Bicycle Racing News and Opinion:
Today is the Vuelta a España's 13th stage. Also, the Tour of Alberta has its third stage. On Saturday the Brussels Cycling Classic will be run.
Astana thrown out of anti-doping movement
PARIS, Sept 4 (Reuters) - The Astana cycling team were thrown out of the Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) after the Kazakh outfit failed to comply with the association's strict anti-doping rules at this year's Tour de France.
"After hearing Team Astana representative Dmitriy Fofonov's arguments, the Board of directors of MPCC has decided to exclude Team Astana for non-compliance with article 9 of the regulations," the MPCC said in a statement on Friday.
Astana rider Lars Boom of the Netherlands started the Tour in July despite showing low levels of cortisol in a test on the eve of the race.
Team Astana at the Tour de France
Low levels of the hormone can be explained by the use of corticoids, anti-inflammatory drugs that are allowed out of competition but forbidden while racing unless a rider is granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).
MPCC applies stricter rules than the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Under MPCC rules Boom should have rested for eight days but UCI regulations, by contrast, did not forbid him from racing.
"Although cortisol hormones are an allowed medicine when prescribed by a physician, the use of that medicine has frequently been abused in the history of sports (including in cycling) for the purpose of increasing the performance," the MPCC added.
"Besides, a low level of cortisol can potentially endanger the health of athletes in certain circumstances."
Astana are the team of Italian Vincenzo Nibali, the 2014 Tour de France champion, and of current Vuelta leader Fabio Aru of Italy.
Fabian Cancellara will not ride 2015 World Championships
Fabina Cancellara has decided he is not up to the challenge of preparing and riding the 2015 World Road Championships that will be held in Richmond, Virginia in late September. The road race will be on the 27th.
The 34-year old Swiss racer had to leave the Vuelta with a virus and earlier had suffered two vertebrae fractures, one in March and one in July, forcing him to twice regain form.
Fabian Cancellara at the 2015 Tour of Switzerland
His team, Trek Factory Racing, released this statement from Cancellara:"It's a matter of focus. Dealing with a serious injury during the course of one season is not easy, and I have had to do it twice already this year. It's mentally very challenging and it drains your energy. I don't have batteries anymore for a third come-back in one season.
"I'm sad not to be racing the Worlds, of course. The TTT is an important race for our team and everybody knows how much I love racing for Switzerland. I'm sorry for the TFR boys. The Worlds next year don't suit me very well, I'm not a sprinter. This could have been my last chance, but then again, the way this season is going for me, not really."
Orica-GreenEdge's Tour of Alberta news
2015 Paris-Nice green jersey winner Michael Matthews has returned to the winners list, sprinting to a narrow victory on stage two of the Tour of Alberta. The Canadian stage race marks a return to racing for Matthews, who completed his debut Tour de France with broken ribs in July.
The 24-year-old benefited from the heavy effort of his ORICA-GreenEDGE teammates in the closing stages of the race, firstly to shut down a late breakaway attempt and then in the final lead out. After yesterday's narrow defeat in the team time trial, bonus seconds from today's victory move Matthews into the overall lead by ten seconds from Marco Coledan (Trek Factory Racing).
Michael Matthews wins Tour of Alberta stage 2
"It's really nice to be back on the bike and feel like a professional rider again after the Tour de France and not really being able to animate the race," Matthews said. "We didn't quite nail the team time trial yesterday so we didn't have ambitions to help Trek during the stage. We played our cards on hoping they would bring the break back and from about five kilometres to go we took control of the bunch.
"From then on it was just perfection really, the guys totally nailed it. We had a plan and they really executed it, even with the twisty roads and a lot of rain. I wouldn't say I was flying but it was my first opportunity to open up in a sprint like that in a while. It was little bit foreign but I just had to take the confidence in my form at the moment."
Sport director Dave McPartland credited the way the team handled and bounced back from a disappointing narrow loss yesterday. "It's a credit to all of the guys how quickly they turned things around and knuckled down today," McPartland said. "They pulled off one of the best lead outs they have done and they got the reward they deserve."
"It was a pretty clear and simple plan and it went to plan today. We had numbers in the finish and they were able to execute really well."
How it happened: In cold and wet conditions, the first breakaway of the 2015 Tour of Alberta formed 20km into the second stage. Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Argon18), Phil O'Donnell (Axeon), Ben Perry (Silber) and Thomas Vaubourzeix (Lupus) rode off the front of the peloton but never looked too dangerous, the bunch keeping them at just three minutes advantage.
Trek Factory Racing had a duel interest at the head of the peloton, working to protect their overall lead and set up their sprinter. Additional teams joined them and with eight kilometres remaining the full break has been swallowed up by a raging bunch.
A secondary move of five riders also tried their luck as a late attack but ORICA-GreenEDGE sent some of its horsepower to the front, including Canadian Svein Tuft, to shut it down.
From there, the Australian outfit could be seen at the head of the race, leading into the final corner and launching Matthews to the line. Finishing with speed, Giant Alpecin's Nikias Arndt was a narrow second place whilst Alexey Tsatevoch (Team Katusha) rounded out the podium.
The Tour of Alberta continues tomorrow with a lumpy stage three to Jasper National Park.
Vuelta a España team reports
This came from LottoNL-Jumbo:
Tom Van Asbroeck sprinted to seventh in the 12th stage of the Vuelta a España on Thursday. Bert-Jan Lindeman, winner of stage 7, was part of the main breakaway for the fourth time during this Grand Tour, and was caught just one kilometer from the finish line. Trek Factory Racing's Danny van Poppel gave the Netherlands its third Vuelta stage win so far by winning the bunch sprint. Fabio Aru (Team Astana) holds on to the lead in the GC.
Bert-Jan Lindeman
"We were very active with the team in the beginning of the stage," Bert-Jan Lindeman said. "We were attacking one by one to get into the break. When it was my turn, I got in the right move. I didn't really have a great day, however. Of course, I had a plan for the final kilometres, but the legs couldn't carry it out. I wanted to fight for a second victory today. Having won already is nice, but once you're on your bike, you just want to win as badly as ever."
Van Asbroeck started the sprint from the pole-position after a strong lead-out by his team-mates, but did not have the strength to hold his advantage all the way to the line. Van Asbroeck finished 7th.
"The riders did an excellent lead-out for Tom," Sports Director Merijn Zeeman said. "We are very pleased about that. Our youngster, Timo Roosen and Mike Teunissen, did well again, together with the other fellows. We are making real progress in that area. Tom was in a perfect position, but was short of power. He did what he could, but the lead-out deserved a better result. Of course, we wanted to win, but we also wanted to show ourselves again and we succeeded. That's a good thing."
The 13th stage of the Vuelta starts in Calatayud and finishes 178 kilometres later in Tarazona. Along the way the pack will tackle three climbs, two of the third category and one of the first.
"Many teams worked hard for a sprint today, but were not rewarded in the end, so it depends whether or not a team is willing to control tomorrow", Zeeman said. "We fancy our chances of going into a breakaway again."
Tinkoff-Saxo sent this:
Although no stage provides an optimum opportunity to recover, today's one got as close as possible, as Vuelta a España left the mountains temporarily to finish in Lleida, where Van Poppel took the win in a bunch sprint. Rafal Majka, Tinkoff-Saxo team leader and currently 4th in the GC, focused on conserving energy ahead of the decisive stages to come.
In the wake of, what many have named, the hardest stage ever at La Vuelta, the riders left the Andorran Pyrenees and pushed south into Spain on a day suited for the sprinters. With only one 2nd category climb on the 173km parcours, the Tinkoff-Saxo squad turned its attention towards preserving the legs, tells sports director Tristan Hoffman.
"After yesterday's massive effort, it was important for us that especially Rafal Majka and Pawel Poljanski tried to save as much power as possible. They were both at the front of the race yesterday and the Vuelta is still far away from a conclusion. So the team protected them and we tried to take it as easy as possible during a Grand Tour stage", comments Tristan Hoffman.
Rafal Majka climbs in Vuelta stage 2
Stage 12 from Escaldes-Engordany to Lleida took the riders 173km from the mountainous Andorra to the flatlands of Catalunya. The early breakaway of the day turned into a pivotal part of the stage with the main bunch not catching the last rider until just before the final sprint, where Danny Van Poppel ultimately took the win.
"Bennati was in a good position going into the sprint but he didn't have the speed today to compete for the top positions, so he eased up and the team made sure that Rafal was brought safely to the line with Brutt finishing just around him. After yesterday's accident with Paulinho, whom we are obviously going to miss here at the Vuelta, we want to look ahead and keep our full attention on Rafal and the team chances in the GC", finishes Tristan Hoffman.
Tour of Britain team plans
BMC sent their roster to us:
The BMC Racing Team has announced its six-rider roster for the Aviva Tour of Britain, which begins Sunday.
Recent USA Pro Challenge stage winner and race leader Taylor Phinney will be joined by reigning world individual pursuit champion Stefan Küng, who won two races this spring before being sidelined for three months with a fractured vertebrae.
Taylor Phinney wins stage 1 of the USA Pro Challenge
Joining them is Dylan Teuns, who finished 10th overall at least year's Tour of Britain. Swiss national road champion Danilo Wyss, Tour of Austria stage winner Rick Zabel and stagiaire Floris Gerts round out the roster for the eight-day race.
