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The power of zero: How to build a real-world Net Zero office
The power of zero: How to build a real-world Net Zero office
The following is an excerpt from "The Power of Zero: Learning from the World's Leading Net Zero Energy Buildings," published by the International Living Future Institute.
DPR Construction's Phoenix Regional Headquarters creates a space that exemplifies deep sustainability in the hot dry climate, on a site that provides revitalization and adaptive reuse.
The office is ILFI Net Zero Energy and LEED Platinum certified. DPR Construction is a technical general contractor building throughout the United States, including the Southwest and California, and is providing an example of world-class caliber net zero leadership through its offices.
In addition to Phoenix, DPR has also built regional headquarters in San Diego and San Francisco that are seeking Net Zero Energy certification.
DPR's goal for the Phoenix office was to not only produce more energy on-site than it consumed, but to reimagine the open office environment for over 40 employees with passive and active cooling scenarios, including 87 operable windows, a 87-foot long, 13 feet high, zinc clad solar chimney and a 79 kWh PV solar array on the adjacent parking lot.
The project had a tight timeline of just 10 months to complete the office, which opened in October 2011 at a total cost of $4,571,280, not including soft costs or the site and existing building. This building is an outstanding example of thoughtful, constructor-driven pragmatism that resulted in a highly cost effective, very compelling building with a nuanced approach to achieving net zero energy usage.
Context and climate
The site was first developed in 1964 as a paint store, which later became a windowless adult bookstore. The property was vacant for a period of time before it was purchased by DPR.
While much of the space was built as a parking lot, some of that area was converted to host native plants in a green-screened courtyard. The climate of Phoenix is hot and arid, with little rainfall and temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit through the summer and dropping to freezing in the cooler months.
Sunshine and warmth are abundant but must also be moderated to keep spaces comfortable at the higher ranges.Rather than fight the harsh climate, DPR Construction aimed to embrace the desert challenges and create accommodating functional design. Obviously, the primary energy use of the DPR Phoenix building is cooling. Phoenix has the hottest average temperature of any major city in the United States.
Rather than simply throwing a large mechanical system at the building, the DPR team took a more subtle approach that recognized different needs of the building during different seasons and time of day.
The result is a design that combines passive, simple mechanical and more complex mechanical systems that stage appropriately.
In particular, the building uses both stack effect and evaporative cooling, and fast air movement to regulate internal temperature and comfort. This approach also is more durable — the simpler systems will have a longer useful life, whereas a large heat pump driven system may last for only 15-20 years.
Design elements
Exterior: Retaining the original structure, the previous building's concrete, wood and steel frame were left intact, and over 93 percent of the original framing was retained.
Window and door openings in the existing shell were created, with west and south facing walls having no windows, and the east- and north-facing walls featuring 87 operable windows and three roll-up doors to maximize lighting and minimize solar gain.
The concrete exterior walls are insulated with 6 inches of batt and additional gypsum board. The plywood roof features several inches of foam insulation with both metal and wood framing in the building's interior.Heating and cooling: The space retains cool temperatures during workhours by utilizing a combination of active and passive cooling solutions.
The first stage of cooling, used when outside temperatures are in the mid-80s, combines a number of features. Temperature actuated windows open and close depending on outdoor temperatures. During cool Phoenix nights, windows open automatically to capture this air and store it until daytime. The changing rhythms of the windows are an interesting feature for the occupants because they exemplify a building model that constantly adapts to light, temperature and conditions.
An elevated plinth that runs the length of the building, sitting atop the roof, provides enough vertical separation to allow stack effect ventilation, which draws air up and out through the building. Twelve oversize, large fans strategically placed throughout the office facilitate air movement as a significant and additional aspect of the cooling strategy for the open office.
The fans also play a vital role in the night flush of air, part of the passive cooling strategies in the building. Finally, the building uses its innovative "shower towers" to further cool the building through very simple mechanical means. Active mechanical cooling in the form of high efficiency compressor-based air conditioners do provide peak cooling, but because the building uses very low energy use elements to cool the building in moderately hot periods, the overall cooling load is dramatically reduced.
Lighting: Daylight in the sunny southwest is an abundant and free resource that DPR Construction sought to harness for their facility. With ample daylight also comes significant potential solar thermal gain, so moderating that gain was crucial to maintaining a comfortable space.
Solatube skylights are placed throughout the building, in addition to the operable windows that facilitate changing light conditions through the day and the seasons. The Solatube skylights use a fresnel lens-based design that refracts light coming into the tube on the roof as well as distributing inside the space.
High efficiency, artificial LED lighting placed within the building is used as a backup light source for work spaces. In practice, lighting is rarely used, except for task lights — a noted characteristic of most well daylit buildings.
Plug loads: Plug loads are a significant factor in daily building electricity use, and several measures were taken to encourage energy conservation.
A "vampire shut-off switch" is connected to about 95 percent of the noncritical systems, or "phantom" outlets, which at end-of-day is controlled by the occupants. This "vampire" switch (a large red button) is popular with the staff, and has resulted in a 37 percent reduction in plug load energy consumption.
A Lucid Building Dashboard monitors the energy generation and usage in real time for the building, providing ongoing feedback to the workers about their net zero energy performance.
Renewable energy: The office has a 78.9 kW-DC photovoltaic array and solar thermal hot water system. The photovoltaic array is connected to the grid via the local utility, Arizona Public Service, and is composed of 366 Kyocera modules. Arizona Public Service provided net metering services, paying DPR with excess credit for power generated over the site's use.
The PV array is mounted on the parking lot canopies, with the first configuration of panels in a cascading array and the second in continuous rows. Both configurations are at a 10 degree tilt and the arrays are positioned on the north and east facing parking lots, clear of shading from the nearby building.
DPR made use of the parking canopies to provide shade to the parking lot and to utilize a a large swath of space. This also freed up room for solar tube skylights on the actual building.


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Just a few days ago we touched base on sharing chores with your spouse so as to avoid resentment, bitterness, clutter, mess, etc. But now I think we should focus on our children. Especially since I am now living with one and learning all the complexities that come with. Communication is key and now is the time to talk about what chores we expect a child to do, how we expect them to do it, and if there will be compensation, etc. So I ask:
How much time a day do your children spend doing chores and or their household/farm responsibilities? I read a study by the University of Maryland Population Research Center (the link escapes me although I made a note of it so as not to forget the stat) that children today are doing less than ever around the homestead. In fact, they spend only 24 minutes a day fulfilling their duties. What does this decrease mean though and how do we combat it?
I think one of the primary reasons for this decline is that there is less of a focus on children helping out around the home. Too many parents coddle their children and offer them ways out. Just because a child is 4 or 5 doesn't mean he/she can't help put his/her toys away or fluff the pillows or even throw some chicken scratch in the coop. A pre-teen at age 12 can certainly keep his/her room and bathroom clean as well as learn to do dishes, wash clothes, cut grass, etc. Such an emphasis on personal responsibility and community involvement will serve them well in future roles.
Granted we have more efficient appliances now (dishwasher, vacuums, auto-clean ovens, riding lawn tractors, etc) there is no reason a child can't help with those tasks until complete. I want to point this out. I firmly believe that as a child the responsibilities I had helped me learn valuable lessons! Cooking (mostly Mac & Cheese, egg sandwiches, and PBJ, mind you), scrubbing the toilet, and picking up dog poop in the yard helped me learn how to care for myself and the world around me. When I think of Tilly Madison I think I won't be on this Earth forever. Our job as parents is to prepare her for independence. I am not planning on dying anytime soon, mind you. But I don't want to forsake my obligation as a parent either. It would be a grave disservice to our daughter.
Perhaps we should all think about this too. It is not just girls that needs to learn these lessons. It is also our young men. Remember the post the other day? Teaching boys how to do household chores now will mean that he can share the chores with his spouse when he's grown. What a gift to another human being, huh?
So in that vein here are a few tips to sharing chores with your child now in an effort to begin your own Chore r(E)volution.
- Give them the gift of accomplishment. Most kids will likely complain in the beginning regarding chores. No kid wants to take time out of his already "busy" life to clean anything. They don't usually mind wet clothes on the hardwood floor or smells socks in the hallway. In fact, they could take or leave the pets outdoors. Afterall, they're just pets, right? But if they stick with it, they'll learn responsibility and gain a sense of accomplishment for contributing to the family. And that is a gift you can't buy.
- Let's get physical. Let's face it. Childhood obesity is on the rise and children need all the exercise they can get. Pushing a lawnmower, hauling bags of feed, chasing after pigs, and even scrubbing greasy dishes can provide much needed activity.
- The world is a classroom. Did you know that your kitchen is a science lab waiting to happen? Think about that last orange you let sit in the crisper drawer too long. Instant penicillin, right? Well kitchen chores can also reinforce weights, measurements (liquid and solid), temperature, chemical reaction, etc.
- Sew what. My dad is 6'4″, pretty muscular for an old man, and can sew a quilt like no grandma can. How you ask? He learned to sew as a boy. His momma made him take home economics in school. What started out as mending socks and trousers turned into a business at one point (he sewed on sailors patches) and then a lifelong hobby. Chores such as cooking and sewing and cleaning might help your kid turn his eyes on being a future tailor or chef or hospitality manager or organic farmer.
- Serve it up. Chores teach kids the satisfaction that comes from serving others. End of story. They may not get it now but they will one day and that is something that we as parents will delight in.

