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Booking Terms and Conditions
By submitting your booking you represent to us that you have the authority to make the booking on behalf of your party and that you accept on behalf of your party that the booking is subject to these Terms and Conditions. A contract exists as soon as we issue our Booking Confirmation Form.
You should check the details of your confirmation carefully and promptly to ensure that it accurately reflects the booking you have requested. You should immediately inform us of any discrepancies or alterations. If the course/event date is less than 14 days from the date of issue of the Booking Confirmation Form notification of any discrepancies or alterations should be made within 24 hours of that date. In all other cases, you should notify us within 7 working days of receipt of the Booking Confirmation Form.
The full balance is required at the time of booking. Credit card bookings can be made over the phone for all courses and we will complete a booking form for you to check and sign when you attend the centre. Crossed cheques should be made payable to Datchet Watersports Ltd. Datchet Watersports reserve the right to change our prices at any time.
You should be confident in the water. You must advise us at the time of booking of any illness or medical conditions that you suffer from. Whilst medical conditions may not necessarily prevent you from taking the course, Datchet Watersports cannot accept any responsibility for any client's medical conditions or any accident stemming directly or indirectly from it. Personal insurance against loss, damage, injury or accident while on the course or visiting the site is the responsibility of the client.
Cancellations by Client:
If notice is given less than eight weeks before the commencement of the course, 100% of the course fee is retained. Any course/hire booked is valid for a maximum of 12 months from date of booking. Courses/hire not taken within 12 months will be forfeited. Course/hire bookings are transferrable at the discretion of the operators. If a course is transferred 72 hours or less before the start of the course Datchet Watersports reserves the right to charge a £15 admin fee.
Cancellation/postponement by Datchet Watersports:
Every attempt will be made to make sure that your course actually runs. However, Datchet Watersports reserves the right to cancel a course at any time. Where we have to cancel a course, another set of dates will be arranged as soon as possible, to mutual convenience.
Safety & circumstances beyond our control
As your safety is our first concern, a course/event may be cancelled or re-scheduled or curtailed by us in weather conditions which may in our view make the course/event dangerous or unsafe or due to circumstances beyond our control (including staff illness). We may also cancel, postpone or re-schedule a course/event where there are not enough people booked on the course/event to make it viable. In appropriate circumstances the course/event type and / or itinerary may be altered as necessary. Please contact us if in any doubt as to whether a course/event can take place. As with other activity-based experiences, watersports activities contain an element of risk. It must be understood that your participation in these activities is your decision and at your risk.
The Centre Principal and Chief Instructor have primary responsibility for the safety of the clients and craft at all times and his/her decision is final. If any member of your party commits an illegal or potentially dangerous act including carrying or taking of drugs during or before a course/event, is under the influence of alcohol, persistently disregards the instructions of the instructor, or is disruptive or exhibits difficult behaviour, the Centre Principal and Chief Instructor reserve the right to terminate such persons' participation in the course/event with no responsibility to them. In such an event there will be no right to any refund and we reserve the right to make a claim for costs and losses incurred.
All complaints in relation to course/events run by us must be notified to us as soon as reasonably practicable and in any event within 72 hours of the end of the course/event in question.
Feedback is extremely valuable to us for monitoring the satisfaction of our clients. If you are not given a feedback form and would like one, please don't hesitate to ask. If you have any questions or concerns during the course, please raise them immediately with the Principal or Chief Instructor so that we can solve any problems as soon as possible.
You consent to the world-wide royalty free and irrevocable license to take and use photographs and/or video footage of your participation in booked courses or hire activity for such purposes as we think fit including but without limitation, for our marketing, publicity and promotional advertising.
Dinghy & Windsurf Hire Safety Policy
There will normally be at least one powerboat on the water and ready to go whenever there are Datchet Watersports craft on the water.
- At weekends, between the hours of 09.30 and 18.00, the water will be regularly checked by a member of staff with any response taken as necessary.
- During the weekdays and evenings the water will be checked periodically by a member of staff and response times may be slower at these times.
- In very strong westerly winds, when only windsurfers are allowed out, the powerboat may be rigged and ready to go, but kept ashore. In these circumstances recovery to the shore is often quicker, more effective, and safer than by rescue boat.
- As a windsurfer on a lee-shore, it may be more appropriate to carry your equipment up the bank and then come and grab someone to give you a hand bringing it back.
- Safety Cover is not there as an easy taxi–ride back to the beach, and should only be used when in genuine difficulty.
Hire Terms and Conditions
Please read the hire booking conditions below very carefully. They are also displayed on the reception desk. By going on the water you are acknowledging that you have read and understood them.
It is our aim to provide good quality equipment for people to hire and to that end we require your assistance to make sure that the policy below is adhered to. If there are any areas that you feel require improvement in the maintenance of the equipment please let us know and we will attempt to repair it as soon as possible.
- We have a NO TOUCH POLICY on our equipment very similar to that of hiring a car. We do not expect the boats to touch the concrete banks. Any damage sustained whilst in your hire period will be charged to you for repair.
- Launching & recovery can be difficult depending upon the wind conditions so please ask for a briefing of the launch ⁄ recovery procedure that we would wish you to adopt in the prevailing conditions.
- The concrete banks are very slippery so wear appropriate watersports footwear at all times. No bare feet. Extreme caution must be exercised at all times adjacent to the shore – IT IS EXTREMELY SLIPPERY! Try to come up the banks using the cracks between the concrete – it provides additional traction.
- It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure prior to launching, that the boat ⁄ board is in serviceable condition and the following check–list is completed. Bungs are in. Inspection hatches are secure. Rudders, dagger-boards & centreboards are attached and tied ⁄ wired on so they are not lost if you capsize. Losses will be charged for.
- Sails can be put at risk especially if you capsize. If you land on a sail feet first or with your harness hook the chances of you going through it are very high. You will be charged for any damage to sails. Allowing sails to flog⁄flap in the wind will result in damage. Try to ensure the jib in particular is fully furled when not in use.
- Asymmetric spinnakers – Please do not use these unless you have been trained and we are happy for you to use these elements of the boat. If you do not hoist ⁄ lower the spinnaker in the hoist ⁄ drop zone the chances of you trawling it are very high and subsequent damage will need to be paid for. Inefficient use of the spinnaker will also result in lots of swimming!
- Trapezing – Harnesses are available for hire. Please watch for the person trapezing falling off the back and landing on the rudder assembly as these are not as strong as you might think especially on the RS Vision, Buzz and catamarans. Ensure you have been briefed in the use of the quick release harness hook. You will be liable if it is lost.
- When sailing a boat with wire rigging such as a Sport 16, RS Vision, Buzz or Catamaran, a mast-head float must be fitted at all times. However, you should not become reliant on it and develop bad practises such as standing on the mast when the boat is capsized. Get to the centreboard as quickly as possible.
- Deposits – Please supply a credit card for a damage deposit. We can keep the card in our safe and give it back to you when you return your craft safe and sound. If any damage occurs then we will debit your credit card for the relevant amount. You are signing the hire sheet giving us authority to do so.
- Datchet Watersports cannot be held liable for any articles that are left in our possession. Keys and wallets may be deposited in the lock-box in the office but are left at your own risk.
- Datchet Watersports cannot be held liable for any loss, damage or bodily injury howsoever caused, by usage of hired equipment or whilst undergoing activity either on or off the water with or without instruction unless directly caused by negligence of an employee.


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Australia, in Oceania between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean, is the world's smallest continent, but 6th largest country. It is mostly low plateau and deserts, with fertile plain in southeast. The highest point is Mount Kosciuszko at 2,229 meters (7,310 feet). Most of the population is concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts.
Environmental issues include soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices – rising soil salinity due to the use of poor quality water – and desertification. Land clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species. The Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site. Australia also contends with limited natural freshwater resources; so, rainwater catchment is commonplace in the vast rural areas. Uranium mining in Kakadu National Park has been an issue of particular concern for tourism. (See Wikipedia Environmental issues in Australia and Effects of global warming on Australia.)
The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities is the government agency charged with overseeing environmental issues, as well as protected areas. The Australian Greens are active and influential at all levels of government, federal, state and local. (See Wikipedia Environmental movement in Australia and Environmental organisations based in Australia.)
There are two areas in Australia which are both Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage sites. Remote Macquarie Island, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica though administered as a Tasmanian State Reserve, is home to Macquarie Island Station, part of the Australian Antarctic Division. At the center of Australia, the Uluru Biosphere Reserve contains the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park World Heritage site. Theoretically, Australia's National Reserve System, almost 10,000 protected areas covering more than 12 percent of the continent, is overseen by Parks Australia in support of the Director of National Parks; however, in reality day to day administration of "national parks" falls to state and territory authorities. In large part, national parks in Australia have been politically "rubber stamped", and so are not the pristine national parks seen elsewhere, but more like the multi-use national forests of the United States. (See Wikipedia Protected areas of Australia, Marine parks of Australia, and Botanical gardens in Australia.)
Australia enjoys an immense wealth of special wildlife, not only on land, but in the sky and in the sea as well. The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife works to protect wildlife and habitat. Wildlife Tourism Australia is particularly involved in the role wildlife plays in tourism. The wild dingos of Fraser Island present a particular case in point; Save Fraser Island Dingoes is involved with the protection of this sub-species of the Asian wolf. Lots of people have heard of the emu, but the cassowary presents another case in point of species impacted by tourism; Save the Cassowary is a campaign working for more protection of this endangered giant bird. BirdLife Australia has been Australia's voice for birds over a century. (See Wikipedia Important Bird Areas of Australia and Ramsar sites in Australia.) The Australian feral camel has become an environmental menace; however, Explore the Outback has become a prominent voice in the Australian camel safaris industry. (See Camels Australia Export for links to more tourism providers.)