Riders: Floris Gerts (NED), Stefan Küng (SUI), Taylor Phinney (USA), Dylan Teuns (BEL), Danilo Wyss (SUI), Rick Zabel (GER).
Sport Directors: Fabio Baldato (ITA), Valerio Piva (ITA).
LottoNL-Jumbo plans to be there:
Team LottoNL-Jumbo Team is expecting to see an open battle in the eight-day Tour of Britain that starts September 6. Sports Director Nico Verhoeven has several cards to play in the British stage race.
"A lot of WorldTour teams with strong riders will be there and that makes it an exciting race," Verhoeven said. "With Moreno Hofland, we have a fast man who should be able to mix it up in the sprints. Steven Kruijswijk, Nick van der Lijke and Bram Tankink are guys who have the experience and the ambition to get involved on the difficult terrain."
Verhoeven expects the race across the breath of England to have an open character. "The six-men teams, the hills and the absence of a time trial all provide opportunities for attackers. The fact that Dylan van Baarle won the overall last year with an aggressive racing style offers hope for our three men. In the hills, we're going to see a battle between the teams that want a sprint and the teams that want to attack. That means the riders have to be on their toes every day of the week."
Bram Tankink is unsure about his condition after the Tour de France and the Tour of Poland, but the 36-year-old Dutchman is nevertheless looking forward to the Tour of Britain.
"I think England is a wonderful country to ride your bike, and the race is a very interesting one. The hills and the small teams create opportunities. You can really show yourself if you are good. WorldTour races are often structured, but in this race, you never know what to expect. This requires flexibility and tactical insight," the experienced Tankink said.
Bram Tankink
Koen Bouwman, 21, will travel to the other side of The English Channel with the team as a trainee. "Koen is a climber," Verhoeven said. "He is young, still has steps to make, and in England there aren't really big mountains, but we're looking forward to seeing him in action."
Team line-up: Moreno Hofland, Steven Kruijswijk, Nick van der Lijke, Barry Markus, Bram Tankink and Koen Bouwman.
Sports Directors: Nico Verhoeven and Ken Vanmarcke.
And here's Cult Energy's Britain Tour update:
Sunday, 6th of September we proudly take on the longest stage race on our 2015 calendar, Tour of Britain counting 8 stages in various terrain starting in beautiful Wales to finish in the historically famous streets of London the following Sunday.
Cult Energy Pro Cycling will be in the race with this powerful line-up: Russell Downing, Rasmus Guldhammer, Rasmus Quaade, Fabian Wegmann, Michael Carbel and Martin Mortensen.
Russell Downing
DS, Luke Roberts will be leading the troops and he has this view on the coming challenge: "The Tour is proving to be a favored race for riders preparing for the World championships and will boast an extremely good field of starters. The races in Britain reward an aggressive style of racing and that is what Cult Energy Pro Cycling is renowned for, so we are going there with the highest of expectations. Both Rasmus Guldhammer and Fabian Wegmann are in fine form and we will have Russell Downing there providing local knowledge. Unfortunately, Linus Gerdemann was forced to withdraw due to a strained neck muscle, but he will be replaced with Rasmus Quaade who proved in Poitou-Charantes to be in great condition and will be fine-tuning his fine for the TT World championships," says Roberts.
Etixx-Quick Step signs Bob Jungels
Here's the release from the team:
Etixx - Quick-Step reached an agreement with rider Bob Jungels on a two-year contract (2016 & 2017).
Jungels had a strong 2015 season, as he is the current Luxembourg National Time Trial and Road Champion, he was 6th overall at Tour de Suisse, 27th overall at Le Tour de France, and he also finished twice in the top five of Le Tour de France stages. He also won the overall of Etoile de Bessèges at the beginning of the year.
Bob Jungels riding to the start of stage 7 of this year's Tour de France
"I am happy to ride for this team starting next season," Jungels said. "I had a good talk with Patrick Lefevere after Le Tour de France, and we came to an agreement. It's a great team, and in the bunch you can really see them riding as a unit. The image of this team is really good in the peloton. The plan Patrick proposed for me was one I agreed with. I will focus on the shorter stage races and on the Ardennes Classics in my first year with the team. We will then approach the grand tours step-by-step to see what I can do for those in the future. For me, it's nice to be a part of a group where there are a lot of young riders, like Carlos Verona, who I know very well. I also know Julian Alaphilippe, who is the same age as I am. It will be a good mix of young riders and experienced guys on Etixx - Quick-Step next season. I have to say also that I like the style of this team. They are always aggressive in races, which fits my style of riding."
"We are satisfied with this agreement," Lefevere, CEO of Etixx - Quick-Step, said. "Bob is one of the riders who stands out as one of the talents in cycling right now. He is also the first rider in the history of our team from Luxembourg, which is a nation that is growing up in the cycling world. Bob knows what he wants and we think we can achieve good results together, and move him to the next step of his career. He impressed us in the past, but especially this year with his attacks in Le Tour de France, and his 6th place in the Tour de Suisse. His racing this year really stood out for us. We thought this guy could be an important piece of our team in the future. We're really looking forward to collaborating together, and having a great 2016 season."
Louis Meintjes signs with Lampre-Merida
The climber of the future comes from South Africa and will be wearing the Blue-Fuchsia-Green colors from 2016. Team Lampre-Merida are proud to announce the signing of Louis Meintjes, cyclist born in Pretoria (South Africa) on 21 February 1992.
Silver medalist in the 2013 World championships in Florence, the young South African turned professional in 2013. His talent was first noticed when he won both the road race and time trial in the national championships as a junior in 2010.
He rode in the amateur ranks with both Crabbe in Lot-Benison U23, where he won two titles in the national time trial in 2012-2013 and the road race in 2013 as well as the time trial victory at the Tour of Korea. His debut in a World Tour race was Il Lombardia in 2013 finishing 52nd.
2014 was a year of memorable results, winning the national championship road race as well as a stage at the tour of Mzansi, best young riders jersey at the tour of Trentino and his debut in Grand Tour races when he raced in the Vuelta a Espana.
Louis Meintjes winning stage 4 of this year's Coppi-Bartali
In 2015 Meintjes won both the African championship road race as well as the best young riders jersey in the Tour of Oman, the 4th stage and overall classification in the Coppi e Bartoli and an impressive 5th place in the 12th difficult stage of the Tour de France.
He's 10th in the overall classification of the Vuelta a Espana after 11 stages.
Meintjes having chosen to associate himself with team Lampre-Merida for the next two years is something of great satisfaction for the team, once again recognition for investing in young talented riders, with him being one of the promising climbers in world cycling for the future.
Confirmation of the South African cyclist for the team's roster means having two African riders on the team, together with the Ethiopian national champion Tsgabu Grmay Gebremaryam. This highlights the fact that the team manager Brent Copeland believes in investing in riders from different cultures.
This is the comment by Meintjes: "I'm really excited to be taking this step up to the World Tour level with team Lampre-Merida for the next two seasons. I think it will bring with it lots of new opportunities and the possibility to learn from a very experienced team. One of the reasons I decided on going to an Italian based team is because Italy has become my home away from home.
"Motivation is super high and can't wait for 2016, also for trying to give satisfaction to Lampre-Merida, to the team manager Brent Copeland and to Giuseppe Saronni, to Galbusera family from Lampre company and to Merida company. They demonstrated high confidence in my qualities.
"I also have to thank Doug Ryder, MTN- Qhubeka and all the partners who gave me the chance to race the past few years in Europe. Without them I wouldn't be where I am today. It's been a great experience and I really wish the team all the best for the future. The experience with them has left me with great friends and lasting memories".
"Louis is a rider we have always kept a close eye on, we believe in his talent and know that his future career will be one of great value - Brent Copeland, Lampre-Merida's team manager, explained - Meintjes will have his space to grow at Lampre-Merida. And with our technical staff's immense experience in working with young talented riders such as Louis, he will certainly contribute to bringing important results to himself and the team
"We believe he is a complete rider and probably one of the most promising GC riders in the peloton for the future, being a natural climber as well as an excellent time trialist. Therefore this the area where we will be concentrating on working with Louis. I have personally worked with the well-educated and respectful Louis in the past and know his ability. Although he has already shown the cycling world what he can do, we believe he still has a huge margin of improvement and this makes it even more exciting for all of us to be working with him in the future"


HP and Apple face-off: EliteBook vs. MacBook
As Hewlett-Packard considers its options for the PC business--the world's largest--it's a good time to take a look at one of the company's premier business laptops and compare it to the MacBook Air, Apple's premier notebook.
Brooke Crothers
September 25, 2011 4:33 PM PDT
As Hewlett-Packard mulls the fate of its PC operations, this is a good opportunity to contrast HP's ultraportable workhorse with Apple's popular MacBook Air.
Just before the news broke about Hewlett-Packard considering a spin-off of its PC operations, I received an EliteBook 2560p from HP to try out. Call it uncanny. Or, better yet, call it an opportune time to take a high-end HP laptop for a spin and compare two competing design philosophies from two of the most successful--and biggest--computer companies in the world.
