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| Castel, J. , Technip, Paris, France; Gadelle, D. , Technip, Paris, France; Hagyard, P. , Technip, Paris, France; Ould-Bamba, M. , Technip, Paris, France
The technologies needed to shape an industry transformation exist and have been proven on a large scale, the authors say.
[natural gas]
While humankind has been aware of the existence of natural
gas since ancient times, its industrial use is relatively
recent, with the first natural gas wells drilled in North
America in the 19th century. The first true natural
gas processing plants began operating in Canada at the
beginning of the 20th century, but they produced gas mainly for
local heating and lighting.
Natural gas has become increasingly popular since the 1940s,
and its consumption has grown steadily. Fig. 1
shows increasing gas consumption over the 45 years to 2010.
Natural gas is, and will remain, a vital component of the
global energy supply, helped by its environmental advantage
over other fossil fuels and by growing demand from developing
countries. Numerous factors have contributed to the evolution
of the natural gas industry over time:
Fig. 1. Global natural gas
Natural gas is a valuable resource, not only as a clean
fuel for power and heat generation, but also as a key raw
material for the petrochemical and chemical
industries. Once cleaned of its impurities, natural gas can be
separated into its major componentsmethane, ethane and
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)and used as pipeline gas,
liquefied for export or converted to liquid fuels or synthesis
gas (syngas) for the fertilizer industry, as illustrated in
Fig. 2. Natural gas also is a major source of
ethane and LPG for the production of olefins via steam
Fig. 2. The natural
gas value chain.
In this article, we discuss the evolution of gas processing
plants to satisfy ever-growing demand, with a focus on
liquefaction and GTL plants.
The first step at the majority of the worlds gas
processing plants is to eliminate impurities and to recover
components heavier than methane. This is done to meet
environmental regulations, to avoid corrosion, to maximize
revenue, and to comply with product specifications. Gas
treatment generally involves a number of steps, as shown in
Fig. 3 and listed below:
Fig. 3. Process flow
of a typical natural gas
processing plant.
Over the last 100 years, natural gas processing has steadily
evolved due to continual scientific and technical advances in
related fields:
Fig. 4. Cakerawala gas
treatment platform with
CO2 removal on membranes,
Malaysia/Thailand joint development
Gas/liquids separation has benefited from more efficient
internals and mass transfer devices that have been developed
with the aid of computational fluid dynamics. The incentive to
produce compact equipment to reduce platform costs in the North
Seas hostile environment, starting in the 1970s, has
provided the gas industry with solutions enabling single-train
sizes of up to 1,350 million standard cubic feet per day
Today, CO2 and H2S are commonly
removed with one of the formulated amines that have
largely replaced hot carbonate, MEA and caustic soda, which
were once standard solutions. Formulated MDEAs, possibly mixed
with a physical solvent, enable decreased energy consumption,
improved performance and reduced corrosion through lower output
of heat-stable salts. MDEAs also increase the amount of gas
that can be treated in a single column by allowing higher acid
gas loading in the solvent.
Sulfur recovery continues to rely on the Claus process,
although the application of modern acid gas enrichment and tail
gas treating processes means that recovery rates above 99% can
be attained even with the most challenging feed gases.
Additionally, the dehydration of gas upstream of the cryogenic
units is presently done using zeolitesmolecular sieve
material that has efficiently replaced silica gel and the
glycol systems that were first implemented.
Finally, modern, highly optimized cryogenic fractionation
processes using turboexpanders and compact heat exchangers
allow for the recovery of NGLs, such as ethane and LPG, and the
simultaneous removal of heavy hydrocarbons, including
The gas processing industry has developed a number of
improved processes that offer reduced equipment count, improved
efficiency and/or reduced operating cost, therefore making it
possible to produce gas from challenging reservoirs. Such
reservoirs include sour gas fields containing high levels of
acid components, such as those encountered in Russia,
Kazakhstan, the Middle East (H2S and CO2)
or the Far East (CO2); deepwater fields (as found
offshore Brazil, Norway, Russia, Australia, the Middle East,
Africa, etc.); and fields located in the Arctic.
With the unequal distribution of natural gas reserves around
the world, the monetization of some of these resources via
pipeline distribution grids or power generation plants can be
limited or even impossible. This opens the door for the
liquefaction of methane for export as liquefied natural gas
(LNG), or for shipment to plants that convert natural gas into
syngas for methanol, ammonia and urea synthesis. More recently,
the conversion of natural gas into synthetic liquid fuels
(synfuels) in gas-to-liquid (GTL) plants has been
industrialized at a large scale.
Natural gas liquefaction dates back to the late 19th century
at an experimental level. LNG technology was developed
alongside helium recovery from natural gas in the early 1920s,
but it took until 1941 before a commercial peakshaving plant
started producing LNG in Cleveland, Ohio for storage in
atmospheric tanks.
The possibility of shipping large quantities of LNG to
distant consumers was demonstrated for the first time in 1959
by the worlds first LNG carrier, the Methane
Pioneer. This event demonstrated that large quantities of
LNG could be transported safely across the ocean, creating a
market opportunity for the large gas reserves discovered in
North Africas Hassi RMel field and in the Cook
Inlet area of Alaska.
The LNG industry is considered to be a young industry since
the first baseload export plants were put into operation only
in the mid-1960s. The worlds first baseload LNG export
plant was the Camel plant in Arzew, Algeria.1 It
started up in September 1964, liquefying natural gas from the
Hassi RMel gas field using a propane-ethylene-methane
cascade-refrigeration process. The train capacity was 400,000
tons per year (tpy) of LNG, with production exported primarily
to France and the UK.
The opening of the Camel plant marked the beginning of the
commercial LNG industry. This facility was followed in 1968 by
the startup of the Kenai LNG plant in Alaska, which exported
product to Japan. It was also based on pure-component cascade
technology, although it used gas turbines for the compressor
Motivated by the industrys need for larger production
scales and lower equipment count, mixed-refrigerant (MR)
processes soon dominated the LNG sector. The Single Mixed
Refrigerant (SMR) process was adopted by Esso for the Marsa El
Brega plant in Libya in 1970, and the Tealarc double
mixed-refrigerant process was developed. Meanwhile, Sonatrach
adopted the Dual Pressure SMR Tealarc process for its LNG plant
in Skikda, Algeria in 1972, and the Propane Precooled MR (C3MR)
process was first licensed by Shell Brunei in 1972.
The LNG industry has grown relentlessly since 1964,
undergoing considerable changes. The most prominent of these
changes is the increase in single-train capacity, as
illustrated in Fig. 5. Individual LNG train
capacity was multiplied by a factor of nearly 20 with the 2009
startup of the LNG mega-trains at Ras Laffan, Qatar. These
mega-trainsused for Qatargas Trains 4, 5, 6 and 7 and
RasGas Trains 6 and 7each produce 7.8 million tons per
year (MMtpy) of LNG.
Fig. 5. The evolution
of baseload LNG train
capacity over time.
The continual increase in LNG single-train capacity has been
driven by strong demand, and by the industrys efforts to
reduce specific investment and operating costs and to take
advantage of larger equipment sizes and improvements in
efficiency and technology, including:
Table 1 depicts key features of baseload
LNG plants developed over the last 50 years. In the early years
of baseload LNG export plants, steam turbines were the drivers
of choice for refrigerant compressors, since large turbines
were previously developed for the power generation industry and
were already widely used in the HPI.
A major breakthrough was achieved in the 1980s with the
adaptation of the large, heavy-duty gas turbines used in power
generation for mechanical drive, a change that introduced new
opportunities for the LNG industry. These heavy-duty gas
turbines allowed for high power output, better overall
efficiency and reduced capital cost by avoiding excessive water
use for steam condensation. At the same time, the use of air
cooling for heat rejection appeared as a viable and
lower-capital-intensive solution for plants with difficult or
no access to seawater cooling, such as the North West Shelf
plant in Australia. This trend was maintained in the 1990s and
afterward with the use of more powerful gas turbines, which has
been a key factor in boosting individual LNG train
The first decade of the new millennium saw the introduction
of large electrical motorsa driver solution with high
reliability and good efficiency when power generation is based
on a combined cycle. Even though the capital expenditure for
such a system can appear quite high, it reflects an industrial
vision increasingly focused on reliability and the monitoring of
atmospheric emissions. This configuration for
large-capacity plants has been applied once, in the
Snøhvit LNG plant in Norway.
Of course, the evolution of compressor driver technology is
not the sole focus point of the LNG industrys remarkable
progress. The sector also has benefited from continual
technology improvements in a number of other areas:
Fig. 6. Amine
absorber shell for Qatargas II
Trains 4 and 5.
To conclude this overview of the evolution of LNG base-load
plants, it is worth noting that, while energy efficiency has
made significant progress over the past 50 years, this can be
mainly attributed to the better integration of power and heat facilities. Improvements in
equipment and process configuration represent only 30%, as
illustrated in Fig. 7.
Fig. 7. Contributions
to energy efficiency
Another interesting feature of LNG baseload plants is that
most of the project costs are dictated by
site-related parameters (e.g., quality of feed gas, climatic
conditions, site topography, extent of marine works, local construction environment, accessibility and
availability of infrastructure, economic and political
conditions, environmental constraints, etc.). The technical
design has no influence on these parameters and can only adapt
to them. Although technology selection does not have
the weight in the total project cost that might be expected, it
remains a key parameter for the operation and efficiency of the
Nearly five decades lie between the 1964 construction of the
Camel LNG plant in Algeria and the 2012 startup of the Ningxia
Hanas mid-scale LNG plant in China. Both plants have
approximately 400,000-tpy individual train capacities
(Fig. 8).2
Fig. 8. The Camel
plant (left) and the Ningxia
Hanas SSLNG plant (right).
Despite the industrys tendency to design and build
individual liquefaction trains of ever-increasing capacity to
improve plant economics, there is a renewed interest in
small-scale LNG (SSLNG) plants for monetizing small gas
reserves and for supplying isolated communities or areas where
the installation of a natural gas distribution grid is too
costly. China, India and Brazil have implemented or
are planning to install SSLNG plants like the one developed at
Ningxia Hanas.
While the Camel plant was designed to process raw natural
gas from a field and is dedicated to overseas LNG export via
tanker, the Ningxia Hanas plant processes pipeline gas that is
already pretreated for contaminants and NGL recovery. The
facilitys feed gas requires compression prior to
liquefaction, and production is delivered via road tanker.
Thus, besides the similarity in capacity, the processing
schemes and plant features of the Camel and Ningxia Hanas LNG
trains have little in common, as illustrated in Table
This comparison reflects the way the LNG industry has
evolved, driven by the need to minimize equipment count and
processing steps to reduce capital investment while at the same
time obtaining the highest possible efficiency to preserve
An interesting comparison also can be made between the
Skikda and Qatargas II LNG projects (Fig. 9).
Each one was a pioneering development in its time, but the
plants were built and commissioned 36 years apart.
Table 3 shows a comparison of the two
facilities, which were built in 1972 and 2009,
Fig. 9. The Skikda
plant (left) and Qatargas II
Trains 4 and 5 during construction (right).
Between the first trains of the Skikda plant and the
mega-trains of Qatargas II, the individual LNG throughput per
train has multiplied by a factor of close to 8, and the overall
plant capacity by a factor of 5, leading to a proportional
increase in terms of construction quantities. However, fuel gas
consumption has been multiplied by only 2.8, reflecting the
significant increase in energy efficiency achieved over the
The overall duration of the construction and commissioning
phases also has been reduced despite the increased workload,
the number of simultaneous construction projects in the Ras
Laffan area, and the more complex configuration of the Qatargas
units due to the presence of H2S and organic sulfur
components in the feed gas. The excellent overall efficiency of
Qatargas II is due to the use of gas turbines and the deep integration of heat and power
systems that recover heat energy from gas turbine exhaust and
also use excess compressor driver output for electric power
In recent years, progress in exploration and subsea
production technologies has enabled the development of LNG
projects that monetize gas reserves located in
difficult-to-reach offshore and deepwater locations. An FPSO
can be used when oil is discovered, but the associated gas
usually must be reinjected because export by pipeline is not
The concept of floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) is now
seen as a leading solution to monetize these types of gas
resources. Shell was the first company to invest in FLNG, for
the development of its Prelude field offshore Australia. Today,
practically all major oil and gas companies have launched FLNG
programs. The development of FLNG technology has built on the
combination of expertise gained from large oil FPSOs,
the latest developments in liquefaction processes, experience
with production on floating platforms and LNG storage, and
innovation in new offloading technologies. Challenges to LNG
development in a marine setting include:
The adaptation of large gas processing facilities to marine environments
Several FLNG projects are at conceptual or advanced FEED
stages for various locations around the world (Fig.
10). Shells Prelude FLNG (Fig.
11), one of the first FLNG projects, will be operating
200 km offshore Australia.3 Prelude is designed to
produce 3.6 MMtpy of LNG from sulfur-free natural gas, along
with LPGs and C5+ condensate.
Fig. 10. FLNG project
regions and incentives.
Fig. 11. Shell Prelude
FLNG 3D model.
The Fischer-Tropsch (FT) conversion process is a technology
for the production of long-chain paraffins from a syngas mainly
composed of H2 and CO. The liquid products from FT
conversion can be processed into high-value liquid fuels, lube
oils and specialty waxes. The syngas feeding the FT conversion
unit can be sourced from any carbon-containing primary feed, such
as solid feeds (coal, coke, biomass, etc.), heavy hydrocarbon
liquid residues from oil refineries or natural gas.
While the conversion of coal to motor fuelsor
coal-to-liquids (CTL) productionwas the focus of original
FT technology developments around 80 years ago, the main
interest is now directed toward gas-to-liquids (GTL)i.e.,
the conversion of abundant natural gas resources to
competitively priced, high-quality liquid products.
Fig. 12 depicts the production process for
Fig. 12. GTL
production process flow diagram.
It is only in the last 15 years that industry attention has
seriously focused on this monetization route. LNG and GTL are
complementary industries. The interest of major oil and gas
companies in GTL is supported by multiple incentives, as listed
GTL has benefited from general developments in gas
processing technology that have been driven, to some extent, by
the LNG sector. Specific GTL developments that have contributed
to the technologys strong position include innovation in
reactor and catalyst designs by Sasol and Shell, and the
development of large air separation units and methane reformers
for syngas production.
Proven commercial technologies for the generation of FT
syngas from natural gas are available from applications in the
fertilizer and refining industries:
The optimum solution must be determined on a case-by-case
basis, but the industrys interest is focused on
autothermal reforming and partial oxidation configurations,
with the potential combined use of gas-heated reformer
GTL technology developments have centered on different
FT reactor concepts (fixed bed, fluidized bed or slurry) and
catalysts (iron or cobalt based). Although several technologies
are at the demonstration-plant stage, only two commercially and
technically proven technologies are in use at large-capacity
Sasol has strong experience in FT from coal gasification in
South Africa, and it operates two GTL plants: the 23,000-bpd
Mossel Bay GTL refinery in South Africa and the
34,000-bpd Oryx GTL plant (Fig. 13). Oryx GTL,
a joint venture with Qatar Petroleum, was the first GTL plant
in Ras Laffan, Qatar. It was commissioned in 2006.2
This plant processes treated gas produced from neighboring gas
plants in Ras Laffan. Meanwhile, Shell technology has been
applied at the 14,700-bpd Bintulu GTL plant in Malaysia and
also at the 140,000-bpd Pearl GTL plant in Ras Laffan, Qatar.
The Pearl GTL facility, which opened in 2011, is the largest in
the world.
Fig. 13. Oryx GTL plant,
The use of natural gas on a large scale appeared relatively
late in the 90-year period since Hydrocarbon Processing was first
With high and rapidly increasing proven gas reserves
worldwide, we anticipate that the natural gas industry will
continue to grow and to diversify into markets where usage is
still developing. Gas will represent a larger share of the
energy mix in fast-growing economies such as India and China, and a significantly
bigger share of the transportation fuel market worldwide,
either as LNG or as synthetic liquid fuel.
The technologies needed to shape this transformation exist
and have been proven on a large scale. New innovations that
drive down costs and increase efficiency, while at the same
time adapting to the challenges of harsh offshore and Arctic environments are
needed. HP
Technip has a longstanding involvement in this gas value
chain and has been a partner in many first-of-a-kind
developments in gas production and processing. Projects include
oil and gas field development; gas treatment; natural gas
liquids recovery; liquefied natural gas production (both in
onshore and offshore locations); gas-to-liquids production; and
applications for ammonia/urea, hydrogen, ethylene and petrochemical derivatives. Technip,
founded in 1958, has a history that follows a period of gas
industry globalization and intense growth to which the company
contributed many landmark projects.
1 Designed and built by Technip
2 Built by Technip
3 Technip, in collaboration with Samsung is
executing the first FLNG project
4 Technip/Wieland enhanced tubes
All comments are subject to editorial review.
All fields are compulsory.
Very good TECHNICAL overview and congrats to authors. We didn't read it to support market assumptions/strategy.
It is difficult to exegragate the significance of this shift and its consequences for the business model of the big gas suppliers.LOL. It is not difficult for you to exegragate the significance of any bubble Mark. Keep in mind that the shale producers have lost massive amounts of money because their cost of production is much higher than the market prices that are attracting the new investments that you are touting. One side or the other has to be wrong. In all probability both will likely prove to be wrong. Not only will US exports be cheap – they could also be plentiful. How the hell can you export product at a price that is lower than the cost of production? Is this some economic model that you are touting?Eight projects with a total export capacity of 120m tonnes a year have been proposed, according to Wood Mackenzie, a consultancy. If all are approved and built, the US could become one of the world's biggest LNG producers.Wells cost $5-$10 million to drill. They are depleted within two years. The EUR is too high and the real recovery rate is insufficient to generate a positive cash flow. That makes this one massive bubble just like tech and hosing were. And once again you tend to ignore the reality.
Sudip Kumar Ganguly
An excellent treatise on Gas processing. It is extremely informative and well compiled, my congratulations to all the authors.regardssudip
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A searchable database of project activity in the global hydrocarbon processing industry
Engineers and designers are highly skilled individuals. Forcing them to enter design changes using tables, forms and spreadsheets is unproductive and uneconomical, and it increases the likelihood of human error—this is the way that most instrumentation software systems currently work. For too long, software vendors have denied engineers and designers the simple practicality of a graphical visual engineering interface with "drag and drop" capability and inbuilt intelligence, ensuring changes are automatically replicated into all the associated data and databases.
Is 2016 the peak for US gasoline demand?
Too soon to tell
July 2016