The Dugong & Turtle Tourism project has explored sustainable management of dugong and turtle tourism. (Dugongs are the Indo-Pacific variant of "sea cows", commonly known as manatees in North America.) The Australian Whale Conservation Society was instrumental in ending commercial whaling. Whale and Dolphin Watch Australia is the national trade association for commercial whale watching operators. Hervey Bay in Queensland is generally considered the humpback whale watching capital of Australia, with the season starting every July. According to Whales Alive, 1.5 million whale watchers in Australia generated close to $300 million worth of business in 2004 alone, with 15 percent annual growth. In Western Australia, migrating humpback whales are viewable in Coral Bay, from June to October.
In Western Australia, Monkey Mia Resort is probably the most well know place for dolphin experiences in Australia, located in the Shark Bay Marine Park and World Heritage site. The Shark Bay Dolphin Project is doing long-term monitoring of Shark Bay dolphins, including human impacts. (There is also a Dolphin Discovery Center south of Perth, in Bunbury.) Further north, Ningaloo Marine Park (Ningaloo Reef) and Ningaloo Coast World Heritage site is known for seasonal concentrations of the whale sharks. ECOCEAN (Australia) works to save the biggest fish in the ocean, as part of an international network monitoring whale sharks. In 2012, results of a 5 year study showed tourism had not affected whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef. Coral Bay Ecotours is a commercial provider of whale shark experiences.
Crocodile tourism is also popular – both freshwater crocodiles (freshies) and saltwater crocodiles (salties) – with many crocodile parks and farms around Australia, such as Hartleys Crocodile Adventures in Cairns, and Crocosaurus Cove or Crocodylus Park in Darwin. Of course, no review of Australia's wildlife tourism story would be complete without a nod to the renowned "Croc Hunter", Steve Irwin – now memorialized by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society flagship, MY Steve Irwin, and to his family's Australia Zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. (See Wikipedia Zoos in Australia, Aquaria in Australia, and Wildlife sanctuaries of Australia.)
In terms of ecoregions, the great Australian Outback is surrounded by the famed beaches of Australia; though, the Queensland tropical rain forests is also a noteworthy region. Before European arrival, aboriginal Australians had Songlines, or Dreaming tracks, across the land which marked the routes followed by the creators. Today, there are many hiking and bushwalking tracks in Australia, such as the well known Bibbulmun Track through Western Australia. There is also the Gibb River Road, a former cattle route through The Kimberley. Initiated by the Australian Trail Horse Riders Association, the Australian Bicentennial National Trail is one of the longest marked multi-use trails in the world, stretching from far north Queensland all the way south to Victoria. Bushwalking Australia is the national body representing the interests of bushwalkers. Rail Trails Australia works for the conversion of disused railbeds into a national network of rail trails. Tracks & Trails is a biennial conference dedicated to the business of trails in Australia. Conservation Volunteers Australia is a great way to get involved with land management initiatives across Australia.
There are also quite a few developed canopy walks all over Australia. Queensland has the most, including Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walk, O'Reilly's Tree Top Walk, Daintree Discovery Centre, and Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk. New South Wales has the Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk. Victoria has the Otway Fly. Tasmania has the Tahune Forest Airwalk. And in Western Australia, there is the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. Though not walks per se, the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway lets you ride a gondola to Kuranda from just outside Cairns, and Cape Tribulation Jungle Surfing lets you tour the rainforest canopy by zip line.
Parks Authorities:
- Australian Capital Territory: ACT Parks & Conservation Service
- New South Wales: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
- Northern Territory: Parks and Wildlife Commission NT
- Queensland: Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing
- South Australia: Parks SA
- Tasmania: Parks & Wildlife Service
- Victoria: Parks Victoria
- Western Australia: Department of Environment and Conservation
Biosphere reserves:
- Croajingolong (Croajingolong National Park), 1977
- Kosciuszko (Kosciuszko National Park), 1977
- Prince Regent River (Prince Regent River Nature Reserve), 1977
- Unnamed (Mamungari Conservation Park), 1977
- Uluru (Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park), 1977
- Yathong (Central NSW Mallee Important Bird Area), 1977
- Fitzgerald River (Fitzgerald River National Park), 1978
- Hattah-Kulkyne & Murray-Kulkyne (Hattah-Kulkyne National Park), 1981
- Wilson's Promontory (Wilsons Promontory National Park), 1981
- Riverland (Riverland Biosphere Reserve), 1977
- Mornington Peninsula and Western Port, 2002
- Barkindji (Murray-Darling basin), 2005
- Noosa (Noosa National Park), 2007
- Great Sandy (Great Sandy Desert), 2009
IUCN members:
- Australian Conservation Foundation
- Australian Marine Conservation Society
- Australian Network of Environmental Defender`s Offices Ltd.
- Australian Rainforest Conservation Society
- Centre for International and Environmental Law
- Conservation Volunteers Australia
- Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
- Institute of Foresters of Australia
- National Environmental Law Association
- National Parks Association of New South Wales
- National Parks Australia Council
- Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales
- Project Jonah Australia
- The Wilderness Society
- University of Canberra, Faculty of Applied Science
- WWF – Australia
- Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
- Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia)
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources (South Australia)
- Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (New South Wales)
- Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport (Northern Territory)
- Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria)
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Queensland
- Parks Victoria
- Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
- Wet Tropics Management Authority
The history of indigenous Australians is long and interesting. Scientists believe humans first arrived in Australia more than 70,000 years ago. Recent DNA studies suggest an additional influx or people from India some 4,500 years ago, bringing the dingo with them. The Australia aboriginal cultures are considered to be the oldest living cultures in the world. However, there is no doubt they have been ravaged and decimated by European colonization. The first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal claims were made until 1770, when Captain James Cook took possession for Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Those colonies federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. A referendum to change Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites International Scientific Committee on Cultural Tourism secretariat is based in Australia. National Trust of Australia functions as the Australian council of national trusts for regional member organizations. The National Heritage List is maintained by Australia Heritage. There are many museums in Australia. The state of Queensland maintains its own Heritage Trails Network.
Tourism in Australia has become an important part of the national economy. In the financial year 2010/11, the tourism industry represented 2.5 percent of Australia's GDP, a value of approximately A$35 billion; this is equivalent of tourism contributing A$94.8 million a day to the economy. The government's Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, to establish a competitive and dynamic sustainable tourism industry, ceased operation in 2010. In the third sector, Ecotourism Australia coordinates a number of industry specific certifications. The Outdoor Council of Australia is another association of outdoor industry professionals, more on the experiential education side. There is also an Outward Bound Australia for training outdoor leaders. The International Centre for Responsible Tourism Australia is a private sector initiative. The Australian Tourism Export Council maintains a Backpacker Youth Tourism Advisory Panel. On the academic side, Queensland's Griffith University maintains the International Centre for Ecotourism Research as a strategic research center. Regional initiatives include Western Australia's FACET (Forum for Advocating Cultural & Ecotourism). The Australasian Spa Association provides a focal point for wellness tourism. WWF Australia has been involved with a number of regional tourism development projects, such as the Sustainable Kimberley tourism partnership. Controversial tourism developments, in particular along the Great Barrier Reef, include Great Keppel Island and Ella Bay.
Australia enjoys a rich musical culture, and it's quite possible to travel the circuit of music festivals in Australia fulltime. Folk Alliance Australia is the peak national body representing performing folk arts, with a lively Festivals Calendar. The annual Woodford Folk Festival over the New Year holiday period, which is summertime downunder, may be the most well known. Australia's wine regions, particularly South Australia's famous Barossa Valley, present a strong tourist draw. Somehow the craze of building outlandish sculptures of ordinary things caught on in Australia, and now people will travel around the country to visit Australia's big things. Free Beaches Australia is an online directory, listing both legal and unofficial nude beaches. The Principality of Hutt River maintains itself as a sovereign state and tourist attraction within Western Australia. In the "Red Centre", Wycliffe Well is known for being the UFO capital of Australia (just five hours from the secretive Pine Gap facility).
Tourism Australia now has an online portal dedicated to Aboriginal Tourism, which includes and Operator Directory. Aboriginal culture is especially known for its art and music. The corroboree is more or less the equivalent of the native North American powwow. Major aboriginal art events include Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Alice Desert Festival, and Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair. Great aboriginal music festivals include the Garma Festival in Arnhem Land, the Dreaming Festival, and the biennial Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival. Desart is the "Association of Central Australian Aboriginal Art and Craft Centres", detailing how to visit local centers. Aboriginalart focuses on linking the community art centers of the "Top End". EALTA is the "East Arnhem Land Tourist Association", supporting local tourism operators and the development of tourism in East Arnhem Land. WAITOC is the "Western Australia Indigenous Tour Operators Committee". The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is a radical aboriginal presence at the nation's capital in Canberra.
Australians consume more Cannabis per capita than any other country. The little town of Nimbin, in the "Rainbow Region" of Northern New South Wales, is arguably the alternative capital of Australia, certainly the only place where Cannabis is openly bought and sold. (Big Volcano is as good a guide as any to ecotourism in the region, centered on the ancient caldera.) Cultural life of the region is largely revolves around the regular North Coast Markets. The Fellowship for Intentional Community maintains a good listing of Intentional Communities in Australia. New Govardhana is an Iskcon farm in the Rainbow Region that accepts "WWOOFers" (work trade guests). WWOOF Australia lists opportunities for "Willing Workers on Organic Farms" throughout the country. ConFest is a long running alternative bush campout festival held in the south-eastern states of Australia at New Year and Easter, organized by the Down To Earth Co-op. Gumtree is the "Craigslist" of Australia, for rental accommodation, buying used vehicles as well as rideshare opportunities.
