If you browse through the profiles of practicing therapists you'll find many who proudly proclaim their methods are "evidence-based," meaning the theories and techniques they use have been studied and proven effective by research trials. The phrase says they're selling a bona fide product, you can find healing with them because science backs it up.
But some in the therapy world give the stink eye to such statements. They claim the studies proving effectiveness are either biased or don't represent real-life problems and real-life treatment approaches.
If you're new to this debate, you may find it interesting that this battle often falls along party lines (yes, there are divisions within psychotherapy that often look similar to political affiliation. Sigh.). The evidence-based crew tend to hail from the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) camp, a relatively new(er) field embraced by insurance companies because they produce a quick reduction of symptoms, requiring fewer sessions. The detractors are from the older guard, the "talk therapy" (a term I'll use here, but all psychotherapy requires talking) purists who use titles like psychodynamic, psychoanalytic, humanistic, and existentialist to describe their methods. They believe therapy is more complex than a series of techniques to minimize symptoms, it is a relationship that heals because the relationship itself provides the corrective emotional experience to allow for growth and change.
Enrico Gnaulati, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in Pasadena, California, who adamantly falls in the latter camp, and is quite explicit in his criticism of the former. His recent book "Saving Talk Therapy: How Health Insurers, Big Pharma, and Slanted Science are Ruining Good Mental Health Care" (Beacon Press) is a manifesto of talk therapy and a call to action to protect it. He was kind enough to grant me this interview to help explain his views.
EG: Dying is too strong a word. I'd say, seriously under threat; at least as it applies to varieties of talk therapy that are relatively non-directive, time-intensive, in-depth, and exploratory in nature—typically under the psychodynamic and humanistic umbrellas of care. These are the approaches where clients are allowed ample time and space to settle in and emotionally unburden themselves—to think the unthinkable, feel the unfeelable, and say the unsayable—with a therapist who truly embodies that all-important blend of empathy, patience, discernment, serenity, and forthrightness.
RH: Many therapists consider a designation of "evidenced-based" to be the golden seal of approval for their treatment approach, but you're skeptical of this. Can you explain?
EG: It's no secret that "evidenced-based" has become a code phrase for CBT-type, short-term psychotherapies supposedly tailored to reduce the symptoms associated with a given diagnosis. A careful review of the literature uncovers how the effectiveness of these studies has been overrated. Take Cognitive Processing Therapy, a 12-week CBT treatment for PTSD widely disseminated in the Veteran's Administration. Drop-out rates often exceed 38 percent and upwards of one-half of those completing treatment still retain a PTSD diagnosis. Evidenced-based treatments such as these are problematic because they measure progress strictly in terms of symptom reduction over the short term, not greater social and emotional well-being over the long term.
It turns out that evidenced-based really is evidenced-biased because the bulk of current empirical evidence substantiates that "contextual factors" in psychotherapy are most predictive of positive outcome—empathy, genuineness, a strong working alliance, good rapport, favorable client expectations. And when you survey clients they overwhelmingly want a therapist who is "a good listener" and who has a "warm personality," not someone skilled in the latest techniques. So, CBT-type evidenced-based treatments should not be monopolizing the field right now in the way they are.
RH: You come out strongly in favor of long-term psychotherapy. What's the evidence for that?
EG: First off, the incentives in the field almost exclusively favor conducting research on short-term psychotherapies. We are oversaturated with short-term CBT-types evidenced-based treatments because they are far less expensive and logistically complicated to conduct, and because they typically last 12 weeks, not two years, can be converted into publishable studies sooner, which matters most for academic tenure.
There are some underreported, outstanding studies on long-term psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy that have impressive results. One of them is the Tavistock Adult Depression Study (TADS). In this study of chronically-depressed patients it was discovered that 44 percent of those receiving 18 months of weekly psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy at the two-year follow up had fully recovered, compared with 10 percent who had received treatment as usual (medications and/or short-term CBT treatments).
RH: You claim there's a psychotherapy "drop-out crisis," because studies show that over 50 percent of clients discontinue therapy before receiving 5-10 sessions. However, don't many clients get what they need out of therapy in a few sessions?
EG: When you measure client progress not in terms of symptom reduction, but in terms of improved social and emotional well being, there really is a positive dose-response curve. In other words, the more therapy received the better clients get. Given that only about 9 percent of clients attend twenty or more psychotherapy sessions—a number which in itself is much less than what the average anxious/depressed client needs to fully recover—to me it is indisputable that we have a psychotherapy drop-out crisis.
RH: What explains this drop-out crisis?
EG: I think graduate programs are too caught up in educating and training psychotherapists to employ evidenced-based techniques, than helping them acquire the clinical relationship-building skills that enable them to effectively reach clients and keep them in psychotherapy. There's also the matter of insurance companies under-reimbursing psychotherapy, thereby shifting the cost over to clients who deny themselves needed psychotherapy for economic reasons.
RH: Many modern therapy-seekers have come to expect a quick solution for their problems, and may balk at the prospect of a year or more in therapy. How do you teach them the benefits of long-term work?
EG: In my experience, when I come across with clients as a careful, caring, devoted listener, dedicated to their emotional welfare, who grounds the therapy in everyday talk about problems in living and existential dilemmas that are the real source of clients' emotional suffering, questions about the length of treatment, surprisingly, become irrelevant. We forget how psychotherapy can become a cherished life support system for the self with clients whose histories of over-accommodation to the needs of others, attachment traumas, and emotional neglect deprive them of a viable self.
RH: What is the difference between the human expertise you employ with clients and the technical expertise that graduate programs emphasize?
EG: Approaching clients with human expertise means engaging the client as a fellow human being who shares the same human condition as you and whose agonizing life stories, while unique, are familiar enough. These days, early-career therapists almost have to de-educate themselves of the need to be busy and productive in the room employing techniques, just to settle in, be present, draw clients out and identify enough with their life problems and dilemmas.
RH: You claim that the individualized practice of psychotherapy is beneficial to the greater society. How is this?
EG: Psychodynamic-humanistic approaches to psychotherapy warrant special consideration for the health of any democracy because they privilege the attainment of authentic selfhood as a treatment goal—freeing participants from passive over-compliance to authority and tradition, so that they can be free to truly think, feel, and act as individuals. Democracies need large numbers of individuals—psychologically speaking—who can think and act both with and against prevalent authority and tradition. These psychotherapy approaches tend to produce such levels of psychological individualism. In-depth psychotherapy also serves as a cultural corrective to corrosive extrinsic-materialistic values because a core dimension of the work is reprioritizing intrinsic values—improving our ability to cultivate loving relationships and meaningful work, and identify and pursue sources of genuine enjoyment, as ends in themselves.
RH: What can therapists start doing today to save talk therapy?
EG: Don't succumb to fear and accumulate training in so-called evidenced-based treatments out of some false assumption that you will be rendered obsolete, or professionally marginalized for refraining to do so. Abide by time-honored, humanistic principles and practices in the field—that are backed up by mountains of empirical evidence—and double-down on acquiring greater skill at building rapport, showing sustained empathy, and being genuine with clients as they settle in and tell their agonizing life stories in their own way, at their own pace.
Maybe longterm psychotherapy is just prohibitively expensive to the people who would benefit the most from it?
When longterm psychodynamic therapy was the gold standard that had the most reimbursement mechanisms, people did not get all that better (or at least better enough to justify the costs, there were ways to engender similarly poor outcomes cheaper).
If longterm psychodynamic psychotherapy was the standard of care and accessible,I would think psychodynamic psychotherapist would be one of the most common occupations. There are only so many clients a psychodyamic therapist can see weekly or multiple times a week for years. If psychotherapy is advocated as the primary intervention for mental health issues, then even in its heyday, there would be way too few psychotherapists per population.
That will be because emotional labour is under-valued Martin. It costs more for many reasons - because it is long term and because the training the clinician undergoes is longer and more intense are some of those reasons. Depending on the health care system in your country it isn't always about the private root. The economic factors are exactly what psychotherapists are up against. If clinicians see too many clients per day, they're not going to be able to go to supervision, complete CPD and training, look after their own health. It will affect the work they are able to do. As usual the cheapest financial options but to what expense?
Emotional labor is undervalued across the board. Therapists are some of the few people who actually get a paycheck for providing emotional labor. More emotional labor was often demanded of me when working in retail management than when I was training to be therapist, let alone the emotional labor people have to provide "managing up" their bosses and taking care of their families.
I don't have a lot of sympathy for therapists in particular for feeling like like they are not compensated well enough for their work, when they are the few people who put dollar amounts to their emotional labor and have a legal/regulatory framework to better define and protect it.
If all the money psychodynamic therapists wanted for staffing, training, and providing intensive care was provided, do you really think the money spent would be worth it, compared to the opportunity costs? With that kind of money, you could make sure everyone could eat nutritious food and had safe places to live. I bet that would have a bigger impact on population level mental health than therapy would.
Worse, psychodynamic therapists promulgates that psychological pain/wellbeing/mental health/whatever is a private affair divorced from your lived life. The industry, instead of de-stigmatizing being someone who is hurting or has trouble living in a crappy world, reinforces the idea that you should deal with psychological issues privately one-on-one with someone you pay and keep your public persona looking as unphased as possible.
I think we would be better off knowing that it is completely appropriate to feel overwhelmed, numb, indecisive, demoralized, etc in an incredibly toxic world (socially, economically environmentally). Instead of supporting each other in light of this and working together to address the injustices of our world, psychodynamic relies on the economic exploitation that leads to so much of the distress it purports to alleviate pushes people to view issues from a very internal personality/close relational level.
I share your concerns regarding the toxic state of our world and the need to support each other and work together to try to address the injustices. I also share your sense of overwhelm along with your view that these are normal reactions to intolerable and unhealthy conditions. Evidence Based therapies however would try to teach us that it's our personal thoughts about the world that are responsible for our distress not the actual state of the world .
My experience with supposed "evidence based" therapies is that referring to the state of the world as "toxic"
would be considered "irrational" black and white thinking & or stemming from an "irrational" expectation that there should be fairness in the world. Feelings of numbness and overwhelm are considered to be the result of allowing these "distorted perceptions" to interfere with our recognition of the need to take personal responsibility for our emotions and behavior. These therapies encourage patients (or as they are now referred to :"clients" or "consumers") to accept that the world is what it is and that if we want to change our negative emotions we need to change our perceptions.
Personally I think that many of these brief therapies are part of the problem that helps perpetuate the status quo of societal inaction. They encourage us to learn to "cope" with or "manage" our emotions by focusing on changing our individual perceptions rather than joining others in recognizing that there are unacceptable conditions in the world that we need to work together to address through real change not mere perceptual changes in our personal thoughts.
I am not anti-Science. I believe that evidence is important but decisions about what constitutes evidence are not always as objective as we would like to think. This is especially true in regard to supposed social "sciences" like psychology. Science is a critical element of progress but it travels a long and narrow road that doesn't always allow for the timely delivery of needed solutions to some of humanities broader and more immediate problems.
Example for clarification re. science and evidence: people who are truly anti-science refute Climate Science evidence when the real scientific failure was waiting too long for the evidence to come in before sounding the alarm. Similarly unreasonably restrictive evidence requirements could be depriving patients of effective life changing therapies .
Thank you very much! I enjoyed reading and learning from this explorative interview, while not part of the field but personally curious. The style and content are very engaging and informative.
Thank you again for providing a good read for the Sunday eve!
I really enjoyed reading this, it was so sensible and true. It jibes with my experience and that of others who work doing therapy within wider systems that don't really get what therapy's about.
People come in to therapy needing to be heard, often with things to talk about they've never said in their lives. Often they've never really been listened to in their lives. Being met by a practitioner who has just been on an intensive CBT course, has had no therapy of their own, and treats them like machines with faulty programming often isn't all that helpful. Surprise!
I think a lot of it is the clients can't figure out what the point of therapy is. They come in and they hand therapist money but for what purpose. So if you're saying that therapist or supportive and that you were hiring as a support person that's very different then advertising yourselves as something else. And what is one supposed to expect a support person who is there 50 minutes a week and I won' so if you're saying that therapist are supportive and that you were hiring as a support person that's very different then advertising yourselves as something else. And what is one supposed to expect a support person to do that one could not find elsewhere without all of the clandestine secrecy and woowooness over what a therapist actually does.
I wholeheartedly agree with the author and weave object relations work into all of my practice. However, our payors have literally told us we cannot bill for these techniques and this has been proven in audits. Our clientele cannot afford out of pocket costs and I work with our most vulnerable populations and working class people. At trainings we are told to shift to private pay. Who then treats the vulnerable and working class? What can we do to force insurance companies to pay for this care?
Evidence Basis for "Evidenced Based"?
Where is the Evidence for Evidence-Based Therapies?