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Primary sclerosing cholangitis
Other Names for this Disease
- Cholangitis, primary sclerosing
- Sclerosing cholangitis
See Disclaimer regarding information on this site. Some links on this page may take you to organizations outside of the National Institutes of Health.
[1] Early signs and symptoms include extreme tiredness, abdominal pain, and itchiness.[1] As the condition worsens it may cause jaundice, an enlarged spleen, and eventually liver cirrhosis and failure. Other complications may include weight loss, vitamin deficiency, and osteoporosis. Many people with PSC develop other autoimmune conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, or thyroid disease. PSC is also a risk factor for cancer of the bile ducts (cholangiocarcinoma).[1]Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is characterized by inflammation in the bile ducts (cholangitis) that leads to scarring (sclerosis), narrowing of the ducts, and a buildup of bile in the liver.
Last updated: 3/4/2013
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis. Genetics Home Reference. May 2012; http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/primary-sclerosing-cholangitis. Accessed 3/4/2013.
GARD Video TutorialsLearn how to find information on treatment, research, specialists, and more.
Your Questions AnsweredView questions about this condition answered by GARD Information Specialists. You can also submit a new question.
On this page
Basic Information
- Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Primary sclerosing cholangitis. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
- MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
- The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library provides information on this condition for patients and caregivers.
- The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC), part of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), offers information on this condition. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
- The Johns Hopkins Medicine Web site has an information page on primary sclerosing cholangitis. Click on the link above to view the information page.
- The National Cancer Institute provides detailed information on extrahepatic bile duct cancer. Click on the link to view the information page.
In Depth Information
- Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
- The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch's tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
- Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
- PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Primary sclerosing cholangitis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
Other Names for this Disease
- Cholangitis, primary sclerosing
- Sclerosing cholangitis
See Disclaimer regarding information on this site. Some links on this page may take you to organizations outside of the National Institutes of Health.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Fancy Silicon Baby Bib
# MM8701Pk
by Make My Day
Dishwasher safe, soft, stain resistant silicon baby bib.
Wonderfully soft, this bib can be used over and over and still looks great.
Good looking and practical, easy to clean.
* Dishwasher safe.
Good looking and practical, easy to clean.
Just give a quick rinse with soap and water, let air dry, dry with a towel or pop it in the dishwasher.
* Dishwasher safe.
* Molded buttons to adjust around neck.
* Made with food grade silicon rubber.
* Comes in clear plastic case. Perfect for a gift.
* Dimensions: Approximately 8" long x 7.5" wide
© 2016 My Sweet Muffin illustrations by Mariah DeMarco site by Aeolidia


