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September 24, 2016 January 31, 2017 Leave a comment
Egypt is a Mediterranean country linking North East Africa with the Middle East. It is the driest and sunniest country in the world and most of its land surface is desert.
Egypt's northern coastline runs for 500 km along the mediterranean shores. One of the most popular places for visitors in the height of the summer, is the port city of Alexandria. Founded by Alexander the Great and once the seat of Queen Cleopatra. Its harbour entrance was once marked by the towering "Pharos Light House", one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and it's great library was renowned as the ultimate archive of ancient knowledge.
Cairo, Egypt's sprawling capital, is set on the Nile River. At the heart of Cairo is Tahrir Square and the vast Egyptian Museum. Nearby Giza Necropolis is the site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx. The old saying that Egypt is the gift of the Nile still rings true, without the river there would be no fertile land, no food, no electricity. Ancient Egypt experienced some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanisation, organised religion and central government.
The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez. It was constructed by the Suez Canal Company between 1859-1869. At the Northern Gate, lies the city of Port Said, this is the third largest city in Egypt and was established in 1859 during the building of the Suez Canal.
Some traditional Egyptian recipes I came across were Ful Medami (stewed beans) , Molokeya (green soup with garlic and coriander) , Koshari (lentils, rice and macaroni, ) Eish Masri (pitta bread) and Basbousa (syrup cake). I opted to make Shawarma Lahme (chicken stuffed in pitta with tahina sauce) which we enjoyed as a tasty snack.
Prep time: 5 minutes + 4 hours marinating
250g chicken breasts
1 large garlic clove
2 tsp tomato paste
2 tbsp plain yoghurt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
Pitta breads
Tahina sauce
2 tbsp warm water
For the tahina sauce
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl
Cut your chicken breasts into long strips. Make sure they are thin
Put the chicken in a bag with lemon juice, garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, yoghurt, spices, salt and pepper and put in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight
Heat some oil in a pan and fry the chicken for 10 minutes
Serve with pitta, tahini and salad leaves
Ingredients for Shawarma Lahme
Cooking Shawarma Lahme
Shawarma Lahme (chicken stuffed in pitta with tahina sauce)
Great Sphinx, Egypt
The River Nile, Egypt
Alexandria, Egypt
August 19, 2016 January 31, 2017 Leave a comment
Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH for short, is located in Southeastern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. It declared sovereignty in October 1991 and independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992. The country's name comes from the two regions Bosnia and Herzegovina, which have a very vaguely defined border between them. Bosnia occupies the northern areas which are roughly four-fifths of the entire country, while Herzegovina occupies the rest in the southern part of the country. The name "Bosnia" comes from an Indo-European word Bosana, which means water. (There are 7 major rivers and over 100 lakes).
The town of Međugorje located in the mountains near Mostar has been popular with Catholic pilgrims since 1981, when six local children claimed they had seen visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Over 1 million people make the pilgrimage each year. The name Međugorje literally means "between mountains".
Perućica is one of the last remaining primeval forests in Europe, located near the border with Montenegro and part of the Sutjeska National Park. The tallest measured Norway Spruce (63 m) is located here.
According to the Guinness book of records the largest fish stew ever made, weighed 3,804 kg was by the Tourist Organisation of the Municipality of Prnjavor in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 19 August 2014. However in April 2015, a dozen Bosnian chefs from Sarajevo outperformed the record by making a traditional stew weighing 4,124 kg. It took 8 hours and served 15,000 portions. The record has not yet been verified by a Guinness World Records committee.
Some of the traditional Bosnian dishes I came across, other than enormous stews, included Zeljanica (spinach and feta pie), Begova Čorba (Bosnian soup), Grašak (pea stew), Sarma (meat and rice rolled in pickled cabbage leaves) and Krofna (filled doughnuts). I decided to make Ćevapi (meat kebabs) which were fairly simple but needed a good amount of seasoning which the recipe I followed had omitted to include, so ours were rather bland. I've adjusted the recipe below to include more seasoning.
1⁄2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
250g lean lamb mince
250g lean beef mince
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tbsp sweet paprika
fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp onions, finely chopped
4-6 pitta breads
Melt the butter over medium heat, add the onions and fry until translucent
Add the garlic for a few minutes whilst stirring to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes
Mix the ground lamb, ground beef., the cooled onion/garlic mixture, egg white, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well.
Shape the meat into unappetizing looking little cylinders, which are the traditional shape
Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least one hour
Pan fry the cevapi in a little olive oil until nicely browned, about 8 – 10 minutes
To serve, toast the pitta, then cut in half and make a pocket in each one
Stuff a few finely chopped onions inside the pita, then add the cevapi and top with a few more of the onions
Ćevapi (meat kebabs)
Ingredients for Ćevapi (meat kebabs)
Making the world's largest stew in Sarajevo!
St James Church, Međugorje
Stari Most Bridge, Mostar
Perućica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ana River, Bosnia and Herzegovina
July 22, 2016 January 31, 2017 4 Comments
The Republic of Macedonia or the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as it is classified by the UN, is a landlocked country in the Balkan peninsula. There is an ongoing dispute with Greece about it's name due to the northern part of Greece being called by the same name.
Archaeological evidence shows that old European civilization flourished in Macedonia between 7000 and 3500 BC. Alexander the Great, who was king of the former Kingdom of Macedonia, extended his empire across Greece and Persia to India and Egypt. During his time, the Kingdom of Macedonia was the most powerful state in the world; but after his death, the empire fell apart and it became the first Roman province in 146 BC.
Macedonia has three large lakes – Lake Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Dojran Lake. Lake Ohrid is considered to be one of the oldest lakes in the world, estimated at 4 million years old. It is a mountainous country with two different ranges – the younger and higher Šar Mountains and the older mountain chain of Osogovo–Belasica. Other tourist highlights include exploring the capital Skopje's bazaar, the Roman remains at Treskavec Monastery, the 13th century Church of Sveti Jovan at Kaneo and wine tasting in Tikveš Wine Region.
Notable Macedonian dishes include Tavče Gravče (Bean Stew), Šopska salad, Pastrmajlija (Macedonian Pizza), Burek (savoury filled pastry), Sarma (cabbage rolls), Selsko Meso (roast meat with mushrooms, wine and cheese) and Kifli (bread rolls). I opted to make Kjoftinja (meatballs) with aioli dip which I served as a snack to accompany drinks to celebrate my birthday! My family all really enjoyed them and the only criticism (from my nephew) was that they weren't uniformly round!
500g ground beef
300g ground pork
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 slices white bread
flour for rolling
Quick aioli dip
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
Remove crusts from bread slices and soak them in a bowl with the wine
Mix together the beef and pork mince, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and mint
Add the bread and egg and knead the mixture to blend well together (you can put the mix in the fridge if you're not ready to cook them yet)
Preheat the oven to 160
Shape into 1-inch balls, dust with flour, and fry in hot vegetable oil for at least 10 minutes, taking care not to burn them
When meatballs are browned on all sides, place in them in the oven on a covered tray for 10 minutes
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with aioli dip
Aioli dip
Mash garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt in small bowl until paste forms
Whisk in mayonnaise, olive oil, and lemon juice
Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper
Ingredients for Kjoftinja (meatballs)
Kjoftinja (meatballs)
Frying the Kjoftinja (meatballs)
Kjoftinja (meatballs) with aioli dip
Church of Sveti Jovan at Kaneo overlooking Lake Ohrid
Skopje square
Guatemala, meaning 'place of many trees', is a heavily forested and mountainous nation in Central America. The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. Today over half of Guatemalans are descendants of the indigenous Maya peoples with the majority living in the western highlands. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821.
Guatemala's highlands lie along the Motagua Fault, part of the boundary between the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates. This fault has been responsible for several major earthquakes in historic times, including a 7.5 magnitude tremor on February 4, 1976 which killed more than 25,000 people. Guatemala has 37 volcanoes, four of them active: Pacaya, Santiaguito, Fuego and Tacaná. Both Fuego and Pacaya erupted in 2010. In May 2010, an area of 65 ft (20 m) across and 300 ft (90 m) deep, collapsed in Guatemala City, swallowing a three story factory. The sinkhole occurred for a combination of reasons, including Tropical Storm Agatha, the Pacaya Volcano eruption, and leakage from sewer pipes.
Despite it having the largest economy in Central America, it is one of the poorest countries with over half the population living in poverty. Tourism has become one of the main drivers of the economy, worth $1.8 billion in 2008. There are many highlights for the visitor including the Mayan archaeological sites of Tikal, Quiriguá, Iximche and Guatemala City, Lake Atitlan (named by some as the most beautiful lake in the world) and the natural pools of Semuc Champey.
Guatemalan cuisine is based on Spanish and Mayan cuisine. Some popular dishes include Chicken Pepian (chicken in spicy pumpkin and sesame sauce), Chiles rellenos (stuffed chilli peppers), Caldos (stews), Tamales (filled corn dough) and Kaq ik (turkey stew). I decided to make Chicharrones (fried pork rinds), basically pork scratchings as we like to call them! It is a popular snack found across Latin America with different variations. In Guatemala they are usually eaten with tortilla, some salt, and maybe a pickled Jalapeño pepper. Although it was a lengthy process for what is just a snack, it was definitely worth the effort – the best pork scratchings you'll ever taste!
Rating: 10/10
Serves: 2 as a snack
Prep time: 10 mins + 8 hours cooling
Cook time: 1 hour boiling + overnight drying in the oven
350g pork skin, trimmed of excess fat
