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In the South Seas there is a cargo cult of people. During the war, they saw airplanes land with lots of good materials, and they want the same thing to happen now. So they've arranged to imitate things like runways, to put fires along the sides of the runways, to make a wooden hut for a man to sit in, with two wooden pieces on his head like headphones and bars of bamboo sticking out like antennas--he's the controller--and they wait for the airplanes to land. They're doing everything right. The form is perfect. It looks exactly the way it looked before. But it doesn't work. No airplanes land.From a Westerner's perspective, the actions of the Cargo Cult are ludicrous, but ask the practitioners - they feel entirely different about the matter!
But - what is Cargoism?
Cargoism is the firm belief that by imitating hard enough, you will produce the same results as other practitioners. If you're not successful, it's because you didn't imitate well enough. A cargoist doesn't realize that they are missing something, that the big picture is different from their perception.
James Shore wrote a good article on Agile Cargo Cult teams back in 2008. It's worth the read.
But an entire organization can become an Agile Cargo Cult!
I've heard many times when people said "Google is successful with Agile, Spotify is successful ... so we can also be!". Then, they spend big money to send their Managers to CSPO or CSM training and establish Scrum. Of course, the executives hope that projects will run faster and more successful once practices are adopted.
They hear about Agile, they see all those successful projects and they firmly believe: "Let's do Agile, and we'll be much more competitive."
So, team managers are renamed to Scrum Masters, project managers become Product Owners - the Releases are renamed to "Sprints", each of which is started with a Sprint Planning Meeting. Every day there's a Standup. At the end of a Sprint, there's a Review and a Retrospective.
Now, we're set up. The world is just waiting for our greatness to become manifest! We'll be a successful Agile Organization in no time - and our stock will skyrocket far beyond Apple, Google and Microsoft!
Oh wait - I've described the typical organization that will stop "Agile" after maybe 2 or 3 years, shelving the concept for good. Disillusioned employees will say "Agile is just a different name for the same old wine" and managers will say "We've tried Agile. It doesn't work, it's just a fad".
Blinded by the promise of easy success, fast, high quality results at a low cost, thy adopt the practice in hopes of valuable returns: Cargoism at it's finest! Someone did make a good sale to them, probably earning good money on all the training and coaching. Ask deeper.
- Do managers loosen the reigns?
Agile means giving power to those who need the power to succeed. A Command+Control structure is not only inherently inefficient, but it prohibits success. Maybe people can't do what is right because they still need management approval. In this case, management may proclaim a million times "We're Agile" - but at the same time, they're agility's biggest impediment!
- Do people understand that Agile methods like Scrum don't solve any problems?
Scrum, for instance, just makes problems visible. Did a real, genuine problem solving process get established? Are fundamental organizational issues resolved - or accepted?
- Who really owns the products?
Are people aware that Product Owners champion the product - but that the product really belongs to the team? Do developers take personal ownership of their work, are they proud of their contribution to the product, or are they delivering products just because it's their job? Do the teams even have what it takes to own their product, or do they rely on external patronage to deliver anything?
- Who defines the development process?
Do developers follow corporate governance or are they empowered to do what is right? Do they really care to do what is right - or do they prefer to have someone tell them? Do they not only care to do their job, but to do it well? Do they improve their working process because they see the need - or because the Scrum Master pushes them?
- Do people realize Scrum Ceremonies are actually the wrong idea? Do they realize teams should not have to have:
- Standups, as mentioned by Jame Shore. If everyone knows what we're doing, and the PO is continuously involved - the Standup will add no value.
- Reviews. If the team were directly engaged with the customer either with direct collaboration or techniques like A/B testing, they wouldn't need to batch up for a week or two before getting things signed off.
- Retrospectives. If something is going wrong, why wait until the end of the sprint before bringing the issue up for improvement? That's insane! When you see that something is wrong, go fix it!
If you hold the firm belief that by rigorously applying the practices, you will become more Agile, you have already failed. Behind Agile, there is a spirit. This spirit is not visible, but it may be manifest in agile teams. If you do not lay hold of this spirit, all your efforts are doomed. You will not be successful.
"Copy the spirit, not the form", said Yoji Akao - and that is as true for Agile as it is for Quality Function Deployment.
Without the agile spirit, you'll be weaving Agile landing strips and donning Agile coconut headsets until your organization falters, but you won't receive the precious agile cargo, no matter how devotedly you worship Agile Cargoism.


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Sailing is a fantastic and diverse sport, with activities to suit everyone. The RYA National Sailing scheme has been designed to help you to enjoy whichever aspect appeals to you most.
The Level One Course is designed as a full weekend of learning to provide an introduction to sailing for novices. By the end of the course you will have a basic understanding of boat handling techniques and background knowledge. This will include wind awareness, knowledge of spars/foils and sail controls. Some rope work, practical knowledge of controlling speed, stopping and turning, launching and recovering.
Tuition is provided by our qualified dinghy instructors at no more than one instructor to 6
students. The course can be taught in a number of boats but we always try to get you in
more than one design to give you a taste of each from our Harley H12s to our RS Ventures.
After this course you will be able to come back to us and hire a boat (in the right
conditions). Then next step after a bit of practice is the Level 2 course which is widely
considered your "driving license for sailing.
We can provide wetsuits, buoyancy aids and splash tops so you should be fully kitted out on the water. We ask that you bring some footwear that you don't mind getting wet as well as some for wearing after you have changed. Also bring a towel, and some warm clothes for when we come off the water. Also a coat can be a good idea if it is cold and some suncream if the sun is out, as believe it or not it can get hot enough to burn here in Wales! We have excellent changing and shower facilities on site at Porth Eirias, there are also lockers that accept a £1 coin (and even give it back afterwards)
A packed lunch is a good idea, although it is a short walk/drive into town so it is possible to go to the shops.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Dharma of Caring for Alison K. By Lauren Thompson
I never knew Alison K. when she was well. By the time both she and I were regularly attending the Rock Blossom Sangha, in Brooklyn, New York, she was a few months into a diagnosis of inoperable brain cancer. Her tumor was a glioblastoma, the worst kind. According to the statistics, she had a year, at most two years to live. She was forty-one.
This would be my first intimate encounter with the reality of death, with the reality of someone I knew dying. For the Sangha, it would be our time to experience most poignantly what it means to take refuge in Sangha.
Having brain cancer is difficult enough. For Alison, the difficulty was compounded by her family situation. She was living alone; her parents had both died years earlier; she had two sisters, but one was unable to help, and the other was able to visit only periodically. For reasons known best to Alison, she had decided to grant three close friends the medical, financial, and legal powers of attorney. They all loved her and were deeply committed to her care, but even as a group they couldn't meet all of her emotional, spiritual, and physical needs. And so the degree of refuge that Alison sought in Sangha was profound. As her illness progressed and her needs grew more intense, the compassion that arose within the Sangha, both as individuals and as a body, was just as profound. For me, the experience was one of watching a miracle unfold, as beautiful and poignant as a lotus flower.
Like a flower, this bud of compassion unfurled in stages. At first, only one or two members were involved in her life outside of Sangha. For most of us, our involvement consisted of listening deeply to her words during Dharma sharing. She shared all of her pain and confusion, her fear and occasional joy and ease, and for me, as for many, her need was sometimes overwhelming. I felt a strong impulse to close her out, to guard myself from her pain. I felt the discomfort of strong aversion, and also the discomfort of disapproving of my own aversion. Was I really so selfish and weak that I would turn away from a Sangha sister who was dying of cancer? At times I felt such distress that I could barely sit still.
But the practice of deep listening helped me through these storms. Week after week, the instructions for Dharma sharing reminded me to observe my reactions without judgment, to simply bear witness to her truth, to listen for what may not be said in words, and to attend to everything with great gentleness. After some time, I found that my response had changed. As Alison spoke at length about her life's present conditions, I heard the heart message beneath her words: "I suffer. Please help." And the bud of compassion began to open.
It was then that I was able to reach out personally to Alison, and it was then that our brief but intense friendship began. One fall afternoon we met for tea, and we spent hours in conversation that dispensed with the usual preliminaries and small talk. We connected very deeply. Within weeks, Alison's condition worsened, and through the winter and spring she spent more time in hospitals and hospice than out. Her capacity for language began to deteriorate, so that at times conversation was not possible. Yet our connection remained strong; in fact, it became only stronger.
What she needed was for me to be fully present to her, and during my brief visits, often no more than an hour once or twice a week, I found I was able to offer this. Whether that meant laughing over a movie with her, staying with her through times of confusion or distress, or holding her hand as she slept, it was tremendously rewarding to be with her in this way. It could also be draining and upsetting. I learned I had to take care of myself, as well, in order to take care of her. Layer by layer, the petals opened.
Blessed... Blessed... Blessed
As Alison's condition worsened, many others in the Sangha were also drawn to be personally involved. Some offered regular companionship. Others helped to move her belongings into storage when she had to leave her apartment. Some visited as they could, or provided occasional transportation; others offered support to Alison's closest caregivers. Some simply held her in their thoughts.
And Alison expressed her gratitude for it all. A precious memory for the Sangha is a tea ceremony which Alison attended in the fall. Alison began by sharing how thankful she felt for the support she had received, the friendship, the love. Then she sang a song for us all. It was a setting of the Beatitudes, which she sang beautifully in a low, warm, alto voice. "Blessed … blessed … blessed are the poor in heart, for they shall be comforted …." She sang with her eyes closed, her hands crossed over her chest, as if her heart could not contain all that it must hold.
As the months went on, Alison would at times be able only to whisper "Thank you" or "So sweet," or smile her luminous smile. Even if the most she could do was gaze into our eyes with warm intensity, she found a way to convey her gratitude.
Living in the Moment
We found that, even if we were only marginally involved, caring for Alison required that we shed expectations. Her condition would worsen and then dramatically improve, so we never knew what to expect from any visit. One day, she may be quite talkative. The next, she may be almost comatose, as her heavily medicated body stabilized after a major seizure.
Our sense of how much longer she might live was in constant flux. She moved back and forth between supported independence and hospice, between functioning and incapacity. Each transition felt like the end of one era and the beginning of another, but how long that era might last was anyone's guess, even the experts'. "Don't-know mind" was the only frame of mind that could contain this fluid reality. There was no definite future to plan for together – the customary illusion of "the future" could find no fixed mooring under circumstances like these. There was only the present moment.
We in the Sangha all contended with the feeling of helplessness, of having to accept that we could not give Alison what she really wanted, a reprieve from early death. And much as we might wish to offer our comfort, we couldn't know how she would receive it. She might greet us warmly and ask about ourselves. Or she might barely waken. Or, for others more than for me, Alison might display the impulsive fury of a frustrated child, straining every fiber of her caregivers' patience. We consoled each other, in person, by phone, and through an e-mail care circle, that our loving presence could be only helpful. We also encouraged each other to take breaks, to give only as much as we could without feeling resentful.
The challenges were many, but the gifts were many, too. I know that for myself, time I spent with Sangha sisters and brothers whose visits happened to coincide with mine often led to long, intimate conversations. Being with Alison awakened in many of us the sense of how precious every moment with another being truly is. Knowing this, how could we be anything but completely authentic and kind? For me, these encounters provided moments of deep healing of the terrible loneliness that had always left me feeling set apart and unknown. Through Alison's dying, I had fleeting glimpses of interconnectedness with all of life, of true interbeing.
The Most Beautiful Gift
Certainly the clearest experiences I had of interbeing were with Alison herself. During one visit in early spring, she was alert and eager to communicate, but her speech was confused. Still, her heart intent was very clear. She insisted that I not leave until I had some "Christmas." She knew that wasn't what she meant, and after a few moments she landed on the right words: ice cream. An aide brought us each a cup of ice cream, and when she couldn't finish hers, she offered it to me. I told her that more ice cream would probably upset my stomach. She held her cup out to me, saying, "Then eat it carefully. I'm giving it to you carefully. So you eat it carefully."
As I took the cup, I was moved almost beyond words by her offer, which was indeed full of caring. She seemed to be passing to me, not just ice cream, but her life, asking me to enjoy for her the portion that she would not be able to enjoy herself.
"Alison," I said, "you are a good friend."
"Yes, but no," she said. "You don't understand. I really like you. No, not like. I mean, I don't want to be …"
She started gesturing broadly with her hands, and I suggested, "You don't want to be all lovey-dovey?"
"Right," she said. "But I love you. I really do." "I love you, too," I said, "I do."
And for many moments there was only silence between us. There was a communication then that was not really between "Lauren," with one personal history, and "Alison," with another. We barely knew each other on that level. It was a connection of our very being. It was a moment of such joy and sadness. It was the most beautiful gift. A "Christmas" gift indeed.
When I was ready to leave, she patted her bald scalp and said, "Next time we have class, I'll wear my hat."
I smiled. "You mean next time I visit?"
"Yes, that's what I mean."
"You look lovely just like this," I said. I kissed her forehead, said good-bye, and left. That was our last conversation. Within a week, she passed away.
To the Other Shore
I knew Alison well for only six months. I knew very little about her family or her relationship history, or what kind of music she liked. But through her dying, I caught a glimpse of our fundamental interbeing. Along with others in the Sangha, I felt that I was able to step, now and then, in the footprints of the bodhisattvas, responding with compassion to Alison's condition, which was, ultimately, the human condition. I sensed, moments at a time, how precious life is. I saw how Sangha can be a boat that carries us safely to the other shore — it carried Alison, and it carries me still.
Alison K. passed from this life on March 27, 2007, at the age of forty-two.
Lauren Thompson, Compassionate Eyes of the Heart, practices with the Rock Blossom Sangha in Brooklyn, NY. She is a children's book author, presently working on an adult memoir of her experiences with Alison K.


