Activate catastrophic Super Features and trigger road-shattering disasters like tornados, tidal waves, asteroids, and even UFOs!
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Use intuitive swipe-and-tap controls to steer vehicles, trigger explosions and rack-up scores across 3 game modes, 18 traffic junctions, 54 events, and 6 themed locations.
Beat your friends' scores and challenge them to turn-based smashups with Autolog.
Ready to blow stuff up? Embrace your road rage with Burnout™ CRASH!


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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is also the Liberal Democratic Party president, and other heads of political parties participate in a debate on Wednesday at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. | KYODO
National / Politics
Abe squares off with opposition leaders ahead of Upper House election
by Tomohiro Osaki and Sakura Murakami
Online: Jul 03, 2019
Last Modified: Jul 03, 2019
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said during a debate with opposition leaders on Wednesday that he will go ahead with the planned sales tax hike in October but vehemently denied there will be further increases while he remains in power.
Although rumors that Abe might postpone the tax hike have died down, with an Upper House election in less than three weeks, questions have been raised over whether there might be further tax hikes.
At the debate, where leaders of major political parties faced off in Tokyo, Abe gave a firm no to this scenario.
"The Abe administration is not at all considering raising the tax rate (over 10 percent)," he told a moderator when asked whether there may be another hike given the high costs of social welfare programs.
A good portion of the two-hour debate at the Japan National Press Club was spent discussing Japan's pension system, a recent hot topic following outrage over a controversial Financial Services Agency report that estimated ¥20 million in savings might be needed to sustain post-retirement lives for average elderly pensioners.
Campaign kicks off for Japan Upper House poll, a litmus test for constitutional reform and tax hike
Some opposition leaders questioned the efficacy of the "macroeconomic slide" system, which was introduced as part of a 2004 pension reform to reduce payout levels as the size of the working-age population falls and average life expectancy increases.
Kazuo Shii, leader of the Japanese Communist Party, insisted the macroeconomic slide will ultimately reduce the pension payment standards to a critically low level.
Abe, however, defended the framework, saying there is no "magic" that would automatically increase payouts and asserting that without it, Japan will be "depleted of pension reserves."
On the Constitution, Abe doubled down on his commitment to explicitly acknowledge the constitutionality of the Self-Defense Forces — Japan's de facto military — to eliminate longstanding arguments among some scholars that the SDF violates war-renouncing Article 9. "Explicitly defining the existence of the SDF in the Constitution will form the foundation of national defense," Abe said.
The July election will see political parties contest 124 seats up for grabs, about half of the Upper House's 245 seats. On Wednesday, Abe reiterated that his so-called victory line in the election would be for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition to keep a majority of the seats, or 123.
This means Abe's ruling bloc, which already controls 70 seats in the uncontested half, would need to win 53 in total. "I'd like to be sure to win enough seats so that at least half of the seats in the Upper House, including those that are not going to be up for re-election, will be under control of the ruling bloc," Abe said during the debate.
But critics see it as a rather unambitious goal that appears to have been set deliberately low to keep Abe from losing face after the vote — and therefore stave off any calls for his resignation. Even Toshihiro Nikai, the secretary-general of the LDP, appears unconvinced of the validity of Abe's goal, reportedly saying last week in an interview with domestic media outlets that he believes the ruling camp should win at least 63 seats in total, or a majority of the 124 up for grabs.
Throughout the two-hour debate, Abe mostly maintained his composure and took in stride questions from opposition leaders and reporters. His main adversary was Yukio Edano, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, whom he criticized for tying up with other opposition parties, including the leftist JCP, so they can unify candidates in some single-seat districts.
Abe said the tactic, meant to prevent a split of anti-Abe forces among opposition parties, is "disingenuous" for voters because, for instance, Edano's CDP fundamentally differs from the JCP on some crucial issues. The JCP, Abe said, still stands by the position that the SDF, which forms the foundation of Japan's national security, is unconstitutional.
Abe prodded Edano to put himself in the shoes of voters in Fukui Prefecture, where a JCP-backed candidate has been positioned to run in the July 21 election as a result of the opposition tie-up.
Abe asked: "If you're a Fukui resident, would you still vote for the JCP candidate?"
Acknowledging that opposition parties are dogged by discrepancies in terms of some policies, Edano said it's "the reality of an election" that voters would sometimes have to choose among candidates they don't completely agree with. But, he said, candidates unified by opposition parties at least share the basic stance that they are against the Abe government's controversial security laws, which have significantly expanded the legal scope of the overseas operations of the SDF.
