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Monday, 29 December 2014
NAOMI GOODSIR - Or du Sérail
I'm sure you'll forgive me for a moment for championing some home-grown talent, but watching Aussie milliner extraordinaire Naomi Goodsir's star rise in recent years has been an absolute joy to behold... particularly where her stunning fragrances are concerned. Goodsir has built her international reputation on the back of her quirky, newfangled and luxurious headwear which has had the spotlight trained to it since the early 2000's. More recently however, it has also been in part, for her parfums d'exception.
In October 2012, Sorcery of Scent reviewed the exquisite Bois d'Ascese and Cuir Velours - a pair of striking scents that marked Naomi's first foray into fine fragrance. In 2014, Parfums Naomi Goodsir have launched Or du Sérail - the latest in the trio which speaks of Asiatic opulence and richness.
Or du Sérail is a Bertrand Duchaufour creation with an enchanting Oriental slant... it captures the sensation of warm skin, hazy air and golden light. A citrusy, fruity opening tickles the nose with the scent of plump berries and tropical fruits... a cornucopia of dewy, nectar-like accords that stimulates one's saliva glands. Moments in, a huff of chocolatey / coconutty lavishness appears over a steadily-thickening seam of warm, ambery accords that swell from beneath. A sweet, heady wisp of ylang ylang imbues the heart with a staunchly sensual feel, whilst a swirling ribbon of golden brown tobacco and fragrant woods bring with it a bittersweet richness reminiscent of the air trapped in a hookah den. As Or du Sérail unfurls, one cannot help but be enchanted and consumed by its narcotising lavishness. It's trail lingers on skin for many hours - a caramel-like whisper left behind to beckon and cajole.
Hats off (no pun intended) to Naomi and creative director Renaud Coutaudier. Or du Sérail takes its place amongst its older siblings as not only a very worth successor, but also one of the most interesting niche releases of this year.
Or du Sérail is available in Australia at Peony Haute Parfumerie in Melbourne, or internationally at e-tailers such as Ausliebezumduft.
Monday, 15 December 2014
PARFUMS ISABEY - Resurrection of an iconic House
On any given occasion, ask my wife what fragrance she is wearing, and 8 times out of 10, she will tell you "Isabey"... which (if we're to be honest) isn't 100% true. Her signature scent is in fact Isabey's "Gardenia", and has been since the early 00's. Why so vague then? you might ask. Well, her nebulous response is not for fear of divulging a closely guarded secret, but rather because both she and I hope that our non-definite response might compel the inquirer to take some time to investigate the *entire* Isabey line. Parfums Isabey was founded almost a century ago, but it is only in recent years that they have had the spotlight trained to them again. And deservedly so.
In 2009, I wrote this article on the renaissance of one of France's most luxurious perfume houses, Isabey, and the release of their then-new fragrance Fleur Nocturne. Isabey - a brand new company in the early 1920s - decided to exhibit their perfumes at the world famous Exposition des Arts Decoratifs in Paris in 1925 and - up against giants such as Houbigant and Coty - managed a coup... they were awarded a Gold Medal for their perfumes, packaged in enchanting flacons and exquisitely crafted perfume presentations. In the years following, Isabey continued to manufacture exceptional perfume bottles designed by some of Europe's biggest glassmakers: Rene Lalique, Julien Viard, Andre Jollivet and Ludwig Moser, and many still stand today as a yardstick against which many other luxurious perfume presentations are measured. (A single boxed Isabey flacon sold at auction in 2012 with the hammer price achieving a staggering €61,000; setting a world record in sales of antique perfume bottles).
Unfortunately, when war tore through Europe in 1944, Parfums Isabey vanished as so many others did. But this was not the end. In 2001, the Parisian House of Panouge resurrected this iconic brand, and bought it back from the foxed pages of history.
Parfums Panouge (PArfums NOUvelle GEneration) looked to the heritage and traditions of the House when approaching it's reinstitution. With careful consideration given not only to the reconstruction of the parfums, but also the flacons and packaging, Panouge have exhibited a keen understanding and sensitivity to Isabey's past. Perfumer Jean Jacques and artistic director Rania Naim observe these traditions and have created eye-catching and tactile presentations that tip their hat to the creations of yesteryear. To date there have been five Isabey perfumes reprised. They are:
Gardenia (2001 / commercially 2006)
Fleur Nocturne (2009) - originally launched as "Bleu de Chine" in the early 20th century.
L'Ambre de Carthage (2011)
La Route d'Emeraude (2012)
Lys Noir (2014)
In producing these scents, Jean Jacques echoes the sentiments of Robert Bienaimé - his predecessor and Isabey perfumer of almost a century ago. Here are some brief words about those that have not yet been featured on Sorcery of Scent.
The perfume that was first revisited and reintroduced in an exquisite "pearl" limited edition flacon in 2001, later became a more accessible EDP.
A magnificent overture to femininity, Gardenia acts as a sumptuously velvety mantle composed of blossoming florals... ylang ylang, jasmine rose and iris feature over a glowing heart of gardenia. This scent feels warm and cashmere-like, but also has qualities that are luminous and radiant. Foundation notes of sandalwood and musks allow it to rest on skin for many hours. Gardenia is an exemplary composition that will enchant and beguile... it is sensual, seductive and infinitely sophisticated.
The first masculine launch which has enchanted both men and women alike.
A scent that surprises with it's unconventional approach, L'Ambre de Carthage feels resolutely more aromatic than most 'ambers' with the inspired introduction of bergamot, osmanthus and jasmine tea. This unfolds over a considered blend of oliban, labdanum, sandalwood, patchouli and musk. Mercifully, L'Ambre de Carthage is totally devoid of the tooth-achingly sweet accord of vanilla which one tends to expect in an amber scent. By veering away from an expected 'cookie-cutter' treatment, the outcome is a classy, sensuous and profound take on a time-honoured theme.
Inspired by the "Emerald Triangle" of Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, the flacon and packaging has been designed with an oriental slant.
With a brisk opening of citrus and sunny white florals, La Route d'Emeraude instantly evokes the sensation of solar warmth and the chirrup of cicadas ringing in the ears. Orange blossom, jasmine and tuberose blanket the perfume laterally, whilst a delicate pink blush of rose blossoms within. As the scent unfolds, lightly spiced, ambery, musky accords unfold on the skin, bringing with them a carnal, almost organic component. Elegant, opulent and alluring.
The most recent feminine release, presented in a beautiful silver satin-lined box harkens back to timeless perfume pillars of the past.
A scent originally launched in 1924, Lys Noir embodies the art deco age in appearance. Ageless and captivating this is a perfume with a hushed, intimate feel, like a sensual whisper in the ear from behind cupped hands. The oft-heady blooms of narcissus, lily and tuberose have been treated with a measured hand, and their heaviness diminished to just a tantalizing breath. The clever use of heliotrope, woods and musks brings complexity and balance. An extraordinary composition leaves Lys Noir dancing between being a voluptuous floral and a lip-smacking oriental. Mysterious and captivating, it is certain to turn heads.
For more information on Parfums Isabey, visit the Panouge website: www.panouge.com
Finally, for a walk through Isabey's history, and to marvel at the stunning perfume presentations of almost a century ago, I recommend you search for the book "Isabey Paris, Parfumeur depuis 1924" by Editions Gourcuff Gradenigo (French and English language).
Tuesday, 11 November 2014
Late 19th / Early 20th Century photos of Vintage Perfumeries
Over a century ago
you commenced trading,
I deduce from these photos;
with sepia fading.
My gaze, it finds yours
but yours doesn't mine,
alas, we're fractured in two
by a fissure in time.
Sensible hemlines,
waistcoats and ties;
your buttoned existence,
lends pride to your eyes.
I feel I know you -
the person you were,
a purveyor of perfume,
dear madam, dear sir.
You'll never know me
nor imagine my world
but I stand here as tribute
to how the future unfurled.
Your chosen vocation
giving the gift of fine scent
has endured to this day
dear lady, dear gent.
But since your beginnings,
a colossus emerged...
a greedy behemoth,
how sales have surged!
Gone is the era
of graces and airs
your tailor-made service...
now nothing compares.
So wherever you're lying
I hope its at rest
dear mister, dear miss,
you couldn't have guessed.
There is no reverse,
our cards have been played,
and like a whisper of perfume,
we too, will fade.
Monday, 13 October 2014
QUICKIE REVIEWS: Guerlain: French Kiss & Santal Royal
New to the Guerlain "Les Elixirs Charnels" lineup in 2014 is the super-sexy French Kiss. Quintessentially French and quintessentially Guerlain, 'French Kiss' is a mouth-watering délice created by the hand of Thierry Wasser that typifies the series' fondness for confection-like sweetness.
French Kiss opens with an ambosial flight... jammy, pulpy raspberries meet the nose beneath an initial sparkle of citrus. The berries are deep red in hue, and their olfactory profile borders on that of sour cherry. An enchanting blend of violet and orris lend a faint lipstick vibe (no surprise really, given the scent was created to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Guerlain's Kiss Kiss lipstick line). These accords also lend a sense of powdery dryness, which calls to mind a baked meringue dusted with confectioner's sugar... fluffy and chewy on the inside, and chalky and brittle on the outside. A caramel-brown ribbon of heliotrope and vanilla add a creamy sweetness to the trail - the effect something like a ganache or melted French vanilla ice-cream.
A Fruity Floral with strong gourmand characteristics, French Kiss veers away from the pedestrian and feels very much the sequential successor in the Elixirs Charnels series. On paper, it may appear to have certain nuances plucked from the mega-successful commercial release La Petite Robe Noire, but the quality here speaks for itself. And lets face it, who here doesn't find glacé desserts and candied trappings kind of sexy?
* * * * *
Presented in a handsome black glass flacon normally usually reserved for the "Les Eaux de Rituels" collection, and with a label design appended from early Shalimar powder boxes, Santal Royal cuts a striking new figure, whilst still acknowledging the House's prodigious heritage.
