text:
With last year heralding the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise's 35th anniversary, it's shouldn't be any surprise that Bandai and Sunrise had plenty of projects in store to celebrate. Gundam Build Fighters returned with a brand new sequel series (signalling a range of new custom model kits), and popular manga series Gundam: The Origin is also in process of being adapted into a series of OVA releases. But perhaps the biggest news for longtime fans was the arrival of a brand new series entitled Gundam: RecoNguista in G - written and directed by Gundam creator himself Yoshyuki Tomino. His first Gundam project since Turn A Gundam back in 1999, G-Reco returns fans to the main Gundam universe in a timeline that follows on from the original Universal Century.
Unless you've spent the last year or so living under a rock when it comes to otaku culture, chances are you'll have heard of or at least seen something do with Kantai Collection. What started out in 2013 as a free-to-play web browser game where you control moe girl anthropomorphisms of famous Japanese World War II battleships has now turned into a fully recognised franchise - storming Japan with figures, manga, light novels and of course more games. However 2015 marks the year KanColle (as it is often abbreviated to) takes the leap into animation, with a full 12-episode series from studio Diomedéa. With the game still currently only properly available to play in Japan, the show's simulcast streaming on Crunchyroll marks a big step in Kantai Collection's bid for a global takeover.
What do you do when you've released almost every Dalek variant in a particular scale? Release them all over again in another one of course! After kicking things off with a standard grey Dalek drone from Genesis of the Daleks (which other that the original 1963 version was definitely the right place to start), the 3.75" scale Doctor Who figures now have a whole paint chart of repaints to choose from. And to start things off Character Options have decided to go back in time a few years to 1972, releasing the Gold Supreme Dalek from the classic Third Doctor story Day of the Daleks. This particular variant also went on to appear in Frontier in Space the following year, and more recently graced the cover of the (spectacular) Eighth Doctor Dark Eyes 4 audio boxset from Big Finish.
The beginning of a new year - and arguably the most important time for the Super Sentai franchise. A years' worth of adventures for one team reaches it's explosive conclusion while a brand new ones' begin (along with all the wonderful new toys that come with it). But before either of those happen, it's time for the annual versus series team up movie. Ressha Sentai ToQger vs. Kyoryuger sees the cast of Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger return for one last roar, teaming up with the ToQgers against a rather large story thread left hanging from their own show.
It's a brand new year for the 66 Action range of candy toys from Bandai, and with the line going from strength to strength with each passing release I can't wait to see what 2015 brings. Despite humble beginnings as simple a range of cheap, poseable Kamen Rider figures it's now extended into a number of other franchises as well as growing a sizeable fanbase. January saw the launch of the 66 Action Ultraman line, and now the Riders return for an impressive fifth wave. This time the selection includes Kamen Rider Drive's Mashin Chaser, Kamen Rider OOO Tajador Combo, Kamen Rider Ryuki and Kamen Rider Black.
It's almost a given now that any Doctor Who figure wave is going to feature at least one Dalek, and as far as I'm concerned it's deservedly so. They're easy to produce as there's so many variants, and a sure seller to both children and collectors alike. Wave 3 of the relaunched 3.75" scale Doctor Who figures was even lucky to have two Daleks as part of it - one heralding from the classic era of the show, and one representing the relaunched version. Of course a standard bronze Dalek had already been released as part of wave 1, and both the BBC and Character Options seem quite easy to forget that the New Dalek Paradigm was even a thing. Cue a simple but effective repaint, battle-damaging things up to get an Asylum Dalek from the season seven opener Asylum of the Daleks. Which for the record I absolutely hated, but that's a different rant entirely.
S.H. Figuarts vehicles - one of those things I'm sure many collectors wish they owned more of, but often don't have the space or funds to buy them on top of the constant flow of figures. The recent Kamen Rider-1 & New Cyclone set was my first foray into the world of Figuarts bikes despite nearly four years of collecting, and while no means a regrettable purchase not quite enough to persuade me to add them to my constantly growing want list. When it comes to the Kikaider franchise though, that's a different story. Joining the Kikaider and Hakaider Figuarts are their respective vehicles - the Side Machine and White Crow, to round off the releases from the original Android Kikaider series before moving onto sequel Kikaider 01. This review takes a look at Kikaider's Side Machine, which was released as a Tamashii web exclusive at the end of November 2014.
After a prolonged period of silence following the Space Sheriff Gavan revival movie, Toei's Metal Heroes franchise has returned once again in a pair of V-Cinema (direct to video/DVD) releases breathing new life into the second and third entries in the Space Sheriff trilogy of shows. With Space Sheriff Sharivan: Next Generation sowing the seeds for a much bigger case, its time for Shaider to take the reigns in the second part of this new adventure - Space Sheriff Shaider: Next Generation. Like Sharivan, Shaider also has a new face behind the mask that many tokusatsu fans will surely recognise. This time it's actor Hiroaki Iwanaga, who previously portrayed fan favourite Date Akira/Kamen Rider Birth in Kamen Rider OOO. While this is technically Iwanaga's third outing as the new Shaider, it's the first time he's gotten top billing and a chance to really strut his stuff in the role.