Abe, however, went on the defensive when the topic veered toward the favoritism scandal that involved nationalist school operator Moritomo Gakuen. His dismay was further intensified when a reporter bombarded leaders on stage with a series of simple yes-or-no questions on controversial issues and urged them to raise their hands if they agreed.
When asked if they think Japan should allow women to ascend the imperial throne, refrain from building new nuclear power plants and legalize dual-surnames for married couples, Abe stood out from the others by not raising his hand throughout. Some of his debate opponents showed support for the ideas. They did remain cautious, however, over whether to allow female members of the imperial family to pass down the throne to their children, with only the JCP's Shii and Social Democratic Party representative Hajime Yoshikawa expressing support.
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Shinzo Abe, elections, consumption tax, LDP. Upper House


After the successful Kickstarter launch last year of its flagship Manhattan Collection, Microscape is tackling the Second City. A new collection of thirty-six highly detailed models capturing downtown Chicago is now available exclusively through a Kickstarter campaign that will wrap up on January 25th, 2018.
Microscape | The Chicago Collection from Microscape on Vimeo.


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Sean Brock Is Striving for Tasting Menu Perfection
A night with the celebrated Southern chef as he surprises and delights diners.
By Steven Tingle
Steven Tingle
Steven Tingle's Most Recent Stories
Sean Brock Looks Back on a Transformative Year
Photo: Peter Frank Edwards
View Gallery — 13 Photos
The tasting menu experience at McCrady's in Charleston, S.C., is the realization of chef Sean Brock's decades-long desire to orchestrate the best dining experience imaginable. Through multiple courses, Brock surprises, challenges, and captivates guests with bold combinations, layers of complex flavors, and an almost fanatical attention to detail. "I'm obsessed with every minute that the guest has in this room," Brock says. As the visionary behind several critically acclaimed restaurants including Husk, McCrady's Tavern, and Minero, Brock is redefining regional cooking throughout the Southeast. But it is it at the 22-seat restaurant-within-a-restaurant in McCrady's where Brock really lets his passion and creativity run wild. "This is playtime for me," he says. "Just selfish playtime."
NYC's Most Expensive Private Club Was Shut Down for Operating Without a Permit
Brock immerses the diner right away, with a trio of hors d'oeuvres. "We're going to start the meal with three bites that will hit you with a pop, pop, pop."
The highly trained and tight-knit staff, many of whom have worked with Brock for several years, move with choreographed precision throughout the evening. "It's like a play. Everything is planned to the minute."
PETER FRANK EDWARDS
Audacious Flavors
Brock plays with depths of complexity in the savory broth surrounding a seared scallop.
Delicate Artistry
With hushed voices, Brock and his staff plate with tweezers, ensuring the open kitchen remains quiet and serene. "Our responsibility in this room is to create an anti-stress environment."
A Taste of History
The menu celebrates and elevates heritage staples like Carolina Gold, the grandfather of long-grain rice in the South.
Creating Cohesion
"I purposely flavor the next dish to work with the flavor that is still in your mouth from the previous one to create specific emotions and feelings," Brock says.
Personal Connection
Brock thrives on creating a bond with the guests. "We are hard-wired for connection. That's what we crave as humans and food does that for us. This is really about nurturing souls."
Genius at Work
Sean Brock
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In the Footsteps of Film Stars: The InterContinental Carlton Cannes and the French Riviera
October in Cannes – the crowds have gone, the weather is still mild (albeit variable) and hotel prices have started to fall, representing an ideal time to visit – provided sunbathing isn't high on your list. As I've covered the BA Club Europe and Heathrow T5 premium departure experience on countless previous occasions, this report will focus predominantly on our time in France, with a full review of the famous InterContinental Carlton Cannes together with a look at the Canopy lounge at Nice airport.
LHR-NCE
After quite a wait for boarding to commence, our flight that morning would be on one of BA's older A319s, G-EUOC – my fourth and final time aboard this particular aircraft delivered new to BA in 2001 and retired in March this year.
Options for lunch on this relatively short Band 2 sector were a beef salad or a tomato and mozzarella salad; I went for the former, which is one of my favourite options currently doing the rounds on Band 1 and 2 routes. Whilst the beef was a little on the rare side for my taste, the dish was excellently flavoured, paired with a basic side salad and accompanied by a choice of warm bread from the basket.