For such a vast and empty land, camping is generally illegal outside commercial campgrounds, known as "caravan parks", and national parks, certainly in most touristed places. Farmstay Camping Australia is an online portal which can direct you to a wealth of interesting accommodation opportunities. Hosted Accommodation Australia is the trade association for Australia's "Bed & Breakfast" industry. Although there are many independent backpacker accommodations available, the Australian youth hostels association – YHA Australia provides a consistent, safe standard. EcoHotel presents an online portal to Australia's best green resorts and ecolodges, such as the North Territory's Wildman Wilderness Lodge. Stay Global is a Sydney based agency specializing in both visas and accommodations for studying in Australia.
There are many ways to get around in Australia. Rail transport in Australia is a good option. There is also the Greyhound Australia bus (not affiliated with Greyhound in the USA and Canada). Though largely a tropical climate, meaning either hot and humid or hot and dry, with immense empty expanses and "roadtrains" (tractor trailer trucks towing multiple trailers), many people still manage touring by bicycle in Australia. A more popular option is camper van rental. Popular camper van rental companies include Wicked Campers and Spaceships Rentals among others. Propane and dual fuel vehicles are relatively available in Australia. The Spirit of Tasmania is a car and passenger ferry with regular operations between Victoria and Tasmania.
World Heritage:
- Australian Convict Sites (2010)
- Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte) (1994)
- Fraser Island (1992)
- Gondwana Rainforests of Australia (1986)
- Great Barrier Reef (1981)
- Greater Blue Mountains Area (2000)
- Heard and McDonald Islands (1997)
- Kakadu National Park (1981)
- Lord Howe Island Group (1982)
- Macquarie Island (1997)
- Ningaloo Coast (2011)
- Purnululu National Park (2003)
- Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens (2004)
- Shark Bay, Western Australia (1991)
- Sydney Opera House (2007)
- Tasmanian Wilderness (1982)
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (1987)
- Wet Tropics of Queensland (1988)
- Willandra Lakes Region (1981)
ICCROM members:
- Australia ICOMOS
- Australian Heritage Council
- Australian Museum – Research Centre for Materials Conservation
- Australian National University (Research School of Humanities & the Arts)
- Cultural Heritage Research Centre – University of Canberra
- Curtin University of Technology – Department of Urban and Regional Planning
- Deakin University
- Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Heritage)
- Edith Cowan University – Dept. of Library and Information Science
- James Cook University
- Macquarie University
- Museum of Victoria
- National Gallery of Australia
- National Gallery of Victoria
- National Library of Australia
- National Museum of Australia
- Pacific Asia Observatory for Cultural Diversity in Human Development
- Port Arthur Historic Site
- Queensland Art Gallery
- Queensland Museum
- School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Adelaide
- State Library of South Australia
- State Library of Victoria – Preservation and Storage Division
- State Library of Western Australia
- University of Canberra
- University of Melbourne (Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning)
- University of Sydney (Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning)
- University of Western Sydney
- Western Australian Maritime Museum
- The role of law in shark-based eco-tourism: Lessons from Australia by EJ Techera & N Klein, 2013
- Diversification for sustainable development in rural and regional Australia: how local community leaders conceptualise the impacts and opportunities from agriculture, tourism and mining by E Miller, K van Megen & L Buys, 2012
- Death by a thousand cuts: Governance and environmental trade-offs in ecotourism development at Kangaroo Island, South Australia by F Higgins-Desbiolles, 2011
- Public perceptions of ecotourism activities and their 'authenticity' in regional Australia by S Rockloff & W Hillman, 2011
- Impacts and opportunities: Resident's views on sustainable development of tourism in regional Queensland, Australia by E Miller, K Megen & L Buys, 2010
- A Rewarding Holiday: Ecotourism in Australia by J Barthes, 2009
- Ecotourism as a Means of Encouraging Ecological Recovery in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia by E Moskwa, 2008
- Historical progression of sustainable management concerning marine tourism activities: A case study in Eastern Australia by H Richins & G Mayes, 2008
- Sustainable tourism development in remote regions? Questions arising from research in the North Kimberley, Australia by S Larson & A Herr, 2008
- The bigger they are, the harder they fall! Sustainable tourism planning at Naracoorte Caves World Heritage Site, Australia by JA James & CN Wild, 2008
- Determining Best Practice for the Sustainable Development, Marketing and Management of Regional Tourism Destinations in Australia: Project Overview by M Lawrence & J Buultjens, 2007
- Ecotourism and indigenous rights in Australia by RA Poirier, 2007
- Poverty, indigenous culture and ecotourism in remote Australia by D Fuller, J Caldicott, G Cairncross & S Wilde, 2007
- An outline of Parks Victoria's Tourism Partnerships Strategy and challenges for sustainable park tourism in Australia by M Stone & D Smith, 2006
- Ecotourism enterprise and sustainable development in remote Indigenous communities in Australia by D Fuller, J Caldicott & S Wilde, 2006
- Serviced apartment complexes in Australia: A critical analysis of their potential and challenges for sustainable tourism by J Warnken & C Guilding, 2006
- Understanding sustainable tourism development from a complex systems perspective: a case study of the Swan River, Western Australia by JR McDonald, 2006
- Wine Tourism and sustainable development in regional Australia by JG Gammack, 2006
- Cultural tourism attractions' contribution to 'culturally sustainable' tourism development: A case study of Maroochy Shire, Queensland, Australia by H Richins & G Van Hees, 2005
- Ecotourism and indigenous micro-enterprise formation in northern Australia opportunities and constraints by D Fuller, J Buultjens & E Cummings, 2005
- An Ecotourism Development Plan for the Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia by RK Dowling, 2004
- An Inspection Report on the Natural Preservation Undertaking and Ecotourism in Australia by DU Wan-quan, 2004
- The development of an indigenous eco-tourism micro-enterprise in Northern Australia by D Fuller & J Buultjens, 2004
- Ecotourism and protected areas in Australia by J Jenkins & S Wearing, 2003
- Ecotourism and the development of environmental literacy in Australia by GG Price, 2003
- Pay to play in parks: An Australian policy perspective on visitor fees in public protected areas by R Buckley, 2003
- Sharing the country: Ecotourism policy and indigenous peoples in Australia by H Zeppel, 2003
- Sustainable forest-based tourism in Northeast New South Wales, Australia: a problematic goal by J Buultjens, M Tiyce & D Gale, 2003
- The Natural State: Nature-Based Tourism and Ecotourism Accreditation in Tasmania, Australia by KA Matyseka & LK Kriwokena, 2003
- Australian Aboriginal ecotourism in the wet tropics rainforest of Queensland by THB Sofield, Australia, 2002
- Converting environmental concern into ecotourism purchases: A qualitative evaluation of international backpackers in Australia by S Wearing, S Cynn & J Ponting, 2002
- Ecotourism on Lancelin Island, Western Australia by M Revitt & D Sanders, 2002
- Ecotourism accreditation in Australia by RC Buckley & X Font, 2001
- Multiple Use Management Planning in Queensland, Australia: the Koombooloomba Ecotourism Project (a case study) by J Kehl, B Waring, R Smith & D Nalder, 2001
- Stakeholder perceptions of sustainable tourism: lessons learnt from a study in the Daintree region of Far North Queensland, Australia by A Hardy & R Beeton, 2001
- The Ecotourism Potential Of The Barker Inlet Wetlands, South Australia by GE Higginson, 2000
- Aspects of the biology and ecotourism industry of the whale shark Rhincodon typus in north-western Australia by BM Norman, 1999
- 'Best Practice' & Guidelines: Planning Tools For Sustainable Coastal Tourism In Australia? by L Testoni, 1999
- Ecotourism options in coastal protected area management: a case study of North Head Quarantine Station, Australia by S Wearing & S Darcy, 1999
- The challenges posed by four-wheel drive tourists to sustainable tourism in tropical Western Australia by M Hercock, 1998
- Potential for Participation in Ecotourism in Australia by Japanese Tourists by S Yoshikawa, 1997
- Sustainable tourism management: lessons from the edge of Australia by G Brown & S Essex, 1997
- Ecological economics criteria for sustainable tourism: Application to the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics world heritage areas, Australia by S Driml & M Common, 1996
- Setting an international precedent: ecotourism in Australia by H Richins, 1996
- The perceptions of ecotourism operators in Western Australia by SJ Finucane & RK Dowling, 1995
- Forest Ecotourism in the Mount Lofty Ranges of South Australia by RE Ressom, 1993
- Sustainable tourism in remote Australia: strategies for physical planning and infrastructure by CJ Bull, 1991

subset: commoncrawl


text:
By James Ellroy
413 KB, 66 pages
Byliner Inc. , Oct. 1, 2012
Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
It was "The Wonder" that sucked me into the twisted universe created by L.A.-based crime novelist James Ellroy.
I began reading Ellroy's stuff when I picked up a copy of Clandestine in the early 1980s, not long after it was first released. I loved that book so much I read it again years later just to recapture my original rush of pleasure.
In Clandestine, LAPD Patrolman Freddy Underhill and his lover, assistant District Attorney Lorna Weinberg, are both well-drawn and believable and the other characters in the novel are equally vivid and unique. The plot is complex, the dialog tight and well-written. The novel has a refreshing moral complexity, playing hard against the question of whether a person can do good by violating his or her own moral code and the law.