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Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos' come-from-behind victory over the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football was just another record in a career packed full of comebacks. Here, in chronological order, are five of the quarterback's finest:
1. Colts beat Jets, 1998
The first of many. In his rookie season, Manning threw for three touchdowns in a 24–23 win against the Jets that featured the first fourth-quarter game-winning drive of his NFL career. Manning secured the victory with 24 seconds left with a touchdown pass to Marcus Pollard.
2. Colts win AFC championship against Patriots, 2007
In the 2007 AFC Championship game against the Patriots, the Colts trailed 14-3; Manning then threw an interception that was returned for a TD by Asante Samuel to give New England a 21–3 lead. But in the second half Manning and the Colts scored 32 points to win 38–34. The final score came late in the fourth quarter as Manning led the Colts on an 80-yard drive to take the lead for the first time in the game. He finished with 349 yards passing and two touchdowns. It was the largest deficit ever overcome in an NFL conference championship game. Two weeks later, Manning and the Colts won Super Bowl XLI, beating the Chicago Bears 29–17. Manning was voted Super Bowl MVP.
3. Colts beat Patriots, 2009
Something about Tom Brady and the Patriots clearly brings out the best in Manning. In this regular-season meeting the Colts were behind all game and with three minutes remaining were still trailing 34-21. A failed fourth-and-two call by the Patriots in the dying seconds gave the Colts the opportunity to seal the comeback, 35-34.
4. Neck surgery, 2011
Some people might think that just being able to move normally after three surgeries on your neck would count as an unbeatable comeback. Manning had fusion surgery on his vertebrae to fix a nerve problem which was affecting his throwing arm. After Manning missed the whole of the 2011 season, Indianapolis decided it could not risk its future on the QB recovering. Manning was determined to return to the big time and shopped his talents around. He decided to join the Denver Broncos, once the home of another comeback specialist, John Elway. The Colts retired Manning's No18 jersey, in honour of his time in Indianapolis.
5. Broncos beat Chargers, 2012
The joint biggest come-from-behind away-from-home victory in NFL history. The Chargers led 24-0 at half-time, before the Broncos scored 35 unanswered points in the second half. Manning is now tied with Dan Marino on top of the record books, with 47 game-winning drives in fourth quarter or overtime.


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As I've used my husband's old school photo to introduce the Debenhams Back-to-school competition, I felt it was only fair that he gets to choose the winner… And he chose (drum roll please) …
Sandy Clarke of the blog Sandy Dreams!
When asked why, he said:
Probably it was the evocative memory, not just of the type of uniform that I wore but also of my friends. I also liked the juxtaposition of the dad with Ben, his son.
There you go, do check out her post.
Congratulations Sandy!
You've just won £100 worth of back-to-school items from Debenhams. Plus a £50 voucher! Happy Shopping!
As for the others who joined, you still have a chance to be included in the top ten and win a £50 Debenhams voucher. I'm crossing my fingers that all of you get in.
Thank you so much for supporting my first ever competition. And thanks to Debenhams for choosing me to host this competition along with The Ramblings of a formerly Rock n Roll Mum and Yellow Days.
Have you won a competition before?
I haven't!
Perhaps its time for me to start joining in!
Know of any?


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When an engine warning light comes on, experts diagnose problems by connecting a code scanner to a computer port under the car's dashboard, and reference the codes the scanner retrieves. These codes are found online, or in books included with the scanner. The codes reveal information such as a misfiring cylinder or other non-functioning components within the automobile.
Starting with the 1996 model year, passenger cars began including a port similar to a parallel computer port for diagnostic purposes. This port normally is found somewhere under the steering wheel. When the check engine light comes on, a scanner is connected to the port and reads the car's computer. These scanners can range in features and prices, but they all can diagnose possible engine problems.
Repair shops have expensive computers that can diagnose any possible issue, and often suggest a solution. Such computers cost thousands of dollars and are not practical for private use. As computers have become more prevalent, prices have fallen, leading to the development of scanners for home use that can be purchased for around $100 at any auto parts store. Although they are simpler, they also pull up codes that are then interpreted before determining the next course of action. Many major auto supply stores can also check the engine for no cost.


