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Strange Adventures in Film Language
March 5, 2018 § Leave a comment
It's intoxicating, the notion that the language of pictures can and does transcend a many-tongued world rife with non-communication, miscommunication and misinterpretation; our globalised Babel. In many ways it's an ideal that remains robust and exciting, to think that a viewer in one hemisphere (geographically, culturally, economically) could see something of themselves reflected in the face, the gestures and the actions of a fellow human being in a far-flung place. But movies have long been a beautifully variegated beast, a stew of myriad formal elements of which the spoken word has become a major one. And for a monolinguist exploring "world cinema"/"the world of cinema"/"the world through cinema", verbal language truly adds a layer of complexity and ambiguity to the process of watching movies, sometime acting as a jarring reminder that understanding and empathy are perhaps only ever partial. There is, of course, the perennial anxiety about subtitles subtly detracting from the full visual experience of a film, however speedy the eyes and the mind are at darting and reading and comprehending. This may naturally lead one into the increasingly unfashionable territory of dubbing, unfashionable in the sense that fewer and fewer contemporary releases seem to feature such tracks, perhaps due to issues of performance preservation and cost effectiveness, or just plain old taste. Whatever one's feelings about subtitles and dubs, the various practices of translating the spoken components of cinema raises some arresting questions regarding the reliability of communication, issues of cultural appropriation and misrepresentation, and the ever dicey matter of artistic integrity. For better or worse, the 'language of cinema' means far more than the syntax of images.
* originally published on Fandor Keyframe in 2016
The Vitality of Vitti
March 5, 2018 § Leave a comment
Correction: as mentioned in the following paragraph, Monica Vitti made five (not four) films with Michelangelo Antonioni
It's not entirely surprising that Francois Truffaut found the films of Michelangelo Antonioni to be 'humorless,' and that Ingmar Bergman's impression of his Italian contemporary was that he could have been a cinematic great in the ranks of Kurosawa and Tarkovsky had he not been 'suffocated by his own tediousness.' Personally, I would contend that Antonioni's impact on cinematic expression remains singular enough to warrant his being mentioned in the same breath as such esteemed company. But to be fair and frank, encountering – for the first time – the cinema of Michelangelo Antonioni proved revelatory precisely because it seemed so shamelessly 'humourless' and 'tedious'.
These were the most most melancholic films I had ever seen, 'these' being Antonioni's 1960s quintet of sorts: L'avventura (1960), La notte (1961), L'eclisse (1962), Red Desert (1964) and Blow-Up (1966). Whether or not the director pitied or lionized his sad sack characters, his approach to composition, pacing and performance exhibited a refreshing patience (bordering on fondness) for the state of being lost, of not knowing what it is you feel you should know; for the act of brooding. The films almost seemed to give one the license to be miserable without having to feel guilty for lacking psychic resolve. And it so happened that four of the five featured the sultrily despondent pout of a theater actress/silver screen novice named Monica Vitti as she and various other sharply-attired semi-socialites wandered the desolate landscapes of post-war Italy and of their own souls; ambling through spaces that were expressions of existentially fraught interiors by way of being austerely stylized exteriors.
More than any other performer in Antonioni's films from this period (and not simply due the frequency of her being cast), Vitti – with her open face and her weighted gait – seemed to embody and exemplify Andrew Sarris's fairly self-explanatory neologism 'Antoniennui'. Yet, on revisiting four of the five total Vitti/Antonioni collaborations (the final being The Mystery of Oberwald, 1981), I gradually came to notice and appreciate the spectrum of humanity and emotion on display, even if said spectrum ultimately skews towards the negative. For all the sullen gazes and silent sighs, there are notable moments of levity, even joy, and many if not most (if not all) featuring Monica Vitti in some capacity. But rather than undercutting Antonioni's exploration of modern psychic illness, such instances of positivity and playfulness establish his characters as being more than mere personifications of theme. And if this is not entirely true for all Antonioni's characters, Vitti's are, at the very least, roundedly human, and this lends their psychological plights a measure of relatability.
As much as this video is a tribute to the beauty and on-screen magnetism of Vitti, my secret intention is that it should function as a fleeting reminder not only of Vitti's range and ease as a performer, but that it will be an invitation to reconsider Antonioni's image as a peddler of misery.
* originally published on Fandor Keyframe in 2016
Black-clad and Passing Through
March 5, 2018 § Leave a comment
Maborosi could easily be seen as a film steeped in suicide, sorrow, the finality of death, and the capriciousness of life. And it is, being the story of a seemingly contented man who kills himself, leaving his young wife (and infant son) to contend with the meaning – or be haunted by the meaninglessness – of his out-of-the-blue decision to depart by his own hand.
Hirokazu Koreeda's debut as a director of fiction certainly looks the part of a film saddled with themes so grim, but in a way that eschews hysterics in favour of a wide-eyed, well-manicured aesthetic. In fact, Koreeda's particular brand of visual understatement – endlessly attributed to Ozu's hulking influence on 'thoughtful' cinema – works in tandem with one boldly symbolist element: funereal attire. The striking presence of utterly black-clad characters in this movie certainly spells "death" (at least in some circles). Overall, the prevalence of this visual element suggests that death is not simply the termination of life but an inextricable, daresay essential part of living day-to-day. Quite literally, one can only be alive if one can die.
Yet there is another more curious motif running throughout this film, pardon the impending pun. Still and stately as the Koreeda's camera may be, Maborosi is preoccupied with the process of movement and transition. From trains to toddlers, this film trains its gentle eye on people and objects moving not simply from point A to point B but through the space that lies between these points, that is to say 'the journey'. As much as the film sympathises with the pain of its widowed protagonist, one has to believe that it and its creators are flirting with a more expansive and philosophical view of the life-death divide, if such a thing even exists; flirting with the queasy possibility that death is not an endpoint but a checkpoint that some individuals simply cannot wait to explore. Interestingly, Koreeda's sophomore effort, Afterlife, does in fact take a step past this checkpoint, with unexpected developments that only enrich and deepen the mysteries of preceding movie, Maborosi.
* originally published on Fandor Keyframe in 2016
Male Love Through Female Eyes
March 5, 2018 § Leave a comment
While by no means torrential, there has been – over the decades – no shortage of male-directed films dependent on and driven by a central relationship between two or more women. In the last year or two alone I can name several notable, high profile pictures that fit the bill, from Clouds of Sils Maria to Duke of Burgundy to Queen of Earth to Our Sister's Sister to Mistress America to Carol, to name but some.
It seems that – as far back as George Cukor's 1939 feature The Women, if not further – men with access to a camera and actors have been periodically compelled to (at best) explore and (at worst) distil, even reduce, the dynamics that may or may not influence the way in which women relate with each other within various social contexts. And seeing as the two genders have harboured a deep mutual curiosity (and perhaps an even deeper mutual frustration) for as long as Mars and Venus have been planets, these male-driven cinematic investigations of womanhood and femininity are understandable, and at times even forgivable in their desperation for clarity through simplification.
Unfortunately, so many of these films do succumb – in one way or another – to that innate human tendency to schematise, with female relationships often feeling like interactions not so much between individuals but between types, or fragments/subsets of a figurative female psyche; and not simply the classic, clichéd mother versus whore showdown. Ingmar Bergman's Persona is perhaps the archetype – the poster-child – of the male fascination with the idea that women straddle a multiplicity of roles and mental spaces, whether by nature or social necessity, and that these are often present and in opposition within the same individual (often represented onscreen as several). Possibly arising from Man's desire to rationalise his utter inability to grasp that which he believes he should, it's a cinematic tradition that did not begin with Persona and will likely not end with Alex Ross Perry's Queen of Earth, for example.
So if – despite however many spirited attempts – the idea of 'elucidating' the nature of Woman through cinema is an asymptotic, fundamentally fraught enterprise, the converse must be true. Can it be expected of women filmmakers that they, through cinema, shed light upon the more elusive or inexplicable aspects of male nature; shed light upon man's propensity for violence, for example? How about the prickly relationship the Western male has with simple platonic intra-gender affection? Whereas in some cultures hand-holding and kissing are wholly normal, unremarkable means of conveying friendship and affection between males, Western straight male-bonding exhibits a certain aloofness, however subtle, to the extent that the term 'bromance' should be coined as an expression of the apparent remarkableness of two men shamelessly displaying mutual affection.
For this video essay, I looked at five films (The Hitch-Hiker, Mikey and Nicky, Point Break, Beau Travail, and Old Joy) by five women directors (Ida Lupino, Elaine May, Kathryn Bigelow, Claire Denis, and Kelly Reichardt respectively), each picture deeply male-centric, honing in on primarily platonic relationships between men. For purposes of drama and narrative momentum there are of course inevitable sources of conflict that strain and frustrate the films' core relationships. That being said, it's curious that these pictures seem to focus on the elements that disrupt earnest male bonding, whether physical, emotional or philosophical. And while these works cannot necessarily claim any definitive breakthrough with regards to a Unified Theory of Masculinity, their existence proves a necessary alternative to the aforementioned male tradition, at the very least for their undeniable artistic metier.
* originally published on Fandor Keyframe in 2016
A Cut Above: Ten Women Who Epitomise the Art of Editing
March 5, 2018 § Leave a comment
How fortuitous, that Margaret Sixel, (chief) editor of Mad Max: Fury Road, should be handed a bald, golden statuette merely three days after I decide to craft a brief video tribute honouring great film editors who happen to be women. For the feat of seeding rhythm into the mayhem of George Miller's giddy footage, Sixel has become only the 14th woman (of 27 nominees, total) to boast the 'Best Film Editing' of any respective year since the prize's premiere in 1934, a year in which legendary Cecil B. DeMille collaborator Anne Bauchens was one of only three nominated editors for her work on DeMille's Cleopatra.
However one feels about the Oscars, they certainly provide a relatively smooth – and predictable – rock upon which to sit and ponder the workings of the film industry. And from the perspective of film editing, it is clear that the Academy – however sexist and rife with inequity it may have been in its infancy – could not deny the impact that women had on an altogether male-dominated field. Retrace the art form of editing back to the revolutionary parallel, intercutting storylines of D.W Griffith's Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916) and you'll see the name Rose Smith among the credited razor-wielders. Smith would go on to edit early works by Howard Hawks and Raoul Walsh.
So, by the time the aforementioned Anne Bauchens becomes the first woman to hold aloft a Best Film Editing Oscar in 1940 for North West Mounted Police, the work of pioneers like Smith, Margaret Booth (Mutiny on the Bounty, 1935), Barbara McLean (All About Eve, 1950) and Dorothy Spencer (Stagecoach, 1939) has been duly acknowledged if not awarded. Over the decades, an additional 13 women editors would eventually be recognised for their visual (and sonic) articulacy, some of them out-and-out luminaries like Verna Fields (Jaws, 1975) and Scorsese's creative twin Thelma Schoonmaker. But the recognition has largely been doled out in fits and starts, and with lengthy lulls; to think that, in the last quarter century, only two women have been celebrated for their efforts: Schoonmaker with her near-adjacent victories for The Aviator (2004) and The Departed (2006), and Sixel's recent scoop. Which is where the Academy's sensibilities become only partially relevant.
Deserved as the win may have been for Hal Ashby and his work on In The Heat of the Night (1967), the glaring absence of Dede Allen on the 1967 nominee shortlist is difficult to read as anything but a short-sighted lack of appreciation for the seminal fusion of European fragmentation and American clarity that was (and is) Bonnie and Clyde (1967), in particular, the closing massacre. As responsible for Sam Peckinpah's bullet ballets as it is for Denzel's rain of judgement in Training Day (2001), Allen's bold cutting introduced mainstream American cinema to the editorial insolence of key French Nouvelle Vague pictures, many of which were edited by women. But if Bonnie and Clyde is not – for some – quite worthy of 'canon', Jean-Luc Godard's À bout de souffle (1960), sliced with hiccuping swagger by Cécile Decugis, needs no lobbying whatsoever. Decugis's temporal gymnastics sent a shock through the gestating hearts of US movie brats à la Spielberg and Scorsese, all the way to newer waves of Taiwanese and Hong Kong filmmakers in the 1980s and 90s and their millennial spawn. Together with French contemporaries like Jasmine Chasney (Last Year at Marienbad, 1961), Decugis helped to loosen some of the shackles on narrative filmmaking, and to challenge the championed standard of 'invisibility' in editing. Anne V. Coates' celebrated match-cut in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) gentle as it is, flows within the same bold vein.
As many stellar female editors as there are, I have selected 2 clips each from 10 practitioners whose cutting room prowess has not only elevated the art of editing, but whose pairings with many a great director has yielded some of our finest films. Notable exceptions abound, of course, including contemporary pros like Molly Marlene Stensgaard, Nadine Muse and Marie-Hélène Dozo, regular collaborators of Lars von Trier, Michael Haneke and Claire Denis, respectively. Clearly, there are many unsung co-auteurs deserving of song.
* This piece was originally published on Fandor Keyframe in 2016
Festival de 'Usual Suspects': That Old Dream That Moves (2001) de Alain Guiraudie
September 19, 2016 § Leave a comment
That it took 12 years for Alain Guiraudie, a French filmmaker, to find his way onto the Cannes Croisette is a matter of niggling curiosity. Between his first mainline* Cannes entry, the sublime, erotic thriller Stranger by the Lake (2013), and this delicate 49-minute slice of dreamy realism, Guiraudie directed three features, none of which I have seen and none of which received even a droplet's worth of the acclaim showered upon his 2013 picture. It would be interesting to discover whether the mid 2000s was indeed an artistic trough, or simply neglected. What can be said with some confidence, though, is that the Bressonian visual elegance Guiraudie displays in Stranger by the Lake is very much on show in That Old Dream That Moves. With a keen eye for borderline bland locations, Guiraudie and cinematographer Emmanuel Soyer turn a dilapidated factory into a cathedral of fragile masculinity and unspoken desire. This brisk but patiently told tale centres on an industrious technician named Jacques who arrives at a factory that is being closed down, tasked with disassembling a particular (and at times phallic) machine in preparation for transportation to a new home. While the regular employees laze about, contemplating their pending unemployment and channeling their fear into petty squabbles, Jacques goes about his business with a certain intensity only to be courted ever so gently by two older 'heteronormative' men, Donand and Louis, both of whom may only just be discovering or coming to terms with their own wants and needs. At this point a vital voice in international queer cinema, Guiraudie's approach to sexuality is neither combative nor yielding. While Jacques does not declare his preference for men on arrival, he neither bends over backwards to conceal his sexuality or rebuff advances. In a strange way, his unshowy matter-of-factness is a challenge to Donand and Louis, daring them to either make a move or make a run for it. If one is to go the allegorical route, Jacques' role in decommissioning the factory could even position him as an angel of sexual rebirth, spurring his suitors to shed their old skins as they will their old jobs. Like low tide, this very social realist picture quietly presents its central ménage à trois (of sorts) in a manner that suggests the groggy period after an afternoon nap, accentuated by the use of muted tones, diffuse light and soft shadows, and still, boxy framing. At its modest length, That Old Dream That Moves qualifies as a feature film according to Anglo-American standards, while it is nine minutes shy of being a feature in its homeland, having been nominated for a Best Short Film Cesar in 2003. By either standard, though, it is without doubt a great film.
* Giuraudie's 2009 picture The King of Escape premiered in that year's Directors Fortnight sidebar
Festival de 'Usual Suspects': Kinatay (2009) de Brillante Mendoza
June 15, 2016 § Leave a comment
I concur with Quentin Tarantino's impression of Brillante Mendoza's eighth feature film and second Cannes entry, Kinatay, as expressed by the American filmmaker in this bit of collegial correspondence scribbled in red ink on hotel stationery during the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Tarantino applauds Mendoza's dedication to the experiential perspective of the film's lead character, Peping; praises the under-exposed, grainy depiction of horror that characterises the latter two-thirds of the film, and the relative anti-drama of the whole affair. That Tarantino, king of immaculately aestheticised violence, would praise a peer for practically being his antithesis is indeed of interest, but his appreciation of Mendoza's approach was nonetheless shared by that year's Cannes Jury, who awarded the Filipino filmmaker the Prix de la mise-en-scene for Best Director. At the risk of defending a picture that I don't particularly care for, I must say that I do not necessarily contest their decision. Kinatay displays a certain clarity of purpose, a quality which few similarly grim and confronting pictures can consistently claim to have achieved with any degree of success. Whether Mendoza's artistic purpose in turn serves a broader cultural or political purpose is where the debate might rapidly become a losing battle for those in the 'pro' camp. Inspired by the actual experiences of a young police academy recruit, Kinatay follows a newly-wed trainee whose part-time dealings with a crew of dirty cops ostensibly turns into a full-time contract when he is made a witness and peripheral accomplice to the belly-turning murder of a prostitute called Madonna. Beginning with Peping's very low-key, good-natured daytime wedding, the first 'act' of the film ends with a fade-out of the setting sun after which his nightmare commences. It's an obvious visual pun, as if to imply that the sun is also setting on Peping's moral and spiritual freedom. Roger Ebert famously declared Kinatay to be the worst film ever selected to compete for the Palme d'Or, a claim which smacks of hyperbole despite my reservations about the movie. The late (and largely great) critic accused Mendoza of ideological bludgeoning, but could not quite articulate – in this piece – what this 'Idea' was and is. Frankly, neither can I. As a cautionary tale warning of the immense gravitational pull of crime on those in its orbit, Kinatay had me quietly promising myself that I would never associate with any individuals who exude even one percent of the malice and soul-blunted disregard for life exhibited by the on-screen killers. Without a doubt, such individuals live and breathe in their unfortunate communities, and similar crimes have in fact plagued Mendoza's turf, let alone the wider world. But is a film like Kinatay what it takes to galvanise public awareness of and outrage at law enforcers who not only fail to uphold safety but who in fact actively propagate social degeneration? Who amongst us is not all too aware that violence and barbarism exists, and that death can arrive with shocking suddenness, even for those who dance with it on a daily basis to the point of feeling somewhat immune? Perhaps Kinatay is simply the result of a filmmaker translating a captivating story to screen in a manner which seemed – to him – most appropriate. If anything, Mendoza's picture is at least an unapologetic alternative to the glut of cinema that seeks to extract entertainment from the gutters of human behaviour; a cinema at the centre of which sits the likes of…my beloved Basic Instinct?