text:
So here is a crazy example that represents a problem I have:
I have a company that makes different applications for a specific type of business. I currently have awesomesoftware.com/coolwidget for each of the apps (actually, there is only 1 for now, but there will soon be more). Awesomesoftware.com and coolwidget is made for the wheeliechair industry, so people searching for wheeliechairs will not search for "awesomesoftware" or "coolwidget". They will search for "wheeliechairs" though, so I also own wheeliechairs.net in hopes that it gives me an edge with google. I also host my client's instances of coolwidget at clientname.wheeliechairs.net. Finally, I have a blog that is not about awesomesoftware, or coolwidget, or even wheeliechairs... but its a blog that is relevant to people who own wheeliechairs businesses that need coolwidget, so the blog is intended to bring leads and links to awesomesoftware so they can sell them coolwidget.
So how should I organize this to get the most SEO?
Currently wheeliechair.net has a 301 redirect to awesomesoftware.com/coolwidget, and the blog is hosted at blog.wheeliechair.net with links to awesomesoftware.com/coolwidget. How would you do it?


text:
Back to Previous Page | Curriculum Home
PTB102: Bus Ent AB (2013-2014)
CURRICULUM PROGRAM: Career and Technical Education
COURSE TITLE: Business Enterprise AB
COURSE LENGTH: 18 weeks
Major Concepts/Content: Business Enterprise introduces students to the world of work-its expectations, demand for skills, flow-of-activity, performance standards and need for interpersonal skills. The first nine weeks concentrate on developing these capabilities; the second nine weeks set up a cooperative business simulation or an actual business in which students apply the skills in different work roles.
Major Instructional Activities: Instructional activities in each of the learning units will combine traditional instruction, individualized learning assignments, electronic learning services, and job experience. In the simulation or the actual business, peer instruction will be utilized by the managers as supervisor and by students training other students in new job assignments.
Major Evaluative Techniques: Students will be required to demonstrate understanding and skills in the learning units through objective and problem-solving tests. In the business simulation or the actual business experience, the students' evaluation will be based on the business enterprise performance.
Course Objectives: Upon completion of the course, students should be able to
- Demonstrate job application skills by producing cover letters, completing job applications, describing interview skills and completing an individualized interview.
- Demonstrate skills generally useful in the world of work.
- Apply effective work habits.
- Make career decisions.
- Demonstrate improved career capabilities.
- Implement career plans.
- Demonstrate positive attitudes and values toward work.


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So, we went crazy again today at the grocery store and bought a whack of discount mushrooms. Last time we did this I made Mushroom and Sundried Pepper Pasta, but thought that mushrooms would also make a good bolognese sauce. Well, as it turns out, they do.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Bolognese Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 2 gloves garlic, chopped
- 1.5 lbs mushrooms, chopped
- 2/3 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup plain soy milk
- 1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
- 3-4 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add in onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook for 10 mins, until veggies are softened.
2. Add in mushrooms and cook for 5-6 mins. Let mushroom release some of their water. Add in wine and cook until wine is almost all reduced. Then add soy milk and cook until mostly reduced.
3. Add tomatoes (if sauce is watery, drain tomatoes before adding) and tomato paste. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and basil. Cook until desired thickness is reached. Stir in nutritional yeast and serve over pasta.
3 comments:
- Anke said...
yay for discounted mushrooms. your bolognese looks just like what kids would looove to eat :-)
- March 10, 2008 at 5:00 PM
- Ricki said...
Just found your blog through Easy Vegan--and what a great resource! This recipe looks fantastic (I'm sure my hubby would love it as it's so "meaty"!). I'm bookmarking this and your site. So happy to have found it!
- March 11, 2008 at 11:54 AM
- Guatemalan Genes said...
I made it last night and it was great and easy. The named intrigued me and when I tasted it I understood it. It taste quite close to what I remember I Bolognesa sauce used to taste (back on my meat eating days).
I will try it for Mother's Day to make Lasagna.
- May 6, 2009 at 12:31 PM
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text:
Well, they did say that sooner or later God (of The Great Flood fame) would come to punish the world for the sins of the gays (marriage in particular), but who knew He would be so damn boring about it? Hours ago, CNN contributor Jeffery Toobin was lightly tapped by a possessed umbrella while proclaiming that "DOMA" may be "in trouble."
Asked to comment, God said he thought about another flood or maybe a couple of plagues but he "didn't want to be that big of a troll." Fair enough.


text:
By Ashley-Michelle Papon The country is still reeling from the attacks in Boston. At present count, three people have died and over 180 have been injured from detonation of the dual bombs that shook the Cradle of Liberty just a few hours into the annual Boston Marathon. The shock hasn't worn off, even as authorities have … [Read more...]
The Boston Attacks Unleash Viral Racism
April 22, 2013 By


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In the past week I've tried switching between several work spaces
If it's open space and someone starts talking loudly you get distracted. There are also people around who may want to talk with you.
There are many people in the house/flat/wherever who feel the need to talk to you.
It's a fine place with no people who need anything from you… until a small baby starts crying. Or until 2 youngsters want to talk loudly about how their holidays were, etc.
I guess this mostly depends on the library rules and the people who come there. The library I go to actually has some rules about keeping the noise below a certain level, but some people just don't respect that.
but I haven't found any place that's a perfect fit, mostly due to noise.
How can I improve my workplace to have less interruptions so that I can concentrate better?


