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Here is a sampling of a conference session. Check back every day for more updates!
Penetrating Classroom Walls...Micro-Businesses that Engage the College and Community
Presenter: John Fitzpatrick, Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship, Northwestern Michigan College, MichiganAdditional Presenters:Conference Track: Create or Expand Internal & External Teams Dedicated to EntrepreneurshipFormat: Case StudyAudience Level: AdvancedLevel of Interaction: Highly Interactive
Many of us wear dual hats: we are educators and entrepreneurs. But do we provide our student entrepreneurs with full access to our locally available entrepreneurial resources? In this interactive workshop, participants will work together to find creative approaches that leverage available assets – including mentors, entrepreneurial networks, interdisciplinary campus partners, and college administrators – to take back to campus and implement.
Learning Objective 1: Develop mentor recruitment strategy
Learning Objective 2: Select helpful internal academic resources
Learning Objective 3: Identify and resolve critical administrative issues
No Time for Slowing Down: Working with Encore Entrepreneurs
Presenter: Jackie Babicky-Peterson, Strategic Advisor, Portland Community College- SBDC, OregonAdditional Presenters:Conference Track: Create or Expand Internal & External Teams Dedicated to EntrepreneurshipFormat: LectureAudience Level: IntermediateLevel of Interaction: Somewhat Interactive
Adults ages 50+ – dubbed by the SBA and AARP as "encore entrepreneurs" – were named the fastest growing segment of enterprise creation by Fast Company. Learn how the Portland Community College SBDC has supported this population through its Better Smarter Richer Program and collaborated with other agencies to assist these entrepreneurs.
Learning Objective 1: Recognize the opportunity for entrepreneurial education as the result of the Boomer population
Learning Objective 2: Understand the differences between traditional business and solo business models
Learning Objective 3: Get a road map to work collaboratively with other agencies, other campuses and other departments for credit side of the community college to serve this audience.
Revolutionizing the Entrepreneurship Classroom: Shut Up and Build It
Presenter: Doan Winkel, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, Illinois State University, Illinois Additional Presenters: Jeff Vanevenhoven, Michael Issa Conference Track: Increase Entrepreneurs' Engagement in Community CollegesFormat: PanelAudience Level: BeginnerLevel of Interaction: Highly Interactive
The tagline for StartupCity in Des Moines is Shut Up and Build It. Why? We know that students are far more motivated when they practice entrepreneurship. Explore how the lean startup methodology engages entrepreneurs in their community college ecosystem and receive advice from educators who have successfully implemented this approach.
Learning Objective 1: Enhance their students' experience in the classroom through understanding how to use the business model canvas and customer development process to engage students in practicing entrepreneurship
Learning Objective 2: Engage entrepreneurs in their classrooms in a very active manner, directly mentoring students on their journey
Learning Objective 3: Use the syllabi disbursed to hit the ground running in implementing such a course
Connecting to the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Beyond Campus
Presenter: Sheena Lindahl, Partner, Empact, NJ
Additional Presenters: Sheena Lindal, Norris Krueger, Gary Muller and Tim Putnam
Conference Track: Leverage Both Community College and Community Assets to Spur Innovation and Job Creation
Format: Panelt
Audience Level: All Levels
Level of Interaction: Interactive
Vibrant and healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem spur innovation, business starts and job creation. It is critical for community colleges to tap into these systems to both leverage the resources of the ecosystem as well as share the assets of the college. This hands on session will provide tools to map your ecosystem, position your program, determine initial partners and tips for engaging.
Learning Objective 1: Learn how to map your local entreprenuerial ecosystem
Learning Objective 2: Determine how to position your program within your ecosystem
Learning Objective 3: Identify initial partners and learn how to approach them
Growing Local Entrepreneurs and Artisans in Rural America
Presenter:JillHolliday,Instructional Specialist, New River Community and Technical College, WV
Additional Presenters:
Conference Track:Increase Entrepreneurs' Engagement in Community Colleges
Audience Level:Beginner
Level of Interaction:Highly Interactive
Entreprenuerism grows rural economies. Artisans and tourist driven businesses do necessarily think of themselves as entrepreneurs.As a critical player in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, community colleges need to reach out to rural businesses and offer relevant education and networking.Learn how to engage and help grow these key businesses today and at NACCE Summit at New River CTC.
Learning Objective 1:Participants will be able to return to their respective communities and recommend ways their organization can strengthen entrepreneurs connections to higher education institutions.
Learning Objective 2:Participants will be able to organize an event in their own community to increase networking opportunities for like-minded entrepreneurs.
Learning Objective 3:Participants will be able to better reach the tourism-driven entrepreneurs and artisans and encourage the revitalization of communities through art.
Think Global, Act Local: Connecting the Classroom to the Real World
Presenter: Chuck Loomis,Project Manager - Workforce Development, Edmonds Community College, WA
Additional Presenters:Susan Loreen
Conference Track:Leverage Both Community College and Community Assets to Spur Innovation and Job Creation
Edmonds Community College became a catalyst for building new partnerships with its international business community and its local government. In its new entrepreneurship program, it connected students as marketing consultant to both a suburban small town and a previously isolated Korean international community. The results? Students with new job skills and local businesses with new marketing.
Learning Objective 1:2. Applying "Think Global, Act Local"™ requires learning how to alter a product, service or entrepreneurial approach to fit a local market (community or city).
Learning Objective 2:3. Learn the value of a classroom of students gaining hands-on experience, including all the accompanying frustrations of working in teams, with a real community.
Learning Objective 3: 5. Showing the global impact of training international students in learning business techniques, by taking sales, marketing, and other business courses at a community college.
A Sam's Club Panel: Tools to Grow Small Businesses:Implementing Just-In-Time Training on Campus
Presenter:2013 Sam's Club Cohort
Additional Presenters:Amy Pietsch, Fox Valley Technical College; Mike Daniel, Long Beach City College; Dave Eberhardt, North Seattle Community College; Bruce McHenry, South Mountain Community College
Format: Lecture
Level of Interaction: Somewhat Interactive
In this panel discussion with representatives from Sam's Club and the four schools selected to participate in the NACCE-Sam's Club Shared Vision for Small Business Grant Competition, we will explore "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" in providing outreach services and just-in-time training for small business owners.
Learning Objective 1: Identify unique regional approaches in providing just-in-time training for current small business owners.
Learning Objective 2: Share challenges and opportunities in designing programming for entrepreneurs with very limited available time
Learning Objective 3: Identify opportunities across the college and with the local offices of a national brand to show, tell, and create engagement with local entrepreneurs.
Virtual Incubation and Acceleration Networks within the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
Presenter: ChristophWinkler,Professor; Associate Director CUNY IVE, Baruch College; CUNY Institute for Virtual Enterprise,NY
Additional Presenters: Stuart Schulman, Edgar Troudt
Conference Track: Increase Entrepreneurs' Engagement in Community Colleges
Format: Panel
CUNY's Institute for Virtual Enterprise is employing innovative methods that connect students and entrepreneurs virtually and face-to-face through online incubation networks, coworking sessions, and intensive summer accelerators. Through a review of program metrics, discover how this approach promotes the development of a broad and diverse entrepreneurial network, identifies individuals with compatible interests, and enriches mentoring relationships.
Learning Objective 1: Establish and facilitate productive and engaging coworking sessions for participants at all levels of entrepreneurial activity
Learning Objective 2: Cultivate an online community for the mentorship and incubation of student business ideas
Learning Objective 3: Implement an intensive accelerator network to support students launching businesses
Succession Planning - The Final Test of Greatness of Entrepreneurial Family Firms
Presenter: Kent Lutz, Assistant Professor, Business, University of Cincinnati, Blue Ash, OhioAdditional Presenters:Conference Track: Increase Entrepreneurs' Engagement in Community CollegesFormat: Facilitated DiscussionAudience Level: All LevelsLevel of Interaction: Somewhat Interactive
Only 33% of family firms transition successfully to the second generation, and only 13% make it to the third. Owners must pass along ownership, management, and control to the next generation. Transition considerations include professional vision, personal relationships, financial comfort, struggles with mortality and increasing government regulations. Discuss strategies to reach and educate these owners.
Learning Objective 1: Understand the challenges that entrepreneurial family firms face when the baton must be passed to the next generation
Learning Objective 2: Learn how to reach these firms via marketing
Learning Objective 3: Useful information on the enormous economic impact of entrepreneurial family firms
The Community College Entrepreneurship Center/Incubator and SBDC Infusion: Together Everyone Achieves More
Presenter: Brooke Robbins, Assistant Director, SCC Entrepreneurship Center, NEAdditional Presenters: Zack ZimmermanConference Track: Create or Expand Internal & External Teams Dedicated to EntrepreneurshipFormat: LectureAudience Level: IntermediateLevel of Interaction: Somewhat Interactive
By joining forces, community colleges and SBDCs can maximize their expertise to create comprehensive business development opportunities such as incubation, virtual incubation, business plan development, business modeling, and access to funding. Learn how Southeast Community College immersed the local SBDC into the Entrepreneurship Center's model creating a win-win-win for entrepreneurs.