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When a snoopy journalist gets too close to the shady secrets of a Nuclear power plant, those that run it toss him into a seething vat of radioactive waste in this horror film. Unfortunately for them, the reporter's looks are horribly altered, but he is far from dead.
Director: Craig Pryce.
Stars: David Scammell, Kathryn Boese, Randy Pearlstein, Derrick Strange, Angelo Celeste, Michael Lubovic, Erich Arenson, Grant Vistorino, Stuart Dunsworth, Linda Findlay, Paul Lamothe, Jane Edmondson, Larry Baker, Eric Bryson, Richard Zeppieri.
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NTPC may offload its 16.5% stake in PTC India as it wants to concentrate on its own trading company NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam
State-owned NTPC Ltd is believed to have approached the power ministry for selling off its 16.5% stake in PTC India Ltd as the company plans to focus on its own power-trading business, reports PTI.
PTC India is a government initiated Public-Private Partnership (PPP) power trading solutions provider, which is primarily focused on developing a commercially vibrant power market in the country. NTPC, NHPC Ltd, Power Finance Corp and Power Grid Corp currently hold 16.5% stake each in PTC India.
NTPC would like to offload its stake in PTC India as PTC is already off the ground, sources in the know said.
The power generator would want to concentrate on its own trading company NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, sources said.
NTPC is in discussions with the power ministry regarding the same, sources said, adding that NTPC is of the view that PTC India is already on its feet and does not require its support.
The main objective of NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam will be to purchase electricity generated from both conventional and non-conventional sources.
After a year of diminished venture investments, the VC community appears positive that a rebound in deal volumes would occur this year
The venture capital (VC) industry is optimistic about renewed investments this year, with focus shifting primarily to the green technology sector, a survey by global consultancy KPMG has said.
According to a poll of around 200 investors, venture capitalists and bankers, after a year of diminished venture investments, the VC community appears positive that a rebound in deal volumes would occur this year.
The survey found that 67% of respondents expect venture capital investment to increase in 2010, a drastic shift from only 23% predicting a rise in last year's survey. Only 7% see a decline in investment levels for 2010 compared to more than half (56%) predicting a year-to-year drop last year.
The survey indicated that the green-tech sector would be more attractive to investors this year.
About 77% of those surveyed say venture investment in green technology would increase this year as compared to 2009, including 15% who project investment to jump by more than 20%.
"There is no doubt that the green-tech sector remains an attractive investment area, but the difficult economic environment had investors operating in a cautious fashion in 2009," KPMG's venture capital practice co-leader Brian Hughes said.
"Our 2010 data shows that investors are more bullish in their investment projections and with all the federal funding and programs, the green-tech sector will undoubtedly benefit from the improving investment environment," Mr Hughes added.
Outside the US, venture capitalists expect green-tech investment to be focused primarily in Asia and then in Europe.
In addition to the expected increase in venture investment in 2010, respondents in the KPMG survey agreed that the government would play an increased role in green-tech activity.
As much as 65% of those surveyed anticipate an increase of federal funding for green-tech initiatives and 92% expect more public-private partnerships to initiate green projects.
KPMG conducted the survey in conjunction with AlwaysOn, a venture capital new media organisation.
Reliance Capital was ranked the topmost retirement fund manager overall by the EPFO for providing good returns and investing money in quality assets, while State-run SBI finished at the bottom
ADAG-promoted Reliance Capital Ltd was ranked the topmost retirement fund manager overall by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for providing good returns and investing money in quality assets, while State-run State Bank of India (SBI) finished at the bottom.
HSBC Asset Management (India) Pvt Ltd and ICICI Prudential Asset Management Co Ltd, which are the two other retirement fund managers, have been ranked second and third respectively for their performance during the nine-month period ending December 2009, as per EPFO analysis, said a labour ministry source.
The analysis placed before EPFO's key advisory body, the Finance and Investment Committee, last week, pointed out that HSBC AMC churned out the highest yield (return) of 8.43% followed closely by Reliance Capital at 8.41%.
Interestingly, the country's largest public sector lender SBI has been placed at the lowest position on all parameters including yield, maturity profile and asset quality profile.
On the basis of the maturity profile, Reliance Capital AMC continues to perform the best on the said parameter followed by ICICI Pru AMC, HSBC AMC and SBI in that order. On asset quality profile, ICICI Pru AMC is ahead followed by Reliance Capital, HSBC AMC and SBI.
However, among all fund managers appointed in July 2008, ICICI Pru has been ranked first on an overall basis for managing funds since 17 September 2008 till 31 December 2009 followed by HSBC AMC, Reliance Capital and SBI.
A major chunk of EPFO's funds are invested in government schemes and securities having poor yields—less than 8%. Hence, the government brought in four fund managers to churn out better returns.
The EPFO manages PF deposits of over 4.71 crore subscribers with a corpus of around Rs2.57 lakh crore. Its incremental deposits every year are close to Rs25,000 crore.
EPFO is maintaining an interest rate of 8.5% for depositors since 2005-06 because of low return of government securities, schemes and instruments. Before that it was 9.5% for the three consecutive fiscals from 2002-03.
It gave 11% and 11.25% interest on PF deposits in 2000-01 and 2001-02, respectively. It maintained an interest rate as high as 12% for 10 years between 1989-90 and 1999-2000.