Plenty of cooking oil or lard (for frying)
Put your pork skin in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot, and allow to cook for 1 hour
Boil until the skin is softened (but not falling apart) and the water is white
(To keep the skins submerged in the water, you may want to weigh them down by placing a heat-resistant plate on top of them as they boil)
Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove your pork skin from the boiling water and lay it on a cooling rack set over a baking tray. Discard the cooking water
After 5 minutes, put the pork skin still on the cooling rack over the baking tray in the fridge for 8 hours
Use a spoon to remove any fat clinging to the bottom of the pork skin. The fat should separate from the skin easily. Be careful not to tear the skin, as it will be still be soft from cooking
Set the oven to its lowest setting. Aim for no higher than 93c. Place the skin on their cooling rack and baking sheet in the oven overnight
Remove from the oven and leave to cool
Cut the dried skin into long strips or small squares and sprinkle with a little black pepper and cayenne pepper (or you can just leave them plain if you prefer)
Heat a deep-sided pan over high heat. When it is hot, add lard or cooking oil. Fry the chicharrónes one or two at a time, prodding them until they puff up and start to float. When done, remove the chicharrónes to a paper-towel lined plate.
Sprinkle with a good amount of salt and serve (with a cold beer!)
Although it is a lengthy process, it's not difficult so it may be wise to do double or quadruple this recipe as they will keep for a couple of weeks in a sealed container, if they last that long!
Ingredients for Chicharrones
Boiling the pork skin
Cooling the pork skin
Dried pork skin
Chicharrones
Frying the Chicharrones
Chicharrones served with ice cold beer
Enjoying Chicharrones!
Volcan di Agua, Antigua, Guatemala
Lake Atitlan
Semuc Champey
Tikal, Guatemala
May 16, 2016 January 31, 2017 Leave a comment
The Republic of Latvia was founded on 18 November 1918 but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 – an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. It is situated in the Baltic region of Northern Europe and is one of the three Baltic states along with Estonia and Lithuania. Latvia became a member of the European Union in 2004. Most of Latvia's territory is less than 100 metres above sea level and it has the 5th highest proportion of land covered by forests in the European Union. Latvia has a long tradition of conservation. Nationally protected areas account for around 20% of Latvia's total land area. The 2012 Environmental Performance Index ranks Latvia second, after Switzerland, based on the environmental performance of the country's policies.
Arvids Blumentāls aka the original Crocodile Dundee (he was the inspiration behind the Crocodile Dundee character played by Paul Hogan) was born in Latvia.
Riga, Latvia's capital, was the European Capital of Culture 2014 and it's historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is famous for notable wooden and art nouveau architecture, a vast Central Market and a medieval Old Town. Riga Cathedral was founded in 1211 and is the largest medieval church in the Baltic. Other Latvia highlights are emerald lakes and blueberry fields in Latgale Lakelands, Cape Kolka (desolate coastal villages) and Gauja National Park. The Venta Rapid, a waterfall on the Venta River in Kuldīga, is the widest waterfall in Europe at 249 metres and up to 270 metres during spring floods. Its height is 1.80–2.20 metres.
Latvian cuisine features meat in most main dishes. Pork and potatoes are common ingredients, along with cabbage, onions and eggs. It also offers plenty of varieties of bread and milk products, which are an important part of the Latvian cuisine. Some recipes I found include Rupjmaize (dark rye bread), Kāpostu tīteņi (cabbage rolls), Biezpiena sieriņš (pressed cottage cheese) and Skābeņu zupa (sorrel soup). I decided to make Pīrāgi (bacon pies), which I served as a snack to guests and they went down very well indeed.
Prep time: 1.5 hour + 1.5 hours proving time
For the dough
125ml cream
4 tsps dry yeast
125g butter, cubed
125g sour cream
1kg plain flour
1 egg, lightly whisked
500g streaky bacon
Extra flour for rolling
Put 385ml of milk and cream in a saucepan and add the sugar. Heat the mixture until it becomes blood warm. (Test by placing couple drops on your wrist, if the milk feels very hot, let it cool down a bit. Do not get the milk to the boiling point as it will kill the yeast.)
Place the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl and add 115ml of milk. Combine well and set aside for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, pour the heated milk mixture and add cubed butter, sour cream and the whisked egg, combine well.
Add the yeast, sifted flour and salt and mix until all is combined well to create the dough. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and does not stick to the hands or the bowl (add a bit more flour if necessary).
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and place in a warm spot for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours).
Meanwhile, make the filling: finely cut the bacon and the onion, add a teaspoon of finely ground pepper and combine well.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Whisk the egg in a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of milk and set aside.
Sprinkle some flour on the rolling surface and place the dough on it. Cut it in quarters and work on each quarter at a time by rolling it until the dough is 5 mm thick.
Cut out circles about 6 cm in diameter. Place one teaspoon of filling on one side of the circle and fold over. Tightly press the dough together using your fingers, place pīrāgis seam side down and bend in a shape of a half moon.
Transfer pies on to the baking tray, spaced about 2 cm apart. Using a pastry brush, brush each pie with the egg wash.
Place the tray in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown.
Ingredients for Pīrāgi
Pīrāgi dough
Pīrāgi (space them further apart than shown in this picture)
Pīrāgi
Riga old town
Art nouveau, Riga
I'm lucky enough to have been to Chile and it really is one of the most stunning countries in the world with a remarkable variety of climates and landscapes. It stretches for 4,000 km down the west coast of South America between the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, but averages only 175 km wide. Chilean territory also includes the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island in Oceania. Chile claims about 1,250,000 square km of Antarctica, although all claims are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty. 80% of Chile is covered by mountains.
The diverse climate of Chile ranges from the world's driest desert in the north—the Atacama Desert—through a Mediterranean climate in the centre, humid subtropical in Easter Island, to an oceanic climate, including alpine tundra and glaciers in the east and south.
Some facts about this extremely diverse nation:
The Atacama Desert is the driest place in the world. It witnessed the longest record of 40 years without rain.
The world's southernmost city "Puerto Williams" is in Chile.
Chile has the second largest volcano chain in the world after Indonesia and Ojos del Salado Volcano, located on the border of Chile and Argentina, is the highest active volcano in the world.
Escondida is the largest copper mine in the world and Chile produces a third of the world's copper.
It ranks 5th in the world for wine production, at 1,832,000 tonnes per annum.
Gabriela Mistral was the first Latin American to receive a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945.
Chile's national bird, the Andean condor is the largest flying bird in the world by combined measurement of weight and wingspan. It has a maximum wingspan of 3.3 m.
The largest bunch of grapes ever grown was by Bozzolo Y Perut Ltda of Santiago, Chile weighing 9.4 kg (20 lb 11½oz).
Having had first hand experience, there are so many attractions for the visitor. My highlights would include the breathtaking Torres del Paine National Park, meandering up the steep hills in Valparaiso, the peace and tranquility watching El Tatio Geysers in the Atacama desert at sun break and sipping wine whilst watching the beautiful sunset at La Serena beach.
Chilean cuisine takes influence from traditional Spanish, as well as the indigenous Mapuche culture. Recipes in Chile are notable for the variety of flavours and ingredients, with the country's diverse geography and climate. There are many regional specialities including asado (barbequed meat) in the north, Pastel de choclo (layered pie with meat and corn) from the central valley and Mapuche chicken in the south. Other popular recipes include cazuela (stew with fish, meat or poultry), Chicharrón de papa (meat and fat from llama and lamb, boiled and then fried) and Leche asada (baked milk dessert with caramel). I decided to make empanadas, as I remember enjoying them very much when I was in Chile. They can be filled with a variety of ingredients, but traditionally they are filled with minced beef & onions. The recipe I found also included raisins, olives & hard boiled egg in the filling, which I'm not a fan of, so I opted to leave these out. The pastry was very simple to make and easy to work with. I will definitely be experimenting with different fillings.
Makes 10 – 12
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 1 hour 10 mins
1 lb all-purpose flour
3 oz melted butter
For the beef filling:
2 tbsp of oil
2 lb good quality minced beef
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp of cumin
1 large onion chopped
Optional other filling ingredients:
20 black olives, chopped
40 raisins
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
To make the dough:
Mix together the milk, water and salt and stir until salt is completely dissolved
In a large bowl combine the flour and egg yolks, and mix using a knife
Add butter and gradually add the milk & water mix to form a dough
Knead dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic
At this point you can put it in clingfilm in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
To make the filling:
In a large frying pan, heat oil at medium to high heat
Fry the meat for 3 minutes without mixing
Turn over and brown for another couple of minutes
Add paprika, oregano, salt, pepper and cumin, and mix well
Add water and chopped onion
Cover and cook for 30 minutes on low heat
Add flour and mix well, modifying the seasoning if you like
Turn off heat, leave to cool and refrigerate
Preheat oven to 175c
Separate dough into 10 – 12 portions and cover with a clean kitchen cloth
Working each portion individually, shape into a ball and with a rolling pin smooth out the dough to about the size of a side plate (8 inches)
Fill each with 2 tablespoons of beef (you can also add a few raisins, chopped olives & chopped hard boiled egg if you like them)
Make sure to release trapped air before closing. Lightly brush the edges with milk, press firmly and fold. Brush the top of the empanadas with egg before putting them in the oven.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until browned, keeping a close eye on them. If they bubble up or swell, poke with a toothpick, so that they don't come undone or open up.
Ingredients for Empanadas
Making the empanada dough
Empanada dough
Empanada filling
El Tatio geysers, Atacama desert
Maoi statues, Easter Island