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Bvlgari Man Extreme Cologne
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Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz & Aftershave Balm 2.5 oz & Shower Gel 2.5 oz & Pouch
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Reviews (5)
1 - 5 (of 5 Reviews)
Was looking for an alternative fragrance, because I can't smell mine anymore although other people can. Very nice scent, manly, I might say. I like it a lot! I don't get the constant compliments though as when I wear Versace Signature, but none the less it is a nice change and I will be buying it again.
Written by Pokie on December 17, 2014
This cologne smells great!! It's fresh, clean, light, and performs extremely well in the heat. I get tons of compliments when wearing this from women of ALL ages. This is one you won't smell on everyone. Must buy. Great price on fragrancenet.
Written by Bigbeardbusiness on May 22, 2014
I used to get Bulgari Man, but the extreme is so perfect, everyone ask me what it is. Be careful to try it first on your skin, usually it is good with all type I'm lucky all Bulgari colognes fit my skin
Written by patrick on January 28, 2014
This cologne is a must have wore It to work one day and the ladies went Crazy, So crazy that one lady told me that she would take me home and do me all day long just because of the way I smell. I also had a few guys to stop me to ask me what type of cologne I was wearing.... a must have.
Written by Aldogg. on May 30, 2013
1 - 5 (of 5 Reviews)


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MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) -- A new exhibit at Kansas State University is shedding light on amazing rescues and acts of kindness from the Holocaust.
Consul general Paulina Kapuscincka from the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago was on hand Monday night for the opening of "The Righteous Among the Nations" exhibit at K-State's Hale Library.
The exhibit is a tribute to some of Poland's most courageous citizens who risked their lives and the lives of their families to hide and help Jews during WWII when Poland was occupied by the Germans.
"This is an exhibit representing Polish heroes- those who during the war rescued many, many Jews despite very difficult times, terror and the death penalty," Kapuscincka told WIBW.
"This is very important because it's a matter of education. It happened only 70, 80 years ago and we have to remember what happened at that time in order to prevent anything like that from happening again in the future. Here on this beautiful campus, you have hundreds of students- people who can learn and develop the future approach of how to talk and work together in order to prevent any atrocity like that in the future," she added.
Kapuscincka also recognized Kansas connections to one of the heroes, Irena Sendler. Sendler smuggled thousands of children out of the Warsaw Ghetto and a class project by teacher Norman Conard and three of his students in Uniontown, Kan., captured her story by writing a play about her life. The play has received attention world-wide.
The exhibit will be on display at Hale Library through February 28th. School groups are encouraged to arrange tours through K-State's Libraries' K-12 instruction program.


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Thought I would get a little poll going to see how varied and popular the different styles of football are on FM. So choose from the Poll options above and feel free to add your remarks below.
Attractive & Possession
Direct & Long Ball
All-out Attack
Organised and Structured
Swift Counter-Attacking
Adaptable & Flexible to Opponents
Thought I would get a little poll going to see how varied and popular the different styles of football are on FM. So choose from the Poll options above and feel free to add your remarks below.
Ummm, I think you missed something ..
nope - it takes a moment to set up the poll :P
I picked the second choice..........
I prefer the counter attack. Mainly cause I'm Napoli I guess but I like how we soak up pressure and as soon as we get the ball we have enough pace to disrupt any team.
ahhh now I see it :o
I chose number four, though how would you differentiate between number one and number four as they could be quite similar couldn't they?
Not really - see number 4 as hard to break down defensively and well positioned in midfield
I have two distinct styles against small or normal clubs i play attractive and attacking football using a 4-1-2-2-1. Against larger teams and bigger games I play a rigged 4-1-4-1 which at first is set to counter attack and defend, then if i take the lead I change my style to keep ball
Man Utd - I tend to play counter-attacking football.
FB (Support)
CB (Stopper)
CB (Cover)
FB (Support
APM (Support)
BWM (Defend)
IF (Attack)
IF (Attack)
DLF (Support)
AF (Attack)
I set my team to 'balanced' and 'control' - but I tick the counter-attacking box, and put width and tempo quite high. My logic being that we don't waste possession, but when there's an opening we use pace as our main attacking outlet.
Seems to work.
i think the large number of people playing attractive & possession based styles indicates something of a "barcelona" effect - they are the standard set and as such a lot of people try to emulate them - therefore we see a large number of people employ that style
Organised and Structured is my preferred style in FM.
www.fmbosnia.com - The game starts here
I try to imitate Arsenal as best I can, bar the poor finishing and dependancy on 1 player Possession and attacking
I'm a Counter-Attacker. I never seem to be able to get my team to play well if I aim for possession, but I generally prefer to play with pacey IFs and they work nicely on the break. The best team I ever had for this was in FM10 and featured Zezinho & Salvio - teams just couldn't keep up!
half number 1 half number four. As mentioned earlier I think them two are very similar. Usually stay quite rigid with formation and clearly defined roles for each player. But keep tempo slow and move the ball about, but seen as I cant vote half on each I went for attractive, as even though it is structured it is very attractive football
My style is a combination of Adaptable & Flexible to Opponents and Attractive & Possession.
Punt and hope is my way forward right now.
Hope is good
sounds like stoke lol
i have changed my tactics over the seasons as i have developed the team.
gone from the good old stoke approach (set pieces galore) by having rory delap :P and making most chances from corners and throws. to very nice fluid attacking football
my "home" formation (i say home as that is where it works best although against weaker teams it can work away)
4-2-2-2 very-fluid attacking
FB - automatic
CD - defend
CD - defend
RB - automatic
CM -defend
CM -auto
DLF - attack
P - attack
the automatic function saves me hassle and lets those wingers come forward and defend when they should be. i still have my long throws too as well as big man for heading corners
the away formation 4-1-2-2-1 - very fluid counter
FB - automatic
CD - defend
CD - defend
RB - automatic
DM - support
CM - automatic
CM - defend
LW - attack
RW - support
AF - attack
Last edited by scott MUFC; 06-03-2012 at 12:55.
i didn't put in "rugby" as a style - so Stoke fans may want to ignore this thread
I do usually try and play more football, but i have one of those wonderful injury crisis's you hear so much about and have practically lost any creative player i have, so a wee change to long balls was in order so i can hopefully bypass the 4 kids i have playing midfield for a few weeks, first time i have tried long ball football in FM, not much fun to watch lol
Adaptable & Flexible according to opponents' tactics. I depend alot on my chief scout as I'm very reactive in my formation settings. So i have no set formations per se.
Swift counter
But several of the options are not mutually exclusive
true - a swift counter can be built on a rigid and organised structure
Not everyone wants to copy barcelonaroyaltheatre style of play. maybe its Arsenals style like Carmi88 said.
Depends on the team I manage.
With Udinese in FM11 I won literally everything with a very typical catenaccio+counter attack style.
If I have a better team,I have no problem with trying to dominate the possession.
i must say on that note i have altered style for different sides I manage - with the Ivory Coast I play a disciplined and organised team and try to play on the break


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First of all sorry for the (possible) incorrect english. I don't know english very well.
I'm with a doubt about topology of maps between fibres of vector bundles.
Consider $E$ and $F$ vector bundles and the set of all linear maps from a fibre of $E$ to a fibre of $F$, ie, the set of all linear maps $T:E_x \rightarrow F_y$, where $E_x$ is the fiber over $x$ and $F_y$ is the fiber over $y$.
I want to know a way to define the topology of this set!
I need this topology for this question: Consider $f: E \rightarrow F$, a map that preserves each fiber and its restriction to each fibre, $f_x : E_x \rightarrow F_y$, is differentiable. The differential of $f_x$ calculated in a vector $v \in E_x$ is the linear maps $df_x(v):E_x \rightarrow F_y$. I want to say that $f$ is a $C^1$ map if the function $v \in E \rightarrow df_{\pi(v)} (v)$ is continuous. And for this I need a topology for the set defined above.
Anybody know how to define the topology? What means two of these maps are close to each other
Note that $df_x (v)$ is not necessarily a homomorphism, because this is only defined over the fiber that contains $v$.