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Bekoff and Pierce argue that animals should be treated much better than they are. They start from the idea of the Five Freedoms, which have been widely used as a way of promoting animal welfare. They are a way of spelling out that idea that animals in human care should be treated well. They should not experience pain and discomfort, fear or distress, and they should be allowed to express their normal behavior. Building on this, Bekoff and Pierce address different ways in which humans use animals: the meat industry, scientific experimentation, zoos, pets, and the treatment and regulation of wild animals. There's a short final chapter envisaging a different sort of future co-existence with animals.
The main message of the book is that our society does not treat animals well and we often fool ourselves when we think that we do. It is no surprise that the meat industry causes a great deal of suffering of animals, and Bekoff and Pierce make a good case for this. They point out ways in which animals could be treated better and also highlight the odd gap between people's concern for some individual animals (especially in cases of pet cruelty) and their indifference to the maltreatment of millions of farm animals. They are critical of ideas like "cage-free" chickens and organic farming, arguing that the animals in these farms still suffer and are deprived of freedom.
The authors remain on familiar ground in their discussion of the use of lab animals. They focus on the treatment of the great apes, but they also discuss a wide range of other animals. They point out that a great deal of scientific research deprives animals of the five freedoms, and they also argue that research is invalidated when the animals being experimented on are in pathological states of distress. They challenge the claim that the ends justify the means partly by pushing the suggestion that the accomplishments of animal experimentation are far less than are generally claimed.
The use of animals in zoos is often justified as a form of education for people and also as a means of conservation of rare species. Bekoff and Pierce argue that zoos are very often guilty of animal cruelty, and rarely allow animals to express their normal behavior. They also argue that zoos are not necessary for education and don't do the job well. While they are for the conservation of rare species, they point out that this does not need to be done in zoos. They appeal to the idea of animal dignity in their criticisms here, and decry the act of humans gawking at animals whose habitats have been destroyed. This goes beyond their basis of the five freedoms and is particularly contentious.
The chapter on pets will be a challenge for some animal lovers who have pets of their own. While not completely against pet-owning, Bekoff and Pierce are critical of many practices of locking pets up in cages, leaving social animals alone for many hours a day, the cruel practices of the pet industry, and the reduction of quality of life of pets who are not able to live as they naturally would. There's some discussion of whether pet cats should be kept indoors to keep them safe or allowed outside so they can enjoy their freedom. They don't consider the threat that outdoor cats pose to the wild bird population.
The chapter on wild animals is a mixture of ideas and cases without an overarching thesis. It doesn't fit so well with the theme of the book in examining human responsibilities to animals in our care, but in a wider sense since we dominate the earth and take away so many living environments of wild animals, all animals on earth are in our care. There are government agencies with responsibility for wildlife and every land owner has some effect on the living environment of wild animals with their decisions about what to do with their land. So the rather random selection of topics in this chapter is nevertheless interesting.
The book has 6 pages of references and both authors have academic affiliations, so it is grounded in scholarship. But it is not an academic book as such. Published by the Beacon Press, it is aimed at a general readership and the arguments are stated simply, without all the qualifications and definitions that one would find in journal articles. The Animals' Agenda presents a straightforward argument that we should make major changes to the way we treat animals and how our lifestyles affect them. They don't consider many counter-arguments and so presumably defenders of the industries of farming, zoos, laboratory experimentation on animals, and pets will have their standard replies. But the book does a good job of stating the authors' view, based on the morally plausible five freedoms, which present an impressive challenge to the status quo.
© 2017 Christian Perring
Christian Perring is Vice President of the Association for the Advancement of Philosophy and Psychiatry.
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I tested both with DMXzone and PvlIxman and made all the other steps I found in the trade.
my ecart is not last version but waecart507
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The Tigers have officially dissolved the contract with Randegger, which would have been valid until the end of the upcoming 2019-20 season.
The 30-year-old defenseman has already signed with a new team. As anticipated by Der Bund ten days ago, Randegger will join the SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers. He has agreed to a two-year contract with them.
This season, Flurin Randegger suited up in 47 games with the SCL Tigers, in which he recorded two goals and two assists. He also appeared in eight games for SC Langenthal in the Swiss League (two goals, two assists).( 10 April 2019 | tme/mso)