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Tag Archives: Joint Forces Command
NSS and SDSR 2015: My review of the military context
Posted on November 24, 2015 by ipeanddevelopment
The National Security Review and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 has been published, rather late in the day but nevertheless published. One immediate difference from the 2010 reviews is that both the National Security Strategy (NSS) and the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) are combined together. That makes a big difference, but I'll deal with the strategy part in a later post. First, the military (which forms the defence part):
The Royal Navy:
* Senior service in the NSS and SDSR 2015 stays almost as expected.
* Major ships in surface fleet stay at the small number of 19. But only eight/8 x Type 26 Global combat Ships will be ordered, the anti-submarine variant with Sonar 2087. Five more will appear later, but possibly more with a revised version for "General Purposes". As many point out, this goes back to the original C1 and C2 variants. Would we thus get more than thirteen/13 type 26 frigates? What exactly will this GP variant be like? Will it have Mk41 Vertical Launch Silos (VLS)? Or are they copying my old idea?
* The graphic shows "up to 6 Patrol Vessels". Batch 2 River-Class Frigates for sure, plus HMS Clyde, plus the two more that the document (page 31) that will be ordered. I suspect these two/2 additional vessels will also be Batch 2 River-Class? So goodbye to the Batch 1 Offshoere Patrol Vessels (OPV). All seems really good–These can help patrol the Caribbean to some extent and release Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessels for other more pressing commitments. It well, also means the Scottish workers have more secured jobs for a while. Lucky them.
* No mention of other patrol vessels, especial the Gibraltar Squadron. Will there be any change?
* Only twelve/12 Mine-counter measure vessels are specified in the graphic, down from the fifteen/15 the Royal Navy has at present. No mention if these are the Mine countermeasures and Hydrographic Capability (MHC) future variant, though they are likely to be. That's ok but only if they can extend their reach to the present commitments–the MENA area–or possibly elsewhere.
* Goodbye HMS Ocean. No mention in the graphic or elsewhere. Instead, "We will enhance a Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier to support this amphibious capability." That, as I and many others point out, is not a practical use of the QEC but well has to be.
* The LPDs and LSDs will stay, ok.
* No mention of the Point-Class Ro-Ros, but they will likely stay.
* No mention of the Merlin HM4/Mk4 variants, oh wait, they put that under the Army graphic. Typo or just saying it's Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) controlled?
* Royal Marines with Arctic capability. Well, not exactly new; they have operated in Norway for a long time.
* Six/6 Fleet Tankers. Is this four/4 Tide-Class tankers plus the two/2 Wave-Class fuel and support tankers/support ships? Will the Wave-Class ships be replaced in the distant future? Ok, not a worry.
* Three/3 Fleet Solid Support Ships. At present it is RFA Fort Victoria, RFA Fort Rosalie and RFA Fort Austin. Will Fort Rosalie and Fort Austin be replaced by newer Solid Support Ships, again built in South Korea?
* No mention of a replacement for RFA Argus and RFA Diligence. So sad though you did say it it was to be considered. Liar.
* Likely or most likely no change in the number of Merlin HM2/MK2 ASW/ASAC helicopters. Which you know, means a tight Tailored Air Group (TAG). Boo…
*Type 45s may be part of a future Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD).
* Not forgetting the Queen-Elizabeth Class Carriers. Still no confirmation how they will operate, especially with HMS Ocean going away. The TAG is questionable even with the 138 F-35B order which will arise only in the distant future. There are still questions regarding the order. For example, this report says "It means the UK will have 24 F35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft available on its two new aircraft carriers by 2023." Does that mean 24 on one operational carrier or 24×2 = 48 on both carriers? Let's take it as 24 on HMS Queen Elizabeth. What about the 138-24 others (besides OCU and OEU?) As Justin Bronk points out, could they be the A version?
* Of course, Successor-class, that is the SSBNs will be procured. The submarines that cannot do anything.
British Army:
* The Army 2020 model is no more; it is Army 2025. Instead of the austerity-linked but nice plan by General Sir Nicholas Carter (see this), the Army 2025 plan alters the Reaction and Adaptable Forces. Now there will be two/2 x Armoured Infantry (AI) Brigades, down from 3 from the original plan and a change from the typical division size. Wait, two/2 "Strike Brigades" that that could quickly deploy anywhere with independent logistical footprint.
* Strike Brigades?! They want to draw in the 589 Ajax (SCOUT SV) Brigades to form these brigades. But Ajax was to be for the original 3 AI brigades, not playing with a new fantasy fleet concept. What will these Strike Brigades consist of? Say one of the existing AIs and one brigade from the Adaptable Force (AF), maybe 7th Infantry Brigade. What else besides Ajax? Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) formerly UV, formerly FRES UV. Ok. But what else? How on earth are they independent in terms of logistics? And if you need to deploy a division, will the Strike Brigade (single) become a AI?
* A further question: What happens to the third Challenger 2 Armour regiment with these Strike Brigades? Will the disband/stay in suspended animation or will they be re-organised into the two other AI brigades? Good that Challenger 2 LEP will continue but well tank's gun is outdated.
* Warrior CSP will continue–will all the six/6 Armoured Infantry battalions get the CTA 40mm gun?
* Upgraded helicopters–expected, nothing new.
* "Two innovative brigades comprising a mix of Regulars and specialist capabilities from the Reserves able to contribute to our strategic communications, tackle hybrid warfare and deliver better battlefield intelligence." From the AF brigades? What will these be? MRV-P centred?
* 16 Air Assault Brigade stays but any change?
* Field Hospitals stay in the Joint Force (Command). See below.
* No mention of the Armoured Battlefield Support Vehicle (ABSV).
* No mention of upgrades or replacement for the Defender planes or Gazelle.
* No core mention of MIV and MRV-P and other key projects that will replace soon to OSD assets.
* Of course, the magical 77th Brigade will remain as a soft-power enabler.
* Hey look, Commander Land Forces is now Commander Field Army. Great priority change.
* It gains the most as it did in the 2010 SDSR. Junior Service wins.
* 20 "Protector" RPAS, basically MQ-9 Repear upgraded. Not new, announced before.
* Nine/9 PBoeing P-8 Poseidon, the expensive US MPA, to be based at RAF Lossiemouth. The usual cheers around, and it shows how incorrect Mark Hookham is. But 1) They wont appear instantly; 2) RAF and the Royal Navy have no air-launched Harpoons left so they can't conduct ASuW 3) UK Stingray torpedoes and MK 11 depth charges need to be integrated onboard. Its "overland surveillance capability" is questionable.
* Amazingly, Sentinel R1, the formerly to-be-scrapped aircraft, will stay on "into the next decade". Possibly they will help the P-8s or act as interim aircraft until the P-8s reach Full Operational Capability (FOC).
* They "el-cheapo: Shadow R1 will stay on until 2030. Really not bad for a propeller plane that could be taken up be Defender (theoretically). And the UK will get two more of them, bringing the total to eight.
* Sentry E-3 and the Rivet Joint (not Air Seeker!!!) stay on till 2035. Any upgrades darling?
* Hey, you didn't want to keep the C-130s before. Hey! You are keeping 14 of the J models. Plus still aiming for 22 A400Ms plus just only 8 C-17ERs. Suddenly there's the money to keep the C-130s? Ok, the Special Forces are really happy. More on that later…
* Along with the P-8s and keeping of Sentinel R1, you get this new drone that "will fly at the very edge of the earth's atmosphere and allow us to observe our adversaries for weeks on end". As Beth Stevenson points out, it is likely to be the "Airbus Defence & Space Zephyr high-altitude pseudo-satellite".
* T1 Typhoons to form additional 2 x Squadrons, but only around 12 planes each, down from the 13-15 as seen in FOIAs like this. It is yet to be seen where they will be based given that RAF Lossiemouth will be choked full of planes.
* F-35s as above. But with the great projected order, isn't it time to given all light blues and all dark blues to Squadrons and dark blue FAA Squadrons?
* Voyager Fleet: You get Cameron Fore One or PM Force One. Save money, give prestige it works out well. But please UK, don't abuse it.
* The Future UCAV research project with France will continue. Yay..
Joint Forces (Command):
* Special Forces will get the most high-tech equipment. But with a shrunken active force, you would (still) struggle to get enough people to operate this. More later…
* Will you even have enough reserve special forces personnel?
* Joint Force Command, particularly, PJHQ, will get more stars (my FOIA). With a shrunken force, don't try a top-heavy leadership. Won't sound out well with the lower ranks.
* Space Operations Centre–a mouthful. For non-military means as well?
* How much effort will be place on cyber, since it is a Tier One threat?
Larger questions:
* So much of the SDSR and NSS is on equipment. How about personnel shortfalls? Getting women and minorities into the armed forces is only one bit to gain strength. You won't get enough personnel for these major high tech assets–the carriers, the surface ships, the submarines, the F-35s, the additional Typhoons, the Army units etc. Personnel shortages hasn't but must be addressed.
* When will the new equipment and assets be ready?
* Buying Yank stuff. Do you have a plan if prices increase?
* Will you really spend 2% of GDP on Defence and ho much contingency money is there?
* Any plans to increase, not alter, the personnel size? Or will you make cuts to unit strengths? No use claiming to have a division-sized force when the companies or battalions are under-sized.
* Will the joint model between departments (not JFC), ie. DFID, FCO, improve?
* How much change will there be for this Joint Force 2025 between now and 2020?
Next up, reviewing the Strategy…
PS: Did I miss anything out?
