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Home Laws Assisted-suicide ruling to be appealed by Ottawa
Assisted-suicide ruling to be appealed by Ottawa
The federal government will appeal last month's ruling by the British Columbia Supreme Court that partially struck down Canada's ban on assisted suicide, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson says.
The ruling declared that the Criminal Code section targeting anyone who "aids or abets a person to commit suicide" should not apply to physicians in cases where terminally ill patients request to die.
Judge Lynn Smith halted her decision for a year to give Parliament a chance to rewrite the law, which she deemed unconstitutional because it unfairly deprives people with degenerative illnesses of their liberty, and because it discriminates against those with a physical disability who might need assistance to exercise their right to take their own life.
But she also granted an immediate exemption for Gloria Taylor, one of the women who brought the suit, and her doctor.
Nicholson said Friday the government will seek a suspension of all aspects of the ruling, including the exemption for Taylor, while it goes to the British Columbia Court of Appeal. The government believes Section 241(b) of the Criminal Code is constitutional, he said.
"The laws surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicide exist to protect all Canadians, including those who are most vulnerable, such as people who are sick or elderly or people with disabilities," Nicholson said in a statement. "The Supreme Court of Canada acknowledged the state interest in protecting human life and upheld the constitutionality of the existing legislation in Rodriguez (1993)."
"In April 2010, a large majority of parliamentarians voted not to change these laws, which is an expression of democratic will on this topic. It is an emotional and divisive issue for many Canadians," the statement said.
Civil liberties lawyer disappointed
A lawyer for the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said the organization is disappointed — though not surprised — by the federal government's appeal of Smith's ruling.
"Given the strength of the decision and just how carefully it was considered and how detailed it was, it is perplexing," Carmen Cheung said.
"As many people know, and as the court recognized, this case is a very urgent one for Ms. Taylor, who is very sick, and she is seeking a right to a peaceful and dignified death. It's her life and her decision how she wishes to die, and it's an interference really in her very, very personal decision."
Taylor has Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS, an ailment that is likely to sap away her control over her body until she can't even breathe on her own, while leaving her mind and sensation intact. She hailed the lower court's ruling because it gives her control over when and how she dies.
Taylor and the other plaintiffs in the case argued that the ban on assisted suicide violates Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms because it discriminates against people with degenerative conditions who don't have the physical means to take their own lives.
They also argued the ban violates their Section 7 right to life because, if they do want to end their suffering, they would have to do so earlier than they might otherwise want, before they lose the capacity to act.
Ref: http://www.cbc.ca
Assisted-suicide
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NLRA Event Preview - Golden Hammer Classic At Devils Lake
Shane Edginton (4) and Troy Schill (11) battle for position at the season opener at Devils Lake last Saturday.
Speedway Shots photo.
This Saturday night, the NLRA returns to action with the lid lifter to the 2019 season at the Devils Lake Speedway near Crary, ND. The race kicks off the 22nd season of action for the NLRA, and will be the 23rd visit by the club to the high banked, third-mile oval.
2017 NLRA Schedule Release
The Northern Late Model Racing Association's 20th season of action will feature 17 big events during this anniversary season. In 1998, the Grand Forks, ND based racing series debuted with four races on its' initial slate of races, setting a foundation that the series continues to build off of today.
The 2017 season will begin on June 16th, as the series will co-headline events at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. Both series will make the 80 mile trip south to race together again at the Red River Valley Speedway in Fargo the following night.
Dustin Strand Interview With All The Dirt
Six weeks ago, Dustin Strand was in St. Cloud being feted as the newest Wissota National Late Model champion. This weekend, his 2017 season gets off to another early start, as he will once again pilot his Q&Z Plumbing & Heating No. 71 at the eleventh annual Wild West Shootout, which moves from Tucson to the greater Phoenix area, for its debut at the Arizona Speedway, in San Tan Valley, Arizona.
Mike Spieker of Speedway-shots.com, and All The Dirt, caught up with the two-time NLRA series champion to talk about his 2016 season, and what his future has in store.
First Date of 20th NLRA Season Announced
The first date of the Northern Late Model Racing Association's 20th season of racing has been announced. The series will head to the Greenbush Race Park in Greenbush, MN on June 24th, 2017.
The race would be the 25th for the series at the high banked three-tenths mile oval. The NLRA visited Greenbush twice in 2016. Cole Schill won his first NLRA series feature during the first event on June 18th. Brad Seng won the second visit on July 30th.
The Greenbush Race Park has been a regular stop on the NLRA tour. Greenbush was one of three tracks featured in the four race inaugural season for the tour in 1998. Tom Corcoran won the inaugural event at Greenbush that season.
Mike Spieker photo.
Seitz Memorial Recap
Another John Seitz Memorial is in the books as the tenth running of the event took place at the River Cities Speedway last week. Thursday night was marred by rain delays, but produced a new track record holder in Wissota national point leader Dustin Strand, and a new three-time NLRA series champion in Brad Seng. Friday saw the original Seitz memorial pole sitter, Steve Laursen, earn the pole once again. Saturday saw Elk Mound, Wisconsin native AJ Diemel join Brad Seng as the only two-time champions in the events' history.
NLRA Event Preview - Sixth Annual 'Prelude to the Johnny' at River Cities
On Friday night, September the 8th, the NLRA will but a ribbon on its' 19th season with the sixth running of the 'Prelude to the Johnny' at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND. The event kicks off the three day, tenth annual John Seitz Memorial.
Last season, Elk Mound, Wisconsin's AJ Diemel, became the fourth native of the dairy state to win the Prelude in its' five years history. Adam Hensel of Barron, John Kaanta of Elk Mound, and Pat Doar on New Richmond, were winners of the event in 2011, 2012, and 2013 respectively. Ricky Weiss became the first non-Wisconsinite to win the race in 2014.
Don Shaw Sweeps Labor Day At Viking Speedway
Don Shaw parked the No. 42S Shaw Trucking Victory by Moyer in victory lane both nights at the Viking Speedway in Alexandria, MN. The wins are Shaw's fifth and sixth career NLRA series wins, and seventh and eighth wins at Viking this season, as he also wrapped up the track points title after doing the same at the I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, MN last Friday night.
Rick Schroeder and Labor Day ace Zach Johnson lined up on the front row on night one, but it was Shaw who quickly took the point down the backstretch.
Shaw Sweeps Labor Day Double At Viking
Don Shaw started second, and lead just three laps en route to winning his third NLRA feature of the season at the Viking Speedway in Alexandria, MN on Sunday night. The win is Shaw's sixth NLRA series triumph, and third win of the last four NLRA Labor Day races at Viking. Dustin Strand was denied of his seventh NLRA win of the season when Shaw, who lead lap one, took the lead on lap 24, and went on to victory. Brad Seng, Zach Johnson, and Corey Nelson rounded out the top five. Cole Schill picked up another hard charger award, improving to seventh after starting 16th. Brad Seng will carry an 18 point lead over defending series champion Dustin Strand into the final week of the season.
Full Results.
Current Points.
Don Shaw Wins Night One At Viking
Don Shaw started third, and lead all 25 laps en route to his second NLRA series win of the season Saturday night at the Viking Speedway in Alexandria, MN. The win is Shaw's fifth career win with the series, seventh at Viking this year, and the second straight win of the NLRA Labor Day double opener at the Speedway. Shaw is also on his way to scoring the track title at Viking with one race remaining. Zach Johnson, Brad Seng, Corey Nelson, and Dustin Strand rounded out the top five. Cole SChill racked up another hard charger award, improving nine spots to finish eleventh. Brad Seng gained six points on Dustin Strand in the NLRA points chase with three races left. Racing continues Sunday night at Viking at six.
Strand Sweeps At Red River Co-Op and River Cities
Dustin Strand, driver of the No. 71 Q&Z Plumbing & Heating Millenium, continued his hot streak last week going undefeated in both heats and both features first on Thursday night in Winnipeg at the Red River Co-Op Speedway and at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks.
The wins are his fifth and sixth of the season in NLRA action, and his tenth and eleventh with the series overall, as he now sits tied for seventh on the all-time wins list.
He will head into the final four races of the season with the opportunity to tie and or break the record for wins in a single season, currently held by the late John Seitz, at seven victories. Strand has also won six of the last eight NLRA events, five of them have been sweeps, including four in a row.


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You are here: Home / Special Issues / Mompreneurs / Mompreneurs
Six OC Women on What It Takes to Start and Run a Successful Business
The six Orange County entrepreneurs featured here own a variety of companies — from a private equity firm to an online clothing store. But all share a common passion, balancing business and the even more important job of being a mom.
Photo by Alex Robles
Ana Brandt
"Healthy children start with healthy parents."
Photography has always been important to Ana Brandt. She believes that visual histories help people better understand their pasts while informing them of what they may look like in the future. For a long time, Brandt treated her love of photography as a hobby. Now it is the core of her very successful business.
Brandt was adopted and never saw a photo of her birth mother or of herself as a baby. But her adoptive family took lots of pictures. Her adoptive father had emigrated from Argentina to New York; he wanted to ensure that all his relatives could see his children as they grew up. Brandt's maternal grandmother was the family photographer. When she passed away, Brandt took over. She especially loved taking pictures of her nieces and nephews when they were babies.