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Let us introduce you to Bardot, the jumpsuit that is irrepressibly cool & effortlessly elegant, it's no wonder we named it after icon Brigitte Bardot. This closet staple moves with confident ease from day to night, afternoon meetings or late night drinks. Bardot can't be stopped. The light-weight stretch-linen hugs your curves and is an alluring retro classic.
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Calgary's #1 Miele Vacuum Cleaner Supplier
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This is one of the books I'd like to say is crucial to anyone who is thinking of trying cannabis medicinally to treat Crohn's / UC / inflammatory bowel disease symptoms. You hear a lot about CBD from other more recent books. This book was written in '96 and touches on a lot of things … Continue reading 'The Benefits of Marijuana: Physical, Psychological & Spiritual' by Joan Bello
Keeping Journals Related to Your Disease
Keeping a journal of your diet, changes in your lifestyle, i.e. exercise; vs. your symptoms i.e. pain, changes in bowel movements, or energy level, can go a very long way in helping manage your symptoms, giving you better overall health and quality of life. These journal entries and notes can be as simple or as … Continue reading Keeping Journals Related to Your Disease
Tired of Feeling Sick & Tired
I just feel so sick of waking up, feeling just good (not bad) enough to get through another day. I feel either too exhausted or too anxious to answer my doctor's medical assistant's phone call's so she can help get me started on a medication that I don't want to be on in the first … Continue reading Tired of Feeling Sick & Tired
Becoming Your Own Advocate Pt. I: Speaking Up for Yourself
With our healthcare system under such tremendous strain, it's more difficult now than ever...
What No One with CD/UC Wants to Talk About
Courtesy of CrohnsAnonymous.com According to CrohnsDisease.com, about 80% of people with Crohn's disease will have a perianal abscess at least once. However, like ostomy's, who wants to talk about that, right? It might be the best-kept secret in the Crohn's disease community. But if it's part of your disease, you have to find a way … Continue reading What No One with CD/UC Wants to Talk About
My Story: PT. I Dude, Not Cool.
The hospital doctors and nurses ran frantically into and out of the small room I found myself in. I had never seen such organized chaos from my place in the hospital bed. Little did I know it then, but I had just traveled the longest, most expensive 50 miles, by ambulance to the nearest hospital. … Continue reading My Story: PT. I Dude, Not Cool.
'THE TRUTH ABOUT CROHNS AND MARIJUANA' by MMJDOCTORONLINE.COM
The Research Doesn't Lie. Take a look for yourself.


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Out of stock
Today we are delighted to offer for sale a wonderful antique Arts and Crafts brass and wood side table! This ruggedly handsome piece, from the early 20th century, is in a Continental European Arts & Crafts style. The table appears to be of English or Dutch origin given its' unique elegance and simplicity. The Arts & Crafts style was an international movement in the decorative and fine arts that began in Britain and flourished in Europe and North America between about 1880 and 1920. It stood for traditional craftsmanship using simple forms, and often used medieval, romantic, or folk styles of decoration. It advocated economic and social reform and was essentially anti-industrial. This side table is finely crafted of turned brass and wood. The top is crafted of brass, with a stepped tray-like interior; the border of the top features round studding. The top features a truly wonderful mottled time-earned patina. There are oxidize ring marks on the top, which add to the overall patinated appeal of the piece. We suspect the table was used in a seaside pub or bar as the piece has a distinct maritime nautical feel to it. The pedestal base of the table is composed of three interlocking hollow brass balusters which connect to one another and rest of a brass base. The brass base, in turn, rests on a convex, brass-trimmed wood base. The base is connected to the top of the table via an internal metal rod. There is a very old label on the bottom of the base that reads "5347". The table is sturdy and solid, and perfect for a small lamp, objet d'art, or it can be used as a drink table. The table is in very good antique condition, with minor wear/scuffing/oxidation and patina commensurate with age and type of use. There is a very small (and hard to notice) dent on the brass pedestal base. There are very minor bent areas between the connecting points of the balusters in the pedestal. This rustic and elegant table is the perfect decorator accent piece that will be an unique conversation piece in any interior! Add warmth and old-world charm to any interior with this unique antique. Fresh to the market!
Dimensions: 23″ in height, 17-5/8″ diameter (top), 11-3/4″ in diameter (base)
© 2018 RI Antiques Co


text: Like a River in the Desert 17 Sunday Dec 2017 Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Psalm 105, Psalms ≈ 1 Comment TagsAbraham, bread of heaven, desert, joy, Light, nations, Petrie Island, praise, rejoice, river, the LORD I will praise Him! Petrie Island sunrise — photo by David Kitz He spread out a cloud as a covering, and a fire to give light at night. They asked, and he brought them quail; he fed them well with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert. For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham. He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for— that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. Praise the LORD. (Psalm 105:39-45, NIV)


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Laundry Equipment
Superior Laundry Equipment
Coin Meter prides ourselves on making sure the machines we place are the best fit for your property and residents. There are many new trends and types of machines, controls, and payment options. Whether you want to conserve energy or save space on your property, our staff is trained to work with you when you're choosing your machines to make sure your equipment is perfect for your facility's needs.
Coin Meter proudly distributes Speed Queen laundry systems.
Speed Queen's 90 year reputation for quality products with innovative technology is supported by their position as North America's largest manufacturer of commercial laundry equipment.
You have more control options.
In many cases, we can customize the controls for you. Speed Queen's customized systems for coin or smart-card vending options include NetMaster and CardMate Plus software with a NetMaster Control for computerized programming and data retrieval.
Speed Queen has the right mix of quality models.
When equipping a laundry room, the decisions seem endless. From energy efficient front loading washers, to space-saving stacked dryers, Speed Queen has high quality machines at an affordable price. The Coin Meter staff knows how to evaluate your needs and recommend equipment that will give you the most efficiency and potential profit.
You'll get ongoing equipment support.
We'll help both you and your residents if you decide to make a change in your equipment. We're here to educate and help you and your residents understand how to best use the equipment you choose. And, because we're local, our service and parts turnaround is quick.
With Speed Queen's combination of quality products, innovative systems, and Coin Meter's dependable customer service, you can be confident that we can meet all your laundry needs and you'll be happy with the results.
Ease of Use
Adding Item after
the start
Handling unbalanced
ADA accessible
Water Usage
Cycle Time
Comforters/ Blankets /
Top Loading Washer
24-32 Gal
23-28 Min
Any Liquid
Not Recommended
Front Loading
14-20 Gal
32-37 Min
HE Liquid Only
Not Recommended
Stack Washer/Dryer
14-20 Gal
32-37 Min
HE Liquid Only
Single Dryer
60 Min
Stack Dryer/Dryer
60 Min
Quality Models to Choose From
Frontload Washers
These models offer increased energy efficiency, and fit in well with your existing rear control equipment. They're also larger, adding more laundry capacity to your space. Click here to view more machine details.
Topload Washers
Toploads are very simple and easy to use. The model we install has many different choices on your controls, which allows for us to customize them for you. They're super high quality and tend to last longer without need for service or repair. Click here to view more machine details.
Single Dryers
These models have a extra big capacity and large doors, so residents love 'em! There's a variety of control options too, so we can tailor it for the needs of your facility.
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Stacked Dryers
Have a good capacity and are additionally great for saving space! We also have stacked double-dryer options, to really maximize your space.
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Stacked Washer-Dryer Combo
When your community laundry room is extremely limited, there are also options for stacked washer and dryer combinations.
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Contact Us


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Mobile Bench Cabinets with Double Storage Drawers
Manufacturer: Little Giant
FOB: Midwest Warehouse
Lead time: 2 weeks
- 2 locking storage drawers measuring 13" W x 17" D x 4-1/2" H.
- Available with and without locking doors.
- All welded 12-gauge construction.
- The top work surface is 41" high and is surrounded by retaining lip on three sides (except Butcher Block).
- Non-marking 6" polyurethane casters, 2 rigid and 2 swivel, provide smooth rolling performance.
- Floor lock on the handle end securely positions the workbench.
- Available with optional pegboard or louvered panel.
- 3,600 lbs. capacity.
Available Work Surfaces:
- Powder Coated Steel
- 1-3/4" Butcher Block
- 1/4" Hardboard
- Non-Slip Vinyl Matting
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including lead and lead compounds which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm.
- Model Info