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We offer non-medical and medical in-home care.
We feel strongly that those changes don't have to include moving your loved one away from the safe, familiar, nurturing environment of his or her own home.That's why we do what we do.
Welcome to Professional Caretakers, where we specialize in a personal, nurturing approach to dult sitting and in-home elderly and senior care in Fort Worth, and throughout the state of Texas. We also have local offices in Grapevine, Richardson, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Weatherford. Our offices serve as hubs for our staff, but we offer our services all across Texas. Our faithful staff of trained caretakers are equipped to provide assistance to both seniors and adults with special needs.
We stand as a resource for family caretakers in the Fort Worth community. Our home care services allow family members to take a break from the rigorous duties that come with taking care of an elderly or senior loved one that needs assistance; and with our respite care, caregivers are able to take the needed time away to recharge and refocus.
Why Choose Our Fort Worth Elderly and Senior Home Care Agency?
There is certainly no shortage of options when it comes to senior care — from in-home care options to traditional nursing homes, hospice care facilities, and more. However, there are several reasons why you should put your trust in the loving, in-home care staff at Professional Caretakers.
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Crystal Palace vs Man City – Premier League preview and team news
September 12, 2015 September 11, 2015 Stephen Donovan
Crystal Palace will have their eyes set on upsetting another one of the Premier League's title hopefuls when they welcome imperious looking leaders Manchester City to Selhurst Park.
Regular watchers of the English top-flight and those who have monitored the Eagles' progress over the course of 2015 will know that their win at the home of the champions at the end of August was not as big a shock as it might have initially appeared. It was an 10th away win out of 12 in all competitions for manager Alan Pardew since he took over back in January, as he continues to get the best out the array of attacking talent he has at his disposal.
Bakary Sako is the most recent addition in that regard and he has wasted little time in making an impression, scoring the opener at Chelsea just a week after snatching the late winner against Aston Villa. Joel Ward is becoming a much more unlikely contributor on the goals front, epitomising the confidence that is running through the side at present, and indeed the whole squad looks to be at the top of their game ahead of this clash of the top two.
It is a similar story at Man City, who thus far have brushed aside all those who have dared to try and stand in their way and are yet to concede a goal. They seem only to be going from strength to strength, having pulled off the biggest signing of the transfer window on August 30 by signing Kevin De Bruyne, a man who has become one of the most coveted players in Europe thanks to his outstanding performances for Wolfsburg. He is now back in the Premier League to prove a point.
It was another big-money addition who broke the deadlock in the last game against Watford. Raheem Sterling looks to be gradually working his way back to top form and has his confidence back following a rocky end to last season, while Fernandinho – who netted the second – has also upped his game, possibly in response to the competition provided by new signing Fabian Delph. As well as being fascinating, this promises to be massively entertaining fare.
Alan Pardew must decide whether to restore Julian Speroni to the Palace goal after the Argentine recovered from injury. Ward has been ruled out for a month with a knee injury, while Connor Wickham is doubtful.
De Bruyne should make his debut, but City are without creator in-chief David Silva; injured on international duty as well as Fabian Delph.
Last Meeting: Man City were on the slide as they lost 2-1 at Palace in April despite having the majority of the possession. The whole game was played in the home side's half until they opened the scoring from their first attack; Glenn Murray tapping in from close range. Jason Puncheon doubled the advantage with a fine free-kick shortly after half-time, and despite Yaya Toure's powerful strike to reduce the arrears, the Londoners held on.
Crystal Palace, Featured Column, Manchester City, Premier LeagueBakary Sako, Crystal Palace, Kevin de Bruyne, Manchester City, Premier League
Watford vs Swansea – Premier League preview and team news
Man Utd vs Liverpool – Premier League preview and team news

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Highly Recommend Item is compact and sound quality good.
Item is compact and sound quality good.
Mushy DY39 mini speaker received today. Tested and working . thanks seller.
item received. But its kinda crapy radio for this price I got to say. Sound is also not that great.
Nice and small. Good for the money.


What is Mortgage Protection and Why Do I Need It?
Protecting one's self against certain events that life throws at us is extremely important but even more so when you are purchasing a property.
Buying our first property is one of the biggest and most exciting decisions we will make in our lives. It can also be one of the most daunting. The financial commitment to make regular monthly payments to a mortgage lender and the housing association can easily become a strain, making it difficult to maintain the standard of living one's been accustomed to.
This is why protecting one's self against certain events that life throws at us is particularly important when you are purchasing a property. We've asked one of our panel mortgage advisers, De Havilland Group Limited, to discuss protection options which should be considered when buying your first home.
The vast majority of people will seek independent financial advice to make sure they obtain the most favourable mortgage given their circumstances but only a few will give the same level of attention to making sure they are adequately protected.
Many either choose to ignore the financial responsibility completely, thinking that "it will never happen to me" or that "my family will look after me". There is also a misconception that the state provides adequate benefits.
Lenders only make it a condition of the mortgage that the structure is insured, but they do not require that the mortgage be protected so the onus is firmly on the individual to make the decision themselves.
Lenders have a first legal charge on the property so in the event that mortgage payments fall into arrears they have the right to repossess the property.
There are various types of protection that can be arranged to suit individual needs and budgets.
Life Assurance pays a lump sum in the event of death.
Critical Illness pays a lump sum in the event of diagnosis of a specified illness.
Income Protection pays a regular income in the event of illness or disability.
It is important to seek independent financial advice to make sure that any cover arranged is suitable and takes into consideration any pre-existing protection or benefits that are provided by your employer.