The revival of the Space Sheriffs and Metal Heroes franchise hasn't been the smoothest of sailing. Although Gavan managed to crash two different Super Sentai series before going on to star in his own relaunch movie, things have been rather quiet for his immediate successors Sharivan and Shaider. Sure all three also appeared in Super Hero Taisen Z shortly afterward (along with a few other Metal Heroes cameos), but it was mostly about Gavan there as well. However now is the time of the other Space Sheriffs, with two V-cinema (aka direct to video) releases specifically dedicated to them. First up is Space Sheriff Sharivan: Next Generation, which sees Gekiranger star Riki Miura return once again the play the second generation Space Sheriff.
Movie REVIEW: Kamen Rider Gaim: Great Soccer Battle! Golden Fruits Cup!
There's always been two types of Heisei era Kamen Rider summer movies - those set in parallel worlds separate from the main canon, and those that actually tie into the series. The pre-Kamen Rider Decade films mostly fell into the former category, while the post-Decade ones fell into the latter. Kamen Rider Wizard cleverly tried to avoid these categories with a film that had the show's fall into a parallel universe, but Kamen Rider Gaim took it even further with a parallel universe movie which tied into the show itself - twice! But that's not all there is to Kamen Rider Gaim: Great Soccer Battle! Golden Fruits Cup! - in the summer of 2014 Japan (along with the rest of the world) was firmly in the grips of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, prompting Gaim to do a very unlikely bit of cross-promotion. If you thought fruit-armour samurai was weird enough, this is a whole different ball game.
It's no secret that Bandai Tamashii Nations is running out of Kamen Rider figures to do. Despite having a plethora of movie-exclusive characters still to do as well as various other bits and pieces from across the franchise's 44 year history, in terms of titular Riders there's only a handful left to go. And so to draw out their main cash cow even further, the S.H. Figuarts line has turned its attention toward the numerous bikes that are still left - particularly those from the Showa era of the franchise. Most of these have come in form of web exclusive sets, but some of the more popular ones have managed to escape that and return to retail release once again (in the form of both two-packs and separate reissues). The end of 2014 saw Riders 1 and 2 receive this treatment, so it's no surprise to see their direct successor Kamen Rider V3 reissued to accompany his bike - the Hurricane.

lowercased:
with last year heralding the mobile suit gundam franchise's 35th anniversary, it's shouldn't be any surprise that bandai and sunrise had plenty of projects in store to celebrate. gundam build fighters returned with a brand new sequel series (signalling a range of new custom model kits), and popular manga series gundam: the origin is also in process of being adapted into a series of ova releases. but perhaps the biggest news for longtime fans was the arrival of a brand new series entitled gundam: reconguista in g - written and directed by gundam creator himself yoshyuki tomino. his first gundam project since turn a gundam back in 1999, g-reco returns fans to the main gundam universe in a timeline that follows on from the original universal century.
unless you've spent the last year or so living under a rock when it comes to otaku culture, chances are you'll have heard of or at least seen something do with kantai collection. what started out in 2013 as a free-to-play web browser game where you control moe girl anthropomorphisms of famous japanese world war ii battleships has now turned into a fully recognised franchise - storming japan with figures, manga, light novels and of course more games. however 2015 marks the year kancolle (as it is often abbreviated to) takes the leap into animation, with a full 12-episode series from studio diomedéa. with the game still currently only properly available to play in japan, the show's simulcast streaming on crunchyroll marks a big step in kantai collection's bid for a global takeover.
what do you do when you've released almost every dalek variant in a particular scale? release them all over again in another one of course! after kicking things off with a standard grey dalek drone from genesis of the daleks (which other that the original 1963 version was definitely the right place to start), the 3.75" scale doctor who figures now have a whole paint chart of repaints to choose from. and to start things off character options have decided to go back in time a few years to 1972, releasing the gold supreme dalek from the classic third doctor story day of the daleks. this particular variant also went on to appear in frontier in space the following year, and more recently graced the cover of the (spectacular) eighth doctor dark eyes 4 audio boxset from big finish.
the beginning of a new year - and arguably the most important time for the super sentai franchise. a years' worth of adventures for one team reaches it's explosive conclusion while a brand new ones' begin (along with all the wonderful new toys that come with it). but before either of those happen, it's time for the annual versus series team up movie. ressha sentai toqger vs. kyoryuger sees the cast of zyuden sentai kyoryuger return for one last roar, teaming up with the toqgers against a rather large story thread left hanging from their own show.
it's a brand new year for the 66 action range of candy toys from bandai, and with the line going from strength to strength with each passing release i can't wait to see what 2015 brings. despite humble beginnings as simple a range of cheap, poseable kamen rider figures it's now extended into a number of other franchises as well as growing a sizeable fanbase. january saw the launch of the 66 action ultraman line, and now the riders return for an impressive fifth wave. this time the selection includes kamen rider drive's mashin chaser, kamen rider ooo tajador combo, kamen rider ryuki and kamen rider black.
it's almost a given now that any doctor who figure wave is going to feature at least one dalek, and as far as i'm concerned it's deservedly so. they're easy to produce as there's so many variants, and a sure seller to both children and collectors alike. wave 3 of the relaunched 3.75" scale doctor who figures was even lucky to have two daleks as part of it - one heralding from the classic era of the show, and one representing the relaunched version. of course a standard bronze dalek had already been released as part of wave 1, and both the bbc and character options seem quite easy to forget that the new dalek paradigm was even a thing. cue a simple but effective repaint, battle-damaging things up to get an asylum dalek from the season seven opener asylum of the daleks. which for the record i absolutely hated, but that's a different rant entirely.