Best of all, the entire novel turns on "The Wonder," the epiphanic sense of amazement that sometimes occurs when you unexpectedly learn somebody else's deepest, darkest secret. Protagonist Underhill first uses the term while describing how he bonded with his partner, the doomed patrol officer Wacky Walker:
"With Wacky it was poetry, wonder and golf; with me it was women, wonder and golf. 'Wonder' meant the same thing to both of us: the job, the streets, the people, and the mutable ethos of we who had to deal daily with drunks, hopheads, gunsels, weinie-waggers, hookers, reefer smokers, burglars and the unnamed lonely detritus of the human race."
The search for that electric moment of knowing, as raw and intimate as breaking into a stranger's house to rifle through the drawers and cabinets, looking for whatever might be hidden there, was why I had become a reporter. The "Wonder" was what it was all about.
I found myself an Ellroy fan, much as I already was a Ross MacDonald, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler and Elmore Leonard fan, and began eagerly looking for each new book he published.
|James Ellroy: Many hits, but a series of recent misses. . .
Unfortunately, Ellroy began to lose his grip on me in 1995, about the time he wrote American Tabloid, the first of his "Underworld U.S.A." books. Ironically, what I most admired about his earlier works, including the so-called "L.A. Quartet" consisting of Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential and White Jazz, was their structure and tight writing; Ellroy rarely wasted a word in those earlier novels, which were constructed as straightforward third-person narratives told from the point of view of an omniscient fly-on-the-wall.
The new books, on the other hand, were more stylized, with passages of bebop language inserted here and there, high-flying hophead riffs in which Ellroy's exaggerated writing and feverish, drug-addled pace tried to capture the edgy undercurrent of the 1960s. A lot of the new stuff seemed to me to be a waste of time -- a use of overwrought prose to disguise the fact that Ellroy was running out of story, of fresh new things to say.
I made it through American Tabloid but when I finished, I asked myself why I had bothered. I got two thirds of the way through The Cold Six Thousand before I put it aside, bored by the way its hyperbolic style overpowered its thin content. I got a copy of Blood's a Rover for a Christmas present the year it came out, but never even opened it.
I didn't like the change in Ellroy's material much, but I accepted it; after all, a writer has to write, even if he has run out of things to say.
Then a few weeks ago, I got a message from Amazon booming a short story by Ellroy called Shakedown that was being offered as a Byliner Original, a collection of terse tales published by Byliner.com. I could give Ellroy another chance for a measly $1.99.
I figured, "why not?"
As P.T. Barnum once said, "There's a sucker born every minute and two to take him."
Shakedown purports to be the recollections of sleazy private eye Fred Otash, a real-life Los Angeles character who appeared in two of Ellroy's "Underworld U.S.A." books and reportedly served as the model for Jake Gittes in the movie, "Chinatown."
Otash, who conveniently died in 1992 (dead men file no libel suits!), was a one-time LA cop who set up his own bent detective agency to feed hot celebrity gossip and scandal to the cheesy rags like Confidential that sprouted from the soil of the Southland after World War Two like fungus following a summertime rainstorm in Los Angeles.
The story in Shakedown is that since his death, Otash has been hunkered down in purgatory, suffering vengeful indignities visited on him by those he pilloried in his gossip rag items before his death. That comes to a substantial amount of vengeful indignities because Otash threw dirt on a lot of L.A. society types and movie industry figures.
"Purgatory is shitsville," Otash tells us. "You're stuck with the body you had on earth when you died. You eat nothing but coach-class airplane food. There's no booze, no jazzy intrigue, no women. My earthly victims visit my cell unpredictably. They remind me of my misdeeds and jab me in the ass with red-hot pokers."
Ellroy -- yes, the author himself appears in the tale -- has contracted with Otash beyond the void to buy his memoirs. Based on the raw material alone, this sounds like a promising if unlikely set-up for an actual full-length novel.
But Ellroy doesn't really develop any of this material. Instead, he strings together a number of loosely related episodes into a jumbled patchwork that substitutes for a coherent narrative, laced with jive passages like:
"I laffed, I roared, I howled. My gut bounced and banged the table. Ellroy wrote a check and dropped it on my plate. Ten G's -- va-va-va-voom!"
It seems to me that Ellroy had enough material in the 66 pages assembled here to actually write a book. All he had to do was pad the stuff out and give it some sort of narrative flow -- one of the back-plots that drives his other novels for example: for example, an attempt to blackmail a fictional starlet or studio head that takes a bad turn and forces Otash to actually uncover a murderer.
Such a plot device wouldn't force Ellroy to rehab his bad-boy private eye very much and would actually give the story the coherence it lacks as a short subject.
Unfortunately, it appears that Ellroy took the easy route, scraping together a pile of raw notes trimmed out of his "Underworld U.S.A." series and kludging it into a "novella" offered strictly for laughs -- and an opportunity to see how many dopes would plunk down two bucks on an obvious scam.
Much as I hate to admit it, I was one of those dopes. Thinking back, I wonder why I went for it.
It's the only "Wonder" that I managed to eke out of Shakedown.
(Next week: Joyland, Stephen King's new thriller. . .)


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So, here's the weather forecast for the day: It's overcast with no visible signs of relief for the forseeable future, and there'll be lots of 'thundering' activity! No I'm not talking about the actual weather silly, I'm talking about the bleak financial outlook of our nation. What with congresses rejection of the $700 billion-tax-payer-dollar-bailout-plan (phew! That was a mouthful), there seems little that can be done to avert the inevitable. Finer, more astute minds than mine, have spent sleepless nights pondering the best way to resolve the current financial climate that threatens to derail global economies. All the indeces of the major stockmarkets in the world are dropping, as fears of an imminent collapse of the US financial market become more justified. I have had numerous conversations with friends who have vested interests (to varying degrees) for wanting to keep a close eye on the situation. Sadly, many of the reasons are fear based. How will this affect my family? How much do I stand to lose if it all goes belly-up? Will all my money still be worth what it's worth today? These, among many others, are some of the questions I hear bandied about regularly. I'm blissfully unaware of the right answers to all these questions (no, I don't need you to write back and educate me. I meant it when I said I am blissfully unaware).
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Overcast with 'thundering' activity
Friday, September 26, 2008
Mindless drivel
I'm in Massachussetts. It's part work part rest. I'm actually speaking this evening and twice on Sunday, so there is a fair amount of stuff I'm doing other than stuffing my face with lobster and steamers. There's so much preparation that is required before this evenings service, that I thought I should let you know that I won't be blogging today. Oops! Too late. I'm blogging right now even though nothing about this blog will add any value to your life (unless voyeurism is a favorite pastime of yours). I'll see you tomorrow (please don't judge my blog based on today's content) since today is a travel day.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
What time is it???
Evidently I'm not the only one going through 'seasons of change'. Our world is evolving and changing daily. Heightened security awareness is marked by color coded levels of danger at our airports. Private jet ownership has never seemed more appealing when you consider the 'harassment' and 'humiliation' you have to contend with when flying commercially (hey, I can dream can't I?). Add to that our recent financial woes in the USA and our beleaguered president's conviction that, without governmental intervention using billions of dollars of tax payer's money as collateral, we are destined for destruction... well, you have the perfect recipe for panic and doomsday-prognostications.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
I am every Man
I've been accused by some as being an inscrutable leader. Yet others swear that I am the most approachable, most transparent leader they've ever met. Still others suggest that I am a bit of both and somewhat enigmatic. So which one am I? No really, which one am I? Paul, in writing to the Corinthian Church declared:
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Frivolous Friday!
I want you to picture the town council meeting in your mind's eye. They're gathered around the 8' makeshift conference table discussing that one busy street that cuts right through the middle of the one-traffic-light town. The discussion is heated and animated. Some people want the street declared a one-way street so that it is safer for the townsfolk crossing over to the other side. The dissenters argue that this is the only way in and out of the town and so making it a one way street would dissuade people from visiting (not that there's much to visit anyway). Finally, the vote is tallied. the Aye's have it. The street will be made one way. Just one small problem... in the thick of the argument, they forgot to decide which way was one way. Problem solved! We'll just make it one way both ways!! What a great town to live in!!!
I've heard of 'rocks falling' but trees falling??? I guess preparing for the unexpected is a good mantra to adopt as you go through life otherwise the results can be fatal!!! Have a great weekend
Do you Prey? (no, this is not a typo)
Sola and I went out on a well deserved movie date last night and I even threw in a chinese dinner which we ordered take-out (Hey, I know how to show my wife a good time). We went to see Tyler Perry's The Family that Preys . I've got to tell you, it was an amazing movie. His movies are always brilliantly scripted, well cast, and beautifully executed. Okay, the secrets out... I'm a humongous Tyler Perry fan. I thought he couldn't outdo himself after Why Did I Get Married?, but I was wrong. This movie really spoke to some very real issues in both overt and subtle ways. One of the things I admire about Perry is the fact that he makes no secret of his Christian roots, as they are patently obvious in every one of his movies (even if it's just a church choir singing gospel music), yet he manages to keep his movies mainstream and not limited to a Christian audience. I'd give you my take on what was so impressive about the movie, but that would spoil it for you so... power down the computer, put on some deodorant, and head out to the movie theater now! This is a must see movie. See you when you get back, and tell me what you thought!!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
A lion goes to church too...