Brandt eventually recognized that photography could be more than a hobby for her. She decided to specialize in pregnancy and newborn shots. It wasn't easy. With her portfolio and infant in tow, she set out to make contacts, going door-to-door to almost every business in SoCal that sold clothes or gear for baby or children.
A few years later, in 2003, she opened a tiny studio. By that time, she had another new baby. She equipped the studio with a playpen and other baby gear. Her business continued to grow. In 2005, she had her third baby and moved to a bigger studio in Tustin. Since 20ll, she has taken the cover photos for almost every issue of Parenting OC Magazine and shot over 4,500 clients.
Brandt's photography business spawned several other successful businesses. Her maternity gowns and diaper covers are sold worldwide via her online store bellybabywear.com (The Art of Pregnancy and Newborn). She began developing videos and has three YouTube channels, one with over 3.4 million views. She teaches maternity and newborn photography around the globe, this past year in Australia, Italy and New York, and often brings her family with her.
Juggling the needs of her businesses with her desire to spend lots of time with her husband and three children hasn't been easy. Now that her children are older—10, 12, and 14—they are more independent. She takes every Sunday off work to be with her family and every Monday for personal downtime. She believes balancing work, home life and your own needs as an individual helps her entire family, stating: "Healthy children start with healthy parents."
Natasha Nelson
"Be observant about what other people are enthusiastic about."
Natasha Nelson spreads her talents among several ventures. She created a frozen yogurt store franchise with her sister, co-owns a large public relations firm, and recently bought a toy company.
Nelson has spent the majority of her career in public relations, first interning with large public relations agencies as a student at Vanguard University. After getting her degree, she worked in the PR industry fulltime, forming her own company, NN Public Relations, in 2002. Three years ago, she merged with friend and colleague Michael Caudill's agency to form DRIVEN Public Relations (www.drivenpublicrelations.com). DRIVEN employs 17 people in offices in Costa Mesa, Temecula, New York City, and Tempe, Arizona and serves numerous businesses and nonprofits in a variety of fields.
Nelson's career has always gone well, but she has faced tough personal challenges. After her mother was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Nelson and her sister started spending a lot of time in Arizona, where their mother lived. It was very difficult to witness the hardships of ALS, but Nelson wanted to be there for her. At the time, Nelson owned her own agency, but was able to delegate some of her management responsibilities to her employees.
While in Arizona, Nelson noticed that there were no self-serve frozen yogurt stores. Knowing how popular they were in Orange County, Nelson and her sister discussed opening their own store in Arizona. Their mother, who had been an entrepreneur herself, was enthusiastic about the idea. Building a business together helped the women keep their minds on something other than ALS. They opened Yogurtini in Arizona in 2008. It quickly became very popular. Nelson and her sister franchised their new business, opening 35 Yogurtini stores within a few years. They sold the business to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company in 2013.
Nelson has a great relationship with her stepchildren, ages 7 and 11. Nelson loves attending their baseball games, cheerleading events, dance recitals, and spending quality time with the kids. One reason she has the time to do so while running her companies is that her husband helps out a lot at home.
Nelson doesn't rest on her laurels. She noticed how enthusiastic her stepson and other children were about Kauzbots, which are handmade stuffed robot toys. So she invested in the Kauzbots company. Kauzbots are more than a quirky stuffed animal, 10 percent of the retail price of each toy goes to a charitable cause. There are ten different robots, each of which corresponds to a nonprofit organization. Children can choose a Kauzbot that helps the environment, supports refugees, helps children with cancer, or contributes to other great causes. The toys are sold in stores all over the country and at www.Kauzbots.com
"Be observant about what other people are enthusiastic about," advises Nelson to aspiring entrepreneurs. She and her sister started Yogurtini because she recognized how much people liked self-serve frozen yogurt; she bought Kauzbots after seeing children's strong reactions to them. She also tells people with an entrepreneurial bent to resist getting stuck in a career working for others. After running PR agencies, frozen yogurt stores, and toy companies, it will be interesting to see what Nelson does next.
Twila True
"When children see their mother's accomplishments, they can aspire to have their own."
Twila True has risen far from her humble beginnings. Born to a 16-year-old mother, True was the first person in her family to graduate high school. She eventually became the president of a large company and then the owner of many other companies. True has lived all over the world and is the mother of four children, all of whom she expects to graduate from college.
True's mother grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian reservation in South Dakota, leaving for California when she was pregnant with True. True learned to be very independent from a young age, as her mother struggled with alcohol addiction and poverty. True was raised mostly by her grandmother and aunts and uncles, whom True lovingly calls her "tribe."
After high school, True supported herself financially, working at a private investment company during the day and taking accounting classes at night. She says she worked "seven days a week, morning to night." She spent time in different departments of the company and was rewarded for her efforts with numerous promotions. Eventually, she became president of a computer manufacturing company owned by private investors, leading 300 employees.
In 1998, she met her husband and moved with him to Asia to help run and grow his furniture company. They lived in Hong Kong and China before selling their company and moving to Newport Beach in 2012. Their company was a huge success. They used these profits in 2012 to fund True Investments, a private equity firm. True's responsibilities include the firm's overall strategy, finances, real estate portfolio, and beauty salon investments including True's nail salon, Polished Perfect, in Costa Mesa. In the next few months, True will open five more Polished Perfect salons in California, Arizona, and Texas.
True is a dedicated philanthropist. She and her husband have established foundations to help orphaned children and residents of the Pine Ridge Indian reservation, which True says is the poorest reservation in the United States.
True and her husband have four children, ages 2, 8, 12, and 14. They balance time with their family and business endeavors by giving their children a lot of responsibility. Though True took on responsibility as a child out of necessity, she believes affluent children should also be given responsibilities in order to give them a strong sense of self-worth and independence. She expects her older children to wake themselves up in the morning and get ready for school on their own, including packing their lunches. She also has them do chores and some cooking after school.
True has great respect for mothers who don't work outside the home, but also feels that women shouldn't feel guilty about working. As a working mom, True enjoys having things to share at the dinner table that aren't always focused on her home or family. "When children see their mother's accomplishments," True says, "they can aspire to have their own." True is proud of her contributions in raising four children, but is also proud of her contributions to charity and to the business world.
Alexia Alvear and Gina Cretikos
"Don't let fear hold you back… Close your eyes and jump."
Alexia Alvear and Gina Cretikos just started their first company on—no fooling—April 1st of this year. But the two sisters have always wanted to own a business together.
Their father, Nicholas, taught them a great deal about entrepreneurship through his own example. He owned a company that sold motorcycle apparel and accessories. Alvear and Cretikos say he and their mother, Stella, showed them something much more important than business acumen: loving support for each other and for their children. Nicholas and Stella had an "amazing relationship" lasting 40 years, until Nicholas passed away two years ago. Alvear and Cretikos still have trouble talking about their father's death. They say, through tears, that it was one of the hardest things they ever had to go through.
The family still finds great support in each other. Alvear, Cretikos, their two brothers, and mother all live in Orange County. They describe themselves as a "big, loud, Greek family." Alvear lives in Irvine with her husband and 16-month-old daughter. Cretikos resides in Westminster with her husband and six-year-old son.
The sisters have fun together, but also share a strong work ethic. Cretikos, six years older than Alvear, has a lot of experience in management. She spent 11 years at her father's company as his assistant and eventually, office manager. Alvear spent 15 years at Wet Seal, a girls clothing retailer that originated in Orange County. She worked her way up to become a buyer for the company.
The sisters found an ideal way to combine Cretikos's experience in business management and Alvear's experience as an apparel buyer: They decided to open an online store selling children's clothing and accessories. Last December, Cretikos and Alvear quit their jobs to prepare to launch the company. They named it NICKY + STELLA, after their beloved parents. As they worked to get their business started, they felt the comforting presence of their father guiding them.
The sisters set out to create "a fun and easy shopping experience for busy moms." NICKY + STELLA is a curated site. Cretikos and Alvear search the Internet for cute, good quality, unique items to sell to their customers. They also make clothes to sell for the NICKY + STELLA brand. The website makes it simple for shoppers to order a variety of brands at one online site, with one flat rate shipping fee. A popular option on the website is "Shop the Look," in which a cute themed outfit such as "Pumpkin Princess" or "Little Bo Chic" is pictured. Customers can order the whole ensemble, from hat to shirt to pants to shoes, by clicking on the picture and choosing the sizes for their children. Though NICKY + STELLA is new, it's already popular on social media, with over 8,000 Instagram followers. www.NickyandStella.com
So far, Cretikos and Alvear do everything themselves, from curating clothes and marketing their company to shipping their products. Cretikos says, "I've never been so tired and I've never had so much fun." She advises aspiring entrepreneurs, "Don't let fear hold you back. The scariest things can be the most rewarding. Close your eyes and jump. As long as you have a good support system and your business idea is feasible, go for it." Alvear echoes her sister's advice, adding: "If you believe in something and are excited by it, do it."
