text:
AROUND SLOVAKIA
Oil pipeline model placed in downtown Bratislava
FOR ONE WEEK, a 40-meter long model of the proposed Bratislava-Schwechat oil pipeline was placed in the centre of Slovak capital, aiming to draw attention to the issue of its planned route through Bratislava.
(Source: Jana Liptáková)
Activists from the Nie Ropovodu civic association placed it in front of the National Theatre, and between September 9 and 13 passers-by stopped to hear news about the plans. Some signed a petition asking for the pipe to be re-routed. Activists told the TASR newswire that they were seeking to show the absurdity of the project and what Bratislavans might have under their homes in the future.
"It is better to see once than to hear [about something from a second hand] a hundred times," Miroslav Dragun of the Nie Ropovodu told TASR. Dragun claimed that many people stopped at the model, 40 metres long and up to 400 millimetres in diameter, and expressed support or posed questions. Even the mayor of the Old Town Borough of Bratislava, Tatiana Rosová, expressed her support.
However, not all passers-by opposed the oil pipeline, with some opining that it was economically useful and others confessing they do not know enough to take a clear stance.
After the event in the Hviezdoslavovo Square ended, activists planned to bring the re-routing petition to the September session of Bratislava City Council to give to Economy Minister Tomáš Malatinský. The construction of an oil pipeline between Bratislava and Schwechat in Austria was originally slated for discussion during September's city council meeting, but that plan has since been put on hold.
Representatives of Bratislava Self-governing Region (BSK) and those of the Nie Ropovodu (No to the Oil Pipeline) civic association met Bratislava Mayor Milan Ftáčnik on September 12. Apart from the public debate, Malatinský's scheduled appearance at the September city council session was also postponed. Bratislava councillors denied a request back in June that the pipeline lead through the so-called City Corridor, while also asking government to re-route the oil pipeline through the so-called Carpathian Corridor, bypassing the capital. They wanted Malatinský to come in September and inform them on the state of the project. Malatinský has said he will attend the October 24 instead, TASR wrote. A final decision on whether the pipeline will pass through Einsteinova and Dolnozemská streets in the Petržalka borough of Bratislava, or bypass the capital, is slated for this year.
23. Sep 2013 at 0:00 | Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská


text:
namespace ETWDeserializer
{
    public sealed class PropertyMetadata
    {
        internal PropertyMetadata(TDH_IN_TYPE inType, TDH_OUT_TYPE outType, string name, bool isMapValue, bool isStruct, int childrenCount, MapInformation map)
        {
            this.InType = inType;
            this.OutType = outType;
            this.Name = name;
            this.IsMapValue = isMapValue;
            this.IsStruct = isStruct;
            this.ChildrenCount = childrenCount;
            this.Map = map;
        }

        public TDH_IN_TYPE InType { get; private set; }

        public TDH_OUT_TYPE OutType { get; private set; }

        public bool IsMapValue { get; private set; }

        public bool IsStruct { get; private set; }

        public int ChildrenCount { get; private set; }

        public MapInformation Map { get; private set; }

        public string Name { get; private set; }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Biotagen® powder is a high-potency prebiotic formula to support gut flora* & bowel & immune system function*.
Prebiotics feed & support gut bacteria*. Biotagen is a cost-effective blend containing 3 unique prebiotics at a high dose.
The powder contains more potency per dose & cost than the capsules, but the capsules may provide personal convenience.
Please make sure you are ordering the right form that you're interested in!
BiotaGen® is recommended to nutritionally support optimal gastrointestinal function, promote colonic bacteria*, & support gastrointestinal and systemic immune function*.
Inulin is an inulin-type fructan best known for its ability to sustain increases in populations of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Eubacterium, an important butyrate-producing species indigenous to the bowel.
Arabinogalactan, a polysaccharide derived from the Western Larch tree, is a highly soluble dietary fiber that supports immune function*. Indigestible by human enzymes, arabinogalactan exerts prebiotic properties including the ability to selectively stimulate Lactobacillus species. Arabinogalactan is metabolized to short-chain fatty acids (acetate, butyrate, and propionate) & reduces ammonia production.


I had heard good things about KC and this Gladius in particular and I like these type swords.
It's been a while but seems I remember it arrived in an acceptable time and packaged well.
Well made and pleasing to my eye. Fairly accurate historically to my amateur Knowledge tho I know the brass plate should be inset in the guard instead of snug against it. I like it better this way myself. The original had a blond grip, I got some stain on mine accidentally so I just stained the whole grip, it kinda makes it mine.
Blade - Thick stiff blade as should be seems to be of decent steel a little flex. Seems to have held up well. I store it in its wood scabbard with a coat of Renaissance Wax on the blade no rust or discoloration.
Grip - Grip feels good in my hand and is of a squarish shape so as to be more stable to hold. The dark wood pommel and guard contrast nicely with the lighter grip.
Scabbard - The scabbard is a wood core with leather coat. Has brass rings for a baldric. It's a bit heavy for my tastes and the woods thicker than I would like. It seems to have swelled since arrival as now the blade takes a bit of effort to sheath and draw. It looks good tho and I hear fairly historically accurate.
I sliced through various size plastic containers without much effort.
In my opinion this is a more than adequate cutter. I decided to try a bucket of a thicker plastic.
The sword is more that capable of doing what it is designed to do and it's a lot of fun doing it. Fittings remained tight after the workout except for a little looseness in the brass plate I noticed after I chopped the barstool and my hard hat in half – which is understandable after the abuse - and some slight scratches on the blade.
In conclusion I like this little sword and would recommend it, It's my favourite Gladius so far.


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Gov. Rauner signs legislation to overhaul EDGE Tax Credit Program
By Jasmine Adams
Updated: Sep. 18, 2017 at 9:31 PM CDT
(Source: Office of the Governor Bruce Rauner)
ILLINOIS (KFVS) - The EDGE Tax Credit Program is getting an overhaul. On Monday, Sept. 18 Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation (HB162) that provides transparency and taxpayer protections.
"The EDGE Tax Credit Program overhaul is a bipartisan job creation program that is innovative and competitive for businesses," Gov. Rauner said. "This legislation is another tool to use in our quest to bring high-quality and good-paying jobs to Illinois. It is crucial for the future success of our state that we make Illinois a more business friendly environment through pro-growth measures."
The EDGE tax credit program incentivizes job creation, growth and competitiveness in Illinois. The new law extends the program until June 30, 2022.
With the changes, incentives will encourage companies to expand or move to underserved areas in the state, and eligibility thresholds will be lowered to allow more small businesses to grow in Illinois. The overhaul also requires all EDGE agreements be posted within 10 days of the project being secured in Illinois.
Several officials expressed their approval of the Governors actions.
"Thank you to Governor Rauner for signing HB 162 and renewing the EDGE Tax Credit Program," said Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Sean McCarthy. "This is a critical local economic development tool that incentivizes job creation, growth and competitiveness in the state. We look forward to working together with companies – large and small—to move, expand and invest here in Illinois."
"It's important for us to have every tool available to attract and retain businesses in Illinois and ensure we can offer incentives that allow us to compete with neighboring states," State Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) said. "I represent an area that borders Wisconsin. The EDGE program is essential in helping border communities like mine stay competitive."
"Businesses in Illinois have been able to take advantage of the EDGE program for years," said State Sen. Pam Althoff (R-McHenry). "Wisconsin, which is just a stone's throw away, frequently solicits employers in this region to move across the border. But because of the EDGE program, our businesses are staying, providing jobs for thousands of our residents. Extending the EDGE program is especially important in today's Illinois economy as jobs are already leaving in record numbers."
"Representing a district on the Illinois-Iowa border, I know how important it is to support policies that make Illinois competitive in attracting new job-creators, and keeping established businesses within our borders. By extending the EDGE program, we're keeping a pipeline for Illinois jobs open," said State Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia).
"Reforming and extending the EDGE tax credit is an important step toward growing new jobs in Illinois and I'm grateful Governor Rauner is signing HB162 today.? I look forward to working with the Governor's office and my colleagues on future efforts to stimulate economic growth for our citizens." State Rep. Mike Zalewski (D-Riverside), primary sponsor.
"This is about bringing good jobs to our communities. To compete with our neighboring states we absolutely must make Illinois a more attractive place to do business and renewing EDGE will help us do that," said State Representative Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville).
"Enacting these incentives makes Illinois significantly more competitive with neighboring states in attracting and retaining good-paying jobs for Illinois families," said Rep. Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego). "This is the type of bipartisan achievement everyone can be proud of."
"Working together on a bipartisan basis, we are now able to provide incentives that will enable job creators and entrepreneurs to flourish and expand opportunity for families all across Illinois," said Rep. Patti Bellock (R-Hinsdale). "Growing our economy and creating jobs must continue to be among the State's top priorities."?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Zelda Comic » Archive » Today we have… stuff!!!
Actually, not too many changes today, save one: I majorly retooled the Bonus page, bringing up spiffiness about 23%! Now it will be a much better home for Tana's second guest comic! LINKAGE!!!
This entry was posted on Monday, February 10th, 2003 at 12:00 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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FINRA'S BROKER CHECK | FORM CRS | CLIENT LOGIN | REP LOGIN | JOIN CFI |
Centaurus Financial, Inc. Donated $20,000 to Help Hurricane Florence Victims
In News by Jonathan Penaloza September 26, 2018
Last week, Centaurus Financial, Inc. donated to four worthy organizations doing tremendous work to aid the flood victims of Hurricane Florence in North and South Carolina. Centaurus Financial, Inc. donated $5,000 to each of the following organizations:
The Humane Society
"The residents of North and South Carolina are in dire need of donations after thousands of homes have been destroyed. I would encourage others to open your hearts and your wallets to help those affected by Hurricane Florence and its aftermath," said Ron King, Chairman and CEO of Centaurus Financial, Inc. "The American Red Cross and Samaritan's Purse have been working tirelessly to help people recover and cleanup their homes from this disaster. The Humane Society and ASPCA have both deployed teams to rescue the many animals left behind or left homeless."
For more information or to make a donation through one of the charitable organizations listed above, please visit their respective websites at:
www.redcross.org
www.samaritanspurse.org
www.aspca.org
www.humanesociety.org
About Centaurus Financial, Inc.
Headquartered in Anaheim, California, Centaurus Financial, Inc. is a national independent broker/dealer licensed to offer securities, investment advisory services and insurance products. Centaurus is a member of both the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) and a Registered Investment Adviser with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC). For more information about Centaurus, please visit www.centaurusfinancial.com.
Member FINRA & SIPC | © 2015 Centaurus Financial, Inc.®