Posted in British Army, Defence & Security, Royal Air Force, Royal Marines, Royal Navy	| Tagged 2010 SDSR, 77th Brigade, A400M, ABSV, Adaptable Force, Ajax, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, Armoured Battlefield Support Vehicle, Armoured Infantry Brigade, Army 2020, Army 2025, ASuW, ASW, British Armed Forces, British Army, C-130J, C-17, Cam Force One, CFA, Challenger 2, CLF, Commander Field Army, Commander Land Forces, Conservative Party, Department for International Development, DFID, E-3 AWACS, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-35B, FCO, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, FRES UV, Gazelle, General Sir Nicholas Carter, Global Combat Ship, JFC, Joint Force 2025, Joint Force Command, Joint Forces Command, LPD, LSD, Mechanised Infantry Vehicle, Merlin HC3, Merlin HC3A, Merlin HC4, Merlin Helicopter, Merlin Mk1, Merlin Mk2, MIV, MQ-9 Reaper, MRV-P, Multi Role Vehicle-Protected, NSS, NSS 2010, NSS 2015, Out of Service Date, P-8 Possession, personnel shortfall, pinchpoints, PJHQ, RAF Lossiemouth, Reaction Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, SAG, SCOUT SV, SDSR 2015, Security Assistance Group, Sentinel R1, Sentry E-3, Shadow R1, Special Forces, Special Forces Support Group, Strike Brigade, Tranche 1, Type 26 Frigate, UV, Voyager, Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme
From SDSR 2010 to 2015: The "positives"
Posted on May 9, 2015 by ipeanddevelopment
Well the Conservatives are in full power and they will dominate the decision making for the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). People of course will remember the Treasury-led 2010 SDSR which was more of a review to find monetary savings, not to instruct defence plans and to consider security threats. Inasmuch as it wasn't really a review, the years after until 2015 saw several "positives" for UK defence assets and policies. Below is a (quite incomplete) list of UK defence procurement and initiatives that hae take place, due to the 2010 SDSR as well as the security threats subsequently.
Royal Navy/Royal Marines
* The creation of the annual COUGAR task force/the Response Force Task Group (RFTG)
See for example COUGAR 11
* The ordering of the four MARS Tankers (under the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA))
* The ordering of the Lynx Wildcat
* The ordering of the Sea Venom and Martlet missiles
* The planning of the Type 26 Frigate
* Bringing both QECs into active serivce.
* Arming up to 4 x Type 45 Destroyers will Harpoon ASuW missiles
* Forming Army 2020
* Bringing Herrick Urgent Operational Requirements (UOR)s into core
* SCOUT SV planning and contract
* Planning and ordering of support aircraft such as the Voyager, A400M, Rivet Joint
* Typhoon enhancements
* Chinook JULIUS project
* The Taranis demonstrator/Unmanned Combat Aircraft (UCAV) project
Joint Forces
* The creation of Joint Forces Command (JFC)
* Levene Reform (which resulted in the the creation of the JFC)
Posted in British Army, Defence & Security, Royal Air Force, Royal Marines, Royal Navy	| Tagged 2010 SDSR, 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, A400M, aircraft carrier, Army 2020, British Army, Chinook JULIUS, Conservative Party, core budget, COUGAR, defence cuts, Eurofighter Typhoon, General Election 2015, HMS Queen Elizabeth, JFC, Joint Forces Command, Levene Reform, Lynx Wildcat, MARS Tankers, ministry of defence, QEC, Queen Elizabeth-class, RAF, Response Force Task Group, RFTG, Rivet Joint, Royal Air Force, Royal Marines, Royal Navy, SCOUT SV, Taranis, Typhoon, UCAV, UK Armed Forces, Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle, UOR, Urgent Operational Requirement, Voyager
The Royal Tank Regiment: Back in the CBRN game
Posted on August 7, 2014 by ipeanddevelopment
NB: An edited version was published here: http://www.defenceviewpoints.co.uk/defence-news/british-armys-cbrn-capability . I thank defenceviewpoints for publishing the article.
The 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review mentioned a clear role for the/a Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear (CBRN) unit as part of the future high readiness force. Yet, on one of the lesser known impacts of this SDSR was that the Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear Regiment (not the best link, do search the archive yourselves) would cease to be a joint unit. Instead, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment would transfer all CBRN authority/work/equipment to the Royal Air Force, specifically the RAF Regiment's 27 Squadron. This was formally announced by the Royal Tank Regiment on 05 August 2011 and in the 2011 CBRN newsletter.
Personally, there is nothing wrong with shifting the CBRN role from a joint Army-RAF unit to just a RAF unit (27 Squadron is actually backed up by a RAF Reserve Regiment, 2623 (East Anglian). Together, they make up the "Defence CBRN Wing", or 20 Wing RAF Regiment.) After all, 1 RTR was slated to merge with 2 RTR under the Army 2020 plan. It could be argued that this transfer out removed the key vehicle for CBRN, Fuchs, as seen in this House of Commons Written Question by MP Angus Robertson (Robertson loves to ask a heck load of defence-related questions as compared to front bench shadow ministers!) That would mean despite having the CBRN Wing, the CBRN capability might be reduced–one wonders which vehicles the wing used/uses now. However, Fuchs or no Fuchs, CBRN wasn't exactly removed from the British Armed Forces, as so idiotic blogger suggested.
Fast forward to 2013/2014. The Royal Tank Regiment became the full RTR in August 2014. But before then, the Colonel-in-Chief issued this statement about the RTR's structure:
We have therefore decided that, upon amalgamation, the three armoured squadrons in the Royal Tank Regiment will be known as AJAX, BADGER, and CYCLOPS. Command and Reconnaissance Squadron will be known as DREADNAUGHT, and Headquarters Squadron will be known as EGYPT. Should there be a future CBRN Area Surveillance and Reconnaissance (AS&R) Squadron, it will be known as FALCON…Finally, I should take this opportunity to say something about the formation of the CBRN AS&R squadron. As I write this message, there is a strong possibility that the RTR will be invited to generate an additional squadron to meet this task, over and above our Type 56 Armoured Regiment role. But the Defence Board has not yet made a final decision, so the task may yet fail to materialise, or (less likely) could be given to some other unit to perform. I have been involved in a host of high levels discussions about this task, both as your Colonel Commandant and as a member of the Army Command Group. My position throughout has been that the Army and Defence need an AS&R capability, that the RTR has demonstrated the ability to provide it, and that we stand ready to do so again. My one proviso has been to say that it would not be sensible to double-hat this capability with that of an armoured sub-unit: it needs to be a squadron in its own right. Hopefully, we will know the outcome on this issue within the next few months.
(see the full news article.)
And then came another House of Commons Written Question, this time by MP Nicholas Soames. Minister Mark Francois replied with a hint:
Under the Army 2020 structure, the Royal Armoured Corps will be formed of 10 Regular Regiments made up of three Armoured Regiments, three Armoured Cavalry Regiments and three Light Cavalry Regiments with the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment continuing to support public duties and ceremonial commitments; four Reserve Regiments and one independent Regular squadron providing a Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Area, Survey and Reconnaissance capability.
(see the full parliamentary reply.)
And true enough to the above statements, the British Army news release (above) stated that the new RTR would consist of "three Main Battle Tank squadrons (AJAX, BADGER, CYCLOPS), a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Area Survey and Reconnaissance squadron (FALCON), a Command and Reconnaissance squadron (DREADNAUGHT) and a Support squadron (EGYPT)." So in effect, the CBRN role is back under the British Army's control again.
Several questions still remain. First, will this squadron be joined back with the RAF CBRN Wing or remain separate? The news release states that the RTR will be under "part of 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade and 8 Engineer Brigade." We know from the old Army 2020 orbat that the RTR will be under 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade. But the report stated "8 Engineer Brigade", a Force Troops Command unit. Could FALCON squadron be under 8 Engineer Brigade, and which unit specifically? Second, what vehicle(s) will FALCON squadron use? A quick search reveals that actually the Fuchs vehicle is "back", unlike what then Minister Peter Luff said. So could they be back on Fuchs? The Fuchs vehicle is ageing and will need a replacement. Perhaps a version of the SCOUT SV/PMRS? Third, and back to structures, how will FALCON squadron operate? Will it be part of the capacity building part of Army 2020? Will it remain under Land Command or come under Joint Forces Command? These questions still linger as we welcome the RTR back into the CBRN game.
Note: To correct the silly mainstream media reports, the British Army is NOT "reduced to a single tank regiment" (I dont want to hyperlink the media sites) Army 2020 plans (see my ORBAT or the British Army Orbat), states that there will be 3 Type 56 Challenger 2 Regiments–The Royal Tank Regiment (as above), the Queens Royal Hussars and the King's Royal Hussars. These will be backed up by a single Yeomanry regiment (Army Reserve), the Royal Wessex Yeomanry. Understand this!
Posted in British Army, Royal Air Force	| Tagged 1 Amoured Infantry Brigade, 1st Royal Tank Regiment, 20 Wing RAF Regiment, 2010 SDSR, 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, 2623 [East Anglian] Squadron RAuxAF Regiment, 27 Squadron, 27 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment, 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, 8 Engineer Brigade, Adaptable Force, Angus Robertson, Army 2020, Army Reserve, Biological, British Army, Colonel-in-Chief, Defence CBRN Wing, defencenewpoints, FALCON Squadron, Fuchs, House of Commons, Joint CBRN Regiment, Joint Chemical, Joint Forces Command, Radiation and Nuclear Regiment, RAF Regiment, RAF Reserve, Reaction Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Tank Regiment, SDSR, squadron, Strategic Defence and Security Review, The Royal Tank Regiment, Written Question

