text:
The Lede Desk: Fighting the Scourge of Boring Writing
By Davide Castelvecchi on August 30, 2011
It was a dark and stormy night in New York City, so why was I instead slouching on my couch in sunny Rome?
Because I was concocting a weather report-anecdote-question-postural opening for this blog post.
It is probably safe to say that no journalist is fully immune from cliches, especially in the openings of their articles, which many of us insist on calling ledes (in that cliquish, intentionally misspelled way, just like we write "graf" for paragraph, "hed" for headline, and so on).
To curb the plague (or fight the scourge, or buck the trend, or stem the tide) of the cliche lede, some time in the 1990s Steve Twomey, who at the time was a writer assistant national editor at the San Jose Mercury News, distributed a memorandum around the paper's newsroom. The memo came from a fictional Lede Desk. Twomey, who had won a Pulitzer Prize for a fantastic feature article he had published in 1987 in the Philadelphia Inquirer, knows a thing or two about writing well, and the memo (to which, he says, other Merc writers also contributed) showed by example how not to write a lede.
When I studied science writing at the University of California, Santa Cruz, one of my teachers of newspaper news writing, Glennda Chui--who at the time was a science writer at the Mercury News--distributed copies of the Lede Desk Memo to her class, and I have religiously kept those pages with me all these years.
Glennda, who herself shared a Pulitzer Prize with other Mercury News staff for their coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, has graciously given me permission to post the memo here, and so has Twomey. I hope it will help future journalists to avoid falling into the same traps. (It's really hard to say anything without using cliches, isn't it?)
I certainly have violated many of these rules in my ledes over the years (including rule 2, rule 3, rule 6 and rule 10). I hope Glennda will forgive me.
So, what do Davide Castelvecchi and two Pulitzer Prize winners have in common? Not a lot, unfortunately, but we all do love the Lede Desk.
The San Jose Mercury News Lede Desk Memo
Before all future stories go belly-up, bringing the Mercury News to a crossroads and necessitating sweeping recommendations in the wake of diminishing sales, welcome to the lede desk. Or meet the lede desk. Or this is the story of the lede desk. You'll catch on. What if all stories began like these:
1. First, the good news: On one occasion, many years ago, this kind of lede worked. Now the bad news: It doesn't anymore.
2. What do you use when you can't think of a lede?
A question.
3. "Whenever I feel stymied for an opening, I find a good quote and use that," said Joe Reporter.
"Yeah," said his assigning editor, "that's always a cheap and dull-as-shit way to start a story that no one will read."
4. Joe Reporter leaned back in his chair, put his feet up on his chair and admitted that describing how someone was sitting was a pretty stupid way to begin a story.
5. Outside, the snow lay deep and crisp and even. The sky was a deep, cloudless blue, the temperature hovered at zero, the wind howled out of the west.
Inside, a reporter had opted to give the weather rather than think of a better lede.
6. When Joe Reporter got back to the office one day not long ago, he plopped himself down in the newspaper morgue, hauled a couple of stacks of old papers and sifted through page after page, looking for a good idea for a lede.
He decided to use an anecdote.
7. Take one vague story idea and an 18-inch hole on the page, add a couple hours of mediocre interviews and two old clips. What do you get?
The desperation recipe lede.
8. Like the captain of the ship of state, piloting his country through the turbulent waters of international seas, a reporter often finds himself facing waves of doubt about his lede, and ultimately he turns to what he thinks is a safe harbor, the metaphor or simile lede.
There, his lede sinks.
9. What do a lazy reporter at the Mercury News, an unthinking editor at the San Francisco Chronicle and sleepy copyeditors at the San Francisco Examiner all have in common?
They all just love to pieces the "what do these things have in common" lede.
Real life example: (INSIGHT News Service) TORONTO -- What do nuclear waste and retired people have in common?
10. You might think it's great to set up a false premise in the lede, only to knock it down in the second graf before getting to what you really mean to say.
You'd be wrong.
11. When Joe Reporter left home that morning, little did he know that when he turned in his lede, his editor would spike it.
Joe had failed at predicting the future.
Real life examples:
Knight-Ridder Newspapers -- When Robert Stevenson went out drinking last night, he didn't expect to pay with his life.
OAKLAND, Calif., June 29 /PRNewswire/ - When Nancy Seymour went shopping for ice cream last week, little did she know the experience would save her life.
12. Do you often find yourself meeting someone in the lede of a story who you found to be pretty hackneyed in the introduction?
Meet the "Meet Joe Interesting" lede.
13. Consider the following; ledes that ask you to 'consider the following' are showing up with increasing frequency in this newspaper.
Many thanks to Steve Twomey and Glennda Chui for their permission to reproduce the Lede Desk Memo.
Image courtesy of ArtFavor/Open Clip Art Library
The views expressed are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.
Davide Castelvecchi
Davide Castelvecchi is a senior reporter at Nature in London covering physics, astronomy, mathematics and computer science.
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text:
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as Fiorentina (), is an Italian professional football club based in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. The original team was founded by a merger in August 1926, while the actual club was refounded in August 2002 following bankruptcy. Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A seasons.

Fiorentina has won two Italian league titles, in 1955–56 and again in 1968–69, as well as six Coppa Italia trophies and one Supercoppa Italiana. On the European stage, Fiorentina won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1960–61 and lost the final one year later. They finished runners-up in the 1956–57 European Cup, losing against Real Madrid, and also came close to winning the 1989–90 UEFA Cup, finishing as runners-up against Juventus after losing the first leg in Turin and drawing in the second one in Avellino.

Fiorentina is one of fifteen European teams that have played in the finals of all three major continental competitions: the Champions League (1956–1957, the first Italian team to reach the final in the top continental competition), the UEFA Cup Winners (1960–1961 and 1961–1962) and the UEFA Cup (1989–1990).

Since 1931, the club have played at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, which currently has a capacity of 43,147. The stadium has used several names over the years and has undergone several renovations. Fiorentina are known widely by the nickname Viola, a reference to their distinctive purple colours.

History

Foundation prior to World War II

Associazione Calcio Fiorentina was founded in the autumn of 1926 by local noble and National Fascist Party member Luigi Ridolfi, who initiated the merger of two older Florentine clubs, CS Firenze and PG Libertas. The aim of the merger was to give Florence a strong club to rival those of the more dominant Italian Football Championship sides of the time from Northwest Italy. Also influential was the cultural revival and rediscovery of , an ancestor of modern football that was played by members of the  family.

After a rough start and three seasons in lower leagues, Fiorentina reached the  in 1931. That same year saw the opening of the new stadium, originally named after Giovanni Berta, a prominent fascist, but now known as Stadio Artemio Franchi. At the time, the stadium was a masterpiece of engineering, and its inauguration was monumental. To be able to compete with the best teams in Italy, Fiorentina strengthened their team with some new players, notably the Uruguayan Pedro Petrone, nicknamed el Artillero. Despite enjoying a good season and finishing in fourth place, Fiorentina were relegated the following year, although they would return quickly to . In 1941, they won their first Coppa Italia, but the team were unable to build on their success during the 1940s due to World War II and other troubles.

First scudetto and '50–'60s

In 1950, Fiorentina started to achieve consistent top-five finishes in the domestic league. The team consisted of players such as well-known goalkeeper Giuliano Sarti, Sergio Cervato, Francesco Rosella, Guido Gratton, Giuseppe Chiappella, Aldo Scaramucci, Brazilian Julinho, and Argentinian Miguel Montuori. This team won Fiorentina's first scudetto (Italian championship) in 1955–56, 12 points ahead of second-place Milan. Milan beat Fiorentina to top spot the following year. Fiorentina became the first Italian team to play in a European Cup final, when a disputed penalty led to a 2–0 defeat at the hands of Alfredo Di Stéfano's Real Madrid.
Fiorentina were runners-up again in the three subsequent seasons. In the 1960–61 season, the club won the Coppa Italia again and was also successful in Europe, winning the first Cup Winners' Cup against Scottish side Rangers.

After several years of runner-up finishes, Fiorentina dropped away slightly in the 1960s, bouncing from fourth to sixth place, although the club won the Coppa Italia and the Mitropa Cup in 1966.