Direct Trade coffee is when the roaster and consumer who buy coffee have a clear line of sight to the farmers who grow that coffee.
WHAT MAKES A SUPPLY CHAIN "ETHICAL"?
An ethical supply chain is where everyone in a supply chain behaves in a manner in keeping with the principles of trust, transparency and integrity. It is based upon the idea of co-operation rather than competition; Nurturing rather than predatory.
HOW DOES ONE MAKE A COFFEE SUPPLY CHAIN TRANSPARENT?
By understanding every participant's role in the supply chain, the real costs involved and what the farmers actually put in their pockets after all the costs are deducted.
WHAT IS A COLLABORATIVE SUPPLY CHAIN MODEL?
To grow, finance, mill, export, transport, roast, distribute and prepare a cup of coffee, from point of origin to the cup, is a complex process requiring many different people and organisations with a variety of skill-sets and resources. By recognising this truth, it's possible to agree to work together and to each take a profit, after costs, based on the real value of what you bring to the supply chain. Working together for a shared goal, with complete transparency, is what defines our Collaborative Supply Chains.
WHAT IS AN "ORIGIN PARTNER"?
An origin partner is a local person or company situated inside the coffee growing country. They provide services to farmers, such as finance, milling and export. With local language, an understanding of local culture and a vested interest in the local economy, they are key to Falcon being able to reach out to, and communicate with, thousands of farmers living in hard to reach places.


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Movies, hunks, history
By Janet Maslin
Hollywood has lately revived its interest in historical pageantry, and the insurance policy is the longhaired leading man. What better way to attract the dating crowd to, say, the French and Indian War than to provide the sight of Daniel Day-Lewis in form-fitting buckskin?
What better way to send Columbus to the New World with a smile on his face than to give him a coy, beautiful Queen Isabella (Sigourney Weaver) to authorize his mission -- and to turn Columbus into Gerard Depardieu, an actor who clearly appreciates feminine attention wherever he finds it?
It took a lot more than tomahawks to make a box-office success of "The Last of the Mohicans," that's for sure. What it took was the inclusion of heartthrob elements, plus a strain of modern-day silliness, in a story not previously known for its sex appeal.
The reviewer for the New York Times who teasingly complained, in 1936, that the Randolph Scott version of "The Last of the Mohicans" had been made to include a chaste kiss had no idea that James Fenimore Cooper's stodgy Hawkeye would ever become matinee-idol material. Now Mr. Day-Lewis, teamed smolderingly with the beautiful Madeleine Stowe, brings serious chemistry to a role that seemingly had no romantic potential at all.
So "The Last of the Mohicans," thanks to two great-looking, mane-tossing leads who set off sparks merely by staring at each other, offers a lot more natural beauty than rushing waterfalls and unspoiled forests. But those forests are important, since they introduce another part of Hollywood's current formula for histor
ical hindsight.
Both "The Last of the Mohicans" and "1492" are politically correct enough to pay attention to the level of the unspoiled tree canopy (very high) and emphasize hints of eco-tragedy to come. And each of these films makes a point of modernizing its hero in ways that present-day audiences can be trusted to understand.
This just-like-us thinking -- the common but ridiculous notion that celebrities or tabloid victims or unhappy members of the British royal family are at heart like you and me -- is a staple of much modern-day historical fiction.
But it reaches new heights of zaniness in the image of a drawling, laid-back Hawkeye, who at times seems positively Californian (at one point in the film, this former loner is seen amiably visiting with a cabinful of affectionate friends). It gets even crazier in the pulpy writing of "1492," which, according to an opening title, is set against the backdrop of "a ruthless inquisition that persecuted men for daring to dream." Surely they had a better way of putting it back in Columbus' day.
"1492," an unnaturally stiff and talky epic for the director Ridley Scott, presents a Columbus who is no less sensitive than the revamped Hawkeye, and who at one point is even seen in a dropped-waist red dress (on a man with Mr. Depardieu's physique, this is not flattering).
Indeed, the language of the screenplay often borders on bodice-ripping romantic silliness, as when an eager-to-sail-around-the-world Columbus is cautioned: "You must learn to control your passion." At this, of course, an indignant Columbus answers: "Passion is something one cannot control!" Such dialogue can be heard so readily on any soap opera that it sounds crazily out of tune with history.


text:
Contracts And Vacancies
The boldest ideas have always been fueled by a curiosity to explore the improbable through technology and to determine the directional pull of progress in future industries. For this reason, Khula Lula has documented these ideas through in-house research pieces that provide financial analysis, philosophy, quantitative modelling, watchlists and theories. This is to provide readers with insights, expertise and our positions on the most disruptive tech industries.
Are Fintech Investors Buying Now and Paying Later?
"Nothing has exemplified the spirit of the roaring 20s more than the burst in exponential growth we have witnessed in fintech valuations and returns in the past year. For long standing optimists that have believed in the disruptive power of fintech, this is confirmation that we are at the dawn of reaping the returns of the digital age of financial inclusion... it is extraordinary to live in the age of increased financial access and democratization, where inclusive financial services like BNPL, virtual wealth management, mobile payment solutions, virtual debit/credit cards, have expanded their reach by accommodating the under-qualified and unbanked segments of society. And this has paid off heavily for fintech."
Investing in the Future Interplanetary Economy
"The 1957 - 1975 Space Race between the US and The Soviet Union has always been framed in history as this competitive egotistical race between two ideologically conflicting nations; but as the world expanded and advanced, I read about it in retrospect and began to realize that in substance, it was just an early display of technological nationalism. A mirror image of what we see today in the trade and IP conflict between the US and China. If you examined what was beneath the surface, it was a fight for dominance and market share in industries that were still decades away in the making..."
Spaces Co-working Offices
Byls Bridge Office Park
Cnr Olievenhoutbosch &
Jean Ave
© by Khula Lula. | Created to continue the legacy of Dr MS Mabinza.


Action Summary This action will reissue and amend, as necessary, the general VPDES permit which establishes limitations and monitoring requirements for point source discharges from seafood processing facilities.
2640 NOIRA Stage complete. No comment period held (exempt from APA).
3230 Proposed Stage complete. No comment period held (exempt from APA).
3474 Final Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 2/8/2006.


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Are Sanctuary Cities Safe? What the Crime Numbers Tell Us…
prison bars
Are sanctuary cities safe? It turns out, there are thousands of instances where sanctuary cities failed to detain lawbreaking illegal immigrants, as well as repeat offenders.
The Washington Examiner reports:
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, reacting to congressional fears of a new crime wave from illegal immigrants, has revealed that some 1,800 released by "sanctuary cities" last year were charged with 7,500 new crimes, including rape and child sex abuse. What's more, most, or over 1,000 of the illegals facing criminal charges, are still free, according to an ICE report to Congress.
The October 2014 report detailed the release by 276 sanctuary cities of 8,145 illegals held on criminal charges from January to August despite requests to "detain" them for ICE which would consider deporting them. Deep in the report, provided under the Freedom of Information Act to the Center for Immigration Studies' Policy Director Jessica M. Vaughan, ICE revealed that:
"1,867 individuals were later arrested 4,298 times … these subsequent arrests constitute 7,491 charges, as most individuals have multiple charges per arrest," said the ICE report.
And what happened to those rearrested illegal immigrants? Most were let go again. The report said that 751 were either given to ICE or removed. But 1,116 were not given to ICE and the agency said that they are "considered at-large."
This is an unbelievable hazard to the citizens legally living in this country. Law enforcement and government have a basic moral duty to protect the rights of its citizens, and they have let that responsibility take a back seat to the politically correct outrage machine.
While we are making it a top priority to create "safe spaces" for certain interest groups over others, where are the sanctuary cities for Americans who want to live in a place where criminals are actually taken off the streets?


Shop for a yellow shawl at Pashminas and Wraps of London. FREE EXPRESS DELIVERY. Includes the soft touch Italian yellow shawl and the handmade 100% pure cashmere yellow shawl. For your daytime, work, evening, weekend, wedding or bridal wardrobe. Own the most cherished shawl, wrap, pashmina brand in the world. Available in a range of fabrics, colors and designs, find the perfect yellow shawl today at Pashminas and Wraps of London.
This selection of luxurious, fashionable and exquisite yellow shawls offers many ways to rejuvenate your look and add some panache to any evening or daytime outfit. Our collection of yellow shawls will give life to the whole of your wardrobe. You can use this shawl to keep warm, drape over your shoulders for that elegant look or as a fluid effortless layer – the choice is yours. A yellow shawl is wonderfully warm and deliciously delicate – not too light and not too heavy.
Start your shawl journey with a Pashminas & Wraps yellow shawl.


