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Carolina Panthers
Geoff Hangartner - #63 - C
|6' 5"/ 300 lbs.
|Houston, TX
|Texas A&M
|Years played
|2005, 5th round, 33rd pick by Panthers
Panthers release CB Gamble
The Panthers released CB Chris Gamble on Friday. Gamble is the franchise's all-time leader in interceptions.
Carolina Panthers: 2013 team needs
We highlight the top three needs on offense and defense for the Carolina Panthers, and take a look back at their 2012 draft class.
Panthers cut DT Edwards
The Panthers released DT Ron Edwards on Friday, the team confirmed.
Gettleman: Panthers could keep Williams, Stewart
Dave Gettleman spent his 62nd birthday doing something he never did: speak — on the record, anyway — to the media.
Panthers to begin renovation after 2013 season
The Panthers plan to begin renovations on its 16-year-old stadium immediately after the 2013 NFL season.
Panthers add DT Cole
The Panthers signed DT Colin Cole, the team announced Friday.
Ranking the NFL divisions for 2013
PFW associate editor Kevin Fishbain takes an early stab at ranking the NFL's divisions for 2013, led by the NFC South.
Panthers promote Shula to offensive coordinator
The Panthers stayed in-house to replace Rob Chudzinski, promoting Mike Shula to offensive coordinator, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
Panthers must tackle big defensive need inside
The Panthers have ignored the DT position high in the draft in recent years. That could change.
Kuechly wins PFW/PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year
Panthers LB Luke Kuechly, the 2012 NFL leader in tackles, was voted PFW/PFWA's Defensive Rookie of the Year.
CB Munnerlyn hoping to stay with Panthers
Munnerlyn called the 2012 season one of the best of his four-year career, and he's hoping to get a chance to build on it in a Panthers uniform next season.
Panthers name Gettleman general manager
The Panthers announced Wednesday that Dave Gettleman has been hired as general manager.
Panthers fire three assistants
Panthers LB coach Warren Belin, WR coach Fred Graves and RB coach John Settle will not return in 2013, the team announced Tuesday.
Panthers' GM search offers study in contrasts
Panthers owner Jerry Richardson will move into the next phase of his search for a new general manager next week.
Panthers will retain head coach Rivera
The Panthers have decided to retain head coach Ron Rivera, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Hangartner missed practice Wednesday because of a back injury.||||||| Without going into detail, Bills coach Dick Jauron said Hangartner was held out because of a stiff back. That's potentially bad news for a team that has already shuffled its lineup this week after losing starting right tackle Brad Butler and starting tight end Derek Schouman to season-ending knee injuries. With 29 starts in 56 games over five seasons, Hangartner is the team's most experienced offensive lineman.
Hangartner has signed with the Buffalo Bills, becoming the first addition to their rebuilding line.||||||| The deal was announced by the Bills on Saturday after the former Carolina Panthers player spent the day meeting with team executives and coaches. A fifth-round draft pick from Texas A&M in 2005, Hangartner played both center and right guard for the Panthers.
Hangartner hopes to return for the playoffs after being knocked out of a 33-31 win over New Orleans on Sunday.||||||| Carolina has a bye, giving Hangartner time to heal.
Hangartner signed a three-year, $1.032 million contract with the Carolina Panthers.|||||||


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While the numerous environmental and financial benefits of sustainable buildings are well-known and widely accepted, the potential risks and legal obligations that accompany them are not as extensively recognized
Read more about LEED ...
CyberLock Flex System Door and I/O Module
Utilizing Office Space
How we work in an office environment is changing. Once bound to individual desks and cubicle spaces for solitary assignments, we are increasingly driven to work collaboratively and even remotely.
Read more about space utilization …
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The wife of drag racing legend Don Garlits passed away over the weekend, according to the NHRA.
Pat Garlits died Sunday at her Ocala home, apparently after a bout with an unspecified illness.
"My dear wife of nearly 61 years left this world and went over to the other side at 5:53 PM, this afternoon," stated a Facebook post shared onto the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing page. "She has been suffering a lot these last few… days and it was a Blessing to see God take her into His care."
Don "Big Daddy" Garlits, a Tampa native, is considered a father of modern drag racing. He retired from full-time racing in the 1990s but still operates the museum bearing his name near his home.
A 2012 story about Don and Pat on NHRA.com paid tribute to her as the woman who "was there to nurse his wounds and his ego when things went bad."
Funeral arrangements are still pending.
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Sage Francis gives a review of his east coast tour which includes meeting Dres of Black Sheep & Jarobi of A Tribe Called Quest at his NYC gig
Latest Blog Posts
- Sage Francis
"Make Em Purr" video, lyrics, backstory
- Sage Francis
Sage Francis – US, EU, UK TOUR DATES – 2014
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The Sage Francis Interview Invasion, 2014
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"To Hell and Back" – Phoenix Cover Story
- Sage Francis
Tag Archives: Can I Kick It
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Wow, when did kids turn into such pussies? I have been noticing more and more of this lately. My 14 year-old stepdaughter is the typical high school girl. She has a new boyfriend every couple of weeks. Occasionally they will come by the house to pick her up or to hang out for a minute. Every single one of these kids....I could easily confuse them for a girl. These guys are all wearing eyeliner (at best), nail polish, the works. Hell, one of them a couple of weeks ago was coming over so they could "do each others' hair"! All of them look as if they've never done anything remotely athletic/physical in their lives. Then there's the deameanor. Won't look you in the eye, mumble when they talk.....it makes me sick. Is this the way our kids are being raised nowadays? I asked her, are these the kind of men you really want to be around? I wouldn't even call them men, it would be an insult to actual men.
Anyways, kind of off topic, but we are turning out some kids who are complete pussies these days. I am not surprised by gyms with this Planet Fitness-like behavior.
Now is it any wonder that kids can't handle an "intimidating" or competitive gym atmosphere when they're being raised like this? It is the gradual pussification of our country and it disgusts me.
As pathetic as it is, it appears to be an emerging trend in the fitness industry and I honestly cant say I'm at all surprised.
This, on the other hand, did surprise me. I've never heard of anything like this. At what age will they start keeping score?My 10 year-old cousin plays in soccer and baseball leagues that DO NOT KEEP SCORE!! They do this so that no gets their feelings hurt about losing games and so that the games won't be so competitive and be all about winning.
6'2 - 105kg (231lb)
journal: http://www.wannabebig.com/forums/thr...m183-s-Journal
This on the other hand I have a hard time denying myself. I think several things factor into it cellphone/ computers for one. It's given kids an avenue in which they can communicate without ever having to talk to someone face to face or look someone in the eyes. So in the rare moments when they are forced to do this with strangers they mumble and look at the floor. Oh well as long as I'm not one of those kids and I'm certainly not raising my daughter to be one.
Anyways, I feel like I've somewhat derailed the thread. Basically my point is that it is no surprise that these kids would have a problem with the perceived competition at the gym that the heavier weights bring. Look at how they're being raised....
5'9" 195 lbs
DL 600x1
SQ 490x1 (raw)
BP 430x1 (shirted), 320x1 (raw)
SN 209x1 C+J 250x1
My Training Journal
"Most people don't want to learn new things. They only want to hear about things that validate crap they're already doing." - Mike Boyle
Lifting heavy weights is bad and dangerous. Come on, didn't you know that?
How to Find Your Dream Job
My personal blog/website dedicated to giving answers on the age old question - how to escape the "rat race". I now play guitar for a living!
I've mentioned already that I very rarely go to this school gym in question. I go there on squat days every so often because they have a GHR, other than that I steer clear b/c it is a cess pool of hipsters, bench/curl jockeys, and total wanna be ******s.
oh, btw, i did a squat workout there the other day and definitely caught the attention of some of the workers. I thought they were going to ask me to "tone it down" on a few occasions. Oh well, was hoping for a good reaction.
I guess the young folk just need to grow the fark up. Kind of odd your uni gym has a GHR but discourages heavy lifting you should offer to take off their hands.
My journal
400(335) Bench Press
600(520x3 2xBW) Dead Lift
500(495x1) ATG Squat
Total: 1500(1350)
365 Front Squat
consistency and intensity.
Related story...sorta...
I saw a news report today that said refs for school sporting events can bench a player if they see the player getting hurt. The player will not be allowed to play again until cleared by a doctor. So, if a ref sees you take a fall or hit your head, hurt or not, they can bench you. More sissyfication?
Off Road Journal
AtLarge Nutrition Supplements Get the best supplements and help support Wannabebig!
might have to do with stories like this http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201....ap/index.html
Where an eagles player was allowed to return after a concussion and fell down.
Had something similar happen to me, this goes along with RBB's post.
It may be thread derailment like he claimed, but this thread popped up in my mind after this conversation...
Was talking with a professor, and she got to talking about socialization and how important family life is on children in stages of development. No argument there. Then she went on to talk about how spanking is wrong, and it is likely that an adult "spank" could cause kidney failure in a child in the ages of 4-6 years old.
Anyone else think this is a little overkill? I got spanked when I was a kid, and it did a great job of showing me what is right and what's wrong.
I've heard of shaken baby syndrome and what not, but a spank is a light smack. Its probably more effective in the sense of scaring the child rather than hurting the child. A child at the ages of 4-6 probably gets hit harder than a normal spank on a daily basis, when it comes to falling down, playing, and just doing kid things.