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


NFL, UMES and CIAA Hall of Famer Art Shell returns to host the tournament and bring with him a bevy of friends and colleagues from professional sports and UMES Athletic lore. The celebrities will partner with foursomes on the course to enjoy a full round of fundraising golf.
Among those returning is Redskin Great and Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams who attended his first event last year.
As it did when it debuted in 2010, the Art Shell UMES Junior Tournament will feature an 18-hole tournament on June 11 for golfers ages 11-to-18.
The next day, the Art Shell UMES Celebrity Golf Classic gets underway for adults with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Golfers will play 18 holes in a scramble format and attend an awards dinner in the Henson Center on the UMES campus that evening.
In addition to Williams, other celebrity-athletes who are scheduled to tee it up June 12 include gridiron greats Otis Sistrunk, Carl Kammerer, Reggie Branch, Clint Harris, Emanuel McNeil and UMES alumni Curtis Gentry, Earl Christy, Emerson Boozer and Mack Alston.
Some history-making professional golfers will participate as well. One is James Black, who at age 21 became the first black golfer to card a first-round 67 in his PGA Tour debut in 1964. Fred Engh, a UMES Hall of Fame golfer and the first Caucasian student-athlete in UMES history will also be there. Fred, a noted author is also the founder of the National Alliance for Youth Sports and creator of the Hook A Kid on Golf program.
UMES' Golf Academy director and men's golf head coach Marshall Cropper, the Shell tournament director and former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins, said it should be another great year for the event.
"We see having the junior golfers participate as a way of introducing them to a course of study at the university," Cropper said. "Of course, we hold the tournament to raise funds to help students enrolled in our golf management program and our athletic department. This lets the golfers and celebrities know we are serious about golf at UMES from juniors through college students, they can see their investment in action."
UMES is one of 20 colleges in the nation with the PGA-sanctioned major, and the only one at a historically black institution. Students in the program not only hone their golf game, they also learn the business and marketing skills golf resorts and related venues look for in club professionals.
"Since this golf event began in 1991, it has always attracted the interest of local golfers - and the support of local businesses," said Cropper, a UMES graduate. "We and our students are counting on both again this year."


text:
Howie Roseman Can't Save the Eagles
Andy Reid isn't the Birds only staffing problem.
By Michael Bradley·	 11/12/2012, 9:06 a.m.
As the final seven weeks of the season melt mercifully away, Eagles fans won't even be able to find solace in the hope that by next fall there will be a new regime in place that is capable of assembling a winning plan. Last week's revelation that owner Jeffrey Lurie quietly signed GM/bean counter Howie Roseman to a contract extension before the season assured that.
If Lurie does cut Andy Reid loose, and Sunday's loss to the Cowboys pushed the Eagles' overlord closer to that inevitability, Roseman's entrenched status should not fill fans with the confidence the team will be able to turn its fortunes around any time soon. Roseman's track record as a drafter and his lack of experience as a full-fledged personnel director, give the Eagles little chance of creating a new culture that can push the franchise toward true Super Bowl contention.
And, don't kid yourself; this team needs a complete personality switch. The Eagles are playing uninspired, sloppy ball and seem to get worse every week. Reid said it best toward the end of Sunday night's post-game press conference.
"We made too many mistakes," he said. "They were different than the week before."
In other words, this team is finding new ways to screw up every game. That's as good an indication as there is that this franchise's culture is damaged substantially, and the only way to fix it–if Lurie chooses to do so–is by starting at the top and building from there. There is little chance fans will feel good about next season if the Eagles keep Roseman in place as a reminder of the failures of the past two seasons and give him the ability to chart the franchise's next course. In fact, it would be practically disastrous.
It's bad enough that the Eagles' last few drafts have been mediocre, at best. Add in the fact that veteran acquisitions like Nnamdi Asomugha, Cullen Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Demetress Bell have been uninspiring, and it's no wonder news that Roseman had been extended hit an already-staggering Eagles fan base like a knockout punch. Roseman may have gathered front office experience during his tenure in Philadelphia, but he did so at the feet of Reid, hardly the best teacher. Giving him responsibility for starting over might make fans pine for, gulp, Joe Banner.
This is nothing personal against Roseman. It's just that with the most important decisions of recent Eagles decision waiting to be made, entrusting a relative football greenhorn with the job of hiring a new coach and making the necessary personnel decisions is irresponsible. Lurie must understand that from both public relations and football angles, any change must be thorough. He can't get rid of Reid and keep Roseman. The past two seasons have proven that those two cannot get it done. Keeping either of them would not be good for business.
Not that there is a guarantee Lurie will fire Reid. Remember that. No matter how bad things seem now, it would be easy for the owner to use the crippling offensive line injuries as a convenient excuse to keep the coach. He could also remember how much the success Reid has enjoyed during parts of his tenure has contributed to the huge rise in value of the Eagles franchise. Owners are bottom line guys, and when a coach helps your asset reach $1.26 billion in worth, you tend to have a level of appreciation for him.
All that said, after watching his team lose for the fifth straight time, something that has never happened on Reid's watch, make a variety of mistakes and fall further from the vicinity of reasonable playoff consideration, it's hard to imagine Lurie's not making a move. The question is whether he will go the distance and create a brand new leadership model or try to let Roseman do it for him.
That would be a big mistake. And though one would consider Lurie smart enough to avoid such errors, remember that he extended Roseman's deal knowing full well that another poor season by the Eagles would force him to sever ties with Reid. By giving Roseman a new contract, Lurie was telling his baby-faced GM that he felt confident Roseman could handle the transition. He may be the only one in Philadelphia who believes that.
Instead of relying on Roseman, Lurie could find a proven lieutenant in some of the top front offices in the NFL. Go for Baltimore's Eric DeCosta. Or John Dorsey of Green Bay. Look at the Giants' Kevin Abrams or Nick Caserio of New England. They have learned the job under some great personnel minds, and they are ready to run teams. We have seen what Roseman can do, and it isn't pretty. Eagles fans had better hope Lurie doesn't fear eating Roseman's deal in the name of a fresh start, because if he does, any excitement that could be generated by Reid's ouster could be diminished greatly by the stale aroma of past failure.
SUCKER PUNCHES
A couple of weeks ago, I implored Phillies GM Ruben Amaro to refrain from any consideration of taking on Alex Rodriguez, if the Yankees offered him around. Now, I am begging Amaro not to consider Texas free agent Josh Hamilton. There have been some whispers that the Phils might be interested, and that would be a mistake. Hamilton is too expensive, too risky and also quite high maintenance. When everything is going well, he's a star of the highest magnitude. But he wants too much money and could explode into a giant mess if his past demons take hold of him. Don't be enticed, Ruben. Stay away.
NHL Players Association executive director Donald Fehr says he "doesn't see a path to an agreement" in the labor dispute between his group and the league's owners. Well, look harder, Don. Your intractability, coupled with the owners' historic hard-line outlook, is threatening a season. The NHL had better face facts that it's not that popular, especially here in the U.S. Continued tough-guy tactics could ruin the league.
In an Eastern Conference that looks as wide-open as could be (after the Heat, of course), the Sixers have the chance to gather some steam during a long homestand that begins tonight against the stumbling Bucks. Last year, a great start helped the Sixers secure a playoff berth. This season, it could get them homecourt advantage and a high seed. Even without Andrew Bynum, the Sixers took three straight on the road. They're not a juggernaut, but they're certainly good enough to beat most of the East.
COVID Turned the Philanthropy World Upside Down
30 Great Philly Nonprofits to Give to This Year


WEFA was founded in 1972 as a subsidiary of Alusuisse. After going through a change of ownership and realigning its strategy, the company began to specialize exclusively on the production of aluminum extrusion dies. Their products are used in the automobile and construction industries as well as in electrical engineering. With the development and subsequent patenting of their own coating process, WEFA made the leap to become the global market leader in the area of coated dies. Their customers include leading aluminum companies and innovative medium-sized pressing plants. Currently, the company has five locations worldwide and employs over 200 people.


text:
Q: Does 2nd Level Cache with Hibernate reduce memory usage or just database accesses? Im primarily using Hibernate to reduce the memory consumption of my application because I can store data in the database instead of in memory. Essentially there is one main entity Song that represents a Music File loaded from a directory, but the first thing I do after adding a song to the database (using hibernate) is add it to a pipeline of executors for further processing, so that instances of object representing each song are still in memory and remain so until the song has been processed so Im not saving much memory.
My first thought was for me to just store the ids of the songs when I add them to the pipleline and only get the actual entity when it is required to be processed but this seems to be working against rather than with Hibernate.
Instead I wondered if I used Ehcache with Hibernate configured to use a Disk Cache would that mean the instances Im using wouldn't be using much memory or would they use as much memory as before once I'd actually had a reference to them in my application.