s.h. figuarts vehicles - one of those things i'm sure many collectors wish they owned more of, but often don't have the space or funds to buy them on top of the constant flow of figures. the recent kamen rider-1 & new cyclone set was my first foray into the world of figuarts bikes despite nearly four years of collecting, and while no means a regrettable purchase not quite enough to persuade me to add them to my constantly growing want list. when it comes to the kikaider franchise though, that's a different story. joining the kikaider and hakaider figuarts are their respective vehicles - the side machine and white crow, to round off the releases from the original android kikaider series before moving onto sequel kikaider 01. this review takes a look at kikaider's side machine, which was released as a tamashii web exclusive at the end of november 2014.
after a prolonged period of silence following the space sheriff gavan revival movie, toei's metal heroes franchise has returned once again in a pair of v-cinema (direct to video/dvd) releases breathing new life into the second and third entries in the space sheriff trilogy of shows. with space sheriff sharivan: next generation sowing the seeds for a much bigger case, its time for shaider to take the reigns in the second part of this new adventure - space sheriff shaider: next generation. like sharivan, shaider also has a new face behind the mask that many tokusatsu fans will surely recognise. this time it's actor hiroaki iwanaga, who previously portrayed fan favourite date akira/kamen rider birth in kamen rider ooo. while this is technically iwanaga's third outing as the new shaider, it's the first time he's gotten top billing and a chance to really strut his stuff in the role.
the revival of the space sheriffs and metal heroes franchise hasn't been the smoothest of sailing. although gavan managed to crash two different super sentai series before going on to star in his own relaunch movie, things have been rather quiet for his immediate successors sharivan and shaider. sure all three also appeared in super hero taisen z shortly afterward (along with a few other metal heroes cameos), but it was mostly about gavan there as well. however now is the time of the other space sheriffs, with two v-cinema (aka direct to video) releases specifically dedicated to them. first up is space sheriff sharivan: next generation, which sees gekiranger star riki miura return once again the play the second generation space sheriff.
movie review: kamen rider gaim: great soccer battle! golden fruits cup!
there's always been two types of heisei era kamen rider summer movies - those set in parallel worlds separate from the main canon, and those that actually tie into the series. the pre-kamen rider decade films mostly fell into the former category, while the post-decade ones fell into the latter. kamen rider wizard cleverly tried to avoid these categories with a film that had the show's fall into a parallel universe, but kamen rider gaim took it even further with a parallel universe movie which tied into the show itself - twice! but that's not all there is to kamen rider gaim: great soccer battle! golden fruits cup! - in the summer of 2014 japan (along with the rest of the world) was firmly in the grips of the fifa world cup in brazil, prompting gaim to do a very unlikely bit of cross-promotion. if you thought fruit-armour samurai was weird enough, this is a whole different ball game.
it's no secret that bandai tamashii nations is running out of kamen rider figures to do. despite having a plethora of movie-exclusive characters still to do as well as various other bits and pieces from across the franchise's 44 year history, in terms of titular riders there's only a handful left to go. and so to draw out their main cash cow even further, the s.h. figuarts line has turned its attention toward the numerous bikes that are still left - particularly those from the showa era of the franchise. most of these have come in form of web exclusive sets, but some of the more popular ones have managed to escape that and return to retail release once again (in the form of both two-packs and separate reissues). the end of 2014 saw riders 1 and 2 receive this treatment, so it's no surprise to see their direct successor kamen rider v3 reissued to accompany his bike - the hurricane.


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What's that smell, is Trader Jim waving around some interesting players?
I have to agree, it has been a while since the Pens started a season with so few holes to fill as this year.
When your biggest issue is how to fit in your 21 yr old (not quite ready) goal scoring stud, you've really got it made.
Penspal wrote: When your biggest issue is how to fit in your 21 yr old (not quite ready) goal scoring stud, you've really got it made.
I can't remember a Penguins team this deep from top to bottom.
Remember the late summer when everyone was afraid of the moves made during the offseason?
LimerickPensFan wrote: Remember the late summer when everyone was afraid of the moves made during the offseason?
This year's Greg McKegg and Carter Rowney are not on the opening night roster.
Instead we have Brassard and Cullen. One goes down we will still have Sheahan. So our 3C and 4C from last year are pretty much what we have as the 6C and 7C. Yes.
We have 3 pairs set and ready to go. A cheap 7-8 L/R pair behind that.
DelPen wrote: So waiver exempt players left are Jarry, Riikola and ZAR that are good?
I think all three are better than others still in camp but seems like an easy call to send them down and not risk some other players on waivers yet. There’s still Trotman and Dea too and Grant whenever Sheahan is off of IR.
Jarry and Riikola deserve to stay, however, I think both are better served going to WBS where they can play every day until an NHL roster injury occurs.
Aston-Reese, to me, should make the roster no matter his waiver status.
Dea and Trotman should both be waived and returned to WBS.
I'm not sold on Grant. Quite honestly, other than his size, I didn't see the need for signing him after Cullen was signed and with Blueger reportedly deserving of an NHL spot already. I know why it happens (because annual playoff coaches are often afraid of putting their faith in too many young players over vets), but, I would rather see Bluger up here as well. Crosby, Malkin, Brassard, Sheahan, Cullen, Blueger, Dea was enough depth without adding Grant, not to mention both Simon, DiPauli, and Johnson were all centers originally who have been shifted to wing.