Learning Objective 1: Assess their current models to identify areas of duplicated services and partnership opportunities with their SBDC
Learning Objective 2: Use the SCC Entrepreneurship Center/NBDC model to draft a new model for their college
Learning Objective 3: Apply tips on how to gain buy in from all parties and forecast the growing pains associated with forming the new team from an internal and external perspective
Acceleration or Incubation?: The Right Role for Community Colleges
Presenter: Tom Ledbetter, Associate Vice President of the Enterprise Campus, Midlands Technical College, South CarolinaAdditional Presenters: Dr. Marshall (Sonny) White Conference Track: Leverage Both Community College and Community Assets to Spur Innovation and Job CreationFormat: Case StudyAudience Level: All LevelsLevel of Interaction: Somewhat Interactive
During this session, participants will explore how Midlands Technical College has collaboratively engaged with the University of South Carolina (an incubation powerhouse) to create a viable and engaged Accelerator and how MTC leveraged previously untapped internal and community resources to spur innovation and tremendous successes with client companies.
Learning Objective 1: Understand the necessary infrastructure for supporting an Accelerator.
Learning Objective 2: Understand the fiscal requirements/opportunities of Accelerator operation.
Learning Objective 3: Determine "best fit" marketing strategies for local economies.
FUTURE Foward Now - New World of Work: 21st Century Skills through Entrepreneurship Education
Presenter: Amy Schulz, Director, CTE/EWD, Feather River College, CAAdditional Presenters: David Baldwin, President, Aquarian Technology Systems, Ltd., OHConference Track: Create Buzz and Broad Exposure of your College's Commitment to EntrepreneurshipFormat: OtherAudience Level: All LevelsLevel of Interaction: Highly Interactive
Feather River College and Aquarian Technology Systems led a panel of entrepreneurial thought leaders to coax out skills essential in an entrepreneurial workforce. Session attendees will be engaged to make the case for entrepreneurship in workforce development and explore the implications of these trends and how to translate this into viable curriculum based on the panel findings.
Learning Objective 1: Gain strategies to make the case for entrepreneurship education and its role in 21st Century Skills development
Learning Objective 2: Contribute to idea sharing to integrate the panel's findings into entrepreneurship education
Learning Objective 3: Make meaningful connections with other session participants and broaden their resource network
Innovative Partnerships to Launch New Business Starts and Create New Jobs in Rural Communities
Presenter: Barry Ryan, Assistant Director, N.C. Rural Economic Development Center, NCAdditional Presenters: Dr. George Millsaps, State Director, Small Business Center Network Director, N.C. Community Colleges, NCConference Track: Create or Expand Internal & External Teams Dedicated to EntrepreneurshipFormat: Case StudyAudience Level: All LevelsLevel of Interaction: Somewhat Interactive
Self-employment and entrepreneurship offer a promising strategy for rural communities to reverse brain drain. Starting a business appeals to one in ten young adults and displaced workers. The N.C. Rural Center and N.C. community colleges have served 1,500+ clients who launched 200 rural businesses. Their individualized approach combines coaching, training and online peer group lending.
Learning Objective 1: Unite workforce and economic development agencies to foster self-employment and entrepreneurship.
Learning Objective 2: Realize synergies between entrepreneurial training and one-on-one counseling.
Learning Objective 3: Understand new models for capital access to start or grow entrepreneurial ventures.
The Best Entrepreneurship Education: Doing It!
Presenter: Mindy Kole, Asst Prof & Dir Pfeiffer Ctr/Entrepreneur Studies, SUNY Ulster, NYAdditional Presenters: Dr. Anita Bleffert-Schmidt, Associate Professor of Business; Chair, Department of Business & Professional Studies, SUNY Ulster, NY; Richard Warner, Professor of Business, Lehigh Carbon Community College, PA; James Matlack, Workforce Development Coordinator, Kansas City Kansas Community College, KSConference Track: Create or Expand Internal & External Teams Dedicated to EntrepreneurshipFormat: LectureAudience Level: All LevelsLevel of Interaction: Somewhat Interactive
Student-run businesses are a terrific way for students to learn entrepreneurship by doing it. From research to planning to collaboration to problem solving and implementation, student-run businesses involve and benefit the entire campus and local community. Learn how students at 3 campuses have learned entrepreneurship through student-run businesses.
Learning Objective 1: Evaluate a student-run business project as a potential experiential learning method for their entrepreneurship curriculum.
Learning Objective 2: Determine if the steps that have worked at our community college can apply to their own environment.
Learning Objective 3: Determine how the campus and local entrepreneurs can be involved in the project to further engage the college and community in entrepreneurship.
Integrating Innovation and Entrepreneurial Thinking Throughout
Presenter: Sandra Louvier, Director of Center for Entrepreneurship, Houston Community College Northwest, TXAdditional Presenters: Sandra Louvier, Linda Koffel, Evelyn V. Velasquez, Dr. Zachary HodgesConference Track: Create or Expand Internal & External Teams Dedicated to EntrepreneurshipFormat: Other (Specify in NotesAudience Level: All LevelsLevel of Interaction: Somewhat Interactive
Every middle-class job today is changing faster than ever. Jobs require more skill, are farmed out globally, and many become obsolete. HCC's workforce strategy is designed to empower students to adapt to changes in technologies and the market, create solutions and re-invent their roles and careers continuously throughout their lifetime.
Learning Objective 1: Clearly define 21st century job market needs and the action steps necessary for educators to place innovation and entrepreneurial thinking at the core of workforce education programs; all substantiated by NACCE research and study results.
Learning Objective 2: Learn step-by-step building blocks to bootstrap entrepreneurial initiatives at their college and benefit from lessons learned as HCC went on to build community support and external recognition that is fueling an internal wave of entrepreneurship at HCC
Learning Objective 3: Borrow from HCC's Phase II Strategy as they build internal teams to integrate innovation and entrepreneurial thinking throughout their workforce programs.
Technical Programs Should Produce Entrepreneurial Thinkers, Not Technicians
Presenter: Jim Correll, Facilitator/Business Coach, Independence Community College, KansasConference Track: Leverage Both Community College and Community Assets to Spur Innovation and Job CreationFormat: LectureAudience Level: IntermediateLevel of Interaction: Highly Interactive
Employees that think like entrepreneurs bring innovation and consistency to the workplace. In medicine, stem cells find and fix problems in a body; Entrepreneurial Thinking is stem cell therapy for the economy. We'll explore how this outcome can be accomplished - from adding classes to convincing administration to presenting to the State.
Learning Objective 1: Understand how changes in the Global Economy alter the effectiveness of their school's technical training programs and student needs
Learning Objective 2: Analyze the Entrepreneurial Mindset certificate concept presented regarding viability for their school's needs
Learning Objective 3: Check into sources for information about the equipment and special curriculum required for the Entrepreneurial Mindset certificate
Are We Moving the Needle? How to Assess the Impact of Experiential Learning
Presenter: Norris Krueger, Consultant, College of Western Idaho, IDAdditional Presenters: Conference Track: Leverage Both Community College and Community Assets to Spur Innovation and Job CreationFormat: Other Audience Level: All LevelsLevel of Interaction: Highly Interactive
There is nothing less than a revolution in entrepreneurial learning and its fastest growing 'home' has been community colleges where deeply experiential entrepreneurship education is offered. Explore the underpinnings of this revolution, gain a deeper understanding of the entrepreneurial mindset in practice, and investigate how metrics help assess its impact.
Learning Objective 1: Understand why and how deep experiential learning changes the entrepreneurial mindset at a deep level.
Learning Objective 2: Understand the key facets of the *expert* entrepreneurial mindset and how to map specific experiential learning experiences onto facets of the entrepreneurial mindset
Learning Objective 3: Understand what metrics help us assess the impact of experiential learning
Good Institutions Matter: Recruiting New Students Through Transformational Engagement Across Cultural Communities
Presenter: Nerita Hughes, Director of Professional Training & Development, North Hennepin Community College, MNAdditional Presenters: H. Leigh Toney, Executive Director, Miami Dade College, North Campus, Carrie P. Meek Entrepreneurial Education, FL; Dr. Edith McElroy, Dean of Business, International Business and General Studies, Central Piedmont Community College, NC; Karen-Michelle Mirko, VP, Marketing, Sales & Meaningful Collisions, NACCE, MAConference Track:Format: PanelAudience Level: Level of Interaction:
According to Duffy, et al, a culturally diverse society or interaction among different cultures encourages exchange of, and competition between ideas and different world views. Studies show that higher levels of cultural diversity increase the rate of entrepreneurship in the presence of good institutions. Discuss ways your institution can support a cultural revolution in entrepreneurship.
Learning Objective 1: Identify who is not the room/on campus.
Learning Objective 2: Understand who are the entrepreneurship players in every community.
Learning Objective 3: Practice talking to potential new partners.