A: If you have a reference to an entity, then obviously the object is in memory (unless the reference is a reference to a lazy-loaded proxy).
EHCache is used to avoid going to the database too often, and get the entities from the in-memory or on-disk cache. Using it will increase the memory, not decrease it.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
Q: How to include Amazon MWS client library in ZF2 I'm an Amazon vendor and I've also a private e-commerce using Zend Framework 2.
How can I include MWS (Amazon Marketplace Web Service) API resource in ZF2 ?
Amazon give this script (for example) to manage order in Amazon account
https://developer.amazonservices.it/doc/orders/orders/v20130901/php.html
How can I include this script in ZF2?
Thanks....

A: The AWS MWS client library for PHP seems have a quite old codebase; it doesn't utilizing an autoloader mechanism, non-namespaced classes with lot of double underscore prefixed method names everywhere. Aws also have a good PHP sdk but i'm not sure about MWS support.
Anyway, loading a non namespaced 3rd party libraries into a ZF2 application is quite possible via composer. Check out this answer.
You may also want to take a look Guzzle Aws library for an alternative approach.


It is with great sadness, that we announce the passing of Walter Gargul. Walter left this world December 12th, 2010 at the Chilliwack General Hospital with his wife, children and son-in-law by his side. Walter was born in Denmark on October 31st, 1932.
Walter is survived by his wife Ulla, son Kevin, daughter Vicky (Chris), sister Putte and many nieces and nephews from Canada and Denmark. He was predeceased by his brother Jan, sister's Anna and Marie.
Thanks to Dr. Cameron Ross for his loving care of Walter over the many years.
A celebration of Walter's life will be held on Saturday, December 18th 2010 at 2:00 p.m. from Henderson's Funeral Home Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation or a charity of your choice.
Walter will be greatly missed as a husband, father, and friend.


text:
San Mateo County boys track athlete of the…
San Mateo County boys track athlete of the year: Chris Waschura, Woodside
By Glenn Reeves | Mercury News, Bay Area News Group, San Mateo County Times
June 14, 2011 at 12:07 p.m.
Once track and field athletes approach elite levels, any improvements made usually are in small increments. That's one reason Chris Waschura's performance at the state meet in Clovis earlier this month was so noteworthy.
Waschura, a junior from Woodside High, was clocked in 4 minutes, 8.29 seconds in the 1,600-meter run at the state finals, taking fifth place. That was an improvement of nearly five seconds from his previous best of 4:13.18.
Now he needs a new set of goals.
"After what I did as a junior, next year I'll be coming back with a vengeance to take first," Waschura said.
Before the state meet, he said he planned to "run his heart out and P.R." Looking ahead, his goal for his senior year was to run the 1,600 in the 4:04 to 4:06 range.
"Definitely what I did at state opens up my goals more," said Waschura, who won the 800 and the 1,600 at the CCS meet. "Going from 4:13 to 4:08, I didn't know I had it in me. It was all about the competition carrying me along. Now I think going close to four minutes next year is a feasible goal."
The four-minute mile is a legendary milestone in the world of sports. The fastest mile in Central Coast Section history was the 4:07.9 run by Willow Glen's Mark Stillman in 1977. Serra's Stan Ross ran 4:08.2 the same year for the San Mateo County record.
Waschura's 4:08.29 for 1,600 meters equates to a 4:09.74 mile, which is fifth in CCS history, second among San Mateo County runners. The only CCS runner to record a faster 1,600 time was Bellarmine's Scott Robinson, who ran 4:07.95 to win the state meet in 1987. The other runner ahead of Waschura on the all-time CCS list is Wilcox's Mike Ryan, who ran a 4:09.5 mile in 1965.
Waschura is the fastest junior in CCS history and is one of the top three juniors in the nation. He has outstanding speed in the 400 for a miler, a key factor in predicting a miler's potential.
"He's done 49.3 in the 400, probably could run 48.5," said distance coach Willie Harmatz, with whom Waschura has been training. "A miler's ultimate potential is based on their leg speed in the 400. If a 4:08 high school miler has 51- or 52-second 400 speed, college coaches won't be that interested. But with Chris' speed, they're very interested."
Waschura has one more race this year, the New Balance Nationals, which take place Thursday through Saturday in North Carolina. Then he will take a week off before resuming training.
"My speed is there, I need to be a little more mentally tough," Waschura said. "I plan on doing more long runs in the hot weather."
Glenn Reeves


Details are very important when decorating, because they help balancing spaces and giving them character and personality. This flatn in Copenhagen is full of accesories and great styling details, which contrast beautifully with the white. Can you find any favorites?
I love the dark colored flowers, following the black-and-white concept, especially how they keep the flat masculine. Pretty interesenting, don't you think?


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text:
Restaurant's entire bar stock worth thousands of pounds to be auctioned in Scunthorpe
Stock from The Cat's Pyjamas restaurant in York will be up for grabs in a Scunthorpe auction along with disco equipment and clothes from a Soho boutique
David ElliottChief Reporter
The entire bar stock of The Cat's Pyjamas restaurant in York will be auctioned in Scunthorpe after the restaurant went into administration (Image: Eddisons CJM)
Thousands of pounds' worth of drinks will be going under the hammer in Scunthorpe after the collapse of a restaurant.
The entire bar stock of The Cat's Pyjamas, a York city centre restaurant which specialised in the street food of south India, will be up for grabs.
It includes a wide range of craft beers, as well as wines, spirits, mixers and soft drinks.
The auction, which ends on Monday, June 17, will also include mobile disco equipment worth thousands of pounds and clothing which is being sold off following the closure of Soho boutique Other.
The Cat's Pyjamas closed in March, just weeks short of a year after opening and its administrator, Lewis Business Recovery and Insolvency, has now instructed Scunthorpe-based industrial auctioneers Eddisons CJM to sell the restaurant's extensive bar stock.
Auctioneer Paul Cooper said: "One of the restaurant's claims to fame was a spectacular range of craft beers, some of them quite exotic. We have considerable quantities of those as well as thousands of pounds worth of wines, spirits, mixers and soft drinks.
Some of the items up for grabs following the collapse of The Cat's Pyjamas restaurant (Image: Eddisons CJM)
"Most of the stock has been divided up into lots that will appeal to private bidders as well as trade buyers. The 40 lots are being sold without reserve, so they make what they make.
"The most unusual thing we've been sent is the 14ft long shuffleboard that was a feature of the outfit's bar. We know it cost £6,000 when it was installed but it is expected to go for £500 to £1,000 in the auction so that could be a real bargain for anyone with a long, thin games room."
And it is not just the stock from the York restaurant which is expected to catch the eye among potential bidders at the auction, which will be carried out online.
Mr Cooper said: "It is an interesting auction that also sees travelling disco equipment worth many thousands of pounds going under the hammer following a local bankruptcy. The kit includes everything from control desks and record decks to amplifiers, disco lights and even the discs and CDs.
Bar stock from the restaurant has been divided into 40 lots to be auctioned by Scunthorpe-based Eddisons CJM (Image: Eddisons CJM)
"Meanwhile, 80 lots of clothing are being sold off following the closure of Other, a Soho boutique that pioneered gender-fluid retailing, mixing men's and women's fashion together. It is casual clothing but high quality and expensive stuff - there are sweatshirts that had £90 price tags."
A viewing session will be held at Eddisons CJM's Auction Centre on Dunlop Way in Scunthorpe from 10am to noon on Monday, June 17 for potential buyers to look at what is on offer.
The online auction is scheduled to end at 2pm and more information, including the full catalogue, is available on the Eddisons CJM website .
Lincolnshire Lakes plans back on table
Wetherspoons to be town's biggest pub
Wren Kitchens planning huge expansion
Long queues to sample shop's cookies
Queen's birthday honour for businessman
First look around £3.5m development
Work starts on new power station
Heartfelt plea to save steel industry
Ongo agrees finance deal