Obviously you aren't going to close your hand and hit the kid as hard as you can. There may be some idiots who have hit their kids like in the kidneys that and caused renal failure, thats obviously crossing the child abuse line.
What relevance I thought this may have to this thread is the recent trend of positive reinforcement and lighter punishments. A higher percentage of kids grow up now taught to be bounty soft as blankets straight out of the dryer.
What's sad is I'm 22 years old and I can see this. When I was a kid, I got stitches, I peed outside, I broke bones, and I'd leave the house on my bike and wouldn't return until dark. Parents would freak out if kids did these today.
Let kids be kids!!!
Last edited by Lones Green; 09-16-2010 at 11:51 AM.
23 years old
6'3, 308 lbs
825 Squat
470 Bench
645 Deadlift
1905 total
use bands to help increase resistance.
5'9" 195 lbs
DL 600x1
SQ 490x1 (raw)
BP 430x1 (shirted), 320x1 (raw)
SN 209x1 C+J 250x1
My Training Journal
"Most people don't want to learn new things. They only want to hear about things that validate crap they're already doing." - Mike Boyle
I remember about 14 years ago when i was a little midget playing little league baseball. they didn't keep score back then either, but i would always beg my parents to keep score with pen and paper so I would know if my team won or not
::::::::::::::::::::Updated 9-16-11::::::::::::::::::::
Deadlift 1x5 @ 408 Squat Max @ 370
CG Bench 1x7 @ 225 Power Clean Max @ 235
W Chinups 3x10 @ +50 Dips 1x5 @ +115
Height - 6'3 Weight - 194lbs Age - 21
"I've got a theory that if you give 100% all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end." - Larry Bird
Eventually the pendulum swings back in the other direction.
me: so this is the "pump" you speak of
me: I could never figure out what people were talking about
Relentless: like an all over body hardon, yeah
Food log
The Focused Chronicles
so it WAS totally just a made up bull**** rumor. The DBs were never removed because of people complaining, it was due to lack of space
Damn it i was gonna say that sounds great, you had two very good options;
1) Work out in the storage room take the GHR with you and never get stuck with douche bags
2) Use said douche bags as replacements for the DB's they moaned about see whos intimidated then.
A Westside journal.
'There are no layby's on the road to strength'
'The greatest pleasure in life is achieving things people said you could not achieve'
'He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man'
Maybe I'm just looking for it, but does this sound fishy to anyone else? Like, if they never planned on getting rid of the weights, why wouldn't they have just moved them to begin with instead of sticking them in storage for a few weeks, and not offering an explanation until just now? Seems like maybe they caved to the pressure and are changing their storyThe Rec Center plans to move the weights back within the next few days, but they will be moved to another location to provide more space in the plate-loaded weight area.
::::::::::::::::::::Updated 9-16-11::::::::::::::::::::
Deadlift 1x5 @ 408 Squat Max @ 370
CG Bench 1x7 @ 225 Power Clean Max @ 235
W Chinups 3x10 @ +50 Dips 1x5 @ +115
Height - 6'3 Weight - 194lbs Age - 21
"I've got a theory that if you give 100% all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end." - Larry Bird
Just wanna tell a few stories of mine...
When I was in high school, I remember this one day when I was on my spare and working out in the weight room like usual. Then this girl teacher who teaches the girls gym class came in to the weight lifting room where I was and told me that I need to leave because the girls were coming in and weren't comfortable with me working out with them. Right away, I was pissed. I was thinking, what the heck? Not once have these girls ever worked out at the same time with me and even if they did, I never screamed or anything like that when lifting; I just do my own thing. Maybe it's just a girl thing, I don't know but I was also mad because I paid to use the weight lifting room for the semester.
Another story I remember was the last gym that I worked out at. It was a real nice gym, kinda run down but it was good. It had a power rack, regular bench press and incline press station, had a cable place... Then all of a sudden they were redoing the whole weight lifting area. I came back like a week or two later and for real, you could almost say that the whole gym was filled with fancy machines. Half the room was just cardio things and almost the entire other half of the gym had all the weight machines. The free weights where all on this little strip. It had a dumbbell rack (don't remember how high the weights went up to), a couple free benches, and then a power rack which quickly became more of a "bench station" and I always had to wait to use it. After a couple weeks I moved to a new gym.
Couple things...
1) Every generation thinks the one ahead of it is getting worse and worse. We all have grandfathers and can attest to this (In MY day, you ate dinner with the family, not in front of the TV!!). That being said, I think the point of the coming generation is there are more extremes. For every sports league you have that doesnt keep score, you have another thats super hardcore and pumping out NFL atheletes from the time their 7 (well maybe its not 1-1, but you get my point).
2) So far I haven't heard any solutions to these sorts of problems, besides just finding a new gym. Despite how good it may make you feel, calling all of these people bitches or pussies, or running around slapping everyone high fives isn't going to allow you to lift at your school gym (for free, may I remind you). So here is my 2 cents. For one, not everyone lifts weights as a sport, and you cant blame them for being ignorant. Just as I play basketball for fun and recreation, some people just want to lift to look a little better or be a bit healthier.I'm sure they think I look like a wuss trying to throw up a layup (incorrectly I'm sure) or a total idiot when I try to dribble, just because in the end I don' really give a damn about basketball or really read about it. Its fun and its a social activity, my interest stops there. The gym is very simliar--most people DONT' want to lift weights, they just want to be healthy. Its hard to blame them to much for being ignorant. So obvious their going to be intimidated because not only are they ignorant, but you're putting complete newbies side by side to pros. When I step on the basketball court next to some guys who are pretty damn good, even I feel a little intimidated. I'm sure its even worse when the sport involves moving massive weights, slamming things around, yelling, etc. . At the end of the day I think these people are complete wussies just like the rest of you, I'm just trying to put things in perspective. Its hard to blame someone to much for trying to be healthy, even if they're doin it wrong.
So part of what I do is try to be nice to most of these people.. If the only interaction someone has with you is you slamming around weights, no **** they're going to be intimidated. Say hello, offer to spot, offer to give advice (nicely), etc. I'm real nice to everyone in the gym until its time to hit my set, and I basically just zone everyone out. By this point they're more impressed than intimidated, and I get to smash weights like I want.
I know some of you on the more dave tate side of things will say some **** like I DON'T GO TO THE GYM TO MAKE FRIENDS, I GO THERE TO SMF. Thats fine, but realize that having no regard for the people around you makes you antisoscial, and they will think you're an ******* for it.also the management won't like this either, which of course makes them complete pussies, but also realize that these pussies decide whether or not you get to lift weights there.at the end of the day the guy with a 2200 pound total pays just as much as the guy who dicks around ont he treadmill the whole time, so can you really blame them to much for giving the pussies priority? They're trying to keep customers and make money (really what they should be doing is de-pussyfing the gym crowd and teaching them how to lift, but thats a whole nother story). If this really isn't your style, you could talk with them about a time youc ould come when its OK to lift heavy like at in the morning or at night or something. Or just join another gym.
Stats: 11/15/07-First-meet--2nd Meet----3rd meet
Weight: 185-----187---------198---------198
Max Bench: 255---220-----------280------300
Max Squat: 405----395----------440------460
Max Dead:475-----485----------551------570
CHINUPS - Bodyweight + 135, x1, dead hang. Still working on the one arm chinup.


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I spend a lot of time on Youtube, and I have seen some really insane things, but I don't think anything could possibly touch this. I don't know who this boy is or what his story is. I just know that he is the most committed actresssexual I have ever seen. This video has only 300-something views. Change that.
I won't say another word. Just turn down your speakers a little bit.
gilles | April 15, 2012 6:59 AM
That ruined my day.
Matt Steele | April 5, 2012 6:45 PM
Thanks for the post!
I actually upload a new video every day. Subscribe to my channel and follow me on twitter:
Melissa Silverstein | April 5, 2012 3:30 PM
OMG- that was so great.
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Discover Adionomy, Your Online Radio Advertising Campaign, Fast, Easy and Custom-Made!
There are at least three artists called Mad Max, a hard rock band, a eurobeat group and a chiptune writer for Atari computers. 1) MAD MAX is a Münster melodic Hard Rock outfit debuted with a line-up of vocalist Andreas Baesler, guitarists Wilfred Schneider and Jürgen Breforth, bassist Thomas Hoffman and drummer Uwe Starck, cutting a self-financed, eponymous album for issue in 1982. This offering was subsequently re-issued via Roof Music in 1983.
0 played on Radionomy


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Mayor Nutter plans to appoint panel to investigate L&I
Mayor Michael Nutter plans to appoint an investigative panel to review the entire Department of Licenses and Inspections, officials said.
On Tuesday, City Treasurer Nancy Winkler and her husband, John Bryan, called for the city to convene a blue ribbon panel to investigate L&I in the hopes of preventing another tragedy similar to the June 5 Market Street building collapse which killed their daughter, 24-year-old Anne Bryan.
The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the building owner, his demolition contractor and subcontractor, the equipment operator and the Salvation Army, among others.
Mark McDonald, Nutter's press secretary, said Nutter "had already had been thinking of appointing such a panel."