With the objective of serving under-appreciated youth, The BASE was officially launched Wednesday, April 24 in Indianapolis.
At a gathering of leaders and supporters at the downtown Strada Education Network, the game plan was presented for The BASE Indy.
Founded in 2013 by Robert Lewis Jr., The BASE was started in Boston as a outgrowth of that city's Astros youth baseball program.
Lewis began coaching the Astros in Boston's Villa Victoria public housing develop in the 1970s and the president was in Indiana's capitol to talk about the organization that has now expanded to Chicago, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis.
Rob Barber, president of The BASE Indy, spoke about the need and the vision of the group.
Tysha Sellers, executive director of the Edna Martin Christian Center, explained a community partnership.
Milt Thompson, attorney and a familiar voice on Indianapolis TV and radio, told the folks how they can lend financial support.
Indiana native Chuck Harmon, the first black man to play for the Cincinnati Reds and a long-time leader in the sports world who died March 19 at 94, was remembered and honored.
Videos were shown that showed how The BASE operates in Boston and how Pete Rose is on board as a supporter.
Another featuring players from Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis pointed out the need.
Lewis rallied the troops Wednesday.
"We're going to be where our young folks need us most," said Lewis. "We have to be here.
"Is it about the money? Yes. But engagement is what it's all about. We are who we've been waiting for. Superman and Superwoman are not walking through that door.
Lewis talked about empowering the community and that parks and playgrounds that build communities.
From those parks and playgrounds, those young people can be educated and enter the workforce, be productive citizens and provide for their families.
"Let's not kid ourselves, it's about the jobs," said Lewis.
Chuck Harmon's daughter and caregiver, Cheryl, traveled from Cincinnati to receive a mementos, including a proclamation from Indianapolis mayor Joe Hogsett declaring Chuck Harmon Day in the city. Harmon was a native of Washington, Ind.
Barber talked about walking about from his former long-time occupation and that The BASE is where he's supposed to be.
Last summer and fall, Barber visited kids around the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood.
"There is a movement happening on the near northeast side of Indianapolis," said Sellers. "There's 12,000 people within Martindale-Brightwood. There are a number of people within this community that believe there is a vision to be a thriving community.
Sellers, who was born and raised in Martindale-Brightwood, said the Edna Martin Christian Center focuses on education, financial stability for families and community health.
"We want them to move on to college and career and be successful so that they can come back and invest in a community at a higher level in order for us to break the poverty cycle," said Sellers. "This is about us empowering this community. This is about us working with the community.
There are many other partners, including Play Ball Indiana (part of Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) and universities around Indianapolis.
Barber, who coached Jeff Mercer (the current Indiana University head coach) when he was younger, took some players from The BASE Indy to their first collegiate baseball game in Bloomington in March.
"I cannot believe how well those young men handled themselves and how polite they were," said Barber.
One of those youngsters — a player at Arsenal Tech coached by Bob Haney named Josh Morrow — has dreams of being an astrophysicist. Some of the debate at the ball game was about gravity on MIrars.
Barber believes that such high aspirations can be obtained through The BASE Indy and its partners.
He spoke about most people being born on second base with their children coming into the world on third base.
Many of those who The BASE Indy will serve have not even gotten up to the plate.
"One of the things that The BASE is extraordinary at doing is equipping and strengthening the legs of the kids so as they get to first base, they have the resources they need in life to begin to be successful and knock down some of those barriers," said Barber.
Relating a conversation that he had with Irvington Preparatory Academy coach Davon Hardy, Barber heard about the struggles some of the players have to go through just to get to school and the baseball diamond.
One has no electricity at home.
A third has a father who is incarcerated.
"What priority would baseball be in there life?," said Barber, echoing Hardy. "At The BASE — before we can get to the part of teaching the baseball skills (former big leaguer Justin Masterson and scout Mike Farrell are among those who will lend their expertise while Indianapolis Indians president and general manager Randy Lewandowski is also involved) — it's about giving them an incentive to do something.
Barber said the The BASE has a proven methodology. But it's a four-letter word that drives it.
That love in Indy is going to headquartered in Martindale-Brightwood.
A passionate advocate of the baseball community, Thompson also talked about raising the bar.
Thompson, who has represented several professional athletes, recalled a conversation he had with Indiana basketball legend Oscar Robertson.
He asked the Big O, what he would do against Magic Johnson.
Thompson talked about how one of his school counselors told him that he was best-suited to work with his hands.
"I didn't get bitter. I got better," said Thompson. "That was the best advice I ever heard. My first 10 jury trials, during closing arguments, I was using my hands.
Thompson said it is necessary to be honest with yourself in all adversity.
"It's not always easy," said Thompson. "You've got to take a chance.
Thompson said the dialogue is being changed in inner cities.
"We don't have underprivileged kids anymore we have under-appreciated kids," said Thompson. "That's the people we're talking about. They have every have every possibility of greatness. They're going to use their hands when they talk.
Among those things are hosting a fundraiser for the Urban Classic (which will be staged in Indianapolis for the first time in July), sponsor a college tour or career day, serve on an advisory board (education, baseball/softball or life skills/career), connect your personal contacts to The BASE Indy and make a donation to the cause.


text:
import './jquery-shim';
import 'components-ember';
export default window.Ember;