A few years ago, I attended an industry event and had the honor of spending the weekend with a former NFL player who absolutely dominated the free safety position from 2002 – 2009.
Despite his NFL success, this former "pro bowler" was not a highly recruited college player. In fact, he was considered too small and too slow. As result, all the major colleges initially passed on him which forced him to play at a lesser-known university. When he was drafted into the NFL it wasn't until the 5th round.
However, despite being underestimated he was an absolutely overwhelming force, constantly disrupting offensive strategies, intimidating opposing receivers and consistently ranking at the top of the NFL for tackles and interceptions.
At one point during the weekend, I asked him how he managed to have so much success despite not having the size and speed of most NFL players in his position. He responded with one word: "Mindset".
He said he approached every day with the mindset of a conqueror. His goal was to have it all – the most interceptions, the most tackles and, to be the highest paid safety in the NFL. He wanted to absolutely conquer his position.
What Type of Mentality Do You Have?
Let me ask you a question: Do you think like a conqueror? Are you committed to having it all – the title, income, responsibility, influence, all with a healthy family and personal life?
You see, a lot of people you talk to, or even things you read, will try to persuade you to become one of the "subjugated" – those that think "being the best" or "being at the top" is wrong or the result of "misguided priorities". They'll try to convince you to "settle" for good enough, or seek "balance" over success.
Believe me when I tell you that the concept of balance has become an easy justification for settling for "good enough".
There is no reason you can't have it all – be at the top of your company, sales group, division, etc. AND have a healthy and fulfilling family and personal life. Said another way to conquer all aspects of your life.
So what does it take to build a "Conqueror's Mentality"? Like the NFL player I had the opportunity to spend time with, it starts with a commitment. A commitment to yourself that you are not going to tolerate "good enough". Rather you are going to dedicate yourself to maximizing all areas of your career and life.
Make no mistake, simply making a commitment to yourself will not propel you to the top of your field; rather it is simply the entry fee in what will be the hardest contest you ever take part in.
All Conquerors know what they want – Caesar wanted to rule Rome, Napoleon wanted to bring democracy to greater Eurasia, and Alexander wanted to expand his empire.
What do you want? Division President, Sales VP, to be a present and loving husband and father?
You need absolute clarity on what you want to dominate in your life and career. And most important, they need to be your visions of success, not what you THINK is noble or what your spouse, parents or pastor want you to achieve.
These are your worlds to conquer, and like Hannibal who looked to the east and vowed to take all of Rome, you must have your vision.
Anything can be accomplished with a plan. It doesn't even need to be a great plan because all plans are going to have parts that "blow up", or just don't work out. However, the key is that you have some type of map follow. This will ensure you don't simply engage in aimless activities.
If you're doing this right, chances are that you have aspirations that you can't accomplish right now because you don't have the right skills. For example, if you want to be CEO of your company but can't read a financial statement, then guess what? Reading financials is something you're going to have to learn.
This is where 99% of the people walk away. They realize they're going to need to put in a LOT of hard work to acquire the skills they'll need to realize their conquests, and the sad reality is they are not willing to put in the time and energy.
In essence, you're committing to a lifetime of development. Hard work, is essential in order to conquer your objectives – Napoleon's armies had to endure months of training as well as the freezing cold and lack of shelter in their conquest of Northern Italy. Nothing worthwhile comes easy.
Every great leader has an army. Build yours, starting with people who are experts in areas where you're weak. And when you succeed, share the credit. I mean really share the credit – make sure everyone (your boss, coworkers, etc) know that you couldn't have done it without them. The more others share in your victories, the more they'll want to help you in the future. Enrolling others in your vision has been a proven formula for success for thousands of years (why do you think they award medals to soldiers?).
Finally, when others (perhaps even your family) tell you to "back off", "take it easy" and "be realistic", thank them for their advice and then continue on your campaign.
People who have given up on their dreams and aspirations (or never began in the first place), like to get others to do the same.
You have no time for these people, you're on a mission.
This concept of a "conquering mentality" isn't just a concept from the history books. To this day, great people are striving for complete "conquest" of their market, Jeff Bezos started off selling books, and is now looking to completely dominate all aspects of the consumer's needs.
Elon Musk doesn't just want to sell electric cars, he has visions of "owning' the privatization of space exploration and satellite delivery. Not only that, he wants to redefine how we commute and work in our cities.
And let us not forget Steve Jobs, who in 1983 (before Apple even launched the Macintosh) had the audacious vision to change the world.
A conqueror mentality is not some materialistic obsession driven by avarice and greed. Rather, it is a mindset that will allow you to experience great success in your career and do great things for the ones you love and the charities you care about.
Now go conquer some new worlds.


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Q: Automatically including object files using Boost.build I'm using the latest version of boost-build found in boost 1.46.  Given main.cpp which depends on a.h and b.h, using the boost-build's ability to auto-detect dependencies my jam file is simply
exe my_prog : main.cpp ;

But, if there is an implementation file, b.cpp, the object b.o is not produced nor linked in.  I'd like my build scripts to be minimal, and not require tweaking everytime I add a new file.  So, how can I do this automatically?
Edited to reflect true intent vs. what I was asking for.

A: Is there any reason this won't work?
exe my_prog : main.cpp b.cpp ;

Doing it the way you want sounds painful and unpleasant, especially for someone new to boost-build.  Plus there may be times when you only need the header, and not the cpp.
If your code is impeccably organized, and you only need the files in the current directory, you can get all the cpp files easily enough:
exe my_prog : [ glob *.cpp ] ;

(There are other arguments to glob that will allow you to filter out backup/recovery files your editor may create.  And there are other versions of glob that descend into child directories.)
If you have multiple cpp files needed by multiple final executables, you will be better off making a library with the lib rule and using that as one of the sources for your executable.
lib blib : b.cpp ;
exe my_prog : main.cpp blib ;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


As they were delivered in scientific terms and with rational arguments, none could deny them and not a single voice was raised in opposition. In fact, in the gatherings like that at the university where one hundred and eighty professors and teachers and eighteen hundred students were present together with other notable people, if one had spoken using religious terminology and expressing religious opinions and imitations which are wholly contrary to science and reason, none would have paid any attention; rather, they would have scorned and mocked us.
One reason that people despair of the world of religion is this very matter of superstitions and imitations practiced by religious leaders. When intelligent and learned people see these imitations and customs as being contrary to reason and knowledge they forsake the divine religion and are not aware that these are idle fancies of the leaders and have nothing to do with divine principles. The foundations of divine religion do not negate sound reason and true science. The principles of divine religion do not contradict knowledge and insight, except for some principles and minutiae of the law which were given according to the exigencies of the time and age. Of course, the second or social laws suited to the Mosaic dispensation and useful for the Jewish people at that time are now purposeless and ineffective and seem futile, but they were pertinent and useful at the time.
Now, praise be to God, Bahá'u'lláh has solved these difficulties. All His teachings and laws are in keeping with the spirit of this age and the needs of the people. And greatest of all is the abandonment of religious superstitions and dogmas and the conformity of spiritual matters with scientific and rational arguments.
`Abdu'l-Bahá spent the afternoon at the home of Mr Kinney. As was His daily custom, the Master went for a walk in the morning and afternoon in the gardens along the bank of the river on Riverside Drive.
His public talk at Mr Kinney's home concerned the immersion of the friends in the sea of bounty and favor. `Abdu'l-Bahá encouraged them to remain firm and constant in the Covenant of God. After the meeting another group came to visit. He also encouraged them to arise, teach and spread the fragrances of God and inspired them to render service to the world of humanity so that others might arise from among the friends, girding their loins to bring about unity and harmony among the nations.
Several friends brought their children to Him. He took the little children in His arms and showered them with His kindness and affection. Among them was the little daughter of Mr Jones, who ran to the Master in all the meetings and did not wish to leave His side. She was always sad when she had to leave Him.
The Master spoke this evening on the importance of the friends striving to detach themselves from earthly passions and worldly desires and to remain aloof from the doubts of selfish persons who outwardly appear faithful but who are inwardly the cause of confusion to others. He gave a lengthy discourse on firmness in the Covenant of God, obedience to the Center of His Covenant, the unity of the believers, the afflictions and tribulations of the Abhá Beauty and the martyrdom of the Manifestations in order that unity and harmony might be brought to the nations of the world.
During this talk two large rooms at Mr Kinney's were filled to capacity. At first the Master sat on a chair between the two rooms but He later arose in a majestic and dignified manner, speaking with such forceful tones that everyone was delighted and full of admiration."
There seems to be a connection between immersion in the sea of bounty and firmness--two sides--the glory and the discipline, the flower and the root. Drawing closer to the Master, we see the need for both.