In Blueger's case, he just turned 24 years old, had a breakout year in the AHL, had his GM lauding him all summer.....and he is still sitting in the minors. I will be intrigued to see if he gets moved in a deal (although, he won't have a ton of value) or asks to not be retained next year. The Penguins took two steps forward by dumping guys like Rowney and Kuhnhackl, but then brought in Grant and Hayes types, with Grant possibly grabbing an NHL spot. There is a delicate balance between trusting your young players and having too many in the lineup, and the Penguins tend to lean a little too much on vets.
I view Blueger like Jarry or Riikola in that they're best suited for WBS but would be called up as long term replacements for the starter. Blueger seems to just be a late bloomer and will likely be as high as 3C in 2019-20. No way the team signs Brassard and they may or may not sign Sheahan.
I think Grant is like DeSmith or Ruhwedel in that he's best suited for healthy scratch or 1-2 game replacement for minor injuries.
while im not sure if blueger can step into 3c role next season(I think they might sign somebody else for that and have blueger as the the fourth line center) I agree with the concept of him being better for him(and jarry and rikola) to be playing everyday in WBS rather than just watching up here, with all being better options if a replacement is needed for longer term.
Lower body (abdominal) injury, day to day.
Hatrick wrote: while im not sure if blueger can step into 3c role next season(I think they might sign somebody else for that and have blueger as the the fourth line center) I agree with the concept of him being better for him(and jarry and rikola) to be playing everyday in WBS rather than just watching up here, with all being better options if a replacement is needed for longer term.
While he won't be as good as Brassard, I think he'd be as good as Sheahan and Bonino. If Sprong reaches his potential, I think a 3rd line of him, Blueger/Rust (or ZAR) would be a nice 3rd line. This year, I can see Brassard carrying the line for scoring, then Sprong in 2019-20. Of course if neither, or just one, doesn't pan out we'll see signings, but I can see a very young 3rd line in 2019-20.
I guess we should all get used to Dominik Simon. I had heard this before earlier in camp, but from DK's Insider piece today, he commented that there probably has never been a bigger divide between fan perception and team perception of a player than Simon. Crosby, Letang, and Murray were all raving about his hands and ability earlier in camp. Brassard apparently told DK yesterday that Simon was "one of the most effective linemates I have ever had."
Other odds and ends were that apparently, Jimmy Hayes showed up to camp out of shape, which was why he was an early camp cut.
Says Riikola is almost 100% going to the minors. The Pens like their top 6, they like Ruhwedel, and, most importantly, they want Riikola to play, not sit in the press box.
Finally, Cody Tucker says don't hold your breath waiting for the Penguins 3rd jersey. It isn't coming soon....not until the season starts. Main reason is, they aren't ready with stock of the new jerseys to sell. Tucker asked if the new jersey would be blue, and the source didn't give a yes or no.
Oh Lord please not blue.
The team, as built now, could win the cup no doubt. The team, as built now, is almost the exact team that could not win the cup last year. Replace a well rounded firecracker like Sheary with a no-skill Simon and add Cullen and essentially you have a net-net. Going to be a fun season and we should be very good.
With the Pens he was like 8th on the depth chart. And that's not taking into account Guentzel or Simon moving off the wing to center ice.
Good fortune to Dea, there wasn't much for him here.
Lol, Shero has been picking off the Pens scrap heap since he left.
JSD looked better than ever in his pre-season action, but that's not saying its a huge loss, just a loss. Happy for him, I suspect he'll get quite a bit of NHL action this season.
Only the second guy to be plucked off of waivers this preseason.
I don't want to place too much weight on a preseason performance against Buffalo, but I'll stick for Simon again a little bit. That 3rd line looked very good Wednesday, and he was a key part of that. I went into the arena a Simon skeptic, hoping to see Aston-Reese in that role, but Simon looked good, sharper in his skating, puck handling, and decision making compared to last year. Of course, we still have to see if that carries over when the games get real, but I think he's earned a shot in the top-9 based on preseason.
The issue for the Pens next summer is Guentzel. Any increase to the NHL cap will be eaten by him, plus. Brassard and Hagelin open $7M, but some of that may go to Guentzel and then you need a 3C and mid-6 LW to replace those two. It's not horrible, but it's not going to be fun.
Don't like to see JS Dea go, but this should be good for him. He's proven to be a very good player, so the next step is to go after an NHL job. He'll get a good look in NJ, and much sooner than he would've here.
Really good story. A kid that inexplicably goes undrafted after scoring a ton in juniors, but gets a look at Pens development camp and worked his tail off to earn a contract. Kept working and made it to the NHL. Hope he keeps it going.