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Wade Finch is a disabled Navy veteran who relies on VA benefits for education here at Coastal Carolina Community College, and to support his family.
"It's more than just trying to further our future," Finch said. "It's feeding our families for tomorrow. I've got a wife and two kids I have to provide for."
With the government shutdown several days in and no word on a resolution, he's becoming concerned.
"They want to not figure something out and work together," Finch said. "Now we're the ones that can't pay the bills."
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced that there's enough money to fund claims in compensation, pension, education and vocational rehabilitation through the end of this month. But the payments could stop if Congress's doors are closed for much longer.
"Without these benefits, myself and countless other veterans wouldn't be able to go get their education, wouldn't be able to find better jobs to support their family," said Dougles Lawson, a disabled Marine and Army veteran.
Lawson hopes to get his Master's degree to pursue radiology. If the payments stop, Finch says that means job searching -- something he says could be an impossible task for many veterans.
"Not all of us came back with everything attached, or having the mental ability to process things properly," Finch said. "There's a lot of folks out there that can't go put an application in somewhere."
For more information on what services are and aren't affected by the shutdown, visit http://www.va.gov/.
Veterans react to government shutdown effects on compensation, education
Wade Finch is a disabled Navy veteran who relies on VA benefits for education here at Coastal Carolina Community College, and to support his family.
Copyright 2013 by WCTI12. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Celebs who have had mastectomies
Published On: May 14 2013 08:11:34 AM CDT Updated On: May 14 2013 11:11:02 AM CDT
Angelina Jolie shocked many with news of her double mastectomy. But she's not the only celebrity who's undergone such procedures.
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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) - A former South Texas high school teacher has been sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison for having child pornography at his home.
Prosecutors in Corpus Christi say 41-year-old Jesus Orta was sentenced Tuesday. Orta, who was an English as a second language teacher, pleaded guilty in November to possession of child pornography.
Orta was arrested after a September disturbance in which he claimed a relative was trespassing. Orta initially refused to let officers search his home and was later seen discarding child porn-related items in a public trash bin. An eventual search of his apartment turned up pornography-related items on a computer.
Orta was suspended from teaching at Corpus Christi Carroll High School following his arrest. He also helped at a shelter for runaway youths.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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October 19, 2010
Chaos and Classicism: Art in France, Italy, and Germany, 1918–1936, an exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum guest curated by New York University Art History Professor Kenneth Silver, is the first exhibition in the United States to explore the classicizing aesthetic that followed the immense destruction of World War I.
The exhibition (through January 9, 2011) examines the interwar period in its key artistic manifestations: the poetic dream of antiquity in the Parisian avant-garde of Fernand Léger and Pablo Picasso; the politicized revival of the Roman Empire under Benito Mussolini by artists such as Giorgio de Chirico and Mario Sironi; and the functionalist utopianism at the Bauhaus as well as the chilling aesthetics of nascent Nazi society. This presentation of the transformation in French, Italian, and German contemporary culture encompasses painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, film, fashion, and the decorative arts.
The New York Times calls the exhibition "engrossing" and "a survey-style piece of investigative history with a bomb ticking away inside."
Silver will discuss the exhibition as part of a roundtable discussion hosted by NYU's La Maison Française on Thursday, December 2, 7 p.m. (16 Washington Mews at University Place). Discussants include: Molly Nolan, a professor in NYU's Department of History; Ara Merjian, an assistant professor in NYU's Department of Art History; and Francine Goldenhar, director, Maison Française (moderator). For further information about this event, which is free and open to the public, call 212.998.8750 or visit www.nyu.edu/maisonfrancaise.
Other contributors to the exhibition include: Helen Hsu, curatorial assistant, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; Vivien Greene, curator of 19th- and early-20th-century art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; and Karole Vail, assistant curator, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
Silver is the recipient of the Prix du Livre, Beaux Arts, Paris as well as grants and awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Getty Research Institute, and the ACLS. He is adjunct curator at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT, and was recently awarded the rank of chevalier, or knight, in France's Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his contributions to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world.
This Press Release is in the following Topics:
Arts and Science, Research, Around the Square, Events, Faculty, Events and Traditions
Type: Press Release
Press Contact: James Devitt | (212) 998-6808


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For any matrices $A$,$B$ in $SL(2,\mathbb{C})$, let $M(A,B)$ be the 4 by 4 matrix whose columns are matrices $I$,$A$,$B$,$AB$. Then it is not hard to verify that $det M(A,B)= 2- tr[A,B]$. Is there an analogous identity for matrices in $SL(3,\mathbb{C})$? I suppose if there is one, then $M(A,B)$ would be $9$ by $9$ matrix whose columns are matrices $I$,$A$,$A^{2}$,$B$,$AB$,$A^{2}B$, $B^{2}$, $AB^{2}$, $A^{2}B^{2}$.
Given $X_1,\dots,X_{n^2} \in M_n(\mathbb{C})$, one can form the $n^2 \times n^2$ matrix whose $i$th column is the entries of $X_i$ in some fixed order. The determinant of this matrix (defined up to sign) is called the discriminant of $X_i, \dots , X_{n^2}$ and is denoted $\mathcal{D}(X_i)$. It is a matrix invariant, which means that $\mathcal{D}(X_i) = \mathcal{D}(UX_iU^{-1})$ for any $U \in GL(n ,\mathbb{C})$. The first fundamental theorem of matrix invariants says that any matrix invariant can be expressed in terms of traces. The expression is not unique, since there are "trace identities" which are identically zero on $M_n(\mathbb{C})$. An explicit formula for $\mathcal{D}$ in terms of traces is given on p.46 of my book "The Polynomial Identities and Invariants of $n\times n$ Matrices".
It happens that for $2 \times 2$ matrices, $\mathcal{D}(I,A,B,AB)I = \pm(AB - BA)^2$. In other words, $\mathcal{D}(I,A,B,AB)$ is the value of a central polynomial for $2 \times 2$ matrices. As far as I know, it is not known if $\mathcal{D}(A^iB^j \mid 0 \leq i,j \leq n-1)$ is the value of a central polynomial for $n \geq 3$.


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Rights at odds with safety, common good
On Friday morning, Dec. 14, my wife called from her Newtown High School classroom to assure me she was safe despite the massacre of unimaginable horror at nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School. Such tragedies have become too frequent in our society. What can be done?
When I was a priest, I first preached about the need to pass sensible gun laws in the wake of what was then this country's largest single mass killing. In 1984, James Oliver Huberty went to a McDonald's restaurant in San Ysidro, Calif., with an Uzi assault rifle and several other weapons. He killed 21 people and wounded 19 before a police officer killed him. The dead included five who were 11 or younger, including an 8-month-old baby. The restaurant was replaced by a memorial park, but the tragedy that once shocked America is long forgotten. The real tragedy is that the senseless mass murders that have happened too many times since then will happen again.
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- Some advice for the college bound
- Rights at odds with safety, common good
- A troubling high court pick
- Newtown coverage: scoring the media


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Hi everyone! I'm a russian cosplayer, cosplaying since 2002 I hope you like my works ^^ Enjoy! http://www.facebook.com/RRartgroup http://www.youtube.com/user/RRartgroup http://ryoko-demon.deviantart.com/ http://www.cosplay.com/member/69011/ http://www.youtube.com/user/RyokoRR http://instagram.com/ryoko_demon You can support our works on PATREON https://www.patreon.com/RRartgroup
Website: http://www.mandyscosplay.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandyscosplaypage ACP Profile: http://www.acparadise.com/loves/mandymitchell
Hi, I'm HezaChan. I am a cosplayer and an artist. I hope to meet fellow cosplayers around the world. こんにちわ、ヘザちゃんです。私はコスプレイヤーでアーティストです。世界中のコスプレイヤー仲間と出会えたらいいなって思っています。 http://www.hezachan.com
Hey guys :D I am a cosplaying nerd that loves to meet people. You can find my Website here: http://www.cupcakecosplay.com and on ACP: http://www.acparadise.com/loves/starlighthoney Feel free to check out my pages or just message me to say hi ^_^
Hello folks! Welcome to my page ♥ I'm Mari, cosplayer since 2003. All my costumes are made/stylished by me, including accessories, weapons and wigs. I'm hostess of "Animecon", one of the biggest conventions in my country. I work at this company's conventions in many places of Brazil. If you wanna know more about me, feel free to follow my twitter @MariRainha
Been cosplaying since 2003 and still going! <3 I'm just a nerdy chick who loves nerdy things. I also play too much World of Warcraft D: My ACP: http://www.acparadise.com/acp/display.php?a=13940 Website: http://www.pixiekitty.net/catsiy My Deivantart: http://interstella5.deviantart.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Catsiy15
Hello my Name is Christa and I have been costuming since 2002. I have a lot of fun and hope to see lots of beautiful costumes on this site <3
hey everyone! I'm a cosplayer,model and costume designer from Hungary since 2009. ^.^ You can find me on...: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EnjiCosplay DeviantArt: http://enjinight.deviantart.com/
Hairdresser and nerd. Yay! My name's Chloe and currently a 22 year old weirdo. Been cosplaying since 2005 and completely addicted ever since. Contrary to popular belief I don't bite and love meeting new people, especially from all over the world! DeviantArt: http://the-sushi-monster.deviantart.com
2007年12月29日にコスデビュー☆ コス歴6年、オタク歴30年以上v 現在までにコスプレした作品(全24作品) ONEPIECE /BLEACH /REBORN! /D.Gray-man /テガミバチ /DOGS /ZONE-00 /VOCALOID /FINALFANTASYⅦ-AC- /マクロスF /コードギアスR2 /薄桜鬼 /Lamento /The CHiRAL Night /ラッキードッグ1 /K /BLAZBLUE /鬼灯の冷徹 /カードファイト!!ヴァンガード etc... ■関連サイト Cure: http://ja.curecos.com/profile/?ch=72203 Archive: http://www.cosp.jp/prof.aspx?id=8491 Twitter: https://twitter.com/knm0q0 NicoNico: http://com.nicovideo.jp/community/co1526471 新浪微博Weibo: http://www.weibo.com/kanamejp
Hi! I'm Yuki, I'm a brazilian cosplayer and I've been cosplaying for over 10 years. Brazilian representative of the WCS 2007, contestant and judge in several cosplay contests in my country and around the world. :) I love making my own costumes, photoshoots and makeup!