Santal Royal surprises with its opening which features (quite obviously) sandalwood, but if in these fleeting opening moments one can avoid being seduced by the darker, woodier aspects of the fragrance, the flight has something of a signature Guerlain treatment: wafts of bergamot and lavender tippy-toe over an aromatic slant of geranium and coriander. These nuances keep the scent uplifting and bright before - mere moments later - richer, more complex notes emerge. Cinnamon and clove-like spices give rise to a thicker core of florals... rose, ylang-ylang and jasmine seem tickle my receptors. They are imbued with an off-the-rack oud accord (which, if I'm to be honest, I've smelled before in Armani's Cuir Noir and Puredistance Black), but it's earthiness does work well against the precious santal. A biting tartness is also present, suggestive of tanned leather, but it only makes its presence felt from time to time. A warmer foundation of amber, tonka and musks steer the scent back to a more familiar 'Guerlain' stable, before the fragrance vanishes from skin altogether a generous 8 -10 hours later.
I wonder if Santal Royal is just a one-off, or if it might lend itself to an Aqua Allegoria-type series for the middle east? If indeed the latter, I dearly look forward to what might come next.
Friday, 3 October 2014
Hermès: Hermessence - Cuir d'Ange
In 2014, Jean-Claude has found his muse between the pages of a book - one that has touched his life profoundly. Twentieth century French writer Jean Giono refers to 'angel leather' in a passage from the book "Jean le Bleu", and it was from there that Ellena's inspiration took seed.
"Two words, two smells: the smell of angels, the smell of leather, and already the name of a perfume".
In keeping with strong House traditions, Cuir d'Ange is devoutly Hermès through and through... it tips its hat to the historic Hermès scents of the 1950's, whilst in the same breath feels strikingly contemporary. If one were asked to trace its ancestry, one could not look past the cardamom-laiden citrus flight of Eau d'Hermès, and the delectable bittersweet leathery qualities of Doblis. Moving forward along the timeline, the floral/leather treatment of Kelly Caleche springs to mind, though Cuir d'Ange feels a little more mature and sophisticated. I wonder too, if Ellena has borrowed from his recent creation Épice Marine, perhaps with a rearrangement of it's salty ozonic accords included here to suggest vast and infinite space overhead. After all, is that not where angels reside?
Cuir d'Ange darts between the ethereal and the earthbound. It's enchanting florals - heliotrope, iris, violet and daffodil - steal glances through a more grounded leather/musky veil. The sandy pink calfskin lid and nude blush hue of the flacon communicate a certain tenderness... the napped suede caress of an angel, maybe.
Two words is all it took for Ellena to make tangible a scent that is genderless and appealing, and observes the traditions of the House. As an author of perfume, his words are his smells, and here he has written a poem of unearthly beauty and the sublime.
Cuir d'Ange is available in Australia at Hermes.com, and internationally online and in Hermès boutiques in 15ml, 100ml and 200ml sizes.
Monday, 22 September 2014
GUERLAIN CHRONICLES Part III - "An Afternoon in the Laboratory with Thierry Wasser".
It is a Monday afternoon, and Paris is unusually still. As Frédéric parks the blue beetle near the offices of Christian Dior on the rue de Teheran, there is barely a soul to be seen. I question him as to why it seems abnormally quiet.
"It is week 33", he responds.
It hadn't occurred to me, when Mrs Sorcery of Scent and I were planning our vacation, that week 33 - the middle week of August - is a common time for Parisians to vacate the bustle of the city and enjoy an excursion of their own.
"My colleagues are all on holiday, so there will be no-one inside", Frédéric adds, as we walk from the car. "Oh, maybe Thierry will be… I don't know".
My stomach instantly fires with nervousness and the look on my face makes Frédéric laugh. With a swipe of his access card, the three of us enter the ground floor lobby of the building and cross the marbled hall toward a row of digital turnstyles. Fred acknowledges a blonde receptionist sitting behind a large marble desk branded with the word "Dior", and legitimises our presence as his guests. She smiles at him and waves us through politely.
We take the lift to the sixth floor and as the doors roll open, Fred calls out down the empty corridor.
"Boss, are you here?!"
"Yes!" comes the response from a room unseen.
Fred looks at me and smiles broadly.
"Thierry is here", he says, relishing the terror-stricken change in my expression. He giggles impishly; his brown eyes are sparkling. My wife squeezes my hand. I am panicking inside.
I'm about to meet my idol.
* * * * *
As two separate entities under the LVMH umbrella, both Christian Dior and Guerlain share the same premises. The walls from foyer to rooftop are decorated with framed advertisements, hand-painted artworks and vitrines decorated with rare and coveted flacons iconic to both brands. But whilst part of the same consortium, it feels as though there's a clear partition between the two. I ponder for a moment how this setup works in a practical sense… I visualise two old housemates living in a share situation, striving to get on… each declaring a particular armchair in the den as their own, and stickering food in the pantry with their own name. Housemates they may be, but security is rigid and competition between the pair is visible.
* * * * *
My wife and I follow Frédéric to an end office and stand just outside the open door. I peer around the corner and see Master Perfumer Thierry Wasser and Fred greet one another. Thierry's desk is blanketed with sample vials and labelled mouilettes that have been pinned into finger-like fans. They wave at me hello. Thierry turns to us. He is wearing a monogrammed white lab coat, and he snatches his spectacles from his nose with one hand as he extends the other. His smile is broad and engaging.
"Its a pleasure to meet you both", he announces… Mrs Sorcery of Scent and I are taken by his sincerity. Thierry's accent dances between French and American. "So I hear you are from Perth, Western Australia?".
We respond affirmatively, and Thierry mentions the sustainable plantations of Santalum album growing in the tropical north region of Western Australia, and in the same breath, his experiences with Boronia oil - a product native to our state. We are impressed and delighted at his knowledge of the raw materials in the region.
We talk for a few moments, and Thierry asks if Fred will be showing us the Guerlain laboratory. Fred responds in French, and Thierry tells us "Go right ahead, I'll follow you in a moment".
As we are led down another hallway, my wife and I speak in glances. "He's coming with us?!" I ask her telepathically.
"I think so", she responds, without moving a muscle.
Our inner conversation is intercepted by Frédéric. He smiles and responds as if he had overheard our mental discussion. "So Thierry will spend some time with us. What an honour", he says, as we slip through a pair of glass sliding doors.
"An honour indeed", I reply.
* * * * *
Frédéric's work space is in a large room, sectioned into four distinct work stations. Horizontal glass shelves hold hundreds of essence bottles - mostly for show - and the back wall is lined with labelled amber glass flacons.
"Here is where I work", Fred announces with a sweep of his hand.
A large bench extends around 3 sides of his station with refrigerators and cupboards below. Several expensive weighing instruments are visible, and a rotating tiered carousel of Guerlain bottles catches my eye. The space is neat, clinical and largely unembellished. Two very large, very conspicuous pin-back buttons are displayed on Fred's desk, both depicting Thierry Wasser, presumably visiting Guerlain's suppliers of raw materials. Thierry's comical expressions make me laugh.
"What are these?", I ask.
"This is Thierry on location. This year, I wore this one to the Olfactorama awards ceremony of Le Prix du Patrimoine Olfactif when Mitsouko was honoured for its beauty", he responds. I laugh, because each of the buttons are easily the size of a lunch plate, and I can visualise it pinned to Fred's lapel.
Thierry walks into the lab and perches himself on a bench, his legs swinging over the edge like a marionette. I see miniature versions of Fred's buttons pinned to his lab coat that I hadn't noticed before. A man with a sense of humour, I reason.
We strike up a conversation about Guerlain and the work he and Frédéric are doing to preserve the House's legacy.
"I am in an extraordinary position", he says. "I have a very good relationship with this guy…". Thierry gestures towards a large artistic illustration of Jean-Paul hanging on the wall.
"He is very dear to me, and he is the direct bridge between today and the 1800's. His knowledge, experience and advice is incalculable".
We discuss the Guerlain timeline, and how the decades have impacted upon the classics, such as Shalimar, Jicky and Mitsouko. Thierry affirms that seasonal variation and restriction of materials have all played a part, but also declares that the production of several perfume bases used in a handful of Guerlain creations - once sourced from companies such as Givaudan - were simply stopped cold.
"This is why, for instance, we do not have certain perfumes anymore, or perfumes in certain concentrations... Parure, for example".
We discuss sourcing raw materials. "This is like a full time job", he says with a smile. "The importance of partnerships is paramount… the relationships we have with our suppliers and the transparency of sharing our knowledge".
Thierry goes on to illustrate his point. "Guerlain has several suppliers for Vetiver, for example. When we are working with remote communities in these regions, we share our knowledge so that both we and they will benefit. What we have learned, for instance, is that soil that has grown vetiver has a higher yield when replanted with corn and certain other produce. In some of these communities, it is therefore in their best interests to plant vetiver - which we can use - so that the soil is richer for their future harvests. This type of knowledge comes through years of trial and error, and from this guy", he says, pointing to Jean-Paul once more.
Frédéric is quick to hand each of us several mouillettes soaked in vetiver oils sourced from India, Haiti and Indonesia. The olfactory profiles are profoundly different. A silence falls over the laboratory as we all sniff and contemplate.
Thierry explains the importance of sourcing ingredients of the highest quality. He asks Fred to prepare two blotters for each of us, soaked in lavender. "One is lavande, and the other lavandin", he says. We sniff the mouillettes and the dissimilarity is obvious.
"Lavande is so French, that when you uncork the bottle, it speaks with a French accent", Thierry says, thickening his French pronunciation so that the light American twang is gone.
"Lavandin is a hybrid, and is used by rival companies and passed off as lavender".
We agree that the lavandin smells resolutely camphorous.
"How can this not have an effect on the end result?", he asks. "Guerlain uses lavande", he says, before screwing the lid tightly on the aluminium canister.
To further illustrate the contrasts between regional raw materials, Fred produces three more cards soaked with oils. Thierry continues. "These are the same variety of rose… one produced in Iran, one in Turkey, and one in Bulgaria".
We sniff, and I instantly recognise the Bulgarian variety used in Guerlain's Idylle and La Petite Robe Noire. We are enchanted by the contrasts.
The room is heavy with contemplation and Thierry breaks the silence by asking if we smoke. We decline, but follow him and Fred to a narrow balcony overlooking a central courtyard. The balustrade is lined with potted citrus plants which act as a screen. Thierry tells us a story about a man who was arrested attempting to climb over the rooftop and into the courtyard a while ago. "But this place is more secure than Fort Knox", he declares, and I'm sure he isn't kidding.
From this vantage point, we peer down several stories and see two Dior employees sitting at a table, reviewing product artwork.
"Oh, lets see what Dior's new makeup line will look like!" Thierry whispers playfully. We all laugh aloud, and then conspicuously avert our eyes. Thierry points to a small row of potted plants against the wall by the door.