subset: commoncrawl


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We have previously encouraged you to call your U.S. representative and urge him or her to oppose the health care reform bill that is heading toward a vote in the U.S. House. We urge you to continue your calls. It is very likely that the U.S. House will vote on the health care reform bill this week.
HSLDA is aware of the high cost of health insurance and the problems this creates for individuals, families and businesses. HSLDA's mission leaves us neutral on the issue of health care reform in general. However, HSLDA believes that the current health care reform legislation in Congress poses a serious threat to parental rights and homeschool freedom.
The problem is found in Section 2951 on page 568 of this 2,074-page bill. This section is titled Maternal, Infant, And Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs, and will create a federal grant program to fund state home visitation programs. Under the terms of this program, government officials, including social workers, will be able to visit the homes of certain families "in order to promote improvements in maternal and prenatal health, infant health, child health and development, parenting related to child development outcomes, school readiness, and the socio-economic status of such families, and reductions in child abuse, neglect, and injuries."
The home visitation program in the health care reform bill is voluntary. However, all the details of the home visitation programs are open to being politically influenced by government bureaucrats who may think that they know more about parenting than do parents. They may pressure parents to adopt child-rearing methods that are against the family's religious beliefs. Home visitation officials may even threaten families with abuse and neglect investigations if the families do not choose to follow the official parenting education models.
And fundamentally, HSLDA believes that the federal government has no constitutional authority to fund and oversee home visitation programs and parenting classes. Once the federal government gets a foot into the door of families' homes, will it ever stop?
These home visitations are the reason why HSLDA is opposing the health care reform bill.
You can reach your U.S. representative by calling the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or toll-free at 866-220-0044. You can find your U.S. representative by using HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox.
Note: This is just an excerpt - you can read the full message on this page.
I know that the health care system is messed up but I think there needs to be more time spent on figuring out how to fix it and not rushing through it. I think it's better to take our time and fix things than rush through them and mess things up more. This is not an anti-Obama or anti-liberal rant on my part, I just want us all to have the freedoms we are entitled to as Americans. For me, that is less government interference in my life. I believe government is good and has it's place - but it should not be in control of my life. That would be a dictatorship. And I think we know how good those are... (See Parade's World's Worst Dictators for more info.)
I want to know that when I choose to homeschool my child that there won't be interference from the government telling me what I am allowed to do or telling me that I'm not raising my child right. I don't want myself, or any other parent to face criminal charges (neglect or otherwise) for simply choosing to raise their children differently. Yes, there are cases where children are neglected or taken out of school and not homeschooled but that doesn't mean that everyone that chooses to homeschool is that way. That's like saying, "All young mothers don't know how to raise their children because they're young so we need to take their children away from them." (I am NOT saying they're going to do that - that was just a exaggerated explanation.) I went through and read the part they mentioned in the health care bill and after my brain stopped exploding from all the legal-ese, I saw that so much was left up to interpretation. The whole bill is like that really - or so it seems to me. I am by no means wanting to start an argument and if this turns out to be nothing to do with homeschooling or if it truly is voluntary and doesn't affect anyone badly, then I will be very glad and admit that I was wrong. But as it is, it doesn't seem to be that way and I am entitled to voice my opinion. Please feel free to leave your opinions and thoughts on this issue in the comments.


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New Delhi: DSK Motowheels & Benelli have finally announced advance bookings for DSK Benelli 302R. The bookings can be made at any of the DSK Benelli showrooms located across the country.
The launch of the sports bike is being perceived as DSK Benelli's attempt to capture the massive mid-range biking segment and acquainting more customers with superbiking through an entry-level motorcycle, according to a company statement.
Shirish Kulkarni, Chairman, DSK Motowheels said, "It is quite overwhelming to see that DSK Benelli 302R is receiving such a positive customer response even before it has entered the market".
He further added, "This signifies the trust and brand salience that DSK Benelli has been able to develop amongst the Indian motorcycle enthusiasts. What's more remarkable about 302R is the fact that the fully faired sports bike is a true manifestation of the Tornado pedigree, whose legacy has enchanted the global superbiking community for about half a century now. Since advance bookings for the premium bike have been initiated, we are foreseeing strong disruptions in the Indian mid-range biking segment."
Also Read: DSK Benelli unveils a new showroom in Pune
DSK Benelli 302R is powered by a 300cc, in-line two cylinder, water-cooled, four-stroke engine and features the Benelli trademark trestle frame.
The sports bike is directly descended from the lineage of Tornado, which is reputed globally for its extraordinary performance and unsurpassed features.


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We are often faced with difficult personalities. Negative behaviour in teams is destructive and needs to be handled directly and calmly.
Handling Negative Behaviour
Handling negative behaviour in your team can be a frustrating and time-consuming experience. What's more, negative behaviour will gradually undermine team performance.
That's my gift. I let that negativity roll off me like water off a duck's back. If it's not positive, I didn't hear it. If you can overcome that, fights are easy. – George Foreman
Being proactive does help the pessimist change their behaviour and allow the team to achieve greater productivity.
Here are 5 tips for handling negative behaviour:
1. Ignore
When people make brief negative comments in conversation simply overlook them and continue to talk about the original subject as if their comment was never made.
Hopefully, your lack of acknowledgement will discourage them!
2. Disagree
Directly and calmly disagree with negative comments by stating positive opinions.
This will stop their negative argument growing momentum.
3. Speak Up
Never remain silent or agree with negative opinions (if you disagree) since this will act to encourage their point of view.
4. Be Positive
Avoid arguments. Instead, restate the same goal or point in a positive way using the broken record metaphor if necessary.
5. Seek a Solution
Throw back their negativity by asking for and expecting a practical solution to the problem.
Turning their negative energy may result in new ideas.
Negativity can only feed on negativity. – Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Negative people suck the life out of us.
Their negative energy spills over leaving everyone with a bad taste. Worst still, they can draw you into their view of the world. As a supervisor or team leader you have responsibility for handling negative behaviour in the workplace.
How often do you grumble or blame other people?
Are you aware of the impact you have on others? What's your best tip for handling negative behaviour?
Creative Commons image courtesy Phil Rogers.