Mona Shah-Anderson
"Do something you love. You should be excited about your job."
Mona Shah-Anderson fell into entrepreneurship. She had been happily working for other people, as the Media Relations Director for an Orange County public relations company. But after her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004, Shah-Anderson quit her job in order to spend more time with him. She took on a few public relations clients as a freelancer, which gave her the income and flexibility she needed. Soon it made sense to establish a company for her growing freelance business. At her father's bedside, Shah-Anderson set up her own public relations firm.
Shah-Anderson's father was an inspiration. An orthopedic surgeon with an MBA, he had always enjoyed taking on new challenges. Shah-Anderson has lived all over the country, spending her first decade in New York, moving to Southern California at age 10, going to school at the University of Michigan, and then returning to California. She served as Public Relations Director for the Miss Universe Organization, coordinated projects in Africa with the Harvard Aids Institute, and worked on the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
Her company, Moxxe Public Relations, mainly promotes independent, chef-driven restaurants. Currently, Moxxe has two employees and two dozen clients. That suits Shah-Anderson well. Her goal is not to grow Moxxe into a big firm, but rather to run the best small firm of its type. She loves her clients, whom she considers friends and extensions of her family. Many of them came to her wedding and baby shower. She describes her clients as "good people running great restaurants," and is happy to help them get the attention they deserve. www.MoxxePR.com
Shah-Anderson, who has 16-month-old twins, quips, "Every day is its own adventure." She is grateful for her husband, who has a nine-to-five job, but spends a lot of time with the twins when he's home. He gets them ready most mornings and puts them to bed most nights.
Shah-Anderson is very humble, saying, "I've made so many mistakes." But she views mistakes as valuable learning experiences and believes that the rewards of owning a business are greater than the risks. Her advice for aspiring business owners is to smart small and make sure you have a great idea for your company. "Do something you love. You should be excited about your job."
Written by Debra Garfinkle
Photography by Ana Brandt
Filed Under: Mompreneurs, Special Issues


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When British (ex) Foreign Secretary William Hague sent condolences to an al-Qaeda "martyr".
July 10, 2017 July 10, 2017 Churchill's Karma
The 'enemy of my enemy is my friend' is one of the most simplest proverbs to understand. As far as the Middle East and Muslim majority countries are concerned it was employed first by the British, and then the United States when the latter inherited the mantle of defending western interests during the Cold War. As the Financial Times admitted just after the recent jihadi attacks in England:
"…armed Islamists were viewed as cold war allies of the west. Osama bin Laden's mujahedin and the CIA were on the same side in the fight against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan."
So it was no surprise in 2014, that when a young British-Libyan jihadi was killed in Syria, former British foreign secretary, William Hague sent condolences to his family because, once again, the west and armed Islamists are on the "same side" in Syria.
The dead jihadi-mercenary was Abdullah Deghayes whose uncle had spent time in Gitmo. He's father, Abu Bakr Deghayes paid tribute to his son claiming he had died a martyr for an apparent "just cause." Abdullah was apparently killed invading the northern Syrian border town, Kassab with other Western backed jihadi-mercenaries. Hague joined the family in mourning and said his death was "very sad news for the family."
Furthermore, Abu Bakr at the time seemed to excuse and justify his son joining the war on Syria regardless of anti-terrorism legislation on the basis that (in his own words):
"The British government is worried about youngsters going to fight there, learning to use weapons, coming back and they might become a threat to our security. Is there proof of that? I don't see any…If someone sets out to be a terrorist trying to kill civilians … he doesn't need to go to Syria … he can do it from here." There is now a plenitude of chilling proof.
And in light of the gruesome jihadi attacks over the last several years in Europe, it would still be highly unlikely of William Hague or his successors to revisit those condolences, let alone revisit the strategy of supporting jihadis.
al-Qaeda, Deghayes, Great Britain, Islamism, Syria, William HagueWilliam Hague
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Fiat Offers Europe a Special 500X Opening Edition
New Urbana Edition Christens The 2019 Fiat 500X
FCA Paid Big for Fuel Economy Penalties
Fiat Tries Toughening Up the 500X
Automakers Are Dropping the Paris Show in Droves
(Credit: © Fiat)
Justin Cupler
Fiat 500X (Credit: © Fiat)
We finally got to see the largest model of the Fiat 500 lineup, the 500X crossover, at the Paris Auto Show, but apparently the Italian automaker had another trick up its sleeve. Just weeks after the model made its debut in Paris, Fiat revealed that it will also offer a special-edition version of its newest model that is will limit to only the first 2,000 buyers. This special edition is dubbed the 500X "Opening Edition."
The 500X "Opening Edition" will come in either two-wheel drive of four-wheel drive. The two-wheel-drive model has a pair of engine options — a 1.6-liter MultiJet II engine with 120 horsepower or a 1.4-liter Turbo MultiAir II engine with 140 horsepower — and acts as the "entry-level" version for this special model. The two-wheel-drive "Opening Edition" model comes with auto climate control, 18-inch wheels, anti-collision, lane-changing assistance, lane-departure warning, a rearview camera, a center armrest, lumbar support, the Keyless Entry & Keyless Go system, tinted rear windows, and the "Opening Edition" badge. This entry-level model comes covered in an Art Grey paint.
Fiat 500X "Opening Edition" basge (Credit: © Fiat)
Moving into the four-wheel-drive model nets you a few more extra goodies on top of its exclusive tricoat Amore Red hue and 2.0-liter MultiJet II engine with 140 horsepower. Included in this package is a nine-speed auto transmission, a Uconnect 6.5-inch navi system, a USB port, two-tone red-and-black leather upholstery, rain- and dusk-sensing headlights, power-folding mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, paddle shifters, and an "Opening Edition" badge.
In Fiat's home country of Italy, the base 500X "Opening Edition" starts from €21,900 ($28,066) while the four-wheel-drive model calls for €30,650 ($39,280). Aside from Italy, Fiat also plans to offer the 500X "Opening Edition" in Germany, France, Spain and Switzerland. Unfortunately, there seem to be no plans to release the "Opening Edition" here in the U.S.
Related Topics:Fiat
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…winter, snow, my strenght & sushi!
Anyway, nothing stops me when it comes to my passion: training, improving my self, striving for "perfection"..
I am so glad that I have this great interest, this passion, this "everything".. because nobody can take IT away from me.
Champion! It was not just a coincidence, or a "lucky strike"..
I have spent years in the gym, working on my physique, improving it, towards an "ideal" appearance..
although it all seems to be "dark as a pit".. Well, Life is not fair, no way, but you can choose only to focus on the good things..
just focus on doing what is neccessary to achieve your goal! You will get there, but it takes an effort. You need to want it!
Believe in yourself, and have faith! That is the real strength in life!
This is the result (yammi! ), when I for the very first time made my own 100% home-made sushi & maki.
cooking, so when I have the time, I try out new healthy recipes, or try making something new.
..Say no more! It tasted just as delicious as it looks! .. And YES, I will definately make some more, very soon!
in Norway at the moment, REALLY feels like living on the North Pole..
Wishing everybody a nice Weekend!


There's a reason that most of us are given our children one at a time. With each new addition, we experience a period of transition, then find our new normal. We become accustomed to the noise, the chaos. Perhaps we even come to embrace it.
I remember visiting my aunt and uncle and their five (delightful) children when I was a college student on break. Afterward, I would come home and tell my mom, "Now that was sensory overload." Ten years later and three little ones of my own, I don't even bat an eye.
The interesting part about going on vacation alone with your spouse is that your world abruptly changes. Suddenly you are able to do all of the things that you haven't done for years, things you once did. Like have long, sustained conversations that may or may not be child appropriate. Or enjoy slow, quiet meals where you can actually stay seated the whole time. Or spend an entire afternoon reading a book. Dan and I looked at each other and said, "Can you believe we used to be able to do this every weekend?" It's such a luxury now.
She replied, "Ah, re-entry. It's hard for everyone."
Re-entry. So that's what it's called. She tells me it's a near universal. I'm not alone. Good to know.
Acclimation to life as we know it took about three days. Now we're back to embracing the chaos.
I sewed a dress for Indigo this weekend.
Dan taught Jude how to ride a bike without training wheels.
And the chaos feels good. Well, most of the time.
gosh with only one child and her being home for only 2 yrs I am not sure we would even know how do the things we use to do on vacation.
Eating while seated....while holding a conversation??? Reading a book....what's a book?? Seriously I would just be acclimating to vacation when it would too soon be time for re-entry!! Oh how I would love to try.
Hope you all had fun!!!
Oh, Rachel, welcome back! St Lucia looked heavenly, and I am so glad you and Dan were able to enjoy some relaxation. Also glad to hear you survived the ionization blackout, and came in for a smooth landing. (Sorry--had to make the nerdy rocket science joke about re-entry. Couldn't help myself. Hee hee.) Evie looks BEAUTIFUL. And YAY Jude!!!