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Message from Chair
Otolaryngology / Head + Neck Surgery
Plastic, Reconstructive + Cosmetic Surgery
Surgical Research
Transplant Surgery + Immunology
Division of Ophthalmology
Made up entirely of eye surgeons who have been board certified by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Division of Ophthalmology at The University of Vermont Medical Center sees over 30,000 patient visits per year. With a wide range of subspecialists, we remain committed to providing comprehensive eye service to the greater Vermont and New England area. Our core values include a strong dedication to quality of patient care, patient satisfaction, as well as compassion for others.
Literally speaking, "the eye is the window to the soul." We in ophthalmology know that the eye is the window to the body's vasculature, and thus is an open portal on systemic disease. The Division of Ophthalmology embraces its opportunity and responsibility to share in the education of our fellow physicians and patients as to the important mysteries of the eye, especially as it pertains to systemic disease. We are actively involved in the teaching of medical students, medical residents, as well as fellow eye care providers. The division usually has one or two medical students rotating through our subspecialty clinics. Often they use their time with us as a springboard for their specialty training.
We are committed to teaching, and continue to engage in numerous educational programs in an effort to improve our own knowledge as well. Through our collaboration with the medical school, renowned experts in the field are brought in as speakers to keep us abreast of the newest teachings and techniques available. By teaching others, while continuing to learn ourselves, we aim to achieve an environment of ongoing education, which ultimately results in the best patient care possible.
With active studies evaluating treatment for a number of potentially vision-threatening eye diseases, the Division of Ophthalmology is proud of its reputation as a major clinical research center in New England. Our focus lies in clinical research, where our patients are given access to a variety of cutting edge treatments and technological advances. Our research facilities are located directly in our clinical offices so as to better allow integration and cooperation with active patient care.
In one of our active studies, patients were given a novel treatment for age related macular degeneration; a disease often considered to be visually threatening. Only now available to the general medical community--because of our involvement in these trials--our patients have been able to receive this revolutionary treatment for macular degeneration for a period of three years.
We firmly believe that our involvement in clinical research allows us to help in the development of tomorrow's care while aiding our patients in the present. We are currently conducting clinical trials evaluating a number of treatments for eye diseases that are actively enrolling patients.
Visit Ophthalmology at The University of Vermont Medical Center, our clinical teacher partner.
Brian Y. Kim, MD
Division Chief, Associate Professor & Elliot W. Shipman Endowed Professor of Ophthalmology
Phil A. Aitken, MD, FACS
Lisa P. Alexander, MD
Christopher Brady, MD
David J. Diaz, MD
Elizabeth Houle, MD
Jessica J. McNally, MD
Robert H. Millay, MD
Jonathan Paul, MD
Stephen M. Pecsenyicki, MD
Robert Raut, MD
Sujata Singh, MD
Philip M. Skidd, MD
Jeffrey D. Young, MD
Lisa Washburn


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Christmas tree farm opens in Marana
By Jasmine Ramirez
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - The holiday season is here and southern Arizona families can visit an old-fashioned Christmas tree farm -- Santa Marana Christmas Tree Ranch.
"In a couple years as our crop grows, we will give you a saw and you can go cut it down to do it the old-fashioned Christmas way," said owner Troy Yahraes.
He and his wife noticed Arizona didn't have many places where families can pick live trees. They decided to open Santa Marana Christmas Tree Ranch this year. The National Christmas Tree Association shows just two other tree farms in the state.
"It's been overwhelming with the people coming here," he said. "They're from Oregon, New York, they've just moved here and are used to buying trees in the wild country and not getting that here so they're having a blast."
They sell 3 to 4-foot Sonoran Pine trees grown on the ranch and precut trees from Oregon. Growing their own trees has helped them keep up with high demand as many other businesses deal with inventory issues amid a tree shortage. Yahraes said the trees they grow can reach up to 40 feet once they're fully grown.
The Almandos family is thrilled to visit a place that allows them to support local and continue their family tradition.
"A new tree every year and then we pick a new ornament as a family," said Livia Almandos.
This year is extra special because Almandos said their family from Mexico will be able to visit with the border reopening.
"We will get to see them and celebrate more this year," she said. "The gathering, going out and being able to be in a public place is a big deal."
The tree farm has a free fair the first Sunday of each month with 50 vendors, food trucks a petting zoo and live music. For more information, click HERE.
Copyright 2021 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved.
Jasmine Ramirez
Jasmine Ramirez joined the KOLD News 13 team in January 2020.


Slow start does Panthers in.
Once again a slow and rather sluggish start to a game and the Panthers fall behind unable to recover. I am not quite sure what causes this team to play with such sluggishness and lack of energy and or desperation. When playing the Devils it's fairly obvious that they try to control the game and keep things settled and then take advantage of a mistake or two and before you know it they have the lead. Then they lull you to sleep for the remainder of the game, and pounce on your next mistake to extend their lead. Meanwhile the opponent scrambles to get back in the game and takes a bad penalty or two or makes a costly turnover and boom, you're pretty much out of it. It's a great game plan and most of the time it works. It also helps to have one of the best if not the best goaltender in Martin Brodeur.
The Panthers struggles are puzzling, yet here's my take on them, and I am open to other suggestions of their struggles.
1) Not enough scoring. Too many role players that while they may work hard, are not the player you can count on to score a goal when needed or when a scoring chance is there for the taking. Greg Campbell is a perfect example. Works hard, but couldn't hit water if he fell off a boat.
2) No sustained forecheck. The Panthers seem to dump the puck in and then get off for a quick line change, leaving no one to pressure the opposition.
3) Lack of toughness and checking. Maybe I am a bit old school, but this is hockey, not ballet. There needs to be more checking and more aggressiveness. Weiss would rather finish his latte than finish a check. He refuses to get his nose dirty. Mezei is a big guy, yet he plays like he's 5'5'. He needs to play with an edge.
4) Traffic in front of the net. The Panthers as many teams, are more successful when someone is in front of the goalie. Scott Mellanby, Ray Shepard, Gary Roberts, all caused problems and scored some important goals playing that way.
5) Not enough veteran leadership, and too many fragile youngsters. When Roberts, Nieuwendyk, Gelinas, Gratton, and Salei were brought in the idea was to change the mentality of the team and teach these young players how to win. For awhile it was working and things were ok, and you would have thought that they learned something from those players. Now that most of them are gone, no one except for Ollie, has stepped up to take charge, and none of the youngsters has emerged as a leader. Giving Weiss the "A" was a terrible idea.
6) Jacques Martin's system is frustrating. If he is such a believer in defense, why is Vokoun leading the league in saves? We give up way too many shots, and while that is not always an indicator of how the game went, we also give up too many scoring chances, and our defenseman are usually out of position which is why they probably lead the league in hooking and holding penalties.
I would love to hear from other Panther fans about what you think is the problem, or how they can get things to be more consistent! Believe me I am a fan, but I am tired of waiting for the wins to come and tired of hearing the promise that we will make the playoffs. Not with this bunch. Something needs to be added.
P.S. Anyone seen Olesz lately? Mark Recchi is looking pretty good!


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10 Facts About Peonies
In celebration of Sophie's favourite flower and our Peony collection of homewares, bags and accessories, our friends at The English Garden magazine have pulled together ten fascinating facts about peonies. Learn where peonies originated, their medicinal benefits and the range of peony varieties available today and don't worry about the ants!
Peonies have a long history in China… Peonies are native to the eastern part of China – they're the country's national flower and have been cultivated there since at least 1000 BC. They first made their way to Europe in the 19th century when many new varieties were bred in France by famous breeders like Monsieur Lemoine.
…and in Great Britain. At home, the Victorian nurseryman James Kelway, founder of the renowned Kelways nursery in Somerset, developed thousands of new peonies too. In June, trains on route to Penzance from London would make a special stop so that passengers could alight and take in the sight and scents of his 'Peony Valley'.
There are two main kinds of peony you can grow… Despite their name, tree peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa) are really deciduous shrubs and bear huge flamboyant flowers, sometimes the size of dinner plates. They're long-lived but benefit from having some of their oldest woody stems pruned out every year so new ones are continually produced. Herbaceous peonies (Paeonia lactiflora) die back below ground every winter, but their vibrant crimson shoots emerge anew each spring. These are the peonies that make such gorgeous cut flowers, with blowsy, silk-petalled flowers in white, shades of pink, coral and crimson.
... as well as the exciting 'intersectionals' A third group of peonies are known as 'intersectional' and are a hybrid between the tree and herbaceous peonies: they have the mounded shape of herbaceous peonies but produce woodier stems and larger flowers in an exciting colour range. They're often called Itoh hybrids, after Toichi Itoh, the Japanese botanist who first successfully hybridised the two species. Sadly, Itoh died before his successful crosses flowered, so he never saw the results. A brand new intersectional peony, 'All That Jazz', is being launched by Primrose Hall Peonies at the Chelsea Flower Show in May this year. Apricot-peach with raspberry flecks, Primrose Hall's owner Alec White has high hopes for it in the coveted Chelsea Plant of the Year competition.
There's a peony for every spot in the garden… Tree peonies fare best in dappled or full shade, while herbaceous peonies love to be grown in a sunny position. Both kinds will grow in most soils as long as it is not too wet over winter. Dig in some soil-improving organic matter such as compost before planting and scatter a handful of bonemeal into the planting hole.
…but they need careful planting. Peonies are easy to grow, but planting depth is crucial. Herbaceous peonies mustn't be planted too deeply or they can fail to flower. The crown of the plant should not be more than 5cm below the surface of the soil. Conversely, tree peonies should be planted with their graft union buried well below soil level (at least 8cm) to encourage lots of shoots from the base.
You can enjoy peony flowers for months. Peonies are known for having a fleeting season, but choose wisely and you could have peonies in flower for months. A different species, the lemon yellow flowered Paeonia mlokosewitschii (also known as 'Molly the witch') starts to flower in April. Of the herbaceous peonies, the widely grown, deep crimson 'Rubra Plena' is one of the earliest to flower in May. Later flowering varieties such as 'Sarah Bernhardt' will often keep going until the end of June.
They make gorgeous cut flowers. Romantic and opulent, peonies look beautiful in a vase, and they last well once cut. If you want to grow your own, bear in mind that plants need to be at least three years old if they're to produce enough flowers to spare some stems for cutting. Cut them just as those plump, round buds are starting to open and they'll unfurl fully in the vase. Peony specialist Claire Austin recommends 'Coral Charm', 'Myrtle Gentry' and 'Better Times' for a long vase life.
They're not just for the garden. Peonies have a long history in traditional Chinese medicine, and they are still grown there commercially for their roots, which are used to treat inflammation. Our name for them stems from Paeon, physician to the gods in Greek mythology, whose name, in turn, comes from the ancient Greek for 'healing'. Their petals are also edible – add them to a salad or crystallise them with sugar to create the prettiest cake decorations.
Don't worry about the ants. Peony species with single flowers will attract bees and other pollinating insects so they're a beneficial addition in a wildlife-friendly garden. But many gardeners notice they also seem to attract another less welcome form of wildlife: ants. The green outer petals that protect peony flowers while they are in bud ooze nectar. Foraging ants soon discover it and will feast on the nectar until the flower has gone over, but do no harm to the bloom or plant. There's no need to spray, which could inadvertently harm other beneficial insects.
We hope you've enjoyed reading our peony facts. Let us know your favourite peony flower. We'd love to hear your peony insights and stories.
I absolutely love Peonies, for my wedding I had a full bouquet of very light pink Peonies with lightest pink and cream roses and they were stunning!! The groomsmen had a single Peony with foliage and my bridesmaids had a much smaller bunch similar to mine. Our wedding anniversary is the only time I am lucky enough to have a bouquet of Peonies, sadly they have never been up to scratch so I am hoping my husband orders from Bloom and Wild this year.
Tara on May 22, 2019