"I'm furious!" he says, looking at Fred in disbelief. "In these pots I am trying to grow sandalwood… the other day the gardener yanked out my one-and-only Mysore seedling, thinking it was a weed!"
My wife and I lean over the pots to inspect the plants closely.
"Touch those leaves", Thierry says, pointing to a low bushel of Mimosa pudica. We caress the plant with the tip of our finger and gasp as its leaves shrink away from our touch. Thierry and Fred enjoy our reaction. For a moment I reflect upon what a unique and unexpected experience we have been blessed with… larking at the Guerlain laboratory, like two kids in a candy shop.
With cigarette break over, we return to the lab.
We are asked if there are any specific materials we would like to sniff, and I respond immediately. "Ambergris".
"Ah! Whale puke!" Thierry says, with a laugh. Fred produces a tincture for us to sniff as Thierry reaches for his smartphone. He pulls up a photo of a lump of ambergris sitting on a scale, and informs us it is a piece Guerlain secured some time ago. The digital display in the picture reads well over 3 kilograms. Thierry disappears momentarily and returns with a screwtop plastic container holding several tomato-sized lumps of the real thing. Mrs Sorcery of Scent and I take one in our hands. It is more porous than I'd imagined, and it feels semi-firm… I squeeze it and liken its tension to that of a squash ball. I hold it to my nose and it smells oceanic, balsamic and slightly sweet. Meanwhile, Frédéric has materialised several more containers: one holding deer musk pods, and one, castoreum pods. We find the furry musk pods are odourless, and Thierry explains they first must be split to retrieve the fragrant grains inside. The castoreum is pungent and leathery. We replace the cap tightly, and Fred proffers us a small lidded container.
"Civet paste" he says, and he and Thierry exchange knowing looks.
A deft interpreter of glances too, I surmise that we are about to be served our final exam at the School of Raw Materials. We sniff and my wife recoils immediately. The gentlemen laugh. I linger for a while and take in its odour.
"I smell Jicky!" I proclaim, and the pair grin. Fred retrieves a pair of aluminium canisters from a refrigerator and dips a fresh mouillette into each of them.
"Voilà, castoreum and civet", he says. I sniff them and recognise them from what I'd just smelled.
"Are these tinctures?", I ask. The pair exchange glances again.
"Non. These are our reconstructed civet and castoreum", Thierry reveals. "These are the culmination of 2-3 years work for us. We strive to be as faithful as we can to the raw ingredient… we take it very seriously".
I am astonished that I am smelling a blend of synthetic molecules, and struggle to reach for a divergence from the real components.
"This is amazing!" I declare, and Mrs Sorcery of Scent agrees. In this very moment, I grasp the efforts Wasser and Sacone have gone to, to preserve the Guerlain legacy… one solitary and singular component at a time. Their recent efforts in re-tracing the Guerlain timeline by recreating known and lost Guerlain perfumes from the 1800s up until the 1950s (precisely as the original formulas dictate) has given them a true insight into the Guerlain DNA. Moving forward, I can't help but feel the heritage of the House is secure.
My wife mentions her love of iris, and Fred presents orris butter for us to sniff before the words even leave her mouth. "Apres l'Ondee and L'Heure Bleue!", I sigh, and Thierry acknowledges my conclusions. Again, I am taken by the quality of the ingredients and how they translate directly into the perfumes.
The conversation shifts to the different international markets, and Thierry takes some moments to describe where Guerlain are focusing their efforts.
"Guerlain is infinitely French, but of course there are other areas we would like to penetrate".
I mention Australia (of course), Russia, China and the Middle East over the course of the conversation, but Thierry doesn't give too much away… just a whisper of something over the horizon in the United Arab Emirates.
Conscious that we have consumed almost 2 and a half hours of Theirry's time, we begin to wrap things up, but not before mentioning the new launch of L'Homme Ideal, and the success of La Petite Robe Noire. I ask how he feels about working with both the old and the new.
"Today, we are sitting on 2 chairs - the heritage chair, and the new chair - and both feel somewhat uncomfortable", he confesses. "Whilst we have an obligation to lovers of our classic perfumes, we have also to recognise that we must do things very differently today. Marketing, of course, plays a big part in what we do. No matter what, we must always answer to LVMH".
I find Thierry's response both sincere and somewhat reassuring. I have seen first hand the efforts he and Fred are going to in order to maintain the House's tradition, whilst at the same time, one cannot deny the success of scents like La Petite Robe Noire as a product of the money-backed marketing engine of LVMH. To my mind, there is a place in 2014 (and beyond) for both.
With time no longer on our side, we slowly leave the laboratory and retreat to the hallway again. We admire exquisite Guerlain pieces from Frédéric's personal collection that have been locked away in glass vitrines before returning to Thierry's office where we exchange our reluctant goodbyes. Our enduring impression of him is of a man who is charming, articulate, intelligent and commanding… with a devilish sense of humour to boot. As we take the lift back to the lobby and wave goodbye to the patient blonde receptionist, I reflect upon the experience. Frédéric and Thierry have demonstrated how they strive to uphold the Guerlain legacy, whilst submitting to the ebb and flow of a new age.
To all my readers; to the perfumisti, the bloggers, the skeptics and the Guerlainophiles, I can sincerely state - hand over heart - that Wasser and Sacone live and breathe this brand. Their endeavours not only serve to honour Guerlain's illustrious past, but to shift with the times as modern civilisation evolves.
Maison Guerlain could not be in better hands. Period.
Monday, 15 September 2014
GUERLAIN CHRONICLES Part II - Maison Guerlain - A Paradigm in Retail Exactitude.
Our host, Junior Perfumer at Guerlain Frédéric Sacone has an important appointment in the capital and has left us to explore. It is a warm afternoon, and the Champs-Elysées is teeming with tourists. Every few meters a shiny new coach pulls up, belching visitors from the Far East onto it's cobbled walkways. My wife and I lose one another in the throng for a moment, but find each other again and knit our fingers together securely. We zig-zag through the masses with an urgency usually reserved for impending restroom breaks, but today we walk with a different purpose. Our growing frustration with the slow, shuffling crowds is dissolved only by the sight of Guerlain approaching at number 68. I draw my breath in sharply, and my wife lets out a sigh. "There it is", we chime simultaneously, as if rehearsed. Our steps quicken, and we suddenly begin to feel self-conscious, like two kids chasing an ice-cream truck. We slow our pace and take in the spectacular facade. "Wow!" we exclaim, lingering in front of the boutique entrance. We take out our camera and capture a few frames... passing pedestrians from all points on the globe stare at us blankly and glance through its doors before continuing on their way. How could they know what this truly means to us? To be standing on the doorstep of Maison Guerlain. At last.
* * * * *
Guerlain have been trading at No. 68 Champs Elysées for precisely 100 years. In 1914 - four years after the passing of Aimée Guerlain - the flagship store shifted from its previous habitation on the rue de la Paix to the current high street address on the world-famous bustling boulevard. The building itself, constructed in exquisite Art Nouveau style, has retained its splendour since, but its interior has seen incremental changes over the decades. In 2005 the space received perhaps its most significant facelift - a massive undertaking realised by French design dignitary Andrée Putman and architect Maxime d'Angeac. The interior of the site is heritage listed, so the modernization proved incredibly challenging: Putman and d'Angeac needed to assimilate and execute changes that subsumed a strong sense of tradition. More recently however, Interior Designer Hall of Fame recipient Peter Marino has woven more magic into the intricate tapestry of the House. In 2013 Guerlain unveiled an entirely reinvented space - one which not only honours historical convention, but also exhibits an appreciation for original materials; crystal, marble, mirrors and marquetry. Simply said, Marino's manifestation has resulted in one of the most extravagant and palatial retail environments the world has ever seen.
The ground floor foyer is exquisitely fitted in rich red / green / amber panels of marble. Mrs Sorcery of Scent and I are greeted warmly by a swan-necked mademoiselle who strikes a stunning silhouette in black. A gruff security guard with microphone in his ear stands to one side, but his gravity is broken when he too shoots us a smile. We take in the opulent space for a few moments, stopping to sneak a photo of a trio of exquisite 1.5 litre Shalimar presentations standing on a counter that have been decorated with jewels. I quickly review the stolen frames I've taken with my smartphone. "You may feel free to photograph as you please, Monsieur", Mademoiselle whispers with a wink. We are relieved, and I retrieve my Nikon DSLR from my bag. We ascend the wrought iron / marble staircase to the first floor and gasp as we enter a shimmering corridor... the glinting hall of mirrors whose rippled, reflective panes hide a wealth of Guerlain artefacts from centuries past. We study the inset shadowboxes carefully, ooh'ing and aah'ing at the vintage flacons.
Today, we are practically alone on the first floor - the space made famous in 1939 when Guerlain opened one of the world's first spas... a beauty institute that has endured to this day. From the central hall of mirrors, several rooms fan out, and we follow the obvious path toward an incredible central perfume organ that sparkles under the recessed halogens. We walk around it, examining bottles resting in its 'branches'... it's sculptural form renders us almost too timid to touch them, for fear of spoiling its symmetry. The walls are lined with marquetry and modestly-lit shelves hold enchanting bee bottles, many embellished with handsome neck-ties and delightful 'poivre' puffers. The central organ area opens into a spacious room with modest furniture and wood panelled walls. This is the Sur-Mesure consultation room where one can have their very own perfume composed - by appointment of course. The bespoke perfume service at No.68 is a lengthy process - one that any perfumisto would relish - taking approximately one year to have one's very own signature scent composed by Master Parfumeur Thierry Wasser. Two backlit walls are lined with large bee bottles, and the final prize - a leather coffret comprising 24 baccarat crystal quadrilobe flacons filled with your very own preparation - is displayed for one to pore over. My wife and I examine it with a slight pang of envy.
We cross the hall of mirrors once more, and venture into the other adjoining rooms... one a beautiful showroom with exquisite Guerlain silk carré, perfumed fans and scented gloves for purchase. I see Mrs Sorcery of Scent lingering a long while over a pair of short La Petite Robe Noire mitts made of the finest buttery black leather, and I suddenly recognise "that look" in her eyes. We stroll through to the blanched lavishness of the Orchidée Imperiale Salon and cosmetics rooms where age-defying products and enchanting limited edition powder boxes are on display under perspex covers. It suddenly strikes us that not once have we been approached by a sales representative... we have of course seen them, but they keep a very low profile, allowing us instead to peruse the rooms and products at our leisure. The moment I look for a consultant, she materialises as if from the ether, almost as though she has heard me summon her by telepathy. "Bonjour Madame, Monsieur", she says, her eyes the colour of aquamarines. We enquire about a product, and she educates us passionately. "Where are you from?", she asks enthusiastically.