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October 21, 1995, Section 1, Page 5Buy Reprints
The NATO Secretary General, Willy Claes, resigned bitterly today, a day after his former Belgian parliamentary colleagues voted to let prosecutors charge him in a bribery scandal over defense contracts signed when he was a Belgian Cabinet minister in the late 1980's.
Angrily insisting that he was "totally innocent," Mr. Claes said in Brussels this afternoon that he was resigning for the good of the 16-nation alliance after eight months of trying to do a difficult job and defend himself at the same time. "Nobody can deny that I no longer have enough credibility to insure the leadership of the alliance," he said. "Is there another word than 'political murder?' "
On both sides of the Atlantic, governments agreed that Mr. Claes (pronounced klahss) had done the right thing by leaving. And they began looking for a successor to help guide the alliance through the complexities of taking on a huge peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and taking in new members from Central Europe without reviving the divisions of the cold war.
"On paper, the NATO Secretary General has no real power except to conduct meetings," one diplomat said, "but the reality is that he plays a key part in the decision making and, if he is good, he can influence things enormously."
Francois Heisbourg, a former director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, said the Secretary General could "suggest compromises, float ideas, and influence the debate and direction of the alliance."
"This is very important today, because NATO still doesn't have a clue about its reason for being in the wake of the cold war," Mr. Heisbourg said.
Mr. Claes's predecessor was Manfred Worner of Germany, who died of cancer in August 1994.
Mr. Worner pushed for NATO to use air power to bolster United Nations peacekeeping forces in Bosnia. Mr. Claes, with strong support and encouragement from the United States, shepherded the alliance into crucial decisions to lay out a blueprint for future expansion into Eastern Europe and to plan a 50,000-member peacekeeping force in Bosnia to replace the United Nations after a peace settlement is achieved.
His successor, diplomats say, will have the crucial task of helping to define a new security role for the alliance, and by implication for the United States, in what could be a highly unstable 21st-century Europe.
Most of the NATO leaders will be in New York City this weekend for ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, but they are not expected to decide on a successor that soon.
No American has held the job since the alliance was formed in 1949, since American generals and admirals have always held its top military posts. Candidates from France and Spain, which are not full members of NATO's military structure, are also unlikely to be considered.
Diplomats say that former Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd of Britain could have the job in a minute, but he said today that he was not interested. "It may need some days to make sure they've got the best man or the best woman to do it," said Mr. Hurd, who only recently took a job with National Westminster Bank in London. His successor in the Foreign Office, Malcolm Rifkind, has also been mentioned as a possibility.
Defense Minister Volker Ruhe of Germany ruled himself out, and Chancellor Helmut Kohl said today, "No German candidate is available."
Former Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers of the Netherlands is in the running, but Mr. Kohl vetoed him last year as head of the European Union's executive Commission because of his less-than-enthusiastic attitude toward German unification, and NATO picks its civilian leaders by consensus.
Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland of Norway has been mentioned, but Norway does not belong either to the European Union or to its military arm, the Western European Union, and diplomats from other member countries say that probably rules her out.
Former Foreign Minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen of Denmark, on the other hand, makes no bones about wanting the job. "The post as Secretary General is so important that I could not say no if there was a chance that I could get it," Mr. Ellemann-Jensen said in a statement.
Unlike members of Denmark's present Government, Mr. Ellemann-Jensen has not been vocally critical of France's resumption of underground nuclear testing in the Pacific, which could make him a compromise candidate acceptable to the French.
Mr. Claes was Belgium's Economic Affairs Minister in 1988 when his Dutch-speaking Socialist Party was accused of taking $1.72 million in kickbacks from the Italian aircraft manufacturer Agusta S.p.A. in exchange for agreeing to a $267-million contract to build 48 helicopters for the Belgian Army. Investigating magistrates from the Belgian High Court are also investigating charges that the French defense company Dassault paid a $2 million bribe to the party for a contract to modernize F-16 and Mirage jet fighters in 1989.
Prosecutors have indicated that they will charge Mr. Claes with corruption, fraud and forgery, because they say, he knew about the bribes but testified that he did not.
The investigations started after a former leader of the French-speaking branch of the Socialist Party was found slain in Liege in 1991. Three ministers from that party have since resigned as the scandal burgeoned, and a former chief of the air force committed suicide last March.
Mr. Claes appeared before the full Belgian Parliament on Thursday to defend himself, but members voted 97 to 52 to lift his parliamentary immunity from prosecution.
Secretary of Defense William J. Perry said today, "I believe that NATO will probably move very quickly and very effectively to restore new leadership." The post will be filled in the interim by Mr. Claes's Italian deputy, Sergio Balanzino.


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Big Sur Bar
"...my sister had a conniption as she tasted it, and she then said, 'THIS IS THE BEST-TASTING THING I'VE EVER HAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Sadly, I had to give her my "Bar."
The Big Sur Bar, a layered hearty bar with a touch of sweetness, and has a chewy oatmeal bottom with a thick and crunchy delicious mix of pecans, almonds, raisins, coconut, chocolate chips, brown sugar and honey on the top. Enjoy the Big Sur Bar any time and any place!
We bake Big Sur Bars to order to ensure the best possible freshness. They ship well, too. And, if you think you have ordered too many Big Sur Bars, just put them in the freezer and thaw them when you are ready to once more enjoy the delicious Big Sur Bar treat! When your next meal is a long time away the Big Sur Bar will tide you over.
The Big Sur Bar is truly a bar you will remember. It's Heavy Good.™ Big Sur Bars are a great alternative to other snacks! Were you going to grab a cookie? Grab a Big Sur Bar instead. Were you going to grab an energy bar? Grab a Big Sur Bar instead. Were you going to grab that candy bar? Grab a Big Sur Bar instead. The Big Sur Bar will satisfy that craving for something sweet and healthy like nothing else that's on the market.


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Dita Von Teese
Following on from my previous Burlesque post, here's a portrait of Dita Von Teese taken last year which I've just printed for my exibition at the Formans Gallery. I photographed Dita ahead of her burlesque show at the Bris Bros Museum. Due to a few delays and time limits I ended up photographing Dita on stage behind closed curtains with about five hundred people waiting the other side for the show to start. She told me she'd never let anyone photograph her ahead of a performance before. I think Dita knows how to make a man feel special.


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As U.S. and Chinese officials meet this week in Washington to discuss cyber issues -- as well as broader strategic and economic issues -- a number of Congress members and computer security experts say they are fed up with China stealing proprietary data from American companies.
Edward Snowden's journey to Hong Kong dramatised in Chinese film
Subscribe to the Guardian HERE: http://bitly.com/UvkFpD
Filmmakers Edwin Lee and Shawn Tse discuss Verax, their short film about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Verax dramatises Snowden's journey from his home in Hawaii to the hotel in Hong Kong where he met Guardian journalists and relayed revelations about NSA spying program Prism. Snowden is played by American school teacher Andrew Cromeek. 'Verax' means 'truth teller' in Latin.
Millions of tonnes of water and sand have been gushed through a section of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir in China, as part of an annual cleaning operation.
Tourists carried umbrellas as they watched clouds of water and sand billow from the the giant reservoir on the Yellow River.
It forms part of an annual exercise to remove built up silt deposited on the river bed, with 390 million tonnes having been washed out of the since the dam was built in 2000. Report by Genelle Aldred.
A delegation of Chinese government officials and parents of the students on the crashed Asiana Airlines flight has set out from China for the United States. The delegation includes the parents of the two Chinese middle school students killed in the accident while heading to California for a cultural exchange program with classmates. An Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 slammed into the runway at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday morning.


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St Bede Academy Scholarship Information
1. Need Based Tuition Assistance: administered by St. Bede Academy
St. Bede utilizes the services of FACTS Management Company to determine the amount families are able to pay for tuition. It is strongly suggested that applications to FACTS for tuition assistance be submitted by April 15th. (If the student also plans to apply for the Spaulding Scholarship the FACTS material must be submitted by Feb. 1). Notification of assistance awards can be expected prior to June 15.
Please visit FACTS site for more information.
2. Spaulding Scholarship : administered by Peoria Diocese
Awards are based on funds available and completion of a FACTS Grant and Aid. All applicants must in addition to completing a FACTS application complete a diocesan application form (available at the Office of Catholic Schools 419 E Madison, Peoria, IL 61603) and supply letter(s) of recommendation from their parish priest. Applications must be submitted in their entirety by Feb. 1.
3. Mike Perona Scholarship: administered by St. Bede Academy
Each year both public and private grade school principals are invited to submit the name of one eighth grade student who:
Exemplifies attributes of kindness and concern
Participates in extracurricular school activities
Demonstrates leadership qualities plans to attend St. Bede Academy.
A single scholarship will be awarded from scholarship funds. The winner will be chosen by drawing a name from a hat containing all of those names submitted.
4. Durley Boyle Scholarship: administered by an independent 5 man committee
Any student who intends to attend or is already attending St. Bede and is a resident of Putnam County is eligible to apply for this scholarship. Selection is based on grades, community involvement, participation in extracurricular activities and quality of responses to questions in the application.
5. St. Joseph 's Holy Name Society: administered by the Holy Name Society
Awarded to incoming freshman from Peru Catholic Grade School. The award is based on academic achievement as judged from the results of the Explore Test.
6. Jim Lattin Scholarship: administered by family and classmates of Jim Lattin
Awarded to a graduate of Trinity Catholic Grade School. The award is based on scholarship, need and involvement in extra curricular activity. Applicants must write an essay and submit a letter of recommendation from their teacher.
7. Schlagheck Scholarship: Administered through Peru Catholic School
Awarded to the Peru Catholic eighth grader planning to attend St. Bede who is selected by the faculty as student who most exhibits being active in the church and who is a friend to all.
8. Jasiek Scholarship: administered by St. Bede Academy
Awarded to members of the Jasiek family who attend St. Bede Academy.
9. Sondergroth Scholarship: administered by St. Bede Academy
Awarded to members of the Sondergroth family who attend St. Bede Academy.
10. Tyler Harrison Scholarship: administered by the Harrison family
Awarded to a student who attended DePue grade school and is a resident of DePue. The student must have a 2.5 grade point average . The recipient is chosen by lot.
11. Downey-Ptak Scholarship: administered by St. Bede Academy
Awarded to 3 freshman students who come from single parent households and who show financial need. This is a four year scholarship.
12. Father Allen Mattingly Scholarship: administered by the alumni who created this scholarship
Student must be nominated by his grade school. The student must write an essay on why they want to attend St. Bede Academy and a teacher from the school must write a recommendation. The committee reviews the submitted applications and chooses a winner. This is a four year scholarship as long as the student maintains a 2.5 grade point average.
13. Joseph J. Hohner Scholarship: administered by the LaSalle County Regional Office of Education
Applicants must be legal residents of LaSalle County and complete an application with the ROE before April 15.
14. Fr. Allen Mattingly Scholarship II: administered by St. Bede Academy (funded by Paul and Linda Kachinovas)
Awarded to a student from a single parent family in Ladd (or from Cherry) in need of tuition assistance who otherwise might not have the opportunity to attend St. Bede Academy. While preference will be given to an incoming freshman, it may be given to a non-freshman whose grade point average is at least 2.5. The amount available will vary but will be in the $500 or less range. Applicants should send a letter of application to Abbot Philip Davey O.S.B at St. Bede Academy.
15. Anne M. Ceresa Scholarship
A member of the Ceresa Family applying for this scholarship will be given priority. If a member of the family does not apply this scholarship will be awarded to a freshman who exhibits financial need (based on a FACTS application) and is a practicing Catholic. An application form can be obtained by contacting Abbot Philip Davey OSB at 815-223-3140 ext. 298. Completed forms must be submitted to Abbot Philip prior to May 1. A FACTS application must be on file prior to April 15. Members of the Ceresa family will review applications and make a selection.