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A Life in Folk Rock
On August 5, 2019 August 5, 2019 By jbIn Uncategorized
(Pictured: Steve Forbert, 2019.)
In the 70s, rock station WIBA-FM in Madison had a show called The Quiet Hour. Every night between 6:00 and 7:00, they played nothing but acoustic music, including lots of folk and jazz. During our first semester in college, my dormitory roommate and I loved it, as an antidote to the junk favored by many of the other guys on the floor. In the fall of 1978, an album frequently heard on The Quiet Hour was Alive on Arrival by a new singer/songwriter named Steve Forbert. I liked it.
A year later, Forbert's second album, Jackrabbit Slim, arrived with a complete helping of new-Dylan hype on the side. It was in the hot rotation at the campus radio station for quite a while, and in the hot rotation at my apartment for months also. Cut one on side one, "Romeo's Tune," became a big radio hit. At the end of 1980 came Forbert's third album, Little Stevie Orbit. I adored the lead single, "Get Well Soon," but when I brought the album home, I found it a lot less distinctive than Jackrabbit Slim and Alive on Arrival, and it didn't get played much after the first few times.
I lost track of Forbert after that. So did everybody else, as a dispute with his label limited him to just two albums between 1982 and 1992. (A third album, originally set for release in 1983, didn't see daylight until 2009.) Streets of This Town (1988) and The American in Me (1992) were critically acclaimed, if not big hits. They did, however, mark his return to regular recording. Since 1995, he's released 12 studio albums and three live ones. [Late edit: Depending on how you count compilations and special editions, it's more than 15 albums. Let's just call it "a lot."] Last fall came his most recent record, The Magic Tree, and a memoir called Big City Cat: My Life in Folk-Rock.
Forbert tours almost continuously—this year, according to his website, through the beginning of August he's played 65 shows in the United States and Europe. He plays both big cities—Minneapolis, Chicago, and Cleveland just within the last couple of months, for example—and small towns, like Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, where I saw him on Friday night. Fort Atkinson is an old river town about 45 miles east of Madison, and he played a charming joint called Café Carpe. (Not "car-pay," as in something French, but "carp" as in the fish.) The performance space is in the middle of the building, between the bar/dining room and a spacious screened-in deck that overlooks the Rock River. Capacity is 60 people, so small that if you buy a ticket in advance, they put a sticker with your name on the back of your seat. (I had to wait a bit before I could find mine; the woman who ushered me to it had to finish washing some dishes in the kitchen first.) I was in the second row, maybe six feet from the stage, which is only a step, raised maybe six or eight inches. The room was full of Forbert fans, many of them more serious than I, some in Forbert T-shirts. They bantered with him and he bantered back, performing songs from past and present in a show that ran a little under two hours with an intermission. It had the feel of a guy showing up in your living room to play some tunes, and I've never been to a show quite like it.
Forbert is 65 years old now, but he sounds pretty much the same as he did when he first came to New York from Mississippi. He has played Café Carpe before; "four or five times," he told me as we talked briefly after the show. It's a fitting venue for a guy with guitar and a bag full of harmonicas, which is how he started out, busking in the streets of the nation's biggest city during the late 70s, a time and place where you would not have bet on his brand of folk-rock as a growth stock.
As it happened, Alive on Arrival is just long enough that I was able to listen to nearly all of it on the drive down to Fort Atkinson, and most of Jackrabbit Slim on the way back. I was listening to the 2013 reissues of both, which feature some fine songs that got left in the vaults. Little Stevie Orbit has since gotten a similar archival reissue, and I wonder if I should go get that one and give it another chance. I definitely want to check into some of the other Steve Forbert records I have missed since the 80s.
Casey's Triathlon of Rock
Bubbles in the Wine
6 thoughts on "A Life in Folk Rock"
Forbert's great. And Romeo's Tune should have been bigger.
I loved "Romeo's Tune" while in HS but was not buying many albums then (wasn't really even aware of Alive on Arrival). I did purchase both Streets of This Town and The American in Me in real time. Thought the former was really, really great; was less impressed with the latter. Looking into some releases that came after those might not be a bad idea.
Isn't "Romeo's Tune" labeled under Yacht Rock these days? It is a great song.
I've had a radio broadcast of a Forbert show from November 1979 waiting to be listened to for the longest time. This motivated me to burn it for the car. I'm five songs in and like it a lot thus far.
Coleen Burnett
SO glad you enjoy him, too JA…seen him a few times in Asbury Park NJ. He likes to play in that area a lot. His shows have an incredible intimacy that is a joy to see.
Always love your blog, too…
David R Petranek
Loved the 'Quiet Hour' on Radio Free Madison. For me, the music died when it ended. Steve Forbert is still touring, recently at Derry Down in Winter Haven FL