Here's an intriguing story coming out of the hurricane "Ike" aftermath. The owner of a lion from a Texas zoo was trying to get his animal to safety through rising water levels. Realizing that they were in grave danger as the water continued to rise, he diverted from his planned route and happened upon a church where people were taking refuge. He somehow convinced them that he and the lion were safe, and they agreed to help him. According to the story, they actually helped him guide the full grown lion through a couple of feet of water and locked him in the sanctuary until rescuers came by the next morning. Apparently, even though the water level rose to over four feet, the lion reportedly remained calm. Here's what the lions owner had to say about the experience:
Monday, September 15, 2008
Stupid is as stupid does
I'm ticked! I know, I know, it seems as if I've been ticked for a while now, right? Any way, this time I'm waxing philosophical on a completely different issue than politics or faith. One of the drawbacks of living in a country where everyone gets to excercise their 'free-will' freely, is that you have to deal with stupid people who display a measure of lunacy by putting others in harms way because, in the excercising of their free-will they've chosen unwisely. The recent hurricanes in Louisiana and Texas are perfect examples. Read the following excerpt from the Associated Press reports:
Friday, September 12, 2008
The long and winding road
Somehow today doesn't quite feel like a "Frivolous Friday" so I think I'm going to skip the funny signs and just share with you from my heart. This has been a really busy week for me. I mentioned in an earlier post that I had to fly out to Texas after church on Sunday so that I could help deal with an emergency that called for my intervention. I returned on Monday night, only to head out to the doctors office on Tuesday morning with my son. He was having his finger checked since it was still swollen and didn't look like the surgery had managed to solve the problem. We ended up having another surgery scheduled for yesterday morning. We were at the surgery center from 10.00am until 3.30pm and it turns out his little finger is broken. They fixed it and want him to lay off football for at least three weeks and possibly more. So here I am... exhausted, dealing with a frustrated teenager, thinking that I am so not ready for my Lead Team meeting on Thursday evening (not to talk about service on Sunday!), and all this is just the tip of the iceberg. Have you ever had one of those weeks? One of those weeks when you want to crawl back into bed, pull the covers up over your head and just let life make it without you? If you have, you'll know exactly what I'm going through. If you have, then you won't mind me asking you to spare a prayer for me today will you? Have a great weekend. I'm really working hard on ensuring that I do too!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Imitating life!
They say that art imitates life! If that's true, then I've seen a fair amount of great 'artwork' lately, much of it on the football field. Since my son's football recruiting took off on an entirely unexpected plane (pun intended), I've found loads of amazing spiritual life lessons from the 'art' of football. At the beginning of spring practice Demi decided he wanted to wear Jersey #9 for his senior year (admittedly a strange number for a defensive end, but... oh well!) Any way, when the jerseys came in he discovered that his was a medium (if you know my son you'll be laughing hysterically about now). He managed to squeeze into it for a photo shoot with the Orlando Sentinel, but decided that it was way too tight for him to be comfortable playing in it. Let me digress for a moment and tell you that he had surgery on the 'pinkie' finger on his left hand a few weeks ago, because he'd had an accident while going one-on-one with their biggest offensive line-man during practice.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Quick hits
I'm people watching again as I sit in Houston's Lobby Airport waiting for my return flight to Orlando. Don't ask, but I made an emergency trip to South Texas yesterday after church and am on the way back home. I thought I was done with traveling for a while, but as it turns out, not only did I have to make this emergency trip to Texas, but I will be making a trip to New England toward the end of the month. I am working on some major things right now and will let you all know about them once the decisions have been made. I watched Notre Dame play on Saturday, and barely eek out a win against San Diego State. What!?! Notre Dame used to be a perennial powerhouse but they have, it would appear, lost their edge. It's a good thing my son's college choice will offer me a new team to support without seeming to shift loyalties from a bad team to a good one. Seriously though, I've been a loyal ND fan for years and they've been bad for quite a few of them now. I'll see you tomorrow after I watch the Broncos pound the Raiders (fingers crossed).
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
This house is falling... or is it? (Part 3of 3)
For this post to make much sense I suggest you read parts 1 and 2 first.
So let me see if I've got this right. According to the gist of my preceding two posts, if we are to follow popular opinion:
- We (Christians) are bigots because we believe homosexuality to be a sin according to the Scriptures.
- A black man elected to the office of President of the U.S.A. is the highest calling and duty of every black American, and indeed black person around the globe, irrespective of what compromise that might be to our faith.
- Protesting the ordination of gay ministers and of non-believers in the Deity of Jesus is "problematic," illegitimate and troublesome.
- Adhering to the Scriptures as the true source of deliverance for humanity is "obscure," arcane, outdated, and irrelevant
And we wonder why our culture is regressing, while we become increasingly self-absorbed and arrogant? Meanwhile, as all of this is going on in our 'developed' nations, as we battle to figure out what true Christianity looks like in this generation, here's what's happening on the other side of the globe. A little known country named Rwanda is torn apart at the seams through genocide, as nearly one million ethnic Tutsi's are slaughtered in the space of 91-days. Helpless young women, are raped, tortured and beheaded with near blunt axes. Eight of the more fortunate survivors, in an attempt to save their lives, are holed up in a 3' X 5' bathroom for 91-days (Immaculee Ilibagiza, Left To Tell).
Here's one more excerpt from an article in September 2008's Charisma magazine that I think you might find interesting.
"Two Christians in the Algerian town of Tissemsilt were sentenced to six months in jail and fined 100,000 dinars ($1,617) in July for preaching the gospel. Rachid Muhammad Essaghir, 37, and Djallal Dhamani, were handed suspended jail terms and fined for violating a February 2006 law that forbids "proselytism and the illegal practice of a non-Muslim religion." The law prescribes up to five years in jail and fines of between $8000 and $16,000 for anyone who "incites, constrains or seduces a Muslim to join another religion.""
I guess there is hope for Christianity after all. This House cannot fall because Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16: 18). So while others may be building puny, un-enduring empires, and squabbling over what the 'politically correct' terminology of the day is, Jesus is slowly but surely building His Church around the world, and those who are willing, are privileged to sacrifice their personal comfort and even their lives for the sake of the Gospel. There is an ominous reminder in Scripture, to those of us who would seek to protect our lives at all costs, even if it means the compromise of our faith.
"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." (Matthew 16: 24-25)
My prayer for you and me today is that we be found willing if such a demand is ever placed on us.
This house is falling... or is it? (Part 2)
If you haven't already done so, I suggest that you read yesterday's post here first before continuing with this article.
"I am deeply troubled by the pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, tax-and-spend policies of the Democrats. And a lot of people in our community feel as I do. Consequently, there is a new dynamic in our midst: a new surge of African American political activism with strong conservative roots—a movement that is drawing its energy from the conservative moral values of the new black church."
D. L. Foster also added his voice to the conversation when he stated in his Charisma magazine article;
"Equally alarming is the way black churches have opened their pulpits to Obama despite his embrace of homosexuality…. While delivering a speech at a church event honoring Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, Obama chided the black community for not embracing homosexuals. He later called Romans 1 an "obscure passage" that had no bearing on Christian beliefs concerning same –sex relationships….Granted, Obama is at the center of an unprecedented moment in U.S. history. But do we as black Christians put our beliefs on the back burner just to get an African-American in the Oval Office? In the last several years we've seen the advance of gay rights lead to the suppression of religious liberty. Increasingly, believing that homosexuality is a sin is being equated with bigotry."
Foster precedes his summation with the story of a United Methodist pastor in Houston who, having endorsed Obama, faced criticism from homosexual activists for having an "overcoming ministry" listed on his church's website. The pastor informed the gay activists that "he didn't know his church operated such an outreach." He later told a political website "[name of ministry] is not a ministry of the church. It is not supported financially by the church. It is not located at the church. That is pretty much where I am with it." According to the article, the ministry has since been "scrubbed" from the church's website. I'll conclude this series tomorrow. Meanwhile, remember that we have an enemy that isn't flesh and blood, and the means of our warfare is spiritual not physical.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
This House is falling... or is it?
Christianity is under attack!!! There is a seemingly unwitting, malicious, and spurious plot to undermine the very values that define Christianity, while kowtowing to the secular values of our post-Christian, 'politically-correct,' western societies. What makes this attack even more dangerous is the fact that it comes, not from the secular culture which we have foolishly deemed to be the enemy, but from elements of our own, who purportedly profess the same faith that we do. Sadly, much of this 'distancing' from Biblical values is done under the guise of being culturally relevant and accommodating of others that don't believe the way we do.
I have spent the last couple of days 'devouring' my copy of the September 2008 edition of Charisma and Christian Life magazine. As I read one story after another, I cannot tell you how truly disheartened I am at the extent of our insensate approach to what is ostensibly our well intentioned attempt to 'love' and accept people, no matter what that looks like or how it impacts the true witness of the Gospel message. Our message has become the epitome of the maxim, "The end justifies the means." Let me unequivocally state: I'm convinced that this continued watering down of the Gospel will only serve to enervate and weaken our already unflattering image among non-Christians who are searching for truth.
Before you begin to rebuke me for going on a seemingly pointless diatribe, let me show you a few examples of what I'm talking about. There has been a tremendous amount of vituperation directed towards the Anglican Church in recent years, following their wide acceptance and ordination of homosexual clergy in North America. Here are some excerpts from an article by Nicole Schiavi in the September issue of Charisma magazine.
"Conservative Anglicans gathered in Jerusalem to formulate a declaration that drew a clear line between conservative and liberal camps in the Anglican body while opting not to break away from the traditional church. The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) was held in response to deep dissent in the Anglican Communion over the ordination of gay clergy in North America and the denial by some of the divinity of Jesus… "What we have here today is not just Africa and the global South, but truly a global coming together of Anglicans from around the world…" said the Most Rev. Peter Akinola of Nigeria, a primate and chairman of GAFCON…. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who did not sanction the Jerusalem gathering, called GAFCON's proposals "problematic" and illegitimate. "Any claim to be free to operate across provincial boundaries is fraught with difficulties, both theological and practical," the archbishop said."