"From Australia", I respond. "You can't imagine what this visit means to us. We have travelled a long way to be here". I explain our love of the brand, its perfume and its history. Mademoiselle beams. She casts a quick look over each shoulder and whispers "Follow me!" Mrs Sorcery of Scent and I look at one another for a moment and chase after her... she is walking briskly through the rooms and brings us to a concealed door in a marble wall that we hadn't noticed before. Mademoiselle cranes her neck to see if anyone is watching, and then turns to us.
"I want to show you a very special place. You are passionate about Guerlain and have come across the world. We never show anyone this room... it is a secret. But I think you are deserving". With that she lifts a finger to her lips and mouths "shhhhhhhh". She opens the door and enters, beckoning us to hurry inside. We do not wait for a second invitation and scamper across the threshold. Our pupils take a moment to adjust... the well-lit salons are now behind us.
We are standing in a room that has been decorated in a light taupe marble. A sofa and handful of plush occasional chairs create a conversation area at the center of the room... they are upholstered in a complementary hue. Broad windows run along one side of the room, and potted plants bring a stroke of green to the hushed ecru palette.
"This is a very special space", Mademoiselle announces. "It is the original office of Jacques Guerlain and later, Jean-Paul Guerlain. Here they would sit for many hours, writing the formulae for the Guerlain classics... Mitsouko, Shalimar, Chamade and others. Here exists their original writing desk". She points to a beautiful antique French desk in ebony, and for a millisecond, I see their ghosts sitting there. My wife and I suck in the air and instantly feel the weight of the room around us. The three of us stand motionless for just a few seconds, as if observing a moment's silence. My eyes take in as much as they can, fearful that the image will one day soon leave my memory. Just as I think to reach for my camera, Mademoiselle opens the door beside us - a rectangle of white light penetrates the solitude of the space, and I recognise it is time to leave. We scurry outside and return to the enlivening white of the halogens. We thank Mademoiselle profusely, and she shoots us a wink - the long lashes around her aquamarine eyes flutter like ostrich-feathers. They are carefully painted with mascara. Guerlain, no doubt.
* * * * *
It is difficult to pinpoint what it is that makes a retail space successful. My family come from a very strong retail background, and I too have worked in high-end retail for many years, but there is no single theory or strategy that will trigger a customer's decision to buy. Rather, its a profusion of factors that will influence one to loosen their purse strings. One can recognise that sensible fittings, intelligent lighting and ease of access each play a role in providing a relaxing environment in which to shop, and one can argue that repetition, colour and symmetry are all key to merchandising, but for me, I personally need to make an emotional connection with the object in question. I enjoy retail environments where focus is put on the product - not necessarily one where a sense of 'fullness' prevails. Maison Guerlain - to my mind - is exemplary. The salons, whilst infinitely luxurious, are not 'busy'... much consideration has been given to each space and where the eye should fall. In this regard, there is a silent and reassuring sense of French ease and straightforwardness here. Despite the opulent materials used in the renovations, one does not find any of it competing with the product - instead, product is highlighted by the negative space that surrounds it. Maison Guerlain's high ceilings, broad corridors and wide tables demand it. Marino's transformation has ticked all the right boxes, exhibiting a keen regard for spacial awareness, materials and scale. This author simply cannot find fault with it. Anywhere.
We return to the ground floor, walk through the marbled foyer, and into the renovated cosmetics hall that until recent years, was simply a pop-up shop situated beside the main boutique. It is lined with putty/white coloured marble, and a broad, striped marble staircase winds down and out of sight. Below, the new restaurant "Le 68" with its sweet indulgences, and a souvenir shop. But for us, those pleasures will have to wait for a future visit.
The cosmetics area - in stark contrast to the rooms on the first floor - is bustling with visitors. We analyse the products on display and admire the renovation's fanciful mirrored surfaces and crystal-studded wall art. At the cash desk, my wife and I inform Mademoiselle of our intended purchases, and she disappears behind a sparkling gold wall to ready them for our journey back to Australia. Upon presentation of our passport for the EU Tax Back program, the young ladies at the counter are in raptures. "It is so cute! Every page has a different animal printed on it! Look! A kangaroo... a koala... and a, um... what IS that??"
"A Tasmanian Devil", I respond with a laugh. We are fully engaged in conversation with these women when Mademoiselle returns with a beautifully ribboned bag. Their warmth and interest has been genuine, and we are sorry to be leaving.
"We are sorry to see you go too! Please return again soon!" they chime, and I feel they are sincere.
As we make for the exit of the hallowed boutique on the boulevard, Mrs Sorcery of Scent and I take one last look around us. We step around the group of ladies chattering excitedly at the La Petit Robe Noire installation; pass a man and woman talking intimately over a shared scented mouillette, and pause for a moment so that a tourist might take a clear photo of the impressive marble stair. Suddenly, we can see past the spectacular renovations and recognise a space that - irrespective of how it looks today or how it might look tomorrow - has always been (and always will be) a shopping destination for perfumisti the world over. And in my eyes, there can never be one as important.
NEXT WEEK: GUERLAIN CHRONICLES Part III - "An Afternoon in the Laboratory with Thierry Wasser".
*Photos are the author's own, and also taken from Interior Design webzine, and the official Guerlain website.
Monday, 8 September 2014
GUERLAIN CHRONICLES PART I: "Who the **** is Frédéric Sacone?!"
It is the second week in August when our plane touches down in Paris. Of course, it is pouring with rain. There had been unnerving turbulence on the 2 hour jaunt from Bratislava, and my nerves are shot; my stomach a writhing pit of serpents. For this fellow - whose fear of flying often gets the better of him - the feeling of terra firma underfoot as we briskly cross the tarmac to reach the main building, is nothing short of a blessing. My wife and I push through the passengers at the baggage carousel, skim past customs and exit the arrivals area. Frédéric Sacone, Junior Parfumeur (and assistant to Guerlain master perfumer, Thierry Wasser) is there to meet us. He snakes through the crowd and greets us warmly before his eyes drop to the bulky case I'm wheeling. I can see a crease forming in his brow. We have never met, and a few awkward moments of silence hang in the air before we make our way through the rain to his car. "Zees way", he says with a spectacular French accent, ushering us toward a parked navy blue Beetle convertible.
"Oh!" I exclaim, measuring the size of my case to the size of his trunk with my eyes. The same wrinkle I'd seen on Fred's brow earlier, I could now feel criss-crossing my forehead. But in the deluge the three of us work fast to stow it in the back seat, with a few grunts and laughs. As we pull out of the car park, the car windows have fogged as a result of both our physical exertion and the rain in our clothes. With wind-screen wipers thrashing to and fro, Frédéric navigates the spiralling roads and roundabouts around the airport and I begin to feel giddy again. We curse the European summer and laugh as we enter the freeway and make our way towards his home in Picardy. We chatter all the way.
The ice had been broken.
* * * * *
Frédéric Sacone - the youngest of three brothers - grew up in the Montparnasse district of Paris. A happy child, albeit somewhat withdrawn, Frédéric nurtured a love of animals and plants, and was intrigued by the healing properties of aromatherapy. As a young adult, this urged him to take on studies in Pharmacy and Biology so that he could learn how aromatherapy functioned on a cellular level. Finally as a new graduate, in 1993 his studies into biochemistry opened the door at Takasago, an international corporation that develops flavours, fragrance and aromachemicals. There, he spent over 8 years as a laboratory sample coordinator and perfumer's assistant... time spent arming him with the experience and practical know-how that would see him transition to the global giant Firmenich in October of 2001. There, he worked just a few months before he met someone within the organisation who would impact upon the course of his career forever: Parfumeur Thierry Wasser. By January 2002, Frédéric had become Wasser's assistant, and the pair struck a special working relationship that has endured to this day. In October 2008, when Wasser was invited to leave Firmenich to step into the shoes of iconic nose Jean-Paul Guerlain, Wasser insisted Frédéric join him.
Fred didn't have to think twice.
"Travel stimulates my olfactory creativity", he affirms. "But more important than beautiful postcards of these places, are the people there who've touched me the most".
When one comes to know Frédéric as a person, one has a greater understanding of how he approaches his work: with integrity, passion, exactness and love.
* * * * *
(These experiences will be detailed in parts 2 and 3 of this Sorcery of Scent series).
* * * * *
If the truth be told, Frédéric's name was virtually unheard of until earlier this year when Thierry Wasser decided to retrace the steps of Aimée and Jacques Guerlain by reprising a series of vintage perfumes that are now featured exclusively at their flagship store in Paris. Wasser and Sacone spent many hours leafing through the antique texts, resurrecting old formulas so that we, the public, might peer through a small window at 'the golden age' of Guerlain. Their tireless efforts have resulted in the recreation of 27 scents to date, each of which appear precisely as they would have up to 134 years ago.
If asked "Who the *** is Frédéric Sacone?", I have the honour and privilege to respond:
"My friend. A man whose loyalty to his boss and mentor is unwavering, and whose efforts in his role as Junior Parfumeur and support to Wasser at Guerlain are nurturing faithfulness, beauty and luxury for the brand".
A figure who would likely rather avoid the spotlight than step into it, Fred is as humble as one can imagine.
"Scent creates an emotion. For me, it's not the perfume but the people who smell and enjoy our creations that move me the most."
NEXT WEEK: GUERLAIN CHRONICLES Part II - "Maison Guerlain - A Paradigm in Retail Exactitude".
Sunday, 7 September 2014
REVIEW: NARCISO Eau de parfum - Narciso Rodriguez
American designer Narciso Rodriguez wowed the world with his 2003 feminine "Narciso Rodriguez For Her" which received the British FiFi Award for Best New Fragrance in 2003, and the Fragrance of the Year accolade in 2004 for the "Women's Nouveau Niche" category. A composition focused chiefly on florals, amber and musk, For Her shone a whole new light on resolute femininity and sensuality. This month - September 2014 - Rodriguez has just launched a new scent, NARCISO, which I predict will enjoy the same fame as it's sultry, vampish predecessor.