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No, Robots should not run your marketing
A lot of marketing people in the brokerage industry look with envy at companies in this space that automate large parts of their marketing. And to a certain extent, optimizing advertising can be done by rules and robots. However, if you look at the business model of those companies automating a… Read MoreRead more


text: Well, I'm doing a Black Friday promotion on my books. You'll see some good rates and discounts by clicking on the links below. It ends Saturday. Sound, Mick. Fisherman's Blues by Mick Donnellan https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M3QU6ME/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_OK5BDbQHZ4XX7 * El Niño https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004YLO9ZS/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_ML5BDbAAEWK7H * Mokusatsu (Sequel to El Niño Book 2) by Mick Donnellan https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07TRT2SFY/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_lL5BDb46YHY12


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It is a strange dynamic – many people dislike rules and regulations and abhor overseers of every type UNTIL . . . some inebriated motorist crashes into their car or an unscrupulous broker bilks their grandmother out of her life savings or children begin to die of pollutants from the neighboring manufacturer's smokestack. "This never shoulda happened" becomes the mantra.
Unfortunately, not everyone lives by the rules of "shoulda." In fact, if people and companies and governments always did the right thing, there would be no reason for rules at all. And not everyone voluntarily follows the rules– not if the rules get in the way of profit, personal goals or expediency.
For those wayward types (of whom there are many) the only thing that encourages compliance is some threat of punishment (financial or otherwise). In turn, this calls for an oversight process to find and punish those who stray. Wherever there are rules, there must be oversight and overseers.
For a number of years I worked on the broker-dealer side of securities and financial planning, a highly regulated industry. During the periods I served as a Securities Principal, I often locked horns with even good brokers who sometimes resented the restrictions placed on their sales.
"How am I to make a living with all these rules and you looking over my shoulder all the time," they would grouse. To which I would reply, "The rules do not contemplate your need to make a living; they exist only to protect investors from unfair trade practices or outright fraud."
Absent a robust set of rules, oversight and punishment, almost every aspect of life would worsen and sadly that is where our current national leadership is steering us by changing or weakening regulations, dismantling oversight agencies, and withdrawing financial support.
Have these people so soon forgotten the smog that choked LA, the 3 mile island disaster, the contaminated drinking water in Flint, Michigan, the 2008 Great Recession from lax banking and brokerage practices. Go further back in history and think of miners with black lung disease, child laborers, debtor's prisons, injuries and death prior to OSHA, and so on.
Until all humans voluntarily and reliably do the right thing at all times, sadly we must have laws, oversight, and when necessary, penalties.
— Jonnie Martin


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It's maddening You pay thousands on a bright new business website, and stand by …
Zilch …
No phone calls …
Not a soul e-mails you …
Day after day you put your major keywords into a search engine to reveal where you are placed. Oh well, maybe next week ?
It's discouraging.
The trouble is that each day you don't rank well is a day you are surrendering revenue. Prospective customers are Googling today, currently, for your service.
You may deliver an exceptional service, but like every other firm you need a steady input of new leads, enquiries and customers.
If you're not showing up on Google they won't be choosing your service. Why would they make an effort clicking onto the next page, or scrolling to the bottom of the first page when they can simply go over to your rivals' websites?
If you're exasperated with your ranking on Google then you'll be relieved to discover that your wait is over.
The Remedy? Find An SEO Expert For Preston.
A Contemporary Maxim
What's the safest location to hide a corpse?
On the second page of Google– no one looks there!
But even being on the first page isn't sufficient on its own to guarantee results – SEO experts know that over 50% of all clicks on Google go to the highest 3 results, with approximately 30% of all clicks going to the number 1 result.
If you're not at the top you are losing out on sales and your revenues are hurting– fact! That is where SEO can help.
Does Search Engine Optimisation Do The Job?
You're browsing through this, aren't you? How did you discover this web site?
SEO Preston – We Start With Your Return On Investment
At Build Business Online Ltd. we only make use of SEO industry best practice, and we don't take shortcuts. Don't succumb to bargain-basement cookie-cutter SEO solutions– they can cause a considerable amount of devastation.
Bargain-basement services often bring with them cheap service levels, and shoddy results. Having told you that, you will in all probability find our pricing very reasonable. Unlike some SEO agencies in Preston we do not tie you into long arrangements either– you should remain with us because you want to -not because you need to.
Efficiently carried out SEO brings earnings into your company, instead of taking it out.
We don't ever do a one-size-fits-all Preston search marketing service. We put in the time to investigate your web pages, the search terms you need to be winning, your competitors, and supply you a quote based on what it will take to get you to the leading rankings.
SEO Digital Marketing For Your Preston Organisation
SEO isn't a sprint, and every campaign is different, but typically our clients start seeing positive movement within a few weeks, followed by steady and consistent improvement. Once we get you to the top we work hard every month to maintain you there.
We see to it you remain in the loop and give you regular updates on the way your website or blog is improving, together with sharing our extensive expertise in what works in the internet marketing sphere, maintaining you at the fore of the trends in the fast-changing realm of Google
Bringing you more site visitors, bringing you more sales– that's what it's all about as far as we're concerned.
Get in touch right away to ask about our digital marketing service for Preston. We work with businesses with a city or county focus, as well as those who serve customers nationally and internationally.
Simply phone 0800 433 4596 or fill the contact form below and we'll respond to you.


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The federal advisory committee which wrote the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 advises adults to eat about 8 jots of a range of seafood every week.
This guideline is intended to provide you with healthy amounts of two the essential omega-3 fatty acids: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health,these nutrients play important roles in brain function, normal growth and development, metabolism and curbing inflammation. Our bodies can't synthesize these fatty acids so we must consume them.
Fatty fish including mackerel and sardines, are rich in both DHA and EPA.
Many people prefer to hack the process by taking fish oil supplements, despite the plentiful options for adding DHA and EPA to our diet.
Preston Mason, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School and president of Elucida Research, a biotechnology research company, said " A lot of people don't know why they take fish oil."
Fish oil cures what ails you
Citizens of Germany and Britain used cod liver oil to treat rickets, rheumatism, gout and tuberculosis during the 18th century.
It is widely believed that fishermen of earlier centuries commonly used oils for a range of conditions including wounds, body aches, the common cold and skin diseases.
Fish oil supplements during pregnancy do not prevent postpartum depression
The authors attributed their study's silver lining to DHA, which benefits the cardiovascular and neurological systems, and the other disappointing results to overinflated claims from two past studies.
One study looked at a mother's seafood consumption and a child's verbal IQ score, while the second study looked at a mother's seafood consumption and depressive symptoms during pregnancy. But both of these studies involved the benefits of seafood rather than fish oil itself.
Via CNN Health
Fish oil eases ADHD symptoms and lessens baby colds
Fish oil supplements, particularly those with higher doses of EPA, were found to be "modestly effective" in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Yale Child Study Center researchers found "a small but significant effect" demonstrated by omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, after reviewing and analyzing 10 clinical trials involving 699 participants.
Also the authors found that supplementation treated symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity.
Fish oil might help the brain stay young and heal traumatic brain injury
Lead author Dr. Zaldy S. Tan and his colleagues at the University of California, Los Angeles looked at circulating levels of DHA and EPA in the blood of 1,575 people. Accelerated brain aging is more likely to occur in people who eat diets short on omega-3 fatty acids — the kind found in fish oil.
They discovered that those participants who scored in the bottom 25% on various mental tests had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood and lower brain volumes — what equates to about two years of brain aging.
The addition of omega-3s to any diet would be healpful to an individuals health status.