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Home Top Stories Doc not ready to blow up Clippers' roster
Doc not ready to blow up Clippers' roster
A surprising first-round exit by the Los Angeles Clippers and a general lack of postseason success under the watch of Doc Rivers and the roster he has constructed has some wondering what the future might hold in the land of stars. Especially with the contract situation at hand.
J.J. Redick will be a free agent this summer. Chris Paul will be a free agent this summer. And Blake Griffin, who sat out most of the Jazz series with a toe injury, also is slated to become a free agent.
Is it time to blow up the roster? Or will L.A. reinvest in its stars and hope for another run at full strength, or maybe even pursue Carmelo Anthony in a trade in the offseason ? No one knows what the strategy is right now, but head coach and general manager Doc Rivers says blowing it up isn't in the cards right now.
"We do know blowing it up would not be the right decision," Rivers told AM570 LA's Jason Stewart. "What we do know is that making changes might be."
Blowing up the roster seems borderline absurd, given its overall talent pool. The Clippers have one of the best point guards in NBA history in Chris Paul, and All-NBA-caliber big men DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin. But the point of contention centers around what matters most in the NBA — its postseason success. The team hasn't advanced past the conference semifinals in Rivers' four seasons as coach despite a talented core of players. Keeping that core intact will require Steve Ballmer to open wide with his checkbook. If it's even worth it.
"What we have done is proven that we can win," Rivers went on to say. "What we haven't done is proven that we can be the winner."
Courtesy: CBS Sports
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Burmese icon Aung San Suu Kyi is here for the first time in 40 years. Rob Verger on the monumental visit.
After some 40 years away, Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is back in the United States. Suu Kyi addressed an audience at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., today in an event cosponsored by that organization and the Asia Society. In a lengthy and far-ranging speech, Suu Kyi touched on several subjects, from the geopolitics of the region to the history of the U.S. relationship with Burma, to the need for rule of law and the importance of strengthening all three branches of Burma's government, especially the judiciary.
Suu Kyi's historic visit to the U.S. comes about 18 months after Burma's president, Thein Sein, took office promising reforms. It's been a historic two years for Burma: Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in 2010, and in April of this year, she won a seat in the country's parliament, and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), now controls just over 40 seats out of the 651 seats in Burma's parliament.
"I think the news [from Burma] is very good," Priscilla Clapp, a former State Department diplomat who was the chief of mission in the country from 1999 to 2002, told The Daily Beast before Suu Kyi's arrival in the U.S. "I have been involved with this for 15 years now. It was my dream to see this happening. I know there are a lot of pitfalls, there are a lot of things that could go wrong. But I did not expect the same generals—that I knew before—to take a 180-degree turn and suddenly embrace basically the ideals of democracy that we have been looking for all this time. I think they're headed in the right direction. There are many obstacles, there are many people there that aren't happy with this direction. But right now it's going in the right direction, and I believe that it's incumbent on the U.S. to support it strongly." Those obstacles include poverty and terrible infrastructure, which may hinder the efforts of those eager to invest in the country.
At one point, Suu Kyi took a moment to address a question that those who follow Burma may wonder about: is it proper to refer to the country as Burma, or Myanmar? "It's entirely a matter of choice," she said, adding that she prefers to call it Burma.
Suu Kyi described a variety of problems that still plague her country: the need to improve the health-care system, education ("hardly 20 percent of kids make it through high school," she noted), rule of law and its importance in insuring human rights, and the release of political prisoners— by her count there are still around 200 political prisoners behind bars. "All these will have to be freed," she said.
John Sifton, the Asia Advocacy Director for Human Right Watch, wishes Aung San Suu Kyi had been more specific. In terms of democracy and human rights, "the speech was very vague, sort of devoid on specific challenges that are being faced," he told The Daily Beast afterward. "What you see is, Suu Kyi is no longer a human-rights activist. She is now a politician. You can be a human-rights activist and speak frankly about human-rights issues in your country, or you can be a politician, but you can't be both." He notes that the "elephant in the room is the elections in 2015," which he wishes she'd been more clear about. "The military's not just going to give up power. They're going to want something in return, or they're not going to give up the power, in which case there'll be a crisis." He also wishes she had addressed issues of racism underlying tension in Rakhine state (which is also known as Arakan state).
Suu Kyi closed by striking a note of optimism tinged with realism and humor. "I'm sure that we will succeed in our endeavor," she said. "Not easily. There are many many obstacles in the way, and I'm not going to talk about those, because I think when the question-and-answer session comes everybody is going to talk about these obstacles"—a statement that brought laughter to the audience.


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Disney bets streaming launch on new 'Star Wars', past classics
Kim Minh Exim / News / Disney bets streaming launch on new 'Star Wars', past classics
LOS ANGELES — The star of Disney's hugely ambitious new Star Wars television series remembers the moment he first stepped into a galaxy far, far away.
Pedro Pascal was trying on his character's helmet for The Mandalorian — the mega-budget, live-action show which launches the Disney+ streaming platform this Tuesday — when he caught a glimpse in the mirror.
"If you grow up playing with Star Wars toys, and seeing the movies, and then you're staring at yourself and you are the image of that childhood imagination — it's a super 'pinch me' moment," recalled Pascal.
Disney is banking heavily on audiences getting that same feeling.
Its new rival to Netflix — costing $6.99 a month in the US — trades heavily on nostalgia, boasting a huge back-catalog from classic Disney animations and Pixar favourites to Marvel superhero films and The Simpsons.
But Disney+ has relatively few original titles at launch, meaning a lot is riding on The Mandalorian.
Written and helmed by Jon Favreau, who directed Disney's wildly successful remakes of The Jungle Book and The Lion King, the show brings together a constellation of stars from within and beyond the legendary franchise.
Chilean actor Pascal, familiar to fans of Game of Thrones and Narcos, plays a masked bounty hunter known as The Mandalorian.
Plot details are tightly under wraps. But the story is set five years after Return of the Jedi, and follows his adventures as a gun-for-hire roaming the galaxy's lawless outer reaches.
"He's cloaked in mystery — an entire story that is literally hidden underneath the armor," Pascal told journalists at a Los Angeles press conference.
He will be joined by veteran action star Carl Weathers (Rocky), former martial arts fighter Gina Carano (Deadpool) and Breaking Bad villain Giancarlo Esposito. —AFP


Little Asian girl using smart phone with her grandmother, Happy family concept, Slow motion shot.
Little Asian girl using smart phone with her grandmother, Happy family concept, Pan shot.
Little Asian girl using smart phone with her grandmother, Happy family concept, Slow motion with pan shot.