While McDonald said he doesn't expect the mayor to use the term "blue ribbon," Nutter does plan to gather a group to evaluate L&I's policy, procedure, structure and training.
"Appointing the panel is imminent," McDonald said.
Winkler also requested the site of the building collapse be converted into a memorial to the six killed and 13 injured.
McDonald said the mayor thinks the idea of "adding a memorial of some kind" at 22nd and Market Streets is "a very worthy one."
"Having said that, I would note that it is private property and it is owned by the Salvation Army and the city doesn't have control of it, and that property and those parties are involved in civil litigation and there is a criminal investigation into it also," McDonald said. "So, at this point it's all rather problematic on the citing of a memorial there but the concept the mayor certainly strongly approves of and strongly supports the family and that idea."
Follow Metro Philadelphia on Twitter: @metrophilly
Follow Tommy Rowan on Twitter: @tommyrowan
Follow Metro Philadelphia on Facebook: Metro Philadelphia
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Icebreaker Rock Zip
4-star: 1
3-star: 0
2-star: 0
1-star: 0
Excellent light sweater/midlayer. I am a believer…
Fabric: merino wool
Excellent light sweater/midlayer.
I am a believer in wool when it is really cold. It's not as light as synthetics, and it doesn't wick quite as well, but when it is really, really cold, wool feels warm to me and synthetics don't (this is especially true for base layers).
I have used this piece a lot in the Adirondacks for winter mountaineering in combination with a light baselayer (either synthetic or wool, depending on the temp); that combination carries me most of the way up to tree-line on single digit days (maybe starting off with a softshell jacket or vest that reappears at tree line). It is an excellent piece, and well sized.
One gripe: the cost. Thank goodness for EMS's panicky approach to clearing out stock. As good as it is and as versatile as it has been, I wouldn't pay the price you usually see for it.
Retailers' Descriptions
Here's what other sites are saying:
You can tell you worked hard on those last ski runs. And your friends can tell you did, too, because that sweaty-smelling synthetic shirt makes sure to torture the entire car on your drive home. Next time try the Icebreaker Sport320 Rock -Zip Top. Midweight merino wool in this shirt naturally blocks odor and regulates your temperature. The front zip lets you dump heat on mogul runs and the color panels add style when you lounge around the lodge.
- Backcountry Outlet
This is another classic Icebreaker that will never let you down.
- GearX.com
The Icebreaker Rock Zip is another classic that will never let you down. Warm mid weight, super-soft merino with stand-up rib collar and thumb loops. The contrasting panels ensure you'll look cool while staying perfectly warm. Rib collar Set-in Icebreaker embroidered logo and pip label
- OMCgear
The warm, mid-weight Rock Zip from Icebreaker will never let you down with super-soft merino wool and a look that makes this performance top appropriate anytime.
- Mountain Gear
On Sale. Free Shipping. Icebreaker Men's Rock Zip Top DECENT FEATURES of the Icebreaker Men's Rock Zip Top Rib collar Set-in sleeves 3D stitching on sleeves Icebreaker tonal embroidered logo and pip label Weight: 320 g
- Moosejaw
Icebreaker Men's Rock Zip
The Men's Rock Zip has been discontinued.MSRP:
The Icebreaker Men's Rock Zip is not available from the stores we monitor. It was last seen January 18, 2014 at OMCgear.
If you're looking for a new long sleeve performance top, check out the best reviewed current models.


text:
Are you trying to make a customized banner for your course but having some trouble? Pixlr.com is a simple, free, Internet tool that allows you to customize images with text and other effects to make a fitting course banner.
To start, identify an image that you would like to use as your course banner. You can use an image from the web (keeping in mind copyright) by saving it to your computer (right click on the image > Save Image As) or choose a personal photo or image from your saved image files. Navigate to Pixlr.com choose Open Pixlr Editor. Once the Editor has loaded, select Open Image from Computer and choose an image saved to your computer.
The suggested size for a banner image is anywhere between 600-800 pixels wide and about 150 pixels tall. You can specify these dimensions by clicking image (at the top) > image size.
Pixlr creates layers so you can edit the background separately from the text. The Layers menu is located on the right-hand side of the Pixlr canvas. The banner image included above has two layers – one for the background image and one for the text. The layer you are editing is highlighted in blue. To edit another layer simply click on the layer from within the Layers list.
The icon circled in red is what brings up the editing options shown below the highlighted bar. Opacity will allow you to make the background more or less transparent. This may be a helpful tool if you want your text to POP.
The image to the left is a portion of the tools bar located on the left-hand side of the screen. The A icon is the text tool that will allow you to add text on top of your picture. Once you are done, click File > Save and save your picture as a JPEG. You can refer to the blog "Welcome Back and Looking Forward: Customizing the Look of Your Course Part II" to see how to upload your new banner into your course.
Whitney Huskey
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Walker Teacher Resource Center


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Catlin Gabel students take home awards from NW Science Expo
Submitted by Nadine Fiedler on Mon, 04/04/2011 - 8:03am
The 28th annual Intel Northwest Science Expo (the statewide science fair) was held at Portland State University on April 1. Four Catlin Gabel students had qualified to attend the state fair based on results from the earlier regional science fairs. All four students won awards in their categories, and one was selected to continue to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
Senior Vighnesh Shiv entered a project titled "Novel Algorithms for Automatic Music Transcription." He won first place in the Computer Science category and was selected to represent Oregon at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles in May. Vighnesh also won the Intel Excellence in Computer Science Award and a special award from the IEEE.
Senior Rohan Jhunjhunwala entered a project titled "Road Detection via Computer Vision and Laser Scanning." He won second place in the Engineering: Electrical and Mechanical category, and in addition won the Outstanding Project award from the the U.S. Air Force and won a special award from the IEEE.
Sophomore Terrance Sun and freshman Lawrence Sun entered a team project titled "Using Formal Verification Techniques to Find Contradictions in Laws Concerning Police Use of Force." Terrance and Lawrence won Third Place in the Computer Science Category.
Congratulations to all of these students for their hard work!
—Andrew Merrill, computer science teacher
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Austin police say a driver was killed after a motorcyclist crashed into the vehicle last night. It happened just after 10 near Manchaca and Ben White. According to APD, the driver pulled out in front of the motorcycle and was hit on the driver's side of the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene and the motorcyclist was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Police are still investigating the crash.
KTBC FOX 7119 East 10th StreetAustin, TX 78701Phone: (512) 476-7777Fax: (512) 495-7001


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Emergency medical services in the United Kingdom
|It has been suggested that Emergency medical personnel in the United Kingdom be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since May 2013.
Emergency medical services in the United Kingdom provide immediate care to people with acute illness or injury, and are predominantly provided by the four publicly funded health care systems: the National Health Service (for England), Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland, NHS Scotland and NHS Wales. Emergency calls should be made via 999 or 112. Free NHS care, including emergency care, is offered to anyone living in the United Kingdom who has temporary or permanent permission to do so. The UK has reciprocal agreements with most European nations and 28 other countries, and under these visitors are given free NHS care. These services are paid for from United Kingdom public taxation.[1]
- 1 Role of the ambulance services
- 2 Public ambulance services
- 3 Measuring performance
- 4 Private ambulance services
- 5 Voluntary services
- 6 See also
- 7 References
- 8 External links
Role of the ambulance services[edit]
Public ambulance services across the UK are required by law to respond to four types of requests for care,[2] which are:
- Emergency calls (via the 999 or 112 system)
- Doctor's urgent admission requests
- High dependency and urgent inter-hospital transfers
- Major incidents
Ambulance trusts and services may also undertake non-urgent patient transport services on a commercial arrangement with their local hospital trusts or health boards, or in some cases on directly funded government contracts.[3] This is an area where an increasing amount of private firms are taking business away from the trusts.
Emergency ambulance work in all NHS bodies and most voluntary and private firms is based on the guidance published by the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC).[citation needed]
Public ambulance services[edit]
Emergency medical responses are provided through local ambulance services, known in England and Wales as NHS trusts. Each service in England is commissioned and funded by local Clinical Commissioning Groups, often through a "lead commissioner" arrangement. English ambulance trusts cover large geographical areas and the country is covered by a number of ambulance services.
The National Health Service Act 1946 gave county (and county borough) councils a statutory responsibility to provide an emergency ambulance service, although they could contract a voluntary ambulance service to provide this.
These ambulance services were transferred by the National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 from local authority to central government control in 1974, under regional health authorities.
In England there are now ten ambulance trusts, with boundaries generally following those of the former regional government offices. The ambulance services across England have been increasingly busy, with a significant increase in calls in the last two decades,[4] as shown in the table below:
|Emergency calls
|2.61 million
|5.62 million
|6.3 million
Following consultation, on 1 July 2006, the number of ambulance trusts fell from 29 to 13.[4] The reduction can be seen as part of a trend dating back to 1974, when local authorities ceased to be providers of ambulance services. This round of reductions in the number of trusts originated in the June 2005 report "Taking healthcare to the Patient", authored by Peter Bradley, Chief Executive of the London Ambulance Service, for the Department of Health.[6]
Most of the trusts followed government office regional boundaries. The Isle of Wight NHS Trust runs its own ambulance service. This has led to a number of old trusts ceasing to exist. Staffordshire ambulance trust had a temporary reprieve, but became part of the West Midlands ambulance trust on 1 October 2007. Great Western and South Western also merged. The current trust structure is as follows:
The Scottish Ambulance Service is a Special Health Board funded directly by the Health Department of the Scottish Government.[8] Until 1974, ambulance cover in Scotland was originally provided by a combination of the British Red Cross and St Andrews Ambulance.[9] In financial year 2008–2009, the service employed 3,797 staff across five divisions and attended to 599,052 accident and emergency incidents.