text:
Tag Archives: Wigan
The huge prize awaiting if……
Oh my. What an incentive going in to this evening's game at Blackburn Rovers. If Brentford win and West Bromwich Albion avoid defeat at home to Bristol City, The Bees will end the night in the play-off places. The maths are that simple even if the application of these facts may not be. Football has a funny habit of kicking you in the nuts when you least expect it. When your hope is highest. Yet, at the same time, it would be churlish to ignore the position we now find ourselves in after Swansea City were held at Huddersfield last night.
The top of the table via the BBC – basic maths.
For Thomas Frank, naming the team would seem an easy decision. Ethan Pinnock more than impressed against Reading on Saturday and so, with Julian Jeanvier still suspended, his retaining his place is an absolute no-brainer. Thankfully, a decision that can be justified on merit rather than card induced necessity. In the midfield, Christian Nørgaard is available once more and could be in with more of a chance at getting his place back. However, Mathias Jensen won't give up his place without a fight and the cross he supplied to set up Ollie Watkins' winner last time out was sublime. Inch perfect delivery that was begging to be put away. Watkins duly obliged.
Could Josh Dasilva be moved to accommodate Nørgaard or is, as is more likely, it simply a case of having to bide his time on the bench with Thomas selecting an unchanged starting XI? I can't see beyond the same team as started against Reading beginning this one tonight. Then again, I'm just the numpty on the terrace and would have more chance of calling the lottery numbers than getting something as vital as a team selection correct.
Jensen supplied a delicious cross for the goal on Saturday.
Blackburn Rovers are no pushover, that's for sure. A Bradley Dack brace and a shot from Stewart Downing earned them all the points in a 3-2 fight back against basement boys Barnsley on Saturday. No doubt they will be looking to build on this and climb further up the table from their current 17th. But Brentford are going to be confident. We have every right to be so, too. The last three away games have seen us pick up 9 points and scoring 3 goals each time out with fine wins at Loftus Road, Swansea and then Wigan. We haven't won four successive games on the road since back in 2011 and so there is yet another incentive to really go for it tonight. That is, if getting Ollie Watkins to the the top of the Championship goal scorer charts or ourselves into the top six wasn't enough already.
This one is going to be tough. Win, lose or draw it makes no real difference in the long term. At least, at this juncture. It would be quite magnificent to get the points and hope West Bromwich Albion can do us the proverbial favour. With Leeds United grabbing a late winner at Reading last night, the Baggies currently find themselves in second place. One place off the top of the table. If The Bees have the motivation to go for it then surely Slavan Bilic's team have just as much themselves? The battle of Romaine Sawyers v Daniel Bentley could be a fascinating one although, for obvious reasons, not one I'll be following.
Instead, it'll be the red-button and Sky Sports smudge vision in our house. A mid-week trip to Lancashire is one that is diametrically opposed to the budget, holiday allocation at work and domestic green cards. The efforts and ability of our travelling fans to get to games like this one never ceases to amaze me. Would that being there was an option. Tonight will be very much a case of mind over body and true faith in our boys.
Brentford have been superb in the last two months. The victory over Reading very much a case of grinding one out against stubborn opposition who had set out to strangle us. Something we have often struggled with yet this time around kept going for the entire 90 minutes. However we play and whatever Blackburn do, the opportunity and ability are there.
I can't wait for this one. Enioy.
We've had some fine away performances this season.
Tags: Bees, Beesotted, BIAS, Blackburn, Blackburn Rovers, blog, Brentford, Brentford FC, BrentfordFC, Championship, Christian Nørgaard, Ewood Park, football, Mathias Jensen, news, now, Ollie Watkins, Reading, Sky, Swansea, The Bees, Thomas Frank, TV, West Bromwich Albion, Wigan
Categories Blackburn, Brentford, Championship
An unusual case of The Royals enjoying time in the public eye.
Guess who's back? We are back. Oh yes. International break blah blah blah. Brentford host Reading this afternoon, no doubt keen to continue the recent run of fine form that has seen us pick up 12 points out of a possible 15 and find the back of the net three times with each victory. It is a purple patch that has seen the 3-2 win at home over Millwall aswell as 0-3 at Swansea, 1-3 at Loftus Road and, most recently, that brutal 0-3 at Wigan. We'll draw a discreet veil over the Huddersfield Town sludge fest. The net result of all this being that the Bees now find themselves in a position where victory over the Royals could take us to within a single point of the play-off zone. Yet if Huddersfield came to Griffin Park as the Championship's form team, you can today substitute the Terriers for Reading.
Official on Twitter show the celebrations
Swansea, last time out.
Recent form has been (mostly) wonderful – home and away
Despite what could be described as patchy start, the visitors have come good. And how. Since taking over, manager Mark Bowen has seen his side pick up 10 points from his four league games in charge. By means of showing just how hard he has yanked on the handbrake, this is 2 more than they won in their first eleven matches of the season. Don't let their position fool you. The table may never lie over the course of a season but, at present, the Royals are very much enjoying life in the public eye. And it's not often you can say that.
These next words make me a little queasy. Chief architect in their on-pitch revival seems to be none other than John Swift. He, of course, being one of several from the Chelsea youth production line that went on to enjoy a run at Griffin Park. I've said this before, to much chagrin from our reader, but I never really thought he quite cut it. Not at McEachran levels of underwhelming but the form relative to potential was excruciating at times. We could all see the class but the consistency wasn't there.
File photo. I don't remember what this tenuous link was about , either.
Hey, let's put it down to youth. Certainly, John seems on form now and you are only as good as your last results. Historical form counts for naff all. The BBC note how he has has already created 50 chances in the Championship this season. A figure which comes in at 13 more than any other player. At the same time, he has also been credited with the 'assist' six times and, as such, would seem very much their danger man. These are impressive figures although one would imagine that should Saïd Benrahma continue this own prolific return from injury, they are stats that will soon see him overtaken.
Excitingly, the mercurial Algerian is available to Thomas Frank today. A double bonus given the absence of Joel Valencia, who sustained a shoulder injury in the win at Wigan. Like Pontus and Ollie, Said is one of the first names on the team sheet. Inked in with permanent marker in style akin to Mark Warburton with Harlee Dean and Jonathan Douglas. The sort of players deemed utterly essential by the head coach to his own strategy, regardless of their form. Thankfully, our three current stars have all been shining brightly and they will need to be today.
Saïd – ever popular with the fans
Also missing are Christian Nørgaard (suspended) and Julian Jeanvier, after seeing red very late on at Wigan. Pontus will need to be at his very shoutiest today with a new look defence in operation. Presumably Ethan Pinnock will slot straight in alongside the vociferous Swede but knowing Thomas, anything could happen. The squad is very much at the thin end with several other key players out injured (Canos and Karelis at the top of that list) but, as we all know, the starting XI is a match for anyone on their day. Or should that be month? And then some given recent results.
Thomas Frank really has his team on fire. The win at QPR was about as exciting and exhilarating as they come. The victory on the road at Wigan as unexpected yet complete as any we have had this campaign. The alleged ghost of orange/brown long laid to rest. Today has all the potential to lift morale even higher than it already is . To propel The Bees ever upward. To maintain a stranglehold over our visitors that, and not to put any pressure on Thomas, hasn't seen us slip up at home since the dark days of the Marinus experiment back in 2015.
No pressure Thomas. No pressure…..
Roll on 2.01pm when we see who he starts with. Roll on 3pm when it all kicks off.
See you there. Enjoy.
Any excuse to crowbar this one in – no pressure, Thomas.
Tags: Bees, Beesotted, blog, Brentford, Brentford FC, BrentfordFC, Championship, Chelsea, football, Griffin Park, Huddersfield, John Swift, Julian Jeanvier, Millwall, news, now, Pontus Jansson, Reading, Royals, The Bees, Thomas Frank, Wigan
Categories Brentford, Championship, Reading
What's that noise? Tumbleweed!
And there we go. Quite magnificent. Brentford returned to three goal winning ways with as comprehensive a scoreline as one could hope for on the road following our 0-3 defeat of Wigan Athletic on Saturday. The horror show of the laboured Huddersfield Town game (something that should have seen both teams banned under the Geneva convention) was well and truly laid to rest after a victory that sees us climb to within two points of the play-off zone. Elsewhere, the aforementioned Terriers were trounced at Preston North End in a game of particular significance to look at shortly. Yet, as ever, we can only start with The Bees.
Official Twitter show the celebrations
What can you say? Well, in theory not much. There was no real chance of attending this one whilst for multiple reasons, Friday night saw sleep a rarer commodity than a Nick Proschwitz goal. As such, Saturday afternoon saw my time spent curled up on the sofa, drifting in and out of a light snooze with Jeff Stelling and WhatsApp. Not literally, I'm not for one second suggesting Jeff sleeps with viewers. It was more the case of dozing in front of the TV as random dreams of Paris, The Eiffel Tower and other such romantic notions were punctuated by the phone going off or an excited shriek from the Soccer Saturday studio.
And there was a lot of vibrations and shrieking. WhatsApp didn't stop buzzing from the moment the team were announced. If we're being honest with ourselves, days gone by would have seen the selection of number 10 as something to fill supporters with a sense of disappointment. Of dread. Of midfield nothingness. Nowadays, 10 is the first number we look for on the team sheet. The fleet-footed Algerian Benrahma having inherited the shirt and filled it with a joie de vivre so clearly missing in previous seasons.
Number 10 – popular with the fans !
So come 2pm, here was the team. Our group have several traditions. One Braemar Road observer will always send the line up around once official have published it at 2.01pm. Another will then remark that the bench looks weak. It's as much part of football's rich tapestry of supporter ritual as not shaving on a winning run, lucky shirts, magic pants et al. And this weekend's message saw Benrahma awol. Noooooo. On a day where we'd only that morning noted the need to undo our own shackles, and those of the opposition, our skeleton key was missing. Hamstring, rather than agent. Thankfully.
Into his boots stepped Joel Valencia. The side, otherwise unchanged from the one which had trounced QPR before falling down agasint Huddersfield. Whatever Thomas Frank said prior to kick off, it worked. And then some. We were most definitely back in 'attack mode'.
Five minutes gone and the phone buzzed. 'Bryan' . Jeff and the team then confirmed Mbeumo had done it again. Get in. This was good. Too good. If anything, might we have scored too early? Oh ye of little faith. This is not the Brentford of days gone by (mostly). 0-1 up at half time then saw the game, and the phone, explode in a manner not seen since the commentary on 'that' Jota goal at Blackburn. #Burridgegasm .
"Kamo !! "
"Need to see that magical goal celebration tomorrow"
"Wigan red"
"Still plenty of room for 3-2"
And 2 up thanks to the brilliance of Mokotjo became 3 up thanks to a quite wonderful strike from Josh Dasilva. He doesn't do simple, that's for sure. Do check out the video highlights for all three but, for me Clive, his was definitely the pick of anther very strong bunch. As much for the way we tore and stretched Wigan. They were left looking so thin, and the Bees creating so much space, that you'd have found better markers in a packet of Sharpies. It really was destructive from The Bees.
The only sour note being a straight red for Jeanvier deep into injury time for his part in a scuffle. Whether the club take it on the chin or appeal remains to be seen but that's a problem for another day. For now, it's another case of saying hats off to Thomas Frank. Hats off to Brentford.
What's that noise? Silence? Tumbleweed? No, its the Social media keyboard warriors who had been calling for his head and slagging him off as clueless creeping back under their rocks. Fairplay to Thomas for keeping on doing what he is doing. 12 points and 12 goals form the last five games does tend to suggest he has his game plan exactly on course!
Thomas Frank – popular with the fans !
Next up is International break followed by the visit from Reading. They've hit a 10 out 12 point form run that makes this one an extremely interesting challenge. The table doesn't lie but it is rebalancing itself. Nowhere more is this seen than at the top where West Brom (with Romaine Sawyers taking his game to the next level) and Preston occupy the top two slots.
North End destroyed Huddersfield yesterday to continue their inexorable climb upwards. Almost sneaking up the blindside to go past Leeds United into second place after their third win in a row. For me, the highlight of this one was Paul Gallagher's second half penalty. It was on a par with Benrahma at QPR for the consummate lesson in how to finish from twelve yards. Power and precision very much the order of the day.
Benrahma at QPR. Gallgher did similar
Yet Preston are mentioned to note that, much like Brentford, put the wins together and the rest happens naturally. Don't worry about other clubs and other results. Concentrate on your own game. With the top half of Championship table locked up tighter than Alcatraz, if you keep winning then the potential for ascension remains huge. Thomas Frank is proving it. Alex Neil at Preston is proving it. Keep getting those wins on the board and then when somebody falls apart or hits the skids – boom ! Move in and move up.
The Bees are now doing it and have gone up to 9th. We've overtaken QPR. We've overtaken Birmingham City. Who can we overtake next?
Roll on Saturday week when we can find out.
Tags: Athletic, Bees, Beesotted, blog, Brentford, Brentford FC, BrentfordFC, Bryan Mbeumo, Championship, football, Griffin Park, Josh Dasilva, news, Preston, Saïd Benrahma, table, Thomas Frank, Wigan, Wigan Athletic
Categories Brentford, Championship, Preston, Wigan
Will Wigan be banging the same drum when Bees visit?
Wigan Athletic, here we come. Brentford have the chance to get things back on track this Saturday following the bloody nose administered by Huddersfield Town. Hats off to the brave five hundred or so making the trip through the fog for this one. Last season's tedium (including the unspeakable horror of a drum) combined with last night's trip to the good bit of Shepherds Bush, where popular music's The Bluetones were playing, make this one a journey too far for yours truly. Those green cards aren't going to earn themselves. But is it the right decision to swerve this?
The Bluetones – more fun than a trip to Wigan in the fog
From a musical perspective then, yes. The Bluetones were magnificent. It was the second trip to the end of the 237 in as many weeks and the result was just as satisfying. Moreso, given the number of Bees both in attendance and on stage.
At the other end of the spectrum, the previous game and drum at Wigan were simply awful. It was one described on these pages at the time as insipid a 0-0 draw as one could imagine ; as turgid as it comes. Wigan were determined to strangle any life out of the game. Brentford, unable to find a way through as any attacking intent was choked out of the game.
Well, for those going up today it can't be as bad as that. Can it? Brentford had their own challenge with stubborn opponents against Huddersfield Town last weekend. One would hope that Thomas Frank., himself speaking very openly in the Beesotted podcast this week, won't fall into the same trap again. A repeat of our previous away trip and the Brentford that went to Swansea City would do very finely, thank you.
Yet if Huddersfield were the division's form team when our paths crossed, Wigan very much aren't. One point out of a possible nine was rounded off with injury time defeat at home to Swansea last time out. Paul Cook, architect of the aforementioned snoozefest, is still at the helm for our hosts. Hopefully his team's precarious position, just two places above the relegation spots, will encourage them to play a more open game in the search for success. The Bees are always at their best when playing that wonderful brand of free-flowing football which had seen 9 points and 9 goals prior to the visit from the Terriers.
Injurywise, there aren't expected to be any changes from the side that has featured in recent weeks. I can only assume it will be more of the same when our starting XI is announced at 2pm. In part due to available players but as much to right the wrongs from the Huddersfield game. It was one which saw Saïd Benrahma stifled. Strangled into submission and, when he did get the ball, perhaps guilty of trying too hard to do it on his own. Perhaps that was down to the frustration of our scrap or maybe it was just his mindset.
He is singled out because he is, by a country mile, our most creative player. When Saïd is on song there's no sweeter sound. One man can't do it all but one man can inspire others around them. Sometimes it's hard to remember he is just 24 years old (see also: Sergi Canos – 22) such is the vision and ability he has. This is a player who is only going to get better and better. One we really need to savour whilst we can. One who could be the catalyst in pushing this team forward.
We all love Said
Whilst Brentford are mid-table at present, the play-off zone is a mere four points away. Had we picked up the win at Griffin Park the Bees would now been in eighth. It is something noted not to berate anybody for missing the opportunity but more to show how tight things remain in The Championship. Just four points separate Frank Lampard's former club Derby County in 15th to Nottingham Forest in fifth. This is wide open for whoever wants it. At present, Hull City are the only side in the division to have won three games on the bounce. The form book is out of the window at the moment.
Checking with the bookies – purely for research purposes – not even they can call it. Brentford are very narrow favourites but the odds on offer suggest more than ever that any result is possible . Good luck with your accumulators. Personally, I wouldn't go near this one with a barge pole. If nothing else, drums can be a largely unsettling factor.
The Bees are favourites. On paper
All of which is summed up to say that yours truly hasn't a clue. Although anybody still reading will surely have established that already from a column that very much feels like 'contractual obligation' today. The mind is still very much focussed on the fun and games had last night. Can Brentford get things heading back in the right direction? Will Paul Cook conspire to frustrate us one more? There's only one place to find out – and it 's not here this morning.
Roll on 3pm when, all being well, the normal course of events can resume.
Last time out – A drum is no substitute atmosphere
Tags: Athletic, Bees, Beesotted, blog, Bluetones, Brentford, Brentford FC, BrentfordFC, Championship, City, football, Huddersfield, News Now, Saïd Benrahma, Swansea, The Bees, Thomas Frank, Town, Wigan
Match Of The Day scandal ruins transfer news.
"Mate I'm scandalised…" Not my words but those of Brentford supporter JJ (he of the goal inducing dodgy bladder from the Ealing Road) that reached me last night via the medium of text message. They are words that should unite supporters of every club from West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal to Partick Thistle, Forfar Athletic and beyond. Words which even eclipsed our own news about the signing of striker Nikos Karelis. All this, after reading an article in his son Felix's copy of BBC Match Of The Day Magazine.
Nikos. Blown away by a scandal from Lineker et al
Mrs. Browns Boys. Made up coffee words – where I gather Star*ucks have now added Trenta to their 'made up words' size range that also includes 'Tall' (small, obviously), 'Grande' and 'Venti'. Team GB. Bernie Clifton or, rather, his tinpot England 'supporters' 'band'. Polls about 'Best Bond' which have Roger Moore anywhere except number one. Espresso spelt or pronounced Expresso. The world's weakest joke: Star Wars Day (the one between May the third and May the fifth – aka the fourth of May in our house) etc etc etc. Regular readers – should such a concept somehow exist – know the drill.
There are few things in life which annoy me as much as any of these. Yet Match Of The Day magazine may have just joined the list. Specifically in the latest edition of their publication which included a 'Best Mascot' feature.
There was no Buzzette. Anywhere. Gunnersaurus, the Arsenal thing, was absent despite winning the recent World Cup of football mascots. Somehow. West Brom's Boilerman was conspicuous by his absence. Perennial favourite Kingsley of Partick Thistle was there, although somehow languishing in third place. I'll let JJ pick up the rest of the analysis with a direct copy paste…
Buzzette – absent. Kingsley – booted into Bronze medal position
JJ: Mate I'm scandalised to see that in Match of the Day magazine the force of nature that is Kingsley is only down at number three for their Mascot of the Year, merely one place above the utter atrocity that is the Euro 2020 effort, ahem, "Skillzy" (take my word for it mate, don't even look the bastard up…). Not only that but I see that at number one is Wigan's own Crusty the Pie- all well and good but I hate to break it to the chattering classes fawning over this "ironic and kitsch" dough based hero but Forfar Athletic's "Baxter the Bridie" beat him to it by several years…
As regards (shudder…) "Skillzy" I reckon the whole situation can be summed up in three words-anodyne..corporate..wank. Case rests m'lud… Rant over…
Baxter – Noooooooooo
Despite the advice not to, I've looked up Skillzy…..
It's true. Everything JJ says and more. Bad enough that the mascot looks like a cross-eyed serial killer wearing a dead skin mask made from the face of one of his victims. Yet the most heinous of his crimes being use of the extraneous 'z' in…'Skillzy'. Oh, and the top knot. It is a level of bland self-indulgence previously only enjoyed by the aforementioned coffee company. (Large will be fine, thank you).
Crusty is good, to be fair, but for this new kid on the block to shoot straight in at number is symptomatic of today's 'quick fix' society. Instant gratification syndrome. What a terrible example for any young children who may be reading. Granted, the target audience of the offending publication.
The likes of Buzzette, Kingsley and long established Gunnersaurus have put in all manner of hard yards over the years only to be dismissed in a heartbeat. I must admit to not being overly familiar with Baxter but am sure that Forfar fans will be as frustrated as I am this morning. Possibly.
And, on other news,Brentford official were pleased to say #WelcomeNikos yesterday. A one year deal has been signed with the option of a second season. Could he be the final piece in the jigsaw? Roll on Saturday's trip to Charlton where we find out. I'd love to talk more about his but , to quote JJ, "I'm scandalised" by the whole mascot thing.
Now, does anybody have a phone number for The Daily Mail….?
Skill'z'y – appearing on a 'Wanted' poster soon
Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells
Tags: 2020, Arsenal, Athletic, band, Baxter, BBC, Bees, Bees United, Beesotted, blog, Boilerman, Brentford, Brentford FC, BrentfordFC, Buzzette, Championship, Charlton, Crusty, England supporters band, Euro, Euro 2020, football, Forfar, Gary Lineker, Gunnersaurus, Kingsley, magazine, mascot, Match of the day, Mrs. Brown's Boys, news, Nikos Karelis, Partick Thistle, pie, Roger Moore, The Bees, Thomas Frank, transfer, WBA, West Bromwich Albion, Wigan
Can Brentford scupper promotion race as Championship chokepoint approaches?