Narciso is perhaps one of the more exciting feminine mainstream releases for 2014. She commands attention in all the right ways... a nude figure reclining suggestively beneath crisp white sheets.
Well played Señor Rodriguez, well played.
A series of rolling launches will see her available internationally from September / October.
Wednesday, 3 September 2014
REVIEW: New from Olivier Durbano - Prométhée
Of jeweller / perfumer Olivier Durbano, what can be said by this author, that hasn't already been said? At the peril of sounding like the pom-pom shaking cheersquad for Team Olivier, there is very little the French architect-turned-jeweller can do wrong in my eyes. Not only does he create eye-popping strings of semi-precious stones that adorn the swan-like necks of the Parisian glitterati, but since his first foray into fine fragrance in 2005, to date he has conjured no less than nine exceptional perfumes inspired by the very minerals that enchant his eye. Now, in 2014, Olivier is set to release his 10th scent which will be cast onto the world stage at Pitti Fragranze in Florence this month.
Prométhée feels very much aligned with its 2013 predecessor Lapis Philosiphorum. Lapis Philosophorum marked something of a departure from the eight fragrances that came before it as it was the first in the series that represented a fictitious stone... a stone of legend. Today, Durbano continues along that same trajectory, leafing through the foxed pages of lore and mythicism to find his inspiration. Prométhée (or Prometheus) is the name of a Titan that fought alongside Zeus and the other Gods in the Olympic pantheon. In one of the ancient Hellenic sagas, Zeus had hidden fire from mankind, but Prometheus stole it back in the form of a giant burning fennel stalk, and returned it to humanity. As punishment for his traitorous actions, Zeus condemned Prometheus to the Kazbek Mountains where he was shackled to a rock to suffer for all eternity as an eagle fed on his liver. As an immortal, his wounds would regenerate each night and Prometheus would wake, only to face the same agonising fate the next day. The legend of Prometheus and this rock has inspirited Monsieur Durbano and culminated in an eau de parfum whose sepia-coloured juice commemorates antiquity.
Prométhée is a woody scent that has a curious anisic slant. The opening reveals part of the fable... a rich, virescent accord of fennel dominates, and is thick like a woollen mantle. In the perfume's flight, this note darts between the fresh green of parsley and the sweet, licorice-like quality of anise. A deep camphorous sigh of myrtle meets the nose over a scattering of pepper and spice. A broad vein of oliban lends a dryness that - as with all of Durbano's creations - evokes a sense of mineralic earthiness... here is the dusty, parched aspect that is suggestive of stone, and has become Olivier's very own Guerlinade.
The nucleus of this perfume is dense with aromats... dry grey-green sage, silver-leafed lavender and the curry/anise attributes of fenugreek all whisper of perennial shrubs and mountain greens. Resinous accords of storax, labdanum and myrrh in the base lend a rich balsamic complexity, and vetiver and cedar a woodiness that remains on skin for many hours. As with al of Durbano's creations, this one too is genderless... it is proof positive that Olivier is at the top of his game.
When asked about the natural progression of his perfumed Stone Poems, Olivier Durbano comments:
"Lapis Philosophorum, number nine, was a step away from the first, but I always feel a link with the stones. It was a mythic stone, and for me with Prométhée, there is a fine link between mythology, stones and faith, with the light, the fight and the fire. Each creation has a direct link with one year of my life, so it is always an evolution in life to discover myself and most importantly, to share experiences. For me it has been 10 years now, and in the future I will continue to trace my life with Stone Steps".
Olivier's Prométhée will endure, just as the myth has. I'm already intrigued and excited to learn where Durbano will take us next.
Labels: French, Niche, Olivier Durbano
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It's a Jungle Out There
If the latest events have shown anything, it's the Palestinians' talent for turning their lives - if left to their own devices - into a kind of blood-soaked hell.
Ehud Barak's description of Israel as a "villa in the jungle" never sounded so apt as this week, when the man himself made a nearly miraculous return to the leadership of the Labor Party, and apparently to the post of defense minister.
And indeed, this week more than ever, the events on both sides of the Green Line seemed to be occurring in two different worlds. In Israel, there were important political processes such as the election of a president and a party's deposing of its chairman according to rules and tradition - and not without a bit of charm, humor and a sporting spirit. If we needed it, Israel's political maturity and the sturdiness of its democracy were demonstrated once again, as was its ability to function during crises like a well-oiled and well-honed machine.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the line, the Palestinians were settling their political disputes in their usual style, whose savageness still never fails to surprise: violence for violence's sake, indiscriminate killings, shooting into a crowd of peace demonstrators, the killing of wounded people in hospitals, the tossing of adversaries out of windows, and all sorts of other cruelties among brothers that almost overshadows a record of bloody terror against Israelis.
This time it's hard to blame "the occupation." Not directly at least. Perhaps it's even the opposite: If the latest events have shown anything, it's the Palestinians' talent for turning their lives - if left to their own devices - into a kind of blood-soaked hell, and precisely in the territories which Israel has let go of.
Yes, Israel can be blamed, too, particularly all those brains behind our "consciousness-searing" tactics: We suffocated the territories, caused the people there to despair completely and systematically weakened all the relatively moderate Palestinian elements. But we should recall that even the "strengthening" of those "moderate elements" was essentially based on the expectation that they would employ the same brutal methods against their opponents, "without the High Court and without B'tselem," as Yitzhak Rabin once put it.
In other words, Palestinian brutality also figured into our rosy and dovish expectations (with the usual surprise at the fact that in the "Palestinian season," the extremists come out the winners). But the Palestinians earned their violent, chaotic and thuggish reputations honestly, and along with that came the despair of the many peace-seekers in Israel: If this is "the state in the making," one can only shudder at the thought of what the actual Palestinian state will be like.
This, at least, is the hopeless, fatalistic mood that bets blindly on any shred of hope that was hovering in the background of Barak's reelection as Labor Party chairman. The new-old "Mr. Security" is a man without a plan, without a promise and without a vision, who was elected after hardly saying a word to deal with a situation he excels at describing: Israel in the region is "a villa in a jungle."
But what does this really mean? What can we conclude from this or hope for regarding the country's future and its means of survival? This premise, that we are surrounded by a chaotic jungle, is not new, and the conclusions deriving from it have also been exhausted: We armed ourselves with machetes and tried to tame the creatures of the forest, we tried to deforest swaths of territory until we reached the Suez Canal and the Jordan River, we tried to understand the laws of the jungle, and we gave up. Afterward, when the jungle grew beneath our feet and clutched at us with its roots, we unilaterally withdrew to the yard of the villa and tried to surround it with a mighty wall. Without proper upkeep, day in and day out, the stalks of chaos might also sprout up from under the floor and into the living room.
Do Barak or Benjamin Netanyahu, the two presumed and recycled candidates for prime minister, have another plan of action, or any plan whatsoever? What do they actually propose? What do they say? As both are known more for their real-estate background - whether a villa or a luxury high-rise apartment - than as heralds of any great message, perhaps they embody a kind of national ideal: Living well is the best revenge, and if we're already living in a jungle, then you might as well try to live in a villa. Whoever can, that is.
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I can not use the IR. No infrared signal is sent. is it a hardware problem?
Some Details would be great. Are you running on stock? Which Android Version do you have? Which app are you using?
Have you checked if there is really no IR signal sent, or is the device you are trying to connect to just not recognizing anything?
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The actor model is a great way to program modern interactive web applications. To that purpose, Comsat provides server-side Web Actors, that easily handle HTTP requests, WebSockets, and SSE streams. They let you write fast, simple, fault tolerant web applications with advanced features like hot code swapping.
Writing Interactive Web Applications with Web Actors (0 messages)
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- Posted on: January 28 2014 15:08 EST


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Women of the Academy Awards
Slumdog Millionaire won Best Picture at the 81st Academy Awards, but it's my guess that you'd appreciate looking at some lovely ladies instead of discussing the virtues of Slumdog and the other Best Picture candidates.
Not that there's anything wrong with discussing movies, but arguing over who "should" have won an Oscar with people on the Internet probably won't amount to much and just get you frustrated. Instead you can relieve some stress by looking at some nice pictures.
So if you missed it, here's what you could have seen in Los Angeles last night. It ranges from winners like Kate Winslet and Penélope Cruz, to some less fortunate:


text: Hi Jerry, I suspect this is the core of the issue. I'm using XP and she's in Windows 98, SE. I think you have it exactly, Jerry. She's using Windows 98 with Word 2000 and JAWS 5.0.844. Her Word 2000 is the Small Business edition, and has the languages capability in it, along with the keyboard mapping. But it works 50 percent of the time. I think it would be working all of the time if she were in XP and either Word 2000 or XP. Right? So it goes. Thanks for continuing to look into it. Francis -- To post a message to the list, send it to jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send a message to jfw-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line. Archives located at: http://www.freelists.org/archives/jfw If you have any concerns about the list, post received from the list, or the way the list is being run, do not post them to the list. Rather contact the list owner at jfw-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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Cambridge Supports the One Fund at Mid East
2013 May 20
The Middle East nightclub will host a fundraiser for the One Fund Thursday, May 23, downstairs, 472 Mass. Ave. Doors at 8 p.m. The 18-plus event will feature Paddy Saul, Faces on Film, Ryan Lee Crosby with special guests to be announced.
Minimum donation of $12.
To get tickets, click here. To donate, click here.
For information, visit paddysaul.com; facesonfilm.bandcamp.com; ryanleecrosby.com.
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Lindsay Lohan is definitely a fan of The Wanted!
Following her Nov. 29 arrest in NYC, Lohan, 26, made her first appearance at Q102's Jingle Ball concert in Philadelphia Wednesday, Dec. 5.
Q102 Philly tweeted an exclusive photo of the actress backstage at the concert. Wearing a green coat and grey hat, Lohan had a smile on her face as she signed autographs for fans. According to Q102, Lohan was hanging out backstage with The Wanted.
The British boy band was present at the club where Lohan's alleged brawl occurred last week. The Liz & Dick star was taken into police custody and charged with assault after a woman claimed Lohan had punched her. Prior to the incident, the actress had attended Justin Bieber and The Wanted's show at Madison Square Garden.
"It's a bit of a blur actually," The Wanted's Jay McGuiness told MTV News this week. "We actually carried on partying after that. It was reported that [the fight] was about [bandmate] Max [George], but I don't think it actually was."