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I'm using the fb_graph gem in a Rails 3.1 app. I'd like for users to be able to post links to their Facebook wall from my site. Here's my code that posts the link:
me = FbGraph::User.me fb_token
:message => message,
:link => link_url,
:name => link_name,
:description => link_description
At first glance, this works great. The link is posted to the user's wall and the user's message and the link description appear perfectly.
The problem is that only links back to my site work. If a user clicks a link on their facebook wall that happens to go to another site, then they see a facebook error that says:
An error occurred with my-app-name. Please try again later.
During authentication, I'm requesting publish_actions and publish_stream. Is there another permission that I'm missing? Or could the problem be that my FB app is not setup propertly or I'm not posting the link in the correct way? Any assistance is greatly appreciated!


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All Rise...
The Charge
"Of course this film is fantasy. Of course it's a complete fabrication. But within the context of that fabricated reality, I feel like I didn't lie to the kids."—Hayao Miyazaki
Opening Statement
Chihiro Ogino whines, mopes, and complains. In other words, she is a typical 10 year old girl. She shares none of the enthusiasm of her parents as they travel to their new home. She just wants everyone to shut up and go away.
The last thing she wants is for her parents to take a wrong turn. But there they are, at that strange tunnel, and that train station that leads out into the field. Is this an abandoned amusement park? And then there are those empty restaurants, with mounds of piping hot food. Mom and Dad should not be eating that—and they certainly should not be turning into pigs. And where are all those ghosts coming from?
What's a girl to do?
The Evidence
What is Spirited Away, or as it is known by its full title, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, or "Sen and Chihiro are Spirited Away?" It might be enough to say that it is the most successful film in Japanese history. Or that it won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, among a host of other awards. Or that it is the story of one girl who becomes another girl entirely, growing from sullen and spoiled to capable and confident, thanks to a strange, sometimes terrifying journey to another world.
The other world is inhabited by gods and monsters, Alice in Wonderland with a Shinto bent. With Chihiro's parents transformed into pigs, the frightened girl must acclimate herself to the rules of this new world—and its unusual power structure. Led by her mysterious new friend Haku, she must go to work in the local bathhouse for the witch Yubaba, signing away her name in exchange for a job. Now called Sen, she must figure out a way to rescue her parents before she forgets her identity and becomes trapped forever in the spirit world.
But that simple plot synopsis cannot convey the extraordinary texture of Hayao Miyazaki's latest, and perhaps most sophisticated, masterpiece. This is a film in which every scene enfolds a wealth of detail, both visual and thematic. The world of the bathhouse is full of visual splendor. From its realistically rich backgrounds to its infinite supply of unusual supporting characters, the film is full of surprises, a bravura display of sheer invention. Miyazaki displays a casual confidence here, the sure hand of an artist who trusts his audience. The film is filled to overflowing with strange and wondrous images, but they all feel organic to that world, never thrown on screen simply for their own sake. There is an internal logic to the spirit world, and for all its wonders, it seems materially grounded. Workers in the bathhouse beg for tips; the trains require expensive tickets; everything has rules and regulations that must be obeyed, even above the miracles of magic. Everything fits; everything has purpose and meaning.
Spirited Away is not merely animated eye candy. All the allegorical names—bathhouse matron Yubaba ("Old Bath Woman"), the boiler man Kamaji ("Old Boiler Man"), Yubaba's sister Zeniba ("Old Money Woman")—suggest that we are to look beyond the surface of Spirited Away, that Chihiro's journey is not just the journey of a fairly realistic 10 year old thrust into a magical realm and forced to cope with its almost mundane details. There are so many possibilities…
Of course, the first and most conspicuous reading one might make of Miyazaki's film is, as Miyazaki himself suggests, that it is about a girl who "gets trained, learns about friendship and devotion, and survives by using her wisdom." In other words, a coming of age story. On this level, certain details of the film become suddenly clear. And consider this a warning right now: our analysis will require a few spoilers, none of which will minimize your pleasure in this film. Why must Chihiro hold her breath when crossing the bridge to the bathhouse? Why must she get an odd sort of "cootie shot" when she crushes the strange worm that plagues her friend Haku? These are all things that happen in a child's world. Chihiro's quest to win back her name is about finding herself, her true identity. It is about finding the potential she has so far squandered as a typical, indifferent child. Parallel to her quest, Yubaba's enormous baby (whose name "Boh" simply means "Baby," of course) must learn to leave his comfortable nest and brave the sicknesses of the outside world, to learn to walk on his own.
Chihiro might also represent Japan itself, or more precisely, the modern, cynical Japan that has come to ignore its traditions. The bathhouse, as a gathering place for gods, satirizes the commercialization of Japanese traditions. All the spirits of the past visit in order to be worshipped, but only as a customer is worshipped based on how much cash he has. But like the battle between the ancient and modern in Miyazaki's previous film, Princess Mononoke, there is no call here to reject the modern entirely for the traditional. Those who succeed in the world of Spirited Away have learned to strike a balance.
Where the balance has failed, nature becomes corrupted. Consider Chihiro's (now Sen's) encounter with the "Stink God," who oozes into the bathhouse for her first challenge from Yubaba. Sen's conscientious customer service saves the day, revealing the big stinker (so rank he can even rot food) as a polluted river god. This foreshadows a major revelation later in the film concerning Chihiro's relationship with Haku. In all cases, nature, or embodied nature spirits in the case of the bathhouse's function as a tourist trap, may be threatened with exploitation. After all, somebody had to plow under all that land to make those now-bankrupt theme parks Chihiro's father talked about.
Indeed, the collapse of those utopian playgrounds suggests yet another theme (and they are clearly piling up by the moment): the illusion of Japan's post-war economic miracle. The first thing we notice in approaching the tunnel that leads to the spirit world is that it seems to be made of plaster. Abandoned buildings sit surrounded by unkempt grass: is this an amusement park gone to seed? Chihiro's father thinks so, remarking that many theme parks were built in the 1990s in Japan, only to fall into bankruptcy. Later, as day turns to night, a garish ferryboat brings the tourists to the bathhouse, suggesting that the bathhouse is a tourist trap for gods.
The most conspicuous figure in this reading is No Face, the embodiment of Japan's burst economic bubble. He is pure consumption, eating everything in sight (like Chihiro's own piggish parents) and offering gold by the ton. Of course, everyone in the bathhouse grovels at his feet, except Chihiro, who is too busy trying to help her friends to be seduced by No Face's supposed generosity. And of course, No Face quickly turns into a dangerous monster, and his gold turns worthless. It is curious that at the same time No Face is dispensing his illusory largess to the crowd, Haku (transformed into a dragon, the very embodiment of Asian power) is being attacked by pieces of blank paper, signs of empty credit.
And where does Chihiro fit into this? Upon her arrival at the bathhouse, Chihiro must demand her right to work for Yubaba, and Yubaba is bound, by some mysterious economic magic that overrides her own formidable powers, to oblige. Chihiro's name (which means "a thousand fathoms," suggesting her potential depth and fitting nicely with her consistent connection to water in the film) is transformed into Sen, or "a thousand," suggesting her immersion in the faceless masses of workers, like the shadow commuters on the train late in the film (watch the shadow girl on the train platform, perhaps another Chihiro that did not make it out). In this sense, Chihiro's altruism, her willingness to help others, is disruptive to the system. Consider the scene when Chihiro helps Kamaji's soot sprites with their burden of coal. Although Kamaji demands that she "finish what you started," he also berates her for disrupting the sprites' work, making them all demand her help (and doing nothing themselves). Of course, while altruism upsets the traditional economic stability of the bathhouse, it also pays off positively in unexpected ways: Kamaji helps Chihiro get a job upstairs in the bathhouse by claiming she is his granddaughter. This is the first of several instances in the film where business relationships transmute into family relationships, a closer and more preferable ethical connection.
I have seen it suggested by at least one other critic that Chihiro might also represent the exploitation of women, perhaps prostitution itself. She does, after all, work in a bathhouse servicing odious customers and has her name stolen by the local "madam." Of course, the development of female power and responsibility is a common theme in Miyazaki's work (Kiki's Delivery Service) as well as satirical jabs at male authority (Porco Rosso). Note how Chihiro's father is the one who charges ahead through the tunnel and into danger. Consider here that Chihiro's two models of female power, Yubaba and Zeniba, may suggest a somewhat conservative approach on Miyazaki's part, as Yubaba's attempts to juggle executive authority (running the bathhouse) and motherhood (Boh) have turned her into a fire-breathing fiend who is jealous of the simple life of her sister (hence her attempt to steal Zeniba's identity by stealing her chop, or seal).
The stolen chop (the seal or signature that marks Zeniba's identity) leads us into the theme of the stolen name. Naming has always been a means of power in every society, and Miyazaki develops its importance throughout the film. Yubaba and Zeniba are twin sisters, two halves of a whole according to Zeniba. Boh switches places with the bobbing Kashira heads (whose name literally means, you guessed it, "head"). No Face has no clear identity, half spectral and eager to please whomever treats him kindly. And, of course, there is the central conflict of the story: Chihiro's transformation into Sen and her struggle to remember her name.
Well, that looks like a good start. Certainly, there are many other possibilities here. And Spirited Away is without a doubt a beautiful and thoroughly watchable film without considering any metaphors at all. Chihiro is realistic enough—just watch how she squirms down the outdoor stairs to get to Kamaji's boiler room—to anchor this world in spite of its weirdness. Watch the faces of the characters as the "Stink God" enters the building. Miyazaki has given his world a visceral quality that takes on the substance of a live-action film, while always keeping in balance that universality that good animation has, that ability for an audience anywhere to identify with the experiences of the characters. Spirited Away works so well because, examined through any facet, it still shines.