HP EliteBook 2560p in the foreground. MacBook Air (13.3-inch) and Dell Adamo in the background. Brooke Crothers
And, yes, I wondered for a moment if this was the last opportunity to handle a new HP-branded laptop. But that thought quickly vanished. HP Executive Chairman Ray Lane has said--as recently as Thursday--that the $40 billion PC operations will either be spun off as an "HP branded" company or kept inside.
With that preamble, let's get down to business. First, some quick notes about the EliteBook 2560p. Among the business models announced in the last six months or so, the 2560p is the closest that HP gets to the Air. (Some might argue that the ProBook 5330m or Pavilion dm1 are closer, but I'm sticking with the 2560p as the best point of comparison for reasons cited below--besides, that's all I've got to work with.)
(Note: this is not a formal review but general impressions of the 2560p after using it for about three weeks. And also note that I am not comparing it to the latest MacBook Air with Intel Sandy Bridge chips inside. I'm sure the MacBook faithful will cry foul on that account. My everyday machine is the MBA spec'd below.)
Again, the 2560p next to a second-generation 13-inch MacBook Air (which I use as my backup). Brooke Crothers
The 2560p is the most recent offering in a long line of high-end business ultraportables. Before the 2560p came the 2540p, 2530p, 2510p--and before that, models like the Compaq Armada m300. Previous models were actually lighter. For example, the 2510p was about 3.4 pounds. The 2560p weighs about 3.7 pounds. That said, it's HP's most portable business laptop (excluding Netbooks). And HP is all about business computers. That's its bread and butter: supplying laptops to Fortune 500 companies.
I've always thought that HP's business laptops were underexposed (if not underrated). They get relatively little media attention despite wide use. As I've said before, at airports, conferences, and hotels, the most widely used laptops I see are MacBooks, ThinkPads, and HP's business laptops. And it's obvious that HP ships a lot of these as it's the largest PC maker in the world.
So, let's get the spec comparison out the way.
HP EliteBook 2560p:
Weight/size: 1.08 inches thick, 3.7 pounds
Chassis build materials: plenty of aluminum and magnesium (military spec'd MIL-STD-810G)
Processor: Core i5 "Sandy Bridge" 2410M, 2.3 GHz.
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000.
Display: 12.5-inch LED-backlit HD antiglare (1,366x768).
Storage: 320GB 7,200RPM hard disk drive.
Optical drive: built-in
Memory: 4GB.
Ports: USB 2.0 (3), DisplayPort, VGA, Ethernet, docking connector, among others.
3G: option for internal AT&T or Verizon broadband card
Battery: 6-cell rated at up to 8 hours
Input: Touchpad with gestures and pointstick
Operating system: Windows 7 Professional
Apple MacBook Air:
Chassis build materials: aluminum.
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo ULV 1.6GHz.
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 320M
Display: 11.6-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display (1,366x768).
Storage: 128GB solid-state drive.
Optical drive: N/A
Ports: USB 2.0 (2), Mini DisplayPort.
3G: N/A
Battery: rated at up to 5 hours
Input: Touchpad
Price: when purchased in 2010, $1,399
Build quality: The EliteBook is built like a tank. It seems practically indestructible. And that's what corporate road warriors need. The HP product manager who oversees the EliteBook line said in a phone interview that it is tested to withstand a dead drop from desk-level height at every different angle (it's dropped 26 times during testing). I believe him. And I have a feeling that I could drop kick the 2560p across my front lawn and see no appreciable damage. The Air is of course well built too, but it's not military-spec'd to the max like the EliteBook.
Performance: I'm not going to cite EliteBook and MacBook Air benchmarks (you can get that in any formal review) but, rather, give a subjective opinion. Despite its having a "faster" Sandy Bridge processor, I didn't feel that the EliteBook was faster than the Air (equipped with an Ultra Low Voltage 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo). In fact, I noticed no difference bouncing between the two on a daily basis. My work routine includes tab-intensive Web surfing (usually 20 tabs open), flash video, photo editing, MS Office-related tasks, and audio and video encoding.
The only appreciable performance difference favored the Air. Which is testimony to the criticality of a solid-state drive. I can't say enough about the importance (necessity?) of having an SSD. Apple understands this. Everything feels faster with an SSD--and I'm not just talking about boot times and data reads. That said, put the optional 128GB SSD in the EliteBook (not the HDD that I got) and I guarantee you will have an extremely fast system that easily out-benchmarks the Air that I have (if not the newer MBA with the Sandy Bridge processor).
Keyboard: I like the feel and tactility of the MBA's keyboard but have no complaints about the 2560p's. Nothing really to say beyond this because I could easily adjust to the EliteBook's keyboard.
Touchpad: Big, big difference. The Windows camp does not seem to understand the significance of a good touchpad experience. The MacBook's multigesture touchpad is close to flawless. HP's is anything but.
Touchpad issue No. 1: The problems begin with the size of the touchpad. HP's is too small. (I mentioned this to the HP product manager. He said they have a limited amount of space to work with because they must also make room for two extra mouse buttons to use with the pointing stick.)
Touchpad issue No. 2: But size is probably the lesser of the two problems. For two-finger scrolling, unless your fingers fall in just the right place (at the top of the touchpad in the middle), the touchpad misfires, i.e., nothing happens. And that happened a lot. Granted, I got better at it over time, and it did become less hit-or-miss, but it is still far from fluid. And the blame doesn't lie only with HP. I have a Dell Adamo that has the exact same problem.
Docking station/port replicator: Big difference--in favor of the EliteBook. Apple doesn't like docking stations. I'm sure Apple engineers think they have good reasons, but I respectfully disagree. I loved the EliteBook's "hot" docking station (no need to power down the 2560p). It worked flawlessly and made grabbing the EliteBook and taking it somewhere else a pleasure. Not so with the Air. I have to undo four connections if I want to take the Air somewhere. That's a big disincentive. Point: a well-designed docking station is a godsend. In fact, this killer feature alone is almost reason enough to go out and buy an EliteBook of my own and relegate the Air to a backup machine. (Maybe.)
Display: The EliteBook's display is dimmer than the MBA's. But that's partly due to the EliteBook's being a matte display (not glossy like the Air's). Many people prefer matte displays. In fact, I do too as long as they're bright. The 2560p's was not bright enough for me.
Portability: The EliteBook's wonderful docking station aside, the Air wins this contest. Indeed, that's why I bought the 11.6-inch Air. A relatively high-performance laptop at 2.4 pounds is hard to beat for portability. For the uninitiated, I would suggest going to an Apple store and picking up an 11.6-inch MBA. A laptop doesn't get much lighter. By comparison, the EliteBook feels like a dead weight. This is all very relative, of course. Someone used to a 6-pound laptop would find the EliteBook light.
That said, I would strongly suggest to HP (and I mentioned this to the product manager) that it make the next rev of the EliteBook lighter. An "ultraportable" just south of four pounds in 2011 seems like a Luddite resisting progress. Even if it means making the EliteBook a little less indestructible.
Battery life: This may surprise some readers, but not a lot to say here. The HP has a 6-cell tube battery that protrudes from the back. But based on what I do with a laptop (discussed above), I found it roughly on par with Apple's smaller battery. In short, after four or five hours of use (depending on how processor-intensive), the Air and 2560p fare about the same.
3G: This is personal preference (I know some people don't care) and another big upside of the EliteBook (and many Windows laptops for that matter). In short, I have found that as a longtime user of built-in 3G (in previous HP laptops that I owned, and in my current Dell lappy) it is more convenient than hauling around a portable Mi-Fi router. Yes, I know that you can use Mi-Fi on multiple computers, which makes it cost-efficient. I still prefer built-in 3G. Especially when I'm traveling. Again, at least the option for built-in 3G makes the 2560p the big winner here.
Storage: Already covered above. SSD beats a rotating HDD any day.
Optical drive: The EliteBook has one, the Air doesn't. That said, I don't see this as an advantage for the EliteBook. And it's possibly even detrimental to the overall design. It makes the EliteBook heavier and bulkier than it needs to be. I have no need for a built-in optical drive these days.
Ports: The HP has lots of ports as cited in the specs above. A big advantage? I don't think so.
Conclusion: The EliteBook is designed for a corporate workforce and has all the hallmarks of a system designed by focus groups. That makes for a very practical laptop with almost everything you could possibly need crammed into a compact form factor. It also results in an awkward design that tries to please everyone. That said, give it a better touchpad and make it a little lighter and, in my opinion, you have an MBA killer. Because of the docking station, build quality, and 3G, I would certainly consider it. I am not wedded to Apple products by any means.
The MBA has the opposite design philosophy: To roughly paraphrase something Steve Jobs has said, focus groups are for losers. (I think he actually said, "users don't know what they want" or something along those lines.) Hey, he's right. Design something great and that's what consumers want. HP should try to incorporate more of that thinking into at least some its business laptops. I think the HP ProBook 5330m is a step in the right direction. Double down on a 5330m-like design and stick with it. Or tweak the 2560p as described above.
I lived like a moon astronaut for the day: Preparing for life on the moon or Mars here on Earth is serious business.