Here we go again. The Easter Bank Holiday began with the 1-1 at Millwall (take a bow, Josh Dasilva – what a strike !) and now it ends with Brentford facing the prospect of a visit from Leeds United. With the Sky TV cameras pushing this one back to a 5.15 kick-off, one of the two automatic promotion could already have gone by the time Mr. Stroud waves his first card. Norwich City, already five points clear of Leeds in third, travel to Stoke earlier in the afternoon where a win will see them promoted and a draw as good as there (barring a monumental goal difference swing). Indeed, the Canaries could even finish the day as Champions should results – including a favour from the Bees and a slip by Sheffield United – fall their way.
So no pressure on Leeds United then. Although it is a situation that is as much of their own making after the quite incredible 2-1 home defeat administered by 10 man Wigan Athletic on what was a very Good Friday for Norwich and Sheffield United. That game saw the hosts miss a penalty before taking the lead but then conspiring to press the self-destruct button. It was the ultimate 'deserved to win' performance where the only reward available was 'nil points'. 77% possession and 36 shots count for naff all if you can't put the ball in the back of the net as, somehow, Paul Cook's team did. Twice.
The situation at the top of the Championship is now a quite intriguing one. Being realistic, Norwich City are home and clear. However, with Sheffield United and Leeds both locked on 82 points, it really will come down to two factors. Firstly, who can hold their nerve and pick up all 9 points? Second up, who can increase their goal difference over the course of those three games? With the Blades +6 ahead, as long as they win their final three then Leeds are consigned to the play-offs. Unless, of course, they have the ability to administer a 7(seven) goal bracketing at some point in the final few games.
Things are tight a the top this morning
Football's never that simple, of course. Look at our first season in the Championship where quite phenomenal results at Derby County (I'm still not quite sure who hapless Reading so comprehensively outplayed them) or Blackburn Rovers (where Ipswich slipped up) allowed Brentford to overtake both teams, and edge back into the play-off zone on the final game of the season. I'm sure this race still has more twists to come. Pressure and expectation can do incredible things and it won't be anywhere near as simple as either United just turning up to get their three wins.
If nothing else, there's the small matter of Brentford. Naturally, the focus is on the visitors today yet we've more than enough points to try and prove. The fixture at Elland Road in October was one which had it all. THAT Neal Maupay celebration, a wonderful performance from Luke Daniels in goal and then the pain of an 88th minute equaliser from Pontus Jansson. His own post match reaction was one which then saw the player charged by the FA (as were the club for fans throwing objects at Neal Maupay) after accusing the referee of 'robbery' and saying on live TV that the result felt a bit 'shit'. There was talk of conspiracy, too, as United's seemingly unstoppable start to the season had begun to hit the buffers.
I saw an intriguing tweet from Beesotted yesterday, which is repeated below.
Interesting thread on @bfcgpg – #lufc DoF and owner storming into anti-doping room fuming after our 1-1 draw in Oct searching for Watkins
Should make an interesting evening on Mon
We spoke to some of our players & Thomas Frank just b4 #dcfc match. They're all bang up for this 1 pic.twitter.com/UtAVa3pkug
— Beesotted Brentford (@Beesotted) April 21, 2019
Draw your own conclusions from this and know that if weren't already up for it, we'll be even more so now. This one is already a game that is sure to be played out in a powder keg atmosphere. Leeds know they HAVE to win. We'd absolutely love nothing more than to see them scuppered by our 'tinpot' pub side. They've not beaten us at Griffin Park since 1950 whilst the last few seasons have seen United comprehensively played off the field.
Of course, past performance is no guarantee of current form. If anybody has the ability to motivate it'll be Marcelo Bielsa. What a man Leeds have in the managerial hot seat and, realistically, the main reason they haven't choked it from a promising position as has been seen so many times before. Instead, they're up there on merit and will be gunning for goals against a Brentford side who, let's be honest, are looking a tad 'patched up' at present.
Yet the inspiration of history, our own desire to still end the season 'top ten' aswell as the chance to get one over Leeds should be all the motivation we need. Will it be enough? Could Leeds wilt under the pressure? Who knows, but I can't wait to find out
Quite frankly, in a game where Keith Stroud is in charge for the ref to barely warrant a mention then you know that the on [itch action is promising to be something special. And I can't wait.
More of the same would be very nice
Tags: Bees, Beesotted, Blades, blog, Brentford, Brentford FC, Canaries, Championship, commentary, GPG, Griffin Park, Keith Stroud, Leeds, Leeds United, Marcelo Bielsa, media, Millwall, Neal Maupay, news, Norwich, Norwich City, Pontus Jansson, referee, Sheffield United, Sky, Sky bet Championship, The Bees, Thomas Frank, TV, Wigan
Categories Brentford, Championship, Leeds
Off-field matters for Brentford (and Liverpool) provide main talking points ahead of Derby County visit.
There's not too much to say about on-pitch matters today. With Brentford set to welcome Frank Lampard's Derby County ™, the hope is a simple one. Please, please, please , pleeeease just be better than the last week's games at Wigan and Swansea. Even slightly. It's not that much to ask, is it? Elsewhere, Liverpool got the weekend's proceedings under way at Southampton last night where they duly returned to the top of the Premier league. Their battle with Manchester City proving as intriguing as the one at the top of the Championship – just who is going to blink first? And once more, Matthew Benham proved why he is the club owner like no other.
First up, matters at Griffin Park. Brentford have been like the Incredible Hulk this season. At home, a side that seem permanently set to 'rampage' mode. An irrepressible, destructive force beating back all comers as easily as a cat toying with a spider. Yet away from home, we've been that other side of his alter-ego, Doctor Bruce Banner. All the right ideas but none of the physical prowess.
Last week was the consummate demonstration of our split personality this campaign (I would also accept: Jekyll and Hyde team). I'm sure there may even be a few supporters wishing we were still bedecked in 2017/2018's gamma ray green rather than the current brown & orange (best. away kit. ever).
We did ok in green….
Thankfully, we are back home today. This time around Frank Lampard's etc etc are the visitors. Even allowing for the traditional Leeds United 'choke', automatic promotion is probably an aspiration too far. However, sitting 7th(seventh) in the Championship, Derby still have a quite magnificent chance of making the play-offs. It is no doubt a position they will look to strengthen this afternoon although, as ever, might the pressure of a 'must win' game play into our hands?
For Brentford, the season is all but mathematically over. The ten points to sixth place just too big a gap to reel n with just 7(seven) games to go. It's a massive shame that we hit the skids after having hauled ourselves back into contention but that's how football works. Consistency is rewarded with league position. The table doesn't lie (obvious, but….) and unfortunately we've not been able to do it on the road this time around.
I saw a stat on the BBC which was a damming indictment of what happened on Tuesday evening at Swansea – namely that the Bees attempted just six shots as we went down 3-0. Our lowest in a league match since performing the same feat having six against Middlesbrough. That's one attempt every 15 minutes – not great. To put it mildly.
The plus point from that game is that a reaction must surely be imminent. Thomas Frank pulled no punches after the game and has since used his press-conference to note : "We need to bounce back, everyone can see that." . Add to that our own form at home combined with the aforementioned knowledge that Derby really have to win and I think we're going to be going home very happy at 5pm.
It has been a long, long season but a thrilling one. Mostly. If only we'd been able to pick up few more wins away from home then who knows what might have been? Yet with the nucleus of a wonderful squad at his disposal (for now), should Thomas be allowed / able to keep them together, our final season at Griffin Park could be a most incredible one. Here's hoping that push starts today.
View from the Braemar – I'm expecting a happy Thomas at full time.
Moving on. I watched the Southampton – Liverpool game last night. Jürgen Klopp's team showed a relentlessness that money can't buy. Despite conceding an early goal from Shane Long (not a typo) they just kept going and going until the points were secured. It was a performance that showed them as Hulk like on their travels as they are at home. Anyway, I'm not here to specifically bang about Liverpool – beyond admiring their travelling form. Such chat usually leads into a rant about the media love in and we end up playing Anfield bingo – tick one of your cards for every reference to the Kop being like a twelfth man, "Glory, glory European nights", the miracle of Istanbul, Shankley, Paisley, Klopp getting over-excited etc
Instead, it was more just a chance to tear the hair out in regards Jamie Carragher. Back in the early 2000's Sky TV had a brief flirtation with the red button option for 'fan commentary'. Should you have been crazy enough to select this, the reward was a supporter from each club pouring forth on their team and the game in question. It was horrific although, to be fair, still better than Richard Keys and Andy Gray. This 'service' was quietly pensioned off but now seems to have returned – specifically in the guise of the former Liverpool defender.
Oh. My. Word. Could he have been anymore biased? Could he have been any more fanboy? We all know he used to play for Liverpool but plenty of ex-players have made that transition from pitch to commentary box. None have quite matched his level of reminding us all how amazing his former are. How excited he is is that they are winning. Even full time saw him running on to the pitch to interrupt Kelly Cates and Gary Neville in the middle of their own post-match interviews as he attempted to take centre stage.
Contrast this to the erudite views, opinions and questioning of Neville (even when Manchester United are on). I'm sure Gary would like to remind us he used to play for a successful team and still follows them, but that's not the job of being a commentator or a pundit. Likewise quite wonderful Kelly, as the daughter of Kenny Dalglish, comes form a footballing pedigree that would more than entitle her to rave about Liverpool. Whilst you could understand her wanting to enjoy the moment, there was but nothing beyond consummate professionalism here.
Look, I'm all for a bit of excitement and enthusiasm but have some class. Have some decorum. Know your audience. If nothing else, Jamie has played the game at the highest level and won some major honours. He's been there and done it so knows what he is talking about.
Yet instead of this, it was almost like the early days of Beesplayer when from time to time they had to draft in the more excitable elements from the media team. Being able to write about a game isn't the same as being able to talk about. Before Sky made the quite ridiculous decision to let Natalie Sawyer go, you could see her almost itching to reference the benefit to Brentford every time she was involved in a game where one of our rivals was shooting themselves in the foot. Instead, she kept it classy.
I'm sure Carragher has his fans. Good luck to them. And him. You can't deny his passion but when it comes at the expense of proper analysis then doesn't it kind of defeat the point? At least, for those of us who just want to enjoy a game of football. Perhaps it's just me.
The king and queen of Griffin Park commentary. Jamie could learn a thing or two
And finally, Matthew Benham. We all know our owner has a quite special means of using social media. He doesn't say too much on Twitter these days but when he does, it's always worth a look. As happened yesterday evening.
I'm not sure what else I can say, beyond this is quite magnificent. Only at Brentford……
Tags: away, Bees, Beesotted, blog, Brentford, Brentford FC, Championship, commentary, Derby, Derby County, football, Frank Lampard, Gary Neville, green, Griffin Park, Home, Jamie Carragher, Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Manchester United, Matthew Benham, media, Natalie Sawyer, news, owner, Rams, Shirt, Sky, Southampton, Swansea, The Bees, Thomas Frank, TV, Twitter, Wigan
Categories Brentford, Championship, Derby County, Liverpool
To cap it all, they had a drum. A f***ing drum.
It really was that bad. Brentford and Wigan Athletic played out as insipid a 0-0 draw as one could imagine when Championship football returned on Saturday afternoon following the International break. The scintillating football which has been a trademark of Thomas Frank's team in 2019 nothing but a distant memory in a game that was as awful as the smell wafting over the DW stadium. For the record, chicken manure from a local farmer – no manners, but what a critic. To borrow a phrase. Instead, it is nothing more than a case of scratching around for positives as the Bees are left chasing a fifth, successive top ten finish and a midweek trip to Swansea City. This before Frank Lampard's Derby County ™ are next up at Griffin Park.
I've watched the highlights. If anything, the 1minute 47 seconds offered up by Sky are overly generous. The other 88 mins 13 were as turgid as it comes. Wigan were determined to strangle any life out of the game. Brentford, unable to find a way through as any attacking intent was choked out of the game. Paul Cook's team administering a vice like grip around the throat of the Bees. Whenever Neal Maupay got in the box there were three men on him. Saïd was closed down every time he got on the ball. Several players seemed off the pace (first half Henrik and Ollie in particular – sorry, but..) whilst the team were desperately crying out for the fluidity of Romaine Sawyers to guide the ball through the midfield and open up play. And, Wigan had a drum. A f**king drum. At home. That was worse than anything we saw on pitch or smelled off it. At least we had Harry Potter up our sleeve to counter the moribund banging. Nice work, Simon.
A lone drummer is no substitute for a home atmosphere
Instead, we ended the game with a solitary shot on target. According to the stats. I was struggling to remember even that although the highlights have duly offered it up. Our hosts had three, with Brentford very much grateful to Luke Daniels for keeping us in the match. Three times he retained parity including one effort from distance in the first half that looked as though it might catch him unawares and drift in to the top corner. Instead, it was guided to safety as our virgin goal remained unblemished.
Thomas was bang on the money at full time when he noted "It was a game of very few chances and I think it was a fair result.…. Our normal fluent play between the lines just wasn't there and we weren't good enough to play around them". Not ideal reading but it was exactly what happened and infinitely better to have a head coach who acknowledges what we could all see rather than trotting out the usual "We deserved to win this".
Look, it wasn't great. There's no real action of note to talk about and to compound matters, we lost Yoann Barbet just a few minutes into the second period. He'd needed treatment late on in the first after a nasty looking fall and was clearly limping as he emerged after his half time cuppa. The boos from the home supporters whilst he was being treated both unfair and uncalled for. Something that was consistent with any of our players going down after a lot of rough treatment.
There was little protection offered from the man in neon yellow, referee Andy Woolmer in a game that ended with him blowing up for fouls on 33 occasions. Just to put that into context, there were only 20 awarded as Birmingham City L went down at West Brom on Friday night and 21 as Frank Lampard's Derby County came one short of hitting 7(seven) goal brackets against Rotherham.
View from the away end – about as close as it got
So Wigan stifled it. Brentford were off the pace. But can we take anything positive from this one? Well, the fact that Wigan played with such a negative style and formation shows the threat presented by normally free-scoring Bees. Indeed, as the clock moved on it felt like the sort of game that so many times in the past we've seen the team lose 1-0. At least this time around, Luke kept us in it with a number of saves that were as smart as the all red goalkeeper's kit he was sporting.
There was a return to match action for Lewis Macleod, too. His appearance as a late substitute for Josh Da Silva being the latest attempt to relaunch what should be such a promising career but one which has, sadly, been blighted by injury after injury. How unlucky has Lewis been? Here's hoping he can put a few games under his belt and then hit the ground running next season. Indeed, even Josh starting this one and a very accomplished performance from Mads Bech Sörensen off the bench being further testament to a B-team system that is seeing players segue through to the match day squad.
What else. It was another game unbeaten in orange / brown (what jinx?) whilst the pub before and after the game was quiet magnificent – despite the bizarre formation of a canteen style queue to order the drinks. This a phenomena I've now witnessed twice in less than a week after having never experienced this previously. How has this been allowed to happen? Why? Did I miss a memo ? It's quite bizarre.
Wigan – great beer, despite the queue
The lack of social element aside, how do you see the full contents on offer across the whole bar front when approaching a fixed point in the corner. Moreso, when you are staring at the back of the prior punter? Why can't the staff work out who is next up without looking ? Even then, service was still granted by answering the question "Who's next?". Err, me. I'm at the top of the queue. All that was needed was a plastic tray for the full school dining hall experience . Still, as an away fan it made an alternative to being greeted with the words 'Ow Much..?' from the previous transaction ringing in the ears.
We digress, as ever and that's a rant for another day. For now, we'll file it alongside waiters describing coffee as Expresso and made up coffee words (what the hell is a ventissimo?). Team GB. The faux-verb "To medal". Mrs. Brown's Boys. People who think Roger Moore shouldn't top a 'Best Bond' list. Star Wars Day – that's the one after May the third. Ian Moose. iPod headphones. The England Supporters band. Indeed, any form of musical interlude at football. See also: goal music, drums, Mr. Portsmouth and his bell. John Bishop (he's from Liverpool, apparently. If only he'd mentioned it in his routine). Use of the words Derby County preceded by Frank Lampard's….
And relax. All of a sudden, a 0-0 at Wigan doesn't seem so bad. Despite the drum.
Thomas salutes the fans at full time
Tags: Athletic, bar, BBC, Bees, Birmingham, blog, Brentford, Brentford FC, Bruzon, Championship, City, Derby, Derby County, drum, DW, football, Henrik Dalsgaard, Josh Da Silva, Lewis Macleod, Luke Daniels, Neal Maupay, news, now, Ollie Watkins, Paul Cook, pub, queue, Roger Moore, Saïd Benrahma, Swansea City, The Bees, Thomas Frank, Wigan, Wigan Athletic, Yoann Barbet
Categories Brentford, Championship, Derby County, Wigan
Who's on fire when league action returns this weekend?
Finally. Championship action returns this weekend with Brentford hosting Wigan Athletic, straight off the back of the news that out allocation of 7,700 tickets for the league cup game at Arsenal has already set out. For the masochistic amongst us, winless Birmingham City tonight entertain (if that is possible) a West Bromwich Albion side who know that victory will take them up to third place in a still coagulating table. Yet one which is almost at that magical 'ten game mark'.
First up, Brentford. Obviously. Two weeks of inaction with nothing but the evolving site at Lionel Road have been a tough void to fill. Moreso given how frustrating it has been having to slam the brakes on what has been a quite wonderful start to the campaign for the Bees.
Lionel Road ; Thursday morning
Our current fifth place has been achieved through three wins out of three at home and only one defeat on the road. That at Blackburn where we were missing Neal Maupay following that thing at Villa Park. Yet the team have been scoring goals for fun, with the aforementioned Frenchman the division's top marksman on 5 and Ollie Watkins right behind him on 4. Chuck in a further four assists between them aswell as no other Championship player having more touches in the box than Ollie's 44 (although I'm sure Ian Moose would probably just call that dilly-dallying) and you can see how well they are going together.
Indeed, only West Bromwich Albion (15) and Leeds United (14) have managed more than the Bees 12 goals to date. Even then, the West Brom total includes the, albeit magnificent, bracketing of hapless QPR when the not so super hoops conceded 7(seven) in a single game.
Brentford's football has been a joy to watch. Positivity that was shared by our own Dean Smith, talking to Natalie Sawyer on Talksport Radio last night. Some things are worth breaking my own, self-enforced, ban on all things Ian Moose for and with the catering obsessed narcissus nowhere near the studio I tuned in.
Thankfully, there was no Ian Moose last night
There were big ups for Josh McEachran. Talk of expansive football. Discussion about the Arsenal game, where with the squad having been thinned out by the loans of Chiedozie Ogbene to Exter City, Tom Field to Cheltenham Town and Ryan Woods (albeit the cat was initially let out of the bag before Dean corrected his own use of the word 'sold') to Stoke the implication was that we would go with a strong team. And rightly so. Who would want to miss out on that one?
Yet what was clear through all the twenty minute probing Natalie administered to Dean was his ongoing self-belief and enthusiasm. For the squad, the style of football which the benevolence of our current regime has enabled him to play and his immediate focus being on Wigan Athletic rather than anybody beyond. In his eyes its all about Saturday. Talk of Arsenal was tempered with the fact that there are another two games after Wigan (as part of another intense 22 day run) before we get to the League Cup.
If you missed this one you definitely missed out. Anyone who has had the pleasure of listening to Natalie's podcasts for The Times know she is a most engaging presenter. Frankly, she could make any subject from Tom Moore's socks to Josh McEachran's phone case collection (both hypothetically) sound interesting. So when you have a guest who was as on fire as Dean, then it was radio gold.
Captain Barbet sums up the spirit in the Bees camp , last time out
Certainly, if I was up for the weekend fixture beforehand then it's even more so the case now. With our 7,700 tickets sold out for Arsenal (and a further 700 being made available) presumably we can only expect a close to sell-out crowd for this one? No doubt all those heading to the Emirates will be at Griffin Park (and beyond) in the build-up to that one? If nothing else, seeing the alleged conflagration that is Will Grigg being extinguished will put a lot of smiles on faces. For no more reason than silencing 'that song' – something akin to the England Supporters 'band', the Portsmouth bell, vuvuzelas and goal songs as musical interruptions that should be consigned to video games rather than football stadia.
Still, we've been there and done this before. Let's not get distracted by the England band. There'll be enough to keep us busy this weekend. Moreso, given we have the TV treat (errr) of Birmingham v West Brom tonight. Can the Blues get their first win of the campaign at the 7th(seventh) time of asking? Will the visitors keep on banging in the goals that have propelled them towards touching distance of the play-off zone already? Will 'you know who' need to trot out his usual combination of post-match tweets – we go again / fans deserved more / apologies / KRO (whatever that means)? Or could the St. Andrews team finally start to fulfil the promise that a club of their former glory and current size would no doubt expect?
Besides. It's that or Coronation Street so I'll certainly be watching the game. Whilst Mrs. Bruzon may prefer the cobbles of Weatherfield, there's not quite a KRO-bar in our house. Yet.
Taxi for Grigg? Here's hoping on Saturday
Tags: Arsenal, Bees, Beesotted, Birmingham, Birmingham City, blog, Brentford, Brentford blog, Brentford FC, Dean Smith, Exeter City, feet, Griffin Park, Josh McEachran, Natalie Sawyer, news, pictures, QPR, Talksport, The Bees, WBA, West Brom, West Bromwich Albion, Wigan, Wigan Athletic, Will Grigg
Categories Arsenal, Brentford, Wigan