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Army, Veterans & Military (Family Life) Counselor
Military life comes with added challenges. Deployments, long separations, and work stress all place an added toll on service members and their families. There have always been excellent services available for diagnosed mental illnesses such as depression, PTSD, or substance abuse. However, there was a gap and there was a clear need for more support in day-to-day life in the service. In 2004, the Department of Defense recognized this need and began a pilot program that provided confidential non-medical counseling through military and family life counselors (MFLC).
Today, MFLCs are employed at bases worldwide to provide short-term, solution-focused counseling for non-clinical issues. Service members and their families can access MFLCs outside of the traditional military medical system for help with work stress, relationship issues, parenting, grief, separation, and reintegration. All services are confidential and provided by licensed mental health professionals who have a master's degree or higher in their field. MFLCs can be social workers, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, or psychologists.
Earnings for MFLCs vary based on where they work and the type of assignment, as many MFLCs work as independent contractors. Some MFLCs work as full-time employees and earnings can be more consistent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors earn an average of $49,950 per year.
Continue reading to learn what it takes to become an MFLC including education and licensing requirements.
How to Become a Military and Family Life Counselor
Becoming an MFLC is a journey. Professionals in this field must complete years of education including at least a master's degree. They are also required to obtain state licensure in their chosen field. Below are the steps to entering this career.
Step 1: Graduate from High School or Obtain a GED (Four Years)
The path towards becoming an MFLC begins with completing high school or obtaining a GED. Students who are interested in pursuing this career should focus on classes such as psychology, English, and social sciences. Advanced placement classes are a good idea as well as they can help students earn college credit while in high school reducing the number of courses required to complete a bachelor's degree.
Step 2: Complete a Bachelors' Degree (Four Years)
Master's programs require students to have already completed a bachelor's degree, so this is a necessary step to pursue this career. There are a variety of majors prospective MFLCs can pursue, including social work, psychology, counseling, behavioral health, education, or sociology. Students should research master's programs in order to ensure the bachelor's they complete meets admissions requirements.
Step 3: Obtain an Advanced Degree (Two to Eight Years)
A master's degree or higher is required to become an MLFC. There are several degrees that may be pursued for this career including a master's of social work, marriage and family therapy, counseling, or behavioral health, or a doctorate of psychology.
Students should ensure the program they attend is accredited as this is a requirement for licensure in most states and guarantees that the program meets minimum standards of quality and content. Nationally recognized accreditation entities include:
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy (COAMFTE)
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
William James College in Newton, MA offers a master's of art in clinical mental health counseling with a military and veteran psychology area of emphasis (MVP). This two- to three-year program prepares counselors to provide competent care to veterans, active duty members, and their families. Required coursework includes military psychology and culture, trauma and the military, and military families and cycle of deployment.
Professionals who have already earned a master's or doctorate who wish to pursue this field can complete additional education such as the counseling military service personnel and their families certificate offered at Antioch University. This nine-credit program is completely online and prepares already licensed mental health professionals with the additional training and education needed to serve members of the military and their families.
Step 4: Apply for Initial State Licensure (Timeline Varies)
Once all education requirements have been completed, prospective MFLCs must begin the process to obtain state licensure.
Each state has its own requirements for licensure, but the majority of states require social workers, counselors, therapists, or psychologists to obtain an initial, provisional, or assistant license prior to completing supervised practice. Requirements for these applications can include submitting official transcripts, paying an application fee, providing letters of recommendation, and passing national or state exams.
Step 5: Complete Supervised Practice (Two to Three Years)
Every state requires marriage and family therapists, psychologists, licensed counselors, and social workers are required to complete supervised practice. The hours required can range from 1,500 on the low end to 4,000 on the high end.
These hours must be completed under the supervision of a licensed professional in the field. Often, a supervision plan must be submitted to the licensing board for approval. Many states require the hours completed to be divided between direct client contact and supervision. Sometimes the hours must be completed in a minimum number of months.
Those choosing to pursue a career as an MFLC should look for opportunities to complete these hours with those in the military or with their families in order to gain valuable work experience.
Step 6: Pass National Licensing Exam (Timeline Varies)
An exam to practice as a marriage and family therapist, psychologist, licensed counselor, or social worker is required in every state. The exam required varies based on the field but the primary exams are:
National Counselor Examination (NCE) from the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) from the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC)
Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB)
Marriage and Family Therapist National Examination offered by the Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB)
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Exam
Step 7: Apply for State Licensure (Timeline Varies)
Agencies that hire MFLC require applicants to have an unrestricted state license to practice as a marriage and family therapist, psychologist, licensed counselor, or social worker. Candidates will need to meet education and work experience requirements in addition to completing a comprehensive application and submitting documents such as official transcripts, recommendations, and test scores.
Requirements vary by state and it is necessary to check with the local licensing board to ensure all standards have been met. In Florida, for example, the requirements to be a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) are:
Submit a completed application
Complete a master's degree from a CACREP accredited mental health program of at least 60 semester-hours or 80 quarter-hours. If the program isn't CACREP accredited, it must be regionally accredited and be 60 semester-hours or 80 quarter-hours and meet course requirements.
Complete a university-sponsored practicum of at least 1,000 hours
Provide proof of two years of post-master's supervised work experience; this must include no less than 100 hours of supervision in 100 weeks, one hour of supervision a week, and at least 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy with clients
Have a passing score on the NCMHCE exam
Provide proof of completion of an eight-hour Florida laws and rules course
Provide proof of completion of a three-hour board-approved HIV course
Provide proof of completion of a two-hour board-approved domestic violence course
Pay $100 application fee and $75 licensure fee
Step 8: Apply for a Military and Family Life Counselor or Consultant Job (Timeline Varies)
MFLC are hired by Department of Defense-funded contractors to work on military bases, schools, and camps. They are often employed as independent contractors for specified assignments of a few weeks to several months or more.
Sometimes MFLCs are hired on as full-time employees for long term placements. Placements can be anywhere there is military personnel, although typically they are not assigned to active war zones. When new to this career, MFLCs can expect to be assigned to a post in the continental US. With more experience, MFLCs can receive assignments in Europe or the Pacific Rim.
What Do Military and Family Life Counselors Do?
MFLCs provide non-medical counseling to service members and their families. They are employed on bases worldwide as civilian contractors and are not members of the armed forces. Duties vary based on assignment but typical day to day responsibilities include:
Meeting one-on-one with service members, their spouses, or children
Providing solution-oriented recommendations to issues brought up in counseling
Referring clients with mental health illnesses to medical mental health services
Making presentations on base about topics that can improve daily life such as anger management, stress relief techniques, grief, or relationship skills
Maintaining confidential records
Acting as a mandatory reporter
Consulting with base leadership to ensure those who need services can access it
Acting as part of a critical response team when necessary
How Much Do Military and Family Life Counselors Make?
Pay for MFLCs varies based on the field of practice (marriage and family therapist, counselor, psychologist, or social worker), education, and place of employment. Wages can also vary based on if the MFLC is an independent contractor or a full-time employee. According to Glassdoor.com the average wage for an MFLC is $38,216 per year.
The average wage for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2019), is $49,950 per year. The percentile wages nationally are:
10th percentile: $28,240
50th percentile (median): $44,630
Military and Family Life Counselor Professional Associations & Resources
The Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB)
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC)
Military and Government Counseling Association
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Kimmy Gustafson
Kimmy Gustafson is a freelance writer with extensive experience writing about counseling careers and education. She has worked in public health, at health-focused nonprofits, and as a Spanish interpreter for doctor's offices and hospitals. She has a passion for learning and that drives her to stay up to date on the latest trends in healthcare. When not writing or researching, she can be found pursuing her passions of nutrition and an active outdoors lifestyle.
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2Forensic Counselor
1Online Bachelor's Degrees in Psychology


With over 24,000 listed properties, SafariNow is the biggest and most established travel accommodation booking network in Africa – and we're growing by the day. For the past 19 years, we've worked tirelessly to craft the ultimate Internet travel service – one that leads the world from right here in Africa.
So why choose to work with SafariNow?
- With a dedicated customer support team available, we help our guests discover and book accommodation online.
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With over 2,000 enquiries per day, an average booking value of R2,900, and over 40 passionate employees, SafariNow is value-driven, customer-centric, and powered by people since 1999.


KathyMillerTime, LLC offers e-commerce transactions on this website. All sales are final, we do not offer any refunds.
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KathyMillerTime, LLC discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only to those of its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations that (i) need to know that information in order to process it on KathyMillerTime, LLC's behalf or to provide services available at KathyMillerTime, LLC's websites, and (ii) that have agreed not to disclose it to others. KathyMillerTime, LLC will not rent or sell potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information to anyone. Other than to its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations, as described above, KathyMillerTime, LLC discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only in response to a subpoena, court order or other governmental request, or when KathyMillerTime, LLC believes in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the property or rights of KathyMillerTime, LLC, third parties or the public at large. If you are a user of a KathyMillerTime, LLC website and have supplied your email address, KathyMillerTime, LLC may occasionally send you an email to tell you about new products/services, solicit your feedback, or just keep you up to date with what's going on with KathyMillerTime, LLC. We primarily use our blog to communicate this type of information, so we expect to keep this type of email to a minimum. If you send us a request (for example via a website form, email or via one of our feedback mechanisms), we reserve the right to publish it without your personally identifiable information in order to help us clarify or respond to your request or to help us support other users. KathyMillerTime, LLC takes all measures reasonably necessary to protect against the unauthorized access, use, alteration or destruction of potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information.