Fueling a Start Up Ecosystem Through Community Partnerships – Spokane Community College and Avista
Presenter: Steve Trabun, Regional Business Manager, Avista Utilities, WAAdditional Presenters: Jeffrey Waybright, Integrated Business & Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator, Spokane Community College, WA; Jessica Gilmore, Dean – Business, Entrepreneurial Programs, and Extended Learning, Walla Walla Community College, WA; Casey Wilhelm, Business Administration Instructor - Business and Professional Programs Division, North Idaho College, IDConference Track: Format: PanelAudience Level: Level of Interaction:
Spokane Community College (SCC) and Avista Utilities partnered to fuel economic development through the creation of the Avista Business Entrepreneurship Network. SCC packaged and licensed their Integrated Business & Entrepreneurship curriculum to Avista. Avista offered the curriculum and seed funding to three other community colleges and a consortium of high school districts to help create sustainable entrepreneurship programs and more vibrant ecosystems throughout their three-state service territory.
Learning Objective 1: Understand why a private company partnered with a community college as part of their economic development strategy.
Learning Objective 2: Learn how licensing curriculum and working as part of a network can increase business launches and job creation.
Learning Objective 3: Hear about the necessary components of a vibrant ecosystem and cost-effective ways to fuel them.
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Drones Carry Spanish Producers Into the Next Era of Olive Farming
Forever associated with culinary pleasures rich in quality olive oil, Spain devotes 2.5 million hectares of land to olive groves. In some regions, each commercial olive tree has its own GPS coordinates to track and monitor this precious resource. As the leader in the worldwide market for EVOO, Spain is also on the cutting edge when it comes to new olive farming technologies.
Traditional olive cultivation and ultra-modern farms coexist in Jaén, which makes the region an ideal setting for technological developments.
With a production of over 1.5 million tons per year, half of which comes from the province of Jaén, Spain has known olive farming since Roman times. The ancient dwellers of the Iberian Peninsula might have never imagined an army of drones hovering over crops to ensure olives grow to perfection, but this seemingly futuristic vision constitutes Jaén's thriving present.
To learn more about Spain's latest technological developments as applied to olive groves, Olive Oil Times spoke with Anastasio Sánchez, director of the Atlas Experimental Flight Center in Villcarrillo, Jaén.
What does ATLAS do, and how is its work relevant to olive oil production in Spain?
The Atlas Experimental Flight Center offers the international aeronautical community an aerodrome equipped with technological facilities and services of excellence and airspace suitable for conducting flight tests with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS / RPAS, commonly known as "drones"). Its pioneering infrastructure is unique in Spain and Europe.
Atlas will play a central role during the UNVEX Eco-Agro conference, to be held from October 9th to 11th in Seville and at the Atlas Center. This event will be a kind of national summit on the application of drones for agriculture and environmental projects. It will focus on promoting the application of new technologies to improve productivity and competitiveness in agriculture, as well as for the protection of natural spaces.
What are the benefits of applying aerial robotics and drones to agriculture and olive groves?
Sánchez: The main advantage of precision agriculture, to which this type of technology is applied, is cost reduction. Being able to focus treatments needed to optimize harvests in particular areas of the farms greatly improves the profitability of crops. All of this leads to a reduction of the environmental impact of farming activities, saving water and phytosanitary products.
What have been the most significant recent contributions from technological advances in the drones sector to olive cultivation?
From a technical point of view, the application of these technologies to olive groves enables farmers to evaluate, in a very localized way, indices of humidity, water stress, etc. Measurements of other parameters in olive groves, such as the amount of nutrients and microelements present, are in development and both ATLAS and CATEC (Center for Advanced Aerospace Technologies) are very involved in this.
How is Atlas contributing to these developments, in Jaén, Andalusia, and the rest of Spain?
Atlas is already contributing significantly to these advances. It has, in fact, been home to the Mochuelo project, an endeavor funded by the Provincial Council of Jaén and aimed at carrying out a feasibility study for the use of drones in the monitoring of olive groves. Some of the companies that have made their flights at Atlas are actively engaged in developing precision agriculture services. In addition, CATEC and Atlas have been integrated into a consortium led by ASAJA-Jaén (Agricultural Association of Young Farmers), where Atlas will host a project to explore the advantages of precision farming exclusively targeting olive grove farming.
Also, as one of the venues for the UNVEX Eco-Agro forum this month, Atlas will become the center of attention for the application of drone-based techniques to agriculture.
In your opinion, how does the technological development of olive farming in Jaén compare to that of other regions around the world?
As the main olive oil producing region in the world, Jaén has to be a spearhead in the application of new techniques and new technologies. Today, both traditional olive cultivation and ultra-modern farms coexist in Jaén, which makes the region an ideal setting for technological developments, since it is possible to apply these innovations to all types of crops. The involvement of farmers in the modernization process brings with it an efficiency in all areas, from the purely agricultural to both economic and environmental aspects. This is a synergy that ultimately boosts the international standing of Spanish olive oil as a whole, and of Jaén's oil in particular.
What do you think will be the most immediate challenges for the Spanish industry in the application of these technologies for agriculture, and how do you think they could be overcome?
There are several aspects that will be important; the regulatory framework should pave the way for the proper development of new techniques; of course, including the necessary restrictions to maintain a total commitment to the safety of operations. The involvement of administrations, universities, and research centers will bring advances in R&D that will create a flow of knowledge that is needed for the widespread application of these techniques.
On the other hand, private companies need to be able to apply these techniques efficiently and at an affordable cost, both to large plantations and to more modest farms (which are the majority in Jaén). And finally, associations of farmers, irrigators, and other involved parties will eventually apply these techniques not as an added cost but as an investment that will, in the medium term, result in increased efficiency in the use of water and phytosanitary products, and therefore boost profits.
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Tunisia: olive oil production set to rise 20 to 30%
Olive oil production is expected to increase production by 20 to 30% in the season 2017/2018, compared to the previous two seasons, CEO of the National Oil Board (ONH) Chokri Bayoudh said Tuesday, recalling that this new season will start from the month of November 2017.
Speaking at a press conference held prior to the start of the first meeting of the National Commission to organize and monitor the olive harvest season, Bayoudh promised that the harvest would exceed production levels recorded over the last five years, which has been around 190 thousand tons.
The official, however, refrained from presenting figures on the harvest, specifying that the final forecast would be announced during the month of October.
Tunisian olive oil exports will exceed 200 thousand tons during the 2017/2018 season, said Bayoudh.
He added that Tunisia will capture new promising markets, including Canada, the USA, China, Russia and India.
In the same context, he said that Tunisia is working to gradually move away from traditional European markets, including Spain and Italy.
The annual average of olive oil exports reached 45 thousand tons in the last ten years, or 80% of the domestic production, with revenues of around 850 million dinars (MD).
"At the end of July 2017, olive oil exports amounted to about 71,617 tons, generating revenues of around 679,338 MD, against exports of 78,336 tons with revenues of 590,480 MD, during the same period of 2016, "stressed the Minister of Agriculture
Phenols in Olive Mill Byproducts Can Be Effective Preservatives in Fresh Meats
According to a recent study conducted in Italy, phenols from olive vegetation water can be effective natural preservatives in fresh meat.
Olive Oil Times had the opportunity to preview research that will be published in the November issue of LWT Food Science and Technology and which were achieved through the close collaboration of Stefania Balzan, Barbara Cardazzo, Enrico Novelli and Luca Fasolato from the University of Padova; Agnese Taticchi, Stefania Urbani and Maurizio Servili from the University of Perugia; Giuseppe Di Lecce and Maria Teresa Rodriguez-Estrada from the Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna; and Izaskun Berasategi Zabalza from the University of Navarra.
We wanted to test an alternative approach to the use of synthetic additives in this type of food, as well as to verify the efficiency of natural antioxidants.
"Nowadays, the replacement of chemical additives with natural compounds in food preparations is a matter of great interest, both to consumers and to the food industry," Giuseppe Di Lecce told Olive Oil Times. "Consumers not only have a strong expectation of foods with the fewest or lowest possible level of additives but also tend to sharply distinguish between natural and synthetic extra ingredients."
Many people believe that processed meat is unhealthy. "The consumption of fresh ground meat preparations is very widespread due to their pleasant taste and ease of cooking, but according to a survey on the health benefits of processed meats, half of the respondents believed that processed meat contains large quantities of harmful chemicals," said Di Lecce, who has also served as a judge or panel leader at all five editions of the annual New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC).
Nevertheless, food additives like antioxidants must be used to control lipid oxidation during food processing and storage, in order to prevent rancidity, deterioration of sensory quality and production of free radicals which are involved in a series of chronic degenerative pathologies other than cancer.
"On this basis, we wanted to test an alternative approach to the use of synthetic additives in this type of food, as well as to verify the efficiency of natural antioxidants," he explained.
The well-established positive contribution of extra virgin olive oil to human health is mainly attributed to the antioxidant actions of a composite class of hydrophilic phenols. Accordingly, in this study researchers used a purified phenolic extract obtained from fresh olive vegetation water arising from the Moraiolo olive cultivar.