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This workshop will focus on the updated survey and help participating institutions move from data to action. Workshop sessions will be held on the Bucknell campus, with lodging in Lewisburg, PA. Institutions are encouraged to send two staff members and to formulate questions to dig into during the workshop. The $75 workshop fee includes two meals, snacks, and on-site transportation but not lodging or travel to the campus. To reserve your place early or for questions, please email: nsse@indiana.edu.
Even among institutions with similar characteristics, the student experience varies considerably from one institution to the next according to Bringing the Institution into Focus— Annual Results 2014. Based on more than 355,000 students attending 622 U.S. colleges and universities, NSSE staff found that institutional selectivity has little relation to student-faculty interaction, for example. Institutions with lower selectivity profiles can and often do offer students experiences with faculty that are at least comparable to those at more selective institutions.
Digging deeper into these institution-level results reveals that underrepresented and underprepared students—although disadvantaged in the aggregate—report educational experiences that are not of uniformly lower quality at all institutions.
"Our findings challenge the conventional wisdom that certain characteristics of colleges and universities assure a high-quality educational experience."
Annual Results 2014 also features findings for two of the eight topical modules offered in NSSE 2014—academic advising and experiences with information literacy—followed by an analysis of experimental questions examining students' use of social media. For more information about these pieces, see the selected findings section in this eNews.
This report can be downloaded at no cost from the NSSE website. To order the printed report at $20 for delivery by mail, email us at nsse@indiana.edu.
How Does the Teaching of Information Literacy Differ Among Institutions?
Information literacy is a critical liberal education outcome for today's college student. NSSE results suggest that different types of institutions structure information literacy instruction differently—and that these patterns impact student experiences and behaviors. Click here for more information.
Does Social Media Engage or Distract Students?
Social media's impact in higher education can range from a distraction during classes to a way students build connections with other students to a means of deepening learning through technology-mediated interactions with faculty, staff, and course material. Results show that while many students used social media to connect with student groups, organizations, and other students, fewer used these technologies to learn about educational or career opportunities or to connect with faculty. Go to Annual Results 2014 to read more.
NSSE offers participating institutions many resources for using NSSE data and reports to improve undergraduate education. For example, the recently updated NSSE Data User's Guide with Worksheets provides campus and system leaders practical strategies and customizable tools for sharing results, facilitating discussions, and putting NSSE data to work for accountability, assessment, and improvement on their campuses. Other NSSE resources include FAQ sheets on using survey-participation incentives and interpreting response rates, a psychometric portfolio on NSSE's validity and reliability, and a library of webinars on topics ranging from preparing for your NSSE administration to understanding NSSE's Engagement Indicators. For inquiries about our resources, email us at nsse@indiana.edu.
Examples in Annual Results 2014 from six participating institutions illustrate their uses of NSSE data to 1) increase the campus community's understanding of the survey and what it can reveal, 2) compare results over time and between different student groups, 3) respond to accreditation requirements, and 4) inform improvement initiatives. These examples point to the capacity of the updated NSSE instrument—in particular, its more actionable measures and concise, visually appealing reports—to extend and deepen data use. Nazareth College's story is excerpted below from the report's Using NSSE Data section.
For NSSE 2013, the most recent of Nazareth College's five NSSE administrations, institutional researchers used several approaches to boost response rate and heighten awareness and interest in the survey. They encouraged Nazareth's faculty of mostly first-year or senior-level courses to mention the survey in class, particularly on the same day students received invitations to participate in the survey. They distributed copies of the instrument to the campus community and asked faculty and staff to think about what they wanted to learn from the results—getting the attention of campus leaders already interacting with data and alerting them to the upcoming NSSE administration. With the goal of developing a broader understanding across the campus community about NSSE results and what they reveal, when the college received its Institutional Report 2013, the Snapshot and Engagement Indicator reports were shared with the president's council, which includes representatives from each academic division as well as administrative offices. Follow-up discussions focused on different aspects of the reports, homing in on the Engagement Indicator box-and-whisker charts. While these charts displayed admirable mean scores for the college, they also revealed gaps in the range of students' experiences. Responding to questions about the Snapshot from faculty and staff, institutional researchers compared the results of students who stayed at the college with those of students who left. They found that students who left with a 3.0 GPA or better tended to score low on NSSE items in the Effective Teaching Practices indicator. Discussions of these findings at the annual faculty retreat included sharing ideas about appropriate actions to address the concerns they raised.
NSSE is interested in collecting information about data use for assessment and improvement and learning about innovative practices surrounding student success and engagement. Share your NSSE data-use or improvement story via our online form.
Join NSSE staff, Amy Ribera and Cindy Cogswell, in this interactive webinar to discuss strategies for increasing dissemination and discussion of survey results. This webinar will present the updated NSSE Data User's Guide, a tool that can be adapted and customized to share your NSSE 2013, 2014, or 2015 data and results with different audiences and campus groups. To be ready to participate in the webinar's interactive activities, make sure to have nearby a printed copy of the NSSE Data User's Guide and your institution's Snapshot report!


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'World's Heaviest Living Woman' Pauline Potter features on My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?
Wed May 24, 2017 at 4:08pm ET Sat Jul 04, 2020 at 4:08 pm EDT
By April Neale
Pauline Potter, who has lost 300-lb since her heaviest, with her son Dillon
TLC's My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? tonight features Pauline Potter — who gained the title of World's Heaviest Living Woman from the Guinness Book of World Records in 2011.
Pauline, from Sacramento, California, took the record when she was 643-lb at the age of 47, but she was even heavier when she appeared on My 600-lb Life in 2015 weighing in at 678-lb.
At the time she was desperate for help, relying on her teenage son Dillon to care for her.
She has since lost 300-lb, and has some freedom back as she can dress and cook for herself.
But the toll of her weight presents new problems, as her disfigured legs, which are bowed after her extreme obesity, give her excruciating knee pain and limit her mobility.
Jeanne Covey
Milla Clark-nicest 600-lb Life patient ever? I think she's amazing
Dr. Now, best reality TV personality ever?
She is still dependent on Dillon for transportation, and still lives with him.
Will Pauline finally get enough weight off her frame so she can qualify for skin surgery she needs on her legs?
The Biggest Loser: Is weight-loss TV about to be canceled by modern audiences?
Also on tonight's My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? we revisit Joe Wexler, who weighed almost 800-lb when he appeared on My 600-lb Life.
Joe Wexler behind the wheel on My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?
Housebound and bedridden, his mother was his carer, bringing him food and helping him to keep clean.
However, Joe managed to lose over 100-lb and gained approval from Houston, Texas-based expert Dr. Younan Nowzaradan for weight-loss surgery.
As Joe recovered from his operation and continued to lose weight, he met the love of his life online.
Joe proposed to his girlfriend, Sarah Wall, and the show followed him as he traveled to Iowa to meet her.
Now Wexler, 33, has dropped 418-lb and post skin surgery and gastric bypass he weighs in at 375-lb.
But with new responsibilities and pressures, will Joe's new happy life with Sarah as a husband and stepdad cause him to return to his eating addiction?
My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now airs Wednesday at 8/7c on TLC
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April Neale
April is an accredited entertainment writer, interviewer and television critic. She is a current member of the Television Critics Association (TCA), Gay and Lesbian Entertainment... read more
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Gold Rush: Exclusive interview with Freddy Dodge about his new show Mine Rescue - 14th January 2021
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Tags My 600-lb Life, My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?
My 600-lb Life exclusive update: 'One ton family' Roshanda, Clarence and Brandie...
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My 600-lb Life exclusive: Single mom Ashley Bernard faces do or die...


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Q: Solving $x^2 + y^2 = M$ with $M$ prime This question is related with the topic: Solving $x^2 + y^2 = M$ over integers
I have understood the formula used to determine $(x,y)$ such that $x^2+y^2=M$ with $M$ composite. But what if $M$ is a large prime such as $M=1000000241$ do I have to do only bruteforcing? Are there other methods?
EDIT:
I know that $M$ must be a prime of the form $4k+1$ but how to find $(x,y)$?
Thanks

A: The bad news is that, yes, brute force is [currently] your only real recourse for large primes.
The good news is that primes which are the sum of two squares have a unique representation in that form… so once you find a representation, you're done.

A: $x^2 + y^2 = M$ represents a circle with $(0,0)$ as its center and $\sqrt{M}$ as its radius.
So once you plot this circle on a Cartesian system, then you should be able to find all values of $x$ and $y$ that satisfy your equation.
(I'm assuming you're allowed the use of a graphing calculator.)