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not going to sustain your presence on page 1 if nothing else is implemented. In other words if you are relying solely on paid ads and have not laid an integrated marketing foundation, the minute you stop paying for your ads, you can say adieu to your search engine visibility, and hello to page 12…you're presence will dry up faster than Solange and Beyonce shut down the rumors of the Jay Z –Solange fight.
Here you can see that the top 6 are clearly navigational. ("you" is very likely people who just don't finish typing "youtube" because the instant results load first). 6, 7, 8 are very broad informational queries. The only queries that could potentially be considered commercial are amazon and craigslist.
keep you where you want to be on the search engines. For free.
Is it tricky? Heck yeah.
Online marketing, like all marketing, is an integrated effort, there is no doubt. Guns must be loaded on many fronts, and often times strategy begins with throwing a lot against the wall to see what will stick. Your market research begins here. You find out who your audience is so that then you can narrow down where your efforts should lie.
No one technique, no magic bullet will keep you front and center in peoples minds other than consistent efforts, doing quality, over the top work, and branding. It sounds exhausting, I know, but once you're there on page one it's a wonderful pay off.


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Лунда может означать:
 Лунда — народ в Анголе, Замбии и Конго.
 Лунда (язык) — язык группы банту, распространённый в Анголе, Замбии и Конго.
 Северная Лунда и Южная Лунда — провинции Анголы.
 Лунда — государство, существовавшее в Африке в XVI—XIX веках.
 Лунда — плато в Центральной Африке.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Maurits Simonette
Find the nearest dealer
MY LOVE FOR THE PAST
I grew up in Portugal; a land of granite, gigantic rocks, ravines, waterfalls, bays and reservoirs. As a child, I played in the fairy tale-like castles of acquaintances of my parents. After returning to the Netherlands, my grandmother taught me how to paint and my mother showed me the technique of modeling and making moulds.
I then started making sculptures and art objects as an independent entrepreneur. During that time, I learnt a lot about all kinds of materials that inspired me.
I was raised by the past, and found my inspiration and everlasting wonder in it.
From the past, I started innovating, such as the composition of different materials like cement, marble and pigments. The past kept returning to my future. I was mainly inspired by the Renaissance, with its monumental buildings and ruins.
After a very free creative period, I started as an interior design consultant and also took care of the full execution of these projects. I continued to innovate,
inspired by the magical power of old stones that I tried to apply in new forms. And now I know: the ultimate strength of a new and innovative product with an old soul is all about the appearance of the chosen materials; old stone in a new form. The stone is pressed, re-formed and then suddenly regains its ancient shape and appearance.
I carried out and tested my workpieces in a wellness project. This required quite a few modifications, because the stones were laid directly on the wooden floor. During that project, everyone fell in love with my stone floor, and I fell in love with the owner's daughter.
Castle Stones is now a fact.
Overview of distributors
info-at-castle-stones-dot-com
TCKI report
Protocol underfloor heating
© 2021 Castle Stones | All rights reserved | Privacy statement | Site by GoforIT | Sitemap


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Your Transfer Rumor Is Bullshit: Eden Hazard Is Not Coming To Sit On Liverpool's Bench
It would be great Twitter banter, but there's no logical world where it's happening.
By Zachary Marx@80couches Jan 8, 2022, 11:00am GMT
Share All sharing options for: Your Transfer Rumor Is Bullshit: Eden Hazard Is Not Coming To Sit On Liverpool's Bench
Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
There are apparently reports out of Spain today linking the formerly great attacking midfielder Eden Hazard to Liverpool. Yeah, that's going to be a no from me, dawg.
It's fair to say that the former Chelsea star hasn't quite had a dream move to Real Madrid. Indeed, he's only scored 5 goals across all competitions since joining the Spanish giants in 2019-20, and only managed 30 league appearances in his first two full seasons (and only 6 league starts so far this season).
In his prime, Hazard was great fun to watch, with spells of being absolutely unplayable. Unfortunately his prime appears to have ended at least 3 years ago, and at 31-years-old, it is highly unlikely that we'll ever see that phenomenal version of Hazard again.
When you add a significant transfer fee and high wage demands on top of the lack of productivity, availability, and age, I can't imagine this is a transfer Liverpool would ever, ever go for. It simply flies in the face of every single transfer they've made under Jurgen Klopp.
The only benefit to bringing Hazard in—if Liverpool were owned by a state and money was of no concern—would be to sit back and watch the fume by the obsessive Eden Hazard stans on Twitter, who are among the weirdest group of player obsessed weirdos on a site full of them.


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Cowboy Bebop Session #26: The Real Folk Blues [Part II]
...And now, [drum roll], closing out 2009, the final episode of Cowboy Bebop, Session #26, The Real Folk Blues [Part II]. I believe my favorite part of any story is the setup. I love the build to the climax in just about any tale, which is why part one of this two part finale was so tasty. Rarely do the conclusions live up to the expectations we set. Battlestar Galactica is a great example for me. I have such high standards and high expectations it's almost unfair. Will the Cowboy Bebop finale meet them?
The entry kicks off straight into the drama. There is no opening theme. None of the opening credits greet us as they have in the previous twenty-five entries. They are nowhere to be found. This promises to be the doozy.
The finale picks up where we left off in Episode 25. Julia and Spike stand in the graveyard in the rain. Julia tells Spike she was suppused to kill him. If she does it she will allegedly be set free. "Why did you love me?" she asks. He still does. She holds Spike and yearns to run away with him. It's clear, I suspect, from the flashback images that Julia was Vicious' girl and that Spike fell in love with her at first sight. It tore the crime family apart so to speak. Julia clearly desires to be with Spike over Vicious. In the end, as I've said before, empires have fallen, men die all thanks to a beautiful woman. And Julia is gorgeous, but did we ever really know this character?
Shin returns to the site of The Elders' massacre. Vicious asks him if the target was terminated. Shin lies as beads of sweat drip down his neck and he tells Vicious Spike "got away." That's not a good answer when it comes to Vicious. Strike one. Vicious asks "Where's Julia?" Shin tells him he couldn't find her. Enh! Wrong answer. Strike two. As Vicious walks away he warns Shin not to follow in his brother's footsteps. Yikes. Yeah, that might be strike three. His brother died. If Shin wanted to kill Vicious he might have taken his chance right then and there with his back turned. Still, there were too many of Vicious' henchmen to pull it off though.
Elsewhere, Spike visits Annie. She's been either shot or gutted by a sword. Julia was suppose to wait in the car, but she comes in and rushes over to Annie as well. Annie clearly knows Julia and vice versa. Annie dies from blood loss. In Annie's closet, Spike retrieves an arsenal of weaponry. Julia would like Spike to run, but Spike must confront Vicious and come face to face with the past he has run from for so long. Julia tells Spike, "Then I'll stay too. I'll be with you until the end."
On another part of the planet, Jet has crashlanded the BeBop, which is badly damaged and smoking from the missile fire. Faye and Jet talk. She suspects Spike could already be dead. Jet figures "it's possible." He's cold about it, because he's nearly helpless at this point and he doesn't want to think about that possibility too much. Jet tells her he's dealing with "his own past." "It's his fight," he implores. This is a good moment between Jet and Faye.
The shootout begins between Spike and Vicious' crew. Spike takes down two men. Julia appears ready to back him. She's not much of a shot, but then again neither is the guy shooting at her when he goes down after her third try. Spike's good. He's a bloody marksman. He takes out two more men as he and Julia run across the roof. That's five down. In the melee, Julia is gunned down. Here's that critical, dramatic moment.
It looks to be the end for Julia. It looks like she won't be with Spike until the end afterall. Farewell Julia, we hardly knew ya! We did know, however, that Spike loved her. Meanwhile, Jet is off in the Hammer Head. He visits a prophet of some kind. He feels death is near. Jet is none too pleased with his ramblings. He doesn't want to hear that shit. "Do not fear death" he tells Jet. Back on the BeBop, Jet lays on the couch. He wakes to find Spike has returned. He's returned hungry as well. It wouldn't be Spike if he wasn't hungry. He tells Jet a story of tiger-striped cat who wasn't afraid to die clearly an analogy to himself. Jet tells Spike it's a good story. I didn't think much of it myself. Actually, some of the stories told within Cowboy BeBop's stories as analogous to these characters are kinda weak. Spike tells Jet, "I hate that story." Once again, I'm with Spike. As Spike exits, Faye holds him at gunpoint. "You told me once to forget the past because it doesn't matter, but you're the one still tied to the past Spike!" snaps Faye. Spike tells Faye to look into his eyes. One of his eyes is a fake. The series alluded to that eye back in Session #6, Sympathy For The Devil. He tells Faye one eye sees the present, the other the past.