The entire experiment was performed in three replicates, each one using slightly more than 40 kg (88.1 lbs) of shoulder and belly pork that was ground, mixed with salt and divided into three batches. With the goal of avoiding secondary and non-standardizable antioxidant effects from other ingredients, no spices were added.
Each batch was further mixed and stuffed into bovine casings by using a hydraulic piston-type stuffer. The sausages, nearly 100 g (3,52 oz) each, were left to drip and then stored without packaging in a display cabinet under alternating exposure to fluorescent light to simulate retail shops and butcheries.
At zero, 7 and 14 days, a representative number of sausages from each batch were sampled and frozen in liquid nitrogen before being stored at 80°C (?112°F) until analysis. At the same times, the same number of sausages from each batch was cooked, cooled in an ice bath, stored for 72 hours at 2-4°C (35.6-39.2°F) and then frozen in liquid nitrogen before being stored at -80°C (-112°F) until an analysis.
The meat products were evaluated before and after an aerobic storage for 14 days. Adding the phenol extract at different concentrations, researchers found a decrease in pH, diacylglycerols, peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid reactive species, and cholesterol oxidation products. Sensory analysis revealed significant differences between control samples and those enriched with the extract, but the enriched samples were never considered unpleasant by the panelists.
The results revealed that the purified phenol extract showed efficacy in preventing both primary and secondary lipid oxidation and in limiting the oxidative degradation of cholesterol in raw and cooked fresh pork sausages. Phenols proved to be an effective antioxidant in these food products, thus resulting a potential ingredient to ensure quality and safety of meat preparations.
"This approach has many advantages," Di Lecce observed. "For the meat industry, in a perspective of a progressive reduction in the use of synthetic additives toward the so-called clean label; for consumers, in terms of benefits from the health standpoint; for the olive oil sector, with a view to a more sustainable approach in managing byproducts and providing an added value to the wastewater," Di Lecce concluded.
California Olive Ranch Pursues Regenerative Agriculture
This is the second installment in a series of articles on California Olive Ranch, the largest American olive oil producer.
As natural disasters continue to dog various regions, cities log their hottest seasons on record, and the state of our planet's climate remains a hotly debated question, California Olive Ranch CEO Gregg Kelley asserted that his company has taken decisive measures to "work with the land," rather than against it throughout their production operations.
We take pride in finding new ways to work with our environment to ensure we are operating in harmony.
Using science and data the company boasts that 99 percent of waste is recycled and their methods help the ecosystems in which the company grows its olives and mills its oils.
Beyond conserving resources, COR hopes to become one of the first large, permanent crop farmers to effectively pursue a regenerative agriculture approach, which entails slashing waste and reusing what is inevitably leftover. According to a statement provided by the company, "there are no large-scale, permanent planting farmers pursuing Regenerative Ag." COR has enacted measures to reuse each of the byproducts that come from its production process, including pomace, trimmings, and water.
Pomace and other waste generated from olive processing are distributed to local ranches for use as cattle feed. Trimmings are recycled for compost to be used throughout the company's various groves, and water is recycled for irrigation.
COR's largest conservation competency lies in its sophisticated irrigation system. One of the company's groves is watered by two reservoirs which are drawn upon only when alerted by real-time sensors, allowing the company to "decrease water inputs and monitor how certain acres or plots are growing/thriving" irrigating only when trees require it. This water is then applied through drip irrigation which "minimizes water usage and allows less water to evaporate."
See more: This year's award-winning olive oils by California Olive Ranch
Milling facilities feature machinery designed to require less water. Cleaning agents used in the sanitization process have been chemically analyzed to ensure that water can be recycled for irrigation purposes after use.
In packaging operations, COR explained that all of the glass used in bottling is recyclable and cardboard used for foodservice products is from recycled material. Plastic bottles are made from HDPE and PET plastic.
While olives do not require bees for pollination, COR partners with "multiple apiaries to house their hives during the offseason."
Touring California Olive Ranch's grove COR 3, it's easy to discern where their property ends and the adjacent one begins. While the land across the line has been neatly tilled and lays barren waiting for a crop to take over, COR's trees thrive among the brush that the company has left intact.
In this environment, wild animals of all sorts populate the groves, peacefully coexisting among the lush rows of olive trees. A Greater Roadrunner scurried through some trees in the northernmost reach of its American habitat. "We take pride in finding new ways to work with our environment to ensure we are operating in harmony," Kelley said.
24 Achieve Olive Oil Sommelier Certification After Intensive Week in California
Twenty-four people came from as far as Hong Kong, Greece and Turkey to gain a deeper understanding of olive oil sensory evaluation at the fourth edition of the Olive Oil Sommelier Certification Program in Campbell, California last week.
…incredible amounts of information that will be used as a reference guide for years to come.
Having successfully completed the six-day, comprehensive course, they joined the growing ranks of sommeliers around the world — ambassadors of olive oil who will, in turn, educate others on matters of olive oil quality, usage, and appreciation.
The attendees ranged from small producers to representatives of the very largest; from quality-control technicians to professional chefs and restaurateurs; from independent retailers to major distributors.
Over the course of the week, they were led through guided tastings of more than 130 samples of olive oil from 26 countries by instructors from Italy, Greece, Chile, New York and California.
The interactive program spanned the history and culture of olive oil, olive tree cultivation and harvesting, milling and production, health benefits and chemistry, quality management, culinary applications and food pairing and, of course, the sensory evaluation of extra virgin olive oil.
On two of the days, there were open forums, over lunch prepared by the International Culinary Center, where participants shared their own ideas and projects with the group. "What we have found is that tapping into the collective wisdom of such a diverse, international group of professionals can often expose a clear path forward for the participants' initiatives and ambitions," said Curtis Cord the program director, "or at the very least, build on this community, and expand our networks to make change happen."
In fact, past participants of the program have wasted little time putting their expertise and connections to work around the world.
"Fabulous course with incredible amounts of information that can (and will) be used as a reference guide for years to come. Thank you for exposure to knowledgeable experts we were unlikely to have the opportunity to meet," a producer from California who completed the six-day program said.
Another producer who, after the program, returned to immediately oversee the olive harvest in Turkey said, "I have learned much more than I expected. It was a very well structured and organized course."
"An awesome course," said a corporate chef who splits his time between California and Australia. "Very excited to stay in touch with all of my new colleagues and educate more and more."
The program's instructors included the Chilean expert Carola Dummer Medina; the consultant, EVOO judge and educator from Italy, Antonio G. Lauro; New York-based oleologist Nicholas Coleman; Greek agronomist, consultant and expert taster Konstantinos Liris; award-winning California olive oil producer Pablo Voitzuk; the International Culinary Center culinary director Marc Pavlovic; Agbiolab founders Liliana Scarafia and Carlos Machado; and Cord, the publisher of Olive Oil Times and president of the New York International Olive Oil Competition.
The next course will begin April 30 in New York, following the 2018 NYIOOC.
Below are the 24 olive oil sommeliers who successfully completed the two-level program:
October 2017 Olive Oil Sommelier Certification Program
Bahar Alan
Marcus Chapman
Gregory Diharce
Mara Drew
Jane Duffy
Saida El Kiram
Roseanne Fischer
Sheila Fitzgerald
Michael Graham
Brett Greenberg
Trey Hartinger
Larissa Iracheta
Jodi Kiel Seely
James Lee
Alena Lehrer
Stavros Manolakos
Christine Mole
Kevin O'connor
Roderick O'sullivan
Frank Pinto
Daniel Santini
Ejder Varol
Leonard Young
Man Sang Yuen
Spain Tests Artificial Intelligence to Manage Fly
For the second consecutive year, Spain's agricultural ministry has launched a pilot experiment using artificial intelligence to predict the evolution of the olive fly.
The experiment uses data collected on the olive fly by the Andalusian Plant Protection and Information Network (RAIF), a project of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development. The data are analyzed and fed into an artificial intelligence model that can predict the fly's behavior up to four weeks in advance by using machine learning techniques.
This method provides a valuable tool for olive farmers to better manage the pest by revealing the areas and dates of the greatest risk of infestation. This also allows for the more efficient planning and designing of measures to control the pest. The aim of this predictive model using artificial intelligence is to ultimately improve production and reduce the use of pesticides.
Those benefiting from the pilot project are Integrated Production Associations (APIs) made up of olive growers working in 10 municipalities in the province of Jaén and nine in the province of Cordoba in southern Spain. This includes 12 APIs made up of a total number of 1,568 farmers with a total of 9,000 hectares of olive groves.
The RAIF network collects data and provides information on the phytosanitary status of the main crops of the Andalusian region thanks to close to 700 field technicians and 4,621 control stations located in each province. There are also 150 weather stations recording information on the climatic situation in each crop area. Meanwhile, technicians posted at each control station take note of potential pests or diseases.
Each week, the associations of growers will receive information predicting the percentage of their crop susceptible to the olive fly so that they can better plan pest management for that week. In return, the APIs are expected to report back with their observations so that the predictive model can be further improved.