lowercased:
what's that smell, is trader jim waving around some interesting players?
i have to agree, it has been a while since the pens started a season with so few holes to fill as this year.
when your biggest issue is how to fit in your 21 yr old (not quite ready) goal scoring stud, you've really got it made.
penspal wrote: when your biggest issue is how to fit in your 21 yr old (not quite ready) goal scoring stud, you've really got it made.
i can't remember a penguins team this deep from top to bottom.
remember the late summer when everyone was afraid of the moves made during the offseason?
limerickpensfan wrote: remember the late summer when everyone was afraid of the moves made during the offseason?
this year's greg mckegg and carter rowney are not on the opening night roster.
instead we have brassard and cullen. one goes down we will still have sheahan. so our 3c and 4c from last year are pretty much what we have as the 6c and 7c. yes.
we have 3 pairs set and ready to go. a cheap 7-8 l/r pair behind that.
delpen wrote: so waiver exempt players left are jarry, riikola and zar that are good?
i think all three are better than others still in camp but seems like an easy call to send them down and not risk some other players on waivers yet. there’s still trotman and dea too and grant whenever sheahan is off of ir.
jarry and riikola deserve to stay, however, i think both are better served going to wbs where they can play every day until an nhl roster injury occurs.
aston-reese, to me, should make the roster no matter his waiver status.
dea and trotman should both be waived and returned to wbs.
i'm not sold on grant. quite honestly, other than his size, i didn't see the need for signing him after cullen was signed and with blueger reportedly deserving of an nhl spot already. i know why it happens (because annual playoff coaches are often afraid of putting their faith in too many young players over vets), but, i would rather see bluger up here as well. crosby, malkin, brassard, sheahan, cullen, blueger, dea was enough depth without adding grant, not to mention both simon, dipauli, and johnson were all centers originally who have been shifted to wing.
in blueger's case, he just turned 24 years old, had a breakout year in the ahl, had his gm lauding him all summer.....and he is still sitting in the minors. i will be intrigued to see if he gets moved in a deal (although, he won't have a ton of value) or asks to not be retained next year. the penguins took two steps forward by dumping guys like rowney and kuhnhackl, but then brought in grant and hayes types, with grant possibly grabbing an nhl spot. there is a delicate balance between trusting your young players and having too many in the lineup, and the penguins tend to lean a little too much on vets.
i view blueger like jarry or riikola in that they're best suited for wbs but would be called up as long term replacements for the starter. blueger seems to just be a late bloomer and will likely be as high as 3c in 2019-20. no way the team signs brassard and they may or may not sign sheahan.
i think grant is like desmith or ruhwedel in that he's best suited for healthy scratch or 1-2 game replacement for minor injuries.
while im not sure if blueger can step into 3c role next season(i think they might sign somebody else for that and have blueger as the the fourth line center) i agree with the concept of him being better for him(and jarry and rikola) to be playing everyday in wbs rather than just watching up here, with all being better options if a replacement is needed for longer term.
lower body (abdominal) injury, day to day.
hatrick wrote: while im not sure if blueger can step into 3c role next season(i think they might sign somebody else for that and have blueger as the the fourth line center) i agree with the concept of him being better for him(and jarry and rikola) to be playing everyday in wbs rather than just watching up here, with all being better options if a replacement is needed for longer term.
while he won't be as good as brassard, i think he'd be as good as sheahan and bonino. if sprong reaches his potential, i think a 3rd line of him, blueger/rust (or zar) would be a nice 3rd line. this year, i can see brassard carrying the line for scoring, then sprong in 2019-20. of course if neither, or just one, doesn't pan out we'll see signings, but i can see a very young 3rd line in 2019-20.
i guess we should all get used to dominik simon. i had heard this before earlier in camp, but from dk's insider piece today, he commented that there probably has never been a bigger divide between fan perception and team perception of a player than simon. crosby, letang, and murray were all raving about his hands and ability earlier in camp. brassard apparently told dk yesterday that simon was "one of the most effective linemates i have ever had."
other odds and ends were that apparently, jimmy hayes showed up to camp out of shape, which was why he was an early camp cut.
says riikola is almost 100% going to the minors. the pens like their top 6, they like ruhwedel, and, most importantly, they want riikola to play, not sit in the press box.
finally, cody tucker says don't hold your breath waiting for the penguins 3rd jersey. it isn't coming soon....not until the season starts. main reason is, they aren't ready with stock of the new jerseys to sell. tucker asked if the new jersey would be blue, and the source didn't give a yes or no.
oh lord please not blue.
the team, as built now, could win the cup no doubt. the team, as built now, is almost the exact team that could not win the cup last year. replace a well rounded firecracker like sheary with a no-skill simon and add cullen and essentially you have a net-net. going to be a fun season and we should be very good.
with the pens he was like 8th on the depth chart. and that's not taking into account guentzel or simon moving off the wing to center ice.
good fortune to dea, there wasn't much for him here.
lol, shero has been picking off the pens scrap heap since he left.
jsd looked better than ever in his pre-season action, but that's not saying its a huge loss, just a loss. happy for him, i suspect he'll get quite a bit of nhl action this season.
only the second guy to be plucked off of waivers this preseason.
i don't want to place too much weight on a preseason performance against buffalo, but i'll stick for simon again a little bit. that 3rd line looked very good wednesday, and he was a key part of that. i went into the arena a simon skeptic, hoping to see aston-reese in that role, but simon looked good, sharper in his skating, puck handling, and decision making compared to last year. of course, we still have to see if that carries over when the games get real, but i think he's earned a shot in the top-9 based on preseason.
the issue for the pens next summer is guentzel. any increase to the nhl cap will be eaten by him, plus. brassard and hagelin open $7m, but some of that may go to guentzel and then you need a 3c and mid-6 lw to replace those two. it's not horrible, but it's not going to be fun.
don't like to see js dea go, but this should be good for him. he's proven to be a very good player, so the next step is to go after an nhl job. he'll get a good look in nj, and much sooner than he would've here.
really good story. a kid that inexplicably goes undrafted after scoring a ton in juniors, but gets a look at pens development camp and worked his tail off to earn a contract. kept working and made it to the nhl. hope he keeps it going.