Second scudetto and '70s
While the 1960s did result in some trophies and good Serie A finishes for Fiorentina, nobody believed that the club could challenge for the title. The 1968–69 season started with Milan as frontrunners, but on matchday 7, they lost to Bologna and were overtaken by Gigi Riva's Cagliari. Fiorentina, after an unimpressive start, then moved to the top of the Serie A, but the first half of their season finished with a 2–2 draw against Varese, leaving Cagliari as outright league leader. The second half of the season was a three-way battle between the three contending teams, Milan, Cagliari and Fiorentina. Milan fell away, instead focusing their efforts on the European Cup, and it seemed that Cagliari would retain top spot. After Cagliari lost against , however, Fiorentina took over at the top. The team then won all of their remaining matches, beating rivals Juve in Turin on the penultimate matchday to seal their second, and last, national title. In the European Cup competition the following year, Fiorentina had some good results, including a win in the Soviet Union against , but they were eventually knocked out in the quarter-finals after a 3–0 defeat in Glasgow to Celtic.

Viola players began the 1970s decade with Scudetto sewed on their breast, but the period was not especially fruitful for the team. After a fifth-place finish in 1971, they finished in mid-table almost every year, even flirting with relegation in 1972 and 1978. The Viola did win the Anglo-Italian League Cup in 1974 and won the Coppa Italia again in 1975. The team consisted of young talents like Vincenzo Guerini and Moreno Roggi, who suffered bad injuries, and above all Giancarlo Antognoni, who would later become an idol to Fiorentina's fans. The young average age of the players led to the team being called Fiorentina Ye-Ye.

Pontello era
In 1980, Fiorentina was bought by Flavio Pontello, who came from a rich house-building family. He quickly changed the team's anthem and logo, leading to some complaints by the fans, but he started to bring in high-quality players such as Francesco Graziani and Eraldo Pecci from Torino; Daniel Bertoni from Sevilla; Daniele Massaro from Monza; and a young Pietro Vierchowod from Como. The team was built around Giancarlo Antognoni, and in 1982, Fiorentina were involved in an exciting duel with rivals Juventus. After a bad injury to Antognoni, the league title was decided on the final day of the season when Fiorentina were denied a goal against Cagliari and were unable to win. Juventus won the title with a disputed penalty and the rivalry between the two teams erupted.

The following years were strange for Fiorentina, who vacillated between high finishes and relegation battles. Fiorentina also bought two interesting players, El Puntero Ramón Díaz and, most significantly, the young Roberto Baggio.

In 1990, Fiorentina fought to avoid relegation right up until the final day of the season, but did reach the UEFA Cup final, where they again faced Juventus. The Turin team won the trophy, but Fiorentina's tifosi once again had real cause for complaint: the second leg of the final was played in Avellino (Fiorentina's home ground was suspended), a city with many Juventus fans, and emerging star Roberto Baggio was sold to the rival team on the day of the final. Pontello, suffering from economic difficulties, was selling all the players and was forced to leave the club after serious riots in Florence's streets. The club was then acquired by the famous filmmaker Mario Cecchi Gori.

Cecchi Gori era: from Champions League to bankruptcy

The first season under Cecchi Gori's ownership was one of stabilisation, after which the new chairman started to sign some good players like Brian Laudrup, Stefan Effenberg, Francesco Baiano and, most importantly, Gabriel Batistuta, who became an iconic player for the team during the 1990s. In 1993, however, Cecchi Gori died and was succeeded as chairman by his son, Vittorio. Despite a good start to the season, Cecchi Gori fired the coach, Luigi Radice, after a defeat against Atalanta, and replaced him with Aldo Agroppi. The results were dreadful: Fiorentina fell into the bottom half of the standings and were relegated on the last day of the season.

Claudio Ranieri was brought in as coach for the 1993–94 season, and that year, Fiorentina dominated Serie B, Italy's second division. Upon their return to Serie A, Ranieri put together a good team centred around new top scorer Batistuta, signing the young talent Rui Costa from Benfica and the new world champion Brazilian defender Márcio Santos. The former became an idol to Fiorentina fans, while the second disappointed and was sold after only a season. The Viola finished the season in tenth place.

The following season, Cecchi Gori bought other important players, namely Swedish midfielder Stefan Schwarz. The club again proved its mettle in cup competitions, winning the Coppa Italia against Atalanta and finishing joint-third in Serie A. In the summer, Fiorentina became the first non-national champions to win the Supercoppa Italiana, defeating Milan 2–1 at the San Siro.

Fiorentina's 1996–97 season was disappointing in the league, but they did reach the Cup Winners' Cup semi-final by beating Gloria Bistrița, Sparta Prague and Benfica. The team lost the semi-final to the eventual winner of the competition, Barcelona (away 1–1; home 0–2). The season's main signings were Luís Oliveira and Andrei Kanchelskis, the latter of whom suffered from many injuries.

At the end of the season, Ranieri left Fiorentina for Valencia in Spain, with Cecchi Gori appointing Alberto Malesani as his replacement. Fiorentina played well but struggled against smaller teams, although they did manage to qualify for the UEFA Cup. Malesani left Fiorentina after only a season and was succeeded by Giovanni Trapattoni. With Trapattoni's expert guidance and Batistuta's goals, Fiorentina challenged for the title in 1998–99 but finished the season in third, earning them qualification for the Champions League. The following year was disappointing in Serie A, but Viola played some historical matches in the Champions League, beating Arsenal 1–0 at the old Wembley Stadium and Manchester United 2–0 in Florence. They were ultimately eliminated in the second group stage.

At the end of the season, Trapattoni left the club and was replaced by Turkish coach Fatih Terim. More significantly, however, Batistuta was sold to Roma, who eventually won the title the following year. Fiorentina played well in 2000–01 and stayed in the top half of Serie A, despite the resignation of Terim and the arrival of Roberto Mancini. They also won the Coppa Italia for the sixth and last time.

The year 2001 heralded major changes for Fiorentina, as the terrible state of the club's finances was revealed: they were unable to pay wages and had debts of around US$50 million. The club's owner, Vittorio Cecchi Gori, was able to raise some more money, but this soon proved to be insufficient to sustain the club. Fiorentina were relegated at the end of the 2001–02 season and went into judicially-controlled administration in June 2002. This form of bankruptcy (sports companies cannot exactly fail in this way in Italy, but they can suffer a similar procedure) meant that the club was refused a place in Serie B for the 2002–03 season, and as a result effectively ceased to exist.

Della Valle era: from fourth tier to Europe (2000s and 2010s)
The club was promptly re-established in August 2002 as Associazione Calcio Fiorentina e Florentia Viola with shoe and leather entrepreneur Diego Della Valle as new owner and the club was admitted into Serie C2, the fourth tier of Italian football. The only player to remain at the club in its new incarnation was Angelo Di Livio, whose commitment to the club's cause further endeared him to the fans. Helped by Di Livio and 30-goal striker Christian Riganò, the club won its Serie C2 group with considerable ease, which would normally have led to a promotion to Serie C1. Due to the bizarre Caso Catania (Catania Case), the club skipped Serie C1 and was admitted into Serie B, something that was only made possible by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC)'s decision to resolve the Catania situation by increasing the number of teams in Serie B from 20 to 24 and promoting Fiorentina for "sports merits." In the 2003 off-season, the club also bought back the right to use the Fiorentina name and the famous shirt design, and re-incorporated itself as ACF Fiorentina. The club finished the 2003–04 season in sixth place and won the playoff against Perugia to return to top-flight football.

In their first season back in Serie A, the club struggled to avoid relegation, only securing survival on the last day of the season on head-to-head record against Bologna and Parma. In 2005, Della Valle decided to appoint Pantaleo Corvino as new sports director, followed by the appointment of Cesare Prandelli as head coach in the following season. The club made several signings during the summer transfer market, most notably Luca Toni and Sébastien Frey. This drastic move earned them a fourth-place finish with 74 points and a Champions League qualifying round ticket. Toni scored 31 goals in 38 appearances, the first player to pass the 30-goal mark since Antonio Valentin Angelillo in the 1958–59 season, for which he was awarded the European Golden Boot. On 14 July 2006, Fiorentina were relegated to Serie B due to their involvement in the Calciopoli scandal and given a 12-point penalty. The team was reinstated to the Serie A on appeal, but with a 19-point penalty for the 2006–07 season. The team's 2006–07 Champions League place was also revoked. After the start of the season, Fiorentina's penalisation was reduced from 19 points to 15 on appeal to the Italian courts. In spite of this penalty, they managed to secure a place in the UEFA Cup.

Despite Toni's departure to Bayern Munich, Fiorentina had a strong start to the 2007–08 season and were tipped by Italy national team head coach Marcello Lippi, among others, as a surprise challenger for the Scudetto, and although this form tailed off towards the middle of the season, the Viola managed to qualify for the Champions League. In Europe, the club reached the semi-final of the UEFA Cup, where they were ultimately defeated by Rangers on penalties. The 2008–09 season continued this success, a fourth-place finish assuring Fiorentina's spot in 2010's Champions League playoffs. Their European campaign was also similar to that of the previous run, relegated to the 2008–09 UEFA Cup and were eliminated by Ajax in the end.