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Tag Archives: Gerry Conway
Comic Review: The Black Widow: The Coldest War
November 22, 2021 by Talking Pulp	in Comic Review, Reviews and tagged action, adventure, Ant-Man, Avengers, Black Widow, book, Captain America, comics, Daredevil, Gerry Conway, Hawkeye, Hercules (Marvel), Marvel, Mockingbird, Nick Fury, Quicksilver, Red Guardian, review, Scarlet Witch, sci-fi, spy, superhero, thriller, Wasp	| Leave a comment
Written by: Gerry Conway
Art by: George Freeman
Marvel Comics, 66 Pages
This was one of those old school magazine-sized graphic novels that Marvel used to do when they were still really f'n cool. I also think it's the first solo Black Widow story that I've ever reviewed here. But it's also a really good one to start with.
The Coldest War is written by comic book legend Gerry Conway and like a lot of his other work, it's action packed, face paced and when it isn't, it provides you with some solid dialogue and character building.
At this point, fans knew Black Widow well but I feel like this was a real turning point for the character and really allowed her to stand on her own, as she faces adversity, has doubts about herself and stares a hole into her past but then eventually learns to move forward, trust her instincts and kick ass.
I liked the story, here, a lot. However, I wasn't keen on the art. It's a strange style, even for a more experimental Marvel graphic novel. I think my real gripe with it is that Black Widow is one of the most sexually attractive women in the Marvel universe but this art style made her look like Conan O'Brien.
All in all, though, I was able to look past that and enjoy the adventure and watch her work out her personal issues.
Comic Review: The Evolutionary War
November 15, 2021 by Talking Pulp	in Comic Review, Reviews and tagged action, Adam Warlock, adventure, Ant-Man, Apocalypse, Attuma, Avengers, Beast, Belasco, Black Bolt, Black Goliath, Black Panther, book, Boom Boom, Caliban, Cannonball, Captain America, Chris Claremont, Colossus, comics, Crystal (Marvel), Cyclops, Dani Moonstar, Daredevil, Dazzler, Emma Frost, Falcon, Fantastic Four, fantasy, Galactus, Gerry Conway, Gwen Stacy, Havok, Hawkeye, Hellfire Club, Hercules (Marvel), High Evolutionary, Hulk, Human Torch, Iceman, Inhumans, Jean Grey/Marvel Girl/Phoenix, Jocasta, Ka-Zar, Longshot, Louise Simonson, Madelyne Prior, Magik, Magma, Magneto, Man-Thing, Mantis (Marvel), Mark Gruenwald, Marvel, Mary Jane Watson, Medusa (Marvel), Mockingbird, Mojo, Moon Knight, Moondragon, Morgan le Fay (Marvel), Ms. Marvel/She-Thing (Sharon Ventura), New Mutants, Nova (herald), Phoenix (Rachel Summers), Psylocke, Quicksilver, review, Rictor, Rogue, Rusty, Sasquatch, Scarlet Witch, sci-fi, Sebastian Shaw, Selene, Sersi, Silver Surfer, Skids, Speedball, Spider-Man, Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber, Storm, Sunspot, Super Skrull, superhero, The Celestials, The Eternals, The Kingpin, The Punisher, The Slug, The Thing (Marvel), The Vision, Thor, Tigra, Warlock (New Mutants), werewolves, Wolfsbane, Wolverine, Wonder Man, X-Factor, X-Men, Yellowjacket II	| Leave a comment
Written by: Gerry Conway, Steve Englehart, Louise Simonson, Chris Claremont, Steve Gerber, Mark Gruenwald
Art by: various
Marvel Comics, 704 Pages
It has been years since I've read this giant crossover event that happened in the Marvel annuals over the summer of 1988. I really dug the hell out of it when I was a kid and I've always liked the High Evolutionary as a big villain, even though this was really his only major story.
Being that I still own the physical copies of all these issues, I figured that taking them out of their protective bags and boards and thumbing through them once again would be a fun experience.
Overall, this is one of the best large crossover events that Marvel did in the '80s, where these things started to become the norm. I think I liked Atlantis Attacks slightly more but I'm going to revisit that one in the very near future, as well.
This is spread over eleven issues and there are two others that tie into this but aren't a part of the main arc. However, the main arc is sort of a loose one, as the scheme of the High Evolutionary weaves in and out of these issues without most of the heroes coming into contact with one another. In fact, it isn't until the final issue where a group of former Avengers come together and realize what's happening and with that, they foil the High Evolutionary's plans.
Sometimes the main arc is just very minimally wedged into a story like with The Punisher annual, which sees Frank Castle fighting drug lords in Latin America. Knowing what we know already, we see Castle fight a robot that we know is associated with the High Evolutionary and we know that the drugs being pushed by this specific cartel is tied to the High Evolutionary's experiments.
Being that these are annuals, there are always main stories and then shorter backup stories tacked on to the end of the issues. The backup stories in these tell the origin of the High Evolutionary and recap everything he's been involved with up to this point. These were all rather good and interesting and it shows the character as a sort of high-tech Dr. Moreau from the famous 1896 H. G. Wells sci-fi/horror novel The Island of Doctor Moreau.
In the end, this was a hell of a lot of fun to revisit. The writing and art were handled by a team of Marvel's best creatives from the era. I dug the art a lot and it was damn consistent throughout.
Comic Review: The Amazing Spider-Man – Epic Collection: Cosmic Adventures
July 26, 2021 by Talking Pulp	in Comic Review, Reviews and tagged action, adventure, Ant-Man, Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Black Cat, book, Brothers Grimm (Marvel), Captain Universe, comics, crime, David Michelinie, Doctor Doom, Dragon Man, Erik Larsen, Flash Thompson, Frightful Four, Gerry Conway, Gil Kane, Graviton, Harry Osborn, Hulk, Hydro Man, Loki, Magneto, Marvel, Mary Jane Watson, Prowler, Psycho-Man, Puma (Marvel), Red Skull, review, Rhino, Sal Buscema, sci-fi, Sebastian Shaw, Shocker, Silver Sable, Sinister Syndicate, Solo, Spider-Man, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, superhero, The Kingpin, The Mandarin, The Punisher, The Sandman (Marvel), The Thing (Marvel), The Wizard (Marvel), Todd McFarlane, Trapster, Venom	| Leave a comment
Published: July 31st, 2014
Written by: Gerry Conway, Stan Lee, David Michelinie
Art by: Sal Buscema, Steve Ditko, Colleen Doran, Gil Kane, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Alex Saviuk
When I was a kid and probably because I was a kid, nothing seemed cooler than Spider-Man getting cosmic powers. Basically, seeing him become a hero more akin to Superman was a neat idea and it felt like it upped the ante, as it also brought with it, bigger and badder villains than his typical foes.
However, this also happened during the Acts of Vengeance crossover event, which saw Marvel villains switch which heroes they would fight, thinking that taking on different heroes would give them a tactical advantage and catch the good guys off guard.
So with that, Spider-Man got to tie up with tougher foes anyway. However, these foes were the ones caught off guard by Spidey's new cosmic abilities, which evolved from issue-to-issue and also surprised Spidey.
One thing that this short era of Spider-Man did was it shook up the series and made it kind of fresh. But sometimes, that isn't the best thing to do. Especially, if something isn't broken and Spider-Man comics in the late '80s weren't broken.
Reading this now, this saga is really a mixed bag. Some single issues collected within are entertaining while others just seem like they're just not hitting the typical Spider-Man beats.
Still, this was cool to experience a second time, over three decades later. It's not my favorite era of Spider-Man comics but it's strange and different enough that long-standing Spidey fans who haven't read it, might want to check it out.
Pairs well with: other Spider-Man stories of the '80s and early '90s.
Comic Review: Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph & Torment
August 24, 2020 by Talking Pulp	in Comic Review, Reviews and tagged action, adventure, Bill Mantlo, book, comics, Doctor Doom, Doctor Strange, fantasy, Gerry Conway, Marvel, Mephisto, Mike Mignola, Namor, occult, review, Roger Stern, superhero, swashbuckling	| Leave a comment
Published: July 1st, 1989
Written by: Gerry Conway, Bill Mantlo, Roger Stern
Art by: Gene Colan, Mike Mignola, Kevin Nowlan
I heard a rumor that the second Doctor Strange movie would possibly include the Marvel Cinematic Universe debut of Doctor Doom and that the story for the film would borrow heavily from this story, one I haven't read since the early '90s. After reading this, I don't know how they'd pull it off but I would kind of like to see them attempt it.
Reason being, this is a stupendous comic book. In fact, it's pretty fucking perfect.
This was originally released as one book in a series of Marvel Comics' graphic novels. Back in the '80s and through the early '90s, Marvel had a graphic novel series that were printed in a larger format than regular comics and also had roughly twice the pages. They sold for more money than regular comic books but they rarely disappointed and usually the stories had a more adult edge to them, which was definitely cool for my pre-teen brain. They also had some of the best artwork of the era, as more time and care were put into these releases.
This story was one of my favorites out of the Marvel graphic novels I read and I'm glad to say that it didn't just live up to my original opinion of it but it exceeded it. I think that's because I was able to grasp this more as an adult and the emotional weight of the story really took hold of me.
It also doesn't hurt that Doctor Doom is my favorite Marvel villain of all-time and I've always loved Doctor Strange and the mystic side of the Marvel mythos.
But this story is just so perfect. It brings these two characters together and in regards to Doctor Doom, it really displays his human side and how there might be a good man trapped underneath all that armor, emotional baggage, narcissism and borderline madness.
Doom and Strange unite and take on Mephisto in an effort to free the imprisoned soul of Doom's mother. It reads like a dark fairy tale but it is packed with lots of action, great magical moments and all sorts of hellish beasts. It's also all presented with exceptional art.
While this is longer than a regular sized comic book, it is still a quick, easy read. But it shows different sides of these characters and it made Doom a lot more interesting and complex, overall.
It's also one of the best stories to feature Mephisto and what it is he can do when he's not just sitting on a throne giving monologues and devising sinister plans.
I read the version that is currently up on Comixology and it also had a few other stories tacked on to it. It's probably the coolest version of this to be released, if you don't mind reading comics digitally.
Pairs well with: other '70s & '80s comics featuring Doctor Doom or Doctor Strange.
Comic Review: The Tomb of Dracula – The Complete Collection, Vol. 2
March 25, 2020 by Talking Pulp	in Comic Review, Reviews and tagged action, adventure, Blade, book, Chris Claremont, comics, Dracula, Dracula (Marvel), fantasy, Frankenstein, Gary Friedrich, Gerry Conway, Gil Kane, horror, Human Torch, John Buscema, Len Wein, Lilith (Marvel), Marv Wolfman, Marvel, occult, review, Roy Thomas, sci-fi, Spider-Man, swashbuckling, Tony Isabella, vampires, Werewolf by Night, werewolves	| Leave a comment
Published: October 3rd, 2018
Written by: Gerry Conway, Chris Claremont, Gary Friedrich, Tony Isabella, Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman
Art by: Gene Colan, Ross Andru, John Buscema, Dick Giordano, Don Heck, Mike Ploog, Gil Kane (cover)
Based on: Dracula by Bram Stoker, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Over the last few months, I've been reading a lot of the '70s Marvel Comics stuff. I dabbled in some of these stories when I was a kid but they were before my time and weren't as easy to get when I really started collecting comics circa 1990. Plus, my attention, at that time, was focused on superhero stuff, as well as G.I. Joe.