A bread plate is sorely missing from these trays, requiring the precarious balancing of the roll on the side of the tray. In a welcome change from previous Club Europe offerings, the chocolate mousse dessert was eminently passable, accompanied by a peppermint tea that rendered the pre-supplied UHT milk unnecessary. This milk is unnecessary even for breakfast tea drinkers, as fresh milk is always available on the trolley.
This was my second pair of Club Europe flights to feature the new herringbone tray liner, a welcome and smart change from the previous plain navy blue design and the even blander white design before that.
The approach into Nice Côte D'Azur Airport must surely be one of the world's most scenic, with its over-Mediterranean flight path and relatively late near 90-degree turn to line up with Runway 04L.
Landing on time at 14:25 local, with NCE not being directly connected to the heavy rail network, we decided to take the quickest and most comfortable route to Cannes in an Uber, arriving at the InterContinental some 30 minutes later and EUR57 lighter in the comfort of a Mercedes E-Class.
InterContinental Carlton Cannes and Views from the French Riviera
Opened in 1913, the Carlton is one of the most famous hotels in the world and has been the home away from home for many a film star over the past 70 years since the annual Cannes Film Festival premiered in 1946. The hotel itself has starred in numerous movies, including Elton John's 1982 music video for 'I'm Still Standing'. And still standing the Carlton very much is.
The property's grand yet welcoming façade on La Croisette was having a billboard removed by a crane to mark the end of the season as our Uber pulled up outside, and so we were unable to drive right up to the entrance. Despite this, porters rushed to take our bags and escort us up to the hotel, depositing us at reception immediately to the left of the revolving entrance door.
The Carlton's foyer, as with the rest of the property, is serenely grand, yet fairly intimate. The interior design is undeniably long past its prime (dated is perhaps too harsh a word to use), but everything is generally well kept and in good condition – in public areas, at least. An atmosphere of historic grandeur seeps from every corner, and guests feel quite literally as though they are standing in the footsteps of the rich and famous who've occupied the property in days gone by – some a distant memory, and some not so long ago.
Whilst there was a signed IHG Priority reception desk, I couldn't see a dedicated Ambassador one; in any case, there was only one receptionist on duty so this was a moot point. A short wait later, we were promptly checked in, with directions to the restaurant, beauty and fitness centre and lifts given and the offer of IHG Elite welcome points or a welcome drink voucher. When a property doesn't have a Club InterContinental lounge (as is the case at the Carlton) or I don't have Club access included in my rate, I tend to accept the drink voucher over the points, and this afternoon was no exception. On request, the receptionist was happy to provide two vouchers, which for Platinum Elite members (as I was at the time of travelling) included a choice of sparkling or house wine, beer or soft drink from the Carlton Bar. Gold Elite members have to make do without the sparkling wine, whilst Spire Elite members can also choose from a cocktail.
Opposite reception, a near-identical desk is home to the concierge, whilst off to the right of the foyer is the Carlton Bar and Carlton Restaurant beyond. A staircase sweeps up to the beauty and fitness centre and guest floors to the right hand side of the lift lobby, with a small business centre tucked in underneath. The floral centrepiece of the foyer during our stay was an elegant pink display in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Our fourth floor Deluxe room was a one-category upgrade from our booked Superior room, and the highest category room available before moving into suites (of which there are unsurprisingly many at the Carlton in various sizes, with Prestige Suites being named after famous guests). At an average of 30 square metres, Deluxe rooms are in fact slightly smaller than Superior rooms, although are still a little larger than Standard rooms. Despite the size anomaly, Deluxe rooms benefit from significantly enhanced views with impressive 180-degree panoramas of the Mediterranean as opposed to the 'city view' offered by Superior rooms, which one assumes is likely to be the side of an adjacent building.
Our room was towards the larger end of the range for Deluxe rooms at around 35 square metres, with high ceilings and interior design unaltered for several decades. The Carlton has long been rumoured for a full refurbishment in order for it to once again truly compete with Cannes's other luxury hotels, but it's only in recent years that this has commenced with two new hotel wings under construction at the rear of the property to include a new conference centre and rooftop swimming pool. Any sign of refurbishment has yet to make its way into the original building, and whilst public areas may have been well maintained over the years, time is visibly showing in guest rooms.