The olive fly is a species of fruit fly and a dreaded pest for olive growers across the Mediterranean region because of the severe damage it can cause to their crops. The pest was partly to blame for poor yields during the 2014-2015 harvest season which saw production decrease by more than 50 percent in Spain and Italy, the world's biggest olive producers.
Olive Oil Importers Name New Director
The North American Olive Oil Association has named Joseph R. Profaci executive director of the trade group of major American olive oil importers. The position was previously held by Eryn Balch.
It is clear that the 'fake news' epidemic in the United States is not limited to those seeking to gain political advantages.
"I am very proud to be leading the NAOOA. This role is the culmination of my 25 years in this business, and I feel well prepared to tackle the biggest issue the industry is facing, which we believe is consumer confidence and trust," Profaci told Olive Oil Times.
Joseph R. Profaci is a Harvard and New York University-educated attorney who has served as the general counsel for Colavita USA, the company based in New Jersey founded by his father, John J. Profaci who began a partnership with Enrico Colavita in 1980 to distribute the brand in the U.S.
Profaci's family history in the olive oil business goes back to another era: His grandfather, Joseph Profaci, was the founder of one of New York's "five crime families" known as the Colombos, and the inspiration for Marlon Brando's character in "The Godfather." He was at one time the country's most notorious racketeer known as the "Olive Oil King" and "Don Peppino."
In 2010, John J. Profaci's son, John Profaci Jr. told the New York Post about the family's evolution to 'legitimate' businesses: "We've gone so far, our family has, since those days. We all went to good colleges and got good educations. We are businessmen . . . That's so far removed from our past."
"My grandfather died in 1962, when I was two years old," Joseph R. Profaci told Olive Oil Times. "Sixteen years later, in 1978, my dad, John J. Profaci, was working as a food broker when he had the good fortune of being introduced to Enrico Colavita who was traveling in New York on his honeymoon. Suddenly, my dad was in the olive oil business, and he, too, faced the same questions – and not a few undeserved comments about the past."
"We're proud of the respect that we've worked for and won, and I would hope to be judged on my own merits rather than outdated and disconnected stereotypes," he added.
Profaci, who started yesterday in his new role, leads a trade group that has taken an increasingly offensive stance against what it sees as inaccurate statements that have damaged the reputation of imported olive oils.
"At this point last year, the olive oil association was reeling from the recent report of olive oil fraud on CBS's 60 Minutes," Profaci wrote recently in the Association of Food Industries (AFI) annual report. "As a result our members challenged the association to devise a strategic plan both to respond to continued attacks against imported olive oil, and to redouble our efforts to promote positive news about the category."
See more: '60 Minutes' Looks at Olive Oil Adulteration in Italy
In November 2016, the group sued television's 'Dr. Oz' for claiming during a show that aired in May 2016 that 80 percent of the extra virgin olive oil sold in U. S. supermarkets isn't "real." That suit was dismissed last March.
"The association was disappointed in and disagreed with the judge's dismissal," Profaci said today. "But after the NAOOA filed a notice of appeal, the parties reached an amicable settlement. Dr. Oz is committed to our cause of protecting consumers from fraud — including deceptive misinformation — and we are grateful for that."
In December last year, the group filed a lawsuit against the California-based, specialty store distributor Veronica Foods for what it called "false, misleading and scientifically unsubstantiated statements about olive oil sold in supermarkets, claiming it lacks the health benefits consumers expect." That case is ongoing and Profaci declined to comment on the proceedings.
Profaci described the association's key issues in his report to the AFI: "There are three main branches in our olive oil strategy: defend against attacks; science and standards; and communications. It is clear that the 'fake news' epidemic in the United States is not limited to those seeking to gain political advantages."
"The good thing is that people are truly passionate about olive oil," he noted. "The challenge is making sure that they are well enough informed to know if they are being misled, whether it be in a clickbait fake news posting on Facebook or on a product label."
The group has engaged in lobbying initiatives on issues such as Farm Bill legislation and quality testing programs. "The NAOOA began working closely with Washington D.C. consultants to help us educate lawmakers about the current state of affairs. As a result of those efforts, the draft Senate Agricultural Committee appropriations report included language that the FDA should conduct testing of all products (and not just imports)," Profaci wrote.
The protectionist discourse of the Trump administration has also served as a call to action for the trade group according to Profaci, who said, "We must remain vigilant of obstacles that might be erected in light of anti-trade rhetoric of the 2016 presidential campaign, both in terms of import regulations and tax policy."
Profaci served as the NAOOA chair until June 2017, according to a press statement provided to Olive Oil Times. Media were invited to contact Greg Drescher at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) as a reference on Profaci.
In 1991, Colavita USA donated $2 million to the Culinary Institute in exchange for the naming rights to a new campus building, the Colavita Center for Italian Food and Wine. In 2010, John J. Profaci was inducted into the CIA Hall of Fame.
EU Report Predicts 45-Percent Increase in Olive Oil Exports by 2026
A new report by the European Parliamentary Research Service provides a comprehensive overview of the European Union's olive and olive oil sector as well as the current challenges it faces and future prospects.
The European Union is the world's largest olive oil producer, with 70 to 75 percent of the world's olive oil supply originating in nine countries: Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, France, Croatia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta. According to the report, plantations in the EU's olive-growing regions cover a total area of 5 million hectares with a production value of over €7 billion.
The report shares a few interesting facts and figures about olive oil production in the EU:
- More than half of the EU's 5 million hectares of olive plantations are found in Spain.
- Greece is the only EU country where more than 10 percent of olive groves are reserved for table olives.
- The largest olive farms are in Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal.
- Spain has the largest olive plantations averaging 5.8 hectares in size, followed by Portugal at 2.8 hectares. In other countries, the average plantation size is 2 hectares.
- 35 percent of Spain's farm workers work on olive plantations.
- Most olive farms are small and family-run, with less than 1 percent of workers being non-family members. In Spain, this percentage is 17 percent.
- Olive and olive oil production made up over 15 percent of agricultural output in Greece and Spain in 2016.
- Yields average between 2,000 and 2,500 tons per hectare. Spain and Italy tend to experience higher yields but trends indicate that these are increasing in Spain and Portugal while declining in Italy and other countries.
- In 2016, 74 percent of the EU's olive oil was produced in Spain while a further 22 percent was divided almost equally between Greece and Italy.
- The price of table olives has been steadily increasing and ranges from less than €60 per 100 kg in Portugal and Malta to more than €200 in Greece in 2016.
- The price of extra virgin olive oil ranges from more than €300 per 100 liters in Spain, Greece and Portugal, to more than €500 in Italy in 2015. Prices in Croatia and Slovenia are up to 100 percent more expensive.
- Most EU exports of olive oil are headed for the USA, Japan, China, Canada, Brazil and Australia.
- Most imports come from Tunisia, Morocco and Syria and are headed to Spain and Italy.
- Italy is the highest importer of olive oil within the EU, with most imports coming from Spain.
The report also outlines a few of the main challenges faced by the EU's olive sector. It notes that while production processes remain largely traditional, in Spain and Portugal there's a trend towards increasing the size of plantations and introducing mechanization. A Spanish research study concluded that this approach is not a "one-size fits all solution" and suggests that plantations could increase profits and avoid market volatility by focusing on innovative harvesting solutions, new cultivars, and pest management.
Market fluctuations due to the unpredictability of yields, extreme weather and disease were some of the biggest challenges faced by countries in the EU's olive-growing region in recent years. An attempt is being made to address these issues through the risk-management instruments available to farmers under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), while other initiatives aim to tackle food fraud and disputes on the application of commercial rules, and strengthen competitivity.
Looking to the future, the report forecasts that EU production is set to rise, especially in Spain where it is projected to increase by 10 percent by 2026, while Italy is expected to see a decline of one percent. Meanwhile, in terms of international trade, exports are predicted to rise over 45 percent by 2026.
In order to reach these goals, financing is being dedicated to research into improving several aspects of the production chain, including sustainability and pest control, preventing fraud, and the recycling of waste.
The full report is available here.
'Apocalyptic' Scenes in Napa and Sonoma
More than a dozen wildfires continued to devastate swaths of Napa and Sonoma counties in Northern California today, scorching over 100,000 acres of homes, businesses, vineyards and olive groves.
I just heard that one of our smaller producers lost her home in Santa Rosa. This is devastating to all of the communities affected. We are hopeful that everyone is safe.
At least 11 people have died and 20,000 are homeless, according to the latest estimate from the State of California, within the two stunningly beautiful valleys famous for their wines and increasingly known for olive oil too.
Olive Oil Times has checked in with a number of producers in the region, who reported "apocalyptic" scenes, olive trees coated with ash and soot, and communities in shock.
Firefighters contained some of the fires today as winds that had fanned the flames subsided overnight, but many had yet to be tamed.
Many have yet to return to their homes after forced evacuations and don't know if their houses and belongings were spared or destroyed.
Patricia Darragh, the director of the California Olive Oil Council said it was too soon to tell how most in the close-knit community of growers have fared.