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Turntable Reviews
VPI TNT V-HR turntable & JMW 12.5 tonearm
Brian Damkroger | Dec 20, 2001
I'm a tinkerer. From homemade audio isolation and room-treatment products to a local area network (LAN) connecting my Macintosh laptops, I'm always building or modifying something. One of my latest projects is a combination of parts swaps and custom-machined bits to better adapt the ergonomics of my exotic Italian Bimota motorcycle to my distinctly un-Italian 6'3" frame. But regardless of what I'm into, I can't resist the urge to tinker.
Harry Weisfeld, the man behind VPI, is also a tinkerer, of which the evolution of his TNT turntable provides ample evidence (footnote 1). There's been a flywheel here, an air suspension there, a new, more solid mounting method for the bearing—each step an improvement in performance and user-friendliness.
The TNT V-HR
The latest step in the TNT V turntable's evolution is the TNT V-HR. The "HR" stands for "Hot Rod" and reflects a number of small and not-so-small changes to the basic TNT V. The most obvious of these are the omission of the three-pulley subchassis and the lack of a removable tonearm board. The subchassis was dropped because, with the V-HR's new Rulon bearing (now included in the standard TNT V as well), its load balancing was no longer required. And, according to Weisfeld, the three pulleys "added noise, in the form of a subtle graying of the sound."
The armboard was deleted to increase rigidity, which is further improved by attaching the arm with a single, large-diameter nut that screws directly onto the arm pillar.
The final change in the HR, which will be retrofitted to the basic V version as well, is the use of a removable power cord for the motor. All of the other mods that resulted in the TNT V—the new platter and flywheel, the air suspension, the single-nut mounting of the bearing cup—are included in the HR as well.
The TNT lineup now includes several models. The bottom rung is the $2600 TNT Junior, which is suspended by Sorbothane bushings encased in the corner towers, uses a 1.5"-thick clear acrylic platter and lower-grade bearing, and omits the flywheel. Next is the $4000 TNT 3.5, which maintains the Junior's bearing assembly but replaces the Sorbothane bushings with springs, uses the 23-lb multilayer TNT platter, and adds the three-pulley subchassis.
The TNT V, which goes for $5800, switches to air suspension, adds the flywheel and single-nut-mounted Rulon bearing assembly, and, as of this writing, will no longer include the three-pulley subchassis. The TNT V-HR costs a bit more ($8000) but is actually the better value, because its price includes the JMW 12.5 tonearm—the other TNTs come sans arm. The SDS motor/speed controller, back in production as of this writing, adds $800 to the price of any TNT (the V and V-HR models are priced with SDS), or is available for $1000 separately.
JMW Memorial 12.5 tonearm
The JMW 12" Memorial tonearm has been tweaked as well, resulting in a number of small changes and the "12.5" appellation (the ".5" denotes an upgrade, not an increase in length). As noted above, the arm is now mounted using a single, large-diameter nut that screws directly onto the armtube, resulting in a much more rigid coupling to the armboard or plinth. Rigidity is also improved with the addition of a second contact point: a small pillar near the armrest. Once VTA is set, the pillar is screwed down until it firmly contacts the armboard or plinth, and is then locked in place.
A weight has been added to either side of the azimuth adjustment collar, to move more mass to below the bearing's pivot point. Similarly, a new counterweight design is used to further lower the arm's center of mass. Inside the armtube, the damping has been improved with the addition of a third layer of elastomer near the bearing end of the tube. And in one of those obvious-once-you-see-it touches, a small V groove is machined into the top of the headshell. Why? So the user can easily set a small tube (supplied) atop the headshell to more easily gauge headshell tilt while setting azimuth. Neat!
The retail price of the new arm is $2800—the same as the previous version. The older unit, the JMW Memorial 12", will remain in the lineup at a reduced price of $1800. On the drawing board, according to Weisfeld, is a no-frills version of the arm that will delete all of the adjustability, the interconnect box, etc., but will maintain the unit's basic quality and retail for $800-$900.
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Terry's most recent album Jimmy's Arcade recieved the #2 spot in the philly.com best of 2017 list by Nick Cristiano.
Terry Anderson, Jimmy's Arcade. Brilliant and often hilarious underneath his hick persona, this North Carolinian continues to distill rock-and-roll down to its joyous essence.