Using CRISPR to resurrect the woolly mammoth: Bringing extinct species back from the dead is now on the table thanks to the gene-editing technology.
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New iPhone 11 mock-up looks deceptively real
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Discuss: HP and Apple face-off: EliteBook vs. MacBook


Home Rail News ERTMS: A new player emerges
ERTMS: A new player emerges
There is no shortage of articles on ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) and its component parts of ETCS (European Train Control System) and GSM-R, the radio transmission medium. The ongoing work of system design, software verification, resolution of problems, fitment challenges and operational performance all need to be recorded and made available to infrastructure providers and train service operators for the greater good of all.
With the supply base within Europe having been consolidating for some years, it is unusual and refreshing to record a new manufacturer entering this market. This is Hitachi which has emerged as a potential significant contributor to the ongoing business.
Hitachi and its history
The company is well known as a Japanese supplier of industrial and commercial electronics and, more latterly, as a builder of traction and rolling stock. In the UK it has built the high-speed Javelin trains for the domestic services on HS1 and has won the contract to supply the new Intercity Express Programme (IEP) rolling stock for the Great Western and East Coast main line high speed services.
It may surprise some to learn that the company has been developing an ETCS-type product for the past eight years. Predominantly this has been for the Chinese market, the system being known as CTCS 3 (Chinese Train Control System). It is equivalent to ETCS Level 2 but without some of the sub-set requirements. The product combines both infrastructure (including the all-important Radio Block Centre – RBC) and on-board equipment.
To date some three RBCs and 40 on-board systems are in use. Hitachi's equipment is interoperable with that from other ERTMS suppliers which have also entered the Chinese market, both Ansaldo and Bombardier competing against the CTCS specification.
One might ask, "Well, what about Japan?"
The Japanese railways do not use ETCS, having recently developed their own digital ATP (Automatic Train Protection) system for high- speed lines. They also have a system known as ATACS, which is broadly equivalent to the elusive ETCS Level 3, and does not require traditional train detection equipment such as axle counters or track circuits.
At present only one route of 30km and 16 trains is in operation, this being commissioned in 2011. JNR and Hitachi jointly own the design, but it is not until 2017 that the next line will be equipped. Europe may well look at this system as an incentive to regenerate interest in Level 3 since little progress has been made over the past 20 years that the concept has been around. The proving of freight train integrity (train completeness) has been a stumbling block but in Japan only passenger trains will operate on the initial routes, thus not overcoming this difficulty.
Hitachi is therefore far from being a new boy in the train control and communications business and believes that it can bring a useful contribution for the benefit of all.
Entry into the UK
As many suppliers know, entering the UK rail business is not easy. Prospective organisations have to demonstrate technical capability, quality of product, financial stability, safety compliance and that the offering is fit for purpose. Often this involves demonstrating the system on a test track or designated section of railway.
To date, the Cambrian line is the only commissioned ERTMS system in the UK so it was logical for Hitachi to use this route for product evaluation. Concentrating firstly on the on-board side, a Class 97 locomotive has been fitted with Hitachi equipment including the EVC (European Vital Computer), odometry, balise readers and GSM-R radio communication.
The work was carried out by RVEL at Derby before the loco was moved to Machynlleth for the trials. Network Rail insisted upon testing being done at night so as to minimise the risk of new equipment detrimentally affecting day-to-day operation. The 'start of mission' and 'establishing a session' were successful and a number of test runs have been made that proved the integrity of the onboard system as well as testing interoperable compatibility with another supplier's ETCS infrastructure.
The next step has been to move the locomotive to the ENIF (ETCS National Integration Facility) on the Hertford loop where four suppliers are testing their infrastructure designs for interoperability (issue 117, July 2014). The first phase of testing only employed one type of on-board equipment, supplied by Signalling Solutions Limited, on the Class 313 test train. Thus, having the opportunity to see how another manufacturer's train equipment will perform is welcomed by all. Comparisons can also be made on the size and construction of the on-board configuration. These collaborative industry tests are ongoing.
Expanding usage and the IEP factor
Hitachi has its longer-term sights on bringing its complete portfolio of products into the European arena but, for the moment, the emphasis will be on the on-board equipment. Getting one locomotive fitted is an important starting position but expanding this to other traction units is essential.
The UK opportunities in the short term are limited but recently a contract has been won to equip two Class 37 diesel engines owned by West Coast Railways based in Carnforth. The raison d'etre is the intention to run dining car trains on the Cambrian line for which an ERTMS- fitted locomotive is required. Since the Class 37 is essentially similar to the Class 97, much of the design work will have already been done. The actual work will be carried out at Barrow Hill locomotive heritage centre, where a useful expertise is being built up in equipping of trains with electronic equipment.
The provision of the new IEP trains for Great Western and East Coast is a major contract for Hitachi and will have many spin-off implications. One obvious one is the provision of on-board ETCS equipment for the fleet and Hitachi will supply this via the Agility Trains facilities contract. The first of these trains is about to arrive in Britain and, as part of the testing programme, it will run on the Old Dalby test track. By 2016, this line will also be equipped with ERTMS Level 2 infrastructure, thus enabling testing of the complete ETCS package.
Much more main line testing will be required before the trains enter service and this issue of Rail Engineer describes some of the logistical challenges when rolling out ERTMS.
Mobile equipment packaging
One adverse criticism from the Cambrian line equipping of Class 158 diesel units was the considerable space requirement needed for the ETCS equipment. Providing 19" racks on a train where space is limited was something of a challenge, with the result that passenger and luggage space had to be reduced.
The Hitachi package does require the same overall cubic area but the various modules are capable of being split up and distributed along the train wherever space is available. Thus some components may be under seats, others in overhead racks, as well as the driver machine interface (DMI) in the cab.
For a locomotive, only a single ETCS equipment cabinet is required, the two cab units being wired into that.
Equipment configurations are able to be adapted to the particular rolling stock constraints and this is important for the forthcoming retrofit programmes. These cover the National Joint ROSCO Programme (NJRP) for passenger trains, the freight fleet, the engineering 'yellow fleet' trains and also charter and heritage trains that are allowed to operate on the national network.
The GSM-R data radio is part of the ETCS provision and will need to be procured for any retro-fitting of rolling stock in the UK. These will work alongside the existing GSM-R voice radios. Data radios will be obtained from one of the usual train radio suppliers. It is anticipated that GPRS (packet switching) will be in use by the time Hitachi-fitted trains are in fleet service.
Operational demonstration and training
At Hitachi's London office, a full demonstration facility is available. Driving a train under ERTMS conditions is surprisingly easy and follows the now-familiar presentation of a speedometer with the maximum speed displayed as a coloured band around the outside edge and the movement authority shown on the screen 'planning' area.
The simulator retains lineside signals, primarily to demonstrate a typical ETCS overlay environment. Encountering a double-yellow aspect will therefore prepare the driver to slow down as the speed 'band' reduces on the ETCS DMI.
The trains will be capable of working in Level NTC (National Train Control) with existing AWS/TPWS (Automatic Warning System/Train Protection & Warning System) installations. It is likely that the cab console design will incorporate a screen for a driver advisory system as trains will not necessarily be driven at the maximum permissible speed if pathing conflicts ahead are to be avoided.
Obtaining system approval
Achieving all the necessary safety and performance verifications can be a slow and complex process but Hitachi is making good progress in this respect. To date, the Network Rail System Review Panel has given approval for testing of Hitachi ETCS equipment under controlled conditions and this opens the way for the retro-fitting of equipment to passenger stock, which will be managed by the ROSCOs (Rolling Stock Companies).
On the freight side, Hitachi is pre-qualified, along with five other manufacturers, for the 1012 freight locomotive retrofit tenders covering 20 different classes. The contracts will be let via Network Rail with the work being carried out at approved contractor premises.
Still to be agreed are i) how the National Supply Chain 'yellow plant' on-track machines will be equipped, there being many different types and ii) how to equip the charter and heritage trains for which the scope has yet to be published.
Internationally, discussions are ongoing for Hitachi to join the international UNIFE and UNISIG consortia as a European supplier. The main design resource remains in Japan for the present but application design teams will be created in countries where contracts are won. The UK team is currently expanding because of this.
As the international roll-out of ERTMS builds momentum, so the supply base will both consolidate and expand. Hitachi, as a new signalling player, is now delivering and inputting its technical expertise and knowledge back into the industry. This is all part of the process and is to be welcomed for the efficiencies and new thinking that can be brought.
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Nurse's 45 years with health group
December 18, 2018 MP News Group News
Nursing milestone: Aida Singer reflects on a lifetime in the wards. Picture: Supplied
ALTHOUGH coronary care nurse Aida Singer turns 75 in January, she has no plans to retire.
Ms Singer has just clocked up 45 years' service with Peninsula Health and last week received a Service Milestone Award.
"I love nursing and I love all the people," says Ms Singer, an associate nurse unit manager at Frankston Hospital.
Ms Singer moved to Australia from the Philippines in the 1960s after studying her Bachelor of Nursing and Science.
"My father was a doctor and my sister, cousin and brother all work in health," she said.
"I was exposed to nursing growing up as my father was a practitioner at home in the country side and people would come in with blood wounds. I wasn't frightened of blood – we used to see a lot of it during emergencies."