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Jobs openings
PhD and MSc positions in Robert Vacha's group (Brno, Czech Republic)
Starting: Optional - after Oct 2019
Duration: PhD 4 years, Msc 2 years
Expires: Applications are considered until the position is filled
Supervisor: Robert Vacha (email@example.com)
Employer: CEITEC Masaryk University, Czech Rep.
Project/position1: The projects are focused on the regulation of protein interactions, which have been associated with numerous diseases including cancer. The regulations involve posttranslational modifications, changes of salt and protein concentrations, or pH. Revealing and understanding these regulatory mechanisms is not only important general knowledge, but it could also be useful in the design of new treatments. The research will be strongly coupled to collaborations with excellent experimental teams and more closely discussed during the interview. The student will master the tools of coarse-grained simulations using a wide range of techniques including Monte Carlo. Moreover, he/she will learn the advantages and disadvantages of various protein parameterizations, and advanced sampling techniques.
Project/position2: The project will focus on membrane-associated proteins with the objective of understanding their interaction, conformation and activation in the presence of membranes with various lipid compositions. The proteins in question are involved in diseases or act as therapeutics (e.g. antimicrobial peptides) and we aim to reveal their molecular mechanisms, which could be used in the design of new more effective agents. The research combines computer simulations and fluorescence experiments and is coupled to collaborations. The student will master a fluorescence techniques for peptide-membrane interactions and/or the tools of multi-scale simulations using a wide range of techniques ranging from atomistic to coarse-grained simulations.
Eligibility: Outstanding candidates with experience in computer simulations and with an MSc degree in the fields of biophysics, soft matter physics, physical chemistry, computational chemistry, statistical mechanics, or related fields. Experience with molecular dynamics simulations (with GROMACS, CHARMM, NAMD, AMBER, LAMMPS, etc.) or other simulation techniques (Monte Carlo, DPD, etc.) at the atomistic or coarse-grained level would be an advantage.
Computing Resources: Successful candidates will have access to local computing clusters with 1500 cores. Access to Metacentrum NGI – National Grid Infrastructure for computing (with ~15,000 cores) will be also available. Additional resources include the possibility of applying for IT4Inovations, where the group is active.
Competitive salary: depending on the position - supported by grant projects.
Application procedure: Applications must include a CV, with list of publications and study results, short personal statement (description of research interests, past, and plans), and the name of a person willing to provide a letter of recommendation. Applications with all this material (preferably in a single pdf) should be sent to Robert Vacha (firstname.lastname@example.com).
Why join us?
- International opportunities – CEITEC is a leading member of Alliance 4 Life, a member of the EU Life consortium, in strategic partnership with The Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities
- Wide career options
- Build connections via our international partnerships and events (47% of publications created within the international cooperation)
- Transferable skills courses, cooperation with industry
- Brno is EU & NATO member and voted 4th best city for students' life
- An international community with frequent informal events


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Progress report for LNC16-379
Evaluating Measurement Techniques of Pasture Productivity to Document Benefits of Enhanced Grazing Systems
Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 2016: $109,771.00
Projected End Date: 02/29/2020
Grant Recipient: University of Minnesota
Region: North Central
State: Minnesota
Project Coordinator:
Dr. Rod Greder
University of Minnesota Extension
Project Information
Grass-based animal production systems have proven benefits to soil health and water quality. Animal health and productivity can also be improved in well-managed pasture-based operations. Graziers need reliable, affordable and easy-to-use tools to be able to document productivity benefits that come from adoption of intensive grazing methods and to drive evidence-based decisions. Greater use of these data-driven tools, to replace or complement 'eyeball' and un-validated qualitative assessments, will be an outcome. Better understanding of the tools, and practice with them, will lead to faster adoption of intensive (but sustainable) grazing management practices as hard data supports their use.Various tools exist but many have not been formally evaluated side-by-side to determine repeatability, accuracy, ease of use and complementarity, especially for grazier use, in the North Central Region. We will work with progressive graziers to compare tools for use on the farm, construct an integrated toolkit for use by graziers and educators, develop multi-modal training and disseminate results. The first phase is research-based using replicated trials across 2 locations over years 1 and 2 to compare measurement methods for accurate determination of quantity and quality of forage produced. The second phase will involve on-farm demonstration of the tools at multiple field days in year 3. Numerous forage measurement tools will be compared side-by-side including but not limited to: optical and digital refractometers, manual and electronic rising/falling plate meters, sward height stick, crop sensors, compaction meters, and visual methods (pasture condition scoresheet). These tools will be compared to gold standards, like clipping and weighing forage, by evaluating the following characteristics: accuracy, cost, ease-of-use, repeatability of data, time to conduct, ability to use in making management decisions and correlation to actual forage and animal productivity. A tangible outcome will be development of a PPP (Pasture Productivity Pail) that is an integrated set of tools and methods for graziers to use in making management decisions. This tool can complement the NRCS Soil Health Bucket by extending measurement to above ground forage production. This increased measurement of pasture productivity should lead to greater animal productivity and farmer profitability while maintaining soil and water quality.
Project Objectives:
Graziers and grazing educators are the end-users of the information generated in the project.
Greater use of these quantitative tools, to replace or complement 'eyeball' and un-validated qualitative assessments, will be an outcome that allows better decision-making.
Better measurement leads to evidence-based decisions about management practices. Better understanding and practice with the tools should lead to faster adoption of intensive highly-managed grazing practices.
Greater use of intensive (but sustainable) grazing management practices will lead to improved productivity and more sustainable economic conditions for grass-based operations.
Permanent, vigorous and diverse ground cover will provide benefits to soil and water.
Graziers need reliable, affordable and easy-to-use tools to document productivity benefits from adoption of intensive grazing methods and to drive evidence-based decisions. Many tools, methods and protocols exist but are costly, complicated and not value-added. We plan to compare these approaches so we can recommend a valuable toolkit for north central region graziers.
Materials and methods:
The experiments are being conducted using replicated trials across 2 plots at 2 locations over years 1 and 2. Year 3 will be used to confirm results and demonstrate and disseminate the findings through public field days.
We are working with grazing consultants, extension forage specialists, graziers and NRCS grazing specialists in Year 1 and 2 in hands-on field plots to determine how to calibrate, demonstrate, explain, and integrate forage measurement tools that can be used to train professionals and graziers on their usage and value. These side-by-side in-field demonstrations will provide great networking and learning that will inform our training materials with robust input from different perspectives. We are comparing the tools to gold standard to check for accuracy. We will select a subset of tools that provide useful and complementary information, based on our joint learning in Years 1 and 2. We will select those accurate tools that are cost-effective and time-efficient that we will will then integrate them into a toolkit (Pasture Productivity Pail-PPP.)
In Year 3 we will train professionals and graziers on the usage of these tools and interpretation of the resulting data. We will also film and photograph demonstrations for training use after Year 3. We will generate a program with curriculum explaining the integrated usage of these tools to measure forage productivity and relate it to soil health. The protocol and videos and list of materials and tools will also reside on appropriate agency websites similar to the Soil Health Bucket program.
Research results and discussion:
In year 1 we purchased equipment and supplies, calibrated tools and became familiar with tool usage in the field. We created grazing squares and other tools. We also developed protocols for comparing tools and recording data. We worked with cooperators to identify plot locations and to plan our sampling protocols. We collected forage samples and dried and weighed them to create the gold standard for additional side-by-side measurements. We began to take measurements with rising plate meters and the Grass master to establish sampling procedures to provide reliable data and to determine costs and time to use these tools. Those preliminary measurements are being used to plan year 2 replicated trials. We've learned that these more complex tools will likely require significant training that might preclude use by most graziers but could still be useful for educators, agronomists and consultants.
In year 2 we conducted trials on 3 farms and collected data for tools in the study. We sampled 2 plots at each location on 2 different dates. We held one field day in Wright County (Fifteen attendees). Another one in Pine County was cancelled.
In year 3 we will repeat the field tests to confirm our conclusions from year 2. See conclusions section.
Research conclusions:
A summary of the comparison of tools based on all factors is here:2018-SARE-Tool-Evaluation-Summary-Quantity-Only
We used this report for our training in 2018 and will update it for additional training in 2019.
4 Farmers participating in research
Educational approach:
- In year 1 we have been educating the project team members on the usage of the various tools. The collaborators represent SFA, MGLA, NRCS, UofM and Thousand Hills Cattle Company so they have networks that they are hopefully reaching out to as we progress on the project.
- Training/Workshops/Field Days – In years 2 and 3 a total of 4 workshops will be held on farms of collaborators and key influencers across the state to explain the usage and value of using the quantitative tools being evaluated. We estimate 15-20 attendees for each field day.
- Educational materials – video, and fact sheets on integrated use of recommended measurement equipment will be generated in year 3.
Project Activities
Educational & Outreach Activities
2 Consultations
1 On-farm demonstrations
1 Online trainings
1 Workshop field days
Participation Summary
15 Farmers
2 Ag professionals participated
Education/outreach description:
Pasture walks and discussions with the project team members were done in year 1
We held one field day in Wright County in Year 2. There were 15 attendees. Three will be scheduled for 2019.
The agenda is here: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/my-drive
Learning Outcomes
4 Farmers reported changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills and/or awareness as a result of their participation
2 Agricultural service providers reported changes in knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes as a result of their participation
Key areas taught:
- Understanding of the potential tools available for measuring pasture productivity
Project Outcomes
Key practices changed:
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.


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afternoon's off
This afternoon, after grocery shopping, and folding laundry, I sat down with a book and the balcony door open to let the fresh air flow in. Now as afternoon fades to evening, and I've managed to write something, it's time to start cooking…and maybe pour a glass of wine! … More afternoon's off


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The 26-year-old actress, best known to millions of TV fans as Queen Vic barmaid Dawn Swann, shows off her curvaceous figure as she models the latest Michelle For George collection.
She donned a matching fuchsia lingerie set and playful polka dot set for the autumn and winter campaign.