text: Ellis and Nick. . HD Wallpaper and background images in the Left 4 Dead 2（レフト フォー デッド 2） club.

lowercased: ellis and nick. . hd wallpaper and background images in the left 4 dead 2（レフト フォー デッド 2） club.


text:
Bones that could belong to King Alfred the Great have been exhumed from a churchyard in Winchester over fears that they might be stolen or vandalised.
Archaeologists carried out the exhumation of an unmarked grave at St Bartholomew's Church on church orders.
There has been speculation the bones of the legendary 9th-century king - who is said to have burnt the cakes and defeated the Danes - could be buried there and the church felt there was a heightened risk of theft.
Interest in Alfred's resting place comes after the body of Richard III was found under a car park in Leicester.
No permission has been given to analyse the bones to see if they are those of the Saxon monarch and they are now in safe storage.
Winchester Diocesan spokesman Nick Edmonds said: "Following the completion of work we can confirm that skeletal remains were discovered and have been exhumed from the grave.
"Understandably, there is widespread interest in this situation. For now we can't say any more about the remains, their nature or whereabouts, but promise to keep people updated when there is something to tell.
Mr Edmonds said that anyone wanting to examine the bones would have to apply to the Consistory Court of The Diocese.
The whereabouts of the remains of Alfred has long been a mystery.
It is thought the exhumed grave may hold the bones of the king after a possible earlier burial of him under the nearby ruined Hyde Abbey was dug up in the 19th century and then reburied in the churchyard.
The University of Winchester has already said it will seek permission to examine the exhumed bones.

lowercased:
bones that could belong to king alfred the great have been exhumed from a churchyard in winchester over fears that they might be stolen or vandalised.
archaeologists carried out the exhumation of an unmarked grave at st bartholomew's church on church orders.
there has been speculation the bones of the legendary 9th-century king - who is said to have burnt the cakes and defeated the danes - could be buried there and the church felt there was a heightened risk of theft.
interest in alfred's resting place comes after the body of richard iii was found under a car park in leicester.
no permission has been given to analyse the bones to see if they are those of the saxon monarch and they are now in safe storage.
winchester diocesan spokesman nick edmonds said: "following the completion of work we can confirm that skeletal remains were discovered and have been exhumed from the grave.
"understandably, there is widespread interest in this situation. for now we can't say any more about the remains, their nature or whereabouts, but promise to keep people updated when there is something to tell.
mr edmonds said that anyone wanting to examine the bones would have to apply to the consistory court of the diocese.
the whereabouts of the remains of alfred has long been a mystery.
it is thought the exhumed grave may hold the bones of the king after a possible earlier burial of him under the nearby ruined hyde abbey was dug up in the 19th century and then reburied in the churchyard.
the university of winchester has already said it will seek permission to examine the exhumed bones.


text:
You are about to download NetWorx Portable 5.2.9 (32-bit) ... Select one of the download locations to get it.
• ThinstallSoft DOES NOT supply any patch, crack, activation key, serial number, license code or keygen for 'NetWorx Portable 5.2.9 (32-bit)'.

lowercased:
you are about to download networx portable 5.2.9 (32-bit) ... select one of the download locations to get it.
• thinstallsoft does not supply any patch, crack, activation key, serial number, license code or keygen for 'networx portable 5.2.9 (32-bit)'.


text:
← Congrats Mike & Tiffany!
Meet Sarah and Mal! They are two awesome individuals who recently tied the knot at a private residence in Westport. We hadn’t met prior to the wedding, which can be… unnerving… but lo and behold, Sarah and Mal were AWESOME! Marisa was my lovely assistant during this wedding and we had a great time! These two were super sweet and had an amazing group of friends and family (from all over the country!) who were totally in love with a wedding on “some farm in Massachusetts.” LOL (direct groomsmen quote) I am so glad that I was asked to shoot this wedding! Best of luck Sarah and Mal!
Their dog’s name is Beta… cuz Sarah is Alpha Mom – LOVE THIS!
Meanwhile on the boys side… meet Mal!
Invisible Jump Rope? LOL Apparently this is a real thing in the mid west!
Best of luck Sarah and Mal!

lowercased:
← congrats mike & tiffany!
meet sarah and mal! they are two awesome individuals who recently tied the knot at a private residence in westport. we hadn’t met prior to the wedding, which can be… unnerving… but lo and behold, sarah and mal were awesome! marisa was my lovely assistant during this wedding and we had a great time! these two were super sweet and had an amazing group of friends and family (from all over the country!) who were totally in love with a wedding on “some farm in massachusetts.” lol (direct groomsmen quote) i am so glad that i was asked to shoot this wedding! best of luck sarah and mal!
their dog’s name is beta… cuz sarah is alpha mom – love this!
meanwhile on the boys side… meet mal!
invisible jump rope? lol apparently this is a real thing in the mid west!
best of luck sarah and mal!


text:
If you share essential oils, avoid common mistakes and build trust!
I started learning about essential oils through a well-known essential oil company and started sharing with others pretty quickly after I learned about some of their many benefits and enrolled as a member. Since then, I have earned a Certification in Aromatherapy and thinking back, some of the things I did early on in my journey before getting this education, make me cringe.