Faye's line is spot on and I do think that is one of the things about the series that has left me rather cool to it. "You never told me anything about yourself. So don't tell me now," declares Faye. It's true. Here we are at the final episode and we still no very little about these characters. Don't get me wrong, we know some things but it's hard to feel loads of affection toward them, or to care about them. I still believe the characters and stories would have been better crafted and benefitted from a much longer run. I do think this is one of the most moving moments of the series. Here is Faye coming to terms with who she is.
Spike heads off to meet his destiny in the old Swordfish II. Faye is certainly pained to see him go. We get a few flashbacks from Spike's past including a lovemaking shot in bed with Julia following what appears to be his first encounter with her out playing pool. Spike gets things started with a nice grenade. Japanese pop music plays over the excitement. Spike is fully loaded and bringin' it. In all of the gun violence, Spike finally takes a hit to his left arm. Shin shows up and has Spike's back. Shin bites it. Did we ever doubt that? He rolls a seven after being shot up real good like. Spike moves closer and closer to his final confrontation.
Spike and Vicious do a bit of the machismo talk down thing. "It's going to end here." It's a punishing and brutal battle. After losing their weapons of choice. Each makes the final move by tossing their weapon back to one another, gun versus sword. There is honor to these characters, a bit of code here. I would prefer the gun in this case, but the creators make it a close call. Vicious goes down with Spike still standing. Spike hobbles down some stairs mortally wounded it would appear. Men with guns stare. Spike falls face forward. Is this the end of Spike? Maybe. Maybe not. You are left to wonder. There has been much controversy over whether he lived or died here through the years from what I've heard, but I feel he was definitely killed with honor and went out with a "bang!"
So, I have to say, that was fairly disappointing. I didn't find a great deal of depth to the series or an overly satisfying conclusion regarding any of the characters and where they came from. What were their motivations? What about the past that brought them to this place? Where is Ed? Where is Ein? What of Jet and Faye? I suppose they still have each other. Jet sets his friend free. Spike had to deal with it all himself. These are all free spirits looking to find themselves. It was foolish for Faye to expect anything more herself. I'm not looking for a happy ending mind you. I'm perfectly fine with a melancholy exit such as this, but I wasn't feeling connected enough to these characters to care all that much, except for maybe Faye. When Julia 'takes one for the team' as they say, I'm not connected to her enough to really care all that much. I haven't invested any time at all in getting to know her enough to care. I would have liked more character work and a little more continuity with the storylines throughout the short series. Unfortunately friends, all in all, it was a decent episode, but not very fulfilling or satisfying. I simply cannot recommend the series and feel it was entirely overrated. If you love it, all the power to you. It wasn't for me. I had high hopes for it. I was really game for a good anime series and this one was great looking and loaded with great style and animation, but not much more. Well, we'll see you around space cowboys.
The Real Folk Blues (Part II): B-
Posted by SFF at 9:17 AM 10 comments:
Labels: Anime, Cowboy Bebop
Doctor Who S12 Ep75: Robot
Doctor Who's King Kong homage. We get some of the most ridiculous special effects possible at the end of the entry, a nod to Fay Wray topped off with a wee rag doll. It's a beautiful thing. Still, this was cutting edge for British TV in the day and it would be our first introduction to one Tom Baker. The combination of Elisabeth Sladen and Baker was magic, those state-of-the-art effects not so much.
This entry is dedicated in memory of late Doctor Who Producer Barry Letts who passed away in October 2009. Barry Letts 1925-2009. This is also for the fans and the uninitiated. Enjoy.
I am definitely wet behind the ears when it comes to my Doctor Who knowledge base compared to the vast fan armies that rival Doctor Who The Encyclopedia, but I hope to learn right along so bear with me. I will unabashedly admit to, if you hadn't noticed prior, my original child-like awe and adoration for Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen with little to no understanding of the series at the time it made its way to American shores. I just thought it was cool, fright-filled science fiction pure and simple. There was nothing like dropping my dinged up, heavily scratched, slightly rusted, metal lunch box, grabbing a bag of Wise chips and kicking back into the sofa for the horror-filled adventures that awaited me on Doctor Who. Quickly following, I generally needed to lighten the mood with some Japanese anime in the form of Battle Of The Planets [Gatchaman in Japan]. Homework? W ell, that got done eventually. I had important matters to tend to first.
One of the big factors that drew me into the series aside from the monsters, aliens and robots as a kid was Tom Baker and to a lesser extent Elisabeth Sladen, though I grew to understand the importance of her role as the series continued. Eventually, through maturity and my growing affection for the opposite sex I realized Sladen was as vital to the show for me as Baker. It was hard to picture one without the other. Okay, the monsters were the really big draw, but they led me to finer points of Doctor Who.
Tom Baker has been described as many things in taking over the role of the good Doctor. He's been referred to as quirky, eccentric, flamboyant, quick-witted, a real big, bold, colorful personality and he as it turned out he was all of those things. All of it drew me into the strange, but exciting world of Doctor Who. He is often referred to as the bohemian Doctor. For some reason, hearing that word applied drives me apoplectic. I go mad, but, he was unconventional and a free spirit with that trademark hat and rainbow scarf wandering the cosmos of time so bohemian certainly suits him. Tom Baker is a real character, but it will be the last time you'll see me use the word bohemian here. It just plain annoys me to see it printed everywhere when reading about Tom Baker's Doctor Who. Tom Baker is a nutter and his robust love for life really shines through in the character. I think you'll agree. In fact, I wonder with his wonderful use of language and words whether he stuck to script or applied his own embellishments along the way over the years. I suspect it was a bit of both, but he brings the Doctor to life in his own madcap, slightly deranged way.
Let us begin our journey in the fabled tardis with the BBC's [British Broadcasting Service] Doctor Who, Season Twelve [1974-1975], Episode 75, Robot [1974]. It's interesting to note in the UK, television is broadcast in sequences far different to television here in the USA. Season Twleve of Doctor Who featured just five stories. Each story is comprised of either two, four or six parts. We'll make note of how many with each episode. Tom Baker's debut, Robot, was filmed in four segments. It's also worth noting the episodes are in sequential order beginning with the First Doctor, hence Baker's introduction as the Fourth Doctor with Episode 76. Catching Doctor Who, the Tom Baker Years, in dribs and drabs on my local PBS station was a challenge of timing for me. I did my best to always tune in for the continuation to each previous installment of the serialized adventure, but alas was not always successful. The walks home from school were often treacherous and evading the local bullies required some ingenuity and strategy. These were not always quick exercises. With the advent of DVD, now is my chance to start over from scratch and from the beginning filling in all of the holes those harrowing walks home from school forced me to miss. I cannot wait, so let's get it started. I'll be curious to see what my second impressions are like so many years later. My Boy Wonder is anxious to watch alongside me.
ROBOT: PART ONE: We begin with the introduction of the Tom Baker years and that wonderful theme song. How bloody fantastic is that theme!? The KLF sample and contorted the track into an appropriately named classic called Doctorin' The Tardis. It is a well known fact that the Doctor has many faces. He is up to ten faces [the eleventh is filming]. Those changes are forced through regeneration. Typically it happens with each new doctor's debut. The Doctor regenerates here in Robot, Part One altering from John Pertwee into Tom Baker. How many times can this happen? I believe twelve, but there may be greater information regarding this process out there on the web. We introduce you to the man's signature afro and image embedded into one of the world's greatest science fiction theme songs ever created. How the theme was created is handled in great detail in one of the DVD extras. The whole thing gives me goosebumps. Enjoy.
A top secret robot breaks into a top secret facility and steals top secret plans. We are introduced to Sarah Jane Smith, of the now famous The Sarah Jane Adventures [2007], in her younger years played by the wonderfully talented, loveable, beautiful Elisabeth Sladen with an abundance of verve. Am I gushing over her? I love her. I still lover her. She once recalled the moment of regeneration of the Doctor from Jon Pertwee into Tom Baker in an interview with Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition. "I don't think Jon made it easy. Not a word was said during the regeneration scene. Jon got up from the ground. Tom lay down. Tom got up and went off...." Of course the regeneration took place in the episode previous to Robot, Episode 74, Planet Of The Spiders.
My initial reaction to my old friend Tom Baker and his eclectic, quirky personality is one of pure elation. He is such a rare, breath of fresh air even by today's standards. You can keep all the supercool Brad Pitts of the world with reputations to uphold. Give me Baker any day. Tom Baker is a flake in the best sense of the word. He's out of his bloody tree, an absolute wackadoodle. He is intrigued by his new appearance. Here's a taste of things to come and why it's easy to fall head over heels with this Doctor.
Upon further medical evaluation performed by Dr. Harry Sullivan [another excellent character contribution from the late Ian Marter] and this may certainly be old news to longtime fans of the series at this point, it would appear the Doctor has "hearts." How many I do not know. I presume two. His fully redundant system pre-dates even Londo Mollari by two decades. Londo, of course, is a Centauri gifted with two hearts on the science fiction epic Babylon 5.
The first meeting between the NEW regenerated Doctor and the loved Sarah Jane.