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Whether you're on the hunt for that unique treasure, or just out browsing, the retail shops and districts in Alpharetta
have what you are looking for.
Our downtown boutiques have those special treasures found only in Alpharetta.
Catch the latest movies in style at the new North Point AMC, and shop big name brands. Bring big smiles to little faces with our unique American Girl experience at North Point Mall. Take your style and senses to a new level within the Avalon experience.
Whatever your shopping pleasure, Alpharetta has a destination for you. Come see and experience them all, only in Alpharetta.


text: The INSTANT I met Lexi and her entourage I just knew we were going to have the absolute BEST time, and they hadn't even gotten' out the car yet! Lexi brought along her awesome mom who greeted me with hugs and kisses, her sweet, beautiful younger sister who is going to be a senior in 2 more years - I already can't wait, and her amazing grandma whom I'd wish would adopt me! The day of Lexi's session the weather was perfect and it paved the way for everything else to just be perfect. Everything about Lexi's session went right: the hotel allowed us to photograph inside, the balloons Lexi released in honor of her late grandparents flowed off together beautifully into the most beautiful blue sky, a gracious stranger allowed us to photograph in and around his awesome Ford Mustang, and those are just a few things! I felt as if I'd known Lexi and her lovely ladies for-ever! We were just the gals hangin' out - I seriously have the best clients ever. Even meeting Lexi's father during her ordering session was awesome! I think I just want to be part of their family, I admit it. haha! Lexi, you are such a gorgeous person, inside and out. I adore everything about you and so many of your photos reflect the beautiful person you are. Your future is so bright, and I look forward to capturing the future milestones in your world... Congrats on your senior year, enjoy every moment you have left! <3 Location: New Braunfels/Gruene


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A Day in the Life Photo Challenge complete | Long Island Family Photographer
Yesterday was the A Day in the Life Photo Challenge, and I had so much fun! It was so interesting to see everyone's day unfold alongside mine in the Flickr group pool and on Instagram. Thank you so much to everyone who participated!
Did you guys enjoy it? Would there be enough interest to do this again? Perhaps a once-a-month challenge? I think it would be fun to have different challenges within the big challenge, too - like an all black and white Day in the Life, or an all iPhoneography Day in the Life. I think next time I would like to try and all black and white edition myself :)
The photos I took yesterday are below. I took many more than one an hour because I was enjoying documenting the day so much. I used only my iPhone and mainly used the Afterglow app.


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Thu, 6 April 2017
Dave Dameshek is joined by Matt "Money" Smith and Cynthia Frelund to discuss the possibility of Marshawn Lynch coming out of retirement, Christian McCaffrey's NFL player comparison and how the game of dodgeball reveals a lot about one's character. Also, in the return of "Surprise Game Show" the fellas and Cynthia name as many QBs as they can that started at least 100 games for one team. Plus, Shek and Money look at the positives and negatives facing the Chicago Bears ahead of 2017 in this edition of "Half Empty, Half Full." Lastly, the guys weigh in Seahawks GM John Schneider's comments regarding a potential trade of Richard Sherman.
Direct download: 170406_DDFP_FULLSHOW_AUDIO.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 4:53pm PDT


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Click here for more great cat toys made in the USA by CatTamboo!
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Hey Troops,
We've got a quickie War Chest Update for you tonight, starring a new recruit named Lance.
Lance has been lingering in my storage chest o' videos for a little while now, and I'm not sure why I've been sitting on this fella. He's brought to us by our guest director Mike.
As the scene opens, Lance is already jerking his dick, with his uniform half-off. Mike tells Lance that he's got a nice dick, and Lance coyly says "thank you" in response. The pussy porn is going hot and heavy on the TV in the background -- we can hear it, but we can't see it -- so Lance has some motivation to help him along.
Soon, Lance peels off his shirt to reveal a beautiful smooth chest with big ol' nipples that are just picture-perfect. Lance is the quiet type -- so quiet, that he barely lets Mike know that he's about to cum. He utters, "fuck, ah fuck, oh fuck. . . " and them out shoots his load.
Lance is pretty nervous, and seemingly uncomfortable with everything -- as you'll see by how the scene closes. But, the good news is that Lance was lured back for another scene -- so clearly, things couldn't have been all *that* bad! lol.
See you back here on Sunday!


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Brock Lesnar Declares He Isn't Returning to UFC For His Fans (VIDEO)
Brock Lesnar is returning to MMA with a big fight at UFC 200, but he's not doing it for his fans.
"If by chance 2 million people want to tune in for me to enjoy myself on July 9th, so be it," Brock told his WWE manager and close friend, Paul Heyman, in a sit-down interview. "I'm not going to change. This is all about me. I'm sorry. And why should it be about anybody else?"
He would go on to openly declare, "I'm not doing this for fans. If there are fans that are excited that I am getting back in the octagon, great. But I'm not doing it for them. I'm doing this for me. This is for me."
Naturally, Lesnar is looking for redemption in MMA following his loss five years ago to Alistair Overeem, a loss he blames on diverticulitis. But will Lesnar be able to deliver against Mark Hunt at UFC 200 on July 9 in Las Vegas? We're still about a month away from finding out. Until then, watch the sit-down interview video below:
What do you think about what Lesnar had to say? Sound off in the comments!
And for more on Brock Lesnar and UFC, find out why Brock will be representing Canada at UFC 200!