Sharing essential oils is great because it feels good to be able to help people, and to empower them to have tools to help themselves. Despite the many benefits essential oils have, they also have safety considerations. It’s important to know what you can do to share responsibly and reduce the risk of adverse reactions.
Knowing what I know now, I do things differently when I share samples.
Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils: Keep out of reach of children and pets; for external use only; dilute in carrier oil for use on skin; avoid exposure to eyes, ears, and mucus membranes; store tightly sealed away from heat and light; consult with a qualified practitioner before using internally; use caution if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you have a serious medical condition.
Avoid exposure to sun or tanning for 12 to 18 hours after using this oil on your skin.
2. Write expiration dates or batch numbers on your samples. Expired essential oils can have altered chemistry and cause adverse reactions (I explain this in more detail further down in this post). Rotate expired samples out and either discard them or use them for something else that doesn’t involve direct skin contact, like cleaning or laundry ( I don’t like them to go to waste either).
Whether you just like to help people, or are a member of a multi-level marketing company and want to grow a downline/team (usually it’s both!), these tips can help prevent some of the mistakes I made early in my journey.
It’s common sense and common courtesy. Some people are highly sensitive to chemicals, natural or not.
You don’t have to be an expert, but the more you know, the more you can help. I highly recommend checking out the resources out there by certified aromatherapists and experts in the field, like Aromahead Institute, Tisserand Institute, and Atlantic Institute, as well as professional organizations such as NAHA and AIA. In fact, I recommend passing along these resources to people you share with. Check out my Resources page for some suggestions.
Print them out on the same slip of paper with the safety cautions, or have a file with your favorite links that you can send to the recipient of the sample. Your favorite essential oil company most likely provides a wealth of information and resources, but I believe it is important to learn from multiple resources so you see a variety of approaches and perspectives.
There are several factors that can degrade your oils: Heat, Light, Air, and Time. These factors lead to oxidation, which changes the chemistry of the essential oils, affects the therapeutic qualities, and can result in adverse reactions, like skin irritation, or even sensitization, an acquired allergy. Knowing the expiration dates and proper storage will ensure that that the samples you are providing are not compromised.
Proper storage: Keep the oils away from excessive heat and light, and minimize how much they are exposed to air – it is best to store them in dark glass with the lid on tight, without too much “headspace”, which means if there isn’t much oil in the bottle, it will have more headspace and more oxygen, resulting in faster oxidation. Pure essential oils can break down some kinds of plastics, so glass is the best material to use for your samples.
Note the batch number on the bottles of essential oil. Sometimes they are stamped onto the bottom, sometimes they are on the label. There may also be an expiration date on the bottle. I like to note the actual distillation date, or date the oil was bottled if distillation date is not available. If in doubt, contact the essential oil company/companies whose oils you buy.
Here’s what I do: Write the batch number or expiration date on your samples – I like to use blank cap sticker “dots” and place them on the bottom of my 1/4 and 5/8 dram sample bottles.
Next 3 numbers: Julian calendar date (this is a different calendar system than one one we use. In this system February 17 would be 48, because it’s the 48th day of the year (see the link for more information).
So a lot number of 150066A would mean that it was bottled in 2015 (15), January 6 (006), in USA (A). If it is a citrus oil, you would know that it is best to use it by January of 2017.
This is so important, and not knowing, as well as passing on faulty information can damage your reputation, relationships, and trust. So many people have great intentions but unknowingly give information that leads to an adverse reaction to an essential oil. This is the number one reason essential oil consultants have a negative reputation in this industry. For years now, the Atlantic Institute has gathered data from essential oil injury reports and a surprising amount of reports is by people who acted on the advice of a well-meaning but under-informed consultant. Below I have summarized some information, but it is not all inclusive.
There are many great resources for learning essential oil safety (Some of these can be found on my Resources page). For example, Tisserand Institute is a great place to start, and Aromahead Institute has a free online intro to essential oils course with a section on safety guidelines.
*When offering essential oil for immediate topical use, offer a carrier oil first so the person has the choice of diluting.
*Don’t recommend unsafe use: The most common unsafe recommendations involve internal-use methods, undiluted use on the skin, and inappropriate use of essential oil on infants.
My thoughts on internal use – There are a lot of differing opinions on internal use. I don’t recommend drinking essential oils in water or telling others to do so. Some essential oil companies sell essential oils contained in specially formulated capsules, or other forms. This may carry fewer risks than drinking essential oils in water, and I would like to think that companies that formulate products for internal use do the appropriate research, but I am not far enough in my continuing education to understand all of the risks and benefits of these formulations. I do know from reading Tisserand and Young’s book Essential Oil Safety, 2nd edition, that there are more risks with internal use of essential oils (versus topical or aromatic use) when there are other factors present such as medications, health problems, or pregnancy.
The best practice is to recommend that a person speak to a qualified professional who is trained in safe internal use of essential oils before considering this method.
My thoughts on diluting – When in doubt, always dilute. Some risks of using essential oils “neat” on the skin are skin reactions that can range from mild to severe, and may include sensitization, where one develops an allergy to an essential oil. Always recommend diluting when you share essential oils.