Excuse me!?! Did I read the archbishop right? Operating across provincial boundaries poses theological difficulties? Is there a 'relevant' gospel that is specific for each culture? Shouldn't the so-called head of the Anglican Church be concerned that the very essence of his faith is being plundered and marginalized? Or is it suddenly okay to have a group of Anglican ministers believing that Jesus is not Deity, all in the name of being tolerant? When's the last time he read the Bible, and when he did, could he have missed the verse which says, "Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son." (I John 2: 22 ESV) Trust me folks, you want to come back tomorrow for more of this, it gets better!


text:
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Graduates of the Marine Transportation program have gone on to work for:


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The Rutgers Philosophy Department has been a first-rate training program for philosophers for many years. Its graduates have received tenured or tenure-track offers from many leading universities, including (to mention just a few) Oxford, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Cornell, Yale, Michigan, UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, MIT, Arizona, Berkeley, and Brown. In fact, the Rutgers Philosophy Department has been a distinguished department for the vast majority of its existence as a unified department. Before 1982, there was no unified philosophy department at Rutgers University. Rather, there were many departments, divided among the different undergraduate colleges of Rutgers University: Rutgers College, Livingston College, University College, Douglass College, and Cook College. Each department was in charge of its own hiring, though they did share graduate students in a joint graduate program that was established under the logician Arthur Smullyan's leadership in 1970. In 1982, Rutgers University President Edward Bloustein, himself a Philosophy PhD from Cornell University, unified the liberal arts and sciences programs in the colleges into one faculty - the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In the fall of 1982, the distinct college philosophy departments were finally joined together to form the Philosophy Department at Rutgers University, housed at Davison Hall on the Douglass College campus. Loretta Mandel became the head administrator of the consolidated department, a position she was to hold for many subsequent years, and Peter Klein served as its first Chair, from July 1982 until June, 1987.
Before the unification, Laurent Stern was chair of Rutgers College, Martha Bolton was the chair of Livingston College, and Fadlo Shehadi was the chair of Douglass College. William Alston had recently departed Rutgers College for Syracuse University, and the renowned aesthetician Peter Kivy had just joined the faculty of Douglass College from Rutgers University, Newark in 1978. The continental philosopher Bruce Wilshire was teaching at University College. Among other current faculty of the Department of Philosophy, Robert Matthews was teaching at Cook College, Doug Husak and Rob Bolton were faculty at Rutgers College, and Howard McGary, Martin Bunzl and Peter Klein taught at Livingston College. In 1980, fresh out of graduate school at the University of North Carolina, Brian McLaughlin also joined the faculty of Livingston College. Together with philosophers such as the logician Arthur Smullyan (Rutgers College), the historian of modern philosophy John Yolton (Rutgers College), the ethicist Richard Henson (Douglass College), and Amelie Rorty (then at Livingston), they formed the initial nucleus of the first unified Rutgers University Philosophy Department. An early hire was of a young assistant professor then teaching at Notre Dame, a Philosopher of Language and Mind by the name of Ernest Lepore. Lepore had initially come to Rutgers to replace Amelie Rorty for a semester. A visiting appointment rapidly became a permanent one.
The new unified department did not take long to place itself on the philosophical map. In April, 1984, Lepore organized a conference in honor of the philosopher Donald Davidson. The conference was two years in planning; the Lt. Governor of New Jersey introduced it. There were 72 talks, in parallel sessions, all with commentators, and 500 total participants – as large as the Central Division Meeting of the American Philosophical Association. Since that time, the Philosophy Department at Rutgers University has been the site of an extraordinary number of conferences and workshops in philosophy, including the biannual Rutgers Epistemology Conference. A piece in The New York Times commemorates the conference.
Beginning in 1986, Rutgers made a series of hires that would cement its future as one of the great philosophy departments in the English speaking world. That fall, Rutgers appointed Tim Maudlin, a newly minted PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. Because he had written a dissertation on reference and natural kinds, some may not have realized that Rutgers had just hired a man who was to become one of the world's foremost philosophers of physics. In the fall of 1987, the department welcomed to its ranks Jerry Fodor, who was teaching at CUNY Graduate Center. Jerry Fodor, the Department's only State of New Jersey Professor, is perhaps the major Philosopher of Mind of the last half-century. Recruiting him from CUNY Graduate Center, which he had just joined after leaving the philosophy department at MIT, was an enormous coup.
At the same time Fodor was recruited, Rutgers University established the Center for Cognitive Science, with Zenon Pylyshyn as its first director. It is now one of the preeminent Centers for Cognitive Science in the world, with close and ongoing ties to the Philosophy Department. Six of the department's faculty members are also members of the Center, and Ernest Lepore has served several terms as its Director.
After Maudlin and Fodor, the department made a number of other important appointments in quick succession. In the fall of 1988, the department recruited Barry Loewer from the University of South Carolina as the new Director of Graduate Studies. In addition to revamping the graduate program, he joined with Maudlin and Robert Weingard (previously a member of the faculty at Rutgers College) to form the core of one of the major research centers in Philosophy of Physics in the world. In that semester as well, Colin McGinn left his post as Wilde Reader of Mental Philosophy at Oxford University to join the department. One year later, in the fall of 1989, the Department had an extraordinary coup in recruiting the eminent philosopher Stephen Stich from the University of California at San Diego. Fodor and Stich have since both won the prestigious Jean Nicod Prize in Philosophy and Cognitive Science, for lifetime contributions to both disciplines. Stich has also been one of the Department's outstanding graduate mentors, with a remarkable track record of training students to lead productive and successful research careers.
By this time, a mere seven years after its formation as a unified department, the Philosophy Department at Rutgers University had assembled a formidable group of the country's leading philosophers, especially in the philosophy of mind. They had already had in place an excellent program in the philosophy of physics. Longtime faculty members Richard Henson, Howard McGary, and Doug Husak formed the core of an outstanding group in ethics and social and political philosophy. But other areas of the department needed to grow. Fortunately, in 1987, Peter Klein moved to the provost's office. With his help and that of others in the administration, such as President Bloustein, the department became more ambitious. To help the process, in 1990, the department hired Richard Foley from Notre Dame as its new chair. Foley joined Rutgers epistemologist Peter Klein to lay one cornerstone of Rutgers's later preeminence in the field of epistemology.
The early 1990s witnessed a number of hires. In 1990, the philosopher of mind Frances Egan joined the department as an Assistant Professor. Over the next few years, the logician Vann McGee, the ancient philosopher Sarah Broadie, and the philosopher of mind Brian Loar all joined the department. In 1993, the department also added Ken Taylor, from the University of Maryland, to strengthen their offerings in the philosophy of language. Also in 1993, Jorge Garcia joined the department from Georgetown University. Professor Garcia added to the department's strength in ethics and social and political philosophy. Furthermore, together with the preeminent philosopher of race Howard McGary, they made the Department of Philosophy at Rutgers University one of the leading philosophical centers for the study of race and ethnicity. The Department's engagement with issues of race and ethnicity has not just been theoretical. For many years, Professor McGary has organized the Rutgers Summer Institute of Diversity, a program designed to expose undergraduates of diverse backgrounds to graduate level work in philosophy. It is a departmental tradition to teach in Professor McGary's Institute.
In January of 1994, Peter Klein replaced Richard Foley, who had moved on to become the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, as chair for a three year term. Klein was succeeded in 1996 by Robert Matthews. In the first term of Matthews's appointment as chair, the Department experienced tragedy. Upon returning from a run, the philosopher of physics Bob Weingard suffered a fatal heart attack. Prof. Weingard was an important graduate mentor to students in the philosophy of science, and a much-loved department member. He is still sorely missed.
During this period, the department lost several other members through attrition. Sarah Broadie departed for Princeton, Vann McGee departed for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Ken Taylor departed for a position at Stanford University. Despite these losses, the department nevertheless made some important hires. In 1997, the department added to its strength in ethics and philosophy of law by recruiting Ruth Chang, a newly minted PhD from Oxford University, and a JD from Harvard. In 1998, the department added the preeminent epistemologist Ernest Sosa, then the Romeo Elton Professor of Natural Theology and Professor of Philosophy at Brown University, as a half-time Distinguished Visiting Professor. In 1998, the Department filled Bob Weingard's position by recruiting Frank Arntzenius from the University of Southern California, and in 1999, the department replaced the loss of Taylor with Stephen Neale, then at the University of California at Berkeley.
1999 also marked the advent of a new chair, Brian McLaughlin, the distinguished philosopher of mind and metaphysician. Professor McLaughlin served seven years as chairman of the Rutgers department, from 1999-2005, and again in an interim capacity in 2006-7. McLaughlin hired Susan Viola to be Graduate Secretary in 2000, Mercedes Diaz to be Undergraduate Secretary in 2001, and Pauline Mitchell to be the head administrator in 2002.
Until Prof. McLaughlin's chairmanship, the Philosophy Department had been known for a strong naturalist bent, with excellence in philosophy of mind and cognitive science, on the one hand, and philosophy of science, on the other. But Prof. McLaughlin broadened the department in a number of significant ways. First, under his leadership, the department's strength in ethics increased substantially, with three senior hires. In 2000, the distinguished philosopher Larry Temkin was recruited from Rice University. In 2002, the ethicist Holly Smith was hired as the new Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, from the University of Arizona, to replace the departing Richard Foley. Then in 2003, the preeminent theorist of the ethics of war, Jeff McMahan, was recruited from the University of Illinois at Urbana. Finally, Derek Parfit was hired as a regular biannual visitor in 2005. Together with Chang, Husak, and McGary, these appointments made Rutgers one of the world's centers for ethics. Secondly, during his chairmanship, Rutgers became the world's foremost department in Epistemology, adding Alvin Goldman from the University of Arizona, one of the Twentieth Century's major figures in Epistemology, to a department that already included Peter Klein and a half-time Ernest Sosa. In 2002, the Department also hired three of the world's foremost younger metaphysicians from Syracuse University: John Hawthorne, Ted Sider, and Dean Zimmerman. Soon after arriving at Rutgers, in 2003, Sider received the biannually awarded American Philosophical Association Book Prize (formerly the Matchette Prize). In 2004, the Department hired the philosopher of language and epistemologist Jason Stanley from the University of Michigan, who also was subsequently awarded the American Philosophical Association Book Prize, this time in 2007. From a department mainly known for the Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science, Rutgers quickly acquired prominence in almost all of the central non-historical areas of philosophy.