Complementing and working alongside the Scottish Ambulance Service is the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service.[10] This unique medical initiative is based at Glasgow City Heliport and, staffed by consultants, uses various road and air assets to provide patients in remote and rural areas with rapid access to the skills of a consultant in emergency or intensive care medicine as well as facilitating transfers to larger, better equipped city hospitals. The team respond to calls 24 hours a day, utilising road vehicles, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Scotland has Britain's only publicly funded Air Ambulance service, consisting of two Eurocopter EC 135 Helicopters (based in Glasgow & Inverness) and two Beechcraft B200C King Air fixed-wing aircraft (based at Glasgow & Aberdeen). In 2008/09, the Air Ambulance Division flew 3,797 air ambulance missions.[11]
The national headquarters of the Scottish Ambulance Service are in Edinburgh and there are five divisions within the Service, namely:
|Area in Square Miles
|Highlands, Western Isles, Grampian, Orkney, Shetland [12]
|East Central
|Fife, Forth Valley, Tayside [13]
|West Central
|Greater Glasgow, Lanarkshire [14]
|South East
|Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders [15]
|South West
|Argyll, Argyll islands, Clyde islands, Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway [16]
Northern Ireland[edit]
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) is the ambulance service that serves the whole of Northern Ireland, and was established in 1995 by parliamentary order.[17] As with other ambulance services in the United Kingdom, it does not charge its patients directly for its services, but instead receives funding through general taxation. It responds to medical emergencies and carries out non emergency patient transports in Northern Ireland with the 270 plus ambulances at its disposal. The Service employs approximately 1,044 staff based across 32 stations & sub-stations, Two Control Centres and a Regional Training Centre.[17]
The Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust (also called Ymddiriedolaeth GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru) was established on 1 April 1998, and has 2,500 staff providing ambulance and related services to the 2.9 million residents of Wales.[18]
Its headquarters is located at H.M. Stanley Hospital, St Asaph, Denbighshire and it is divided into three regions:[19]
- Central and West Region based at Ty Maes Y Gruffudd, Cefn Coed Hospital, Cockett, Swansea
- North Region based at H.M. Stanley Hospital, St Asaph, Denbighshire
- South-East Region based at Vantage Point House, Ty Coch Ind Est, Cwmbran
Uniquely in the UK, The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust is also responsible for the provision of NHS Direct, a nurse led telephone healthcare service which is provided by a separate Trust in England and by NHS 24 in Scotland.
Measuring performance[edit]
The performance of every Ambulance Trust is measured by the government. Commonly called 'ORCON',[20] after the consultancy used to formulate them, they are more properly called NAPS - New Ambulance Performance Standards. The Government's targets are to reach 75% of Category A (life-threatening) calls - as decided by the computerised AMPDS, the more recent NHS Pathways triage system used by some services, or the CBD (Criterion Based Dispatch) used in the Berkshire Division of South Central Ambulance - within eight minutes. A number of initiatives have been introduced to assist meeting these targets, including Rapid Response Vehicles and Community First Responders.[citation needed] The target in Wales is set by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG). Currently the WAG requires 65% of category A calls to be reached within 8 minutes.
Measuring performance and criticisms[edit]
The performance of the Ambulance service is measured by the government, as part of a system called 'ORCON'.[21] The Government's target is to reach 75% of Category A (life-threatening) calls within eight minutes, as recorded by the computerised AMPDS triage system or, in some services, the newer NHS Pathways triage process. A number of initiatives have been introduced to assist meeting these targets, including Rapid Response Vehicles and Community First Responders.
The Scottish Ambulance Service was criticised in a case where a technician attended a call out within four minutes — well within the eight-minute target — but not a paramedic who alone could administer certain cardiac drugs.[22]
Private ambulance services[edit]
Private ambulance services are becoming more common in the UK,[23] performing a number of roles, including providing medical cover at large events, either alongside, or instead of the voluntary sector providers. Some organisers use a private firm instead of a voluntary ambulance service because of wider availability during the week (sometimes difficult for a voluntary service to cover) or for a wider range of skills, such as provision of qualified paramedics.[citation needed]
The most common type of private ambulance provider is in the patient transport role, with many commissioners choosing to outsource this function to a private company, rather than use the ambulance trust, although the policy differs from area to area. In some areas publicly provided patient transport services stops at 5pm leaving NHS hospitals reliant on private providers. It is alleged that monitoring by the Care Quality Commission is inadequate.[24]
Some companies have been contracted to provide additional emergency crews and vehicles to supplement the core NHS staff at busy times, with a quarter of the UK ambulance trusts contracting private companies to front line work.[25]
Since April 2011, all private ambulance providers operating in England have been required by law to be registered with the Care Quality Commission. These services are represented by the Independent Ambulance Association.
Voluntary services[edit]
Ambulance services[edit]
The main voluntary ambulance providers are the British Red Cross and St John Ambulance, which have been providing emergency medical cover in the UK for many years, including active service in both World Wars (pre-dating the existence of any government organised service). The primary activity of both organisations in relation to ambulances is the provision of covers at events as an extension of their first aid contract.
Depending on their agreement/s with their local ambulance service trust (known as a "Memorandum of Understanding" or MOU), they may treat and transport certain categories of patient to hospital, although for more serious incidents, such as cardiac arrest it is likely that they would be expected to summon the assistance of the statutory ambulance service.[citation needed]
Both organisations also provide "reserve" or "support" cover to some, though not all, of the ambulance trusts, dependent on the local MOU, where ambulance crews from one of the organisations (who are usually volunteers, but in some instances may be paid staff) will attend 999, GP Urgent or PTS calls on behalf of the ambulance trust, with the organisation receiving recompense from the trust. This service is most often called on during major incidents (e.g. the 7 July 2005 London bombings), when there is a high level of staff absence or when there is an unusually high call volume, although in some areas, voluntary crews are regularly used to supplement full-time trust cover.
Both organisations have also provided cover for the public on the very rare occasions when unionised NHS ambulance trust staff have taken industrial action.[26]
Community first responders[edit]
Volunteer community first responders (CFRs) are now common place resources for NHS Ambulance Service. CFRs are members of the public who have received training to answer ambulance 999 calls, and respond immediately within their local area, during their own time. The schemes originated to provide defibrillation in rural and remote areas, where ambulances could not quickly respond, although they are now present in both rural and urban areas.
CFRs are often operated by a local group, in partnership with the regional NHS ambulance trust, and carry a defibrillator and oxygen, along with other equipment as decided by the clinical governance arrangements. Some schemes have their own vehicles and actively fundraise to support their schemes.
The British Association for Immediate Care coordinates voluntary schemes, and individual medical and allied health professionals, providing immediate care throughout the UK.[27] BASICS doctors, nurses or paramedics may assist NHS paramedics at the scenes of serious accidents or be on-hand at major sporting events.
Medical couriers[edit]
Across Great Britain, there is a network of volunteer blood bike groups who provide motorcycle courier services for blood, tissue and organs which require transport to, or between, hospitals. In most cases, they carry blue lights and sirens which can be used when transporting blood or human tissue for transplant. There is a national organisation representing these groups, called the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes (NABB).[28]
See also[edit]
- Air ambulances in the United Kingdom
- Ambulance station
- Blues and twos
- Emergency Medical Retrieval Service
- Emergency medical services
- Fire service in the United Kingdom
- NHS ambulance services prior to 2006
- HSE National Ambulance Service (Republic of Ireland)
- NHS trust
- ^ "Migrants to face NHS emergency care charges in England". Retrieved 2014-07-23.
- ^ "Ambulance Service Definition". Retrieved 2007-06-15.[dead link]
- ^ "NHS Ambulance Trusts Description". Retrieved 2007-06-15.
- ^ a b c d "NHS Information on Ambulance Services". Archived from the original on 2007-06-11. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
- ^ "Emergency ambulance calls 'peak'". BBC News. 21 June 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
- ^ "Taking Healthcare to the Patient". COI Communications for the Department of Health. June 2005. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
- ^ a b "NHS Ambulance Trusts List". Retrieved 2007-06-15.
- ^ "Scottish Ambulance Service Website". Archived from the original on 2007-06-04. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
- ^ "St. Andrew's Ambulance - Our History". St Andrews First Aid. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
- ^ "Emergency Medical Retrieval service". EMRS. June 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
- ^ "Scottish Ambulance Service Air Wing". Retrieved 2007-06-15.[dead link]
- ^ Locations - North scottishambulance.com, accessed 9 May 2009
- ^ Locations - East Central scottishambulance.com, accessed 11 February 2009
- ^ Locations - West Central scottishambulance.com, accessed 11 February 2009
- ^ Locations - South East scottishambulance.com, accessed 11 February 2009
- ^ Locations - South West scottishambulance.com, accessed 11 February 2009
- ^ a b "Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Trust". Archived from the original on 2007-05-19. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
- ^ "Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust". Retrieved 2007-06-15.