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|This article is about a/an monster/rider in Kamen Rider Den-O.
|Kamen Rider Den-O Rod Form
|Kamen Rider Den-O
|Turtle, Urashima Taro
|Rider Type:
|Earth (Main Timeline Continuity)
|First Appearance:
|Will You Let Me Reel You In?
|Last Appearance:
|Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen
|Number of Episode
|Kōji Yusa
|Kamen Rider Den-O Rod Form
- "Mind if I reel You in?"
- ―Urataros[src]
- Height: 182cm
- Weight: 110kg
Urataros (ウラタロス Uratarosu?) also known as Urashimataros is the second Imagin that gives Ryotaro Nogami the ability to assume Den-O's Rod Form.
Well aware of Ryotaro being a Singularity Point, unaware he was used by Ryutaros at the time to hide his presence, Urataros purposely made a contract with Ryotaro. Though he says it is to evade the loneliness of being outside time, Hana later debunks this entirely and that Urataros has no interest in destroying the timeline like the other Imagin.
During the events of Kamen Rider Den-O: I'm Born!, Urataros possesses the Ryotaro that Yuto brought to the Mesozoic for the Climax Scene. This results in Urataros fading from existence were it not for Ryotaro's feelings condensing his remains into the K-Taros, restoring him to normal while allowing Urataros to form the right shoulder armor of Den-O's Climax Form until his synch with Ryotaro was negated. However, his power then could be accessed in the DenKamen Sword's Ura-Rod Mode. On his own, Urataros can perform Rod Form's finisher, Solid Attack, though his variation is shown as a sliding kick to the target rather than a flying side sick. He can also perform his version of the Den-Rider Kick.
After Kintaros' departure from the Den-Liner, Urataros seemingly betrays the rest of the crew by allowing the three New Mole Imagin that stowed on the Den-Liner to continue planting their bomb on the Machine Denbird as well as strand the gang in January 9, 2007. However, after a few physical confrontations with Momotaros for the Rider Pass, Naomi and the other discover that his betrayal is actually a ploy.
Urataros then borrows the Den-O Belt and transforms into Den-O Rod Form, destroying one of the Imagin before returning the belt to Ryotaro and remaining in the past to fight off the remaining wave of Imagin as their reinforcements arrive. He is retrieved by Naomi for the final battle and is the third to fight the Death Imagin as Den-O Rod Form, with power utilized by Sword Form for the final blow. Urataros then joins the Den-Liner Police, helping in the fight against Negataros and later assumes Rod Form (on his own again) during the epic battle against the revived Imagin.
Climax DekaEdit
Before he can ambush Sarah with a metal bat, Yuto is possessed by Urataros who manages to successfully woo her and wrest the gun away. Yuto kicks Urataros out as he fights her and the Clown Imagin as Kuroki arrives, with K-Ryotaro providing backup. Negataros takes his leave while activating the detonation device with everyone making it out.
Super Hero TaisenEdit
Momotaros discovered Daiki holding up the stolen cup of Den-Liner Purine pudding that he stole from him during their last meeting. The Den-Liner rendezvoused with the Gokai Galleon where Daiki was standing with Hina Izumi and Gokaigers Joe Gibken and Don Dogoier to get back the pudding. Picking up the four passengers, the Den-Liner took them to Winter 1976 to pick up Akarenger. When the Sentai teams and the Kamen Riders battle the Shocker-Zangyack Alliance, the four Taros join the fray in their Den-O forms, fighting alongside the Gekirangers. Urataros flirted with Geki Yellow in the middle of the fight and was chided by Momotaros. Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen
Super Hero Taisen OtsuEdit
to be added Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Otsu: Heroo! Answers
Kamen Rider Battride WarEdit
Urataros appears as Den-O Rod Form and as a navigator in the video game Kamen Rider: Battride War.
Appearance, Personality, and AbilitiesEdit
Based on Ryotaro's image of Urashima no Taro, Urataros is sea turtle-like in appearance and is armed with Uratarod (ウラタロッド Urataroddo?), a rod with hexagonal blades at each end. In a fight, he usually states the words, "Mind if i reel you in?" (お前、僕に釣られてみる? Omae, boku ni tsuraretemiru??), a fishing metaphor which refers to his lying nature. While possessing a person, Urataros dons a pair of glasses that show off his blue pupils with a matching streak in the vessel's hair.
Urataros is a cool-headed casanova with a very convincing personality who gets people to believe his constant lies. The only one who fully trusts him is Ryotaro, though Urataros felt a bit offended that the human is "trivializing his lies" and explains he lies simply for the sake of lying. While Momotaros gets Ryotaro in trouble through reckless methods, Urataros puts Ryotaro in conflicting situations when he goes around wooing multiple women. Despite these negative traits, along with his occasional fights with Momotaros, Urataros does show genuine concern for Ryotaro's well being and taking offense to the deaths caused by the Kraken Imagin's Gigandeath incarnations in the best. As the best speaker of the Taros, Urataros possesses Ryotaro simply to get information out of someone, or to talk his way out of something. He is also useful in situations that require patience, something the others lack.
He usually refers to Momotaros as "Senpai" (先輩 Senpai?) and Kintaros as either "Bear" (クマ Kuma?) or "Kin-chan" (キンちゃん Kin-chan?) respectively. His form is based on the legend of Urashima Tarō, who rescued a sea turtle and was granted a visit to the Ryūgū-jō.
Rider FormsEdit
- "Rod Form!"
- ―Transformation announcement[src]
- Rider height: 187cm
- Rider weight: 102kg
- Punching power: 4.5t
- Kicking power: 9t
- Maximum jump height: 20m
- Maximum running speed: 100m/9s
When possessing Ryotaro (or anyone else) or by himself Urataros can assume Rod Form. The DenGasher forms into a rod-style weapon in this form. Rod Form gains the ability to fight underwater, extra protection, and increased kicking power, while losing speed and jump height. This is one of the less seen forms as Urataros rarely fights but comes through when a fight is close to water or when the other Imagin are unable to fight. Rod Form is also one of the two base forms that have a Rider Kick, the second is Sword Form in the Cho Den-O Series. Urataros throws his rod like a harpoon then after a hexagonal symbol appears he attacks with a flying side kick. The Aura Armor and DenKamen mask resembles a Sea Turtle, the animal associated with the story of Urashima Taro.
- "Climax Form!"
- ―Transformation announcement[src]
- Height: 190cm
- Weight: 119kg
- Punching power: 8t
- Kicking power: 10t
- Maximum jump height: 42m
- Maximum running speed: 100m/4s
Climax Form (クライマックスフォーム Kuraimakkusu Fōmu?) is Den-O's sixth and strongest form, gained when all Tarōs but Momotaros faded away and Ryotaro's desire not to lose them created the K-Taros cell that attached to Den-O Belt once the code 3-6-9-# is entered. Climax Form is basically a stronger version of Sword Form that incorporates the Denkamen of the other three primary Den-O forms onto various parts of the armor. Due to the nature of Climax Form, the Tarōs need to work as a unit to fight, and their strengths are incorporated into Climax Form. Rod Form's mask is on the right shoulder with Urataros controlling the right arm, Ax Form's mask on the left shoulder with Kintaros controlling the left arm, and Gun Form's mask on the chest with Ryutaros control the legs. These three masks can travel along tracks on Climax Form's body to align on the leg or arm to enter Kick Mode (キックモード Kikku Mōdo?) or Punch Mode (パンチモード Panchi Mōdo?), with the three Tarōs controlling that one limb while leaving Momotaros to control the rest of the body to perform "Charge and Up" attacks.
- Rider height: 190cm
- Rider weight: 119kg
- Ability perimeters
- Punching power: 8t
- Kicking power: 10t
- Maximum jump height: 50m
- Maximum running speed: 100m/3.8s
Super Climax Form (超・クライマックスフォーム Chō Kuraimakkusu Fōmu?), originally advertised as Kamen Rider Cho Den-O (仮面ライダー超・電王 Kamen Raidā Chō Den'ō?), is Den-O's eighth and true final form, exclusive to the Cho-Den-O Series and first appearing in Cho Kamen Rider Den-O & Decade NEO Generations: The Onigashima Battleship. It is identical to the original Climax Form in being a stronger version of Sword Form that incorporates the DenKamen of the other three primary Den-O forms onto various parts of the armor. However, Cho Climax Form also includes Wing Form as wings on the back of Den-O and a Wing Form insignia on the mask. It is also physically stronger than Climax Form and has the ability to use the wings to fly up and execute a stronger version of Climax Form's Rider Kick.
Statistics & Performance Data:
- Head height: 192 centimeters
- Base weight: 150 kilograms
- Punching power: 1t
- Kicking power: 3t
- Highest jump: 10m (broad)
- Top speed: 100m/10s
- Vision: 5 km approx.
- Hearing: 5 km approx.
- Defense Rating: 8
After seeing Momotaros possess Kamen Rider Decade, Urataros possessed the Kamen Rider G3 that Kamen Rider Diend had summoned so that he could act as a Rider.
- "Kamen Ride: Diend!"
- ―Transformation announcement[src]
- Height: 194cm
- Weight: 88kg
- Punching power: 6t
- Kicking power: 8t
- Maximum jump height: 30m
- Maximum running speed: 100m/5s
During the events of Episode Yellow, Urataros possessed Daiki Kaito as Kamen Rider Diend in order to fight Kamen Rider G Den-O. While Urataros uses the powers of Diend, he is armed with his own Uratarod.
The Uratazao (ウラタザオ Uratazao?) is a fishing pole weapon that Urataros is able to transform into for New Den-O. This appears in Episode Blue: The Dispatched Imagin is Newtral when Kotaro is forced to team up with Urataros instead of Teddy. The Uratazao can stretch to incredible lengths, allowing it to be used like a whip. The zao part of the name is from the Japanese word for "fishing pole" (釣り竿 tsurizao?).
Behind the scenesEdit
Urataros is voiced by Kōji Yusa (遊佐 浩二 Yusa Kōji?). In both his Imagin form and as Kamen Rider Den-O (Rod Form), his suit actor is Eitoku (永徳 Eitoku?).
While possessing others, he is portrayed by their respective actors while retaining his voice.
- As U-Ryotaro, he is portrayed by Takeru Satoh (佐藤 健 Satō Takeru?) and later Takuya Mizoguchi (溝口 琢矢 Mizoguchi Takuya?).
- As U-Kotaro in Saraba Kamen Rider Den-O: Final Countdown, he is portrayed by Dori Sakurada (桜田 通 Sakurada Dōri?).
- As U-Tsukasa in Kamen Rider Decade episode 14, he is portrayed by Masahiro Inoue (井上 正大 Inoue Masahiro?).
- As U-Natsumi in Kamen Rider Decade episode 14, he is portrayed by Kanna Mori (森 カンナ Mori Kanna?).
- As U-Jiro in Cho Kamen Rider Den-O & Decade Neo Generations: The Onigashima Warship, he is portrayed by Kenji Matsuda (松田 賢二 Matsuda Kenji?).
- As U-Daiki in Episode Yellow: Treasure de End Pirates, he is portrayed by Kimito Totani (戸谷 公人 Totani Kimito?).