"Since the fires are still raging, communications are spotty. We have been sending emails and texts to our members and, as of this morning, all are safe but many have been evacuated from their homes," Darragh said today.
"I just heard that one of our smaller producers lost her home in Santa Rosa. This is devastating to all of the communities affected. We are hopeful that everyone is safe."
An assessment of property and agricultural damage will be forthcoming as communications improve, she added.
Sonoma County-based consultant Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne also said those in her network she has been able to reach were safe, but several colleagues lost their homes. "Today I think we will get a better handle on the extent of the damage," she added, "but it's ongoing."
According to CNN, nearly 35,000 are without power throughout the state and more than 1,500 homes and businesses were destroyed.
No rain is in the forecast for the region over the next seven days.
This is breaking news. Check back for updates.
World Olive Oil Production Figures for 2017 Show Mixed Results
Global olive oil production will reach 2.854 million tons for the current crop year (September 2017 through August 2018), according to preliminary estimates from the International Olive Council — a 12-percent increase over the previous year's 2.538 million-ton output.
World production in 2017/18 is estimated at around 2.854t, which would be an increase of approximately 12 percent compared to the previous year.
The current season looks mediocre when compared with the average for the last five years (2.945 million tons) after heat waves and droughts affected some areas over the summer, falling short of the 3 million-ton benchmark reached in six years since 2004.
See more: Complete Coverage of the 2017 Olive Harvest
This year, Spain is expected to weigh in with 1.150 million tons — 10 percent less than last year. Italy is expected to produce 320,000 tons, representing a 75-percent increase over the poor results of the previous season.
Greece is back with 300,000 tons expected this year, rebounding from last season's poor results blamed on fruit fly attacks and extended heat waves.
Portugal could set its all-time record if it achieves the 110,000 tons forecasted thanks to extensive plantings in the Alentejo region, the IOC noted.
Tunisia will more than double last year's production to reach 220,000 tons; Output from Turkey will be stable at 180,000 tons; Morocco looks to be a little up this year with 120,000 tons, and Algeria weighs in with 80,000.
In the Southern Hemisphere, Argentina would set a record with 37,500 tons expected this season.
On the other side, the IOC said the world will consume 2.889 million tons of olive oil this year — about the same as in 2003 when there were 1.2 billion fewer people on the planet.
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California Olive Ranch Pursues Regenerative Agriculture
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24 Achieve Olive Oil Sommelier Certification After Intensive Week in California
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Spain Tests Artificial Intelligence to Manage Fly
For the second consecutive year, Spain's agricultural ministry has launched a pilot experiment using artificial intelligence to predict the evolution...
Olive Oil Importers Name New Director
The North American Olive Oil Association has named Joseph R. Profaci executive director of the trade group of major American...
EU Report Predicts 45-Percent Increase in Olive Oil Exports by 2026
A new report by the European Parliamentary Research Service provides a comprehensive overview of the European Union's olive and olive...
'Apocalyptic' Scenes in Napa and Sonoma
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Interim HealthCare of Coal Grove, OH Coal Grove, OH
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Friday, August 09, 2013 - Wank Party 2013 #06, Part 2
Part one of Wank Party 2013 #6, featuring Robert Drtina, Borek Sokol, Daniel Just and Tomas Berger had our guys enjoying themselves at the water park before getting down to some great sucking. In this second part we pick up as they move on to some hot fucking. We find Daniel sliding his ass up and down on Borek's throbbing cock, and Tomas fucking Robert's hot ass. Robert leans over and kisses Daniel as they both take cock. Borek thrusts his big cock deep into Daniel's ass as Tomas works Robert's hole too. Robert's cock is rock hard as Tomas fucks him. Borek takes over fucking Robert, but Tomas isn't finished and has his dick deep in Borek's ass too. As Borek fucks Robert his own ass is worked back on to Tomas' big cock. When they move again Daniel is on his back, legs in the air, with Tomas fucking him nice and deep. Robert is bent over Daniel, with his ass being worked by Borek's boner. Robert then lays down and the others stand around him wanking their cocks. Soon they start to cum, first with Borek's load landing on Robert's chest. He is followed by Tomas who does a great cumshot, and then Daniel. Moving to the shower to clean up they have a lot of fun with a piss contest before completing their showers. What a lovely wank party with four very hot guys.
... more about Wank Party 2013 #06, Part 2 further in this newsletter
Our Coming Soon Set Preview
After a wonderful solo shoot we invited Libor Bores in for a screentest, and paired him up with the lovely Borek Sokol. We find them sitting on the bed, and Borek doing a brief interview with Libor. Then they start to kiss and feel each other's bodies. Libor then lowers his underwear some, so that Borek can wank him as they continue to kiss. Libor follows the lead and dips his hand into Borek's underwear to feel some cock. Both guys then lose their underwear and Borek goes down on Libor's hard cock. He sucks on that big dick as Libor reaches round and wanks him. Almost right away Borek gets onto his knees and presents his own hard cock for Libor to suck. Libor shows that he is very keen to do a good job, with his mouth closing tight around that hard dick. He wanks himself as he sucks Borek, and cups his tight balls. Libor has a nice rhythm to his sucking, as his whole body moves back and forth so that his head slides up and down on Borek's cock. Then he kneels up and kisses Borek and they both wank each other. What a beautiful sight it is, those two hot bodies and the hard cocks being gripped and wanked. Moving on to the next stage of the screentest Libor presents his ass and Borek quickly starts to rim that hole. His tongue licks as the hole and gets it nice and wet before he slips a finger it. That tight hole takes the finger, with Libor moaning slightly. Finger and tongue both play with his hole, and Libor is writhing in pleasure. He wanks himself all the while as his hole gets ready for more. Borek then positions himself and slides his throbbing cock deep into Libor's virgin ass. He fucks that ass nice and deep as Libor continues wanking his own hard cock. His moaning lets us know just how much he is enjoying the feeling of having his hole filled. Borek is really working that hole and they move, so that Libor can sit down on that big dick. He rides up and down on that thick shaft, and keeps wanking himself as he does it. Then Libor holds himself still, so that Borek can fuck that ass, thrusting his cock upward and really working the hole. Another move has Libor on the bed, hand wrapped tight around his cock as Borek fucks him some more. They move into missionary postion with Borek sliding in and out of that hot ass and Libor still wanking. Libor is loving that feeling of cock in ass and his own hand wanking, and quickly builds up to a lovely cumshot, squirting all over his belly. Borek continues to fuck and then pulls out to cream all over Libor. What a fabulous scene, with Libor showing that he is a real star, in this first every sex scene with another guy. Borek was a great choice as partner, doing a great job. They kiss and then go off to the shower to clean up.
You can watch my Vlog for this Newsletter by clicking above or by going over to the Blog : http://www.wheuro.com/?p=11455
The weather has cooled down considerably today in Prague. Currently, the western half of the country is covered by rain clouds and we having a heavy thunderstorm in Prague.
Lots of developments in the power struggle in the Czech Republic. From my casual conversations, I would say the Czech people are starting to get upset. That's not in the Czech character.
First the New York Times Story:
Now from Czech Radio:
And now the most scary story of all:
What is the old Chinese cures? "May you live in interesting times." Times are certainly interesting in the Czech Republic at the moment.
Meanwhile to work:
Part two of our latest Wank Party, with Borek Sokol, Robert Drtina, Daniel Just and Tomas Berger is a great start to today's newsletter. The standard is maintained with Jan Tocna's delightful erotic video and then with Libor Bores session stills. We finish today with part 2 of our fully remastered Wank In The Woods – Part 2, complete with Viktor chasing the bus.
Our castees today look very good too. They are Libor Bores, Josef Vorel and Danek Gyor, and what a lovely trio. My pick of the day is a clear winner, for me, Libor Bores.
MESSAGE ABOUT LINKS TO THE OLD WH WEBSITE - WILLIAMHIGGINS.com ARCHIVES:
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Our castees today look very good too. They are Eljan Nikitov, Vasil Kosimcuk and Antonin Pecka. It is a close call today but by pick will be Elhan Nikitov.
Today's Weather in Prague
We have launched our all new Kink only site with no solos. It's not for the feint hearted. Do take a look (if you dare):
At present, Members of CzechGuysNextDoor will be able to access the new site with their user information. If you have problems, write email@example.com
Latest Sets At Our NEW STR8HELL.com Website
Open Set "Slavek vs. David - WRESTLING"
Open Set "Radim Hora - Mad Monk - SPANKING"
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Have you guys heard about my new favorite thing that happened this summer? It's called Death Grips and its my new favorite thing. Here's why:
So as a person who mainly listens to hip-hop but recently has for some reason gotten into hardcore punk [Black Flag] and heavy electronic noises [Tobacco], I have been thinking all the time: 'I wish there was a really intense hip-hop group that utilized heavy electronic noises and yelled ALL OF THEIR LYRICS.' Then this happened. Death Grips is a trio made up of drummer Zack Hill (having cut his teeth in the group Hella), some mysterious angry guy named MC Ride and a third even more mysterious guy (Flatlander?) who maybe has a hand in producing. What do they do? Well sometimes they take a famous Link Wray song and chop it up and make it ear-bleedingly awesome and then yell over it ("Spread Eagle Cross the Block"). Sometimes they make sparse, heavy beats and then yell over that ("Takyon"). Sometimes they take Black Flag samples and yell over those ("Klink"). Sometimes they make far too intense electronic beats and yell over that, but for you guys that like yelling less, there are a couple super cool electronic tracks with regular talking ("Culture Shock"). I think it's super cool future music and I think it's awesome.