- ^ "Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust Contact Details". Retrieved 2007-06-15.
- ^ Nicholl, Jon; Coleman, Patricia; Parry, Gareth; Turner, Janette; Dixon, Simon. (1999). "Emergency Priority dispatch systems - a new era in the provision of ambulance services in the UK" (PDF). Pre-hospital Immediate Care 3 (71–75).
- ^ Nicholl, Jon; Coleman, Patricia; Parry, Gareth; Turner, Janette; Dixon, Simon. (1999). "Emergency Priority dispatch systems - a new era in the provision of ambulance services in the UK". Pre-hospital Immediate Care 3 (71–75).
- ^ 'Tea break' paramedic criticised BBC News, 22 September 2008
- ^ British Ambulance Association and National Association of Private Ambulance Services
- ^ "Would the NHS fall apart without private providers?". Open Democracy. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ^ Donnelly, Laura (2009-02-21). "NHS bosses send 'ill-trained' private ambulance crews to 999 calls". The Telegraph.
- ^ "Ambulance Staff strike over pay". This is Cheshire. 20 July 2006. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
- ^ BASICS website
- ^ Blood Bikes UK
External links[edit]


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Allow Student membership to ISCJ
Seeing as how there are many Muslim college students in and around ISCJ. And seeing as how said students are not as financially capable as a family. And seeing as how ISCJ wishes to bring these very youth back into the masjid as active participants and members. We, the signers, propose that there be a lowered college student rate for ISCJ membership for college students (of legal age), which would allow said students to become full members of ISCJ with all the rights of membership.
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Faculty & Staff
Robert A. Ludwig, Ph.D.
Title/s: Faculty
Office #: Lewis Towers 648 Water Tower Campus
Phone: 312-915-7467
E-mail: email@example.com
Ph.D. Systematic Theology, Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, MO, 1972
Prior to his appointment at Loyola, he served for 15 years as director of university ministry and as adjunct professor of Religious Studies at DePaul University in Chicago (1982-2004). His award-winning book Reconstructing Catholicism for a New Generation (Crossroad, 1995) has helped develop his reputation as an expert in connecting with today's young adults. From 1982-1989, he served as director of the Loyola Institute of Ministry at Loyola University New Orleans. He is married, and he and his wife Kathleen have three adult children.
During his doctoral studies, he spent 15 months studying in Germany at Munich and Tubingen, with a focus in German political theology. His dissertation, "Theology and Politics in America: Daniel Berrigan as a Contemporary Profile," explores the evolution of Christian faith in relation to public/political life from the New Testament into the 1960s. His current academic and research interests include constructive pastoral theology, peace and social justice issues, and ministry to young adults.
As of July 1, 2012, Dr. Ludwig will be on a six month sabbatical. He will return in January 2013 to resume full-time teaching responsibilities.
Professional & Community Affiliations
He is the current treasurer of the Association of Graduate Programs in Ministry (AGPIM), the past president of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association (1979-1980) and has served as consultant to the U.S. Catholic bishops in their pastoral letter on campus ministry (Empowered By the Spirit: Campus Ministry Faces the Future, 1984) and for the bishop-delegates to the international synod on the laity (1987).
Dr. Ludwig is a frequent presenter at conferences, workshops, symposia, and ministry gatherings throughout the country. He welcomes the opportunity to bring pastoral theology into the crossroads of our contemporary life and is available to speak on the following topics: "Jesus in Galilee, Christ of the 21st Century," "Saving Grace: Patterns and Practices Toward the Fullness of Life," "Vatican II, Now More than Ever," "Twenty-First Century Discipleship," and "Pauline Boldness: Today's Circumcisions."


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HERO ARTS- Wood-Mounted Rubber Stamps. Hero Arts Wood-Mounted stamps are made with lightweight wood; foam and red rubber to give you solid stamping performance. With designs for the everyday and special occasions you are sure to find the perfect stamp. This package contains one wood stamp. Available in a variety of designs (each sold separately). This package contains Tree With Circle: one rubber stamp mounted on a 3-1/4x2-3/8 inch wood block. Made in USA.


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Forget the 5,000-square-foot beach house just out of sight in the photos.
Watching from a distance as Fred Sprinkle quickly set pilings with his excavator, I had the impression he was handling much smaller sticks of wood.
A year after Katrina: voices and impressions from a region rethinking how to build
Are weep holes in a typical wood-frame brick-veneer home required anywhere other than at the bottom? What about over and under windows?
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Ex-soldier, two others acquitted in gun court
BY PAUL HENRY Crime/Court Desk co-ordinator email@example.com
Kingston, Jamaica — A former Jamaica Defence Force soldier and two other men were freed in the High Court Division of the Gun Court after several discrepancies were discovered in the Crown's case.
The 24-year-old ex-soldier, Almando Bisasor, Julian Campbell and McCally Roberts, who were represented by attorney Michael Lorne, were freed of charges of illegal possession of a firearm and assault.
The men, who live in the Irish Town area of St Andrew, are accused of kidnapping at gunpoint, and assaulting another resident over a stolen gun. The incident is alleged to have occurred last year August.
The complainant testified during the trial that he managed to escape and went to his family and that he reported the matter to the police the following day.
However, the complainant reportedly contradicted himself on the stand under cross-examination by Lorne. He also admitted that he was seen by his mother at his uncle's gate that night, in the company of the men who had supposedly kidnapped him hours earlier.
The complainant's mother also testified to that effect. She reportedly testified that she left the complainant at his uncle's as he said he wanted to sleep there that night, instead of at the home he shares with his mother.
Also, the investigating officer in the case was unable to offer an explanation ååhow a statement dated October 1, 2011 and which stated that it was taken on Saturday, October 1, 2011, could have been submitted in August of 2011.
Justice Paulette said she did not believe that the man was kidnapped but warned the accused men, who are all farmers, that they should work to restore Irish Town to the peaceful place it once was.
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Shortlist chosen for Worcestershire Teen Book Award (From Redditch Advertiser)
Get involved! Send your photos, video, news & views by texting RA NEWS to 80360 or e-mail us
Shortlist chosen for Worcestershire Teen Book Award
7:20am Friday 28th December 2012 in News
FOLLOWING a frenzy of speed dating in several Worcestershire schools, the Worcestershire Teen Book Award shortlist was announced on Friday, December 14.
Schools in Redditch and Droitwich took part in speed dating sessions in which students reviewed a wide selection of titles to choose their top six favourite reads.
The results were compiled, resulting in a shortlist of six top dates. These will now be read over the spring term to decide which will be the winner of the county's teen book award, with the result to be announced at a quiz and celebration event in the Council Chamber at County Hall on World Book Night in April 2013.
The six on the shortlist are Soldier Dog by Sam Angus; Dead Time by Anne Cassidy; The Haunting of Tabitha Grey by Vanessa Curtis; Girl, Stolen by April Henry; Socks Are Not Enough by Mark Lowery and The Other Life by Suzanne Winnacker.
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DeWalt's 8V MAX Gyroscopic Screwdriver responds to your grip
Hilti's HIT-HY 200 adhesive anchoring system for anchor rods and rebar dowels is approved by ICC-ES for use in uncracked or cracked concrete in all seismic zones
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Top 10 Avengers StorylinesA column article, Top Ten by: Jason Sacks
Comics Bulletin wraps up our month-long look at classic Avengers stories with information you can really use: a list of the Top 10 Avengers Storylines. Read our list, then head out to your LCS and check out these amazing comics. And did we leave off one of your favorite stories? Are you annoyed that the newest comic on the list is from the 1990s? Let us know in our message boards!
10. Avengers vol. 3 #19-22: Ultron Unlimited
by Samuel Salama Cohén
-Thor, Asgardian god of thunder
The scene is as follows: Thor, leading Captain America, the Black Panther, Iron Man and Firestar, enters into Ultron's subterranean lair, breaking through one of the walls.
And Thor is angry. Really angry. God level angry.
As a god, Thor had lived through many battles, seen many terrible things. But that day, after fighting a seemingly endless army of soulless robots whose only purpose was to destroy and kill all trace of life, the god of thunder had had enough.
Enough of seeing his dearest friends in peril, enough of watching impotently how a creation had gone wrong, a creation of his friend Hank Pym, murdering and destroying, claiming all human life to be stupid and useless.
As a protector of Midgard, as a warrior of Asgard, Thor had had enough.
This scene is the writer's homage to Avengers #163, where Thor, leading a different line-up but with some Avengers in common, like the Panther or Iron Man, saved the day, and fellow teammates Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, as a new Avenger was born: Jocasta.
But Kurt Busiek and George Perez, though taking into account the title's rich history, as Kurt did during all the course of his everlasting run, stepped it up a bit with the "Ultron Unlimited" storyline.
Along with Avengers Forever and the Kang War, this was Kurt's ultimate wrap-up. That is, taking continuity, put everything right, all the players where they belong, but giving it a brand new twist.