After working at The Alfred Hospital and having two children, Ms Singer started working for Peninsula Health at The Mt Eliza Centre, caring for geriatric patients.
"During that time you could take the patients out for a drive with you on the weekend," she said.
Deciding it was time for a change, Ms Singer moved to Frankston Hospital and began her career in cardiac nursing. She studied midwifery in 1982 and worked briefly in that area before returning to her true passion and where she has spent the rest of her career: cardiology nursing.
"It was a coronary care unit, but it was on the balcony and had only two beds. I have seen a lot of changes since then."
The cardiology ward now has 24 beds and an eight bed rapid assessment cardiac unit.
Ms Singer is also known around Peninsula Health for her colourful Christmas decorations. "Over all these years I have loved decorating and I always decorate the hospital," she said. "I came in on my days off to put up the decorations this year.
"We have won first prize in the decorations competition quite a few times."
Outside of work the Mt Eliza resident loves gardening, going to the gym and cooking: "I always bring in a lot of food for everyone."
Ms Singer wants to eventually retire to Tasmania with her husband but, in the meantime, she plans to continue caring for patients and teaching the next generation of cardiology nurses at Frankston Hospital.
First published in the Mornington News – 18 December 2018
Mayor pops up with recycling message...
14 km/h, SSE


Films, Music, Photography and Education
Client Samples
23rd & Union
Stefan Ruenzel
Stefan Ruenzel is an award-winning filmmaker from Oakland, California whose work spans across narrative, documentary, and experimental realms. Crossing boundaries is important for him personally, as it is within the ideas he portrays on film. A boundless curiosity in people and fascination in the way diverse forms of life interact with the world are the impetus behind his sociological studies… and with a background in photography and music, film became his modern-day think tank ten years ago. Since, he's worked as DP and editor on a nationally syndicated travel show on PBS, and currently works as a freelance producer and cinematographer in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Grasping to understand a story in order to tell it, serendipity is always welcomed with an open lens. And though a perfectionist on set, direction is not to order, but to collaborate and lead the way in a visual style that's probably only perfect for one particular project.
In the end, our job is to compel an audience to think, and hopefully to react.
Services: Director of Photography and Editor
Contact: Stefan (@) OffDutyEntertainment.com
© 2022 Site by JPMM.


Crypto 101: drawing a parallel between DeFi and TradFi
Author Rich Went
If you just read the headlines, you would be forgiven for thinking that crypto is unsafe, a scam, or a mixture of the above. Perhaps it's the volatility that catches your eye — how it makes people rich one day, and wipes them out the next. Or, maybe Elon Musk said something about a memecoin.
Either way, the misconceptions of crypto have been borne from thorough examinations of the "dark side" of Decentralised Finance (DeFi). But, look a little deeper, and you'll find something extraordinary happening: crypto and the DeFi ecosystem are increasingly mirroring the traditional financial (TradFi) system.
HODL your investments
The mantra of crypto enthusiasts worldwide — to hold on for dear life (HODL) — is indicative of the application for which crypto is currently best known: as an investment.
As the "currency" part of cryptocurrency is still lacking in mainstream use, with many jurisdictions and governments reluctant to adopt it, investing has become the core use case. In some instances, such as the recent collapse of Luna, to its detriment as well.
Crypto investing is now big business. There are an estimated 106 million participants globally investing through crypto exchanges. In the US, it is reported that one in five have invested.
This figure is growing, as is the amount invested. According to a major survey of 28,615 retail and institutional investors we conducted for crypto exchange Bitstamp, 73% of retail participants are even planning to increase their investments in crypto, with the major use cases reporting to be purchasing another form of crypto, and peer-to-peer payments and transfers — showing utility beyond HODLing.
It's that utility that is attracting greater entry from institutions and the largest financial players in the world — and creating a new environment for crypto.
Introducing crypto banking
The underlying technology behind crypto — blockchain — is already seeing a revolution in banking operations.
The blockchain is effectively a digital ledger, maintained by a network of computers, that records all transactions. Users mine blockchains by solving complicated mathematical puzzles, and are rewarded with a token — a cryptocurrency.
But it's the ledger part that is currently attracting TradFi. It can digitise the entire trade finance lifecycle with increased security and efficiency. It can enable more transparent governance, decreased processing times, lower capital requirements and reduced risks of fraud, human error, and risks on the other side of the financial transaction. Banking will eventually be run on the blockchain.
Looking beyond the banking back office, crypto and DeFi more generally, is also changing the face of banking.
The traditional financial ecosystem — including the largest banks, investment houses right through to new neobanks and superapps — has evolved over the centuries to provide use cases and products to help make your money become more money. These same principles can be applied to DeFi.
A case in point — while many financial institutions are looking at adopting or have adopted some form of crypto capability, the most forward facing ones are looking at applying existing frameworks onto crypto. This can be seen in increasing use of crypto derivatives. This is similar to the traditional form of derivatives; whereby a buyer and seller enter into a contract to sell an underlying asset, which is sold at a predetermined time and price. But instead of a bond or commodity such as gold or oil, it's Bitcoin or Ethereum.
The convergence between DeFi and TradFi is already happening. If the financial sector can find a way to overcome the scalability and regulatory issues, then we can see mainstream use cases occur quickly.
Staking your claim
This isn't to say that the use cases are limited to just investing or peer-to-peer payments for the moment. The DeFi ecosystem is already creating and defining products to increase utility. One major product available to many via crypto exchanges right now is the ability to "stake" your crypto to earn interest.
Staking is available on some crypto blockchains, due to the nature and use case of the technology underpinning it. Investors in Ethereum, for example, can stake some of their holdings to earn a percentage-rate reward over time — with the benefit for the blockchain being that it can put your crypto to work. This often happens through a "staking pool," itself being similar to an interest-bearing savings account. A consensus mechanism called Proof of Stake ensures the validity of the transaction, without requiring a bank to act as an intermediary or payment processor in the middle.
Until recently, this was a complicated process requiring a significant amount to be staked and a good degree of technical knowledge. But — as the banks before them — crypto exchanges are looking to further productise the DeFi ecosystem, and lessen the barriers to entry.
As the sector matures, we should expect more products to rise to the surface.
Tokenised creativity
It would be remiss to discuss DeFi and not give mention to Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).
NFTs are unique cryptographic tokens that exist on a blockchain, which means they cannot be replicated, and can be digital-only works, or represent real-world items like artwork and real estate. "Tokenizing" these real-world tangible assets makes buying, selling, and trading them more efficient while reducing the probability of fraud.
To date, the use cases have seen mixed results, with many NFTs being essentially, customisable digital "art" — such as the much hyped Bored Ape. But there are interesting opportunities, especially for creators and artists.
In essence, NFTs give artists a way to sell their work where otherwise there might not be much of a market for it. This is especially true for digital artists, but also for musicians to make money off their work directly to their audience. Moreover, NFTs feature the ability to be paid a percentage cut every time the work is sold or changes hands — so as the work becomes more popular, more revenue can be generated from it.
For buyers, NFTs grant some usage rights — such as being able to publicly post the image online if it's a digital artwork. This is also recorded on the blockchain, so it is immutably yours. It also works as a speculative asset, so can be treated as another investment type.
The use cases are there, but the market is still immature. NFTs also have significant reputational problems to overcome, with the market saturated with NFT scams.
The future: DeFi or TradFi?
Currently, it looks as though the two systems are worlds apart, even competing. But a convergence is underway — with the two learning from each other, and productising offerings based on the capabilities and use cases of the other. So, the future won't be either/or. It will be TradFi and DeFi — fully integrated into one financial system.
How do we know this? Because we live and breathe crypto and fintech. If you're a web3 disruptor, DeFi or crypto innovator, or fintech looking to evolve financial systems, we can help. From ideating and executing major, global creative campaigns to growing your reputation and share of voice, we're ready to collaborate with you. Get in touch.
Rich Went
A senior account director at Gallium, Rich is a news junkie with a passion for everything fintech and a decade's worth of experience in PR, comms and marketing.
What does 2023 have in store for the music world?
Whether you're an artist, label, DSP, tech player, or publisher: 2023 is shaping up to be a potentially significant one, as we see major trends from last taking hold, and new ones emerge. Here's a few trends we are tracking that could play out in 2023. AI and music converge (or clash) We've already heard many, many things about AI. We're going to hear more this year. AI has become prevalent in our day-to-day lives, and the debate over reducing or enhancing human value is going to be a point of significant debate going forward. Some applications are easy —...
The Evolution of FemTech
Despite being almost precisely half of the global population, the concept of technology specifically for women is — shockingly — a relatively new field. Tracking periods and fertility planning are the most common applications associated with femtech. But now, with the original femtech startups turning into profitable fast-growth businesses, we're seeing even further investment into the sector. This has helped to speed up innovation and deliver products and services long overdue for half of all humanity. What is femtech? The term femtech was first coined in 2016 by Danish entrepreneur Ida Tin, in an effort to legitimise the female health technology...