In the 2009–10 season, Fiorentina started their domestic campaign strongly before steadily losing momentum and slipped to mid-table positions at the latter half of the season. In Europe, the team proved to be a surprise dark horse: after losing their first away fixture against Lyon, they staged a comeback with a five-match streak by winning all their remaining matches (including defeating Liverpool home and away). The Viola qualified as group champions, but eventually succumbed to Bayern Munich due to the away goals rule. This was controversial due to a mistaken refereeing decision by Tom Henning Øvrebø, who allowed a clearly offside goal for Bayern in the first leg. Bayern eventually finished the tournament as runners-up, making a deep run all the way to the final. The incident called into attention the possible implementation of video replays in football. Despite a good European run and reaching the semi-finals in the Coppa Italia, Fiorentina failed to qualify for Europe.

During this period, on 24 September 2009, Andrea Della Valle resigned from his position as chairman of Fiorentina, and announced all duties would be temporarily transferred to Mario Cognini, Fiorentina's vice-president until a permanent position could be filled.

In June 2010, the Viola bid farewell to long-time manager Cesare Prandelli, by then the longest-serving coach in the team's history, who was departing to coach the Italy national team. Catania manager Siniša Mihajlović was appointed to replace him. The club spent much of the early 2010–11 season in last place, but their form improved and Fiorentina ultimately finished ninth. Following a 1–0 defeat to Chievo in November 2011, Mihajlović was sacked and replaced by Delio Rossi. After a brief period of improvements, the Viola were again fighting relegation, prompting the sacking of Sporting Director Pantaleo Corvino in early 2012 following a 0–5 home defeat to Juventus. Their bid for survival was kept alive by a number of upset victories away from home, notably at Roma and Milan. During a home game against Novara, trailing 0–2 within half an hour, manager Rossi decided to substitute midfielder Adem Ljajić early. Ljajić sarcastically applauded him in frustration, whereupon Rossi retaliated by physical assaulting his player, an action that ultimately prompted his termination by the club. His replacement, caretaker manager Vincenzo Guerini, then guided the team away from the relegation zone to a 13th-place finish to end the turbulent year.

To engineer a resurrection of the club after the disappointing season, the Della Valle family invested heavily in the middle of 2012, buying 17 new players and appointing Vincenzo Montella as head coach. The team began the season well, finishing the calendar year in joint third place and eventually finishing the 2012–13 season in fourth, enough for a position in the 2013–14 Europa League.

The club lost fan favourite Stevan Jovetić during the middle of 2013, selling him to English Premier League club Manchester City for a €30 million transfer fee. They also sold Adem Ljajić to Roma and Alessio Cerci to Torino, using the funds to bring in Mario Gómez, Josip Iličić and Ante Rebić, among others. During the season, Fiorentina topped their Europa League group, moving on to the round of 32 to face Danish side Esbjerg fB, which Fiorentina defeated 4–2 on aggregate. In the following round of 16, however, they then lost to Italian rivals Juventus 2–1 on aggregate, ousting Fiorentina from the competition. At the end of the season, the team finished fourth again in the league, and also finishing the year as Coppa Italia runners-up after losing 3–1 to Napoli in the final.

In 2014–15, during the 2015 winter transfer window, the team club sold star winger Juan Cuadrado to Chelsea for €30 million but were able to secure the loan of Mohamed Salah in exchange, who was a revelation in the second half of the season. Their 2014–15 Europa League campaign saw them progress to the semi-finals, where they were knocked-out by Spanish side Sevilla, the eventual champions. In the 2014–15 domestic season, Fiorentina once again finished fourth, thus qualifying for the 2015–16 Europa League. In June 2015, Vincenzo Montella was sacked as manager after the club grew impatient with the coaches inability to prove his commitment to the club, and was replaced by Paulo Sousa, who lasted until June 2017 and the appointment of Stefano Pioli. Club captain Davide Astori died suddenly at the age of 31 in March 2018. Astori had suffered a cardiac arrest while in a hotel room before an away game. The club subsequently retired Astori's kit number, 13. Fiorentina suffered during the 2018–19 Serie A campaign and ended the season on a 14 match winless streak, finishing in 16th place with only 41 points, 3 points from the relegation zone. On 9 April 2019, Pioli resigned as manager and was replaced by Montella.

Commisso era
On 6 June 2019, the club was sold to Italian-American billionaire Rocco Commisso for around 160 million euros. The sale marked the end of the Della Valle family's seventeen-year association with the club. Vincenzo Montella was confirmed as coach for the first season of the new era despite the team's poor end to the previous campaign, which saw them finish only three points clear of the relegation zone. Fiorentina continued their struggles from the previous year, spending the majority of the season in lower midtable. Montella was sacked on 21 December after a 7 match winless run which left the club in 15th place, and was replaced by Giuseppe Iachini.
In November 2020 Cesare Prandelli returned to Fiorentina, replacing Giuseppe Iachini as coach.

Players

Current squad

Other players under contract
.

Out on loan

Youth Sector

Notable players

Retired numbers

 13  Davide Astori, Defender (2015–18) – posthumous honour

Management staff

Managerial history
Fiorentina have had many managers and head coaches throughout their history. Below is a chronological list from the club's foundation in 1926 to the present day.

Colours and badge

Badge

The official emblem of the city of Florence, a red fleur-de-lis on a white field, has been pivotal in the all-round symbolism of the club.

Over the course of the club's history, they have had several badge changes, all of which incorporated Florence's fleur-de-lis in some way. The first one was nothing more than the city's coat of arms, a white shield with the red fleur-de-lis inside. It was soon changed to a very stylised fleur-de-lis, always red, and sometimes even without the white field. The most common symbol, adopted for about 20 years, had been a white lozenge with the flower inside. During the season they were Italian champions, the lozenge disappeared and the flower was overlapped with the scudetto.

The logo introduced by owner Flavio Pontello in 1980 was particularly distinct, consisting of one-half of the city of Florence's emblem and one-half of the letter "F", for Fiorentina. People disliked it when it was introduced, believing it was a commercial decision and, above all, because the symbol bore more of a resemblance to a halberd than a fleur-de-lis.

Until the 2022–23 season, when the club unveiled a new, stylistically simplified badge, the logo was a kite shaped double lozenge bordered in gold. The outer lozenge had a purple background with the letters "AC" in white and the letter "F" in red, standing for the club's name. The inner lozenge was white with a gold border and the red Giglio of Florence. This logo had been in use from 1992 to 2002, but after the financial crisis and resurrection of the club the new one couldn't use the same logo. Florence's comune instead granted Florentia Viola use of the stylised coat of arms used in other city documents. Diego Della Valle acquired the current logo the following year in a judicial auction for a fee of €2.5 million, making it the most expensive logo in Italian football.

Kit and colours

When Fiorentina was founded in 1926, the players wore red and white halved shirts derived from the colour of the city emblem. The more well-known and highly distinctive purple kit was adopted in 1928 and has been used ever since, giving rise to the nickname La Viola ("The Purple (team)"). Tradition has it that Fiorentina got their purple kit by mistake after an accident washing the old red and white coloured kits in the river.

The away kit has always been predominantly white, sometimes with purple and red elements, sometimes all-white. The shorts had been purple when the home kit was with white shorts. Fiorentina's third kit was first worn in the 1995–96 season and it was all-red with purple borders and two lilies on the shoulders. The red shirt has been the most worn 3rd shirt by Fiorentina, although they also wore rare yellow shirts ('97–'98, '99–'00 and '10–'11) and a sterling version, mostly in the Coppa Italia, in 2000–01.

For the 2017–18 season and the first time in its history, the club used five kits during the season, composing of one home kit (all-purple) and four away kits, each one representing one historic quartiere of the city of Florence: all-blue (Santa Croce), all-white (Santo Spirito), all-green (San Giovanni) and all-red (Santa Maria Novella).

Anthem
"Canzone Viola" (Purple Song) is the title of the Fiorentina'a song, nowadays better known as "Oh Fiorentina". It is the oldest official football anthem in Italy and one of the oldest in the world. Dated 1930 and born only four years after the creation of the club, the song was written by a 12-year-old child, Enzo Marcacci, and musically arranged by maestro Marco Vinicio. It was published for the first time by the publisher Marcello Manni, who later became the owner of the rights. It soon achieved notoriety thanks to the printed media and the Ordine del Marzocco, a sort of original viola-club, which printed the lyrics of the song and distributed it to a home match on November 22, 1931.
The song was recorded by Narciso Parigi in 1959 and again in 1965; the latter version replaced the original edition as the Fiorentina anthem. Subsequently, Narciso Parigi himself acquired the ownership of the rights, which he donated in 2002 to the supporter club Collettivo Autonomo Viola.