During the band's Thursday night concert, McGuiness wore a "Free Lindsay" T-shirt. "After a small scuffle that went down, I felt very sorry for her," he said. "I wanted to cheer her up and I think she said she liked it, right?"


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Can we get a .gif of Scott and Smith chasing Vereen.
At least we have the best dfensive Behind in football.
Can we get a .gif of Scott and Smith chasing Vereen.
it shows.
f u, Rex.
Give the opponent credit.
Everyone is working hard. It shows.
I'm not going to contend that the team doesn't have flaws. Of course they do. Mostly on offense, but to blow the whole thing up is way over the top.
Mostly, this is Sanchez though. If not for two Sanchez specials (fumble, INT), the game would still be within reach. And lets be honest, with the team getting routed why not find out what we have with Tebow? Or maybe McElroy? Not sure if he's active.
Now is the perfect time to find what happens with the players when another QB steps into the huddle.
Hahahahha, they always get blown out after a great week of practice.
If he says that after the game, I might seriously die laughing.
That is some funny crap right there. You got to hand it to the Jets, we find novel ways to self-destruct on national TV.
What do we have to build on? A couple great corners and Wilkerson, that's about it. This franchise is so ****ed
This is the fourth lopsided loss of the season.
It's one thing to lose, it's another to get whooped... every week.
This team needs to be blown up from the top on down.
At some point, if the rout continues, Mallet may come in and get some game experience at QB.
How many points the Pats have to be up by , only BB knows.
Still 30 minutes of football left to play. Things could change in the Jet's favor in the second half.
my daughter says at least they have 3!!! lol kids... love em...
Stop running the phubking ballllllll
That "2 minute drill" was pitiful.
70-3 final, lets hope.


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The following commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of AgWeb or Farm Journal Media. The opinions expressed below are the author's own.
The Machinery Journal blog is your place to find the latest machinery updates, industry news, and interesting tid bits.
I'd rather have an airplane!
I think a front-end loader is one of the most versatile and useful tools on the farm. We use Deere 840's on 8xxx series tractors for anything from clearing brush to loading seed into a drill. It would be hard to know how many hours have been saved by having such powerful tools available.


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Big product names are in the frame again in our regular round-up of the deals and legal personalities of the month, including the sales of Dell and baked bean superstar Heinz
February mirrored the January gloom in many ways: high-profile administrations continued, with Linklaters partner Richard Bussell and DLA Piper partners Richard Obank and Colin Ashford advising the administrators of fashion chain Republic. Brown Rudnick partner Louise Verrill is advising Republic's board and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton partners Simon Jay and David Billington are acting for private equity house TPG, which bought the company in 2010.
RPC partner Karen Hendy advised Sports Direct on its acquisition of the Leeds group from the administrators, which were advised on the sale by DLA Piper partners Ashford and Mark Jackson and senior associates Clare Christopher and James Morris.
The collapse of North West law firm Cobbetts and pre-pack sale to DWF gave advisory roles to Pinsent Masons for the administrators and Walker Morris for Cobbetts' lender Lloyds TSB (see Deal of the Month).
Deals coming out of the US took a promising upturn, although the bulk of the legal work was confined to the US. The $24bn (£16bn) leveraged buyout of computer giant Dell, announced on 5 February, saw Debevoise & Plimpton New York partners Jeffrey Rosen, William Regner and Michael Diz advise a special committee of Dell's board of directors. Hogan Lovells partners Richard Parrino and Kevin Greenslade in Washington DC and Northern Virginia respectively led for the company and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Palo Alto partner Rich Capelouto guided Silver Lake, which jointly acquired Dell alongside Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz client Michael Dell, its founder. Weil Gotshal & Manges partner Michael Aiello in New York led for Evercore Partners, the financial adviser to the special committee.
Wachtell also advised the transaction committee of Heinz's board of directors on the food giant's $28bn takeover by 3G Capital and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. The Wall Street firm fielded partners Edward Herhily and David Shapiro. Davis Polk & Wardwell partners Arthur Holden, John Bick and Michael Davis and associate Lee Hochbaum advised Heinz. Kirkland & Ellis partners Stephen Fraidin, William Sorabella and David Feirstein advised 3G, while Munger Tolles & Olson partner Bob Denham led for Berkshire Hathaway.
Closer to home there were more acquisitions of UK companies by Asian buyers, including Japanese group ORIX Corporation's €1.9bn purchase of Dutch asset manager Robeco Groep from Rabobank. Linklaters partners Hiroya Yamazaki in Tokyo, Pieter Riemer in Amsterdam and David Holdsworth in London led for ORIX, while Dutch firm De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek fielded partners Arne Grimme
and Gaby Smeenk on Rabobank's side. De Brauw also referred local work to firms including the US's Davis Polk, led by New York partner Gregory Rowland, and Japanese firm Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, led by Tokyo partner Taro Tsunoda.
And Allen & Overy, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson, Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy, Latham & Watkins, Ropes & Gray and Shearman & Sterling were all instructed in various ways on Liberty Global's $23.3bn takeover of Virgin Media (see Partner of the Month).
Deal of the month: pre-pack sale of Cobbetts to DWF
By Steve Cottee, restructuring partner, Pinsent Masons
Cobbetts was a well-respected mid-tier UK law firm with 73 partners and 439 employees operating out of offices in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and London. It also had a subsidiary Incasso, which provided debt recovery services from offices in Leeds.
In 2011/12 the firm's turnover was £45m. At the height of the economic boom in 2007/08 it was nearly £60m.
By mid-January 2013 the firm that had been established in Manchester in the early 19th century was facing serious cashflow pressures and on 28 January the LLP had no alternative but to file a notice of intention to appoint KPMG as administrators. The firm had found itself in the squeezed middle of UK law firms, which face an increasingly difficult legal market and often have high fixed costs.
Within a day of the notice of intention being filed there was considerable press interest. The challenge KPMG and our team faced was to sell substantially the whole of the business to DWF in a matter of days. The longer we took, the greater the risk that the firm would start to fragment, which could have led to an intervention.
The issues we faced were the negotiation of the sale contract with DWF, finalising with our QC an application to court for the administrators' appointment, dealing with the appointment of a solicitor manager and a mechanism for the transfer of client files and monies, and co-ordinating the court appointment and proposed sale. To get all this completed in a very short timeframe our team and KPMG worked with little sleep for over a week alongside the DWF management team, their advisers Deloitte, the executive management team at Cobbetts and our QC and junior counsel, while keeping the SRA fully involved. Once the order was made and the sale completed our reward was to spend the rest of the week and following weekend working on the sale of Incasso.
The legal line-up:
For KPMG administrators Brian Green, Mark Firmin and Howard Smith: Pinsent Masons (lead partner Steve Cottee; partner Jonathan Jeffries; senior associates Dawn Allen, Claire Sharf and Nick Gavin-Brown); barristers Peter Arden QC of Erskine Chambers and Martha Maher of St John's Chambers
For DWF: in-house (managing partner Andrew Leaitherland and national banking head Andrew Gregory)
For Incasso acquirer HL Legal: Taylor Wessing (partner Tom Cartwright)
For the SRA: Bevan Brittan (partner Iain Miller)
For Cobbetts' lender Lloyds TSB: Walker Morris (partner Simon Clark; solicitor Natalie Knowles)
February deals with UK involvement
Of 50 UK-related deals attributed by Thomson Reuters to February, three passed the $1bn milestone. The largest was Onexim Group's $3.6bn (£2.4bn) sale of a 38 per cent stake in Polyus Gold to two investors. Herbert Smith Freehills partners Alexei Roudiak in Moscow and Mark Bardell in London advised Onexim. Clifford Chance partner Leonard Cleland led for the buyers' lenders, VTB Capital.
Linklaters partner Aedamar Comiskey advised UK-registered HSBC Latin America Holdings on its $2.1bn sale of HSBC Panama to Bancolombia, which was advised by Sullivan & Cromwel and Panama firm Tapia Linares y Alfaro.
Ireland's Matheson advised the country's government on the $1.8bn sale of Irish Life, advised by A&L Goodbody. Arthur Cox and McCann Fitzgerald advised buyer Canada Life and its parent company Great-West Lifeco.
Olswang, Shearman & Sterling and SJ Berwin's high position comes from their roles on Warner Music Group's $765m acquisition of Parlophone Label Group from Universal Music Group.
- Sign up for the weekly Deals Insider mailout here for insight on deals, client relationships and fees
Partner of the Month: Jane Rogers
Firm: Ropes & Gray
Position: Partner, finance, London
Jane Rogers led for Liberty Global on the financing of its $23.3bn (£15.5bn) acquisition of Virgin Media alongside fellow London finance partners Maurice Allen, Mike Goetz and Matthew Cox, corporate partner Kiran Sharma and tax partner John Baldry. Virgin Media was advised by Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson on corporate matters and Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy for finance. The arranging banks were advised by Allen & Overy and Latham & Watkins, while Hogan Lovells advised Liberty on European competition, pensions and share schemes matters.
How did you win the mandate?
We have a longstanding relationship with Liberty Global and have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with them on their financings, which are always complex and interesting.
What was unique about the structuring or nature of the deal?
The financing for the transaction involved a number of components – bank debt, high-yield bonds, bridge facilities and additional, more bespoke loans – and it was critical to ensure all the pieces worked together.
What was the first deal you worked on as trainee or lawyer?
I was thrown into the junior role on an intense financing for a large-cap leveraged buyout. It seems that not much has changed over the years.
What is the most memorable moment on a deal you've worked on?
The public announcement of this deal with the financing package in place ranks high on the list.
Associate of the Month: Graham Kirk
Firm: Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Position: Senior associate, corporate
Graham Kirk advised Aqueduct Capital and its shareholders on the sale of Sutton & East Surrey Water to Japan's Sumitomo Corporation and managed the hotly contested auction. Other advisers were partners Claire Wills and Martin Nelson-Jones, associate Jason Varney and in-house counsel Jeremy Smith at iCON Infrastructure.
What was your role on the deal?
I provided a package of advice from structuring the deal to running the auction process, drafting and negotiating the documents, and dealing with a signing and closing process. I also co-ordinated a team from across several practice groups.
What was unique about it?
We had bidders from various backgrounds including private equity and industrial or strategic buyers from across the globe, participating until a late stage. So there were a lot of balls to keep in the air. The period from receiving final bids to agreeing the SPA was a little over 48 hours.
Which other deals have you led?