Blockchain enters the streaming industry
For more than a decade now, we have been in an era of digital transformation. Entire industries and services now not just exist, but thrive — many of which didn't exist even 10 years ago, or were at least in their infancy. The music industry has seen a major upheaval. It is about to see another considerable change, this time by colliding with financial technology. In the music world, the physical format is being replaced by digital. By Q2 of 2021 there were over 523 million people subscribing to music streaming platforms — this discounts the many more that listen...


Virginia Tight End Kyle Bilodeau Recaps His Visit to Pitt
Virginia tight end Kyle Bilodeau is a player that's been on Pitt's radar since receiving an offer from them back in April.
Since then, Bilodeau's only contact with them was through the phone but that all changed yesterday as the rising prospect made his first ever visit to Pitt and the city of Pittsburgh.
Bilodeau (6-5, 240) was one of the many prospects that participated in the Panthers' prospect camp.
This morning as he was leaving the city, Pittsburgh Sports Now caught up with Bilodeau to get his reaction to what he saw and heard from the Panthers staff.
"It was really nice and was my first time ever in Pittsburgh at all. I got a tour of Pittsburgh, the campus, the athletic facilities and it was really impressive. It actually surprised me how nice the facilities are," said Bilodeau. "They share them with the Steelers which is really cool because they get the nicest practice fields. We were out there on the fields yesterday and they were like carpets. The campus was cool. It was a city campus but I think when you're on campus it feels like the city but you also get the feel that it's in its own little area on school. Everything was really impressive."
With it being Bilodeau's first visit to Pitt, I asked him what impressed or stood out to him the most?
"It would be probably how much mutual respect the Panthers and the Steelers have for each other. Most people would think the pro teams gets all the fancy stuff, the better facilities and equipment but it's really even. They have the same chefs, it's pretty much the same model of both sides of the facility that they share. It was nice and really surprising to me how much effort they put into making sure both teams are equal in that way," said Bilodeau.
Another first for Bilodeau was getting coached by and having personal interaction with the Panthers coaches instead of communicating by the phone.
"It was fun. You can get a little bit of an understanding of how people are from texting them but you really can't get anywhere close to understanding and getting to know them as well as when you're in person and on the field and really know who they are and how they coach. Coach Salem was really cool in that way," said Bilodeau. "You can tell that he's an energetic guy on the phone but when you get on the field, he's boom, boom, boom and he's everywhere. He's got a bunch of energy and really knows what he's doing. He knows what he's doing and loves what he's doing and that's kind of the same vibe I got from every coach that I talked to whether it was the strength coach or the head coach. You can tell that Pitt has a good thing going and was good to see. I really enjoyed it."
The other major feeling that Bilodeau left Pitt with was how much the staff would like to get a commitment from him and how much they want him.
"Pretty much every coach that I saw while I was talking with Coach Salem after my tour of campus told me that we need you, you would be a big spot in our offense. I could see that from watching film with the coaches and see how much they use the tight end in their offense. Talking to Coach Watson and Coach Salem, they were constantly telling me how much they need me and how if I went to Pitt I would probably get to play really early," said Bilodeau.
Bilodeau is on his way now to Columbus to check out Ohio State before spending two days tomorrow at Purdue. He currently holds 16 offers including ones from NC State, Purdue and Virginia Tech.
While he doesn't know yet where he'll be committing to, he does know that his eventual decision won't be easy.
"Yeah, anytime you make a big decision like this it comes with a lot of thought and hard thinking. You have to look at everything from academics, to athletics, to campus location and how it feels. This will be a difficult decision but I just have to talk to my parents and everybody around me and figure out where the best place is. It's going to be tough decision but I think I know I'll find the best place for me."
Related Topics:2019 Pitt football recruiting, featured, Kyle Bilodeau, Pitt football, Tim Salem
Florida Linebacker Khadry Jackson Gets Pitt Offer and Plans to Return
Florida DL Keenan Hester Makes Official Visit to Pitt


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When the Soviet cemetary was rearranged
Sigurd Seger was 16 years old when he got a job at Tor Engberg's company. When Engberg had got the job to dig up the graves at the Soviet cemetery in Kolsarby, Kirkkonummi Sigurd was the one who drove the excavator.
- Eight men from the undertaker's came to break open the coffins. At that moment no one was allowed to do anything else. A Russian wrote down all the names that were known. The verger was also there, but I don't remember his name.
The years we lost...
Maj-Britt Hindersson-Qvarnström,
Viola Hindersson-Ehrnstén,
Alf Hindersson Degerby, Finland
Sweden 1945-1946
The cousins Maj-Britt and Viola Hindersson were 8 years old when they were sent to Sweden as Finnish "war children". Both of them had their little brothers with them: Bror-Erik was 5 and Alf was 4.
- Take care of your brother, Maj-Britts mother had told her.
In Sweden Maj-Brit was picked out by a family who only wanted her – not her brother. They were separated, but Maj-Britt did not give up until she knew where her brother was.
A strange football
The high school of Kirkkonummi was built between the church and the railway station after the Soviet lease period. One day, as some boys were playing football on the yard, a man walked by and stopped, because he could not believe what he was seeing. He took the ball and brought it to the principal's office.
- It all felt very strange, says Kaija Kangasniemi, who was principal in the school at the time.
The "ball" was a scull from the nearby graveyard, which the Soviets had dug up.
Baaah!
A Finnish visitor's story:
I lived at a farm, where there were animals of all kind. Our house and the yard were big, so this is where all the children in the village gathered to play. During the war we had a Soviet prisoner of war who helped my parents on the farm and in his free time he played with us kids. One day as we were outside playing the prisoner started to run fast towards the forest. We got worried as we thought the prisoner was going to run away! But all of a sudden he turned as he was running and yelled: Baaaah!We realized that he was on his way to get the sheep that was grazing on the edge of the wood. And in a moment he was back with the sheep on a rope.
Information and booking:
Phone. +358 40 5418526
E-mail: igor@degerby.fi


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Oilcan's


Lone Wolf - The Mirror of Death
by Mr. Micro Ltd: Gary Patchen, David Whittaker
Audiogenic Software Ltd
Crash Issue 87, April 1991 (1991-03-21) page(s) 44
Based on the solo RPG books by Joe Dever, Lone Wolf is the last Kai Master of Sommerlund and the sole survivor of the bloody massacre of his clan by the Darklords of Helgedad. He smashed the mirror known as Dhazag-Oud - The Mirror Of Death - and now stands inside the fortress of Khazan- Gor.
As the mirror shattered, seven unearthly creatures arose from the remains and fled to the fortress, each with a shard of the mirror. It's your task, as Lone Wolf, to explore the fortress and kill each creature, thus ending the evil power of Dhazag- Oud.
As a Master of Kai, you've studied four of the ancient Kai skills. Before play can begin, four skills must be chosen from Psi Surge, Mindshield, Animal Kinship, Invisibility, Sixth Sense, Divinity, Weapon Skills and Healing. It's up to you to find out which are the best skills to choose, but Sixth Sense is a must 'cos it's the only way to avoid dead ends and traps.
As you stomp your way through the many rooms that make up the fortress, you're attacked by many various forms of evil creature. Gargoyles spit missiles, krows swoop down and drain your energy, and evil mirror images of yourself attack without mercy. You can kick and punch your attackers, or with a press of the fire button, whip out your dirty great sword and hack a few limbs off.
Energy bars are the things to watch in battle. When an opponent's blow connects, your energy bar drops, and when you hit back, his drops. When your bar drops to zero, one of the wolf heads at the bottom of the status panel (there are four) turns to a skull. When all four skulls are shown, Lone Wolf dies. Thankfully, when an opponent's bar is diminished, he engages in bucket-kicking larks, too.
It's a long time since Audiogenic announced the imminent arrival of Lone Wolf, the computer game - about two years, in fact. According to Audiogenic, the game's been rewritten, but it looks and plays the same as the preview copy.
The main character is certainly big and well drawn, as are the rest at the sprites, but control response is a little on the sluggish side, annoying when trying to negotiate a particularly tricky trap. One curious feature is the ability to switch between colour and monochrome graphics modes. Useful if you're playing on a black and white telly.
Despite the long wait, Lone Wolf is a playable slash-'em-up that I highly enjoyed; it should appeal to arcade adventurers everywhere.
MARK ... 83%
'I really enjoyed playing Lone Wolf. It may look like just another beat-'em-up but it has a lot more in it than that. The variety of attackers keeps you on your toes and as the number of Kai skills you can carry is restricted to four of the available eight, each game can be different! It look me a while to get started: unless you know exactly what to do and when, you can get stuck on the early screens for hours. There are annoying elements to the game. The maniac birds that fly about make you drop to the floor at the slightest touch and you can't swipe at them when you're climbing a ladder. However. Lone Wolf is an excellent game, a mixture of beat-'em-up and strategy that'll keep you glued to your computer for ages. To add an extra special touch, you get a free solo roleplaying adventure book with the game (generous, eh?)!'
NICK ... 88%
Presentation: 85%
Graphics: 84%
Sound: 80%
Playability: 88%
Addictivity: 89%
Overall: 85%
Summary: A simple but entertaining game with good variety of action.
Transcript by Chris Bourne
Your Sinclair Issue 65, May 1991 page(s) 58,59
Like a meal ordered in that little out-of-the-way restaurant your friends swear by, The Mirror Of Death has been a long time coming, and it was well worth the wait.