Prof. McLaughlin's tenure as chair was also a period of flux and change for the department. In 2000, Jorge Garcia left the department to take a position at Boston College. In 2005, one of the recent hires from Syracuse, John Hawthorne, left the department to take up the Waynflete Professorship in Metaphysical Philosophy at Oxford University, and Colin McGinn left for the University of Miami. The following year, Frank Arntzenius, Stephen Neale, and Ted Sider left the department for Oxford, CUNY Graduate Center, and NYU, respectively.
Attrition in the Rutgers faculty was more than made up by new appointments ushered in by Prof. McLaughlin. In 2006, the department welcomed to its faculty one of the world's foremost ancient philosophers, Alan Code, from the University of California at Berkeley. In 2007, Ernest Sosa moved full-time to Rutgers University from his chair at Brown, cementing Rutgers's status as the leading program in Epistemology in the English speaking world. Rutgers has long had strength in early modern philosophy, with Martha Bolton, Seymour Feldman, and John Yolton as long-time faculty. In 2007, the department continued this tradition, adding Martin Lin, a promising young scholar of early modern philosophy then teaching at the University of Toronto. In 2007, the Department was also extremely fortunate to recruit Jeffrey King, the eminent senior Philosopher of Language, from the University of Southern California. In addition, that year, the department recruited Brian Weatherson, a brilliant young Epistemologist, Decision Theorist, and Philosopher of Language from a tenured post at Cornell University, and Ishani Maitri (half-time), a promising young philosopher teaching at Syracuse University. In the fall of 2009, two accomplished young philosophers will join the Department after having recently received tenure at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor: Andy Egan, a Philosopher of Language, Metaphysician, Philosopher of Mind, and Ethicist, and Thony Gillies, a Philosopher of Language and Formal Epistemologist.
In addition to its success at placing its graduate students in leading teaching positions, the Department takes particular pride in its large and active undergraduate philosophy community. The department places undergraduate teaching at the very center of its mission, and each year, the department places students in the leading graduate programs. Former Rutgers Philosophy undergraduate majors who are now professional philosophers include Joseph Keim Campbell (Associate Professor, Washington State, Rutgers '83), Sanford Goldberg (Professor and Chair, Northwestern University, Rutgers '89), Robin Jeshion (Professor, UC Riverside, Rutgers '86), Sarah-Jane Leslie (Assistant Professor, Princeton, Rutgers '02), Casey O'Callaghan (Assistant Professor, Rice, '97), Paul Pietroski (Professor, University of Maryland, Rutgers '86), and Carole Rovane (Professor and Chair at Columbia University, Rutgers '76).
In the 2009 rankings of the Philosophical Gourmet Report, a ranking of philosophy departments in the English speaking world based on the judgments of over three hundred professional philosophers, the Department of Philosophy was ranked third overall, behind only NYU and Oxford University. Furthermore, it was ranked as one of the top three programs in the English speaking world in the Philosophy of Mind, one of the top two in Epistemology, one of the top four in Metaphysics, and as the overall top program in the English speaking world in the Philosophy of Language. In addition, the Department was ranked roughly within the top ten in many other areas (Ethics, General Philosophy of Science, Decision Theory, Philosophy of Physics, Ancient Philosophy, 17th Century Philosophy, and Philosophy of Art). Two department members have delivered the prestigious John Locke lectures at Oxford University. The department has three Past Presidents of the American Philosophical Association on its faculty. There are numerous Guggenheim award winners, and four members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
A History of the Philosophy Department at Rutgers University
The Rutgers Philosophy Department has been a first-rate training program for philosophers for many years. Its graduates have received tenured or tenure-track offers from many leading universities, including (to mention just a few) Oxford, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Cornell, Yale, Michigan, UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, MIT, Arizona, Berkeley, and Brown. In fact, the Rutgers Philosophy Department has been a distinguished department for the vast majority of its existence as a unified department. Before 1982, there was no unified philosophy department at Rutgers University. Rather, there were many departments, divided among the different undergraduate colleges of Rutgers University: Rutgers College, Livingston College, University College, Douglass College, and Cook College. Each department was in charge of its own hiring, though they did share graduate students in a joint graduate program that was established under the logician Arthur Smullyan's leadership in 1970. In 1982, Rutgers University President Edward Bloustein, himself a Philosophy PhD from Cornell University, unified the liberal arts and sciences programs in the colleges into one faculty - the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In the fall of 1982, the distinct college philosophy departments were finally joined together to form the Philosophy Department at Rutgers University, housed at Davison Hall on the Douglass College campus. Loretta Mandel became the head administrator of the consolidated department, a position she was to hold for many subsequent years, and Peter Klein served as its first Chair, from July 1982 until June, 1987.


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When giant pandas bone, it's news. Not only are they endangered, but these big bears are notoriously picky when it comes to mates.
Considering preservation of the species is at stake, it's a call for celebration when a male panda doesn't spend half his time masturbating. (No judgments, though; Masturbation is awesome for everyone.)
These pandas apparently set a new record for panda sex endurance: 7 minutes and 45 seconds. The male panda, named Lu Lu, earned the nickname "Enduring Brother" for his record-setting romp with his "room mate," Zhen Zhen. Panda sex on average lasts about 1 minute and 20 seconds.
This is part of a breeding program run by China's Giant Panda Research and Protection Center, according to Chinese state newspaper The People's Daily. This year, researchers will attempt to naturally mate 27 female pandas, but it's unclear how many males will be involved in that. We're guessing that for the sake of genetic diversity, they won't give "Enduring Brother" the keys to the panda harem.
Wait, pandas pound? I always grew up thinking that's why they were endangered, cus they hate pounding. In fact, I definitely once wrote a blog about a panda whackin it as a way to understand their lazy, laissez faire attitude toward pounding: I mean, if your goal is to just be lazy and move as little as possible all day then some "me time" seems to trump the physical demands of pounding*.
But don't tell these two that. These little love... bears* are pounding like there's no tomorrow. And you know what? There may not be if you're an endangered species, so have at it ya'll. Pound for the good of your kind. Be that beacon of hope and sexual prowess that your brothers and sisters** are so desperately seeking. They say dance like nobody is watching, well I say pound like EVERY panda is watching, watching and learning from your bravery and courage.
And, you know, also it's just better than whackin. Plain and simple. Like, sorry it took you guys so long to figure it out but I guess congrats? Sorta feel dumb that you're endangered now, though, huh?
Obligatory Jim Jeffries Panda bit:
* Gotta get that time up though, bro. 8 minutes is a record for your species? I'm both embarrassed for you and... sorta jealous if I'm being real.
** I know, It hurt to make that joke as much as it hurt to read it.
*** Not literal brothers and sisters, obviously... I mean, I don't know how pandas feel about incest but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that they're against it.


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Vibrational Energy Therapy© - Testimonials
Below are comments or feedback that have been shared both by therapists and clients
about Vibrational Energy Therapy©.
"The day after completing my training I worked on a client using another therapy, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference. So I decided to offer them the Vibrational Energy Therapy. Afterwards I could see the change in them. They said they felt calmer and more balanced." Christina H, VET Therapist, SWIFT CURRENT, SK
"I've found that by using VET prior to Bowen treatments the clients are feeling different/more response!!" Yvonne A, VET Therapist/Trainer, Y's Choice Wellness Centre, MEDICINE HAT, AB
"Felt amazing. Totally relaxed, refreshed - and all in 5 minutes!!" Joan K, Client of Debbie A. Anderson, WEYBURN, SK
"Wow, feel is if I know what I need to do. The fog has lifted and I can see my purpose." Sue W, Client of Debbie A. Anderson, CARLISLE, SK
Since my training with you, I have incorporated the Vibrational Energy therapy with my Reiki sessions. I often start with this to awaken (using the tapping) the body to receiving (with the laying of hands) the vibrational healing energy from Source. I like it very much. It is another tool that I enjoy incorporating with Reiki in order to serve those that are guided to enter my circle of healing. Denise Sauvé, VET Therapist, SUDBURY, ON
Vibrational Energy Therapy© (VET) is a 5 minute hands on treatment that involves touch, sound & colour combined assisting the client in a sort of "defrag" of their cellular programming. The VET Therapist works on the shoulders, back, arms and head area only waking up the meridians and chakras bringing the body back into balance.


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Animal tissue can help rebuild ruptured ACLs
By: Kevin R. Stone
In 2010, I was honored to give a TED talk on the future of biologic joint replacements. A biologic joint replacement essentially means rebuilding or regenerating a damaged joint naturally, rather than replacing it with metal and plastic.
Part of my talk mentioned the possibility of one day being able to humanize animal tissue to create a biologic replacement device to repair joints. At that time, a company that I had founded, Aperion Biologics Inc., was working on developing a bioengineered porcine ligament device, called a Z-Lig, to reconstruct a torn human anterior cruciate ligament in the knee.