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Note: For technical support over the phone, please have your invoice or cash sales ready for our archival purposes. Technical support over emails must also include the cash sales or invoice number and the salesperson initials. Otherwise our company reserves the right to provide any support when details are excluded in the initial request.
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No. 6, Jalan Senang Ria, Taman Gembira,
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Tel: 1700-81-4808 (+6010-226-8000)
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Famous Londoners – Nicholas Hawksmoor…
September 2, 2019
Architect Nicholas Hawksmoor was a key figure in the creation of the fabric of London as we know it, working alongside Sir Christopher Wren as well as alone, and responsible for numerous works with can still be seen in London today.
Hawksmoor was born into a yeoman farming family in Nottinghamshire in around 1661-62 but little else is known of his early life. He probably received a fairly basic education but is believed to have been taken on a clerk to a justice in Yorkshire before, thanks to encountering a decorative plasterer by the name of Edward Gouge, travelling to London.
There, Hawksmoor was introduced to Wren who, agreed to take on the young man as his personal clerk at just the age of 18. He moved through a number of junior positions in Wren's household before becoming deputy surveyor at Winchester Palace – between 1683 and 1685 – under Wren.
He went on to work with his mentor on numerous further projects; these included Chelsea Hospital, St Paul's Cathedral, Hampton Court Palace and Greenwich Hospital as well as Kensington Palace where, thanks to Wren's support, he was named clerk of works in 1689 (as well as deputy surveyor of works at Greenwich). He remained in these posts for some 25 years before he was removed thanks to political machinations (although he later returned to the secretaryship).
Hawksmoor also worked with Sir John Vanbrugh, assisting him in building Blenheim Palace, taking over command of the job in 1705. Vanbrugh made him his deputy and Hawksmoor later succeeded him as architect at Castle Howard in Yorkshire, designing a number of monuments in the gardens, including the great mausoleum.
Hawksmoor is described as one of the masters of the English Baroque style – Easton Nelson in Northamptonshire, which he designed for Sir William Fermor, is an exemplar of his work (and the only country house for which he was sole architect, although it remain uncompleted).
Hawksmoor also worked on buildings for the university at Oxford and while All Soul's College was among buildings he completed, many of his proposed designs were not implemented for various reasons (as were grand plans he had for the redesign of central Oxford).
From 1711, Hawksmoor was busy again in London where, following the passing of an Act of Parliament, he was appointed as one of the surveyors to a commission charged with overseeing the building of 50 new churches in London.
The commission only completed 12 churches, but half of them were designed by Hawksmoor (and he collaborated with fellow surveyor John James on two more). Hawksmoor's completed churches include St Alfege in Greenwich, St George's, Bloomsbury, Christ Church in Spitalfields, St George in the East in Wapping, St Mary Woolnoth, and St Anne's Limehouse (the churches he collaborated on include James are St Luke Old Street and the now demolished St John Horsleydown).
In 1723, following Wren's death, he was appointed Surveyor to Westminster Abbey and, as well as aspects of the interior (some of which still survive to this day) designed the landmark west towers (although they weren't completed until after his death).
Hawksmoor died at his home in Millbank on 25th March, 1736, from what was described as "gout of the stomach", having struggled with his health for a couple of decades previously. He was buried at the now deconsecrated church in Shenley, Hertsfordshire.
Hawksmoor was survived by his wife Hester by a year, and a daughter, Elizabeth.
PICTURES: Top – The West Towers of Westminster Abbey; Right – St Anne's, Limehouse. (David Adams)
Treasures of London – The Steeple of St George's Bloomsbury…
September 15, 2018
Adorned with giant beasts and topped with a statue of King George I, the steeple of this 18th century Nicholas Hawksmoor-designed English Baroque church is a sight to behold.
The unusual spire, which has topped the church since it was completed in 1731, is stepped like a pyramid and was apparently inspired by Pliny's description of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World).
At its base can be seen four heraldic creatures – two 10 foot tall lions and two similarly-sized unicorns. They're actually recreations of the originals by sculptor Tim Crawley based on drawings by Hawksmoor. The originals were removed – and subsequently lost – in 1870 amid fears they were about to topple off.
It's suggested that lions and unicorns – which look as if they are in conflict over the crown in the middle – symbolise the tussle for the Crown as seen in the several Jacobite risings which took place in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The statue on top has King George I dressed in Roman attire and standing on an altar as a symbol of St George – as clear a PR exercise as you'll find on a steeple. It even featured in a verse by Horace Walpole:
"When Henry VIII left the Pope in the lurch,
The Protestants made him the head of the church,
But George's good subjects, the Bloomsbury people
Instead of the church, made him head of the steeple."
The steeple did prove controversial when it was completed – the church commissioners initially refused to pay Hawksmoor, apparently deeming the spire too frivolous for such a serious building. But it was soon recognised as an important part of the landscape – it can be seen in the background of William Hogarth's 1751 engraving Gin Lane.
In the mid-Noughties, the church and steeple, which had fallen into a state of dishevelment and was apparently on the verge of closure, underwent a major renovation. Funded by American Paul Mellon and the Heritage Lottery Fund, it saw the long-lost (albeit recreated) beasts returned to their place on the steeple (the project was recorded in detail by Harris Digital).
PICTURE: Right – Amanda Slater (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 – image cropped and straightened); Below – Londres Avanzado (licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 – image cropped and lightened).
LondonLife – Looking toward The Orangery, Kensington Palace…
October 3, 2017
Now an elegant place to have lunch or afternoon tea, The Orangery was originally built in 1704-05. Its construction came at the behest of Queen Anne – the younger sister of Queen Mary II, she had ascended to the throne after the death of Mary's husband King William III in 1702 following a fall from a horse (Mary had died of smallpox at Kensington Palace in 1694). Queen Anne used the building for parties in summer and in winter, thanks to underfloor heating, as a conservatory for plants (two engines were later fitted to the building to lift the orange trees kept there in colder months). The building's architect is thought to have been the renowned Nicholas Hawksmoor, clerk of works for Kensington Palace, but it was extensively modified by Sir John Vanbrugh. The building also contains carvings by Grinling Gibbons. For more, see www.orangerykensingtonpalace.co.uk. PICTURE: Vapor Kopeny/Unsplash
What's in a name?…Limehouse
December 16, 2013
This part of East London is believed to take its name not from lime trees nor from a house bearing that name. Rather it owes its origins to the process by which chalk shipped from Kent was converted into lime.
The process of 'lime burning' – which took place in these parts on the northern bank of the River Thames – involves heating the chalk in a bottle-shaped kiln, also known as an oast. Hence 'lime oast' became corrupted into Limehouse.
The earliest reference to the name comes from the early medieval era but in later centuries the area was noted not so much for its lime-burning but its links with shipping – particularly following the opening on the Limehouse Cut in 1770 which linked the Thames with the River Lea and allowed goods to taken from the north of London directly to ships on the Thames without the need to navigate around the Isle of Dogs (see our earlier post on the Limehouse Cut). Limehouse Basin (pictured above, from the Limehouse Cut) opened in the early 19th century.
The area, which became increasingly industrialised as a result, is also known for its links to the Chinese community – and this included, in the Victorian era, opium dens, but the association ended around the 1950s by which time the Chinese community had largely moved to Soho (where Chinatown still stands today).
Among the area's most prominent buildings are the Nicholas Hawksmoor-designed church, St Anne's Limehouse (pictured), and the historic pub, The Grapes.
Around London – Celebrating London's architecture; space at the NMM; Tate Britain redux; remembering Waterloo at Apsley House; and, 'Coins and the Bible' at the British Museum…
June 6, 2013
• The London Festival of Architecture has returned with a month long celebration of the city's built form in a program of events including talks, tours and exhibitions. Among the latter is Lesser Known Architecture – A Celebration of Underappreciated London Buildings – a free exhibition at the Design Museum which runs until 22nd July and looks at 10 structures ranging from London Underground Arcades and Cabmen's Shelters (one of which is pictured) to Nunhead Cemetery. Other events include an exhibition at Somerset House – Nicholas Hawksmoor: Methodical Imaginings – looking at churches designed by Hawksmoor in the late 17th and early 18th centuries (this runs until 1st September), and The Secret Society – A Sculptural Banquet, a large scale installation by artist and designer Kathy Dalwood at Pitzhanger Manor in Ealing, west London (ends this Sunday). For more on the festival, check out www.londonfestivalofarchitecture.org or for fringe events, http://londonarchitecturediary.com.
• A new exhibition featuring more than 100 images from space – including images of the colourful dust clouds in which new stars are formed, the aurora on the surface of Saturn and the sight of Earth from the International Space Station – opens at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich tomorrow. Visions of the Universe takes visitors on a "visual trip through our solar system" with images of the moon, sun, plants and distant galaxies. It looks at the development of telescopy and photography and examines our understanding of our place in the cosmos. Space scientists including Astronomer Royal Sir Martin Rees and The Sky at Night's Chris Lintott introduce each section of the exhibition which has at its centre a 13×4 metre curved wall known as the 'Mars Window'. It has the latest images from NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover projected onto it. There is a programme of events accompanying the exhibition which runs until 15th September. For more, see www.rmg.co.uk.
• Tate Britain is undergoing an overhaul this year with the opening of new galleries and a rearrangement of the institution's collection. Last month, a new chronological presentation of the institution's British art opened across more than 2o of the institution's galleries. BP Walk through British Art features around 500 artworks, dating from the 1500s to present day, by artists ranging from Sir Joshua Reynolds and William Hogarth to JMW Turner, John Constable, Lucien Freud and David Hockney. Meanwhile new galleries have opened dedicated to the works of sculptor Henry Moore and artist William Blake. Around 30 of Moore's works are featured in the rooms as well as more than 40 of Blake's works. For more see www.tate.org.uk.
• Apsley House, regency home of the Duke of Wellington, is hosting a series of events every weekend in June in the lead-up to the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. Interpreters will be at the house, known as Number 1 London, this weekend to discuss the dress and manners of the era while next weekend (15th and 16th June) visitors have the chance to meet some of Wellington's soldiers and their wives. Gentry from the Napoleonic era will be celebrating the victory at Waterloo on 22nd and 23rd June while on the final weekend of the month, the focus will be on the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, which led to eventual victory in the Peninsular War. For more, see www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/apsley-house/.
• On Now: Coins and the Bible. This free exhibition at the British Museum looks at how money was referred to in the Old and New Testament, and the use of Christian symbols such as crosses or monograms derived from Greek letters on later coins. These include the first coin, dating from about 450 AD, to depict an image of Jesus (the coin, on loan from the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, is included in the exhibition). There are also early Biblical fragments on papyrus and vellum lent by the British Library and an ivory panel dating from the early 400s AD which includes an image of the purse of 30 pieces of silver Judas received after his betrayal of Jesus. Held in Room 69a, the exhibition runs until 20th October. For more, see www.britishmuseum.org.
Treasures of London – Painted Hall, Greenwich
February 3, 2012
Often described as the "finest dining hall in Europe", the Painted Hall in Greenwich was originally designed to be the Royal Hospital for Seamen's communal dining hall.
But the domed hall, which forms part of King William Court – the image, right, is taken from the west end, wasn't used as such following its completion in the mid 1720s – designed by Sir Christopher Wren and his assistant Nicholas Hawksmoor with spectacular interior paintings by Sir James Thornhill, it was deemed too grand for such a mundane purpose and instead the veteran seamen, who had moved their dining hall to the undercroft, acted as tour guides for those who would pay to see its splendour.
The paintings, for which Thornhill received his knighthood, took almost 20 years to complete. They were designed to show Britain's naval power as well as a variety of royal subjects in their splendour. The Stuart dynasty are featured on the ceiling of the Lower Hall while the West Wall depicts the Hanoverians – King George I surrounded by his children and grandchildren including the future King George II. Thornhill himself is also present on the lower right hand section of the West Wall painting while in the background is the dome of St Paul's Cathedral – a reference to Sir Christopher Wren.
The hall has since served a variety of purposes but among the most significant events to take place there was the lying in state of the body of Admiral Lord Nelson following his death in the Battle of Trafalgar in October, 1805. A plaque at the top of the hall marks the spot where the coffin stood.
Between 1834 and 1936, the Painted Hall served as the National Gallery of Naval Art during which more than 300 paintings around naval themes were displayed there (today these form part of the basis of the National Maritime Museum's art collection).
After an extensive restoration, in 1939 it was again used as a dining room for officers attending the Royal Naval College and for other grand dinners, including one celebrating the formation of the United Nations in 1946.