Our room's space was used effectively, with two armchairs paired around an occasional table taking full advantage of the bay window (always more welcome than one chair sandwiched into a corner), a large desk, minibar console, suitcase stand and an expansive in-built wardrobe running the full width of the bathroom wall offering ample storage space. The wardrobe included an ironing board with attached iron, although no receptacle was provided with which to fill the secured iron with water. We had requested a room with two beds, and whilst the room had been set up accordingly, I was disappointed that the headboard was sized for a double bed, meaning one bed had to make do without a headboard – a less than ideal experience.
I'd requested a birthday gift to be placed in the room, and sure enough a very pleasant chocolate cake was waiting on the table, alongside a large bottle of complimentary mineral water (courtesy of my Ambassador status), a welcome card and welcome gift of lavender. A single additional small bottle of complimentary mineral water was available in the minibar, replaced daily; it's incredibly stingy to only have one complimentary bottle with two guests in the room, and equally stingy not to replace the Ambassador mineral water each day despite this being a published benefit.
Continuing this miserly theme, despite the presence of a Nespresso machine, only four complimentary capsules were provided for the entire stay, with additional capsules being available for purchase at an eye-watering cost. I've never seen this level of stinginess in any hotel before, let alone an InterContinental. The spoons provided with the coffee cups were rather unexpectedly plastic.
No kettle or teabags were provided in the room, although room service were happy to provide a complimentary tray on request, with cups and teabags replaced daily. I will never understand why, in many properties, housekeeping do not replace water glasses each day (or skip the chocolates during turndown service for that matter).
Being an older property, there were limited power sockets with none adjacent to the beds or at desk height, although the housekeeping team thoughtfully provided an extension socket for the kettle the following morning (along with hotel-branded bookmarks for our books). The TV was inexcusably tiny, a relic of the mid-2000s for sure.
What the TV lacked in size, the bathroom made up for – large enough to house a separate shower stall when the hotel finally commences refurbishment of its original building, we made do for now with a powerful but undeniably over-bath shower, complete with dreaded shower curtain instead of a screen. Dual sinks, a bidet and bath robes were all present (with slippers in the wardrobe), along with standard Agraria amenities. There were no dental or shaving kits, although there was a hilariously dated wall-mounted hairdryer, so under-powered that a standalone hairdryer was provided on the desk to alleviate complaints no doubt. By this point, a leaky tap, half-functioning heated mirror and a door that didn't close unless abruptly shoved were all to be expected.
That evening, after a brief exploration of the immediate area around the hotel, we strolled the 20 minutes or so to the old town and Le Beija Flor, a small family-run unfussy restaurant offering a good-value menu and decent-quality cuisine with quick and friendly service.
The following morning, breakfast was taken in the Carlton Restaurant, accessed either from the spiral staircase at the eastern end of the hotel or via the foyer through the Carlton Bar.
In the summer season, the Carlton Terrace is home to a large outdoor seating area, although during our stay in the slightly colder climes of mid-October, a large enclosed tent (complete with partial sea view and bouncy floor) had been erected to provide additional seating during busy times.
We had breakfast included in our rate, although the full buffet (including a variety of egg dishes available on request) is also available for EUR45 per person, with further à la carte options available to all at an additional cost. The buffet offered the usual broad selection of generally high quality items, although my requested fried eggs on toast that first morning arrived without toast. DIY toast is of course available on the buffet, but it's impossible to time the toasting correctly to align it with the arrival of the eggs, so delivery together is always preferred. An omelette the following day was left mostly uneaten as it was terribly overcooked and tasted downright odd – we stuck solely to the buffet the following mornings. Service in the restaurant was generally a little slow and haphazard if well-intentioned.
We started our first full day on the French Riviera exploring Menton, a 1h20 scenic train journey away from Cannes towards the Italian border. With Gare de Cannes being a 12-minute walk from the Carlton with fairly regular services to most Riviera destinations, the train seemed like the easiest option to explore the Southern French coastline, although with no special multi-trip tickets offered, the cost of one-way tickets soon racked up.
Described as the most Italian of the French Riviera towns, Menton's old town and accompanying port is particularly worthy of a mention for its architectural and scenic quality.
Despite some heavy downpours, the rain shifted in time for us to see most of what the town had to offer, before heading back to the station for the short 11-minute train ride back to Monaco and Monte Carlo.