Based on the hit series of roleplaying gamebooks, it puts you in the soft leather and thankfully not-at-all smelly shoes of Lone Wolf - last of the Kai Masters, slayer of Gnaag, seeker of the Lorestones of Nyxator, welder of the Sommerswerd, bane of the Darklords, possessor of the handkerchief of the holder of the dagger of the wizard of the lands of the cavalier of the house of the descendants of the (slap!) ... thank you, I needed that - and bids you to exorcise the evil spirit of a nasty old sorceror by defeating 7 shadowy demons who inhabit the shards of the (sinister chords) Mirror Of Death.
Lummey.
You do this by hotfooting it up the sorceror's fortress, outwitting his guardians and confronting the demon on each level. Apart from your trusty sword you possess 4 Kai skills chosen from a selection of 8. These are (deep breath) the magics of Psi Surge (mental attack), Mindshield, Animal Kinship (terrify your enemies with an image of a wolf), Invisibility, Sixth Sense (avoid getting lost), Divinity (defect evil), Weapon Skills and Healing. It all requires the foresight of Nostradamus to make the appropriate 'mix', because the right skill at the right time may just save your life.
It's certainly not your average plotline, is it? And fortunately it translates into a 'not your average' game. The first thing you notice are the graphics. Just take a look at the screenshots! (No drooling, please.) Lonie is fabulously animated, from his 'bad-dude' stomp to his 'tactical withdrawal' roll, as well as having an amazing gravity-defying hooded cape which stays on no matter what (I thought it was his hair at first!). The supporting characters are equally stunning, from the leering, spitting gargoyles to the pesky, Krows. Background details abound, like the splintered stonework, the flickering torches, and the heavy gears that power deadly traps. The atmosphere of a dank, dangerous castle couldn't be more complete if your television set dripped slime.
The next boggle-trigger (Eh? Ed) is the sound (128K only, I'm afraid.) There's a praiseworthy music track, but the sound effects...! (Shiver.) They're that good! Everything makes a noise - the cawing Krows, the chains, Lonie's echoing footsteps (changing as he climbs a ladder) - I spent one game just seeing how many sounds I could discover. (Quite a lot, actually.) And last but not least, there is of course - the game. A combination of platforms-'n'-ladders and Barbarian-style fighting, there's even a bit of Monty On The Run thrown in with the choice of Kai skills (you only get to find out which the vital ones are after you've just been killed for not carrying them). It's all rather simple at first (dodge the gobbing gargoyles and the dribbly door-knockers), but things soon liven up as the first demon leaps down, and you realise that unlike most fighting games, the Speccy in Lone Wolf is rather a tough opponent. Keep doing the same move and the demon will just block you. Dither and he'll jump behind you and hack at you from there. Fight too well and he'll turn invisible! It's a nighty!
Between demons, the major foes are the Krows, who have a predeliction for swooping at you when you're on a ladder and you can't defend yourself. Oh, and remember, when using the marvellous mechanical lifts, keep an eye out for booby traps - usually involving lots of spikes. By the way, you're probably taking the wrong route. (And so on.)
GRUMP!
So far as reservations go I've only got as far as the second demon (ahem) but it looks like each level is just more of the same, and at times it can all get quite frustrating. For example, there's one screen where, right at the beginning, you have to wait on a ladder for a Krow to go by. The trouble is, it flies so fast, that there's only one flying pattern that'll give you enough time to get to the top, and as they appear pretty randomly, you could be in for a short wait. (Short, because most of the flying patterns involve them diving straight at you!)
But I'm just nit-picking. If it's more of the same, there's plenty to do already, and the will-they-be-useful-or-not factor of the Kai skills jollies the game up enormously. With the wonderful presentation matched by the imaginative packaging (there's a free copy of the latest Lonie gamebook - and a darned spanky roleplayer it is too), Mirror has something - no, a heck of a lot for everyone. It's a YS 7 Raves game - Spanky, Spiffy, Skillo, Dandy, Snazzy, Wazzy and Corky!
Life Expectancy: 85%
Instant Appeal: 97%
Addictiveness: 90%
Summary: A treat for the eyes, a joy to the ears and a blinking great (but tough) arcade adventure to boot.
Award: Your Sinclair Megagame
Sinclair User Issue 89, August 1989 page(s) 26,27
I used to be quite a fan of Lone Wolf, you know. Back in the days when D&D was law and the written works of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone were taken as gospel. And then the first Lone Wolf computer game appeared, complete with a keyboard overlay for a rubber keyed Spectrum. It wasn't any good, though. What you got for your £5.99 was the same as what you got for your £1.99, except you didn't have to turn the pages.
The world has been crying out for one, (everso slight untruth) and it has appeared. A Lone Wolf game that not only successfully captures the spirit of the book, but also turns out to be quite a good game. Why else would we put it on our cover?
You are the Lone Wolf, last of the Kai Lords. The Kai Lords were a bit like Jedi Knights only they didn't carry Lightsabres and they didn't walk in mysterious ways saying things like, 'You don't need to see his identification' and 'Even though you have cut off my arm, destroyed the only family I ever knew and are now having some rather disgusting thoughts about my twin sister, I know there is good in you father'. The Kai were wiped out by the evil Zoltan (or something like that) and you have to avenge their deaths.
Your means of revenge? To climb to the top of a tower of evil and destroy the ruler of thine enemy. The journey is a long one, through a tower so evil and twisted, it's shaped like an upside town triangle. You begin at the apex, which funnily enough happens to be at the bottom, and work your way up, via ladders and lifts, only pausing when making a decision at a junction.
Adversaries come in the form of warriors who are mirror images of yourself (reasons being too long to explain here, why not read the book?) and bats. The bats are easily dispatched with just a swift twitch of your blade. The warriors are a little more stubborn. As you progress through the game, they get better and better at combat, near the end some are downright impossible. Or are they? Each has their own personality and requires a different strategy to dispose of.
Other problems caused are the traps and puzzles. Traps take the form of statues that spit fire across ladders just as you are climbing, and open electric circuits, that blaze sparks as you walk past. Puzzles are usually formed by the lifts that constantly move up and down. Sometimes a series of three, maybe more have to be navigated by some well timed jumps, which aren't easy to come by. I have to tell you. It takes a great deal of patience just to wait for the right moment.
Graphically, the game reminds me of nothing more than Psygnosis' Barbarian right down to the flip scrolling. The only real difference between the two being that the backdrops on LW are much more attractive and atmospheric. All the little touches are there, from the busty statuettes to the skulls on poles.
Sound is just a little on the basic side, but with a game this size, I can't say that surprises me. Spot FX do their purpose, though I was a little disappointed by the lack of a tune.
Yet another enjoyable arcade adventure romp through the land of make believe. Fun, and it's size almost guarantees lengthy periods of play. Now, where did I put my ton-fun?
Label: ASL
Author: In-house
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various
Reviewer: Tony Dillon
Lastability: 85%
Summary: Fabbo samurai arcade adventurey thingey. It's Oh Kai!
Sinclair User Issue 112, June 1991 page(s) 16,17
Mystic adventure role playing games may not grab everyone by the short and curlies, indeed many players will draw a definite line of preference between RPG's and all action shoot 'em ups or beat 'em ups. However, methinks Lone Wolf: The Mirror Of Death, might just satisfy both factions of computer gamer.
Don't get me wrong though, this is definitely a grab your sword and smash some skuHs type of game. Its advantages lying in the fact that, unlike other platform beat 'em ups. there are no opportunities to pick up weapons or life icons during the game, instead you must choose four special Kai skills out of a total of eight before the quest begins and believe me, Wolfie will be in it deep and smelly if you don't choose the right combination. The sound, which includes spooky wind, the clanging of crossed swords, the vile screeching of Krows, (fiendish birds of prey), and the dull thud of a thump in the gnashers, also adds tremendous atmosphere. This combined with good graphics makes it very easy to get involved with what our hero is doing.
Lone Wolf is definitely the main man, (Andrea reckons he's a hunk); as strong as Arnie with as many moves as Vanilla Ice. He is the "last of the Kai masters of Sommerland", a mystic warrior, who must carry out a mission against an ancient enemy, the evil sorcerer, Gozrazh (Garth??), who has hidden one of the seven lorestones of Nyxator, in the tower of Kozan-Gor. As the last Kai warrior you have pledged to regain possession of these stones. The tower is guarded by a Mirror Of Death which was shattered into seven shards. Each of these sharas, now fashioned as swords, are wielded by unearthly creatures who protect the tower by taking on the form of an intruder's dark side, meaning ol' Lone Wolf ends up fighting evil shadows of himself.
The level of control provided for your character is quite impressive, with eight detailed attacking and defensive manoeuvres that all need practice. A good joystick is very useful here but it's still manageable with an average joystick or the keyboard.
The game play is deceptively easy at first so beware of your opponents on later levels, remember they are mirrors of yourself so they have the same Kai skills available, and can freeze you with a psi surge or become invisible during combat. For this reason your initial choice of Kai skills should change as you become a slashing highlander type swordsman, replacing offensive skills with defensive skills, to counteract those your opponents are using.