It's now available for hire and has also served as a film location – including for films such as The Madness of King George, Quills and the more recent film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
An appeal has been launched to restore the hall with the expected nine month, £450,000 restoration of the West Wall paintings slated to begin after the Olympic Games. To donate, head here.
WHERE: King William Court, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich (nearest Docklands Light Rail station is Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich). WHEN: 10am to 5pm daily ; COST: Free; WEBSITE: www.ornc.org/visit/attractions/painted-hall.
This triple-monikered church was first recorded in the 1200s. Far from unique in its dedication to the Archangel St Michael (there were apparently seven churches which were dedicated to him before the Great Fire), it was distinguished from the others by the name Paternoster Royal.
Surprisingly, the name has nothing to do with royalty or the clergy, at least not directly. The name Paternoster comes from the church's location on what was Paternoster Lane (it's now College Hill) – it was named for the number of paternoster or rosary seller that were based there.
The name Royal, meanwhile, is a little bit more obscure. First applied in the 1300s, it apparently comes from the close proximity of another street called Le Ryole which was itself a corruption of the French town of La Reole in the wine districts near Bordeaux. The street is believed to have been given the name thanks to the number of wine merchants who traded there.
Like other London churches, this one has been rebuilt several times – notably after the Great Fire of London (to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren) and again after World War II during which the church was all but destroyed by a V1 flying bomb. Since its reopening in 1968 it has served as the international headquarters of the Christian organisation, the Mission to Seafarers, which supports chaplains working in ports around the world.
The walls date from Wren's time and the stone steeple, which wasn't completed until 1717, is the work of Nicholas Hawksmoor. The interior features carved figures of Moses and Aaron which stand before the reredos – these apparently came from All-Hallows-the-Great (demolished in 1894) as did the chandelier which bears the words 'Birmingham 1644').
High profile parishioners over the years have included the four time Lord Mayor of London, Dick Whittington (see our earlier post on him) – he paid for a substantial extension of the church and founded a college of priests there (it's from this college, which was dissolved in the mid-1500s and then re-established soon after, that College Hill is believed to have derived its name) as well as an almshouse next door.
Whittington and his wife were both buried inside but he was apparently exumed since several times and the location of his body is now unknown. There's a stained glass window depicting Whittington and his famous cat inside and the gardens just outside also bear his name.
10 curiously named churches of London – 2. St Vedast-alias-Foster
November 30, 2011
This strangely named church has its origins at least as far back as the 12th century when it was under the jurisdiction of the Prior and Convent of Canterbury.
The name St Vedast is in itself unusual – St Vedast (known as St Vaast elsewhere) is said to have been the Bishop of Arras in northern France during the late fifth and early sixth centuries. How his name came to be associated with a church in London remains a matter of speculation but one plausible explanation is that the church was founded in the twelfth century by a small group of French merchants who had emigrated from Arras.
The 'alias Foster' part of the name is perhaps easier to explain although it has led to considerable confusion over the years. While some have in the past suggested the name refers to a different obscure saint – that is, the church is dedicated to St Vedast and St Foster – Foster is actually just an corrupted Anglicised version of Vedast.
But back to the church's history. The medieval building was apparently replaced at the beginning of the sixteenth century and in the early 1600s this was enlarged and "beautified". It escaped total destruction during the Great Fire of London but was badly enough damaged to require restoration and this was carried out, albeit not very well, so that in the late 1600s, Sir Christopher Wren was asked to rebuild it.
Given the demands of Wren's time elsewhere, it's not known if he personally designed the resulting church (the spire is possibly the work of Nicholas Hawksmoor), but the church was rebuilt and stood until 194o when the body of the building was ruined in the Blitz. The spire, however, survived and the restoration of the remainder of the church was completed in 1962.
It was also after World War II that the city parishes were reorganised and St Vedast-alias-Foster was united with three other former parishes – St Alban Wood Street, St Anne & St Agnes, St Lawrence Jewry, St Mary Aldermanbury, St Michael-le-Querne, St Matthew Friday Street, St Peter Chepe, St Olave Silver Street, St Michael Wood Street, St Mary Staining, St Mary Magdalene Milk Street, St John Zachary, and St Michael Bassishaw, of which only the buildings of St Lawrence Jewry and St Anne and St Agnes remain along with the tower of St Alban Wood Street).
Although the bulk of the building of St Vedast-alias-Foster is modern, the church does retain its seventeenth century Great West Doors and the font also comes from that century, having been designed by Wren and carved by Grinling Gibbons for the church of St Anne and St Agnes. The reredos which stands behind the altar, meanwhile, is inscribed with the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer and The Creed, and originally stood in St Christopher-le-Stock Parish Church in Threadneedle Street. Other features to come from other churches include the seventeenth century pulpit (All Hallows, Bread Street) and swordrest (St Anne and St Agnes).
The church's Fountain Courtyard features part of a Roman floor found under St Matthew Friday Street and a stone (actually baked brick) upon which is inscribed cuneiform writing. The latter, which comes from a Zigurrat in modern Iraq built in the 9th century BC, was presented to Canon Mortlock, rector of the church, marking his work with novelist Agatha Christie and her husband, archaeologist Sir Max Mallowan and was found during his 1950-65 dig on the site. The lump of stone bears the name of Shalmaneser who reigned from 858 to 834 BC.
Famous figures associated with the church include John Browne, sergeant painter to King Henry VIII, Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor of King Henry VIII who was born in nearby Milk Street, and Thomas Rotherham, rector of the church from from 1463-48 and later Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of King Edward IV.
WHERE: 4 Foster Lane (nearest Tube station is St Paul's). WHEN: 8am to 5.30pm weekdays/11am to 4pm Saturday (Mass is held between 12.15 and 12.45 weekdays and a sung Eucharist at 11am on Sundays) ; COST: Free but a donation of at least £1 per head is asked; WEBSITE: www.vedast.org.uk.
Wren's London – 8. Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
November 3, 2010
Hunkering down on the south bank of the Thames, the Old Royal Naval College at Greenwich is yet another Wren masterpiece and the centrepiece of the UNESCO-listed Greenwich Maritime World Heritage Site.
What is now known as the college was originally designed as a 'hospital' or retirement home for old or infirm sailors. Established by Royal Charter in 1694, it was King William III who pushed the project into fruition as per the wishes of his then late wife Queen Mary II.
Wren was selected to design the building and along with the diarist John Evelyn, who had been appointed treasurer, laid the foundation stone on 30th June, 1696.
Wren's initial design – for a three side courtyard facing the river – was rejected by Queen Mary who insisted the view from the existing Queen's House to the river be maintained. So, instead, the hospital was built as a series of four pavilions, each with its own court, with the Queen's House standing as it's centrepiece when viewed from the river.
Wren himself never lived to see the building's completion – it was in the end completed by a number of other famous architects including Sir John Vanbrugh, Thomas Ripley, and Wren's pupil Nicholas Hawksmoor. Fortunately Wren had laid out all the foundations which ensured the basic design conformed to his plans.
The first 42 pensioners moved in in 1706 and the numbers grew as buildings were completed to a peak of 2,710 in 1814. However, declining numbers of pensioners by the mid 1800s – thanks to a period of peace on the seas and the success of a program which saw more pensioners living with their families, eventually led to the hospital's closure in 1860.
In 1873, the Royal Naval College took over the premises, assuming the role of both the former Naval College at Portsmouth and the School or Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering which had been based in South Kensington. The Naval Staff College opened on the site in 1919 and further navy departments including the Department of Nuclear Science and Technology moved there in later years. The Royal Navy left the college in 1998.
Now in the care of the Greenwich Foundation, the college is now used by the University of Greenwich and the Trinity College of Music as well as for public events. The public can also visit certain parts of the former college including the grounds, the spectacular Painted Hall and the Chapel.
The domed Painted Hall, which features a series of classically themed paintings with King William III and Queen Mary II at its heart, was originally planned by Wren to be the hospital's dining hall but due to the length of time it took for Sir James Thornhill to complete – 19 years – his paintings it was never used as such. Instead it stood empty until the body of Admiral Lord Nelson was brought there to lie in state in January 1806. In 1824 it became the National Gallery of Naval Art but in the 1930s became a dining room again with the gallery's contents transferred to the National Maritime Museum.
The Chapel of St Peter and St Paul, meanwhile was completed in 1751 to the design of Sir Thomas Ripley but was gutted by fire only 28 years later. It was then rebuilt, largely to the designs of James "Athenian" Stuart with some of the detailing designed by his Clerk of Works William Newton, and was reopened in 1789. Restored in the 1950s, it is said to look "almost as it was" when it opened in 1789. The chapel is still in use for services.
WHERE: Located adjacent to Greenwich Pier with entry from Cutty Sark Gardens, College Approach, Romney Road Gate, Royal Gate or Park Row, Greenwich (nearest DLR station is Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich); WHEN: The Painted Hall and Chapel are open daily from 10am to 5pm (chapel used for worship on Sunday mornings, open for sightseeing from 12.30pm); COST: Free (Booked guided tours are available for £5 an adult/children under 16 free); WEBSITE: www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org
Wren's London – 4. Hampton Court Palace
September 29, 2010
Hampton Court Palace in London's outer south-west is known to many as the palace of Henry VIII. Yet a considerable part of the complex of buildings we see today was also created during the reign of some time joint rulers William III and Mary II.
It was to Christopher Wren – assisted by the able Nicholas Hawksmoor – that the rulers turned when looking to update the Royal Apartments. Wren's designs for a domed baroque palace to rival Versailles in France were apparently so ambitious that they were only half-built (and built in haste – two workmen died and another 11 were injured when the main wall collapsed in 1689). The death of the queen in 1694 also meant work on the palace stopped – it was resumed in 1697 (under control of Wren's deputy William Talman who had offered a lower price than Wren) but again stalled after the death of the king in 1702.
Wren's imprint is on the palace we see today is nonetheless considerable and includes the Baroque-style South and East Front (the size of the formal gardens which radiate out from the latter give a glimpse into the grand plans Wren had for the palace), Fountain Court which replaced the Tudor Cloister Court and around which were located new state apartments for both the king and queen, and the Orangery.
Among those who worked on the interiors of were the famous woodcarver Grinling Gibbons and painter Antonio Verrio.
WHERE: Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey (nearest station is Hampton Court from Waterloo); WHEN: 10am to 6pm everyday (winter hours 10am to 4.30pm from 31st October to 26th March); COST: Adult £15.40, Concession £12.65, Child under 16 £7.70 (under fives free), family tickets, garden only tickets and online booking discounts available; WEBSITE: www.hrp.org.uk/HamptonCourtPalace/
Wren's London – 2. St Bride's
September 15, 2010
While St Paul's Cathedral is certainly his best-known work, Sir Christopher Wren designed 50 other churches in London in the wake of the Great Fire of 1666. Rather than look at each individually, we'll just highlight a couple with the first being the "wedding cake" church, St Bride's.
The site of St Bride's has been home to at least eight churches, the first of which is believed to have been founded in the Dark Ages. Dedicated to the sixth century Irish nun St Bride – or St Bridget, the church – thanks to its location on Fleet Street – has had a long association with printers and later newspapers and journalists and, despite the fact most news organisations have long since departed the area, is still regarded as "the journalist's church".
The medieval St Bride's was completely consumed in the Great Fire but a new church was opened in 1675 after works were carried out to Wren's design (among his assistants on the job was Nicholas Hawksmoor who became a celebrated architect in his own right).
Despite the return of worshippers, however, the building remained unfinished and Wren was approached in the early 1680s about constructing the steeple. This was completed in 1703 and has become a London landmark with many believing its tiered design was the basis for the modern "wedding cake" design.
The steeple – at 226 feet or almost 70 metres, the tallest in London – was one of few things which survived after a firebomb destroyed much of the building during the Blitz in 1940. The church was subsequently restored according to Wren's original designs (albeit with a shorter steeple than Wren's original – eight feet or 2.4 metres were knocked off when it was struck by lightning in 1764.)
As well as its association with the printing industry and the press, these days St Bride's is also notable for its US connections – the first American child of English descent, Virginia Dare, was the daughter of two former St Bride's parishioners (there is a bust of Virgina above the font). The parents of Edward Winslow, three-time Governor of Plymouth in Massachusetts, were also married in St Bride's.
The crypt contains remains dating back to Roman times.
WHERE: Fleet Street (nearest tube St Paul's); WHEN: 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 11am to 3pm Saturday, 10am to 1pm and 5pm to 7.30pm Sunday; COST: Entry is free but guided tours are available on Tuesday afternoons at 3pm for £5 a person; WEBSITE: www.stbrides.com.