It gets better! The whole album, Ex Military, is free on their website. Click the album art, listen, get angry (and also, if you like it, pay them money to support them while you're angry)!


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Wow. I cannot believe it is December already. Man, time flies, especially when you are working like a maniac.
I hope everyone had a fun and joyful Thanksgiving holiday week and didn't exhaust themselves shopping. I actually took most of the weekend off, for a change. The rest did me good as I came back to work revved up and writing away.
With Christmas around the corner and a desperate desire for good cheer in these uncertain times, I want to keep this Weekly Update short and positive, focusing on the most immediate news and product releases.
UPDATE: Robotech® The New Generation™ Sourcebook ships tomorrow – Friday, December 2. We were expecting the book sooner, but our printer was backlogged and there was a slight delay. We'll be busy packing and shipping tomorrow afternoon. Anyone who has placed a pre-order will see their book put in the mail on Friday.
We are very excited about Robotech® The New Generation™ Sourcebook, especially that it offers the ability to play mecha and O.C.C.s from ALL eras of Robotech® in one setting against the Invid. Just think about the possibilities of Veritech Fighters, Destroids, Battloids, Hover Tanks, Cyclones, and "Frankenmecha" – giant robots combined with the limbs, weapons and body parts of two or more mecha – all working together to stop a common enemy. Epic. Plus, there is more information about the Invid, rules for creating Frankenmecha, vehicle combat and crash damage as well as stats and descriptions for new weapons, new vehicles, seven new O.C.C.s (including Invid Genetics and Cyborg Experiments, Invid Princes and Princesses and Resistance Fighter O.C.C.s), key characters from the TV show, world overview, great art and more. Ships December 2.
UPDATE: Rifts® Path of the Storm™ – Ships Monday or Tuesday, next week. I checked with our printer, and we are on track for this book to ship next week. I hope Rifts® fans pick up this very unique product. Those of you who keep asking for Rifts® novels should especially enjoy this book as the movie script reads very much like a good novel. For those of you who don't know, Rifts® Path of the Storm™ is Matthew Clements' full screenplay that he wrote on spec for the Rifts® movie, and it's good. Real good. So good I decided to publish it, but only after we added game stats for three new demons, key villains and several heroes from the script. I also did an introduction about some of Palladium's Hollywood experiences. It all adds up to a fun to read, behind the scenes insight, and game material for you. Cat. No. 305, 96 pages. Ships December 5 or 6.
UPDATE: Rifts® Lemuria. This epic sourcebook is even cooler and packed with more great source material than I originally thought. You will love this book. I continue to tweak, retool and add material as the book goes into the final editing phase. This book is packed with cool ideas, many new Biomancy magic spells, Ocean Magic spells, Millennium Tree items, aquatic riding animals, sea monsters, sea dragons, living armor and weapons, symbiotic organisms, information about the Lemurian people, their floating cities, and more. Getting it to the printer in the next week or two remains our top priority. I'm hoping it will be an end of December release (depends on our printer's turn-around schedule).
UPDATE: Dead Reign™ Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead™. This is going to be another book that will surprise and create bone chilling amazement. The 96 page sourcebook presents zombies like you have never seen them, 7 new types of them, 5 new survivor O.C.C.s including the Wheelman and Zombie Hunter, vehicle armor rules, many encounter tables, adventure tables, what the military is doing and more. A December release.
Can't get your zombie fix fast enough? Order the 11x8½ inch or 17x11 inch Endless Dead™ zombie print by artist Mike Mumah. The frightful zombie horde depicts the Palladium staff and notable freelance artists and writers; 36 of us in all. Scary and fun. All zombie prints are signed by me and the rest of the Palladium staff. The prints may be requested in Christmas Surprise Packages but only some requests will be honored and you are most likely to get the small, 11x8½ inch version. You can also request a staff photo with us as zombies. (Our drawn heads from the print superimposed on our photographed bodies. Silly fun.)
About Palladium's new releases. I know some of you are frustrated with Palladium's lack of new products and a release schedule that has gotten pushed back all year long. Me too. I apologize for the delays. If we could have gotten them out sooner, we sure would have. It has been another crazy year with Alex's house fire and serious illness (now under control), other friends battling life-threatening illnesses and several other things happening behind the scenes, including some health issues of my own. All of this contributed to the delays, but we're starting to rock 'n roll now. Be excited, we are.
The reasons for the delays do not really matter. Rather, I hope people focus on the fact that books are coming out. Great books. Titles that will challenge your imaginations. And new release should continue on a regular basis. My goal remains to see at least one new release every month from this point forward. Books that should make your eyes open wide with amazement, lips curl into a smile and leave you hungry for more. Help us keep these releases coming by gobbling them up when they come out and spreading the word about how much you enjoy them.
Online sales have improved, but remain worrisome. Sales have picked up, but remain unpredictable. In these uncertain times that's reason to worry. We're hoping December sales skyrocket over the next few weeks, carrying us into the New Year like a runaway freight-train. ;)
Palladium's Christmas Surprise Package is the best deal of the holidays. $80-$90 (or more!) worth of Palladium Books product for only $38 plus shipping and handling. A minimum of eighty dollars ($80) retail. Sometimes much more! Santa Kevin often packs in $90-$100 worth of goodies. It is our way of saying thank you to our fans and putting smiles on the faces of gamers around the world. Offer ends December 23, 2011. Three weeks till Christmas – and you need to factor in at least 3 to several days in transit – which means order your Grab Bags SOONER than later.
BIG SALE on Kevin's Online Toy & Collectibles Store. Alex and I put a couple dozen new "Palladium" items (books, proofreader copies of books, artwork, prints, and other rare stuff) into the store this past week. There are also a lot more toys and action figures. We will try to add some more Palladium collectibles before Christmas. All items are from my personal collection and are generally in very good to mint condition. The store's current sale (all items are 20% to 30% LESS than the usually low prices) ends December 12. Check it out.
Order the two new books and let us know what you think of them. Rifts® Lemuria will follow hot on their tail, with Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead and the Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook shortly after. I plan to put your imaginations into overdrive with new releases in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, think holidays and order your Surprise Packages before it is too late.
– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer and Surrogate Santa
One of the best holiday deals anywhere is right here: The Christmas Surprise Package – $80-$90+ worth of merchandise (often more!) for only $38 plus shipping and handling. And you also get autographs in every book if you want them and the element of surprise with your wish list. Heck, the Palladium Christmas Surprise Package may be the "very best gift" money can buy, period! At least for gamers.
Buy one or several as gifts for your friends or for yourself. Use it to get books on the cheap to fill in holes in your gaming collection, try new RPGs and game settings, or get back issues of The Rifter®, or get original art, art prints and autographs. Surprise your fellow gamers with one choice book or a big pile of books for Christmas thanks to Palladium's Surprise Package. Can you imagine the look on your friend or loved one's face when you hand him or her a pile of role-playing products worth $90 (or more) . . . with autographs? And you only paid $38 (plus shipping and handling). Word it right and you may get a Surprise Package that has enough items to give to two or three friends.
No other game company offers an opportunity like this. And for a lot of people this is the only way to get books signed by some of the creators and Palladium staff. What are you waiting for? Order yours today. :)
Click here to order yours today.
Media Mail: This is the most inexpensive method of shipping. HOWEVER, please be advised that Media Mail takes 3-14 days at the best of times. During the holiday season it takes more like 5-24 days, so do NOT use Media Mail after December 7 if you need your Palladium order before Christmas! Order later and it may arrive AFTER Christmas. Media Mail is also much more likely to get "lost" in the mail. NOTE: Any order shipped Media Mail that is "lost in the mail" is YOUR loss, not Palladium Books. Your order will NOT be recreated. YOU use Media Mail – the most unreliable of shipping services – completely at your OWN risk. We strongly recommend UPS or Priority Mail.
Priority Mail: This is a very reliable method of shipping. It is supposed to take three days, and usually does, but sometimes 4-5 days during the Christmas season. Note that orders shipped via the US Postal Service cannot be traced or tracked.
UPS Ground takes 1-3 days to deliver to most places east of the Mississippi. 4-5 days to those of you West of that dividing line, so those living out west should take that into account. Orders shipped via UPS can be tracked at any time and the contents are insured if lost. This early before Christmas there is NO NEED to have orders shipped via 3-Day or 2-Day UPS.