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

Kit manufacturer
 1978–1981: Adidas
 1981–1983: J.D.Farrow's
 1983–1988: Ennerre
 1988–1991: Abbigliamento Sportivo
 1991–1993: Lotto
 1993–1995: Uhlsport
 1995–1997: Reebok
 1997–2000: Fila
 2000–2001: Diadora
 2001–2002: Mizuno
 2002–2003: Mizuno, Garman, Puma
 2003–2005: Adidas
 2005–2012: Lotto
 2012–2015: Joma
 2015–2020: Le Coq Sportif
 2020–: Kappa

Shirt sponsors
 1981–1983: J.D.Farrow's
 1983–1986: Opel
 1986–1989: Crodino
 1989–1991: La Nazione
 1991–1992: Giocheria
 1992–1994: 7up
 1994–1997: Sammontana
 1997–1999: Nintendo
 1999–2002: Toyota
 2002–2004: Fondiaria-Sai
 2004–2010: Toyota
 2010–2011: Save The Children
 2011–2014: Mazda
 2014–2016: Volkswagen, Save The Children
 2016–2019: Vorwerk Folletto, Save The Children, Dream Loud
 2019–present: Mediacom

Official Partners

 EA Sports - Football Video Gaming Partner
 Montezemolo - Fashion Partner
 Gruppoaf - Official Partner
 Sammontana - Official Ice Cream
 Synlab - Health Partner
 OlyBet.tv - Infotainment partner

Honours

National titles
Serie A
Winners (2) : 1955–56, 1968–69

Coppa Italia
Winners (6): 1939–40, 1960–61, 1965–66, 1974–75, 1995–96, 2000–01

Supercoppa Italiana
Winners (1): 1996

International titles

European Cup Winners' Cup
Winners: 1960–61

Other titles
Serie B
Winners (3): 1930–31, 1938–39, 1993–94

Anglo-Italian League Cup
Winners: 1975

Mitropa Cup
Winners: 1966

Coppa Grasshoppers
Winners: 1957

Serie C2
Winners: 2002–03

Divisional movements

Fiorentina as a company
A.C. Fiorentina S.p.A. was unable to register for 2002–03 Serie B due to financial difficulties, and then the sports title was transferred to a new company thanks to Article 52 of N.O.I.F., while the old company was liquidated. At that time the club was heavily relying on windfall profit from selling players, especially in pure player swap or cash plus player swap that potentially increased the cost by the increase in amortisation of player contracts (an intangible assets). For example, Marco Rossi joined Fiorentina for Lire 17 billion in 2000, but at the same time Lorenzo Collacchioni moved to Salernitana for Lire 1 billion, meaning the club had a player profit of Lire 997 million and extra Lire 1 billion to be amortised in 5-years. In 1999, Emiliano Bigica also swapped with Giuseppe Taglialatela, which the latter was valued for Lire 10 billion. The operating income (excluding windfall profit from players trading) of 2000–01 season was minus Lire 113,271,475,933  (minus €58,499,835). It was only boosted by the sales of Francesco Toldo and Rui Costa in June 2001 (a profit of Lire 134.883 billion; €69.661 million). However, it was alleged they were to transfer to Parma for a reported Lire 140 million. The two players eventually joined Inter Milan and A.C. Milan in 2001–02 financial year instead, for undisclosed fees. Failing to have financial support from the owner Vittorio Cecchi Gori, the club was forced to windup due to its huge imbalance in operating income.

Since re-established in 2002, ACF Fiorentina S.p.A. are yet to self-sustain to keep the team in top division as well as in European competitions. In the 2005 financial year, which cover the first Serie A season, the club made a net loss of €9,159,356, followed by a net loss of €19,519,789. In 2006 (2005–06 Serie A and 2006–07 Serie A), Fiorentina heavily invested on players, meaning the amortisation of intangible asset (the player contract) had increased from €17.7 million to €24 million. However the club suffered from the 2006 Italian football scandal, which meant the club did not qualify for Europe. In 2007 Fiorentina almost broke-even, with a net loss of just €3,704,953. In the 2007 financial year the TV revenue increased after they qualified to the 2007–08 UEFA Cup. Despite qualifying to the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, Fiorentina made a net loss of €9,179,484 in 2008 financial year after the increase in TV revenue was outweighed by the increase in wage. In the 2009 financial year, Fiorentina made a net profit of €4,442,803, largely due to the profit on selling players (€33,631,489 from players such as Felipe Melo, Giampaolo Pazzini and Zdravko Kuzmanović; increased from about €3.5 million in 2008). However it was also offset by the write-down of selling players (€6,062,545, from players such as Manuel da Costa, Arturo Lupoli and Davide Carcuro).

After the club failed to qualify to Europe at the end of 2009–10 Serie A, as well as lack of player profit, Fiorentina turnover was decreased from €140,040,713 in 2009 to just €79,854,928, despite the wage bill also falling, la Viola still made a net loss of €9,604,353. In the 2011 financial year, the turnover slipped to €67,076,953, as the club's lack of capital gains from selling players and 2010 financial year still included the instalments from UEFA for participating 2009–10 UEFA Europa League. Furthermore, the gate income had dropped from €11,070,385 to €7,541,260. The wage bill did not fall much and in reverse the amortisation of transfer fee had sightly increased due to new signings. La Viola had savings in other costs but counter-weighted by huge €11,747,668 write-down for departed players, due to D'Agostino, Frey and Mutu, but the former would counter-weight by co-ownership financial income, which all made the operating cost remained high as worse as last year. Moreover, in 2010 the result was boosted by acquiring the asset from subsidiary (related to AC Fiorentina) and the re-valuation of its value in separate balance sheet. If deducting that income (€14,737,855), 2010 financial year was net loss 24,342,208 and 2011 result was worse with €8,131,876 only in separate balance sheet. In 2012, the club benefited from the sales of Matija Nastasić and Valon Behrami, followed by Stevan Jovetić and Adem Ljajić in 2013. In 2014, due to €28.4 million drop from the windfall profit of selling players, the club recorded their worst financial results since re-foundation, despite the fact the club maintained the same level of windfall profit, the result was still worse than in 2013. Moreover, Fiorentina also revealed that the club had a relevant football net income of minus €19.5 million in the first assessment period of UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations in the 2013–14 season (in May 2014). (aggregate of 2012 and 2013 results), which within the limit of minus €45 million, as well as minus €25.5 million in assessment period 2014–15 (aggregate of 2012, 2013 and 2014 results). However, as the limit was reduced to minus €30 million in assessment period 2015–16, 2016–17 and 2017–18 season, the club had to achieve a relevant net income of positive €5.6 million in 2015 financial year. La Viola sold Juan Cuadrado to Chelsea in January 2015 for €30 million fee, to make the club eligible to 2016–17 edition of UEFA competitions.

League history
1926–1928 Prima Divisione (2nd tier)
1928–1929 Divisione Nazionale (1st tier)
1929–1931 Serie B (2nd tier) – Champions: 1931
1931–1938 Serie A (1st tier)
1938–1939 Serie B (2nd tier) – Champions: 1939
1939–1943 Serie A (1st tier)
1943–1946 no contests (WW II)
1946–1993 liga 1 (1st tier) – Champions: 1956, 1969
1993–1994 Serie B (2nd tier) – Champions: 1994
1994–2002 Serie A (1st tier)
2002–2003 Serie C2 (4th tier) – Champions: 2003
2003–2004 Serie B (2nd tier)
2004–present Serie A (1st tier)

References

External links

  (Italian and English)
 Team page at Goal.com
 Team page at ESPN Soccernet
 Team Page at Football-Lineups.com
 Artemio Franchi Stadium at Stadium Journey
 Fiorentina Supporters I poeti della curva

Football clubs in Italy
Football clubs in Tuscany
Association football clubs established in 1926
Serie A clubs
Serie B clubs
Serie C clubs
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup winning clubs
Serie A winning clubs
Coppa Italia winning clubs
1926 establishments in Italy
Della Valle family
Phoenix clubs (association football)
2002 establishments in Italy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


For our very first shoot of 2014, we got to capture the engagement of our friends Matt & Stephanie. I LOVE engagement sessions. Watching the interaction of two lovebirds and catching moments between them is so special and fun.
We came across this abandoned building a few days before the shoot and I loved the colors and the textures everywhere. We tried a different location first, but it was busy with people and just not working, so we hopped in the car and ran over to this spot. I could't be happier with the results!