To illustrate my point...readers know Ultron is badass and doesn't care for human life, as he craves for a world populated by his robot minions, right?
Well, but what if those minions weren't in his mind but real? What if he created so many of them that they could decimate an entire country? And what if he used his own intelligence to create an army with that country's dead people, turned into robot-zombies killing machines?
And what if at the same time, he had kidnapped Han Pym, his creator, Wonder Man and the Grim Reaper, "brothers" to the Vision, and his "son"? What if the Vision and the Scarlet Witch were prisoners of his as well? Wouldn't that make for the biggest and weirdest family reunion ever?
Would that be enough to scare the hell out of the Avengers?
No, but it would certainly make them silent.
This is just a taste of Ultron at his worst. Of the one moment where it looked like the Avengers weren't going to make it, despite Thor's strength or Iron Man's chestplate, running at full power like a new weapon.
These are some of the reasons why you should go read "Ultron Unlimited".
Or maybe I should just tell you how Hank Pym, founder Avenger and creator of Ultron, redeems himself in an spectacular and climactic way...but that would be telling too much.
9. Avengers #182-186: The Nights of Wundagore
by Ray C. Tate
"Nights of Wundagore" spans Avengers 181 through 187. The story begins inauspiciously. Peter Gyrich, unwelcome government liason, winnows the Avengers' ranks down to the magic number of seven. Toward the end of the first chapter, Wanda and Pietro collapse.
The reason behind the collapse unveils Wanda's and Pietro's foster father, a Gypsy named Django Maximoff. Though they do not believe the old man is their father, the siblings vaguely recall Django. That's enough to convince Wanda to take a leave of absence with her brother to investigate.
The Scarlet Witch and Pietro have close encounters with the denizens of Wundagore. Unfortunately for Wanda, she meets Modred, son of Morganne Le Fey, keeper of The Book of Darkhold. Quicksilver has a more genial confab with Bova, a cow mutated to humanoid by the High Evolutionary. In Bova's tale we learn the identity of Wanda's and Pietro's true father: Magneto. That's old news now, but a bombshell back in the day.
Bova attempted to give Wanda and Pietro to the Golden Age hero the Whizzer, after his own children and his wife Miss America died during childbirth. The Whizzer denied them. So the High Evolutionary offered the twins to the Gypsies. Django Maximoff was indeed Wanda's and Pietro's true father.
All well and good, but none of this prevents Wanda from being taken over by the demon Chthon. Quicksilver calls for help, and his plea leads to more reasons why this story will never leave my mind.
Quicksilver refers to the Vision as "robot." Quicksilver always hated the Vision. When the Vision informs the Avengers, Gyrich tells the Avengers to stay put. Captain America in a superb counter-move goes to "make a phone call." Jarvis appears and explains to Gyrich that he has a call. Infuriated, Gyrich blasts the caller and then discovers it's the President of the United States. That is awesome.
The defeated Gyrich gives the Avengers formal leave but demands the Vision, Wanda's husband, remain on monitor duty. Now, Gyrich could have ordered Ms. Marvel to carry out the task, but he just wants to show Cap that his penis is larger. The Vision reacts by picking Gyrich up by his tie and lifting him high above his head. Ahhhh.
Written by David Michelinie, Mark Gruenwald and Steven Grant, "Nights of Wundagore" demonstrates continuity strengthening story, but I probably wouldn't remember any of this tale if not for the incomparable John Byrne. Byrne's illustrations make "Nights of Wundagore" unforgettable.
The scene where Bova is ladling soup out to Pietro as he awakens, looks so natural, so iconic that I believed I had seen Bova with Pietro before. I hadn't. Whenever somebody thinks Cap is old-fashioned, I just muse over the instance where he angrily storms out of the room to call the Commander-in-Chief and his sly smile when he watches Gyrich squirm. Wanda sleeps in the nude. My pre-pubescent eyes grew wide, and I cursed Modred's ability to conjure Wanda's costume. Hank McCoy imitates Rodin's The Thinker as he ponders a helmet made for a manimal and reappears as a Knight of Wundagore. Finally, there's the scene where without throwing a punch the Avengers as a team defeat Chthon, who seems to strip away Wanda's humanity in each successive panel. "Nights of Wundagore" is just magical.
8. Avengers #59-60: The Marriage of Yellowjacket and the Wasp
by Michael Deeley
For those of you who haven't read these comics, here's what actually happens. Hank Pym goes crazy in a lab accident and develops a second personality, the brash and tough Yellowjacket. As Yellowjacket, he breaks into Avengers' mansion, ties up Jarvis, and tells his teammates he killed Hank Pym. He fights off his teammates and kidnaps Janet, taking her to a treetop hideaway he apparently built overnight. He forces himself on Janet who recognizes Hank from his kissing. She later agrees to marry him.
Janet and YJ register at a courthouse and have the ceremony at the mansion. Nearly every superhero is invited. At this point, Janet has not told her friends nor Yellowjacket the truth about Hank Pym. Meanwhile, the Circus of Crime sneaks into the ceremony disguised as caterers planning to kill all the heroes and possibly Thor. During the fight, YJ grows to giant height revealing himself to be Hank Pym. Pym recovers his memory and deduces his psychotic break was caused by his love for Jane conflicting with his love for science and an overdose of untested chemicals. Janet informs him they're still legally married, even though Hank was crazy at the time.
Lots of questions here. First off, if Yellowjacket didn't know he was really Hank Pym, what did he sign on the marriage certificate? Spider-Man can't cash a check made out to "Spider-Man". So a document signed "Yellowjacket" can't be legally binding. And speaking of binding, is a marriage still valid if one of the people was insane at the time? And what made the Circus of Crime think they could take out over a dozen of the strongest superheroes in the country, let alone The Mighty Thor? The Circus don't have any superpowers, (with the exception of Ringmaster's hypnotic hat). They're literally circus performers who use their human-level skills to commit crimes. How deluded do they have to be to think two acrobats, a trained snake, and an evil clown could possibly defeat the god of thunder?
But the worst part of all this is Janet's behavior. Rather than inform her teammates that their friend isn't dead, rather than trying to get her fiancé psychological help, she plays along with it all to snag a husband. She's not worried about what her teammates think of her, marrying the man who killed her lover. She's not worried about the long-term effects of Hank's breakdown. She just wants to become Mrs. Pym. Or Mrs. Yellowjacket. (Janet Jacket?) No wonder their marriage fell apart.
If you don't take all this too seriously, it reads like a bizarre sitcom. You could play Benny Hill music while you're reading this. The Silver Age of comics is known for its wackiness, bizarre plot twists, and general "WTF"-ery. But I've never seen this level of human-based insanity and stupidity.
And that's why it's a classic!
7. Avengers #141-144, 147-148: The Serpent Crown Saga
by Ray C. Tate
"The Serpent Crown" has a strange narrative structure. The story opens with a group of non-descript goons attacking the Beast, who isn't even an Avenger yet, but the opening is actually deft sleight of hand from writer Steve Engelheart. The Big Bad is somebody who should be considered a Little Bad. Buzz Baxter, Patsy Walker's husband and Roxxon Oil appear to be behind the shenanigans. Then, for no apparent reason the Squadron Supreme show up.
All of the "Serpent Crown"'s seemingly unrelated parts mesh into a satisfying whole, but it's actually the parts that make the story one of the most memorable in Avengers history. First and foremost, Engelheart takes a non super-hero character with an esteemable Marvel history and makes her a super-hero. This is the debut of Patsy Walker as the Happy Go-Lucky Hellcat as well as the debut George Perez. Fortunately for all of us, Mike Esposito inked the moment when Hellcat poses for her splash page. In addition, what Patsy does to her former husband strikes a blow for psychologically abused women everywhere. More than anything, Hellcat symbolizes the super-hero as empowerment for women.
Hellcat's premiere stands out, but "The Serpent Crown" functions on the Vision and Scarlet Witch being head over heels in love. Numerous moments depend on their bond. Engelheart displays every one of the Vision's powers in his battle against Hyperion who manhandles Wanda, and Wanda's love for the Vision counters the Serpent Crown's influence, no mean feat. Engelheart keeps emphasizing Wanda's disappointment over her curtailed honeymoon, and her marvelment over the Vision is palpable, as is the Vision's passion for Wanda.
The Serpent Crown is actually the final peice of the puzzle. When President Nelson Rockefeller shows up on the Squadron Supreme's earth wearing the less than fetching snake cap, everything falls into place. The Serpent Crown is less of an accoutrement and more of an evil brainwashing entity from Lemuria that's reminiscent of Doctor Who's Fendahl. The Serpent Crown is running the show on Squadron Supreme's earth and trying to make inroads into the Avengers earth by influencing Roxxon Oil's CEO, who teamed with Buzz. Buzz's established hatred of the Beast in his own limited run explains why he bothered to attack the mutant in the first place, and the Beast's promise to Patsy naturally brings her into the fray.
The whole shebang can be summed up in one sentence but only after reading the entire story. The Serpent Crown, already the secret ruler of the Squadron Supreme's earth, schemes to take over the rest of the universe but fails thanks to the might of the Avengers.
6. Avengers #16: The Old Order Changeth
by Jason Sacks
If you want to see why Marvel was seen as the rebel company in the comics industry during the 1960s, this comic is a perfect example.