I enjoyed the first volume in this massive collections of The Tomb of Dracula, so naturally I wanted to check out this one too. In the end, I liked this one even more. I think a lot of that has to do with this taking place more in the modern world, which allowed Marvel's incarnation of Dracula to interact with some of Marvel's famous superheroes.
In this collection we get to see Dracula meet Spider-Man, Werewolf by Night and Marvel's version of Frankenstein's Monster. We also get a small cameo by the Human Torch, as well as the debut of Dracula's daughter, Lilith. This even had a swashbuckling tale in it.
Now this had a ton of different writers and artists, as it bounces around to different titles that featured Dracula, at the time. Despite this, the book feels consistent, which is a testament to how great Marvel's editorial was in the '70s. As far as that company has fallen in recent years, they wouldn't be able to pull this feat off in 2020.
Most of the stories here were good, it was an energetic read with great art by several legends and it is a fantastic example of '70s Marvel horror at its finest.
Pairs well with: the other Marvel Dracula stories, as well as other '70s Marvel horror titles.
Comic Review: The Son of Satan – Classic
February 9, 2020 by Talking Pulp	in Comic Review, Reviews and tagged action, adventure, Bill Mantlo, book, Chris Claremont, comics, Fantastic Four, fantasy, Gary Friedrich, Gerry Conway, Ghost Rider, Hellstrom, Herb Trimpe, horror, Human Torch, John Romita Sr., Marvel, occult, review, Sal Buscema, Satana, sci-fi, Steve Gerber, The Thing (Marvel)	| Leave a comment
Published: October 19th, 2016
Written by: Chris Claremont, Gerry Conway, Gary Friedrich, Steve Gerber, Bill Mantlo, John Warner
Art by: Sal Buscema, Gene Colan, Ed Hannigan, Russ Heath, Jim Mooney, P. Craig Russell, Tom Sutton, Herb Trimpe, Sonny Trinidad, John Romita Sr. (cover)
I always thought that Daimon Hellstrom was a cool character. When I was a kid, I saw back issues of The Son of Satan, his first miniseries, and thought that the art and style was really cool. My overly biblical mother, however, thought differently.
I didn't get to read some of the character's earlier stories until I was a teenager but I've never had the complete run of his earliest stuff, so this is the first time I've read it as a larger, more complete body of work.
This was a cool read and it ties nicely to the larger Marvel universe with the inclusion of Ghost Rider and the Fantastic Four. It would've been cool to see Hellstrom cross paths with Doctor Strange, this early on, but maybe due to the two characters having a lot of similarities, they didn't want them to sort of cancel each other out.
This collection covers Hellstrom's debut in Ghost Rider, his stories from Marvel Spotlight, as well as his first miniseries and team-ups with The Thing and the Human Torch.
That being said, this collection has different creative teams, throughout. Marvel editorial was really good back then, though, and everything reads and looks pretty seamless. This feels like one body of work with multiple arcs, as opposed to an anthology with bits pulled from varying sources.
If you like classic Marvel, especially '70s horror and occult stuff, this is definitely worth a read.
Pairs well with: Marvel's horror and sword and sorcery comics of the '70s, as well as Ghost Rider, Doctor Strange and early Moon Knight stuff.
Documentary Review: Marvel 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop! (2014)
January 23, 2020 by Talking Pulp	in Documentary Review, Reviews, TV Review and tagged 2010s, 2014, art, Clark Gregg, comics, culture, Disney, documentary, Emily VanCamp, Gerry Conway, Hayley Atwell, history, Jim Shooter, Jim Starlin, Joe Quesada, Kevin Smith, Len Wein, Marvel, MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Ming-Na Wen, Patton Oswalt, Ralph Macchio (comics), review, Seth Green, Stan Lee, superhero, Todd McFarlane, TV	| Leave a comment
Release Date: November 4th, 2014
Music by: Lauren Pardini, Daniel Sternbaum
Cast: Axel Alonso, Hayley Atwell, Gerry Conway, Louis D'Esposito, Alan Fine, Seth Green, Clark Gregg, Jimmy Kimmel, Stan Lee, Ralph Macchio, Todd McFarlane, Patton Oswalt, Nicole Perlman, Joe Quesada, Peter Sanderson, Jim Shooter, Kevin Smith, Jim Starlin, Emily VanCamp, Len Wein, Ming-Na Wen
ABC Studios, Disney, Marvel, 42 Minutes
I recently reviewed a short, made-for-TV documentary on Disney+ called Assembling a Universe. That one was a piece on how Disney and Marvel assembled a movie franchise based off of Marvel's rich treasure trove of characters and stories.
This short documentary is kind of more of the same but it focuses mostly on the comic books themselves and how Marvel grew into what it is today.
Like the previous documentary, which came out earlier in the same year, this one is really just a marketing tool to try and get people to go see their movies. It's made by Disney, Marvel and ABC, all of whom are essentially the same company, so this is made to sort of pimp themselves out.
Ultimately, this is an autobiographical puff piece. That doesn't mean that there aren't things of value in it. It's informative and gives you a good amount of info to start with for those interested in Marvel's history but there are much better documentaries, books and magazine articles on the subject.
Pairs well with: Assembling a Universe and Empire of Dreams.
Comic Review: Super-Villains Unite: The Complete Super-Villain Team-Up
January 17, 2020 by Talking Pulp	in Comic Review, Reviews and tagged action, adventure, Angel/Archangel, Ant-Man, Arnim Zola, Attuma, Avengers, Baron Zemo, Beast, Black Bolt, Black Widow, book, Captain America, Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell), comics, Crystal (Marvel), Diablo (Marvel), Doctor Doom, Drax the Destroyer, Enchantress (Marvel), Fantastic Four, fantasy, George Perez, Gerry Conway, Ghost Rider, Hate-Monger, Hercules (Marvel), Hulk, Human Torch, Iceman, Inhumans, Iron Man, Jim Shooter, John Buscema, Krang (Marvel), Magneto, Marvel, Medusa (Marvel), Namor, Namorita, Red Skull, review, Roy Thomas, Sal Buscema, Scarlet Witch, sci-fi, Silver Surfer, superhero, Thanos, The Champions, The Shroud, The Thing (Marvel), The Vision, Thor, Tiger Shark, Tony Isabella, Wasp, Wonder Man	| Leave a comment
This was a comic book series that I had wanted to read for a long time. I was collecting all of the single issues, in an effort to get the whole shebang before reading any of them, as I wanted the full experience.
However, I found the beefy collected edition at Ollie's Bargain Outlet for like $4.95. So I couldn't pass up that deal and because tracking down the whole series, as well as its crossovers was taking some time.
Anyway, this wasn't exactly what I had hoped it was but it was still a really fun comic, especially as a fan of Doctor Doom, who is mostly the main character, alongside Namor, throughout the series' run.
What I had hoped (or assumed) this was, was a book that put two villains together like a tag team in an effort to see them fight their regular nemeses. I expected more of a mix up of villains but the vast majority of this pairs Doom and Namor. And honestly, most of the time, they're at odds with each other, so "team-up" isn't all that accurate.
Other villains come into the series towards the end. We get to see Red Skull, Arnim Zola, The Hate-Monger, Magneto and a few others. But most of this is Doom having schemes that typically involve Namor. It pits them (well, mostly Doom) against superhero teams like The Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the '70s version of The Champions but it also sees Doom come into conflict with other major villains.
For the most part, this is a really fun and energetic series that highlights what was great about '70s Marvel. However, the series kept switching writers and artists and some of the issues aren't nearly as great as the more solid ones.
It's definitely better written in the first few issues, as those duties were handled by the great Roy Thomas. Towards the end, the book gets more exciting, as a lot of characters get wedged in but the earliest stories were just better written tales.
All in all, this is definitely worth picking up for those out there that are into '70s Marvel and/or Doctor Doom. If you can find the collected trade paperback for as cheap as I got it, you should definitely pick it up and give it a shot.
Pairs well with: the Avengers and Fantastic Four comics of the '70s.
January 6, 2020 by Talking Pulp	in Comic Review, Reviews and tagged action, adventure, Archie Goodwin, Blade, book, comics, Dracula, Dracula (Marvel), fantasy, Gerry Conway, Gil Kane, horror, Marvel, occult, review, Robert E. Howard, sci-fi, Solomon Kane, swashbuckling, sword and sorcery, vampires	| Leave a comment
Published: October 4th, 2017
Written by: Gerry Conway, Archie Goodwin
Art by: Gene Colan, Alan Weiss, Gil Kane (cover)
Based on: Dracula by Bram Stoker
This was an interesting collection, as it not only featured the first few story arcs of The Tomb of Dracula comic book series but it also featured issues of the black and white comics magazine Dracula Lives!
Additionally, this features the first appearance and first story of Blade, the character made most famous by Wesley Snipes in the film trilogy that kicked off in 1998. It also has a story that pits Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane against Dracula, capitalizing off of the popular sword and sorcery trend in comics at the time.
Overall, this is a pretty neat comic and since I love the Dracula character in many of his incarnations, it's cool seeing Marvel's take on him. I also like that Dracula exists within Marvel canon, as well as Robert E. Howard's canon, because it opens up a lot of possibilities. Sadly, I don't think we ever got a Dracula and Godzilla crossover even though both of them existed at Marvel at the same time.
I absolutely love the art in this whether its the stuff from the Tomb stories or the Lives! ones. But I do kind of wish that they would've made this a beefier collection of just The Tomb of Dracula while also making a collection just for Dracula Lives!
Both series are great but they're also very different in that the Dracula Lives! comics didn't have to adhere to the Comics Code Authority and therefore, were a lot darker, more violent and much sexier.
Anyway, I enjoyed both halves of this huge collection and I look forward to delving into the second volume in the near future.
Pairs well with: the later Marvel Dracula stories, as well as other '70s Marvel horror titles.
Comic Review: Batman Arkham – Hugo Strange
December 30, 2019 by Talking Pulp	in Comic Review, Reviews and tagged action, adventure, Batman, Batman Arkham Collections, Bill Finger, Bob Kane, book, Catwoman, comics, crime, DC Comics, Gerry Conway, Hugo Strange, Nightwing, Red Robin, review, superhero	| Leave a comment
Published: April 24th, 2018
DC Comics, 240 Pages
There really aren't a lot of Hugo Strange stories. Well, at least when compared to the amount of Joker, Riddler, Two-Face, Penguin or Catwoman stories. But there were still enough to fill up an installment in the Batman Arkham Collections, which has been a trade paperback "best of" series for many of Batman's top villains.
Granted, we might be scraping the bottom of the barrel now that they've done one for Joker's Daughter and they have an upcoming one for Victor Zsasz but I digress.
I like most of these villain-centric collections and this one is no different, as it is nice to have the key Hugo Strange stories in one book. However, this also goes to show that the guy has been underutilized and underappreciated by Batman writers over the years.
This is over 200 pages but some of the stories are multi-part arcs. There's maybe a half dozen different tales here but it doesn't feel like it's enough when compared to Batman Arkham Collections of the past.
Most of them were enjoyable but this makes me question as to whether they should have made this one.
It also made me wish that a good writer would come along and use Hugo Strange more or at least come up with something really great for him to do. He was utilized greatly in the Arkham Asylum games, as well as the Gotham TV show.
But maybe he's just too much of a generic mad scientist type and with that, overloaded with tropes that most writers just aren't interested in writing about. But the character debuted in 1940. So in 80 years, there really hasn't been one great Hugo Strange story? C'mon, DC.
Pairs well with: Other Batman Arkham collections.