I found this dress in the Arizona section of JCPenney. The pattern and color was bold and it fit my style perfectly. Again, nothing screams Spring more than florals. No matter the color of the print- if it's floral is perfect!
Cardigans are essential during Spring. Well, cardigans are an essential piece for me during Spring. This is because I really don't like exposing too much skin. Yet, I love wearing sleeveless dresses with cardigans on top. Also, the weather is so unpredictable and it's always best to be prepared with an extra layer. This one has pretty details all around and specially at the bottom. The color is beautiful and so versatile to wear year round.
I absolutely love mixing highs and lows. & this look is my favorite combo of that.


Alloy wheels are an excellent feature on any auto, but the demands of driving can soon mean that an alloy wheel refurbishment is required by your car. Leeds, just like other chaotic cities, is alloy wheel repair a particularly demanding environment for alloy wheels as they could be easily damaged by city centre driving. Loose road surfaces, potholes, tight parking spots, minor injuries and extreme weather conditions can all take their toll on your own alloys. Below we take a look at the top benefits of having your wheels refurbished.
It truly is also much faster and simpler to just select an alloy wheel refurbishment. Those in the nearby region, and Leeds customers, can select from a variety of services tailored to suit your wheels from basic blast cleaning to complete refurbishment.
When you first purchased it your car or truck will have looked amazing but sadly, even if you bought a brand new automobile, you can realize that the alloy coating on the wheels was not of the peak standard and it might be the time to really go for an alloy wheel refurbishment. Leeds drivers may discover that the wheels have been left by city driving on their used or new car in need of some attention. Refurbishing your existing wheels is the solution as the alloy coating used on your own alloys is likely to be more resilient than that of your original wheels which means you can appreciate smarter alloys.
Alloys that are silver seem great but then as they're the conventional colour pick they're fairly common. Coordinating the colour of your car paintwork with that of your alloy wheels will bring a fresh look to your own car or truck and really personalise your car or truck. Changing the colour of your alloy wheels is a much cheaper option to getting a brand new car if you're searching for a new look out of your automobile and you can also pick from a two tone effect or multiple colour effects for a look that is truly unique.
Driving into kerbs when parking or pulling over or driving around potholes can shortly cause cracks, scrapes and chips to your own alloys and these are a prime reason to take into account wheel refurbishment. Leeds motorists will know that tight parking spaces and heavy traffic can lead to having to pull in or park rapidly as well as in inconvenient areas which means your alloy wheels can become damaged by kerbs. Damage to your alloys, from light scuffs to significant chances, can be readily repaired to leave your wheels looking smooth so when great (if not better) than new.
The massive requirement and also the truth that the trainee amounts decreased dramatically, for competent automotive electricians particular people that have the more advanced skills, has established a lack of workers in this field.
The very fact that changes in automotive technology brought along that automobile electricians increasingly needs more and more advanced understanding of refined elements and the working of these parts.
It really used to be the school dropped outs that was trained in the past to become workers in automotive industry. This is not the standard.
As individuals that's desires to be trained as these technicians desires education and more improvement abilities -a-days before they may be trained to be fit for all these jobs. They must have a knowledge base of electronic equipment as well as the working of systems that are electronic.
To become an innovative automobile electrician that is skilled, you will need to experience serious learning the understanding of these systems that's implemented into vehicles. You need to have the skills and experience to work with computer diagnostic Vehicle Electrics equipment.
This will be crucial for these reasons.
The diagnostic scan tool just supplies a default option code to the tech.
Then it is up to the technician to recognize the potential cause of this flaw.
This default code may continue to be misleading as the substitution from the one defect can causes it to another.
Thus, the technician must understand this substitution because of the hop-technology which will try to override the defect by shifting it to your component that is working.
Following the true cause of the defect was identified, the tech should have knowledge and the abilities to rectify the defect.
These are a few reasons because you essentially needs individuals with after school educations to be trained as automotive electricians in this modern world we living in, why less and less folks gets trained as automotive technicians.
Your security is critical. By discounting cracks on the wheel do not endanger it. Contact some skilled supplier of auto alloy wheel repairs to check to see whether the wheel can be repaired or needs replacement. That is why exploring alternatives for getting expert alloy wheels repairs done is critical.
Mending a wheel is just not always the best choice in certain special situations. Before alloy wheel repairs are decided upon the wheel needs to be thoroughly examined. Fractures are the commonest type of damage that will leave a wheel beyond repair. Fractures are generally indicated by haze marks, when a wheel bends close to the base of a spoke. A wheel may be believed to be irreparable if cracks appear near the lug region or nearby the base of a spoke. The damage is usually salvageable when Alloy Wheel Repair Enfield there is a tiny crack on the inner lip of the wheel from the spokes.
A comprehensive inspection of the wheel is required before commencing auto alloy wheel repairs. Straightening up the wheel would correct any side and that usually undoes half the damage. The chrome might have to be removed if your chrome wheel is bent seriously, because there could be cracks underneath the chrome. A review will search out even, scuffs and scrapes and finish flaws poor paint finish.
When you get alloy wheel repairs you intend to keep any first cast mark the producer has displayed. Subsequently make sure the medium used to strip the wheel which needs refinishing doesn't rough up the surface and tear several of the metal away. Having an acrylic medium similar to sand is desired though steel shot or metal oxide are commonly used. The machinist would know if the wheel needs to be re- repainted or machined or simply re-polished for it to seem just like new.
The alloy wheels have become of the favorite and preferred alternatives for many automobile owners. Alloy wheels are created from a specific alloy prepared from aluminum and magnesium. This alloy is strong and lightweight. It may give you support and tire strength. You are sure to get improved heat conduction. This metal looks considerably glittering than other wheels that are traditional. These wheels have their extensive use for strength, stylish appearance and endurance. This metal is not a lot heavier than other wheels for making wheels that are regular useful.
Keeping pace with the growing demand of the day, various types of alloy wheels have come to the market. One can have various choices to choose from. Anyhow during the time of selecting alloy wheels, you must contemplate few items to create a correct wheel choice.
They're available in numerous sizes to meet with various automobile needs. Choice that is erroneous and the incorrect size may put you in journey. It may also create issues regarding security and operation. It's great really close to your own needs or to select and decide the size that is original. Keep one thing in mind that the width of the rim measures the size.
That is great for the picking the alloy wheels, contemplating offset which is a measure. It presenting and is comprising the deviation of the center of your car's wheel. It is extremely great and for wheels with zero counter.
The main characteristics and salient attributes of alloy wheels is they are not weak and light in weight. All these are popular in racing cares or sports cars for light weight and their strength. Unlike cast alloy, alloy wheels aren't more heavy. A long distance can be covered by it quickly.
While you drive auto on the road, these may provide a much better grip. It might ensure better speed. It designed to producing excellent performance. A person who uses this gets an improved mpg.
These stylish and captivating wheels ensure an appealing look and better performance to your own vehicle. It is possible to readily a uniquely designed to stand from the crowd.
All these are easily repairable. A mechanic can simply fix these. It never seems boring and distressed, as the metal Alloy wheel refurb Leeds never gets dust, soil and mud on them. You stay out of any damage caused by weather assault. You don't become a victim of improper cleaning.
Having a significant amount of advantages, all these are employed commonly throughout the world. Till date from way back its interdiction, it is receiving an increasing attention from the various parts of the world. Something you need to recall here that with the increasing demand of those, the quantity of service providers has grown considerably. For this reason at the period of selection, you should be quite careful to buy the thing that is right from an ideal shop. You are able to take the assistance web and computer technology, to do accordingly.
Alloy wheels are a desirable addition to any vehicle, frequently bolstering the value of the automobile. But when a wheel is scuffed or scraped, as well as appearing typically unsightly, the residual value of the car's can be significantly reduced by the damage also.
Alloy wheel scuffs can actually be more than an aesthetic problem; scratches, scrapes and deep scuffs that penetrate through the alloy foundation can actually cause rust, damaging the alloy. The issue can escalate significantly, when the damaged region is exposed to corrosive road salts, undesirable climate conditions and general deterioration. Finally, what started as a somewhat small scratch or scuff often leads to an extensive alloy repair or complete alloy replacing.
Kerbed and scuffed wheel repairs could be performed by the car owner; yet, it is worth noting that flawless repairs could not be easy to attain.
Mobile alloy wheel repairs are relatively fast and will be performed in the customer's benefit, whether at work, home or elsewhere, especially because the repair process doesn't require expensive, dirty shot-blasting in order to carry out repairs. Usually, a scuffed or kerbed mobile alloy wheel repairs will take a couple of hours to finish – this greatly reduces the labour prices that might be incurred in a car body shop.
Cellular Telephone wheel repair specialists can also carry out colour and texture -matching, to ensure a professional finish that is faultlessly. All colour- matching, scuff repairs, lacquering and final finishes are undertaken within the cellular telephone service, and generally take around one or two hours. The top specialists will guarantee their car scratch repair Manchester work, also it's always wise before booking your appointment to arrange a free quote – that manner, you will understand precisely what to anticipate in terms of price and service.