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Startups: It's All About Domain Names Whether you opt for shared hosting, dedicated server hosting, or cloud hosting, none of these will matter until a domain name has been chosen. If you're thinking: "oh, that's easy!" Think again. Choosing a domain name can be costly in more ways than one. Select the wrong domain name, and you'll have a hard time competing with the company … [Read more...]
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The Hirst 'record' that wasn't
February 9 2015
Picture: Christie's
Colin Gleadell of The Telegraph alerts us to an interesting Damien Hirst coming up for sale at Christie's on Wednesday (11th Feb), called Lullaby Winter. The pill cabinet was sold in New York on 16th May 2007 for $7.4m, but, says Gleadell, was never paid for. Having guaranteed the lot before the 2007 sale, Christie's were obliged to take ownership of the piece themselves. Now it is on offer with an estimate of £2.5m-£4m.
Will Christie's recoup their investment? Last time around, the piece was estimated at $2.5m-$3.5m, and the guarantee was probably at around the lower estimate. So if the piece sells at the lower estimate this time, Christie's are ok. I bet you it does sell - a failure would be too alarming for the value of everyone else's Hirsts.
The current Christie's catalogue makes no mention of the 2007 sale, or the buyer's failure to pay. But of course, the 2007 'price' has remained on the Christie's sale database all these years, helping to bolster other Hirst works.
Can we judge what effect the apparent $7.4m 'sale' had on the Hirst market in 2007 and subsequently? At the time, $7.4m represented a new auction record for Hirst, more than doubling the previous record of $3m for a pickled sheep sold at Christie's in 2006* (according to a list of prices on the Blouin Art Sales Index).
Speaking to Bloomberg at the time, Sotheby's Oliver Barker said that the apparent high price fetched by Lullaby Winter made the owner of a comparable work, Lullaby Spring, keener to sell:
'The record prices for Damien are all for his sculptural works,' he said. The price Christie's got for Lullaby Winter made the owner of Lullaby Spring more willing to sell, according to Barker.
Lullaby Spring was estimated at £3m-£4m when it was sold on 21st June 2007, and fetched £9.65m - a figure that was duly hailed as 'a new auction record' for Hirst, indeed for any living artist. As far as we know, the buyer of Lullaby Spring duly paid up. But if Lullaby Winter doesn't do well on Wednesday, they may be wishing they hadn't...
Actually, if I was the owner of Lullaby Spring, I'd already be worried that Christie's are not more confident in marketing Lullaby Winter. Surely, with the current contemporary art boom showing no signs of flagging, Lullaby Spring should be on the block for more than £2.5m-£4m.
Inevitably, there's some good guff in the catalogue note for Lullaby Winter, which says, with unintended irony:
As with so much of the artist's work, the pill cabinets are fundamentally about our sociological need to construct belief systems out of nothing, about our need to come to terms with the often-mysterious fabric of existence. Lullaby Winter addresses this need and the aesthetic allure of the pills is rendered useless in the face of their unknown medical purpose, as Hirst reminds, 'we have to simply believe that somehow our ills will be cured.'
That's the contemporary art market in a phrase there folks - 'simply believe...'
* People from the future, I am not making this up.
Update - a reader writes:
I think Damien Hirst must spend most of his day giggling uncontrollably at his skill in fooling people endlessly…
Update II - I've done a little more digging on how the Hirst 'record' was reported in 2007. Here's The Guardian:
new records were also set by the British artist Damien Hirst whose rise to pre-eminence as one of the world's most profitable artists continued with the sale of Lullaby Winter for $7.4m. The work, a rainbow-like arrangement of pharmaceutical pills set in a frame against a metallic background, had been expected to sell for less than half that amount.
Here was the FT:
If a visitor to London's vibrant cultural scene were seeking a metaphor to describe the crazed buoyancy of the contemporary art market, here it is. The past couple of weeks have seen further records tumble for contemporary artists at auction, including Hirst's own, when "Lullaby Winter", one of his medicine cabinet altars, sold for $7.4m at Christie's New York. [...] Hirst, who has already amassed a personal fortune of £130m, according to this year's Sunday Times Rich List, is hotter, and richer, than ever.
Here was the New York Times:
Damien Hirst's prankish selections of "things" displayed in cases or dipped in glass tanks holding a formaldehyde solution made a spectacular progression, jumping from $3.37 million - given in May 2006 at Christie's New York for "Away from the flock, divided" - to $7.43 million paid this week for "Lullaby Winter," a title describing the parody of a medicine cabinet.
And here was The Art Newspaper looking at the wider Hirst price levels around that time:
Rumour has it that the Doig record was like a red rag to a bull for those in the Damien Hirst camp, while devotees of Lucian Freud thought that the senior painter was the rightful title-bearer. Since an auction record usually leads to a rise in prices for all the artist's works, dealers and collectors (and a growing number of hybrid dealer-collectors) have a major stake in such accolades because they can have a serious impact on the value of their inventory.
Not surprisingly, last June at Christie's in London (a few months after the Doig record was set), Freud's Bruce Bernard, a connoisseur's picture from 1992, knocked White Canoe off the top spot by selling for £7.9m ($15.7m). The next night at Sotheby's in London, the sombre Freud was whacked off its pedestal by Hirst's Lullaby Spring, 2002, which sold for a whopping £9.7m ($19.2m). Most importantly, Hirst grabbed the coveted worldwide title, which Johns had held (on and off) for 19 years.
Lullaby Spring is part of a seasonal series of four, but some 20 other large-scale pill cabinets are said to exist. Only the month before, its near-identical sibling Lullaby Winter, 2002, had sold for a mere $7.4m at Christie's New York. Sometimes the consignor can add value; in the case of Lullaby Spring, New York lawyer Joel Mallin provided respectable, but not what one would describe as premium provenance. Some insiders pointed to the fact that Lullaby Spring's little pills were more vibrantly coloured than Lullaby Winter's, but the logic behind the $12m price gap lies elsewhere. Nobody understands better than an auction house that price appreciation of this magnitude is seldom intrinsic to the work.
Whereas Christie's rarely puts all its marketing muscle behind a single work of art, choosing instead to promote a handful of lots on its front, back and inside catalogue covers, Sotheby's marketing of contemporary works has tended to be doggedly single-minded. Much like their handling of Doig's White Canoe, Lullaby Spring enjoyed a wrap-around cover. This time, however, their on-message communications predicted a new living artist auction record. In both cases, Sotheby's had their reasons. With the Doig, they owned (or partially owned) six paintings by the artist, so it was imperative that this first work to hit the block should sell well. With Hirst, the logic was a little different. Since the Pharmacy sale in which Hirst made the unprecedented move of taking his own work to auction, Sotheby's London had enjoyed a positive alliance with the artist as well as strong relationships with his primary dealers and loyal stockholders. The opportunity for a record was clear, if only they get could the right people interested.
Also worth noting is the Christie's press release for Wednesday's sale. It makes no mention of the non sale in 2007, but pushes instead the Sotheby's sale of Lullaby Spring for £9.65m, which of course was set immediately after the 'sale' of Lullaby Winter:
Damien Hirst's iconic pill cabinet Lullaby Winter, 2002 is to be offered at Christie's in February (estimate: £2.5-4million). Another from the series of four cabinets named after the four seasons, Lullaby Spring, sold at auction in 2007 for £9.65million, breaking the record for a work by a European living artist at the time of sale. Just as Monet painted the four seasons, Hirst captures the winter atmosphere with his assembly of thousands of beautifully hand-crafted pills. Precisely positioned on razor-sharp shelving and enshrined within a perfect, mirrored surgical steel cabinet, these pills number the amount a single human might expect to consume in a lifetime.


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As of 2015, the world's fastest computer processor is from Intel, and it's the Core i7-5960X Extreme Edition. Since it's based on the Haswell microarchitecture, it's also known as the Haswell Extreme Edition processor.
In 2014, the eight-core chip was priced at about $1,000. The processor is mainly for gaming and high-performance desktops. For video processing, Intel claims editing 4K video is 20 percent faster, and 3-D rendering is 32 percent faster. Further, the company claims the processor's DDR4 memory provides 50 percent faster internal data transfers than its previous DDR3 memory, and the DDR4 support reduces energy consumption by up to 40 percent.


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So last Wednesday I had a fab shoot for Karup's.
I went all the way across to Wrexham for the day and I loved the place. It is soo green!
We were shooting in another model's home. Her name was Serena (she is on one of the phone channels!) and she had a gorgeous house.
We we right nearby a golf course so it was funny when we were shooting as they could see through the windows.
I think I may have put a few of them off course! Hehe.
The photographer was fab and I loved him to bits. He was making evil funny jokes all day and I did not stop jabbering to him until the shoot finished.
I had soo much fun and I think the photo's look absolutely brilliant.
I have no more to say, just take a look for yourselves.
Smiley, smiley, Carol Smiley!
I'm wearing knickers...honest!
It's a jungle out there...
And then my personal favourite.
Big huge thanks to Pixrt and Karup's for the pictures.
I will let you know when they come out on the site. I also did two rude videos for the site, one using a big dildo (I think I will name him, Big Boy) which stuck to the floor!
And tomorrow is the best part, I can tell you all about the Taste: London food festival!