DC's Justice League of America was a deeply conservative comic. In 1965, when Avengers #16 was published, the stories produced by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky for JLA featured formulaic stories and interchangeable heroes. Fox's stories were all about solving puzzles; there was little focus on characters, and there were few surprises in most issues.
Stan and Jack's work on Avengers was quite different. Stories were messy and followed their own strange flows. The heroes all seemed completely different from each other. And thoroughly unexpected events would happen in many issues.
Avengers #16 is the perfect example of Stan's vision.
There are so many small and large moments in this issue that make it feel completely different compared with a contemporary DC comic.
The issue begins with the end of a battle between the Avengers and the Masters of Evil. The battle is frankly a bit perfunctory, and not the reason people remember this issue, but it important as a symbol of the unpredictability of this comic. In the previous issue the Masters seemed like a frightening team, but just like real life, they seemed must less daunting when they were fought.
Shortly after the battle ends, and after an interlude with Captain America in South America, we see the Avengers gathered around a conference table. Well, that is, we see three Avengers – Iron Man, Giant Man and the Wasp – gathered around the table. Wasp is tired of being a heroine, stating "why don't all of us take a leave of absence? Everybody deserves a vacation sometime!" You'd never see three members of the Justice League having a conversation like this!
Conveniently, just as the conversation is winding up, a certain purple-suited archer attacks Avengers Mansion and petitions for membership. Hawkeye quickly tells his tale of woe and makes the case for being an Avenger. Remember, he had recently been a villain, fighting with Iron Man in Shellhead's solo title, but the Avengers, being a Marvel team, were willing to take the unexpected action, move on and accept the villain.
The same thing almost happens on the next page, as the team asks Sub-Mariner to join the team. Remember that Subby had recently attacked the surface world in Fantastic Four, but once again Marvel shows its difference by accepting the man as a complex person able to change.
Of course, two former "Evil Mutants" are also accepted by the team in this issue, as the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver have their application for membership accepted. In the Marvel Universe, characters' personalities aren't fixed. Men and women who once were evil can turn good. You wouldn't see that in the DC Universe.
So every one of the founding members of the Avengers leaves the team in Avengers #16, putting the team in the hands of a man who had joined the team just about a year previously. And with that man were three former villains. None of the remaining or new members had close to the amount of power of their departing counterparts, but why should that stop them>
And thus was born Cap's Kooky Quartet, one of the most unexpected teams in comics history. Of course, this comic was also yet another proof that readers should always expect the unexpected from Marvel Comics in the 1960s.
5. Avengers #4: Finding Captain America
by David Wallace
Every classic series has a defining moment in which all of its elements seem to come into alignment as the creators strike upon the perfect dynamic that's needed to make it a success. For many Avengers fans, that moment comes in issue #4, as the team find and recruit the long-lost Captain America.
The story starts in a typically irregular Marvel fashion, as a surly Namor angrily attacks a group of Inuits using a chunk of iceberg that happens to contain the frozen body of Captain America, breaking the hero free of the ice and allowing the Avengers to recover his defrosting body. After waking up in the present day, fighting with the rest of his team-mates (another very Marvel touch) and getting to grips with the ways in which the world had changed (such as the appearance of the UN building in New York, and the prevalence of television), Steve Rogers agrees to join the team, replacing the Hulk (who had deserted the group in the previous issue).
Captain America of course went on to become the longtime leader of the Avengers, and for most peoplehe's probably the most important member of the team. As the last of the classic Avengers triumvirate to join the team, it's only after issue #4 that the book starts feeling like the Avengers that most people will know and love, as though Captain America was the missing ingredient that the book needed to really come into its own.
However, what a lot of people probably don't realise is that shoehorning Cap into the Avengers required no small amount of creative effort on the part of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
That's because Captain America existed before Marvel's new universe of characters came into bloom in the early 1960s. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in 1941 as a Nazi-fighting hero of World War II, the character actually had a career that lasted long into the post-war era, eventually being published for the last time in 1954 (by which time he had become a "Commie Smasher" rather than a nazi-fighter).
So how does that jibe with the story of Avengers #4, in which we learn that Steve didn't live to see the end of the war before being frozen? Let's just say that retcons aren't exactly a modern invention.
After testing reader interest in the character via a story in Strange Tales #114 that purported to show the return of Steve Rogers as Captain America -- only to eventually reveal him to be an impostor called the Acrobat -- Lee and Kirby embarked upon a revision of the Captain America myth. They created a new history that saw Steve frozen in ice towards the end of the war after trying to save Bucky from an exploding experimental aircraft at the tail end of the war, thus forcing later writers to retcon his 1950s appearances as being stand-ins for Steve, rather than the real thing.
It's an excellent example of how retroactive continuity fixes aren't necessarily a bad thing. Most people would agree that the "man out of time" aspect of Cap's character is one of his more interesting facets, and his nature as a lost WWII hero both reinforces his iconic status and give him instant credibility as a leader -- but without Lee and Kirby's retcon, we'd be stuck with a Cap who had lived out the war and gone on to less interesting adventures, rather than being taken out of the game at the peak of WWII only to be rediscovered by a new generation of heroes in the future.
The discovery of Captain America remains an iconic moment that has been homaged and referenced too many times to count, but even after discounting the nostalgia factor for these early Avengers books and the enduring nature of the story (which was used as the basis for the successful Ultimates re-envisioning, and will probably inform the upcoming Avengers movie, too), it remains one of the most important events in Avengers history and Marvel history in general: the moment in which the team found their leader and the elder statesman of Marvel's superhero community entered the modern-day Marvel universe.
4. Avengers #167-168, 170-177: The Korvac Saga
by Shawn Hill
What hits first about this story is the cosmic scale. The Guardians of the Galaxy pop into Earth orbit with their giant freaking space station, and we and the Avengers watch in awe as it renders the S.H.I.E.L.D. space station a toy in comparison. From there we're off on an adventure that pulls in characters from all over the Marvel landscape, jumping seamlessly from guest stars to main character arcs already underway.
Ms. Marvel shows up in full feminist flower, and we hear the guys rant about "putting her in her place" then do a spit-take when she flirts with Wonder Man (experiencing his own crisis of confidence). Cap and Iron Man (on the verge of revealing his secret identity) feud over leadership styles, and later both Scarlet Witch and Iron Man break up battles between teammates. The hot-blooded team of those days entertains, whether it's Quicksilver still missing the connection between mutant prejudice and his disdain for his android brother-in-law, or Wanda jumping into Hawkeye's arms when her old friend makes a surprising return
This series has one of those patented Marvel moments where cosmic events set off alarms in the most "subtle of earth-dwellers," meaning we see Spidey, Doc Strange, Captain Marvel and a few others far from the action sense a 'disturbance in the Force' that none of them are subtle enough to pinpoint. The culprit is an innocuous man we first meet wearing an out-of-place tuxedo at a fashion show. This is the mysterious Michael, who shocks us early on by engaging in an epic psychedelic battle with Starhawk. The story is full of surreal moments emphasized by George Perez's ornate art, as Starhawk visits Michael in the form of his female "subconscious," Aleta, foolishly without backup. The battle between the two cosmic beings plays out simultaneously on the physical, psychological and astral planes.
Michael used to be Korvac, a time-displaced cyborg from another earth, before he wandered into Galactus' abandoned ship and had his mind completely blown. Now he's found a mate in Carina Walters. She too is more than she seems, and the fact that the two major antagonists of this arc (who resonate as distorted mirror images of Starhawk/Aleta) resemble 1970s Hollywood fitness nuts in tight t-shirts and gym shorts only makes the story more unsettling. Michael's god-like transformation pits him against Eternity (like every other philosophical concept, a personification in the Marvel cosmos), and he only hopes he can carry out his plans before the other old gods fight him to an early apocalypse. Along the way Ultron and Jocasta carry out an eerie drama in a nunnery (where Ultron traps Wanda, his principal foe in previous battles, in a funhouse mirrored torture chamber), in yet another, robotic parody of the love story of Michael and Carina.
It's actually Moondragon (demi-goddess, back then mostly annoying the team with her arrogance) who leads the Avengers to put the evidence together that reveals their hidden foes, an act she comes to regret by story's end. That denouement suffers from having lost the touch of Perez (but Pablo Marcos and Klaus Janson stick around to spruce up the joint, and Sal Buscema delivers a solid couple of issues), and is admittedly a pastiche of the original Star Trek "Where No Man Has Gone Before" episode (where humans go insane with god-like psychic powers), but watching Michael and Carina blast the team to smithereens one by one is still a perverse and shocking thrill. Even Thor ends up on the ropes. Moondragon actually sits out the fight in tears, aware of all that is being lost.
Michael reaches out to Carina as the remaining Avengers pile into him, but she doubts, and he dies. Then she suicidally goads Thor into killing her as well. Dr. Donald Blake is left to pick up the pieces, because Michael's last act saved the fallen teammates from certain death, but just barely. Moondragon regretfully eases their minds as Thor's other self heals their bodies, the powerless lone witness to the full scale of the tragedy.