Since returning from two years in the Tokyo office in 2010 I have been working mainly on mining deals such as Receza's acquisition of a $1.85bn (£1.23bn) stake in Polyus Gold, which just completed, and spent 10 months on secondment to BHP Billiton.
What was the first deal you worked on as trainee or lawyer?
Working for Alliance & Leicester on the sale of its credit card business. Although I was a first-seat trainee I had a distinct role.


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Flip Off
Samsung MV800 Compact Camera
The Samsung MV800's ($315) killer feature stares every user right in the face — that is if they want it to. Its 3.0-inch touch screen display can rotate 180 degrees, allowing users to easily frame self portraits or other awkward shots we'd rather not know about. It's a new convenience we've seen on mid-tier DSLRs before, and we're glad to see trickle-down to point and shoots. Speaking of shoots, the 16.1 Megapixel camera packs everything you'd expect in a decent pocket cam including a 4.7~23.5 mm Schneider Lens, 5X optical zoom, built-in HDMI port and a MicroSD slot. An integrated photo editor, panoramic mode, 3D photo converter and a slew of artsy filters round out the MV800?s software offerings. You can find better cameras out there for this price range if image quality is your top concern. For true Narcissists, though, it's the next best thing to personal paparazzi.
Buy Now: $315


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Artist description:
Happy Birthday Tanner! xD
Java Draw Created May 16, 2010 640 x 460px Unless noted Copyright 2010 underwater.
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reptar :D 5/5
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love it 5h's
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oh my god rptar =}
gorgeous colours & textures :) 5 hearts
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Hutton Honors College
— Indiana University
Spring 2004 Programs Schedule
Mon., Feb. 9, 2004 - Student/Faculty Discussion: "Deaf Culture: Living in a World without Sound."
Wed., Feb. 11, 2004 - Pizza Discussion Supper: "North Korea and the Nuclear Threat."
Tue., Feb. 17, 2004 - "Art and Taboo": An after-hours program at the IU Art Museum.
Thu., Feb. 19, 2004 - "Old Friends, New Enemies: Europe and the United States in the Age of Terrorism": The Wells Professorship Public Lecture presented by British international security expert Sir Timothy Garden.
Mon., Feb. 23, 2004 - Pizza Discussion Supper: "When There Isn't Enough Money for Everything: The Debate over Arts Education."
Fri., Feb. 27, 2004 - "A Talk with Lewis Hyde," poet, essayist, and professor of creative writing at Kenyon College.
Fri., Feb. 27, 2004 - Discussion Supper with Lewis Hyde.
Mon., Mar. 1, 2004 - Pizza Discussion Supper: "Lies, Spies, and 'Chatter'" with Sir Timothy Garden, British international security expert.
Tue., Mar. 2, 2004 - Pizza Discussion Supper with Magician-turned-mathematician Persi Diaconis, professor of mathematics and statistics at Stanford University.
Tue., Mar. 9, 2004 - Discussion Lunch: "The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence" with Jill Tarter, director of the Center for SETI Research.
Thu., Mar. 11, 2004 - Discussion Lunch with Bioethicist LeRoy Walters of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University.
Tue., Apr. 13, 2004 - Discussion Lunch with Former Astronaut and U.S. Senator H. H. Schmitt.
Tue., Apr. 13, 2004 - Discussion Supper: "Is Your (Cyber)World Secure?" with cyber security expert Seymour Goodman, professor of international affairs and computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Wed., Apr. 14, 2004 - Pizza Discussion Supper: "Speaking Truth to Power" with Darlene Clark Hine, professor of history at Michigan State University.
Wed., Apr. 14, 2004 - Undergraduate Research Fair.


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Lessons in Leadership
Friday, Feb. 4, 2011, 3:46 p.m.Shaw (Watha T. Daniel) Library
Lessons in Leadership
Because David McCullough's book on John Adams was the choice for the History Book Club discussion, I began to read this excellent biography one evening a few nights ago, and my sense of excitement grew with reading. Certain themes concerning leadership and John Adams jumped out at me, and I could see how to apply those lessons to contemporary leaders of revolutionary movements.
I came to sense that certain qualities John Adams had as a person also had great significance in his work as leader of the American Revolution. These qualities affected the course of events in the revolution. Through his ability to attach others to his cause in friendship, he became a very influential leader in Congress.
The role of friendship in organizing the American Revolution demonstrated by the life of John Adams demands to be illuminated by parallels with the activity and style of modern revolutionary leaders. The case of Nelson Mandela seems to be the best comparison in terms of style and aspects of leadership of a revolutionary movement. Both John Adams and Nelson Mandela were effective and eloquent advocates for their cause, in other words, front men. Both were determined to achieve their goal, independence for John Adams and the end of apartheid in South Africa for Mandela. Both were effective in gathering support for their positions among their revolutionary colleagues. Finally, both were chosen to be president of their respective countries after the storms of revolution.
What is the central quality that allowed both Mandela and Adams to rally their fellow revolutionaries to the cause? I think the element is a capacity for friendship and the ability to engage in cooperative action with others based on that friendship. John Adams, although he was known to be a prickly personality, became good friends with a variety of revolutionary figures, including Benjamin Rush, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. He knew how to attach others to himself and delegate duties to different persons who might be of use even though having very different temperaments from his. This is the essence of leadership.
He suggested that Thomas Jefferson be the designated writer of the Declaration of Independence because Jefferson was known to be an elegant writer. Adams himself, although a published writer, was often long-winded and awkward and knew Jefferson would be better in that role. More fatefully, Adams nominated George Washington to act as general of the Continental Army in a meeting of Congress and lobbied for that choice. John Adams admired martial ability but knew he had none, so he recommended Washington.
Most importantly, Adams was able to persuade others to move toward the necessity of independence in debate because he was also influential informally. He was so passionate and persuasive in debate in sessions of Congress that McCullough states many were "lifted out of their seats" by the force of his persuasive arguments. Yet it was the warmth of his associations with other congressmen and a confidence in his leadership that eventually moved most to his side. Because of his central role was, he was called the "colossus of Independence," a term that heads one chapter of McCullough's biography. He was its main pillar. Yet the root of this special role was his ability to connect with others by argument and friendly association.
In this biography, we learn a few important personal details of the life of the Continental Congress that we might not have known before. Much of the work of the Congress went on in committees that met in taverns around Philadelphia. There was much socializing as well as work in those taverns. There John Adams stayed in the forefront of the work of the committee on the war that directed the battles of the Revolution. The way he accomplished this, according to McCullough, was by patient work persuading others of his strategy and the need for more troops and supplies.
Eventually, John Adams furthered the cause of the revolution by being chosen ambassador to France and the Netherlands, where he secured loans that supported the completion of the American Revolution.
In a similar way, Mandela's leadership was marked by warm friendships. He formed close associations with his law partner Oliver Tambo and other key ANC members in long discussions in the bohemia of Sophiatown, a slum of Johannesburg where much cultural activity occurred. There Mandela was known as a warm friend and lively conversationalist. In the division of labor of the movement, he was assigned to be the front-man for the ANC giving speeches while Tambo and others led the organization. His spirit of hope and determination influenced the forward drive of the organization through important actions against apartheid, including the Defiance Campaign and the promulgation of the Freedom Charter. He never let up on his determination and optimism or communicating that to others.
Even during the Rivonia Treason trial that led to his long imprisonment, he strategized with friends about how to use that trial to promote the cause of equality, ignoring his own fate. His speeches in court were the most influential of his career. The influence of his eloquence was strengthened by how he kept the ANC and its coalition together with his warm spirit. Even in prison his friendly connections to his fellow prisoners and revolutionaries kept the movement together, and he became the central symbol for the final struggle against apartheid for 30 years for that reason.
In contrast, John Adams lost some of his leadership role in the early Republic when friendships were lost during the controversy over the Alien and Sedition acts during his presidency. Nonetheless, in old age Adams reconnected with Thomas Jefferson through a famous correspondence that confirmed many of the common values that bonded what historian Ellis calls the "founding brothers." Despite the vicissitudes of his political life, John Adams, in the end, was important to the Early Republic because of his gift of friendship and his leadership role that depended upon friendship. Here we can see one of the central elements of leadership of any movement displayed in the case of both John Adams and Nelson Mandela, as outlined in their biographies.


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Six Nations Team of the Week - Round 4
England and Ireland dominate the best XV from Round 4 after impressive victories over the weekend turned the race for the Championship into a two-horse race.
Ireland, inspired by the departing Brian O'Driscoll, ran in seven tries to bolster their points difference and virtually out their Six Nations faith in their own hands with a 46-7 win over Italy.
Scotland somehow managed to throw away a one-point lead with 10 minutes to go against an French side that put in a woeful performance.
England and Wales served up the game of the weekend in Twickenham yesterday with English power overcoming Welsh brawn in a 29-18 victory.
Courtney Lawes was hands-down the player of the weekend.
Some tough calls were made, but here is the team of the week:
15. Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
The best place-kicker in world rugby did not put a foot wrong from the tee and was his side's best performer in open play. The only reason the scoreline was so close. Rob Kearney and Mike Brown also had brilliant displays.
14. Andrew Trimble (Ireland)
Subject of some selection speculation but performed well, taking his try with aplomb. Debatable whether best choice, but likely to remain in possession for Paris.
13. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
Did he rise to occasion or did occasion rise to him? Handsome contribution in attack with sublime creation of three tries. Superb all-round performance. The man.
12. Luther Burrell (England)
A great restart take underlined his commitment and physical presence and showed great positioning and timing of his run to score his third try of an impressive debut championship. I know he played at 13 but both he and BOD deserved inclusion.
11. Jonny May (England)
Was once again England's most elusive runner and his pace caused Wales problems when he found space to attack. England need to bring him into the game more often.
10. Jonathan Sexton (Ireland)
Bounced back from Twickenham to boss proceedings throughout. In command at all times, two excellent tries and showed no ill effects of his thumb injury. Kicking was not quite as flawless as Owen Farrell's but he has to make the team.
9. Danny Care (England)
Was at the heart of England's attempt to play the game at a tempo and his quick-thinking exploited sloppy defending to score his try and out-kicking his opposite number.
8. Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
Back-row emphasis would have shifted with Parisse's absence. Achieved more gain line than in Twickenham and contribution to go-forward ball a key element. Most under-rated player in the northern hemisphere.