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Taylor's view
Took this one using the panorama view on my iPhone 4S. Probably the best one I've taken yet. Done on one of my monthly visits with Taylor.
Fruits of Kickstarter
I had a small spark of Kickstarter addiction last year. I've been able to temper that addiction a bit with the new year, but at least I get to enjoy the first fruits of that limited shopping spree. On the very same day, I received two packages, each one containing a webcomics kickstarter reward.
I had already written about the Widdershins, a comic I had earlier suggested to support. It's wonderful to see Kate Ashwin's work in printed form. She's been a kind person to me and a great artist who's whimsical whit and stylings have crafted a wonderful world of Widdershins and it's inhabitants. Johnny Wander, on the other hand, has been a gorgeous diary/journal-esque story of two webcomic artists and their daily life. It's been a quiet favorite of mine for some time, so having the printed copies of volume 1 and 3 have been a lovely treat to have.
As I read through both of these comics, a sense of nostalgia came over me. It's been years since I was in the world of webcomics proper. I was a shit writer, attempting to become a webcomics critic of people's work that spent time (and sometimes money) into this quirky medium. A lot of these comics will never be known-some may just fade into obscurity on the internet. But they still persist, for the love of the medium or just wanting to tell their story.
I found my old bookmarks from my time as a reviewer. Last time I counted, there was close to 300–400 comics listed there. It took me nearly an hour to get through them every day, as I organized all the webcomics by their update frequency. It was a challenge- and I loved it.
But it was a crapshoot. It took too much money, too much time, and the reward was insignificant to my future. At a certain point, I had to give it up. Since then, I haven't read as many webcomics as I do now. But I still miss it. I miss the enviroment of a truly set of indie comics and their unique artists and writers.
Ah, well.
Wait shit I forgot to order Johnny Wander volume 2…. crap.
Late Night Chinatown
"Hey, are you busy tonight?". Those are the words I got from Primo. No warning, just a question. It was already close to about 9 o'clock at night on a weekday when he called me with that query.
However, I knew exactly what it meant. Having Primo calling you for no reason late at night only one thing: a late night photo run. He loves to do environmental photography of Los Angeles, taking pictures of buildings the areas around them. Doing this, however since going out late at night with the camera he uses in downtown LA and its neighborhoods can be somewhat risky. Something that most people would not recommend to do by themselves. He asks random friends from time to time to accompany him, and when he asks me, I'm… honored.
So a few hours later we set off, with our goal of late night photography in mind. We done it plenty of times before. Primo wanted to try out his new camera so I came up with an idea- why not Chinatown? I've taken pictures and video all the time in Chinatown usually in the middle of the day, when the place is bustling with activity. The neon lights in Los Angeles' Chinatown seems to accentuate the individuality of that district from all the others.
At night, it empties out, save for a bar or two in the area. The idea of its neon lights in the late night on empty streets seemed like a perfect idea, so we set off to LA's Chinatown.
The streets are deserted, no one around, exempt for the cockroaches that skittered past my feet, daring me to step on them. I simply stood, watching the streets for people as he darted about with the camera, taking pictures of random objects.
He squints his eyes, looking at something in the distance. He turns to me and asks my opinion for it. Being someone with some skill in photography (not much, really), I'm happy when he asks my opinion. And I do so with a sense of pride as I give him my two cents. I'll keep watch out for anyone, as Primo focuses on the photography itself.
We talk about random conversations, about memories of the past, and catching up since we've seen each other last. I tell him about the maddening amount of customers at work, and he tells me about his latest photography projects and clients. It's a nice way for us to have time just for ourselves, even if it's in a roach-infested Chinatown.
I come home exhausted, usually a few hours later. I'll see the pictures maybe a week or so later. I look upon them with fondness, a bit of pride as I was able to, in some small way, be of some help to Primo.
(This was something I wrote months ago, but neglected to put on the site until now. Go look at Primo's work, you jerks, he's great!.)
Retail on the Holidays
Day five out of six in a row.
Last night, I got off of my work at 11. Today, I reported for duty at 7 am. I had a total of eight hours to drive my coworkers home (I do so for some so they don't have to ride the bus so late at night), wish my sister a happy birthday (this year, she turns 23), sleep, and repeat this cycle over again. Working retail during the holidays, to put in simple terms, just drains every part of you.
I have no energy when I get home. Those times I planned to work out in the evening end up with me lying in bed, staring at the ground with a lack of willpower do push-ups. Plans to work on future projects are tossed aside as I try and not think about the man who's screamed at me multiple days in a row.
I just don't have the energy for the willpower sapped away as customer after customer comes at me like a never ending stream of self imposed misery as they put off their holiday shopping until the very last minute.
But there's a certain moment that I catch that makes this all worth it. That smile forming slowly over the customers face as they finally found that perfect present.
That shy smile forming on a six year olds face as I present to him (at the behest of his mother) his early Christmas gift. He clutched it, gripping his new toy with such eagerness I find myself content. Happy to see his face turn into a shy grin.
Letting a customer know that yes, we do have that product still in stock, and their sigh of relief as I present that gift they would have scoured the entire Los Angeles area to look for.
It's those times that make it worth it. That make me happy to be here. It's having those moments where I know I'm tired but, I have my coworkers there to support me. Retail isn't a fancy job, nor is it something glamorous.
Retail can make bitter husks out of people, and I've seen it happen. I would like to think that I've gained patience, understanding of the problems those face in the service and retail world. And I enjoy it- I just have to look for those small things that make the overall experience that makes it worthwhile. Or at least, tolerable.
note: I wrote this when on four hours of sleep or so. If I sound disjointed, my apologies. I will be writing more soon.
Support The Widdershins!
Support an amazing artist. Kate Ashwin (aka, Komiyan) is an old friend from my times back in the webcomic days (I say that as if it's a lifetime ago, but in the world of the internet, it really was). She's a sweetheart with an amazing talent for whimsical fantasy stories that just draw you in. Widdershins is her latest creation, and she's kickstarting the print version. She's already 2/3rds of the way there, and I want to see her accomplish this. Support an amazing artist and her creation. It's worth it, I promise.
My sister and Rachael Ray
My sister and I have… a less than optimistic viewpoint on the famous cook, Rachel Ray. It's not that we hate her- it's more like… we strongly dislike her. Her fake optimism, the whole empire she built as a cheap Martha Stewart- okay, that's beside the point, but either way… Imagine our surprise to discover that my grandmother has a subscription to Rachael Ray Magazine. My sister, being a good "adult" per se, started to deface the magazines as they arrived at my grandma's house. Crazy point though- my grandmother has yet to notice. There's a stack of magazines still in her living room with this artwork. I check on them occasionally, seeing what my sister's latest mad works look like. Here's a small taste:
(that one is my favorite)
By the way, she's in her twenties. My sister is so special.
Posted on May 3, 2012 September 11, 2016
Screenwriting and the Script Frenzy
Countless nights. Countless days. I forced myself not to play video games- only playing Battlefield 3 when friends wanted to play with me. Games that I have been looking for, like Mass Effect 3, were barely touched throughout this month. My brand new Playstation Vita was only picked up twice, only to download new applications for it. There wasn't a day where I was writing a screenplay. I couldn't stop myself. And it was wonderful. Script Frenzy, at least for me, is now over, with a total of…
178 pages. 178 pages of script. I didn't think I would write so much, but once I started… I couldn't stop myself. Hell, there were times I wanted to slack off, where I kept saying to myself "Okay, after this page, I'll stop and watch a movie or something." But the movie never came. I just continued to write, write, and write. That night, I finished one of my screenplays, writing until 3 am until it was done.
The words "The End" never felt so great, but I was eager to just go back and start editing it. At that point, I forced myself to go to bed. I had work that day at 10 am. But I didn't care. I felt like I had accomplished something new during that time, or rather, feel that sense of accomplishment I hadn't felt in years. I compiled all the pages I had written today- counting them up in one file. Right after I had counted it, I paused for a second, reviewing over the work I've done so far. And then I started writing again, pouring through my work. It felt fantastic.
I originally started to write in the sixth grade. I started writing some ridiculous screenplays back then. I still have them all- I pour through them from time to time to amuse myself, to see what I had come up with as a teenager with an overreactive imagination. Back then, one person was my biggest influence, my biggest motivator to continue writing screenplays. It was Taylor.
Taylor always cheered me on to write- back then, I mostly wrote silly comedies, things that I knew would make Taylor laugh. And I loved making him laugh- his face filled with glee as I read stories aloud to him. I remember riding along with him in his Black Mini- sitting in the passenger seat as I read hastily written scripts on lined paper. I would be watching for Taylor's reaction- that sense of relief and joy I got when he cackled in joy, slamming his palm down on the steering wheel as he proclaimed his love for the screenplay. I could think of no other joy then that very moment. After his death, my motivation to write… dried up.
I would come up with ideas here and there, but my need to get it down on paper was nonexistent. I did write the last Script Frenzy in 2011, but even then, right after I finished, I would stop completely writing. It felt like an obligation back then. I feel like that's gone now. I'm writing screenplays every day, even if its for only five or ten minutes. Maybe in the morning, as I'm reading my news headlines of the day, I'll flip over to Celtx (the amount of love I've professed about this app is bordering on an endorsement deal. I seriously wish they would have paid me for the amount of times i've talked to people about the app) and start to write, or edit things. I've finished counting my pages for Script Frenzy, and I still want to write more. It's no longer an obligation to write- I just want to keep writing and writing more. I love this feeling. During this month, I went to go to visit Taylor. I brought the iPad along, reading to him passages of my scripts to him. Passages he would have loved.
I'm sure he loved it.
Script Frenzy 2012 Update #3
I didn't write jack shit. Yeah, because I'm only 7 pages away from my goal, I decided to take the week off from writing. Used the time I did spend writing to edit some things from my scripts as well as plan ahead to see where I want to go with some of them. I'm still proud of myself to where I have gone with my screenplays. Starting tomorrow, I'll probably continue writing. But tonight, Mass Effect 3 waits for me. I had it waiting for me until I was able to hit the goal.
I can't think of a more apt thing to say now other than: holy fuck. I don't know what came over me the last week. I've been spending every minute writing more for my ScriptFrenzy. Again, I have to hand it to Celtx for its syncing feature: whenever I could, I would pop open at least one version of the software. If I was stuck in line someplace, the iPhone version would be brought up to make some notes or quick changes. The iPad version would be brought up during breaks and lunch at work. The Mac version when I was at home. I just kept writing and writing. It was perfect. I hadn't written a single page in the last six months. Call it writers block, call it focusing on work, but I had to do something, and this friendly competition seemed to have done the trick. And I still want to write more. I've been writing four feature length movies, two of which are approaching 70 pages each. I want to see how much I can do through the end of the month. Maybe I'll finish at least one of them.
Posted on April 7, 2012 May 13, 2014
I've taken a break from writing to see how many pages I'd written this week so far for Script Frenzy. So far it seems a pretty 41 pages.
I'm actually really impressed I didn't think I was able to write so much in the course of the week, even with taking two days off from doing it. Regularly, I planned to write only 4 pages a day, but averaging 6 is completely unexpected for me. I'm almost to the halfway point already. It helps that I'm working on multiple scripts- if I get stuck on one, I quickly move on to another.
Celtx has also been my savior through this. The syncing service has been a lifesaver while moving scripts between my Mac, iPad, and iPhone. I'm now aiming to go to 120 pages by the end of April. Back to writing, I guess.


1.5 billion people are being exploited worldwide. 1.75 billion people live in poverty. This needs to change. But for change to happen, these people need to be able to earn a living wage. Their fundamental rights must be respected. They must be included in the democratic process. History has taught us that only those directly affected by precarious living conditions can improve their conditions. But we can support them in their struggle. In this sense Solidar Switzerland sees itself as a partner in development, working to improve living conditions alongside the workers and farmers, the unemployed and landless, alongside labour unions and grassroots organisations.


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