3. Avengers Forever
by Kelvin Green
First things first. Avengers Forever, good as it is, and it is very good indeed, does grind to a bit of a halt during the eighth and ninth issues. It's very much a series about Avengers history, but these two chapters are big fat continuity fixes, spending an arguably inordinate amount of space on clearing away some of the discrepancies built up over the years between 1963's Avengers #1 and 1998's Avengers #1 . It's done about as well as can be expected from the solid writing team of Kurt Busiek and Roger Stern, and I've only ever read this as a collected edition, so it holds together quite well for me, but I can only imagine what those reading the individual issues thought about waiting a month only to read an entire issue about why Kang is sometimes a lizard.
That's my only criticism; the rest is pure fried gold. One might argue that a series so obsessed with history might be a bit uninviting, even unfriendly, but aside from the aforementioned blip in #8 and #9, Busiek and Stern use the long Avengers history as dressing for their time-travel story, a fistful of nods and winks to the long-term fans, but never a barrier to new readers. Indeed, when I read this, it was the first Avengers story I'd read since 1986, I'd not read many of the classic tales, and yet I had no trouble keeping up. If the time-hopping Forever team drop into Avengers #142 or Marvel Premiere #37 on their way to their final battle with Immortus, then it's not necessary for the reader to understand the context to enjoy the heroes facing off against cowboys, dinosaurs, Martian tripods and a Skrull Richard Nixon. Rather than being impenetrable, this story is welcoming to both the new and old Avengers enthusiast, and is also a great advert for the comics footnote, something of a lost art at Marvel nowadays; the notes included here are not only explanatory, but have, I'm sure, done wonders for the back issue market.
Art comes from the familiar team of Carlos Pacheco and Jesus Merino, with Pacheco at the top of his game, free of the roughness of his early days, but retaining that distinctive, rounded, look sometimes lost from his more recent work for Marvel's Ultimate line. On the other hand, the colouring is a little flat, with a lack of vibrancy in the hues, so everything looks a bit anaemic. Still, for the most part, it looks good, and the Pacheco/Merino pairing do well to keep up with the epic kitchen-sink aspect of the story, particularly the big climax, in which almost every Avenger, past, present, future and alternate (including Death's Head!), wade into a big brawl for the fate of the timestream itself. Also, the Agents of Atlas are in it, and that's always a bonus.
It is unfortunate that, aside from one or two issues from Kurt Busiek's run on the parent title, this is probably the last decent Avengers story published by Marvel. If you want to read a classic, epic tale in which Earth's Mightiest team up with Kang to rescue a corrupted future from the consequences of their own legacy, then put aside Bendis' current attempt, and invest in Avengers Forever instead. It's a great story, one which makes excellent use of Avengers history in order to craft a tale that stands proud alongside the very best moments from that history.
2. Avengers #129-135 and Giant-Size Avengers #4: The Celestial Madonna
by Thom Young
Steve Englehart's first run of Avengers stories included the now-famous Celestial Madonna Saga in which the character known as Mantis was revealed to be the "space mother" who would give birth to "The One." Englehart wrote The Avengers (first series) from #105 to #152 plusGiant-Size Avengers #2-4. Within those 51 issues, he produced this saga in Avengers #129-35 and Giant-Size Avengers #2-4.
It's a story that I've long wanted to read ever since I first became a fan of Englehart's work (when he came to DC in late 1976 after leaving Marvel). However, I've just now finally read this saga in preparation for writing this item you are currently reading.
I loved Englehart's work at DC once he arrived at the company in 1976--Detective Comics #469-76, Mister Miracle #19-22, and Justice League of America # 139-46 and #149-50 (issues #147-48 were the annual JLA/JSA team-up issues, and Englehart didn't write them). As he explains on his Web site, Englehart was leaving comics to work on his novel The Point Man, but before he left the industry he wanted to work for DC for a year, and he was hired to work specifically on the Justice League "to give the characters personalities--like The Avengers--after decades of being simply 'costumes.'"
One of those Justice League stories had a character named Willow--a mysterious, green-skinned woman who told the JLA that she was originally from Earth and was returning from space to give birth to her child. In other words, she is a "space mother" (or "Celestial Madonna").
At the time, I didn't really know who Englehart was, nor that he had just completed a 51-issue run of Avengers comic books. I thought he was simply introducing a mysterious, green-skinned woman who was being pursued by an artificial intelligence that could inhabit any and all machines (such as The Vision's android body).
It turns out that the Construct, the A.I. villain, must be an analog for Kang the Conqueror, since Kang's plot was to father Mantis's child so that he would be the sire of the Celestial Messiah. However, in the Justice League part of the tale, the Construct seems to have wanted to kill Willow and her unborn child--probably because he wasn't the father.
Anyway, years later I found out about Englehart's previous work on the Avengers and the fact that Willow was an analog of the Celestial Madonna named Mantis from his Avengers stories. However, by the time I realized that I didn't know the entire story, the back issues of those issues of Avengers were out of my price range (in the 1980s), and I merely thought, "Some day I'll get around to reading the entire story."
Now I can finally say that the Celestial Madonna Saga is truly an example of the type of "comic book epics" that were the norm throughout the 1970s. Under today's editorial guidelines, Englehart would have been instructed to wrap up the story in six issues (or about 132 pages). However, the story as originally published in 1974 and 1975 spanned 10 issues (three of them being the Giant-Size Avengersissues that had twice as many pages as the regular series); the entire story is 213 pages in length.
However, those ten issues of 213 pages don't actually encompass the entire saga, which really began inAvengers #112--seventeen issues earlier (though not all of those 17 issues would have been devoted to the plot of the mysterious past and nebulous future of Mantis.
Of course, in addition to those 27 issues published by Marvel in 1973-76, there is also Justice League of America (first series) #142, which must be considered part of the Celestial Madonna Saga as well. Finally, what would the Saga be without the revelation of the birth of "The One"? The nativity of the Celestial Messiah was revealed in Englehart's Scorpio Rose #2, which was published by Eclipse Comics in 1983.
The Celestial Madonna Saga has long been my favorite Avengers story--even though I just finished reading it after starting it more than 33 years ago (and reading it out of order as well). Where else are you going to find a comic book saga that spans three different companies and that involves the two iconic superhero groups of both Marvel and DC?
1. Avengers #89-97: The Kree-Skrull War
by Paul Brian McCoy
Roy Thomas had been writing The Avengers since Stan Lee handed it off in 1966 (with issue #35) and over the course of those five years he introduced nearly every concept that we associate with The Avengers to this day. He co-created The Vision, the Squadron Sinister/Supreme, and Ultron. He brought Black Panther into the team and orchestrated the romance between Vision and Scarlet Witch. And before he took over as Editor-in-Chief in 1972, he crafted the first major Avengers Event: The Kree-Skrull War.
The story was mostly improvised, growing out of a realization that with two major alien races in the MU, it seemed inevitable that there would be a cosmic war at some point, and Thomas, along with Sal Buscema, began to lay that groundwork, introducing Kree conflicts to the title and bringing Captain Mar-vell into play.
After those issues, Neal Adams was brought on-board with a bravura art performance in the classic issue, "This Beachhead Earth" (#93), which sent Hank Pym on a solo adventure into the body of the fallen Vision in a nod to Fantastic Voyage. We then discovered that the first Skrulls ever introduced in the MU (back in Fantastic Four #2) were still around and ready to get back to work conquering the planet. After this, it was revealed that the Kree were attempting to recruit The Inhumans into their own Earth-Conquering machinations.
Then, with Wanda and Pietro captives of the Skrulls, and Rick Jones a captive of the Kree, the Avengers (Cap, Thor, Iron Man, and Vision) roll into space in a borrowed ship and proceed to take on the entire Skrull invasion fleet single-handedly, in what is a defining moment in Avengers mythology.
John Buscema took over the art chores for the final issue, as Rick Jones, with the help of the Kree Supreme Intelligence, manifests cosmic level psychic powers that not only bring his childhood comic book heroes briefly to life, but also paralyzes every Kree and Skrull in the galaxy, thereby ending the war. This is when Thomas revealed that the Kree and Skrull races had both reached evolutionary cul-de-sacs and were subconsciously targeting Earth because Humanity would eventually become their superiors.
This was pretty heady stuff, nicely executed by the creative teams. However, "The Kree-Skrull War" is not without flaws; the most glaring of which being that it is essentially a Sausage Party from start to finish. The Wasp quits the team early on, for no reason other than because Yellowjacket is quitting, Wanda spends the majority of the story as an unconscious captive or simply standing around doing nothing, and Carol Danvers isn't even really a woman (SPOILER: She's Super-Skrull). And the less said about Caveman Hank dragging Jan off to his cave, the better.
Regardless this story captures all the elements that made The Avengers great. There is world-threatening danger, a vast array of subplots and melodrama, and elements of Marvel continuity are integral to the way the story plays out. We even get nods to the Atlas years and a trademark outbreak of Marvel Universe paranoid hostility towards our heroes as the citizens of New York actually invade Avengers Mansion and trash it during an anti-Avengers riot inspired by a McCarthy-esque politician who, of course, turns out to be a Skrull.
"The Kree-Skrull War" is the culmination of Roy Thomas' extended run on The Avengers; a run that introduced more now-classic innovations to the Avengers Canon than any writer since, while at the same time helping to define what Marvel Comics could, and would, achieve over the next decade.