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2018 human resources updates
March 7, 2018
The latest news and updates for employers regarding human resource compliance for 2018.
Starting in 2018, OSHA began mandating covered employers with over 250 employees to submit an OSHA 300A summary log online and not just post the log in breakrooms and employee areas. All covered employers will be required to submit the 300A by 2019. The internal posting requirement has not changed. As of Feb. 1, employers needed to have posted in a conspicuous location their summary log for employees to view until April 30.
Large employers submitting the data for 2017 have until July 1, 2018. Online submission to OSHA will be due no later than March 2 in 2019 and every year thereafter. The online submission can be done in one of three formats: manually, by CSV, or through an interfacing software. If reporting your 300A seems to be a new concept, your requirements are determined by your NAICS code. Additionally, be sure to take into account your state laws. The following states have OSHA-approved plans, but they are not formatted yet for electronic reporting: California, Maryland, Minnesota, South Carolina, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Joint employers and independent contractors
In June of 2017, the Department of Labor (DOL) released guidance on classifying independent contractor employees and clarifying the joint employment relationship. This is not a tax reform issue, but has resurfaced amongst the tax reform news. Since last summer, many calls have been fielded regarding randomized unemployment audits by the DOL. The DOL has found businesses with misclassified independent contractors, resulting in states requesting payments for unemployment insurance and back-wages. Employers as small as five employees in rural areas have been audited. The changes will affect the informal administrative interpretations previously stated by DOL agents. The laws around joint employment and/or independent contractors have not changed.
The goal of the DOL is to classify independent contractors as employees as often as possible. The administrative interpretation and informal statement was that if the primary focus of an independent contractor relationship was to primarily run their own operation and perform work for multiple entities, they would be considered an independent contractor. This has been lifted, and all factors will now be considered evenly. There is an IRS test and a DOL test to determine the status, which focuses on the control you have over the employee/independent contractor.
The administrative interpretation for joint employers was that the DOL was going to attempt to find joint employment in most situations, causing overtime and benefit eligibility concerns for many companies such as franchises and staffing agencies. Employees who are shared amongst different companies and/or common entities should still apply the joint employer test on a case-by-case basis.
As of Jan. 5, 2018, employers who offer internships are subject to a new unpaid intern test, now known as a primary beneficiary test. This test is used to determine whether the primary beneficiary of the work conducted during the internships is the employer or the employee, based on whether the work qualifies as academically-focused. Previously, there were six all-or-nothing questions, and employers had to answer 'no' to each in order to qualify the intern as unpaid. Now, it is a balancing act of seven questions, and immediately, the employer and intern need to discuss compensation before moving forward with the hire. Examples of the questions to ask yourself of your internship experience are:
- Will the training they receive be similar to an educational environment or be able to be integrated into coursework to receive academic credit?
- Does the work being performed compliment or displace the work being done by regular employees?
- Does the internship follow a regulated timeline, or is it ongoing?
It's unlikely the new test will drastically change the unpaid vs paid determination for most employer formal internship programs; however, be sure to fulfill the requirements of the test fully before classifying your internships as paid or unpaid to avoid an audit from the DOL.
Ban the Box
Ban the Box has been a concept in motion for quite some time in various states, but is now expanding to other states and can be found in local county and town ordinances. Ban the Box prohibits employers from requesting information on criminal history before the interview is conducted with an applicant. If you want to obtain that information, an application can be filled out after the interview has been conducted and then a conditional offer with a background check can be made. At that point, any adverse action must be related to the job description.
The EEOC oversees protected classes and focuses on compliance assistance and education over litigation. With the current administration, there are major changes being discussed. First is the treatment of sex as a protected class. As of 2015, sexual orientation and gender identity were added as protected classes. Because of recent case law, The Department of Justice (DOJ) now disagrees, but the EEOC has not changed their stance. It is recommended to do nothing at this time; try not to identify and discriminate within your operation. Your EEOC statement should align with federal and state law – some states have more protected classes beyond the federal laws, so be aware of your state's interpretations.
Family and pregnancy accommodations
More and more states are adding family and pregnancy accommodation expansions. Each state law is different, but one example comes from California: Eligible employees can receive partial pay to take time off to bond with their new baby (employee must pay state disability insurance). New York is offering additional paid leave benefits through a program initiated in New York City which required paid sick leave. It has since been expanded throughout the entire state and was also expanded to include paid family leave. Look for more changes to come throughout the country related to family and pregnancy accommodations.
Private employers with 100 or more employees and public employers with 50 or more employees are required to submit the EEO-1 report, which is a report that captures data on your employees related to demographics and occupational categories/job classifications. The 2016-announced provision requiring employers to submit salary data with their other EEO-1 data has been placed on hold at this time. The date for submitting this report was previously Sept. 30 but has since been expanded to March 31. Therefore, for reporting 2017 data, employers have until March 31, 2018. Employers can have employees fill out a voluntary form to collect this data or do their best to compile it themselves. While employee participation is voluntary, covered employer participation is required. Any pay period between October and December of the previous year can be used to report.


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R&S Water Service has designed a water softener using only the top of the line valves and tanks by Clack Corporation. We also have upgraded our resin to a 10% crosslink to give you the most trouble free softening for years to come.
What does crosslinking mean? The higher the crosslinking, the more exchange sites there are on a resin bead. Resins must be processed properly to make the exchange sites functional. More exchange sites equal more capacity. A resin with stronger bead integrity will be more resistant to chlorine in municipal applications. Some resins have exchange sites throughout the bead and others have sites on just the outer shell. Resin with just an outer sulfonated shell may not have the same bead integrity even with a 10 percent crosslink, the resin life is sacrificed. Resins sulfonated to the inner core will expand and contract evenly, preventing fracture of the bead. In reality any 10 percent crosslink resin will perform better than a 7 percent or an 8 percent with functional exchange sites. The most commonly used resin is an 8 percent crosslink. This will hold up well in most applications and keeps the cost down. R&S Water Service uses 10% to give you a more reliable system.
Reverse Osmosis Systems: We carry 4 and 5 stage reverse osmosis systems for the home or office. Do you require larger quantities of reverse osmosis water? Let our expert design a system for your needs. We have designed units from 100gpd to 10,000 gpd. We also design systems for special needs.
R&S Water has invested in the best of *** SALT-FREE WATER CONDITIONER ***
Advantages include:
Special Upflow design. Does not Regenerate like traditional Softening systems. Never Add Salt or Chemicals!! Helps to reduce the Harmful effects of Hard Water Scale.
The water maintains it's natural mineral content. Easily wipe off water spots and soap scum. Protect all of your water using appliances. Great for new tankless water heater applications. Never a cross connection to drains. Featuring Template Assisted Crystallization.
Water filters and systems: We can provide service and filter replacement on most major brands.
Copyright © 2019 R & S WATER SERVICE - All Rights Reserved.


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Posts Tagged 'Archie Goodwin'
X-9: Secret Agent Corrigan by Al Williamson and Archie Goodwin, introduction by Mark SchultzPosted by R.C. Harvey on January 27th, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Corrigan is virtually a textbook lesson, day by day, of how to do a continuity newspaper comic strip.
Blazing CombatPosted by Robert Martin on March 15th, 2010 at 10:00 AM
Archie Goodwin, et al.; Fantagraphics Books; 216 pp., $22.99 (hardcover), $19.99 (paperback); B&W (Hardcover ISBN: 9781560979654, Paperback: 9781606993668) A major goal of publisher James WarrenÔÇÖs 1960s comics was to recreate the glory of the 1950s EC line for a new generation. Blazing Combat was his answer to the Harvey Kurtzman-edited Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat, the war comics that were ECÔÇÖs most highly regarded titles after KurtzmanÔÇÖs Mad. The seriesÔÇÖ writer/editor, Archie Goodwin, followed KurtzmanÔÇÖs approach very closely. The stories were set in various wars throughout history, and they emphasized human drama over jingoism and sensationalism. Goodwin even corralled several of KurtzmanÔÇÖs illustrators, including John Severin and Wallace Wood, to contribute work. The series only lasted four issues, but it is among the high points of 1960s comics, and this handsome collection is one of the most welcome reprint volumes of the last few years.


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Monty wants K Club captaincy
By Brian Keogh
Colin Montgomerie has set his heart on the Ryder Cup captaincy in Ireland in 2006.
Despite his unbeaten run at the Belfry last year, he feels that he will be too old to continue playing in three years' time.
"I'd love to captain the side in Ireland," he said. "Hopefully I'll be of more help captaining the team than playing at number nine.
"If I'm still playing as well as I did last year then I'll have to delay it but Sam Torrance brought the age down because he felt he could liaise with the younger and the more senior players. Gone are the days of having a 60 year old captain.
"There are so many young players coming through. You think of Luke Donald and Paul Casey and Ian Poulter and Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell. And a few Swedes will appear from somewhere no doubt."
"The Ryder Cup won't be in Scotland until 2014 by which stage I'll be 51. Possibly a bit late. But in 2006 I'll be 43 and that's two years older than Seve was at Valderrama."
Montgomerie was at Carton House, just a couple of miles from the K Club, where he paid a flying visit to play nine holes on the new 'inland links' he has designed there.
Sitting alongside the existing Mark O'Meara layout which opened last year, the Colin Montgomerie Course will open for play later this summer at the spectacular 1,000 acre Maynooth estate.
Carton now boasts 36 holes since Mark O'Meara unveiled his first European project there last July.
And with Montgomerie the hot favourite to skipper Europe at the K Club in 2006, Carton are hoping that O'Meara will captain the Americans for a unique double.
Monty will be 40 in June but he gained great hope from 42 year old Fred Couples' win on the US Tour last week.
"I'm delighted for Fred. He introduced me to the belly putter and we also shared the same coach in Paul Marchand when we were at college. He has given all us oldies with bad backs some hope.
"My back is fine but I want to get back into the top ten in the world and if I can do that it means I will have won three times and done okay.
"I'll be back at the Belfry for the Benson and Hedges next week I'll be looking to win. The Ryder Cup has been good to me there and I was third in the B and H last year.
"Paul McGinley said that even the way I sat in the team room at the Ryder Cup suggested to him and the team that I was going to win. I wasn't aware of it but I was certainly relaxed."


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Joel Plaskett by Ro Cemm
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Joel Plaskett by Ro Cemm
A look at the best of Canadian Music Week from the opening night.
JOEL PLASKETT EMERGENCY at the CN Tower, Wednesday, March 21. Rating: NNNN
Despite all the obnoxious photographers hogging sightlines, spirits were high at CMW's industry-only CN Tower gala launch. How could they not be, 351 feet above the city on a beautiful day? (You could spot boats, ferries and planes simultaneously in motion.)
Add in joyful rocker Joel Plaskett's infectious songs - a mix of oldies and newbies from his about-to-drop Scrappy Happiness album - that beg to be sung along to, and, well, nice start, CMW.
Of the new tunes, Lightning Bolt was the standout, thanks to its lengthy, epic guitar leads. These days Plaskett rarely showcases his guitar-soloing skills the way he used to in Thrush Hermit, but on this song he stepped on a bunch of pedals and let his fingers fly. Also notable was Harbour Boys, which brings a new Irish influence into his songwriting. (The recorded version even includes what sounds like a bodhran.)
Nostalgic sweetness.
Carla Gillis
BLACKIE AND THE RODEO KINGS with HARLAN PEPPER at Massey Hall, Wednesday, March 21. Rating: NNN
Veteran crowd pleasers and co-bandleaders Colin Lindon, Tom Wilson and Stephen Fearing of Ontario roots rockers Blackie and the Rodeo Kings looked sharp in their matching jackets.
The band focused on material off last year's Kings and Queens, which featured duets with a number of famous women in country, jazz, and folk. The singers couldn't all be at the show, but Mary Margaret O'Hara, Amy Helm, Holly Cole and Serena Ryder were there and Ron Sexsmith and Murray McLaughlan stepped in as "honorary Queens" (Sexsmith co-wrote one of the songs).
Cole's appearance was brief and professional, while O'Hara, Helm and Ryder took on a few songs each. Ryder was filling in some very big shoes (Lucinda Williams'!) on If I Can't Have You and sounded oddly quiet at first before finding her normal belt. Helm took care of the more funky/soulful and gospel material like I'm Still Loving You and Shelter Me Lord (Patti Scialfa on the record). With her wild unpredictability and weird scatting, O'Hara made the stage come alive every time she appeared.
Though Fearing's fast rhythm guitar on Fred Eaglesmith cover 49 Tons was pretty mean, and fans responded to earlier material like Let's Frolic, it seemed like BARK are still missing something after all these years. When they played brilliant White Line by their namesake Willie P. Bennett, the difference between vulnerable originality and easygoing entertainment became palpable.
Openers Harlan Pepper proved that they have the chops to play in a number of genres, ending their set with a long instrumental that sounded like a Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet cover. They said that they'd been looking forward to playing Massey Hall for a long time; which is funny, considering their average age is probably less than the number of years that the guys in BARK have been hanging out together.
Sarah Greene