Noted as 'a sunny place for shady people' by English writer Somerset Maugham, the Principality of Monaco certainly feels a little absurd, with its Beverly Hills-esque manicured grounds and visible wealth dripping uncomfortably from every corner. Starting our walk in Port Hercule, home to many a superyacht, we followed part of the famous Grand Prix circuit up to the casino, before heading around the Grand Hotel Hairpin and down to conclude our day at the somewhat out of place Jardin Japonais.
Back in Cannes later that evening, we dined at UVA, a modern Mediterranean restaurant serving smartly designed dishes in a welcoming atmosphere, just a short walk from the Carlton.
A moody sunrise awaited the following morning for our quick 26-minute train trip to Nice, the largest city on the French Riviera.
Starting at the rather vulgar Negresco hotel, we walked along Promenade des Anglais to the scenic but busy old town, ascending to Parc du Château for a superb view over the city before heading back down to the calm old port. Whilst historically Nice hasn't had the best of reputations, I found the city to be a pleasant way to spend the best part of a day, although it can't compete with its neighbouring smaller towns for beauty.
We hopped off the train 13 minutes out of Cannes at Antibes. From Port Vauban, we headed up to Musée Picasso, uniquely set within an historic castle and showcasing some of the artist's principal works created during his residency between September and November 1946. We ended our tour of quaint Antibes at the Place Nacionale as thunder advanced and the heavens opened.
The Carlton Restaurant is closed each Sunday and Monday evening, which for a property with no other true restaurants leaves prospective diners a little stuck for choice in a town where most other restaurants are also closed for dinner on Sundays. Thus, we made do with a passable meal in the oddly-lit and devoid of atmosphere Carlton Bar, which nevertheless presented a good opportunity to utilise our welcome drink vouchers as well as take full advantage of the EUR15 Ambassador dining credit.
Our final full day held a trip to Grasse, 30 minutes north by train into the foothills of the Prealps. Heading up through the picturesque old town, we spent a good couple of hours at the Fragonard perfume factory and museum. The free guided tour of the perfume and soap manufacturing process was genuinely one of the more intellectually stimulating experiences of recent trips and was fully worth the inevitable hard sell of items after.
Table 22 by Noël Mantel was our venue for dinner that evening. Colourful, gourmet Mediterranean cuisine is the order of the day here, and although I found the setting a little pretentious, the good value menu meant a satisfying and high-quality meal was enjoyed.
As we'd not really taken time to explore Cannes to this point beyond walks to and from the station and restaurants, we spent the morning of our departure around the town we'd based ourselves in for the previous four nights. Heading along La Croisette (which sadly was undergoing post-peak season restoration during our visit), after a stroll past the Palais des Festivals and around the old port, we headed up through the old town to the 17th century Notre-Dame de l'Espérance for a view that stretched all the way back to the Carlton and beyond.
One of the most personally valuable benefits of InterContinental Ambassador membership is the guaranteed extended checkout to 16:00; our flight departure time that evening was 18:10, moved forward earlier that morning from the originally booked 21:40 departure thanks to BA's free same day change policy on all short haul fares (with the exception of hand baggage only Euro Traveller fares). Checkout was handled promptly and efficiently at reception, with another Mercedes E-Class Uber whisking us back to Nice airport in short and comfortable order.
NCE-LHR
BA use the older Terminal 1 at NCE, but despite this there were no queues and we were airside within minutes of arriving at the airport. The airport authority operates two lounges at T1; the Library lounge for Schengen departures and the Canopy lounge for non-Schengen departures. The latter is located after passport control, handily across from the gates BA tend to use, albeit on the level above the gates themselves. At the time of our visit, the lift up to the lounge was under refurbishment, and so we navigated the rather narrow open spiral staircase to reach reception – goodness knows how passengers with reduced mobility would fare (although there was an agent stationed at the bottom of the stairs offering assistance with luggage who could presumably be called upon for further help).
The Canopy lounge is comprised of two main areas. The initial rectangular room features basic armchair and sofa seating broken up by dust-covered partitions and sporadic planters, with buffets at either end.
These buffets are fairly standard third party offerings, with a selection of whole fresh fruit, crisps, nuts, dismal-looking sandwiches, bread, soup, salad, yogurts, fresh and packaged cakes, sweets and biscuits. Surprisingly, Constantin champagne was available on request.
The extension to the lounge, an airy square space, clearly provides inspiration for the lounge's name, and features a more diverse selection of seating options with a more relaxed atmosphere.