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Press Release: Maryland's Advanced Placement Streak Reaches 10 Years In A Row
State Students Again Rank Number One In Success On Rigorous Exam; Participation Also Rises
Contact: Bill Reinhard, 410-767-0486, 410-241-7108 (cell)
Baltimore, MD (February 24, 2016)
Maryland students have led the nation in success on the Advanced Placement (AP) exams for 10 consecutive years, according to new data from the College Board.
The percentage of Maryland seniors who earned a score of 3 or higher on one or more AP exams broke 30 percent for the second consecutive year -- 31.7 percent in 2015. That represents a slight dip from 31.8 registered in 2014 but a big jump from 2005, when 20.6 percent of Maryland seniors scored a 3 or higher. That was the last year Maryland did not lead the nation on AP success.
A score of 3 or better is the threshold at which many higher education institutions award college credit tor high school students on an AP assessment.
"Congratulations to Maryland students and educators for continuing to lead the nation in Advanced Placement assessment achievement," said Governor Larry Hogan. "AP offers our students a rich and rigorous program of study, and the success of our students will help fuel further accomplishments in college and the workplace."
Maryland is followed by Massachusetts with 31.5 percent of seniors receiving a 3 or higher. Florida, Connecticut, and California all had more than 30 percent of seniors scoring a 3 or higher. The national average was 22.4, up from 21.6 percent in 2014.
"As Maryland educators seek to prepare our students for life beyond high school, the AP program provides students with a strong foundation for the future," said Interim State Superintendent of Schools Jack R. Smith. "The latest data from the College Board provide us with much to celebrate, but also spotlights where we need to improve. All students should have the opportunity to succeed in rich educational programs."
The new statistics are included in AP cohort data the College Board recently released for the class of 2015. The data release replaced "The AP Report to the Nation" in 2014, which the organization had published for the previous decade.
The College Board's new analysis of the college-level assessment program provides a variety of information on efforts taking place in Maryland schools. For example:
More than half of all Maryland high school graduates take at least one AP exam while in high school, and that tally has nearly doubled over the past decade. In 2005, 30.7 percent of Maryland graduates had taken at least one AP exam during their high school career. By 2015, 51 percent of seniors were taking at least one of the rigorous exams. Only the District of Columbia (70.1 percent), Florida (57.7 percent), and Arkansas (51.1) had higher rates of participation.
The number of Maryland high school seniors who scored a 3 or better on an AP exam increased from 11,180 in 2005 to 17,314 in 2015.
Maryland's low income students in the Class of 2015 were underrepresented in the AP program. While 42.8 percent of Maryland seniors were eligible for free or reduced-price meals they only comprised 20.9 percent of AP test takers, and 16.5 percent of those who received a grade of 3 or better.
The College Board's Advanced Placement Program, which began in 1955, allows students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school. Students of different interests and backgrounds can choose from more than 30 courses to demonstrate their knowledge of rigorous academic curriculum. More information about the AP program is available here.
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Johanna II is a Founder & the Vice-President of the Georg & Agathe Foundation and Co-Founder & Director of Celebrity Legacy. She is passionate about the importance of the arts in ones' life and believes that knowing your family's past and collective history can be insightful, enriching, and foster connection. Using her family's inspiring stories, she speaks internationally on meeting life's challenges.
Johanna II has spent many years researching and compiling information on the various branches of her family tree. She is currently researching her matrilineal line towards publishing a book. In 2017, she wrote the forward to the Hungarian translation of her grandfather's World War I Austro-Hungarian Naval memoir "To the Last Salute" / "Georg von Trapp: Az utolsó tisztelgésig".
Johanna II directly descends from multiple historic legacies. She is the oldest daughter of Baroness Johanna von Trapp of the Trapp Family Choir and Trapp Family Singers, who was portrayed as the second youngest child, 'Marta', in world-renowned musical The Sound of Music. Her grandparents are Baron Captain Georg von Trapp, World War I Austro-Hungarian naval hero, and his first wife Agathe Gobertina Whitehead, granddaughter of British engineer Robert Whitehead (inventor of the torpedo).
Her extended ancestry includes Dutch-Belgium nobility: Aspermont-Lynden; and Hungarian & Croatian dynasties and national-heroes: Esterházy, Erdödy, Pálffy, Széchenyi, Rákóczy, Zrínyi, and Frangepán.
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The District of Columbia attorney general's office filed a lawsuit against St. Louis-based Ascension on Dec. 14, claiming the Catholic health system's move to shutter Washington, D.C.-based Providence Health System violates the terms of Providence's hospital license, according to The Washington Post.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of District Mayor Muriel Bowser, said the hospital closure plan must be approved by local health officials, according to the report. Providence Health System — the city's oldest continuously operating hospital — primarily serves the city's underrepresented and low-income populations.
Ascension announced in September it planned to close Providence Health System's emergency room by Dec. 5 and end all acute care services by Dec. 14. However, under pressure from city officials, Ascension agreed to keep the system's ER open through April and maintain 10 out of 238 beds for patients who need to be admitted.
Ascension officials claim the move to shutter the hospital is necessary, as Providence Health System has continued to struggle financially in recent years.
"Providence and Ascension remain committed to the District and are pleased to be able to respond to the community need for this extended period," Patricia Maryland, president and CEO of Ascension Healthcare, said in a news release obtained by The Washington Post last week.
The D.C. City Council has also passed legislation empowering officials to force hospitals to remain open, the report states.