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The sloping town of Taxco de Alarcón is completely painted white, splashed only with the color of red-tiled rooves and bougainvillea-filled plazas. You'll fall for its old village charm as quick as you could roll down its slanting streets.
Taxco at a Glance:
|About Taxco
|List of Taxco's Attractions
|Where to Stay in Taxco
|Where to Eat in Taxco
|How to Get to Taxco
|Is Taxco Safe?
Top 5 picks for Taxco:
|Visit Taxco's iconic Church of Santa Prisca, built with rose stone and gold-leaf altars.
|Get the best panoramic views of Taxco's town centre: el Christo, Teleferico, or Guadalupe church.
|Visit the nearby cave system, Cachuamilpa, the largest in Latin America.
|Learn about the silver making process in an abandoned mine, and then shop for silver jewelry.
|Try the local speciality–pink mole– on a rooftop terrace.
|Try 'Mole Rosa', a pink sauce.
|Taxco silver is the local speciality.
|Main festivals: Santa Prisca and San Sebastian (January); Easter; Jornadas Alarconianas; Silver Fair (November/December).
|2.5–3 hours from Mexico City; 180km.
|The closest airport is Cuernavaca.
|Moderate year-round (15–30°C). Best months to travel: October to February; hottest months are April to June, up to 95°F (35.1°C); rainy season is from May to November.
About Taxco
The first glimpse of Taxco's white stuccoed village feels like a time warp. Diving into its labyrinth of cobbled streets only confirms it: locals mingle around the plazas in unhurried conversations; colonial architecture sits on every corner; and all the streets are cobbled. Taxco was reportedly founded by Hernan Cortes himself in 1529, developing around the abundant silver mines in the surrounding mountains.
Rooftop terraces give the best, tranquil views across this mountain-clad town, where the huddled rooftops conceal the narrow streets below. But the antique church spires refuse to hide, standing proud against the sea of white.
Step down from the terraces and into Taxco's streets, and you'll land in the middle of a bustling town of around 110,000 people. Cars and pedestrians jostle for space in the narrow, windy roads – which get especially busy on weekends with day-trippers from Mexico City – but it's just as easy to escape down a side street for a cup of coffee and silence. The town's social vibe is the heart of its charm, and you'll feel right at home among the locals chatting, laughing and strolling around the town's main plazas.
There's plenty of shopping for its proudest product and the main industry of the town: Taxco silver. Known beyond Mexico's borders, Taxco silver is sold is every shape, size and form of jewelry in almost every shop you see, although the surrounding mines are mostly exhausted now. It doesn't ensure quality or low prices, though, so smart shopping is still required.
The restaurant scene is slowly improving, now complete with a 'contemporary' Mexican experience at Punto 925. The town touts itself as the source of 'Rosa Mole' – pink mole – which is a nutty salsa turned pink with beetroot, pomegranate and smoky chipotle, spiced with mezcal and 20 other ingredients.
When you tire of eating, shopping or admiring the colonial wooden-beamed buildings, there are museums and churches to explore. The main church is undergoing renovation and promises to unleash all its spectacular history when its done. If you want to reach the outer attractions–most of which give you a birds-eye view of the town–the white Volvo taxis double as tour guides.
Most people join a day trip to Taxco with a tour to the nearby cave system, Cacahuamilpa, one of the biggest caves in Latin America. If you really settle in for a couple of days, you can also make it to the Estrella Cave system, or the local waterfalls Las Granadas and Mil Cascadas. When your legs start to hurt from all of Taxco's hilly walking, the nearby Blue Pozas (swimming holes) give you every reason to relax in the crystal clear, illuminated blue water.
Many people say that Taxco isn't worth more than a day trip, but there's plenty of charm to soak up if you do stay a night. No matter how long you go for, Taxco is worthy of its place on your list of must-see places in Mexico.
Tip: You'll need good walking shoes; the cobbled stones and uphill terrain are especially precarious and slippery in the rainy season.
Things to Do in Taxco
1. Take a tour of Grutas de Cachuamilpa
Walk through 2km of this "live" giant cavern–meaning the formations are still growing–and use your imagination to find shapes and objects etched out in the enormous stalagmites and stalactites. When it takes hundreds of years to grow a few centimeters of mineral deposit, you get a new appreciation of the meters-high mountains inside the cave. The cave peaks at an impressive 80m high and goes on for some 8km, although it is mostly inaccessible to tourists – but not to the thousands of bats that leave and re-enter the cave at dawn and dusk (the cave is closed at these times, but you can camp in the park). Music events to an international caliber are hosted inside the caves – imagine Paul McCartney belting out his lungs here. Concerts are usually around the Alarconian Days (May) and the Silver Fair (November). The adventurous traveler will also get a kick out of the zipline, rappelling, rock climbing, and kayaking, plus two underground rivers to explore (one can be reached via a seven hour hike), and the Gruta de Carlos Pacheco, around 400m south of Cachuamilpa.
You can only see the cave on guided tours, which leave on the hour from 10am to 5pm, and get pretty packed as the day goes on. If you're with your own small group, it is worth the 400 pesos to pay a private tour guide, which allows you to enter at any time and avoid the mass tourism.
2. Parroquia de Santa Prisca
Taxco's icon is undoubtedly the 18th-century Santa Prisca Church, with 95m-high Churrigueresque twin towers, a talavera cupola, and one of the most complete examples of Baroque architecture in Mexico. Inside you can find nine wooden altarpieces covered with gold leaf, while the church's outer pink stone takes on sunset hues in the afternoon. It is uncharacteristically narrow because of the lack of flat space in the town around the main Plaza Borda. The construction was thanks to a prosperous mine owner, Jose de la Borda, although the church's opulence almost bankrupted him. The hidden agenda was that his son, Manuel de la Borda, would serve as the parish priest. From 1758 to 1806, it was even the tallest building in Mexico. In one of the paintings by Miguel Cabrera, see if you can spot a hidden devil.
If you're in the mood for more colonial-era churches, you might also like the capillas of Santa Veracruz, Santisima Trinidad, and San Miguel Arcangel, or the Ex-Convent of San Bernadino de Siena.
3. Shop for Taxco Jewellery and Silver
Silver (plata) is famous in this small town of Guerrero, and the hardest decision is deciding where to shop – yes, there are hundreds of silver shops (platerias). There'll also be scouts and taxi drivers trying to get you into particular stores, where your price will be inevitably bumped up to include their commission. On top of it all, there are makeshift stalls on the streets and 'tianguis' (markets), where the quality can be dubious and sometimes even the .925 stamp is faked. If you're not sure about quality, stick to established stores only (some have set prices), and check if a product is stamped pure silver or a silver bath. You can also carry a small magnet to test the silver: if it's real, it won't be magnetic, like all precious metals.
If you want specialist jewelry, head to the designer shops without a second thought. Otherwise, you can get run-of-the-mill jewelry at the 'Centro Taxco Jeweler' (Centro Joyero Taxco), down from the Main Square, or at the Silver Tianguis (market) on Saturday mornings near the bus terminal. There's also a cooperative outside of town called Real de Minas Plateria, where you can get cheaper prices than around the main plaza. You can also find several silver shops clustered in the Patio de las Artesanias, also known as the Museum of Silverware (Museo de Platería), where you can take a tour to learn how silver it made. When you enter the shops, just ask for the museum and they'll take you to a mine below. Some say it's a touristic gimmick and you'll be pestered for tips, but others love the experience. Just remember that there's no pressure to shop or eat at their establishments.
4. Visit El Cristo Monumental de Taxco
Trace your eyesight up the hill of Taxco, and you'll see a statue of Christ watching over its inhabitants from Cerro de Atachi. The statue itself might not get you excited, but it serves up Taxco from a different angle and shows the town's precarious position in a mountainous valley. It can be reached by walking or a taxi for about 50 pesos (you should agree on a price before you hop in). You can also get a combi (shared mini-bus) from outside the Parque Vicente Guerrero for around 10 pesos; look for a sign 'Casahuates' in the windshield, and make sure you tell the driver you're going to 'el Mirador del Cristo', or they might not stop. It's especially pretty at sunset when the town transitions into a twinkling haven of lights. If you can't find a taxi to get back down, ask another taxi to call a friend, and they'll happily arrange it.
5 Visit an authentic Taxco Mine
During some renovation work at the Hotel Posada de la Mision in 2014, they made an amazing discovery: a 500-year-old mine shaft. Reportedly, it was closed over to build the hotel back in the 1940s, but no-one passed on the message and it was forgotten. Today you can walk through this mine, and learn about Taxco's silver mining history. Reportedly, the mine was used in pre-Hispanic times – hence the name Mina Prehispanica de Taxco – and hardly explored, meaning many of the minerals remain under the soil, although it is now a protected site.
6. Museo de Arte Virreinal de Taxco
This small museum (Tues to Sun, 10am–6pm) has only a handful of relics, but it's listed in guidebooks for its patterned facade with Moorish influences, a unique design for this town and the house's otherwise 18th-century Baroque architecture. Wandering through its 14 rooms, you can learn about the town's history and mining growth, see relics from the Parroquia–including a colonial funeral altar–and browse a collection of religious art. It's also known as Casa Humboldt, named after the German scientist, Alexander Von Humboldt, who slept there during a visit to the mines.
The museum may not blow you away, but for 25 pesos you can wander the rooms and servants quarters, and they sometimes host some modern artworks in the main lobby. The best secret is the back terrace, which gives you a great view across the city, if you haven't yet had your fill of rooftop views.
7. Museum of William Spratling
The city's main industry, Taxco silver, was revitalized by New Yorker William Spratling, who saw the potential of the local craftspeople and created a modern market for it. He moved to Taxco around the 1930s, where he started silversmith workshops, alongside his other passions as a cartoonist, aviator, writer and horticulturist. In the 1950s, he was named an honorary citizen, and today you can also find a street named after him.
The Museo de William Spratling (Tues–Sat, 9am–5pm, Sun 9am–3pm) was named in his honor, and takes you on a tour of the town's history. Spurred on by Diego Rivera, Spratling started collecting pre-Hispanic items, which he later partly donated to UNAM and the National Museum of Anthropology. Another 300 of his pieces went into forming this museum. There is also an area dedicated to his silverwork and art designs.
8. Casa Borda Centro Cultural
If you want to see the home of Santa Prisca's benefactor, take a quick peek at Jose de la Borda's 18th-century mansion on the western side of Plaza Borda. Today it serves as the town's cultural center, featuring art exhibitions from artists from the state of Guerrero.
9. Taxco Teleferico
Get close and personal with Taxco's uphill terrain with a ride on Taxco's cablecar. You'll be whisked away from white houses into green hills, where the 'teleferico' ends at the Montetaxco Hotel. From there, you can eat or drink with a view at the hotel, or the adventurous can hike to el Cristo (around an hour; you get a taxi back if you can't make the return trip). The cost of the teleferico is around USD 5 return (around 100 pesos return). It's not the most adventurous cable car ride, but an easy and relaxing way to get up one of the town's many hills. The Teleferico is a little bit out of town, and many people feel satisfied enough with the panoramic views from el Christo, which is easier and closer to get to.
10. La Parroquia de Guadalupe
This church sits on a mountain top and, while it may be small and simple, its terrace offers incredible views across the city, with less tourists blocking your photo. It gets especially busy during Semana Santa (Easter) and on the 12 December, the holiday that honors the Virgin Guadalupe around Mexico.
11. Swim in the Pozas Azules de Atzala
These natural swimming pools can get chilly and crowded, but the illuminated blue color is a stunning sight. These crystalline water pools are wedged in between green hills and rocky walls, giving you an idyllic disconnection from the city. There are three main pools, but you can escape to several more with a short walk. Once you find your own blissful corner, you can relax to the background noise of small running waterfalls, or jump from the platforms for a touch of excitement. There are food stalls around selling snacks, drinks (beer included) and cheap meals. They are only about 5 miles from Taxco, but the trip takes 30 minutes because of the windy mountain roads.
12. Cascada de Cacalotenango
Another nature escape is the 80m waterfall of Cacalotenango, just 13km west from Taxco. You can visit the lookout, hike in among a conifer forest, go horse riding or ride on a zipline.
13. Taxco's downhill bike race
If you find climbing the steep streets of Taxco challenging, imagine 40 cyclists racing down them with the added obstacles of jumping ramps and routes cut through houses. At the end of the downhill race, the cyclists are judged for performing the best trick. Today this international event attracts competitors from around 15 countries.
14. Taxco El Viejo
South of Taxco, around five minutes' drive, you can find Taxco's Old Town (Taxco El Viejo). You can capture more of Taxco's scenic views, plus there are a couple of attractions to explore.
15. San Juan Bautista Ex-Hacienda
This ex-hacienda was named after Saint John the Baptist, and today it is home to a museum, plus the School of Earth Sciences (under the Guerrero State University). Nearby you can, just south of the ex-hacienda, you can find 'Rancho Spratling', an operating silver workshop that carries on William Spratling's silver traditions. You can watch silver arisans at work, plus shop for silver jewelry.
Taxco's History of Willian Spratling
William Spratling, an American artist and silver designer, is renown for his influence on Mexican silver design in the 20th century. Although Taxco was a traditional silver mine area, it had no local silversmith industry. When Spratling came along , he began working with local goldsmiths to produce his designs, with strong influences from pre-Columbian and Mesoamerican motifs, mixed with art deco modernism and high quality materials and techniques. He is sometimes called the "Father of Contemporary Mexican Silver", known for pushing a new cultural identity onto Mexican art and design with the help of the local experts, who also put input their visions into the designs. He pushed luxury silver exports to the US, employing some 500 artisans in his workshop Taller de las Delicias. In his book, Little Mexico, he defines his encounter with the local life of Taxco.
Today, you can find many replicas of his designs around the world, with his original works being distinguished by a circular mark with his initials WS, although many fakes exist as well, so be aware if you're looking to buy his work.
Mexico City to Taxco: Day trip
If you don't mind the driving, it's easy to get to Taxco from Mexico City in a day. If you leave early from Mexico City–around 7am, avoiding traffic so you exit the city quicker–you can arrive in Taxco in two and a half to three hours. The distance is not far, around 180km, and direct buses also take the same time.
If you plan to combine a day trip to Taxco with another trip – whether the Cacahuamilpa caves, Cuernavaca, or the Pozas – then you should leave early. The caves open around 10am, and most things in Taxco don't open till around 10am, so time your trip depending on whether you plan to stop for a long breakfast or not.
How to get to Taxco from Mexico City
The road from Mexico City to Taxco is in good condition and driving is a great option. Otherwise, the bus station that serves Taxco is 'Mexico Central Sur' in Taxqueña, and tickets are around 250–300 pesos.
If you're planning to only go to Taxco (no side trips), you might not want to arrive too early because most shops don't open till 10am. At the same time, the last bus is usually around 6–8pm, so make sure you get at least five to seven hours to explore.
- Estrella de Oro (managed by Ado): Trips start at around 6:45am.
- Costa Line: On Saturdays you can leave at 6am, while other days the first bus is at 7am. This means you'll arrive in Taxco by around 9–10am.
Is Taxco Safe?
The state of Guerro has seen some bad press in recent years, but Taxco is generally excluded from it. Taxco is located in the very upper part of Guerrero state, close to the border with Mexico State, and makes for an easy and inexpensive day trip from Mexico City. Still, if you venture off the main highway from Mexico City to Taxco, you should take caution.
Where to Eat and Drink in Taxco
Taxco is known for its mineral water (Agua Mineral Taxco) and claims to be the origin of 'Mole Rosa'. Pozole – a corn soup – is another typical Mexican dish that is famed in the state of Guerro, so it's also worth trying while in Taxco.
Some of the best restaurants in Taxco for traditional Mexican food are located in hotels–and the first three have terrace views–including:
- Rosa Mexicano
- Del Angel Inn Restaurante
- Flor de la Vida
- Sotavento Restaurant Bar
- Pozoleria Tia Calla
A newer contender is the contemporary kitchen of Punto 925 by young Mexican chef Arturo Díaz, set in the hotel De Cantera y Plata.
For drinks, try:
- Terraza 360 – great views to enjoy a cocktai or coffee.
- Yolotl Tap Room – taste craft beers brewed right there in Taxco and the state of Guerrero.
Where to Stay: Taxco Hotels
Taxco isn't a big village, but you'll want to orientate yourself around the main Plaza Borda – otherwise, you'll end up with long uphill and downhill walks. However, if you don't mind the walk or getting a taxi into town, there are a few luxury hotels located on the outskirts of Taxco, where you can escape to green hilly landscapes.
- Hotel Posada de la Mision
- Hotel Los Arcos
- Hotel Agua Escondida
News and Information
In Spanish:


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Rachel Phillips Joins Cullimore Dutton Solicitors26-Feb-2018
Rachel Phillips joins as Head of Commercial Property Department
We are pleased to announce the appointment of experienced commercial property solicitor, Rachel Phillips, who joins the practice today [Monday 26 February].
A Fellow of the Agricultural Law Association, Rachel will head our busy Commercial Property department.
Rachel, who qualified in 2008 after completing her degree at Durham University with a 2:1(Hons) in Law achieved a Distinction in the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in Chester. She will lead a team of three specialist solicitors and one trainee solicitor who along with the departmental administrative staff act for property owners, landlords, commercial tenants and developers across Cheshire and North Wales.
Rachel said: "I have always been impressed by the strength and depth of expertise of the Cullimore Dutton team, so it is a pleasure to be joining such a well-established law firm which I have long admired. My aim is to continue to offer our clients the outstanding service for which the firm is renowned."
"What's clear to anyone working in the region right now is that what the business community craves most is certainty, that is particularly true of the commercial property sector as the Brexit negotiations ratchet up. The city of Chester is proving resilient thanks largely to its dynamic hospitality and retail environment, so there continues to be plenty of opportunity to grow our commercial lease work. I'm looking forward to doing just that."
If you would like to discuss any Commercial or Agricultural Property matters with Rachel please contact her on 01244 356 789 or email firstname.lastname@example.com


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