7. Chris Henry (Ireland)
Unglamorous but effective. Carried out the basics well; ever-present at breakdown, and crucial contributor to the game played at Schmidt's tempo. Just shades Chris Robshaw.
6. Tom Wood (England)
Once again was happy to roll up his sleeves and do most of the unseen and unsung work, both in the line-out and breakdown. A relentless work-rate
5. Devin Toner (Ireland)
Far and away his best performance in a green shirt. The giant lock looks like a man transformed in this year's Six Nations campaign. Offered himself as a ball-carrier all day in a tireless display.
4. Courtney Lawes (England)
Managed to operate like an outside centre, with a stunning back of the hand offload that almost resulted in a second try for Burrell, yet once again was a menacing presence at the coalface, landing some shuddering tackles. Superb.
3. David Wilson (England)
His storming break into the Welsh 22 and back of the hand offload to Robshaw in the opening minutes was one of the champagne moments of the game. A sweat-soaked shift.
2. Rory Best (Ireland)
Not a vintage display from the Ulster man. Not as dynamic at the breakdown as he has been in the past and a few throws went astray. Gets in because most of his rivals had stinkers, Dylan Hartley in particular.
1. Cian Healy (Ireland)
His physicality has grown in relevance in Sean O'Brien's absence and was excellent again yesterday. Dominance at scrum is now normal service and a great asset. Joe Marler unlucky to miss out.
Online Editors


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The Week in Ethics: Toyota and the Ethics of Greed
U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-WV, said this week that he had once worked hard to have Toyota locate an engine plant in his state because he knew it was a company built on the philosophy of quality first. "If they designed and built the safest and most reliable cars possible, then sales and profits would follow," the senator said. "Now it is clear that somewhere along the way public safety took a back seat and corporate profits drove the company's decisions." Rockefeller made this comment in opening remarks as chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which marked the third separate congressional hearing Toyota has faced to date.
In previous columns, I've talked about ways Toyota could begin rebuilding trust, dealing with challenges in reputation and image, and restoring what was lost in a process-only focus. Sen. Rockefeller's comments, and Toyota's own admission of losing sight of its mission, propel the Japanese auto giant into a growing category of corporate losers – those who shift focus to go after more growth and more profits, at the cost of what gave them a great reputation in the first place. Toyota, once the world's most profitable automaker, suffered its first losses in its past two fiscal years; the turning away from a quality to a profit focus only created far more problems.
The idea that "Greed isn't as good as we thought" is one of 10 ideas that will reshape the business world in the next decade, according to a recent Financial Times article. The author points to Bill Allen, legendary leader at Boeing, who inspired the organization to eat, breathe and sleep aeronautics and led them to market dominance and profits. Successor Phil Conduit's focus on using measurements like unit cost, return on investment and shareholder return didn't pay off: Boeing had scandals and lost its market leadership. Other companies mentioned — Citigroup, ICI, Enron and Lehman Bros – offer additional examples to future leaders of the quicksand of a profit-at-any-cost approach.
Toyota had a failure of ethical leadership. Delivering to the values of high quality standards and safety is ethics in action.
Ethics is at the heart of creating customer loyalty, creating an engaged workforce, and providing the reality behind the differentiating qualities that marketers use to describe a brand. Failing to build the highest quality product is, in fact, unethical. For Toyota and every other company, ethics and success in business are inextricably entwined. This lesson is proving very painful and costly to have to re-learn.
Gael O'Brien, March 4, 2010
Tags: Bill Allen, Boeing, Citigroup, Enron, ethics and business success entwined, Greed, Senate Commerce Science and Transportation Committee, Toyota, Toyota recalls, U.S. Senator Jay RockefellerYou can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
3 Comments on "The Week in Ethics: Toyota and the Ethics of Greed"
February 1, 2012 at 8:42 am
[…] learned from the crises of BP, Toyota, Massey Energy, Goldman Sachs, and the 2008 global economic meltdown — among many others […]
January 5, 2013 at 3:43 am
[…] For previous articles on Toyota in this column see Five Ways to Rebuild Trust, Reputation and Image, Focus on Process not People, and Ethics of Greed […]


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Capitalism, Crisis and Imperialism
An online introduction to Marxist economics and Lenin's Imperialism
The course runs for eight weeks from 9 October
It caters for those starting out and also those with more experience.
It is based on interactions between students and between students and the tutor.
Register now - fee £20 (unwaged £10).
Upon payment you will be sent by email your user name and password and the ULR for the education website.
This course introduces Lenin's Imperialism and its place in the development of Marxist theory and examines Marxist theories of crisis as applied to the 1930s and the present. Participants will gain an understanding of how the State sustains capitalism in our era and the implications of this for democracy.
The main text is Lenin's Imperialism. This was written in in 1916. It was published in Russia before the Socialist Revolution when Europe was in the midst of war.
The four, fortnightly, classes are:
1. Imperialism: then and now
2. Capitalism's las big crisis: the 1930s
3. Capitalism's current crisis
4. Monopoly, capitalism and democracy


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Green Initiatives
2017 TripAdvisor Greenleaders Silver Status
West Palm Beach FL (June 26, 2017) — CASA GRANDVIEW today proudly announced it has been accepted as a Silver Level Greenleader into the TripAdvisor® GreenLeaders™ program, which helps travelers around the world plan greener trips by highlighting hotels and B&Bs engaging in environmentally-friendly practices.
TripAdvisor GreenLeaders properties have met a set of environmental standards developed for TripAdvisor by a leading environmental consulting firm, with input from expert partners. The "more green" practices a hotel has in place, the higher its GreenLeader level, which is shown on the property's listing on the TripAdvisor site
Our Commitment
Casa Grandview Historic Luxury Inn Cottages and Suites in West Palm Beach is committed to providing a luxurious, warm and welcoming eco-friendly retreat for our guests while maintaining a positive balance with the local and global environment to meet the growing public demand for a "greener" lifestyle.
While we strive to deliver exceptional comfort and service to each guest, we continue to incorporate newer products and eco-friendly practices to ensure the health and safety of our guests and that the natural beauty of South Florida is preserved for future generations to visit and enjoy.
Present practices include use of tropical xeriscaping throughout the property, recycling partnerships within our City and Clean the World Progam, addition of energy efficient appliances and high SEER HVAC, water saving feautures, and our continuing conversion to LED lighting.
At Casa Grandview we encourage our guests to indulge in the amenities offered at the Inn "guilt free" as a means to renew and restore their own personal energy which is often depleted from the demands of everyday life.
Our Latest 2016 Eco-Friendly Endeavor:
Charleston Cottage: The new standing seam metal roof is considered a somewhat of a lifetime roof, and can withstand winds over 120 miles per hour! While replacing one's asphalt shingle roof is not big news, what is "big news" is:
Our new Green Roof is Eco-friendly: Manufactured from recycled materials. Recycled-content roof shingles help divert waste from landfills; whereby, reducing our need to extract and process raw materials, which lowers energy consumption and reduces pollution. Some of these recycled products are recyclable, too, and many come with these amazing 50-year warranties. This is our fifth Green Roof installation on property.
Working diligently to minimize the amount of waste going into our landfills and to conserve our natural resources particularly through energy and water conservation and by recycling all materials possible, reusing non-recyclables as dictated by common sense, sanitary conditions and ability of a material to be reused.
Making environmental considerations part of our everyday business decision making process including but not limited to purchasing products made from recycled materials, purchasing energy star rated appliances, buying local, and buying products in bulk and supporting the local community.
• Valuing the natural and cultural heritage of South Florida and to help guests enjoy and appreciate an authentic local experience
• Complying with all applicable environmental laws and striving to follow best environmental practice in all facets of operations without compromising guest comfort
• Building partnerships with other inns and businesses to strengthen business relationships and a sense of "community" and to effect positive awareness and practice changes toward the protection of our natural resources, local culture, and our environment
• Soliciting feedback and suggestions from our guests regarding the Inn's environmental practices
• Identifying areas for environmental improvements in our operations and continuing to make improvements that promote conservation and reduce the waste stream and carbon footprint of our business
Green Practices
• Widespread use of LED lighting
• Use of dimmable lights and timers throughout common areas
• Individually controlled heat and air conditioning zones in most guestrooms
• Use of hypo-allergenic, sustainable sheets, towels, robes, and organic cotton duvets (Cotton and bamboo items do not add VOC's to the air in guestrooms. Synthetic fabrics are not sustainable and use petrochemicals for manufacture.)
• Use of biodegradable amenities with biodegradable cornstarch bottles for bath and biodegradable, hypo-allergenic amenities in a dispenser system for showers (Our amenities use no animal by-products and do not use animals for testing)
• Purchase and use of energy efficient appliances
• Recycle newspapers, bags, cardboard, metal, plastics, bar soap, and reuse of furniture, china, linens, lighting, bicycles, beach gear, and coolers via donations to local charities
• Donation of old linens and towels for reuse at animal shelters, donate old bathrobes, unused shampoos/conditioners and unclaimed guest clothing to local charities and bar soap to Clean the World Program
• Recycling centers in vacation rentals, guestrooms, and common areas for newspapers, plastic, glass and metals; housekeepers remove recyclable goods from rooms (i.e. newspapers, plastic bottles, soda cans)
• Post placards to announce waste reduction options and available guest participation in being "green"
• Use of eco-friendly and steam cleaning products
• Purchase concentrated cleaning supplies in bulk and use refillable bottles as well as phosphate-free laundry soaps in bulk and recycle plastic soap containers
• Use of daily newspapers available centrally to all guests instead of automatically to all guest rooms, and paperless e-mail confirmations, correspondence, and guest receipts


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I would just like to say how delighted I am to see the Sleaford Town Awards running again this year.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the positive stories and the many contributions people make to our wonderful town – often with little reward – and look forward to seeing the ones yet to feature.
In a time when it is easy to concentrate on the doom and gloom, this certainly helps brighten up my week.
There are so many people who deserve a good 'pat on the back' for all of the work they do – giving up their time freely to help others and the community in which they live.
There have also been some great stories of individual achievements.
Who knew there were so many inspirational people living around us – what a great example to us all?
I am, however, pleased I am not on the judging panel because trying to separate so many worthy individuals and organisations looks an almost-impossible task!
Well done to all who are nominated – I do hope you have a great evening when the awards are handed out.
I eagerly await seeing who will be crowned the winners later this year – good luck to all those nominated.
A. Smith