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F.D.A. Finds Increase in Suicide Symptoms for Patients Using Seizure Medications
Drugs for epilepsy, bipolar illness and mood problems double the risks of suicidal thoughts and behavior, and patients taking them should be watched for sudden behavioral changes, drug regulators have said.
The increased risks, while double in relative terms, are small. The Food and Drug Administration undertook a combined analysis of 199 clinical trials with 43,892 patients and found 4 suicides and 105 reports of suicidal symptoms among the 27,863 patients who were given the drugs compared to no suicides and 35 reports of suicidal symptoms among the 16,029 patients treated with placebos.
Taken together, the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior was 0.43 percent for those on drug therapy and 0.22 percent for those given placebos.
These medications are primarily used to help epileptics control seizures and to calm the surges in energy and mood that, along with bouts of depression, characterize bipolar disorder. The drugs, which include Depakote, Lamictal, Topamax, Keppra, Lyrica and Neurontin, are sometimes prescribed for chronic pain and headaches, as well.
Doctors said Thursday that the increased risk did not outweigh the benefits of the drugs.
"What's really important to say is that bipolar disorder is very difficult to treat, the burden is enormous, and these medications help keep people free of mood and anxiety symptoms and allow them to function," said Andrew A. Nierenberg, medical director of the bipolar clinic and research program at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The increased risks began as early as the first week of therapy and never seemed to leave, the drug agency said. The risks were higher among epileptics than among those given the drugs for psychiatric or other problems.
The agency will convene a panel of experts to discuss the findings and add risk information to the drug labels.
A spokeswoman for the agency, Sandy Walsh, said she could not comment on the label changes. "Those discussions will take place between the F.D.A. and the drug manufacturers," Ms. Walsh said.
She said all anticonvulsant drugs had increased risk of suicidal symptoms, meaning each would have similar warnings.
A spokesman for Pfizer, Jack Cox, said its review of Neurontin and Lyrica found "no evidence of an increased risk of suicide-related events in either product."
A spokeswoman for GlaxoSmithKline, Mary Anne Rhyne, said its analysis of clinical trials of Lamictal found "general trends that were similar to those seen in the F.D.A. analysis."
Laureen M. Cassidy, a spokeswoman for Abbott, which makes Depakote, said, "This is important information for care-givers to monitor patients, but this shouldn't change how epilepsy is treated."
The new finding, a result of a two-year study, is a coda to the finding three years ago that antidepressants also doubled the risks of suicidal symptoms. With antidepressants, the risks of suicidal symptoms, rose to 4 percent for children and teenagers compared to 2 percent among those given placebos, risks 10 times higher than those found in the trials of anticonvulsants.
The agency, in a major change for experimental medicines, requires drug makers to study closely whether patients become suicidal in clinical trials of different medicines.
The finding on antidepressants led to a label warning that many psychiatrists say has caused more harm than good by dissuading some patients from finding needed care.
Ann Marie Thomson, of Lindenhurst, N.Y., said her husband, Peter, was prescribed Keppra in 2002 for a seizure disorder. Within days, Mr. Thomson became moody and violent, Ms. Thomson said, and when he stopped taking the drug, his behavior and mood immediately improved.
Dr. Cynthia Harden, a professor of neurology at Weill Cornell Medical College, said she would monitor her epilepsy patients taking the drugs more closely but would not end their treatment.
"The consequences of seizures are dire," Dr. Harden said. "There's a risk of injury, even brain injury from a prolonged seizure, a loss of awareness and tremendous anxiety as these episodes can come without warning. It's a very difficult illness to live with, and these drugs are well worth trying."


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Funeral celebrant: 30-40% of families..
Funeral celebrant: 30-40% of families request money not flowers
Following the story of a low-life thief who stole funeral donations intended for a four-year-old autistic boy farewelling his late father, Tom Elliott wanted to know if donations at funerals was becoming common practice.
"After looking at The Herald Sun funeral notices this afternoon, I would say one third of people asked for donations," Tom said.
Registered funeral celebrant, Jenny Keddell, told Tom Elliott in her experience it's about 30-40 per cent of families who request donations instead of flowers.
"Over the years I've noticed that it has increased as well," she said.
"I think it's a good thing, for people to be following the wishes of the person who passed away."
Click PLAY below to hear the interview
At the funeral for 43-year-old father Shane, at an Avondale Heights church last Friday, a man was waiting and stole about $4000 cash from envelopes, intended for his son Kai.