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Andy Murray Set For Olympic Gold Rematch In Davis Cup Semifinal
Will Andy Murray be able to overcome his U.S. Open disappointment and lead Great Britain to the Davis Cup final?
He will get his chance at redemption when Great Britain faces Argentina in the Davis Cup semifinal this weekend against Argentina in Glasgow indoors on a hard court at the Emirates Arena.
After suffering through a frustrating loss to Kei Nishikori of Japan in the U.S. Open quarterfinals – only his second loss since the French Open – Murray will surely be bursting with motivation to make up for his failure in New York to lead Britain back into the Davis Cup final and try to win the title for a second straight year.
Murray has a strong supporting cast in the effort against Argentina. The No. 2 singles spot will be either No. 55-ranked Kyle Edmund or No. 53-ranked Dan Evans, both of whom have hot hands after salient efforts at the U.S. Open. Edmund reached the fourth round at a major for the first time in his career, upsetting U.S. No. 1 John Isner before falling to Novak Djokovic. Dan Evans reached the third round and had a match point on eventual champion Stan Wawrinka.
Argentina will be led by Juan Martin del Potro, who Murray beat in the Olympic final and who is fresh off a strong quarterfinal showing in New York that moved his ranking from No. 141 to 64. A rematch of the Olympic gold medal match will be on the schedule for the opening day's singles when Murray and del Potro reprise their battle from Rio, won by Murray 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 on an outdoor hard court.
Anything can happen in Davis Cup and surprises are common in this unique 116-year-old competition and Argentina's other singles competitor – either No. 41 Federico Delbonis or No. 49 Guido Pella – could rise to the occasion on foreign soil. However Murray's teammate, Davis Cup doubles partner – and brother – Jamie Murray comes to Glasgow on a high after winning the doubles title at the U.S. Open with his Brazilian partner Bruno Soares. His presence makes Britain a favorite in all five rubbers in the fast indoor conditions.
In the other semifinal, the deep French team will face a slightly-sputtering Croatia on an indoor court in Zadar, Croatia. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has withdrawn from the French team due to his knee injury that caused him to exit the U.S. Open. He will be replaced with Lucas Pouille, the No. 18-ranked rising French star who upset Rafa Nadal en route to the quarterfinals in New York. After a perplexing effort in the U.S. Open semifinal against Djokovic, Gael Monfils will play singles alongside Pouille against the Croatians, led by 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic and No. 41 Borna Coric. After winning the title in Cincinnati in August, Cilic lost in the third round in New York meekly to American Jack Sock. Coric lost in the first round of the U.S. Open and is only 5-5 since he won the fifth and decisive match against Sock of the USA in the Davis Cup quarterfinals in July.
France's doubles team of Nicola Mahut and Pierre-Hughes Herbert, the No. 1 team in the world, should provide the different for the French to see them to the Davis Cup final for an 18th time.
The ATP Quarterly Review
By James A. Crabtree
So it's April and that means two things. The first quarter of the year is over and the European clay court season is about to begin.
So what have we learned?
Well, rather a lot.
December 2012
The beginning of the tennis year started in December 2012. With this the whole of Australia became hysterical after Bernard Tomic went nuts at the Hopman Cup and beat both Tommy Haas and Novak Djokovic. After that young Bernie continued the streak and won his first title in Sydney prompting some to feel, including probably Bernie himself, that the second coming of Rod Laver was upon us. He did of course become unstuck at The Australian Open, after much hoopla, in a one sided loss to a certain Mr Federer. Bernie hasn't done much since and it's doubtful the European clay will help his cause.
During the same period Janko Tipsarevic quietly won in Chennai, Gasquet in Doha and Andy Murray in Brisbane. More fuss was made of the emergence of Baby Fed Grigor Dimitrov who made the Brisbane final, and the fact Tomas Berdych lost in the quarters and was wearing unbranded clothing – the poor darling. He has since signed with Swedish fashion brand H&M.
January 2013
A week later and David Ferrer was up to his usual tricks – cleaning up at ATP 250 events, this time in Auckland. As a matter of fact Ferrer should be banned from 250 events or at least given some sort of handicap like favoured racehorses. He has won 20 career tournaments 12 of which have been ATP 250 events. Not bad for a labourer from Spain.
Two weeks into 2013 and it was already the Australian Open, which went very boringly to Novak's script. Highlights included Federer in pink shoes and Stan Wawrinka's battle where he managed to scare Novak in his silver shoes, in the fourth round.
Davis Cup followed the first slam of the year with the surprise elimination of understrength Spain at the hands of Canada and a certain Mr Milos Raonic.
February 2013
By February Frenchman Richard Gasquet was proving he is still a force, beating the rising Benoit Paire who has severe difficulty against his countrymen.
Down in Zagreb Marin Cilic won his first tournament since Umag in July last year. We bet he wishes the entire tour was played in Croatia as he would surely be the world's number one player, having won 5 of his 9 tournaments on home soil.
The week, however, belonged to Rafael Nadal who made his comeback to the tour in Chile after what felt like a ten year absence. Nadal lost to Argentinian Horacio Zeballos in the final who was on fire for the week, prompting many to say that Nadal was indeed finished and would never return to his best.
Over in Rotterdam Juan Martin del Potro beat Julian Benneteau, who had taken care of childhood rival Roger Federer earlier in the tournament. Sadly for Benneteau he lost his eighth successive ATP final, a streak he would surely like to break.
In Brazil Rafael Nadal seemed unfazed by his previous loss and romped to victory over taking out the ever moody David Nalbandian in the final. Nadal as usual bit the trophy he won and expressed how the win was dreamlike.
San Jose played out at the same time and for the last time with Milos taking out old and temperamental Renaissance man Tommy Haas, who may have found the secret of eternal youth.
Memphis indoors provided for Kei Nishikori his third title and hopefully some suede shoes. The Japanese star didn't drop a set.
'Allez' in Marseille for Jo-Wilfred Tsonga where he ousted Tomas Berdych winning his tenth career title and fifth on home soil. Interestingly a player of Berdych's stature has a pretty mediocre collection of titles with only eight since 2004.
In Buenos Aires David Ferrer picked up his second title of the year and probably breathed a sigh of relief that a certain Mr Nadal didn't make the trip. A dream for him no doubt.
A week later and Berdych, after beating Federer in the semi's, lost in another final this time in Dubai. This title went to Novak Djokovic, who was playing his first tournament since winning in Australia. Two out of two for the super Serb.
At Delray Beach the enigmatic Latvian Ernie Gulbis showed another glimpse of talent downing Edouard Roger-Vasselan in the final to win his second title there.
Meanwhile in Acapulco Nadal was playing havoc with Ferrer's schedule and duly destroyed his fellow countryman in the final 6-0 6-2. Ouch.
March 2013
The onset of March brought two big tournaments and the end of the big hard court tournaments until after Wimbledon.
First was Indian Wells where Nadal was back to dreaming. Here he made it official he was back and could beat anyone after adding to Federer's horrible 2013 with a quarterfinal win. He then outlasted Del Potro in the final. More than dream dream.
Over in Miami Andy Murray won his second tournament of the year and seemed more genuinely pleased than when he won the U.S. Open (insert Sean Connery accent – "where's my watch"). Although it was a great win, the field was depleted with injuries and no-shows. One notable was Tommy Haas making his first 1000 event semi final since 1952 or something. The tournament should also be remembered for the first round squabble between Llodra and Paire that makes "Days of our Lives" look harmonious. And no, they won't be on each other's Christmas card list.
The Sum Up
The first three months has seen the emergence of new talent in Tomic, Dimitrov and Paire, and the revival of old in Haas and Gasquet. Most notably for the first time since 2004 Federer and Nadal are both ranked outside the top 3.
Only time will tell what the next quarter will bring.
Powerhouse French too much for Short-Handed Canadians
The anticipation had been building for months following the announcement that Vancouver would host its first Davis Cup tie in 20 years. It also just so happened to be the biggest non-Rogers Cup tennis event to be held on Canadian soil in the last decade.
In the end, the Canada-France first round World Group tie lived up to the hype and delivered on expectations despite Milos Raonic being forced to withdraw from the much-anticipated reverse singles match up with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga because of pain in his knee.
Raonic played and won his singles match on Friday, defeating Julien Benneteau in straight sets, putting forth a virtually flawless performance to give Canada it's only point of the weekend in a 4-1 defeat. Level at 1-1 after Friday's singles, Canadian captain Martin Laurendeau substituted the in-form Raonic for Vasek Pospisil to play with Daniel Nestor for the crucial doubles point. In the end, the French pair of Benneteau and Michael Llodra played subliminal doubles to secure the second point for France and Canada was dealt a major blow when it was discovered that Raonic had tweaked his knee during the first set which would ultimately keep him out of Sunday's reverse singles.
Frank Dancevic replaced Raonic against Tsonga in the first match on Sunday and acquitted himself more than admirably, playing inspired tennis that ignited the boisterous crowd at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. Dancevic's performance, perhaps his best since the former world no. 65 made a surprise run to the quarter-finals o f the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank in Montreal in 2007, just wasn't enough against Tsonga who was also at the top of his game, hitting winners from seemingly everywhere on the court. The World no. 6 posted an impressive 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 win to propel France into the Davis Cup quarter-finals where they will play the United States on home soil. Tsonga said he was disappointed to miss out on the chance to play Raonic in this setting.
"For us it was a good surprise," said Tsonga. "Milos (Raonic) is a good player, talented, and I was a bit sad to play against another guy, because I think it (would have been) a good confrontation with Milos."
For his part, Dancevic thrived in his return to the Canadian Davis Cup squad and enjoyed every minute of playing in front of vocal, supportive fans.
"I felt the energy out there and I felt like I had a lot of momentum on my side," Dancevic said. "I felt like anything could happen … and it came down to just a few important shots by him, especially in the second set. He painted the lines on a few forehands, hit some unbelievable down-line and cross-court one-hand backhands."
Gael Monfils, who did not play Friday's singles match against Raonic as originally anticipated, and Vasek Pospisil concluded the tie with an entertaining match that wowed the crowd featured more than one highlight reel shot from the always flamboyant Monfils. The Frenchman defeated Pospisil, Canada's Davis Cup hero in 2011, 6-4, 6-4.
A total of 15,233 spectators attended the tie over the three days and certainly made themselves heard throughout the weekend and showed why Vancouver is the fastest growing tennis city in Canada. The Canadian team left with many lessons learned as they look ahead to their World Group playoff tie in September, but also proved they belonged among the top 16 Davis Cup countries in the world.
10 Reasons to be Excited for Davis Cup Weekend
The time has come! While Andrea has done a great job breaking down the World Group match-ups, I thought I'd spell out for you the specific reasons why you should set your alarm for 5AM, skip work, cancel all of your social plans, and dedicate your entire Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to the wonder that is Davis Cup.
10. The Newcomers
It's been 8 years since Canada has been in the World Group. For Japan it's been 27. In both cases the newcomers, led by youngsters Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori respectively, will be looking to prove that they belong with the big guns. Both teams have uphill battles- Japan hosts Croatia and Canada hosts France, but there's nothing quite as exciting as fresh blood.