The Doctor attempts to take off in the Tardis, but is halted by the arrival of Sarah Jane. He is eager to get started on his adventures. I often wonder what might have been had he left Sarah behind here. Perish the thought I might add. Sarah convinces him to stay as he is needed by the Brigadier. The Doctor is apparently the Unit's scientific adviser. Meanwhile, there is another break in by the unidentified robot and a man is killed.
After a series of attire changes from king to barbarian to court jester, Tom Baker emerges from the Tardis with his classic hat and rainbow-colored scarf and jacket. We learn he has been recovering in the sick bay section of this place called the Unit. It is top secret. There are many. Writer Terrance Dicks must have been the sort that loved secrets of the top variety.
Sarah Jane Smith visits with her Unit pass to an off-site location dubbed the National Institute For Advanced Scientific Research. Back at the Unit, Tom Baker and company attempt to figure out what IT is that has stolen the plans for the Disintegrator Gun.
Meanwhile Smith heads into a NO ADMITTANCE section and finds a sign concerning Kettlewell Robotics. The Doctor is treated to the "impregnable" military protection of another top secret location. Guns and barricading are no match for the Robot, which breaks in via undergound tunneling stealing the contents inside, wait for it, the top secret facility.
Smith visits Professor Kettlewell at his residence to inquire if anyone is carrying on his work in robotics. He denies that could be happening.
At the military-laden site, Doctor Who and company find the rectangular footprints of a non-human entity and the tunnel that burrowed underneath their facility. Sarah Jane Smith is on her mission and makes her way to the top secret, POSITIVELY NO ADMITTANCE section of the institute. It is here she encounters the Robot and the dire, cliffhanger moment where she is about to be attacked by it. We hear the splendid end music kick in to leave us breathless for more.
It's nothing particularly spectacular thus far, but we are treated to the necessary introductions of Tom Baker now working with Elisabeth Sladen. Their talents are immense and Tom Baker elevates just about any story with his personality and shining character. One of the wonderful things about the show was its awesome cast of characters and as a fan you always got two favorites in Tom and Elisabeth. It was like two for the price of one.
As I mentioned, Ian Marter guests as Harry Sullivan, another recurring character favorite, that I recall from my younger days. Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart and John Levene as Sergeant Benton were some of the standouts.
ROBOT: PART TWO: [These segments are essentially different episodes, but decided to combine them all for one entry]. So to recap, I am fairly excited about Doctor Who a la the Tom Baker years and I am infused with the excitement and promise of some good old-fashioned BBC science fiction. The effects are clearly low budget as one might expect, but ya ain't seen nothin' yet. Despite those cheesy effects, my Boy Wonder is happy to look past it all and is quite enjoying the entry himself. He's also comprehending the good Doctor's sense of humor as he chuckles out loud like myself at all of the properly executed moments. There are not many shows that can walk the line of adult and family programming, but this one does it very well. I also do not recall this episode as a kid. I never did see this one. It isn't until next adventure [The Ark In Space] where I begin to remember the show that populated my childhood.
We begin, where part one ended, with Sarah Jane in particular jeopardy at the hands of the Kettlewell Robot. Suddenly two of the institutes' people enter to deactivate the Robot and inform Sarah they knew she was eager to see the Robot. The display of its awesome power was all by design.
Elsewhere, the Doctor is chatting with the Brigadier. They are deducing who the culprit is that is stealing all of this top secret technology. They would also like to know where Sarah is.
Sarah is introduced to experimental Robot K-1 designed to perform tasks of a dangerous nature she is informed. Sarah is chastised for snooping around. It's a little hard to believe she wasn't quickly whisked away and escorted off the premises. The man [Jellicoe] understands it is her nature as a journalist to uncover information. Sarah imagines K-1 could be quite dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands. Yes, like the current hands of this institute for example Sarah. The woman [Miss Winters] orders K-1 to terminate Sarah and that she cannot leave alive. The K-1 Robot mentions something about the order being a violation of its Prime Directive. I suspect the Prime Directive is to not harm humans as programmed by Professor Kettlewell. Miss Winters tells K-1 it must obey as it proceeds forward upon Sarah, but its actions are confused. Two things: a. it would appear it has killed people before, and b. it's so ridiculously slow, you could turn, run and get away. Miss Winters deactivates K-1 again. Sarah asks if it's another one of her little jokes. Miss Winters indicates it was a practical demonstration of how it will not harm humans despite orders to the contrary. The organanization tells Sarah to remain quiet about what she has witnessed as it is top secret. After Sarah departs Jellicoe indicates to his female comrade what a dangerous move it was to order K-1 to destroy Sarah. You see, it's inhibitor was only just reset. Inhibitor? Oh boy.
By the way, the Prime Directive is actually not a reference to Star Trek as I first considered. It's actually a direct homage to Isaac Asimov and his I, Robot [1950] anthology. The law is laid out in detail within the aforementioned author's work. A Robot "may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm." Asimov continued that the Robot "must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law." This rule would be explored in much greater detail later in Doctor Who, Episode 91, The Robots Of Death [1977].
Sarah initiates the beauty and the beast thread opposite K-1. Robot is the first in a series of Doctor Who entries that pays tribute to a number of science fiction classics, intentional or not. This one hinting, smelling and tasting of King Kong.
Back at the Unit, Sarah arrives to tell her colleagues there is "something very odd" going on over at Thinktank.
Over at the institute the evildoers work on the K-1 Robot. Reactivated the woman, her name Miss Winters, tells the Robot of its next mission.
The Doctor, Brigadier and Sarah pay a visit to Professor Kettlewell. Tom Baker as the Doctor is masterful and always comes across as a playful genius. He's such a smart ass fellow as he jousts with Professor Kettlewell until he tells him he wants to know more about the Robot. Kettlewell tells them it was his last project before leaving the institute. He deactivated the Robot and it was difficult to do as he so loved the Robot like a son. There's a bit of mad genius for you. He tells our fearless heroes that if K-1 is forced to go against its Prime Directive the institute will destroy its mind and it will go mad. 'Ruh-Roh'!
Later, the K-1 Robot destroys a prominent British MP [Member of Parliament] when K-1 is informed the man is "an enemy of humanity." The K-1 Robot's nifty design is simple, but stunning in appearance and effective when it implements its weaponry and the fantastic and awesome power of the stolen top secret disintegrator ray. One thing though, wouldn't the disintegrator ray's power be best applied outside the laborious efforts of the K-1 Robot.? Fine, K-1 has stolen the ray gun. Now give it to someone who can do something more substantive with it. Seriously, the Robot doesn't exactly have a deft touch with the gun.
More TOP secrets are stolen from the dead MP's residence. The man was a cabinet minister in the area of security. So much for top secret security then.
Sarah Jane Smith is off to learn a bit more about the Scientific Reform Society [SRS] of which Thinktank's Miss Winters and Jellicoe are members. The Doctor and Brigadier will pay a visit to the institute. Meanwhile, Professor Kettlewell is paid a little visit by his very creation. K1 is almost sympathetic as he tells the professor, "help me." There is a sense of internal turmoil as the orders K-1 is given conflict with the Prime Directive as programmed by his creator. The man inside the suit generates some sympathy.
Sarah Jane visits the SRS. She discovers the organization is clearly of the lunatic fringe variety. As only Elisabeth Sladen could deliver, she tells the group she is covering a number of "fringe organizations" as a journalist. They ask for some good press and she zings them good. She tells them she will find a spot for them somewhere between the "Flying Saucer People" and the "Flat Earthers." She is a classic delivering the humor! The Doctor and the Brigadier visit the institute, but K-1 is nowhere to be found. Miss Winters is interrupted with a visit by Dr. Sullivan of the Ministry. Harry Sullivan is undercover. The Doctor and the Brigadier think. Brilliant stuff in this sequence!
The Professor calls the Doctor for help. He informs the Doctor he has absconded with K-1, but is concerned he will not be able to contain it for long. The institute people arrive at Kettlewell's home. The Doctor has left a note back at the Unit for Sarah in the event he runs into trouble and he will. He's Tom Baker as the Doctor!
At Kettlewell's home the Doctor finds K-1. He is attacked by the Robot as an enemy of humanity. Locked inside the home, the Doctor does everything to evade its advances until the Doctor is knocked to the ground and we are left with the closing Who theme music. Love those cliffhangers!
ROBOT: PART THREE: Okay, so the effects aren't exactly up-to-snuff by today's standards, but they are vintage era BBC and deliver the story needed along with a few good laughs. When we last left the good Doctor, he was knocked unconscious before the mammoth power that is K-1. The Doctor did ask the Robot what its Prime Directive was and it indicated it must not harm humanity, except in this case apparently. There are always exceptions to the rule aren't there?
Sarah Jane has arrived outside the professor's home in a nick of time. Sarah Jane, in full on hippie-gypsy garb, explains to K-1 the people that are giving the Robot orders are evil. The Robot is confused and rampages out of the home. Okay, rampage may be a slight exaggeration. The Robot more or less walks slowly out of the bulding while being shot at by the military. Professor Kettlewell is bound and gagged inside his home. Kettlewell returns to the Unit.