There are seven guardians to defeat, loads of disgustin' gargoyle spit to avoid, hundreds of krows trying to peck your bonce, and a variety of death wheels and other devices to avoid, so go to it laddie, and remember, the ancient ones are watching!
Label: Audiogenic
Price: £10.99 Tape, £14.99 Disk
Reviewer: Alan Dykes
Garth Sez: 'It's almost embarrassing these days to give Audiogenic yet another award for a piece of software. But maybe the embarrassment should lie with the big software houses for falling to put any real work into their Spectrum games.
Andrea Sez: 'This might not be my normal sit-down-and-shoot the buggers to bits type of game - the control system takes some time to master - but once familiarised, there are a wealth of movements that can be made.
Summary: Super platform adventure game that gives lots of enjoyment and lastability that comes from developing skill, judgement and plain old kicking ass.
All information in this page is provided by ZXSR instead of ZXDB


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News | September 20, 2017
Chicago Shakespeare Theater's The Yard Opens at Navy Pier
The Yard, Chicago Shakespeare Theater's (CST) new, innovative theater at Navy Pier, opened September 12.
Introducing a new trend in theatrical architecture, The Yard combines adaptive reuse with innovation in flexible design. Bulley & Andrews (B&A) constructed the new theater, working alongside CST and Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG), to bring this impressive new performance space to life.
"The Yard is forward-thinking and responsive–and a fitting expression of the theater that Chicago Shakespeare has become," said Criss Henderson, CST's Executive Director. "The versatility of the space means that it is perfectly suited to the widest range of our work: from large-scale musicals and new commissioned works, to international imports and programs for young audiences, and, of course, bold imaginings of Shakespeare's plays and the classics."
Complex Construction
To create the revolutionary new space, elements of the underutilized former Skyline Stage on Navy Pier were repurposed, transforming it into a fully enclosed, indoor theater. The new, 33,000 square-foot expansion connects through a spectacular, two-level glass lobby to CST's existing building. Significantly reducing energy costs for the Theater, the two-story lobby curtain wall was fabricated with 3,200 square feet of electrochromic SageGlass®, which adjusts the windows' level of opacity depending upon the level of sunlight (akin to transition lenses used in eyeglasses). When the glass is at its most opaque, the Theater's curved façade is virtually mirror-like — reflecting the stunning views of the Chicago skyline and lakefront.
Construction of The Yard began in March 2016 and was completed by B&A in a whirlwind 18 months. More than 200 architects, engineers and designers, and 400 construction workers contributed to the complex build, which incorporated 2,500 tons of concrete, 375 tons of steel and 15 miles of electrical conduit. Eighteen 95-foot-long micropiles were driven into the lake's bedrock below Navy Pier to support the additional weight of the new structure. The fully enclosed, year-round theater chamber was constructed below the iconic white tent with exacting engineering specifications, resulting in less than six inches of clearance at the narrowest point between the steel beams and tent canopy.
The construction timelapse video below showcases the complex nature and expert coordination The Yard project required.
Dynamic Design
The Yard features a first in flexible design: nine audience seating towers — each the size of a London double-decker bus, stood upright — which can be rearranged in a wide array of configurations, with audience capacities ranging from 150 to 850. Between productions, compressed air skid technology (commonly utilized in industrial and aeronautical settings) lifts each of the 35,000-pound towers 3/8 of an inch off of the ground on a bed of air, allowing them to be moved and repositioned by a three-person team.
"Nothing is more thrilling to theater-makers than flexibility," noted Artistic Director Barbara Gaines. "The adaptable platform of The Yard gives artists a theatrical 'blank slate' in which to shape their work without the physical constraints of a fixed footprint–and gives audiences an exciting, new perspective from their seats for each production."
The Yard's towers were pioneered especially for this design under the direction of CST's Criss Henderson and Charcoalblue's Andy Hayles, and fabricated by Montreal-based ShowCanada (best known for its work with Cirque du Soleil and on large-scale theatrical events like the Olympic Opening Ceremonies). These complex structures (each measuring 12′ deep x 18′ wide x 37′ tall) house extensive theatrical technology, and connect into a network of HVAC components and sprinkler systems to provide maximum audience comfort and safety. Additional modular main-floor seating risers and custom-built stage decking complete each configuration.
This dynamic design makes The Yard the most flexible theater in the world.
"The Yard, an innovative, immersive theater, will create electrifying performances and inspire all who walk through its doors," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "I am thrilled that Chicago Shakespeare now houses three world-renowned venues that will attract audiences from our city and cities around the world."
1755 West Armitage Avenue
© 2022 Bulley & Andrews, LLC. All rights reserved. Bulley & Andrews, BAMR, BACR, and associated logos are registered trademarks of Bulley & Andrews, LLC.


Shooting at Virginia Tech Campus; News Spreads on Social Media
By Alex Fitzpatrick 2011-12-08 15:14:47 UTC
The Virginia Tech campus, scene of a horrific shooting back in 2007, reported that shots were fired on campus again Thursday at 1 p.m. ET.
USA Today was the first major outlet to tweet the story to its nearly 205,200 followers. Other media quickly followed suit, and news about the shooting has been spreading over Twitter for the past several hours. As of 2:20 p.m. ET, campus paper The Collegiate Times' website was down, and the paper has since been relying on Facebook and Twitter to share news with its readership.
Follow Mashable as we bring you the latest tweets and other digital media uploaded from the Virginia Tech campus:
View the story "Virginia Tech Shooting" on Storify]
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, wellphoto
Topics: Facebook, journalism, Twitter, U.S., World, virginia tech shootings


RETIRED PROFESSOR
ORDAINED MINISTER
EXPERTISE & EXPERIENCE IN:
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT &
CHRISTIAN ETHICS &
SPIRITUAL FORMATION &
RHETORIC & COMMUNICATION
Dr. Roger D. Duke
The Inverted Christian
Dr. Roger D Duke
JESUS CALMED THE SEA: HE CAN ALSO CALM YOUR HEART!
(of the Man from Galilee)
Hear Ocean Sing Their Hit Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh4Y9lT75Kw
This song is by Ocean and appears on the album Put Your Hand In The Hand (1971) and on the compilation Super Hits of the '70s: Have a Nice Day, Vol. 4 (1990).
Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently By puttin' your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee Every time I look into the Holy Book I want to tremble (tremble) Or when I read about the part where the carpenter cleared the temple (temple) For the buyers and the sellers were no different fellas than what I profess to be And it causes me shame to know we're not the people we should be So, put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea Take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently By puttin' your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee My mama taught me how to pray before I reached the age of seven She said, "there'll come a time when there'll probably be room in heaven" But I'm feeling kinda guilty 'bout the number of times to do what we must do But we forget what he said, then we figure that he'll still make room So, you gotta put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea Take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently By puttin' your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee Everybody come along Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water (Who stilled the water) Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea (Who calmed the sea)
Take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently
By putting your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee.
Writer/s: GENE MAC LELLAN Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Citations for above: https://lyrics.fandom.com/wiki/Ocean:Put_Your_Hand_In_The_Hand and https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/ocean/put-your-hand-in-the-hand
Songfacts: Stories behind the song's lyrics.
Internet source: https://www.songfacts.com/facts/ocean/put-your-hand-in-the-hand
Toronto, Canada's quintet Ocean featured singer Janice Morgan, singer-keyboardist Greg Brown, bassist Jeff Jones, guitarist Dave Tamblyn and drummer Charles Slater. Their first single, "Put Your Hand in the Hand," a #2 pop hit in America in 1971, was written by Gene MacLellan, who'd played with Robbie Robertson in both the Consuls and the Suedes.
Several singles followed during the early '70s, but none were as popular as the debut. Ocean disbanded in 1975. version of Robbie Robertson's "The Stones That I Throw," originally released on a Levon and The Hawks single in 1965, was included on Put Your Hand In The Hand.
The album was re-released as a budget CD on the Unidisc label in 2000. On their second album, Give Tomorrow's Children One More Chance, Ocean did a version of The Band's "Just Another Whistle Stop" from Stage Fright.
The narrator realizes she's no different than the sinners in the Bible, recalling when Jesus, who worked as a carpenter, chastised merchants for selling goods in the temple (Matthew 21:12-17 and John 2:13-22). Morgan trembles as "the sellers were no different fellas than what I profess to be. "The song also references when Jesus calmed the sea in Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, and Luke 8:22-25.
During a storm that threatened to overturn their boat, the panicked apostles woke Jesus and begged him to help. Jesus didn't see what all the fuss was about and simply commanded the waves to be still. He asked his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?"
Ocean was not a gospel group and didn't feel a strong connection to the religious aspect of the song. According to Greg Brown, they were hesitant to release the single. "We were concerned that it might give the group a gospel image," he explained in the book Axes, Chops, and Hot Licks. They were right. The group was typecast as a gospel rock band thanks to the Jesus-themed debut.
"The 'Realness' of Prayer"-Henri Nouwen On Prayer
"JESUS PRAYS FOR PETER—AND YOU & ME!"
"Are You Confessing Your Sins" Asked The Rev. Dr. John Gill?
© 2020 by Roger Duke