UPS 3rd Day Service: Guaranteed to arrive 3 days after being shipped. REMEMBER, it can take one or two days for your order to be processed and shipped. This is definitely the case when you place an order on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. We cannot process your order till Monday and that means it ships on Tuesday.
To expedite your order, PLEASE make your Wish List/Special Wants clear, include 8-12 currently available books/items, and make certain your address is complete and correct. We MUST have a complete street address including Apartment Number to ship via UPS. UPS cannot ship to a P.O. Box (see Priority). If you give us the wrong or incomplete address and the order gets lost – the loss is yours. Palladium cannot replace the order as a result of your mistake or omission. Remember, we are packing Christmas Surprise Packages full, often with $85-$100+ worth of product, and Palladium cannot afford to send the package out twice due to your mistake. We hope you understand. Likewise, numbered, limited editions and original artwork can NOT be replaced if lost. BE CAREFUL, send your complete, current address – including your apartment number – and use a reliable, trackable and insured method of shipping like UPS.
Note to Customers Outside the U.S.A.: 1. You, the customer, are responsible for any and all duty, taxes or Customs fees. Books have the lowest fees and duty, but they can still be costly (typically around $20-$30). 2. Palladium Books is not responsible for any delays at Customs. We cannot guarantee time of arrival, so give yourself a few extra days. International Priority Mail should arrive within 5-7 business days, but give yourself a little extra time to be safe. 3. Palladium charges you ONLY for ACTUAL postage plus a small handling fee. We are a small company and can not offer the low or no shipping that big companies like Amazon are able to provide. We hope you understand.
Starting December 5th, Palladium Books processes Christmas Surprise Package orders EVERY day (except weekends) in an effort to get them to you before Christmas. Have a wonderful and joyous holiday.
During the holiday season, we like to let you see some of the many comments we get with the Christmas Surprise Packages. It's a nice way to acknowledge some of our fans and to share with you the kinds of words we hear from gamers throughout the season. We show only initials as some people would rather keep their identity private. Our thanks for your kind words of appreciation and encouragement. This time around, I reply to the comments.
We are happy to do the Christmas Surprise Packages and spread a little joy and fun around the globe. It is a privilege and an honor to touch so many people with our games. The Surprise Packages are our way of giving back and saying thank you to our legion of amazing fans. Game on! – Kevin Siembieda
J.K. in Bridgton, Maine, writes: Best wishes to all the hard working folks at Palladium. I hope for many more years of games from your company and look forward to watching in amazement as you guys keep wowing us with your imagination. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!
[We all hope to be around for many more years. With the support of fans like you, we'll make it so. – Kevin]
B.W. in Rochester, New York, writes: Thanks for doing this! This is my fourth Grab Bag over the years and it is always such an awesome experience.
[Glad you enjoy them so much. – Kevin]
N.M. in Saint Clair Shores, Michigan, writes: My husband and I love Rifts®. Trying to get some new stuff to round out the collection and start up a game for the kids.
[I'm seeing more and more parents playing role-playing games with their children. Awesome. Have fun. – Kevin]
L.L. in Springfield, Oregon, writes: This is my third one of these (Surprise Packages) this year. I'm really excited to use this service. It's the only way I can afford to get all the books I love. I love reading about everything in The Rifter® and . . . I got a copy of Heroes Unlimited™ in the last package and it looks really cool. Can't wait to play.
[HU2 is a blast to play. You'll enjoy it. – Kevin]
M.F. in West Columbia, South Carolina, writes: I would like to see more work in the vein of Rifts® Underseas. It was encouraging to play in an entirely different direction not merely more/bigger guns. By far my favorite World Book.
[Then you'll love Rifts® Lemuria. – Kevin]
E.W. in Park Forest, Illinois, writes: Always love this (Surprise Package) every year. Keep up the good work . . . Also, please put out more books for Splicers®. It is a good setting and deserves more love.
[At least two Splicers® sourcebooks are planned for 2012. – Kevin]
B.C. in Lancaster, California, writes: Thank you for giving us a much more entertaining game system than the dull D20 junk. The only thing I would love to see in the near future is the Land of the Damned™ Three, and a sourcebook for the Old Kingdoms™. Palladium Fantasy® is still much loved and the land needs to be finished.
[I plan on doing Land of the Damned 3 in 2012. – Kevin]
E.W. in Belleville, New Jersey, writes: Keep doing what you are doing, and have fun doing it.
[Count on it. – Kevin]
As soon as Robotech® The New Generation™ hits our warehouse tomorrow we ship it to YOU. That's right, those of you who have pre-ordered a copy of New Generation™ have Top Priority and your pre-order ships the day Palladium receives it from our printer.
This sourcebook is epic in scope and opens up an entirely new range of game play by allowing mecha and O.C.C.s from all eras of Robotech® in one setting.
For the first time ever, Veritech Fighters, Destroids, Battloids, Hover Tanks, Cyclones, and something called "Frankenmecha" – giant mecha amalgamations that combine the limbs, weapons and body parts of two or more mecha. There are also rules for creating Frankenmecha, new weapons and vehicles, seven new resistance fighter character classes, Invid Hives, key characters from the TV show, world overview and more. 8½ x 11 book format (not manga size), 96 pages.
The battle for the liberation of Earth starts here. For the first time in its history, the Earth has been invaded and occupied by alien invaders – the Invid. The Invid think they have won, but Freedom Fighters, UEEF soldiers and other heroes continue to fight until they win.
We're hoping this unique and fun title arrives early (Friday). Even if it doesn't, it ships next Monday.
Everyone wants to know what's going on with the Rifts® movie. Well, this book presents an insight and behind the scenes info on that front by Kevin Siembieda, plus an entire screenplay written on speculation by Matthew Clements as well as game stats and artwork for major characters in the script. Kevin was so impressed with the writer's screenplay that he had Matthew make changes and improvements and sent the second draft to Jerry Bruckheimer Films for their consideration. Meanwhile, Matthew and Kevin hit it off and the next thing he knew he became Palladium's new staff writer.
We thought it would be fun to let Rifts® gamers and Palladium fans see the type of Rifts® movie we at Palladium Books would like to see made. So we are presenting Matthew's screenplay as a proposed Rifts® movie script and Rifts® sourcebook. The screenplay is a fast, fun adventure story that is sure to please Rifts fans. To make it more fun, the author has statted out the key characters in the script and gamers can use the heroes, villains and story ideas in their own campaign should they choose to do so.
This is a unique product and a fun read that should appeal to all Palladium fans. After all, it lets the reader step behind the veil and see what goes on behind the scenes.
The power, secrets and magic of the underwater realm of Lemuria revealed. Player characters can use symbiotes, magic and technology to breathe underwater and spend time below the waves.
Lemuria is more than an underwater civilization of aquatic beings. They can trace their lineage as far back as the Atlanteans and can survive on dry land as well as underwater. In fact, their greatest secret is that there is no one resting place for the Lemurians, their great cities are always moving. Learn about the people of Lemuria, new Biomancy magic and weapons, Biomancy engineered riding animals, sea herbs, new powers of healing, sea monsters, and more. Epic adventure awaits.
As time goes on, the zombie hordes only grow in number and strangeness. This book contains horrifying new zombies to haunt your player characters along with new O.C.C.s and tons of tables for detailing Survivors' Hideouts, Safe Haven Communities, Death Cults and more. Survival is not enough. Now is the time for the war against the Endless Dead™. This book is going to be epic. Kevin and all the Palladium creators are pushing the envelope with each and every book they work on.
The ultimate Zombie Apocalypse T-shirt: The front depicts a woman armed with a shovel standing on the roof of her car as a massive horde of zombies swarm around her. The front of the shirt reads: "Ever have one of those days?" Below the art is the Dead Reign™ logo and the words "The Zombie Apocalypse." Printed white on a black T-shirt. Art by Amy Ashbaugh.
The back of the shirt is red on black and says, "Relax, it's not like it's the end of the world or anything." - but most of that statement has lines crossing it out, leaving only the words "it's the end of the world." Under it is a Nick Bradshaw zombie silhouette and a small version of the Dead Reign™ logo. Funny, poignant, awesome!
With zombies and horror all the rage in film and books, this RPG captures all the best aspects of the zombie genre. The setting is as much about survival in a post-apocalyptic world as it is about battling legions of walking dead. If tales of human survival, horror and zombies are of interest, you will love this fast paced game and its sourcebooks.
A zombie horde stumbles toward you, but these aren't ordinary zombies, they are the Palladium staff and freelancers! That's right, this horrifying mash of zombies includes Kevin, Wayne, Alex, Kathy, Julius and Matthew, as well as Kevin Long, Ramon Perez, Freddie Williams, Mike Mumah (the artist), Mark Dudley, Chuck Walton, Nick Bradshaw, Carl Gleba, Jason Richards, Brandon Aten, Greg Diaczyk and many, many others (36 monstrous faces total). Available in two sizes, both signed by the Palladium staff.
This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We've made 90 titles available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include:
© Copyright 2011 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Beyond the Supernatural™, Chaos Earth, Coalition States, Dead Reign, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, Warpath, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.
This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.