Back at the Unit, the professor explains how he created the Robot's metal as well. It's a living metal. Sarah Jane decides to go to the SRS meeting with the professor. The Doctor is resting back at the Unit. Mr. Benton informs the Brigadier and the Doctor that Sarah and the professor are off to the SRS meeting. The Doctor is looking less than pleased with that decision.
In the meeting, the radical Miss Winters is working the crowd into a major frenzy. Miss WInters introduces the professor using him for their cause or so I thought. It becomes clear the professor has been playing everyone like a fiddle. He intentionally feigned severing ties with his Robot and the institute earlier in Part Two. He also lured the Doctor to his home on purpose in the hopes of having him killed. He also pretended to be gagged and bound to cover up his plan. Wow. He's very tricksy! He does play look the part as a pretty insane, wacky-looking professor. The Doctor arrives with his crazy antics to get the crowd laughing. The Doctor asks the professor why he is working for the radicals. The military arrives and fires upon the Robot. Oddly, Sarah is nearby making the move seem rather ill-planned. Miss Winters escapes with Jellicoe and Sarah as hostage. The crazies escape with Sarah and the destructor codes. They also abduct Harry Sullivan. Benton takes the Doctor to their hidden away bunker. The Unit is under assault by automatic machine gunfire. Hi-tech defenses surround the perimeter of the bunker. Will our heroes successfully infiltrate?
Miss Winters reaches out to the Brigadier with demands. She stipulates a full surrender in thirty minutes or the destructor codes will be employed.
Meanwhile the military Unit destroys all weaponry, whilst the Doctor finishes off the underground mines with his infamous sonic screwdriver. This is the first application of the Sonic Screwdriver in the hands of the fourth doctor. He also whips his sonic screwdriver out to break the seal of a door to gain entry. I gotta get me one of those.
This is a toy tank. An actual tank was desired but never realized.
The baddies give Robot the disintegrator gun so that he can destroy the Doctor and Unit. The Doctor and company fall back to the woods as K-1 arrives. The Robot quickly disintegrates a man and a tank. The eerie sound of the Doctor Who theme song arrives as the the K-1 Robot announces, "go now or I will destroy you all!" That Prime Directive really isn't working so well.
ROBOT: PART FOUR: And now for the exciting conclusion to Robot, the first full adventure in the capable hands of the Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker. Okay, well, it hasn't been that exciting, but it's Tom Baker's first time out. Everyone needs a little time. Miss Winters readies her use of the destructor codes which are capable of igniting a nuclear war. Now that's more like a villainous plan. Miss Winters may actually give those James Bond baddies a run for their money.
Relax, there's only a killer Robot on the loose and a potential for nuclear war. No worries.
The Doctor and company implement a plan to draw K-1 away from the entrance point so the Doctor can finish cutting through the doorway with his sonic screwdriver. Harry, Sarah and the professor escape. Sarah pleads with K-1 informing it the evildoers want to start an atomic war. The K-1 Robot is truly conflicted between whether he should destroy or not. Damn it man make a decision Robot. Unfortunately K-1 gets really confused and disintegrates yelling "the one who created me." Suddenly K-1 falls to the ground. Poor K-1 has some real issues.
Miss Winters is apprehended, but the launch codes for all of the nuclear missiles have been activated. The Doctor begins punching away on the keyboard at a rapidfire pace halting the countdown sequence just two seconds before launching.
Sarah is stopped by the Kettlewell Robot in the basement. Doctor Who suspects Sarah is in trouble as K-1 must be in a "state of tremendous emotional shock." Yes, Robots can get emotional, just ask the Cylons. K-1 is still tasked with destruction [despite that little thing called the Prime Directive but whatever]. K-1 assures Sarah she will be saved. Whew! Robot is worst than a bad date. It's a bit of beauty and the beast here or beauty and Robot. "Just once I'd like to meet an alien menace that wasn't immune to bullets," declares the Brigadier. Benton mentions the metal-eating virus designed by Kettlewell and the Doctor hurries to the professor's office in the silly yellow car referred to as Bessie. It may be the only time we see Bessie during the Fourth Doctor's tenor. It may not. I simply cannot recall.
K-1 and Sarah arrive in the secret launch room as K-1 reactivates a launch sequence. Robot insists it is trying to fulfill his creator's wishes to recreate mankind, I think. The Doctor is certain K-1 is suffering from an excessive Oedipus Complex making it difficult to see through the professor's original mad plan to destroy the planet. The Oedipus Complex is a psychoanalytical reference whereby a child is driven by repressed feelings to possess the parent of the opposite sex, while destroying the parent of the same sex. Boy, these Robots really are complex and far more complicated than me.
The final sequence becomes utterly laughable as the K-1 Robot grows into a King Kong-sized Robot and grabs Sarah in its clutches carrying her to a local building. The giant Robot is now rampaging and looking about as ridiculous as it gets. A fake doll version of Sarah in the Robot's hand is off the charts hysterical. My boy was cracking up. So the disintegrator ray didn't work on the Robot. "I see our little problem seems to have grown" exclaims the Doctor. The Brigadier has summoned the RAF, but the Doctor has a plan. The doctor douses the Robot with the metal-eating virus and it quickly spreads across the surface of the Robot's body. It quickly shrinks back to size. The Robot quickly turns bright orange and disappears. Farewell my friend.
Back at Unit the Doctor offers Sarah a jelly baby. Ah yes, this would be the introduction to the Doctor's jelly baby obsession. Sarah is slightly saddened by the loss of the Robot. Yes, we're all broken up. Those final moments recreate a Who version homage to King Kong. Here is one of the finest closing moments. Remember, It's all about the character. Nevermind those cheesy effects behind the curtain.
The K-1 Robot is a pretty striking design for its time. A fairly weak story is salvaged by some fine performances on the whole. Robot serves up a glimpse of greatness from Tom Baker and in that makes it worthwhile. That, of course, combined with the sparkle of chemistry hinted to between the Doctor and the beautiful Elisabeth Sladen along with the insanely likeable Ian Marter. Things are just getting underway and any first outing deserves a little slack. Still, Baker does hit the ground running. "There's no point being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes." Amen.
Robot: C/ Director: Christopher Barry/ Writer: Terrance Dicks/ Producer: Barry Letts.
This would be the end of Producer Barry Letts tenor. Producer Philip Hinchcliffe would take over and place his own stamp on the style and direction of the series following Robot. For that reason, Robot feels considerably different to those going forward. Writer Terrance Dicks would also take a step back to make way for new blood to inject ideas into the ever-changing Doctor Who universe.
DVD Extras: Audio Commentary by Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen, Terrance Hicks and producer Barry Letts. A real treat now that Letts is no longer with us. The BBC video release has a number of bright spots including a 2007 documentary entitled Are Friends Electric? [38 min]. This is an entertaining look back at landing Tom Baker as the new Doctor and the making of Robot. It includes wonderful interviews and behind-the-scenes footage starring none other than Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen, Alec Linstead [Jellicoe], Patricia Maynard [Miss Winters], Michael Kilgarriff [Robot], Edward Burnham [the Professor], producers Barry Letts and Philip Hinchcliffe, script editor Terrance Dicks and Director Christopher Barry. It's a truly special highlight on the DVD. Here is a terrific sample complete with Tom's trademark smile. Sweet!
You will also receive a short on the making of The Tunnel Effect [13 min] for the opening theme to Doctor Who.
The afortementioned Ian Marter is noticeably absent from the proceedings in the documentary you will note. Sadly, Ian Marter [1944-1986] died suddenly at the ripe young age of 42 on his birthday following a heart attack and complications from diabetes. Marter was actually cast to play a young, more physical part opposite an expected older casting for Doctor Who. After Tom Baker was cast Marter was less critical to the ongoing adventures and was slowly phased out of production. He was a popular character on the show from December 1974 to December 1975. The expected action hero plan for Marter was no longer imperative and thus Marter was inevitably let go despite being a fan favorite.
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Watch from Southaven, Mississippi as we broadcast the 2017 Dizzy Dean 12U World Series. The Attalla All-Stars take on the Huffman Allstars for the Championship.
Watch from Southaven, Mississippi as we broadcast the 2017 Dizzy Dean 12U World Series. All baseball games from Complex C, Field 13 will be aired from Saturday July 22nd to Wednesday July 26th. The Championship game features Attalla All-Stars and the Huffman All-Stars.
Watch live AND FREE from Southaven, Mississippi as we broadcast the 2017 Dizzy Dean 12U World Series. All baseball games from Complex C, Field 13 will be aired from Saturday July 22nd to Wednesday July 26th.
Watch from Southaven, Mississippi as we broadcast the 2017 Dizzy Dean 12U World Series. All baseball games from Complex C, Field 13 will be aired from Saturday July 22nd to Wednesday July 26th.
Watch from Southaven, Mississippi as we broadcast the 2017 Dizzy Dean 11U World Series. All baseball games from Complex C, Field 13 will be aired from Sunday, July 16th to Wednesday July 19th.
Watch live AND FREE from Southaven, Mississippi as we broadcast the 2017 Dizzy Dean 11U World Series. All baseball games from Complex C, Field 13 will be aired from Sunday, July 16th to Wednesday July 19th.