Currently, ruptured ACLs are reconstructed using a patient's own tissue, such as part of the hamstring (autograft) or using human donor tissue (allograft). While an allograft is preferable, since it does not involve further damage to the patient, widespread use is limited for a number of reasons: donor tissue shortfall (there are 1 million soft-tissue repair surgeries in the U.S. but only around 15,000 to 20,000 orthopedic tissue donors) age of donor tissue (tissue from older donors is less robust) and concerns about sterility.
This past month, the future that I talked about at TED four years ago became a reality, when Aperion secured approval to sell the Z-Lig in Europe and other CE (European Conformity) mark countries. It means that surgeons can now use animal tissue (xenograft) to reconstruct or revise a ruptured ACL.
The successful clinical trial proves that it is possible to substitute animal tissue for human tissue in ligament reconstruction surgery. Up until now, animal tissue, when transplanted into humans, has been plagued with problems such as rejection and inferior performance in demanding applications such as knee reconstruction procedures.
Attempts in the past to cross-link animal tissue in a chemical solution have failed. The cross-linked tendons worked for a limited time and then failed due to their mechanical properties, inability to remodel and the patient's reaction due to the chemicals leaching from the tissue graft into the knee joint.
Early-stage development and pilot trials of the Z-Lig were conducted by The Stone Clinic, together with Uri Galili and Tom Turek. What we developed was a Z-Process technique, which is able to strip the animal tissue of the key rejection antigen (a specific carbohydrate on the cells and extracellular matrix called the alpha-galactosyl epitope) without damaging the tissue's biological or mechanical characteristics, creating a scaffold that remodels over time into the patient's own human ligament.
We now have patients with Z-Lig devices 10 years after implantation. More recently, Aperion conducted a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial in Europe and South Africa to compare the Z-Lig to donor tissue. The clinical results demonstrated biological acceptance of the device, immediate and continued re-establishment of function and stability in the knee, and gradual remodeling of the device into human tissue over time.
For now, the device is permitted in Europe and South Africa. U.S. clinical trials are being planned to obtain FDA approval for the device allowing it to be sold in the USA. Meanwhile, we are investigating the very real possibility that the Z-Process of reducing the antigenicity of animal tissues may be applied to a variety of tissues and indications, from orthopedic ligaments, bone and meniscus to cardiovascular heart valves and vessels to soft-tissue grafts for general surgical augmentation and repair. We see this as the beginning of a new era in biologic surgical solutions.
Dr. Kevin R. Stone is an orthopedic surgeon at The Stone Clinic and chairman of the Stone Research Foundation in San Francisco. He pioneers advanced orthopedic surgical and rehabilitation techniques to repair, regenerate and replace damaged cartilage and ligaments. For more info, visit www.stoneclinic.com.


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The Harrogate Advertiser Series and Stothard's Pet Store want to find the district's best festive pet before Father Christmas arrives.
We are asking readers to submit pictures of their pets preparing for Christmas, and then vote for their favourite.
We are inviting readers to send pictures of their pet decorated for Christmas, or pictured by your tree and decorations.
We will feature the pictures in our newspapers and online up to Christmas, and you will be able to vote for your favourite.
A special prize will be awarded to the winning pet by sponsors Stothard's Pet Store, est 1968.
So, take a picture of your pooch with a present, cat with a candy cane or snake in a stocking to the newsdesk.
Email your jpeg to firstname.lastname@example.com or share your picture at www.facebook.com/harro gateadvertiser
Please include your name, address and pet's name and breed (if applicable).
Alternatively, send your photograph to:
Christmas Pets, Harrogate Advertiser Series, 1 Cardale Park, Harrogate, HG3 1RZ.


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1) Compact and elegant design, especially made for those who have a deep love for life and have a good taste.
2) Ultra-fine and uniform mist to ensure that every single essential oil is well absorbed, allowing you to enjoy SPA anytime and anywhere.
3) Essential oils and mist molecules gently circulated in every corner to give you new experience of safe, comfortable and efficient use of essential oils.
4) Super quiet with ultrasonic technology to allow you to work at ease, sleep sound, and easily handle your work.
5) Stable and reliable automatic power off safety system that allows you to easily enjoy intelligent life when the water is used up.
6) Effectively kill bacteria and purify the air for skin care and good health, an essential guard for your home and office!
7) 7 Color LED Lights Electric Aromatherapy Essential Oil Aroma Diffuser.
Beauty salon, SPA, Yoga, Bedroom, living room, conference room, office, reception center, corridor, pet room, toilet, baby room, hotel, hospital or any other private/public places.
Simple Operation
It is designed with user-friendly principle.
The operation is simple as follows:
1. Lift up the cover; fill the water tank.
2. Add 3-5 drops of aromatherapy /essential oil if you like.
3. Connect the humidifier to power source and press "MIST" to choose desired mode.


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directed by Guy Richie / starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris, Stephen Fry
I loved the first Sherlock Holmes so much. I actually went to see it in cinema three times. That was the first time I'd seen a film in cinema three times since Revenge of the Sith, by the way, and it hasn't happened again since. I started to look forward to the next Holmes adventure right after the wonderful ending of the first film, quite obviously promising for more. Then at some point I got tired of waiting and allowed myself to restrain my enormous enthusiasm towards the upcoming sequel. In other words, I didn't care too much about the franchise anymore. Not even the trailer could arouse my interest very much. It looked a bit lame and predictable and uninventive. Like the sequel would just rely on the jokes and ideas and success of the first film.
And it kind of did, to a certain lenght, of course. But it wasn't a bad thing at all, they did it well, actully! The old gags were continued and the distinct slo-mo action sequences were there again, but there was some clever reinvention going on, which made it surprisingly fresh, and hardly repetitive at all. Oh, and boy, did the Bromance bloom.
In case someone (like me, it turns out) has forgotten that Robert Downey Jr. is the sexiest man alive, let me just point this out: Robert Downey Jr. is, indeed, the sexiest man alive. Oh, mama. No one plays that absurdly cocky yet indeniably lovable type of character better than him. Can't wait for Avengers and the next Iron Man. Boy, oh boy. There might be a sex overload.
Scandinavia's pride Noomi Rapace was a real joy! Yes, I've decided to take pride on her, too, I won't let Sweden take all the credit. Because I'm sick of Sweden winning all the time. Also, since this fall (or autumn or whatever, I don't know what English I should use now that I'm back home) Sweden often functioned as a substitute for curing homesickness, I now kind of look at Scandinavia as a whole, so calling Rapace "our girl" would be more than appropriate. Let her conquer the world and bring fame to her home country, Scandinavia! Ahem.
Jared Harris was great, really great! There's something oddly gentle about his eyes, yet they can turn ice-cold and deliver a deadly stare. I love villains that aren't obviously evil (though I do love some obviously evil villains, too), and who destroy the world without losing that indifferent, almost friendly poker face. Really great job, you Mad Man!
Like in the first film, I again enjoyed the brilliant music, the cool end credits, the cinematography of the action scenes (even in the scene in the forrest when it ALMOST (?) went over-the-top), the fun supporting characters and the wonderful and hilarious chemistry between Law and Downey Jr.
In summary, I'd say that Game of Shadows was a very good sequel. The ending was excellent. Unpredictable. The end came too soon. Or was it really that? The end? If not, I sure am ready for more, so bring it.
"What do you see?"


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Photo Flash: Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness Honored at CHANGE BEGINS WITHIN Gala
Award-winning actor Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness were honored by the David Lynch Foundation with an award for their lifetime of giving at the 5th annual Change Begins Within gala in New York City on Tuesday night. The David Lynch Foundation also honored FDNY Commissioner Salvatore Cassano for his lifetime of service. Other celebrity guests included Arianna Huffington, Wendi Murdoch, Ray and Barbara Dalio and Mehmet Oz. Check out photos from the ceremony below!Iconic film director and musician, David Lynch, set the stage for the evening with a brief talk about the work of the David Lynch Foundation bringing mediation to at-risk populations, including first responders. Jerry Seinfeld took the stage and entertained the sold-out crowd with comedic fare centered around his experience as a 41-year veteran practitioner of Transcendental Meditation. Jerry attributed his practice to being able to survive the stress as the head-writer, star and producer of the 9-year hit series, Seinfeld. Following dinner, Wendi Murdoch presented Hugh and Deborra-Lee with their award for a lifetime of giving. Ed Schloeman along with two NYC firefighters presented Commissioner Salvatore Cassano with an award for a lifetime of service. Commissioner Cassano practices Transcendental Meditation and supports using TM as a stress management tool for first responders and firefighters who deal with crisis and trauma, "going from 0-100 every single day." Hugh Jackman stated that he began meditating in order to become a better actor and discussed how meditation has enhanced his art in many ways. He also credits meditation for enriching his relationship with this beautiful wife of 17 years, Deborra-Lee Jackman. The event marked the launch of the David Lynch Foundation's initiative to bring Transcendental Meditation to 1,000 first responders in New York City and 10,000 first responders nationwide. Proceeds from the event will go towards teaching the Transcendental Meditation technique to thousands of first responders including members of the FDNY.
The benefits of meditation have been studied and found effective by the Harvard School of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Defense, the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association. Transcendental Meditation has been proven to reduce acute and chronic stress and stress-related disorders, decrease anxiety and depression, help individuals overcome addictions and simultaneously develop the brain and creative potential of the individual for a healthy, productive and self-sufficient life.
Hugh Jackman, Theresa Cassano, Deborra-Lee Furness and FDNY Commissioner Salvatore Cassano
David Lynch Foundation Exec Director Bob Roth, Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness and David Lynch
Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness
Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness and David Lynch
FDNY commissioner Salvatore Cassano, Deborra-Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman
David Lynch Foundation Exec Director Bob Roth, Deborra-Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman
Wendi Murdoch and Hugh Jackman