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Adapted from the biographical sketch for Vice Admiral Charles H. McMorris, Navy Office of Information, Biographies Branch, 8 March 1954; now part of the Modern Biography Files, Navy Department Library, Naval History & Heritage Command.
The Navy Department Library
Charles Horatio McMorris
31 August 1890 - 11 February 1954
Charles Horatio McMorris was born in Wetumpka, Alabama on 31 August 1890, son of Spencer James and Annie Amanda (Robinson) McMorris. He attended public schools in Wetumpka, before his appointment to the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, from his native state in 1908. Graduated and commissioned Ensign in June 1912, he subsequently progressed in rank until his promotion to Rear Admiral to date from May 13, 1942. He served in the temporary rank of Vice Admiral from 23 September 1944 until July 1948, when he reverted to his permanent rank of Rear Admiral. On 1 September 1952 he was transferred to the Retired List of the US Navy, and was advanced to the rank of Vice Admiral on the basis of combat awards.
Following graduation from the Naval Academy in 1912, he had consecutive sea service in the battleships Delaware, Montana, and New Hampshire, and while aboard the latter participated in the occupation of Vera Cruz, during the Mexican Campaign in 1914. In August of that year he returned to the USS Montana for torpedo instruction after which, on 18 November 1914, he joined the USS Maryland. While serving in that battleship he assisted in salvaging the USS F-4, which sank at Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, in 1915, and received a Letter of Commendation for assisting in rescuing passengers from a vessel grounded in the Gulf of Lower California during a storm that year.
In January 1917 he reported to the Navy Yard, Mare Island, California, where the USS Shaw was building, and joined that destroyer upon her commissioning, 9 April 1917. He was aboard the Shaw when she proceeded on 17 June to Queenstown, Ireland, to join the Destroyer force during the early part of World War I. Detached from Shaw on 30 July 1918, returned to the United States for fitting out duty in the USS Meredith at the Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts, and served as her Executive Officer from her commissioning, 29 January 1919 until June of the same year.
He assumed command of the USS Walke on 13 June 1919 and was detached a month later for three months duty at the Navy Recruiting Station, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During the next two and a half years he served in the Detail Section, Officer Personnel Division, Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department, Washington, DC. In June 1922 he joined the USS Baltimore as Navigator, and in September of that year transferred to the USS Burns. He continued to serve as Executive Officer of the Burns until December 1924, when he reported for duty with Mine Squadron Two, Fleet Base Force.
Between September 1925 and May 1927 he was Instructor in the Department of Seamanship and Flight Tactics at the Naval Academy, also serving as Assistant Editor of the US Naval Institute Proceedings. In May 1927 he assumed command of the destroyer Shirk operating off the coast of Nicaragua during the Second Nicaraguan Campaign with Destroyer Squadrons Battle Fleet. He remained aboard the Shirk until February 1930 when he was transferred in the same capacity, to the USS Elliot.
Returning to the Naval Academy in July 1930, he served until May 1933 as Instructor in the Department of English and History, and for two years during that period was Editor of the US Naval Institute Proceedings. Following duty as Navigator of the USS California, he was again assigned in July 1935 to the Detail Section, Officer Personnel division, Bureau of Navigation.
He attended the senior course at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, from July 1937 to May 1938, after which he joined the staff of Commander Scouting Force, US fleet, as Operations Officer. He served in that assignment, which also included duty from October 1939 to January 1941 as Operations Officer of the "Hawaiian Detachment" until 1 February 1941 when he reported as War Plans Officer on the staff of commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet. "For exceptionally meritorious conduct (in the latter assignment) from December 7, 1941 to April 15, 1942..." he was awarded the Legion of Merit. The citation continues in part:
"During the early critical days of the days of the Pacific War, (he) rendered invaluable service to his command and, by his initiative and judgment, contributed materially to the conduct of our operations against the Japanese Empire..."
From 14 May to 9 November 1942, he commanded the cruiser San Francisco, and for heroism as Commanding Officer during the action of 11-12 October 1942, he was awarded the Navy Cross. The citation follows in part:
"...(He) fought his ship valiantly, maneuvering with expertness of able seaman and striking at the enemy with determined and effectiveness gunfire despite the difficulties of night combat. As Captain of the Flagship, he rendered valuable service to the Task Force Commander and contributed materially to the success of our forces."
He is also entitled to the ribbon for and a facsimile of the Presidential Unit Citation awarded the USS San Francisco for outstanding performance in action against enemy Japanese forces off Savo Island, in the Solomon Islands on the night of October 11-12, (1942)..."
In December 1942 he assumed command of Cruiser Task Force Eight, operating in the North Pacific. Referring to the Battle of Komandorski Islands, Admiral King's first report on the United States Navy at War states "...he enemy, late in March 1943, under took to support the two garrisons by sending through a small but heavily protected convoy. Early on the morning of March 26, a unit of our north Pacific Force, commanded by Vice Admiral C. H. McMorris encountered the advancing enemy force, which included heavy and light cruisers, some destroyers and cargo ships, about sixty-five miles south of the Komandorski Peninsula. Our Force, although outnumbered, closed for attack.
"The engagement which followed developed into a running gunfire duel between our cruisers Salt Lake City and Richmond, and enemy cruiser. This was followed by a torpedo attack delivered by our destroyers, upon completion of which the enemy retired in the direction of Paramushiru, 500 miles to the westward. Our damage was the enemy is not definitely known, a superior enemy force, after being engaged for three and one-half hours, had been prevented from supporting Japanese garrisons at Kiska and Attu..."
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service "...as Commander of a Cruiser Task Group in action against enemy Japanese surface forces in the Aleutian Area March 26, 1943. Daringly intercepting an enemy cruiser and destroyer force, escorting a convoy of the train vessels, (he) out maneuvered the enemy and launched a brilliant attack. Tactically disposing his greatly outnumbered force for maximum striking power, he achieved a complete rout of the enemy, compelling the Japanese to withdraw toward the Kuriles with three badly damaged cruisers while impairment to our forces was comparatively light..."
In June 1943 he joined the staff of the Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas, as Chief of the Joint Staff and Aide. For exceptionally meritorious service..." in that capacity during the final phase of the hostilities of World War II, he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Distinguished Service Medal. The citation continues in part:
"Charged with the coordination of work by Staff members, (he) supervised the preparation and execution of strategic and tactical plans for Naval Operations against the enemy Japanese forces in the Gilberts, Marshalls, Marianas, Western Caroline Islands, Iwo Jima and Okinawa and, in addition, rendered invaluable assistance in the capture of Hollandia and Morotai in the support of the Philippines Campaign, in attacks on the home islands of the Japanese empire and in carrying out the Naval phase of the occupation after the enemy's defeat..."
In February 1946 he became Commander Fourth Fleet, and was relieved of that command in September 1946 for duty on the General board, Navy Department. He assumed duty as President of that board on 10 December 1947, and continued as such until August 1948, when he reported as Commandant Fourteenth Naval District, Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, and Commander Hawaiian Sea Frontier. On 1 June 1951, he assumed additional duty as Commander Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, and continued service there until 1 September 1952, when he was transferred to the Retired List of the US Navy. He died on 11 February 1954, at Valparaiso, Chile, while visiting his son.
In addition to the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal and Gold Star, the Legion of Merit, and the Presidential Unit Citation, Vice Admiral McMorris had the Mexican Service Medal; World War I Victory Medal, Destroyer Clasp; the Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal; the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp; American Campaign Medal; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; the World War II Victory Medal; and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon.
After his retirement Vice Admiral McMorris resided in Wetumpka, Alabama with his wife, the former Elizabeth M. Case, daughter of Colonel David Brainard Case, USA, and Mrs. Case. Their son, David Spencer McMorris, Lieutenant, US Naval Reserve during World War II, was aboard the USS South Dakota at the time of the surrender ceremonies in Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945 (EST). He was the Second Secretary of the US Embassy at Santiago, Chile.


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We have several resources available from Antioch Community Church to help you on your relationship with God.
While there are many churches in Cary, NC, Antioch is a non-denominational, contemporary church in Cary. Worship and biblical teaching every Sunday at Cary High School. (638 Walnut St, Cary, NC 27511)
© Antioch Community Church 2011-Present
We meet at Cary High School
638 Walnut St, Cary, NC 27511