Both areas of the lounge feel well connected thanks to a common design palette, although that palette is inevitably somewhat utilitarian and not of a particularly high quality, par for the course in third party lounges. Certain seating areas offer readier access to power and USB sockets than others, whilst wifi was fast throughout the lounge with no access code required. Both lounge seating areas offer views over the internal gate area, with partial views of the apron beyond. Washrooms are available in the lounge.
A distinctly haphazard boarding process commenced at Gate B42 with a single queue showing little regard for the group boarding process, despite announcements. G-EUOG, a 2001-vintage A319 was the aircraft taking us back to London that evening, this time in Row 5 rather than Row 1, thanks to the same day flight change.
Dinner options of either an egg or seafood salad were available; we took one of each allowing a rare double photo opportunity. Both dishes were flavoursome and nicely presented, although portion size was on the small side. The hummus starter was a useful accompaniment to the offered warm bread, whilst the tiramisu dessert was a sweet way to end the flight.
Thanks for reading along on this trip to the French Riviera. Your comments and questions are welcomed and appreciated.
mke717spotter
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 9:32 am
Re: In the Footsteps of Film Stars: The InterContinental Carlton Cannes and the French Riviera
Good photos. The French Riviera does indeed look like a nice place. I've been to Paris a few times and although it doesn't seem to be as heralded as the Mediterranean areas in Spain and Italy, I'd like to visit Nice in the future.
klkla
Great report. Lots high quality photos and good narration. Thanks.
mke717spotter wrote:
Thanks mke717spotter! The French Riveria has a certain charm to it - I don't think it's everyone's cup of tea, but there are certain advantages, particularly the less well known towns along the cost such as Antibes. I generally don't find Paris that attractive, but that's probably because every time I've visited, the weather has been either cold or rainy or both!
klkla wrote:
Thanks very much klkla!
Beautiful photos. My wife and I visited the south of France back in 2014, and we had a great time exploring Nice for a few nights. It was in September, and so the temperatures each day were very warm, but not overly hot. Our favorite day was spent exploring Monaco.
Thanks for this report!


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ReviewsDVD Review
The League: The Complete Season One
Scott Tobias
Filed to: DVDFiled to: DVD
The FX half-hour sitcom The League is one of those shows that are compelling mainly because the next episode will surely be better than the last. A raunchy, testosterone-driven, politically incorrect comedy of the It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia school, The League has seemingly everything going for it: a premise built around a fantasy-football subculture rife with obsessive nerdery and false braggadocio; a cast of skilled, likeable improvisers, including Mark Duplass, Nick Kroll, and Paul Scheer; and a cable outlet that places no restrictions on the weird, profane places its comedies can go. With all these elements in place, why are the six episodes of The League's first season so maddeningly hit-or-miss? Are there kinks to be worked out, or is the show fundamentally flawed?
One major problem is how haphazardly the fantasy-football conceit gets worked into the show. Things like player valuations and trade packages are not the stuff of great comedy, but within those wonky details lie some funny possibilities, like the strange ways fantasy sports screw up fans' rooting interests—you cheer for stats, not teams—or the in-your-face smack talk that goes on over number-crunching. As the league's three-time champion, Duplass does much of the smack-talking, and carries around a oversized trophy festooned with amusing add-ons, but the show follows the action so loosely that it isn't always clear what he or anyone else is bragging about. With some entertaining exceptions, like using the results of a children's potato-sack race to determine draft order, fantasy sports serves more as a reason to bring the show's beer-swilling chums together than as a rich comic vein in itself.
The other big problem: The League has trouble parsing the difference between smart-dumb and dumb-dumb when it comes to mocking/celebrating overgrown adolescence. For every amusing display of childish antics—Scheer is particularly good as a resident sucker who lets a little inadvertent success go to his head—the show falls back on misogynist gags that wouldn't be out of place in a Bud Light commercial. The League seems determined to reach the hardcore football fans who watch those commercials, but it doesn't have the insight or wit to pick them apart. Yet it's perpetually two or three strong scenes away from turning the corner, and it's possible, even likely, that the first season will be seen as the raw, bungling rookie who eventually grew into a star.
Key features: Among the highlights: deleted scenes from a few episodes, an extended version of the video for "Vaginal Hubris" (long story), and a collection of improvised alternate takes that reveal the cast's considerable gifts.
Recent from Scott Tobias
Product misplacement: 20-plus brands given unhelpful movie associations
Head up high, feet on the ground: 16 onscreen drug trips that don't go over the top