text:
WI vs SA | Jayden Seales is something special and one for the future, declares Kraigg Brathwaite
Seales made an instant impact on debut for Windies
Despite his side's crushing defeat at the hands of South Africa, skipper Kraigg Brathwaite found positives in Jayden Seales, calling him something special and hailing him as one for the future. Alongside that, he insisted that the Windies side need to refresh and put runs on board in the next Test.
Having made his debut in the First-Class format in 2020, against New Zealand A, a 19-year-old Jayden Seales was in line for a shock debut against South Africa. While West Indies crashed to a terrible innings defeat, the youngster stood out from the rest of the bowling unit, picking up 3/75, where he was effective with the old ball.
In the post-match presentation, the Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite declared the youngster as something 'special' and hailed him as the one to look out for the future. Seales not only got the lengths spot on but also got the ball to do the talking, swinging the red cherry. Brathwaite also sang his praise, insisting that he was impressive in the practice game before the first Test, which led to his selection.
"The first time I saw him was in New Zealand, and I just knew he had a natural length. Not all bowlers have that natural length, and he obviously swings the ball. So I was not surprised by his performance in this game, or for the future," Brathwaite said, reported Cricbuzz.
"I think he's something special and obviously he's quite young, he's only played one first-class game. That says a lot. Even at practice, there are different little things that he does with the ball, and what he says to back it up, is quite phenomenal. For sure, he's one for the future, big time."
A lot of focus, however, revolved around the batting display, as the hosts collapsed in stunning fashion, putting up just 97 runs on board in the first innings. Brathwaite rued the fact that their batting in the first innings ultimately turned out to be the difference for them in the first Test.
"In this game we didn't get runs on the board. You have bad days and good days, it's important we learn from this game. "In the second Test, obviously you want a bigger score in the first innings and continue bowling well. We didn't get many partnerships in this game. One of the keys to playing good teams is you want a good start. That crucial period in the first innings we didn't get a good total and were always on the back foot," Brathwaite reflected.
However, the skipper didn't want his boys to back down from a fight, stating that belief would be vital for them making a comeback in the second Test.
"You got to be tough and you just need to enjoy it. At times like these, it's easy for doubt to come in but just keep backing the plan and keep believing. All the guys here could bat. Looking ahead, it's about having a clear mindset and trusting your plan. Not worry about what's gone and how you've been dismissed and stuff. That's part of the mental side," he added.
Kraigg Brathwaite
Jayden Seales
West Indies Vs South Africa
West Indies Cricket Team


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When you remodel, you're investing a lot of time, energy and resources into creating a beautiful and functional room—and the end result is definitely worth it.
But...bathroom and kitchen remodeling is stressful. After all, you are living in a construction zone. It is possible, however, to survive the sheet rock and sawdust.
Before any kitchen remodeling work begins, hold a pre-construction meeting with your contractor. This way, you can ask specific questions, and your contractor can explain exactly what will be done, when it will be done and how long each task will take.
After the remodeling starts, keep your contactor's phone number handy, and be sure to keep the lines of communication open. Expect to set aside time for telephone calls and regular meetings with your contractor throughout the kitchen remodeling process to review the progress and discuss the schedule for the remaining work. This will enhance your understanding of the project, provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and ultimately help make the experience a positive one for everyone involved.
Paying close attention to the details will go a long way in ensuring the remodeling process goes smoothly. Your contractor should provide you with a weekly schedule of the work that's to be done, when materials need to be ordered and when they'll be delivered.
For custom-made items, it is especially important to make your selections as early in the process as possible.
During the kitchen remodeling process, plan for extra storage. Your contractor will have extra tools, materials and equipment in your house to complete the project, so you'll want to find a good spot for them.
Plan to protect your household items from any remodeling dust and debris. Cover your furniture and carpeting, and consider putting some furniture in storage. A good contractor also will help you cover and protect the work area.
The bigger the bathroom or kitchen remodeling project, the greater the potential for problems, such as late deliveries, wrong parts, adverse weather, on-the-spot changes and more. But if you keep your cool, and stay calm and flexible, you'll be able to ensure the remodeling process still runs smoothly.
Designate a safe haven in your home where you can escape the chaos and commotion of the construction.
Always remember to maintain a sense of humor. It's easy to get caught up in the inconvenience of the project, but look at the remodeling process as an adventure. Certain things are out of your control, so it's better to laugh than to become angry.


For use with inkjet printers, these Avery parcel labels feature QuickDry technology for smudge free printing. Each white label measures 139 x 99.1mm. This pack contains 25 A4 sheets, with 4 labels per sheet (100 labels in total).


Valerie Howes, food and travel writer, tells the story of her food hero, Mama G, and why she is supporting Community Food Centres Canada this holiday season.
I only met my food hero last year, but I hope to be sitting down to meals with her for the rest of my life.
Mama G—as she's affectionately known—arrived in Toronto as a refugee around Valentine's Day. I am part of a sponsorship group—most of us first- or second-generation immigrants—helping her and her family to settle here.
We have spent time with Mama G doing things like filling out school permission slips, registering with a family doctor and getting the kids into soccer clubs. In return, she has invited us to her table to share delicacies from her native Syria: smoky baba ganoush made from eggplants grilled on the charcoal barbecue on her balcony; vine leaves stuffed with sticky rice; garlicky roast potatoes served under crispy-skinned chicken legs, with aromatic citrus-infused sauce poured over top.
Our new friend sometimes still seems shy, but she comes into her own in the kitchen. She laughs if ask how many cup measures of broth or tablespoons of cinnamon she tossed into the pot, as I frantically try to record her delicious recipes. She has memorized every one of our sponsorship group members' dietary preferences ("But why do all Canadians have allergies?" ask her kids) and she masterfully adapts her feasts to accommodate. And she saved Easter, at my house this year: The lamb roast was still half-raw after hours in the oven, and everybody was ravenous, so Mama G grabbed my biggest knife, then like a shawarma ninja turned the leg vertical and stripped it down, to finish the meat strips under the broiler within minutes.
Mama G and I don't have much language in common, but we make each other laugh at the table with half-mimed stories about the antics of our kids—teenagers are not so different, wherever they grow up in the world. We both love to cook, and most of our early conversations revolved around spice combinations and where to find the freshest ingredients on a budget in Toronto's East End. In fact many of our sponsorship group members work in food and drink, and we tantalize one another, after dinners at Mama G's, with Instagrams of olive-oil-and-lemon-drizzled hummus, nutty lamb kibbeh or colourful tabbouleh.
When newcomers who don't speak English or French first arrive in Canada, they have to navigate confusing paperwork, systems and cultural practises, often in isolation. They may find themselves relying on others to help with things they handled with confidence in their country of origin. That can be disempowering. Mama G has always used food to reciprocate acts of support and to draw our group members into her family (she calls the women her Canadian sisters). Through cooking, she revealed her generous and creative nature, long before she had the words to tell us about herself. With the preparation and sharing of good food comes a sense of dignity—even when everything familiar in your world has fallen away.
Community Food Centres are full of food heroes like Mama G—in fact the CFC at Regent Park welcomed my new friend into their garden this summer, to plant a small plot with fellow Syrians. She had fruit and olive trees and extensive vegetable and herb gardens back in Syria, and she missed that connection with the soil.
When I see the work that Community Food Centres Canada do by creating a space for neighbours to grow food and prepare and eat meals together, I feel grateful that they exist. In the most organic way, CFCs build self worth and forge bonds between people of all backgrounds. They give anybody who comes through their doors—no matter their story or their starting point—the chance to shine and share their food heritage. In my mind they are particularly valuable to newcomers craving support systems and a sense of belonging.
That's why this holiday season, in honour of Mama G, I'm making a donation to support the exceptional work of Community Food Centres Canada. I hope you will celebrate your own food hero in this way too!
With your help, we can have a greater impact in 2018.
Every donation to Community Food Centres Canada ensures more low-income Canadians have the good food and support we all need to thrive. Donate today and we'll send your food hero a tribute card and small gift on your behalf.