In order to present Miyazaki's film to American audiences, Disney decided to make an even more thorough effort than with his last picture, Princess Mononoke (which featured an English script by Neil Gaiman). So they handed the project over to Pixar's John Lasseter, a longtime friend and fan of Miyazaki. He hired a strong voice cast and put veteran animation director Kirk Wise (Beauty and the Beast and Atlantis, which showed a marked Miyazaki influence) in charge of preparing them. The English dub, with Daveigh Chase as Chihiro, Jason Marsden as Haku, and Suzanne Pleshette as Yubaba and Zeniba, is quite successful. The English script sticks pretty close to the original (although it plays up the budding romance between Chihiro and Haku a little too much, considering her age) and is mostly free of the sometimes overdone exposition that filled in the silences during Disney's version of Castle in the Sky. Fortunately, Disney offers both the English and Japanese soundtracks in 5.1 Surround. Because the film is so new and was produced digitally, the anamorphic print is flawless.
Like all of Disney's new Miyazaki DVD releases, Spirited Away comes packaged on a double disc set. Unlike Kiki's Delivery Service and Spirited Away though, the extras here do not seem so superfluous.
Well, except for John Lasseter's one-minute introduction to the film, which does not say much other than to tell kids how lucky they are to watch the movie. I know Lasseter is a huge fan, but this is unnecessary gushing. The behind-the-scenes featurette on Disc One, called "The Art of Spirited Away," is surprisingly substantive however, offering tantalizing clues to first time viewers on how to interpret the film, along with appearances by Lasseter, the voice cast, and Hayao Miyazaki himself. The program even includes a long and candid discussion of the translation process, acknowledging some of the cultural hurdles Don and Cindy Hewitt (the American screenwriters) faced working on the project.
Like the packaging, the featurette was produced before Spirited Away deservedly won its Oscar. How ironic that Disney, the king of marketing, did not get an opportunity to exploit that selling point. Of course, the featurette also does not mention how Disney shafted this film at the box office, releasing it to only 150 theaters (I had to drive 70 miles to see it) and criminally underpromoting it. Disc One also features an Easter egg: a brief interview with Miyazaki and Lasseter at the North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.
Disc Two begins with a six-minute featurette on the American dubbing sessions, as the cast chats about the difficulties in performing within the limitations of the existing film. This is more detailed than the similar featurettes on the other Miyazaki discs, plus you get to hear David Ogden Stiers say "booger." The difficulties the American cast faced in postsynching the film are amusingly similar to the postsynch recording sessions shown on the 42-minute Nippon Television special on the making of Spirited Away. Miyazaki talks about the real life inspiration behind Chihiro (a friend's daughter whom Miyazaki found "a typically indifferent and unsociable child") and other characters and situations in the film. We see the Studio Ghibli crew laboring under time constraints (the film's production was terribly rushed—although that is never evident from the finished product) and technical hurdles. No Disney studio footage ever showed Walt telling his animators to "get the lead out." Or showed him cooking for his exhausted staff. This documentary, in Japanese with subtitles, follows the film from design to animation to sound recording and music (both Joe Hisaishi's orchestral score and the ethereal Yumi Kimura song that closes the picture) in great detail.
We also get a single storyboard-to-scene comparison (use your angle button to switch) for the opening 10 minutes of the film. More would be welcome here, particularly since the other Miyazaki films released by Disney at the same time contained complete storyboards. Disney also throws in 30 (!) minutes of Japanese trailers for the film. They may get a little redundant, but they should give you some idea of the enormous media blitz that accompanies a Studio Ghibli film in Japan.
Given the huge success of this film in Japan and elsewhere in the world, where it made over $200 million before even entering the United States, can you imagine the lines that are going to form next year for Howl's Moving Castle? With each new film, Miyazaki threatens to retire out of sheer exhaustion, but he has far too much talent to keep to himself. Hayao Miyazaki is an international treasure.
Closing Statement
Spirited Away is not just the best animated film of 2002, it is the best film of 2002, period. And perhaps one of the most artistically satisfying animated films ever made, in terms of both its visual splendor and thematic depth. It will amaze kids with its cornucopia of surprises—and the fact that it never talks down to them and gives them a role model more realistic than any live-action Disney Channel show. It will give adults plenty to talk about—artistically, politically, and philosophically—for years to come. When Uncle Walt built Disneyland, he wanted a place where children and adults could play together, for, as Miyazaki says, "the people who used to be ten years old and the people who are going to be ten years old." The world of Spirited Away is one of those places, a Disneyland on screen, a palace of wonders.
The Verdict
Sen's contract is rendered voided by this court, and her name is hereby returned to her. All others in thrall to Yubaba are released. Hayao Miyazaki, the Studio Ghibli crew, and John Lasseter's American production team are rewarded with a vacation to the best bathhouse in both worlds. Case dismissed.
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Belargo designer Freida Rothman cites two major sources of inspiration for her exquisite jewelry designs: the stylish women she encounters on the streets of New York City; and her father, who worked in New York's jewelry business for more than 35 years. Belargo caters to upscale, modern women, with richly textured jewelry that features gemstones and cubic zirconia hand-set in sterling silver, rhodium, 14-karat gold vermeil, or rose gold. Each Belago collection reflects the style and attitude of a particular New York City neighborhood or landmark: The Soho features trendy, edgy earrings and bracelets, stackable ring sets, and bangles that work perfectly with a chunky black sweater, while the Carnegie Collection's understated Crown Drop station necklace or Madison Collection's chic Opera drop earrings put the finishing touch on a crepe cocktail dress or classic suit.
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Don't be a victim of financial aid fraud perpetrated by unauthorized organizations or individuals.
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Annie Thompson
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Annie Thompson, a voice and text coach, earned her B.Ed from the University of Leicester (England) and her M.F.A. in directing from Brandeis University. Thompson also studied dance and mime in London, Alexander Technique® in Boston and functional voice pedagogy with Eugene Rabine from Germany. Thompson continues to develop her skills in the field of voice and speech through studies with Patsy Rodendurg, Catherine Fitzmaurice, Dudley Knight and Louis Colaianni, and also in the field of body and breath with teachers of Iyengar Yoga.
Thompson performed with repertory theaters in England and street theater projects in Northern Ireland. She has taught in venues such as Brandeis University and Walnut Hill School, and she has been a long time member of The Boston Conservatory faculty, where she currently coordinates the voice and speech program and teaches voice, speech and Shakespeare text. Thompson has, and continues to be, a vocal coach for shows at The Boston Conservatory and other schools and theaters in the Boston Area.
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GoingOutGuide Movies
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Nearly wordless show of emotion
By Ann Hornaday
Friday, November 2, 2012
If the terrifyingly realistic crash landing in "Flight" makes you squeamish just thinking about it but you're in the mood for a movie about travel, check out "The Loneliest Planet," a mesmerizing drama about a footloose couple that, while not spectacular on the surface, manages to plumb some shattering truths about men, women, intimacy and power.
We meet Nica and Alex (Hani Furstenberg and Gael Garcia Bernal) as they are backpacking through the former Soviet republic of Georgia, a young, attractive, intrepid couple as besotted and at ease with global exploration as they are with each other. They engage the services of a guide named Dato (Bidzina Gujabidze), who takes them on a days-long trek through the Caucasus, leading them through its magnificent, forbidding landscape in near-total silence.
That just about sums up "The Loneliest Planet," which writer-director Julia Loktev filmed in long, unbroken takes, allowing viewers to enter the rhythms, eyelines and small private exchanges of Nica and Alex's journey, sharing their awe at the strange, moon-like landscape or practicing Spanish conjunctions. Loktev so shrewdly evokes the trance-like state of forward motion and contemplation that, when a pivotal episode interrupts the peaceful mood, it arrives like a jolt from another universe.
"The Loneliest Planet" stays on the same path, but the psychological tectonics have radically shifted, an emotional rearrangement that the filmmaker and cast evoke through a nuanced but eloquent mix of physical space, facial expression, tiny gestures and interpersonal exchanges that are all the more pointed for being nearly wordless.
Like the films of Kelly Reichardt, most recently "Meek's Cutoff," Loktev's "Loneliest Planet" exemplifies what has been called the "slow film movement," an approach to cinema that favors long, closely observed sequences of human behavior at its most naturalistic, dispensing with mannerisms and dialogue-heavy exposition to capture characters simply being in the world. This looks much easier than it is; in fact, "The Loneliest Planet" unfolds with such seeming spontaneity that it often feels less like a fictional drama than a hybrid form of documentary. We don't need to know the back story of Nica and Alex to recognize them instantly as the kind of fearless, optimistic young people who need only a water bottle and a valid passport to stride boldly and happily into any situation. For his part, Dato could be any native of a country where Westernization and its mores invite as much skepticism as fascination.
And we don't need flowery speeches to understand the myriad, confounding contradictions that ensue after the moment that so drastically alters the tenor of their idyll.
"The Loneliest Planet" contains images of striking beauty, scenes of riveting intensity and alert, unforced performances. But it also tells a difficult, even subversive truth, not by hitting it on the head, but by approaching it quietly, from a poetically oblique angle.