9. Fedmania!
In a giant reversal of storylines, Federer is the only one of the "Big 4" playing in Davis Cup this weekend. To top it off, he's playing in Switzerland, against a depleted but still fun-to-beat American squad, and with good buddy Stanislas Wawrinka by his side. Love him or not, it will be fun to see the Legend soak in the well-deserved adoration and play in a team atmosphere on his home turf.
8. Russian Roulette
The Russian Davis Cup Team has undergone a bit of a makeover. Alex Bogomolov, Jr. is not only making his Russian debut, but he's the team's #1 player. Dmitry Tursnov and Igor Andreev, team mainstays, are absent while the struggling Nikolay Davydenko and the wildcard Igor Kunitsyn take their place. Mikhail Youzhny is coming off singles and doubles victories in Zagreb, but has been complaining to the press about an injured shoulder. All in all, there's absolutely no telling what to expect from Team Russia as they travel to Jurgen Melzer's Austria this weekend, and as always- that's part of the fun.
7. Veterans Day
Some players have proven time and time again that they adapt to the Davis Cup atmosphere better than others. Whether it's Melzer leading his Austrian team, Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek becoming mental giants for the Czech Republic, or David Nalbandian discovering the game (and legs) of his youth, there's nothing quite as exhilarating as seeing the veteran guys play their hearts out for their country.
6. The Battle of the Misfits
One of the ties I'm most looking forward to is Spain/Kazakhstan. The Spanish Davis Cup stalwarts (Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez, and Fernando Verdasco) who have dominated the team competition for the past few years are sitting out this year, paving the way for their less heralded countrymen (Nicolas Almagro, Marcel Granollers, Legend and Former #1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, and Marc Lopez). Meanwhile Kazakhstan's team is full of former Russians (Mikhail Kukushkin, Andrey Golubev, Yuri Schukin, and Evgeny Korolev) who migrated over to the neighboring country for a chance to shine. It will be fun to see all of these former "back-ups" take the stage and fight for Davis Cup glory.
5. Tommy Haas
Do I really need to explain this one? The often injured but forever adored German (when he's not American) is back in Davis Cup action for the first time in five years! How lucky are we? Let's just sit back and enjoy.
4. The Other Groups
Believe it or not, the World Group Playoffs aren't the only Davis Cup action happening this weekend. There are some pretty crucial ties happening in "Group I" and "Group II" (don't you dare ask me to explain what that means). Teams in action that you might be interested in are: Ukraine (Sergiy Stakhovsky! Sergei Bubka- yes, Vika's boyfriend!) vs. Monaco, Uzbekistan (Denis Istomin- am I the only one interested in him?) vs. New Zealand, Australia (Hewitt! Tomic! You know them!) vs. China, P.R., Great Britain (Murray-less) vs. Slovak Republic (starring recent ATP Zagreb finalist Lukas Lacko). You'd be amiss if you didn't scavenge for some (surely static) streams for the lesser-known teams this weekend too.
3. The New Heroes
Every year Davis Cup weekend, especially the first round, breeds unheralded heroes. Something about the five-set format, the team unity, and the pressure/invigoration of playing for one's country brings out the best in some unsuspecting players. Who will it be this weekend? Could Milos lead the Canadians past the accomplished French team? Could the upstart Japanese make Davis Cup history against Croatia? Could the Swedish team find a miracle and cause the Serbian team to sweat? As cliche as it sounds, expect a new Davis Cup legend to be born.
2. Double Trouble
Davis Cup is the time for Doubles to shine, and this weekend is no different. This weekend we have spectacular Doubles storylines: the reunions of fan favorites Fedrinka (Federer and Wawrinka) and Bendra (Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra), the eternal mystery of who the other Bryan Brother will be (Bob Bryan is home playing father duty, so either Mardy Fish, John Isner, or Ryan Harrison will take his place alongside Mike Bryan in Switzerland), and the always delightful Davis Cup return of BerdWorm (Berdych and Stepanek). Whether you're a fan of doubles, awkwardness, hysteria, or just misplaced volleys, Saturday will be a special day for you.
1. The Cheerleaders
Let's be honest- Davis Cup really isn't about the tennis. It's about seeing the bromance on the benches as the fellow team members watch and frazzle along with us. Nothing is as great as seeing a good cheerleader- whether it be Roger Federer on his feet urging on Stanislas Wawrinka, Juan Carlos Ferrero fist-pumping a Nicolas Almagro winner, or John Isner and Ryan Harrison embracing when Mardy Fish gets to set point, there is no better reason to watch Davis Cup than to inspect the camaraderie on the benches.
Previewing the Davis Cup World Group First Round
There's always a tennis lull for a week or two after a Grand Slam. How many of you were really paying attention to what happened in Zagreb or Montpellier or Viña del Mar? Tell the truth, do you even know where Viña del Mar is? Well, perk up, Davis Cup weekend is coming up. It's an excellent way to ease back in to watching tennis. There are ties in watchable time zones for almost any part of the world and there are only three days to keep track of. Sounds too easy? Well, it kind of is. There are eight ties to keep track of, spanning three continents. Here's a short guide to this weekend's action.
Spain vs. Kazakhstan
Venue: Oviedo, Spain
Spain's been the team to beat for the last several years, led by the nearly invincible Rafael Nadal. They're the defending champions, and it would be embarrassing if they were to lose to Kazakhstan in the first round. Kazakhstan has exactly one player in the Top 100. Spain has thirteen, a veritable smorgasbord of options to compile a four man team. Spain's top guys, Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer, have chosen to sit out, so the team will be led by No. 11, Nicolas Almagro. Throw in Marcel Granollers, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and Marc Lopez for the doubles, and the home advantage and I'm pretty sure they will be able to conquer Team Kazakhstan.
Austria vs. Russia
Venue: Wiener Neustadt, Austria
This tie is notable because Alex Bogomolov, Jr. will be making his debut on the Russian Davis Cup team, as the top ranked player no less. Mikhail Youzhny will be second in command and coming in strong off both a singles title and a doubles title in Zagreb last week. Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Kunitsyn round off the Russian team. Team Austria has the hometown advantage but their star, Jurgen Melzer, has been struggling lately and they don't have much in the way of depth.
Canada vs. France
Venue: Vancouver, Canada
Canada is kind of like the little engine that could. Not known for a strong tennis tradition, they put in a very impressive performance to beat Israel in the playoffs. But, France is no Israel. France is a Davis Cup power house. Much like Spain, their options for Top 100 players number in the double digits. They will also be bringing their two strongest players to Vancouver, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils. Versatile players Julien Benneteau and Michael Lloda will also make the trip. Either player can be called up for singles or doubles. Vasek Pospisil stepped up as the hero of the Israel tie, but it will take some serious team work to get past France. Canada will likely need a great performance from Milos Raonic.
Switzerland vs. USA
Venue: Fribourg, Switzerland
I'm not one of the believers that US tennis is dead, but I don't give them great odds when it comes to beating Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, on indoor clay, in Switzerland. Mardy Fish and John Isner are reasonable clay players, but neither is up to Federer's level on any surface. The US can usually count on a doubles win by Bob and Mike Bryan, but Bob has chosen to sit out the tie to spend some time with his newborn daughter so Mike will be making the trip solo. He could play with either Fish or Isner, as both are fair doubles players, but they almost certainly won't have the magic that Bob and Mike create. Switzerland might as well be a two man team. Federer and Wawrinka will play until the tie is won and the doubles will be good practice as they will be looking to defend their Olympic title this summer.
Czech Republic vs. Italy
Venue: Ostrava, Czech Republic
Tomas Berdych was triumphant last week in Montpellier and Radek Stepanek is fresh off a doubles title at the Australian Open. Much like Federer and Wawrinka, they will likely make up a two man team that should easily conquer the crafty Italians.
Serbia vs. Sweden
Venue: Nis, Serbia
Both of these teams will be missing their best players this weekend. Novak Djokovic is sitting out the tie and Robin Soderling has been sidelined since Wimbledon. Lucky for Serbia, they have two singles players in the Top 25 and Sweden doesn't have a singles player in the Top 300. It's going to be a tough ask for Michael Ryderstedt and Carl Bergman.
Japan vs. Croatia
Venue: Hyogo, Japan
Kei Nishikori is the high ranked Japanese player in history and the first to make it to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. He leads a reasonably strong team on home turf. I'm calling upset potential on this one. Croatia is a tough opponent, but if Nishikori can win his first singles match and Japan can swing the doubles, I would give them a strong chance.
Germany vs. Argentina
Venue: Bamberg, Germany
This is possibly the most interesting tie on the schedule for this weekend. Argentina had a rather gut wrenching loss to Spain in last year's final and is still in search of their first Davis Cup crown. If Juan Martin del Potro was participating, I would give Argentina the strong edge. Even without their best player, Argentina has a very good team. Juan Monaco won his first title in five years last week and David Nalbandian always brings his best in Davis Cup. I honestly can't reason out why Germany chose indoor clay. The Argentines love clay. Why not go for a hard court? Either way, the German team is also pretty strong this time around. There's not really a weak link among Mayer, Kohlschreiber, Petzschner, and Haas.
Vancouver Stoked to Host Davis Cup Elite
Two years removed from hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, the city of Vancouver will be all about tennis this week as many of the sport world's eyes will be focused on the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, which will host Canada's biggest Davis Cup tie in the last decade beginning Friday.
Canada will host a powerhouse team from France, which includes Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in their first World Group tie since 2004. This also marks the first time since 1992 that Vancouver will host a Davis Cup tie.
Led by their two young guns, Milos Raonic and Vasek Pospisil, who played the role of Davis Cup hero last year to give his country this opportunity, Canada will attempt to pull off a huge upset in their first home tie since 2009. For the occasion, Tennis Canada has selected a fast indoor hard court that should help produce a few more aces and winners from the heavy-hitting Canadian racquets.
Not only did the event sell out within an hour, but the organizing committee has pulled out all of the stops to give their squad every advantage as they go after this monumental victory. "Operation Red and White" is encouraging fans to wear their country's colours regardless of where they will be watching the matches and reinforces that France won't win, at least "Not On Our Court". In addition, the Cactus Club Café in Vancouver is the official Team Canada Headquarters to watch the tie for fans who don't have a ticket.
The one and only meeting between Canada and France in Davis Cup came way back in 1966 on the clay courts of Roland-Garros with the home side coming away with a dominant 5-0 win. The home team this time around is hoping for a much different result and Raonic and Pospisil will have to play the matches of their lives to make it happen. Not only will France be tough in singles, but they have also brought Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra, two of their doubles specialists to counter Canadian legend Daniel Nestor, who usually guarantees a point when he suits up for the crucial doubles rubber.
"It's a short time frame compared to the other years, usually we have play in March so we have an extra month to get the match count high enough to feel really good about anybody's game," said Team Canada captain Martin Laurendeau. "But, the fact that it's following a Grand Slam and it's early in the season has forced the guys to be sharp early in the year and we are playing some good tennis right now."
The task at hand may be a very difficult one, but there is a reason they play the game and the Canadian underdogs plan on showing their home fans why.