The Beeketing Program is much more of an eCommerce AI app that monitors your visitor immediately they step in your own shop. Once it catches a customer it then from several actions find its ways to turn it into a loyal client for you.
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WCNY to host free screening of 'Charm City' in Utica
by Rouhollah Goudarzi
WCNY, Central New York's community-owned flagship public broadcaster presents a free screening of "Charm City" at 7 p.m. April 11 at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute located at 310 Genesee St in Utica. The screening is part of the Indie Lens Pop Up Series.
A discussion moderated by Patrick Johnson follows. Johnson is the founder and director of the Hoops & Dreams Project and New Life Institute. The Utica Police Department's Community Outreach Team and The Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative will have information tables at the event.
The screening is free but registration is required at wcny.org/events. "Charm City" premieres at 10 p.m. April 22 on WCNY-TV.
About 'Charm City'
Filmed during three years of unparalleled violence in Baltimore, "Charm City" delivers a powerfully candid portrait of those on the frontlines. With grit, fury, and compassion, a group of police, citizens, community leaders, and government officials grapple with the consequences of violence and try to reclaim their city's future.
About Patrick Johnson
Patrick Johnson is the founder and director of the Hoops & Dreams Project and New Life Institute. He has led a number of initiatives addressing street violence and racism since 2002. The Hoops & Dreams Project was started to restore unity in the black community but also addressing the biggest issues plaguing the African American Community. This project places a special focus on ending gun violence, drug and alcohol use, racism, the value of education, building better relationships with those outside of the African American community, and developing more trust and rapport with law enforcement officers.
Johnson is a consultant on race relations in America. He has led countless discussions on race relations and worked with many different organizations including Non Profit Organizations, government employees, educators, law enforcement officers, and people from all walks of life for the purpose of building healthy relationships. He is currently serving as Program Director of Save Our Streets–a program addressing gun violence in the city of Utica. He does this under the Oneida County District Attorney's Office.
Patrick has worked with hundreds of Utica's inner city youth, families and young adults over the past 20 years as a counselor and mentor. He sees systemic racism, poverty and gun violence as some of America's biggest problems.