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An arrest has made in a murder case in Caswell and Pittsylvania Counties.
Rick Pulley has been arrested for the first degree murder of his wife Patty Jo Pulley.
The 37-year-old disappeared in May of 1999 when she left her home to go shopping in Danville.
Her remains were found near a bridge in Caswell County December 18th.
Investigators have not said what led them to Pulley, who once served as an Associate Pastor in Danville.
He's being extratitided to Caswell County.


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SPOTLIGHT ON:(Back to Menu)
Former Pro Basketball Player Brandon D. Williams '13 Brings J.D. Skills to League Office Position
To become a National Basketball Association (NBA) player was for Brandon D. Williams a childhood dream that he pursued through seven countries, the minor leagues, and three NBA teams. "And though I never dared wish for it," he said, "basketball manna blanketed me one season, as I enjoyed a championship run with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999."
In addition to the NBA experience with the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and San Antonio Spurs, Williams followed his profession to the Philippines, France, Greece, Germany, Italy, and Israel. "No matter what I had previously seen, learned, or even mastered, there was always a new playbook, another culture, a new language. It was incredible and I never reached a point of learning saturation. I was constantly reminded that at every turn, there is endless opportunity for us to raise our intellectual ceiling."
As is the case with many professional athletes, Williams' playing career ended sooner than he expected. But Williams had prepared for the day when he would no longer play the game for a living and, upon retiring in 2005, joined the NBA as director of community and player programs.
He brought to the corporate position the solid educational foundation he had acquired at Philips Exeter Academy and Davidson College; political acumen gained in his year as a White House intern; lessons in successful leadership absorbed from teachers, mentors, coaches and managers; fulfillment experienced through community service as well as academic and athletic success; business skills learned working on entrepreneurial ventures in the basketball off-season; and a deep interest in developing creative programs to advance the professional, social and personal growth of NBA players.
|Brandon D. Williams at his May 2013 graduation with wife, Yolanda, nine-year-old daughter, Bailey, and 21-month-old son, Remington.
"Whether through the creation of the Corporate Crossover, an internship-type experience specific to our athletes, or the Legend's Circle, a program that sets up mentoring relationships between NBA superstars and up-and-coming stars, I had a passion for addressing the underlying challenges that affected both franchise and league success." As the player development role brought Williams into closer contact with team owners and general managers, he began to consider the greater impact he could have in the business if he combined his knowledge of the game, participants, and team environment with a comparable expertise and familiarity with the law.
An even more influential factor in his decision to go to law school was the NBA executive team. As Williams explained: "Our commissioner and senior management are attorneys with profound and extensive experiences that began at major firms and eventually as in-house counsel. Without question, I was impressed and inspired by each of them. I became increasingly familiar with their shared skill to cut to the core of very difficult and complex issues, command facts, guide analysis, and reach a conclusion in order to provide direction. I began to learn that the business of basketball was a complex system of interconnected environments, whether basketball operations, events and attractions, community and player programs, communications and PR, security, or myriad international concerns. And the one discipline underpinning every component was legal."
Before he could enroll in law school, Williams had to allay his NBA bosses' concerns about handling the challenges of law school along with a demanding job as associate vice president, basketball operations, and family responsibilities. He convinced senior leadership that combining proven skills in communicating matters of game play with the ability to contribute to the adjudication of disciplinary matters and counsel as to cultural change initiatives would be mutually beneficial and won their support.
Williams selected Rutgers School of Law–Newark "because of what I felt was an institutional commitment to the advancement of the public interest, empowerment within the urban community, diversity in the student body, as well as the curriculum." Also important to his decision were the Minority Student Program, which he recognized as "a great transitional help, as I had been away from academia for over 13 years," and the Clinical Program. "I was excited by the idea that I could get hands-on experience, learning to function as a lawyer, particularly because my full-time employment would preclude me from taking advantage of summer associateship opportunities."
|Williams with the Golden State Warriors.
A semester in the Community Law Clinic (now known as the Community and Transactional Lawyering Clinic) proved to be one of Williams's favorite Rutgers–Newark Law experiences. Much of his clinic work involved nonprofit ventures, real estate matters, and businesses in need of structuring advice. "I came to Rutgers thinking that I would be most intrigued by Employment and Labor Law, as I had done significant research on collective bargaining agreements (CBAs)," Williams explained, "particularly the NBA's CBA history. At work, we were preparing for a work stoppage as the negotiations surrounding our CBA were imminent. So, it was logical that I would get more intimately familiar with the laws and precedent. However, I found that the skills learned in Business Associations, Real Estate Transactions and Hedge Fund Seminar came together in the clinic in a tangible way. And I got the satisfaction of having helped real clients move closer to realizing their professional dreams."
|"The competitor in me has always wanted to test my limits, pushing to better my best. Earning a J.D. from Rutgers affirmed a mantra of mine, that there is a significant difference between struggle and sacrifice. Sacrifice is a conscious decision to do without something for a future benefit or gain. This past three-and-one-half-year period of sacrifice was my family's investment in our future."
To succeed in law school, Williams relied on a "laser-like focus for whatever was before me at that moment. Whether, Torts, Respect for the Game monitoring, or preparing my first-grader for a spelling test, I could not afford to be distracted as there was no time for a 'do-over.'" When Williams started as a 1L, he and his wife had one child who was five years old and beginning kindergarten. By graduation, his daughter was turning nine, entering the fourth grade, and had been joined by a brother who is now almost two. Over the course of his time at Rutgers, Williams was promoted twice by the NBA and took on substantial new duties, requiring more travel and direct management of a staff of 30 mobile employees. In the end, not unlike many of his classmates who balanced jobs, families, and school, he was tired but had enjoyed the challenge.
"The competitor in me has always wanted to test my limits, pushing to better my best. Earning a J.D. from Rutgers affirmed a mantra of mine, that there is a significant difference between struggle and sacrifice. Sacrifice is a conscious decision to do without something for a future benefit or gain. This past three-and-one-half-year period of sacrifice was my family's investment in our future."
Since the age of nine, Brandon Williams has known that his true passion is the world of sports. Therefore, contemplating next steps, he sees two logical career paths: NBA general manager or a college or university athletic director.
"As Dean Rothman shared with me early in my Rutgers education, law students are preparing to provide sound and well-reasoned advice and direction. Whether reporting to a university president and board of trustees or a commissioner, owner and board of governors, within five years I hope to be leading a people-centered championship work culture that exemplifies and represents an unyielding competitive spirit. The challenge," he offered, "will be to do so while upholding the core principles of teamwork – Trust, Commitment, and Care." His ultimate vision? "To be in a position to promote values that set a new standard of accessibility with fans, marketing partners, and community constituents, while providing an enthralling brand of basketball."