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One of the noticeable business directions in UAE is gold trading, diamonds trading and other commodities trading (exchange listed products like oil and oil products, colored metals, grain, industrial raw materials, textile raw materials, food products etc.)
The business activities of such companies can be performed inside UAE as well as abroad. What is very important – independently from the type of activity – inside or outside of the country – the corporate tax treatment of these companies remains the same.
The most suitable type of company for trading with gold, diamonds and other commodities (exchange listed products) in Dubai, UAE is the company in the Free Trade Zone DMCC.
The costs of such company depend on the number of product commodities categories as well as the required number of residency visas for company's shareholders and employees.


text: Thank you! Thank you to those who attended the Open House on Thursday, February 21st. We had a great turnout and appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedules to learn about the latest progress with the study. View the open house materials. Sign up for email notifications! Name Email Address Submit


text: Unless otherwise specifically indicated, you may download material displayed on the Visa site for personal, non-commercial use only and you may not distribute, modify, transmit, use, or reuse any of the contents of the site for any public or commercial purpose without the written consent of TS SET or any third party, TS SET deems necessary. You must retain all copyright and other proprietary notices on downloaded and/or copied material. Any copy of material from the TS SET site you make and distribute for any purpose must also include these Rules. You may not access or use the TS SET site in any way that could or is intended to damage or impair the TS SET site, or any server or network underlying the TS SET site, or interfere with anyone else's use of the TS SET site.


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An ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company
|» Products
|» Brass Ingots
Brass Ingots
Incorporated in the year 1970, we have been affianced in manufacturing, exporting and supplying a wide range of Brass Ingots including gunmetal ingots. The provided ingots are manufactured under the guidance of our skilled professionals by utilizing top most quality brass at our highly advanced production unit. The offered ingots are basically casted products that are further processed in order to obtain the desired shape of brass. Apart from this, these Brass Ingots can be bought from us in bulk at suitable rates.


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Fall is here, but not really. It is still so warm out, despite that I'm even back in Washington state! Like I mentioned in my last post I am relying on fall tones and patterns to achieve my attempts to look autumn-like. This Michael Kors snake print tee is my new favorite thing. It's great just on its own but also for layering when it starts to chill down. Really excited to see what else I can do with it! What about you? How do you look fall when it doesn't feel like it outside?
Top | Michael Kors
Pants | HM
Bag | Calvin Klein
Shoes | Thrifted


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How the Bookies See it
- Winner: Chelsea 4/7, Draw 16/5, Middlesbrough 11/2 - BetVictor
- First Goalscorer: Diego Costa (CHE) 3/1, Michy Batshuayi (CHE) 7/2, Eden Hazard (CHE) 9/2 - Paddy Power
- Half Time/Full Time: Chelsea/Chelsea 6/4, Draw/Chelsea 3/1, Draw/Draw 9/2 - Coral
- Middlesbrough find themselves in the bottom half of the table and just a point above the dreaded relegation zone. Two wins from their opening 11 fixtures suggests that Boro are finding their Premier League return a little tricky, but recent draws with Arsenal and Manchester City should give Aitor Karanka's men cause for optimism.
- Chelsea started the season in fine form before suffering a three game wobble, including defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal, which nearly cost Antonio Conte his job. However, since switching to a back three, the Italian has seen his side flourish, racking up five straight league wins without conceding a goal. A 5-0 victory over a rejuvenated Everton side last time out suggests that the Blues mean business as they go in search of their second title in three seasons.
Sports.net's View
Middlesbrough's record against Chelsea in the Premier League isn't great. The Riverside club have picked up just five wins in 28 games since the Premier League's inception in 1992 and haven't tasted victory over the London side in more than a decade in all competitions. Aitor Karanka's side aren't being tipped to halt this run any time soon, with William Hill offering odds of 6/1 on a win for the home side.
However, Boro fans may be buoyed by their team's recent performances against Arsenal and Manchester City, making a draw far more likely. A goalless affair is priced at 10/1 with Ladbrokes, while a score draw is available at 4/1 with Sky Bet. If his team are to score, Karanka may opt to throw a Spaniard in the works by starting Alvaro Negredo. The striker is priced at 9/1 to net first, while a goal anytime looks more likely at 3/1, both with Sky Bet.
The international break has taken its toll on Chelsea, with both Diego Costa and Eden Hazard picking up knocks. While Conte may opt to risk Hazard, it remains unclear whether Costa will make it into the starting XI, or even the bench. Should the striker prove fit enough, expect the Chelsea manager to utilise the physical presence of his goal-grabbing front man against the Boro defenders. Paddy Power have the 28-year-old priced at 3/1 to open the scoring and 4/5 to score anytime.
This is a game that the travelling Chelsea fans will be confident of winning, especially if the men from the Bridge can keep a sixth straight clean sheet in the league. Bet365 have the Blues priced at evens to shut the home side out and 7/5 to win to nil. Alternatively, for those who believe that Chelsea will concede their first goal in over 500 minutes of Premier League action but still succeed, an away win with both teams finding the net could be worth a flutter at 11/4.
- Sports.net's top tip: Chelsea to win and both teams to score: 11/4 with Betfred
*Please note that odds may fluctuate in the run-up to kick-off.