In the last installment of this series, we looked at the bikes we rode when Bicycle Quarterly got started almost a decade ago. How did our preferences change from our familiar bikes with mid-trail geometries, 700C x 28 mm tires and saddlebags to low-trail 650B bikes with much wider tires and handlebar bags?
Paris-Brest-Paris 1999 was a bit of an eye-opener for me. At the finish, I bought Bernard Déon's wonderful book Paris-Brest et Retour, which chronicles the history of this fascinating event. And there I learned about the amazing performances of randonneurs in the 1940s and 1950s, on classic cyclotouring bikes. I also visited Cycles Alex Singer, and saw bikes that were far more sophisticated than my own.
As I did more randonneuring, I realized that having my luggage accessible in a handlebar bag would be better than having to stop every time I needed something out of my saddlebag. However, I had heard that handlebar bags negatively affected the handling of the bike. How did the randonneurs in Déon's book ride 765 miles with their full handlebar bags? I noticed that the French bikes all used a bag-support rack that securely mounted the bag as low as possible, rather than suspending a floppy bag from the handlebars high above the front wheel. On a return visit to Paris, I asked Ernest Csuka at Cycles Alex Singer about this, and he confirmed that a stiff rack was key to good handling with a handlebar bag.
When my frame needed some repairs, I used the opportunity to incorporate what I had learned. I had a custom rack made, as well as a decaleur. I made the correct braze-ons, and the builder added them to the fork. When I rebuilt the bike, I replaced the plastic fenders with aluminum ones, mostly because I preferred the way they looked. My bike now began to look like a French randonneur bike (see above, click on photos for higher resolution).
The handlebar bag was great, and with the rack supporting it, the handling was fine. The biggest surprise were the aluminum fenders. Not only did they offer more coverage, but they also kept the water inside, rather than have it drip from the edges. My feet (and my bike's chain) stayed much drier and cleaner. And they were lighter, too! I began to realize that the French constructeur bikes were not just about aesthetics, but also about function.
My friend Mark also saw the advantages of a handlebar bag, and came up with his own solution: He attached a second (threadless) stem to his original one. Where the steerer tube usually goes, he inserted a short length of PVC pipe. Now he had a secure, low mount for his Ortlieb handlebar bag. And soon thereafter, he also installed a set of Honjo aluminum fenders. For the time being, we were very happy with our bikes.
When I was first considering getting a handlebar bag, countless people warned me against it, saying that most bikes don't handle well with them. But I think this idea comes from a period in the 70s-80s when handlebar bags were mounted directly onto the handlebars and the bikes were much too aggressive for the kind of riding the cyclist was doing. That is my impression at least.
Well, I got the bag anyway, and installed it on my 650B Rivendell with mid trail geometry (42mm tires, aluminum fenders). I got an Ostrich handlebar bag from VO, a VO decalleur to go with it, and a Nitto M-18 front rack. I then took the bike on a month-long trip where I rode it for 30-70 hilly miles daily, typically with 15-20lb in the handlebar bag. I sensed no difference in how the bike handled with the bag, in comparison to how it handled before I installed it, including up hills and on descents.
Of course, I am not an experienced/skilled/aggressive cyclist, and so I wonder whether others would sense a difference. I have never tried a bike with low trail geometry, and I am very curious. Unfortunately, it's not the sort of bike one can easily test ride!
With 42 mm tires, your Rivendell probably has what I'd consider "high trail," which works better with a handlebar bag than "mid-trail." The wide tires help stabilize the steering further. Good thing you didn't listen to the people who tried to dissuade you from using a handlebar bag… When I spec'd my first cyclotouring bike with brazed-on Mafac centerpulls, I also had many people shake their heads in disbelief. Back then, people remembered centerpull brakes only from inexpensive ten-speeds.
What would you say are considered the cut-off points for low vs mid vs high trail? I *think* my Riv's trail is around 56mm or so, and I have another bike that's 54mm. Are those not considered "neutral" trail?
Would you please give us some numbers for mid-trail or low-trail?
I also just started to use handlebar bag. Because of my small frame size (short headtube length) and racing bike design, I can only use Carradice Super C for a bag with reasonable capacity. The mount is in the mid section, which is good for not rubbing the tire but is bad for handling. I guess the only solution for me is to get a custom bike, but it's not feasible for the moment.
For 650B x 42 mm tires, I'd move each boundary 10 mm lower. But like all boundaries, this is a bit arbitrary. For an unloaded bike, I prefer a trail figure at the top end of the "low trail" range. With a handlebar bag, 10 mm less trail seems to work well. This also depends a bit on your stem height – if you bars are as high as your seat or higher, you should increase the trail a bit (a more rearward weight distribution means less wheel flop).
I'm enjoying this series a great deal. My preferences evolved as my understanding of the demands of randonneuring changed, and as I became more experienced and rode a big pile of bikes looking for what met those demands well for me.
I started off riding long distance on my late-1970's racing bike. Tubular tires, saddlebag, no fenders. It was a dream to ride, particularly on the long climbs here on the Front Range, but difficult to carry much on the bike. I wasn't really a camper anyway. Then I stepped away to run competitively, go to school, and do other things.
After nearly a decade away from cycling, I came back and began riding brevets on a state-of-the-art Heron touring bike, set up for a rear load and front low-riders, with wide (35-38mm) tires, plastic fenders, and a Carradice saddlebag. For randonneuring, the bike wasn't ideal.
I found I wanted a bike with fewer gears (didn't need the triple or the big cogs in back), lower weight (My Heron, a lovely and durable machine, weighed about 30lb including generator lights and racks), and a handlebar bag . The latter item is one of the keys to a successful randonneuring machine for me. I get lost easily, forget to eat, and like to keep moving when randonneuring, and a good handlebar bag provides a nosebag, a clothes closet, and a feedbag right in front of you. The Heron was absolutely unpleasant to ride with a 5lb front load. 30lb in panniers was fine, a big load in the saddlebag wasn't a problem, but it wouldn't track well and no-hands riding wasn't in the cards.
I switched to what the other local riders rode–a modern racing bike–though I added clip-on fenders after my first rainy brevet and swapped tires for the widest that would fit between the chainstays–25mm. I put an Ortleib handlebar bag on the front, and used the excellent SON generator and B+M halogen lights. I could climb well with the bicycle, it fit better than the touring bike, but all the zipties and clamps were a maintenance hassle, the short fenders were minimally protective, and I'd started reading about integrated bicycles through the (Vintage) Bicycle Quarterly and discussing the machines with Mike Kone, then of Bicycle Classics in Boulder.
I ultimately ordered an Alex Singer, which nailed the integrated design–aluminum full-coverage fenders, 28-622 tires, handling optimized for a handlebar bag, integrated lighting–but Ernest missed the fit for me with a steep seat-tube angle, and the bike just wasn't comfortable for rides longer than 300K. It, in short, wasn't fit for purpose, which was deeply upsetting, as it is a beautiful and well-thought out machine. I still use it for camping.
Finally, after an extended discussion with Mike Kone, who had resurrected René Herse Bicycles in the meantime, and a prototype test-riding effort done as part of the Boulder Bicycle project, I ordered a machine that combined the handling and integrated design of the Singer with the performance of a traditional racing machine. Integrated internal wiring, light tube spec, 30-622 tires, full-coverage fenders, and designed around a 5lb front load.
It meets my needs to the extent that I sold my racing bike–it had been superseded.
I also ended up buying a Boulder Bicycle Allroad built around the 42-584 Hetres, and it is a comfortable and fast integrated design for mixed-media and off-pavement exploration, commuting, and touring. I am not as fast on it in pacelines and when climbing as I am on the 700C machine, so, for paved-road randonneuring, the Herse gets the nod, but the Boulder Bike sees about a third of my annual mileage.
I enjoyed reading your piece! Could you comment a bit more on the steep seat-tube angle of your Alex Singer? Specifically, what is it's measurement, and why would it be ok for rides up to 300K? I'm curious because there doesn't seem to be a lot of discussion on seat-tube angles and how they effect the ride of the bicycle. When I read about the machines reviewed and analyzed in Bike Quarterly, typically I see geometries of around 73 degree head-tube and seat-tube angles.
Interesting, I would have thought seat tube angle would have been considered fairly important as it has a lot of knock-on effects like front centre dimensions, weight distribution etc. For me, through trial and error, I have found I like a relatively slack seat tube angle. I prefer leather saddles with shorter rails than regular saddles and that restricts the set-back available. There is also a limit to how much set-back the seatpost can give. If the seat is too far back it is easy to use a zero set-back post, if it is too far forward not much can be done.
Jan, when you say seattube angle does not seem to make a difference to your performance do you mean that seat setback does not matter when it varies or that you are generally able to achieve your preferred set back regardless of the seat tube angle by moving the seat forward/aft or using a different seatpost? I would have thought 1.5cm would be fairly significant and you would generally sit on the same portion of the seat (and still shift around) regardless of the seattube angle.
Many builders used to design "by eye," rather than drawing every dimension beforehand. Peter Weigle still does it that way. Some things are set on the jig as predetermined parameters – usually head angle, BB drop, seat and top tube lengths, among others, and then the remaining tubes are arranged until the bike looks good. Front-center, chainstay length, and a host of other dimensions fall where they do to create a balanced design, not to some predetermined value. Obviously, to create a balanced design, those values will be within a relatively narrow range.
When I said that seat tube angle doesn't matter much to me, I meant that setback doesn't matter much to me – again within reason. Weight distribution is an interesting matter, together with chainstay length. Riding a Weigle and my Singer back to back, both with the same front-end geometry, but chainstays that were 20 mm longer on the Weigle, both Peter Weigle and I couldn't detect a difference in the handling. None – the Weigle wasn't more stable due to the longer wheelbase, nor did it corner differently due to the different weight distribution. Our conclusion was that within reasonable limits, weight distribution doesn't matter much.
When you think about it, on a randonneur bike, the weight distribution will change radically when you eat the food in your handlebar bag, moving weight from the front to the rear as the ride progresses. On a racing bike, the difference between "on-the-hoods" and "in-the-drops" is significant as well. The average racing bike has about 60% of its weight on the rear, 40% on the front. A randonneur bike with a full handlebar bag is about 55% to 45%. Even those extreme cases aren't that hugely different, and don't affect how the bike rides. When the front gets much too light, then you have problems with the front wheel washing out on gravel turns, but that is an extreme condition.
To follow up on the seat angle discussion, the seat angle on my Singer is 74deg. I am unable to get enough setback (even with the Simplex seat post, which has generous offset) to use my preferred leather saddle on that machine and have a position comfortable for all-day efforts.
That centimeter or so in setback between a 73 deg seat angle and a 74deg seat angle was the difference for me between having a bicycle I could ride indefinitely, and having one that is limited to twelve hours or so before I start having hand, neck, and shoulder troubles.
My current randonneuring bicycle actually has a very similar fit (top tube length, saddle to handlebar reach, saddle height), but with a plastic saddle which sits a couple of centimeters farther back on the seatpost, and a 72.5 deg seat angle. As a result, I sit substantially farther back relative to the bottom bracket, and it is the first machine I've ridden that didn't have the saddle racked all the way back on its cradle. I also moved from (about) a 6cm saddle-handlebar drop on the Singer to a 5cm drop on the Herse.
My position has rotated a degree and a half around the bottom bracket, yielding an efficient and comfortable position for long-distance efforts.
Within a certain range, I'm comfortable rotating my position around the bottom bracket, putting more or less weight on my arms. The fit Ernest ultimately chose for me lies just outside of that range, and it is hard on my hands, neck, and shoulders as a result. It works very well indeed for shorter efforts, and is actually pretty close to how I fit a racing bicycle.
Say my bike has a 74 degree seat tube angle and I would like for it to be slacker. I move the saddle back on the rails a bit, and it effectively becomes 72 degrees. Voila! So: what drawbacks are there, if any, to achieving my desired angle in this manner, rather than having the seat tube be at that angle in the first place? Because a steep seat tube angle is helpful in reducing toe overlap, might it not make sense for some to intentionally get a bike with a steeper seat tube and use a seatpost with setback to compensate?
>I move the saddle back on the rails a bit, and it effectively becomes 72 degrees. >Voila!
You're right, if there's sufficient adjustment room available. I was as far back as physically possible on the Singer given my saddle choice. Even with a high-setback seatpost and saddle as far back as it would go (using a mallet to get another 5mm of setback), I was too far forward for long-distance comfort. The bike performs fine, no TCO, good handling and so on, but I'm not comfortable on it for longer than 12h or so. Hence "too steep seat angle" for me for randonneuring.
If I'd had additional adjustment room, I'd have used it and saved myself a great deal of money and time having another integrated bicycle built that fit me better for long-distance riding.
My current randonneuring machine has a 1.5deg slacker seat tube angle and I can just get my preferred position with a Brooks racked all the way back on the seatpost–the bike was designed, in part, around that criterion, at the expense of a slight touch of TCO (with my size 47 feet and rearward cleats). I was aware that I'd have that issue when I specified the bike, and Mike Kone of Rene Herse bicycles warned me about that potential. People with average-sized feet don't have TCO on my bike.
Ernest Csuka of Cycles Alex Singer once told me that no adjustment on a bike should be at the end of the range – whether the seatpost extended all the way to the limit, the brake pads all the way down in the slot, the seat rails all the way back – he felt it was a sign of poor design of the frame or the components. Usually, with that approach, you can find a good position within the standard range of adjustment. Will, are your body's proportions different from most people's?
Could the handlebar height also contribute to increased confort? At anyrate, there are days where I start to feel uncomfortable after two hours on any bike, let alone 12!
Concerning my proportions and getting pretty far afield from the original topic, I've got relatively long arms and legs for my height, and getting a "neutral" position on the bicycle relative to the bottom bracket requires a fair bit of setback, but I'm not notably oddly proportioned. My racing bikes have all been stock machines, and my current randonneuring bike has a typical fit relative to historical norms: 72.5-73 seat angle, roughly square 57-58cm top tube on a 60cm bike, short (9cm) stem, long-reach handlebars (the excellent GB randonneur).
I agree completely with Ernest's approach to frame design. One designs a bicycle to put a rider in their best position in the middle of the adjustment ranges using the equipment they prefer.
My Singer wasn't designed that way for me. I believe you mentioned that we specified the bike with a suitable seat angle, and that design parameter wasn't accounted for in resulting bike–perhaps I didn't communicate clearly why it had been included in the order. It is still a fine bike, one that descends well, one that I treasure and enjoy riding, but not for too much longer than 12h or so in a day.


The Local Sporting Champions program provides financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-18 participating in state, national or international championships. This program is available to assist travel expenses for Optimist sailors travelling to the 2019 Nationals this January.
If successful, applicants will receive $500-$750 towards the cost of attending their championships.
Applications close on the 31st October.