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February 19, 2016 at 3:08 PM
Our news and views relating to Data Analytics, Big Data, Machine Learning, and the world of Credit.
February 19, 2016 at 3:08 PM
Data Scientist Tom Maydon speaks to CliffCentral host Gareth Cliff on how Principa used data analytics to predict the winners of the Oscars in the top four major categories.
Click here to listen to
the 4 minute interview
Recently Principa announced their partnership with UK-based Welcom Digital. Welcom Digital's platform Financier is one of the leading account processing platforms. Principa is now the sales and delivery partner in South Africa for Financier. We speak to Principa's Eric Hay – a technical specialist with over 25 years' experience with credit systems include account processing systems – who has been now appointed technical delivery head for Financier.
We recently attended the Contact Centre Management Group (CCMG) Contact Centre Conference and Expo, themed Africa's Calling.
The call centre world, unsurprisingly, ranks as one of the highest adopters of data analytics platforms year on year. This is largely due to the invaluable insights we gain through the analysis of thousands of calls received each day by the typical call centre. With speed being of the essence in making the right decision at the right time for each caller many call centres are turning to machine learning to automate their data analysis and make crucial customer experience decisions within seconds.


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The EAG (Environmental Awareness Group)
The EAG has now been around well over 20 years and is a fully recognized organization which seeks to conserve and protect the environment in which the beauty and history of the island can continue to be enjoyed. With their motto being, 'Education, conservation, participation, working to conserve our environment' this explains exactly what they are all about.
There is much to protect on the island of Antigua even outside the Parks such as the island's rainforests. Their work inside the National Parks, in conjunction with the Environment Unit of the National Parks, is much appreciated by everyone. However, as it is still a relatively young organization and needs all the help that can be given to continue its positive works to help our environment.
Check their website at www.eagantigua.org for more information.
HAS (Historical and Archaeological Society)
The HAS is responsible for the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda in St. Johns as well as managing several areas, such as Betty's Hope Plantation as outdoor museums. Comprised of locals and interested transients, the HAS focuses on preserving the history and culture of Antigua, both past and present. The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda and the Nelson's Dockyard Museum have a very close working relationship, sharing data and artifacts. Furthermore, the HAS is also responsible for the publication of numerous tracts and books on the heritage of Antigua, purchasable in the Dockyard Museum Gift Shop. Occasionally the Society will also undertake an archaeological excavation with the support and assistance of the Heritage Affairs Department.


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This Anime Is an Aviation History Masterpiece
Hayao Miyazaki's final work is an airplane geek's dream
Uncategorized May 21, 2014 Robert Farley 2
Last year, one of Japan's most acclaimed directors released a film that stood in stark contrast to nearly all of his previous works. Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises is a loose biography of Jiro Horikoshi, the man behind the famous A6M Zero fighter plane.
Miyazaki's is better known for anime classics like Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Howl's Moving Castle. But this new feature is an aviation history masterpiece from one of world's best animation directors.
This film may also be Miyazaki's last production. The 73 year old director announced his retirement last September.
The Wind Rises represents a significant departure from this director's usual ahistorical, abstract, and pacifist themes. The Wind Rises is a detailed—if highly fictionalized—account Horikoshi's life and early career.
Flight is another one of Miyazaki's usual themes—although often in context of dragons and flying castles—and the material suits his approach. The film is a dream come true for fans of planes from the 1920s and 30s and aviation buffs in general.
Miyazaki frames the film with a series of imagined conversations between Jiro and Count Gianni Caproni. Caproni was a famous Italian aircraft designer who's work spurred many of the theories of General Giulio Douhet, an important figure in the development of modern air power.
Of course, you can enjoy this film without a deep familiarity with or appreciation for aircraft designed between World War I and World War II. But the film is simply magical if you know who Caproni was, what a Junkers Ju-87 looks like and a bit about Japanese aviation.
The audience also gets to see the great Caproni Ca.60 Noviplano, a massive seaplane that collapsed on its first flight. Some of the other flying machines resemble early strategic bombers from World War I and famous Junkers craft of World War II.
The designs depicted in the film are faithful, if somewhat stylized versions of actual planes. Even the imaginary Capronis and Junkers have an aesthetic similarity to real aircraft.
The film itself concentrates mainly on the development of Japanese carrier aircraft and the Mitsubishi A5M fighter specifically. At one point, Jiro and his boss even visit an aircraft carrier in order to get a better sense of how naval aviation works.
War lurks in the background, along with a toxic mix of Japanese nationalism and military authoritarianism. The famed Zero only appears at the end of the film as a sad post-script to Japan's war effort.
During Jiro's visit to Europe, the Germans are also suitably disparaging of Japanese capabilities. This sense of the inferiority of Japanese designs, materials and industry as a whole pervades the film.
These struggles also provide a context for Jiro's work. His prototypes literally fly to pieces as the limits of Japanese materials and engineering become clear.
In addition, Jiro's relationship with his wife Naoko, who suffers from tuberculosis, is an important subplot. She sacrifices her health to support Jiro's work on the A5M, while he sacrifices his relationship with her in order to complete the fighter on time.
Miyazaki melds their relationship into the broader plot by describing it in aeronautical images like a windswept hill or a paper airplane. He also links Naoko's physical deterioration with Japan's slow decline into militaristic authoritarianism.
Unsurprisingly for a Japanese film about the World War II era, The Wind Rises has sparked considerable controversy. Some South Korean critics attacked Miyazaki's sympathetic portrayal of the man who invented some of the most recognizable symbols of Japanese militarism. Mitsubishi's use of Korean forced labor on the production lines doesn't make it into the film either.
On the other side, Miyazaki came under attack from Japanese rightists after penning an op-ed decrying proposed changes to Article 9 of the Japanese constitution. The country cannot legally go to war or create anything other than a "Self Defense Force" under Article 9.
Some critics also suggested that the film soft-pedals Japan's road to war. But these detractors seem to miss Miyazaki's far more complex visuals.
The military aircraft are elegant. The very best of them represent undeniable achievements of national culture and technology. But the film shows that their beauty is flawed.
An early scene depicts the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923. The disaster instantly evokes images of the firebombing of Tokyo and the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima.
The Wind Rises contrasts the glory and joy of flight with the very brutal consequences of military aviation. The destruction of urban Japan, first by earthquake and then by American heavy bombers, bookends Japan's rise to world power.
The film ends with Japan in flames. Jiro watches fleets of his Zeros headed to their collective doom.
The Wind Rises is a rare creature in an era—and an area—where the memory of World War II remains bitterly contested. The film is a careful meditation on nationalism, historical memory and war.


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Alumna, Chartered Civil Engineer and current PhD student Sakthy Selvakumaran is selected to become a member of the National Infrastructure Commission's new Young Professionals Panel (YPP).
The selection team was blown away by the quality of the short-listed candidates. It was tough choosing from over 500 fantastic entries, but in these sixteen young professionals we have a passionate and diverse group which I hope will inspire the Commission with their creative ideas about the UK's future infrastructure needs.Professor Sadie Morgan, Commissioner and chair of the YPP Selection Panel
Architects, engineers, designers and energy specialists from across the country are among the 16 founding members of the group chosen to help shape the UK's infrastructure. The National Infrastructure Commission's Young Professionals Panel, has been set up to inform the Commission's work and give a strong voice to the infrastructure sector's future leaders.
The National Infrastructure Commission is the independent body tasked with advising government on the UK's long-term infrastructure.
Sakthy graduated with an engineering degree from Cambridge in 2010. She has worked as a civil and structural engineer in design consultancy, contracting and international development applications across multiple roles, continents and cultures. She has previously worked on developing new design solutions and technologies to change the way infrastructure is designed, constructed and maintained. National Physical Laboratory and Laing O'Rourke are currently sponsoring her to do an Industrial Case PhD at the Department of Engineering, researching risk and resilience of infrastructure through remote measurement and monitoring of assets using radar satellites. She is a Chartered Civil Engineer and has been named on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list for Europe, and on a list of 30 under 30 for Manufacturing & Engineering by the UK Government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Sir John Armitt, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, said:
"The Commission exists to identify what infrastructure the country needs up to 2050. So it's right we give the next generation of infrastructure leaders a say in our work. I look forward to working with these young professionals, some of whom could end up designing and managing world-leading infrastructure built as a result of Commission recommendations."
Professor Sadie Morgan, Commissioner and chair of the YPP Selection Panel, said:
"The selection team was blown away by the quality of the short-listed candidates. It was tough choosing from over 500 fantastic entries, but in these sixteen young professionals we have a passionate and diverse group which I hope will inspire the Commission with their creative ideas about the UK's future infrastructure needs."
Phil Graham, Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission, said:
"An important aim for the Commission has always been to broaden our reach and find ways to engage new and different groups in our work. The Young Professionals Panel is a fantastic example of this bringing together talented individuals from different professions, backgrounds and regions to provide fresh perspectives on the country's infrastructure challenges."
The Commission launched this initiative in December 2017 to find the brightest and the best of the UK's infrastructure professionals to inform its work. Part of its role is to be open to new approaches and ideas and the Panel exists to draw on the creativity and enthusiasm of young professionals from a wide range of sectors who are building their careers.