Infants – avoid essential oils directly on the skin – any amount used should be heavily diluted, diffuse less than you would for an adult, use hydrosols instead; some essential oils should be avoided near the face such as peppermint and eucalyptus Note: While infants and children can benefit from essential oils, they don’t need as much and can easily be overwhelmed. Aromahead has a blog with a lot of great information on using essential oils with children.
Animals – Some are more sensitive than others, and in many cases, essential oils may be too concentrated for them. When diffusing, be sure that pets have an escape route so that they can leave the room if they want to.
I ask if the person is open to trying essential oils and if it’s ok if I share some, or if they want to try some, and offer carrier oil if offering the essential oil to be used topically.
I include a slip of paper that has a list of safety precautions, if offering a sample to keep.
I ask people if they are pregnant or nursing, have any serious medical conditions, liver or kidney disease, or epilepsy, avoid the contraindicated oils and advise on the related precautions.
I provide my business card and get their contact information so that I can follow up and provide more information and resources.
I show the person how to use the sample.
Sample drams – these are tiny bottles that hold 20 to 40 drops of essential oil, depending on the size. Good sizes for sharing are 1/4 dram (approx 1mL) and 5/8 dram (approx 2 mL) sizes. I like to have some empty ones in addition to my samples.
Note: I like to show people how to use the samples, especially if the sample drams have the plastic orifice reducer which can make it difficult to dispense the oil.
Dropper Bottle and carrier oil – I carry a small dropper bottle with jojoba (it’s a liquid wax often used for diluting essential oils), because so few people have allergies to jojoba, and because it does not go rancid. I like to label my dropper with the batch id number of the jojoba I am using.
Cap stickers – You can get sheets of these that have the names of essential oils on them, and it’s helpful to have a sheet of blank ones too for batch numbers or blends.
Small bags – I found a box of 175 bead bags (3 x 5 inch) a craft store that are clear, resealable and the perfect size for samples, and fits business card as well.
Pen/Pencil – This may be out of date for many, but I still find them handy!
Brochures, promotional material, membership forms – If you are building a business with your mlm company, these are handy to have on hand, but I recommend reviewing the information to see if there is anything you don’t agree with as far as usage recommendations.
I hope this information has helped you gain more confidence in how you use and share essential oils!

lowercased:
if you share essential oils, avoid common mistakes and build trust!
i started learning about essential oils through a well-known essential oil company and started sharing with others pretty quickly after i learned about some of their many benefits and enrolled as a member. since then, i have earned a certification in aromatherapy and thinking back, some of the things i did early on in my journey before getting this education, make me cringe.
sharing essential oils is great because it feels good to be able to help people, and to empower them to have tools to help themselves. despite the many benefits essential oils have, they also have safety considerations. it’s important to know what you can do to share responsibly and reduce the risk of adverse reactions.
knowing what i know now, i do things differently when i share samples.
pure therapeutic grade essential oils: keep out of reach of children and pets; for external use only; dilute in carrier oil for use on skin; avoid exposure to eyes, ears, and mucus membranes; store tightly sealed away from heat and light; consult with a qualified practitioner before using internally; use caution if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you have a serious medical condition.
avoid exposure to sun or tanning for 12 to 18 hours after using this oil on your skin.
2. write expiration dates or batch numbers on your samples. expired essential oils can have altered chemistry and cause adverse reactions (i explain this in more detail further down in this post). rotate expired samples out and either discard them or use them for something else that doesn’t involve direct skin contact, like cleaning or laundry ( i don’t like them to go to waste either).
whether you just like to help people, or are a member of a multi-level marketing company and want to grow a downline/team (usually it’s both!), these tips can help prevent some of the mistakes i made early in my journey.
it’s common sense and common courtesy. some people are highly sensitive to chemicals, natural or not.
you don’t have to be an expert, but the more you know, the more you can help. i highly recommend checking out the resources out there by certified aromatherapists and experts in the field, like aromahead institute, tisserand institute, and atlantic institute, as well as professional organizations such as naha and aia. in fact, i recommend passing along these resources to people you share with. check out my resources page for some suggestions.
print them out on the same slip of paper with the safety cautions, or have a file with your favorite links that you can send to the recipient of the sample. your favorite essential oil company most likely provides a wealth of information and resources, but i believe it is important to learn from multiple resources so you see a variety of approaches and perspectives.
there are several factors that can degrade your oils: heat, light, air, and time. these factors lead to oxidation, which changes the chemistry of the essential oils, affects the therapeutic qualities, and can result in adverse reactions, like skin irritation, or even sensitization, an acquired allergy. knowing the expiration dates and proper storage will ensure that that the samples you are providing are not compromised.
proper storage: keep the oils away from excessive heat and light, and minimize how much they are exposed to air – it is best to store them in dark glass with the lid on tight, without too much “headspace”, which means if there isn’t much oil in the bottle, it will have more headspace and more oxygen, resulting in faster oxidation. pure essential oils can break down some kinds of plastics, so glass is the best material to use for your samples.
note the batch number on the bottles of essential oil. sometimes they are stamped onto the bottom, sometimes they are on the label. there may also be an expiration date on the bottle. i like to note the actual distillation date, or date the oil was bottled if distillation date is not available. if in doubt, contact the essential oil company/companies whose oils you buy.
here’s what i do: write the batch number or expiration date on your samples – i like to use blank cap sticker “dots” and place them on the bottom of my 1/4 and 5/8 dram sample bottles.
next 3 numbers: julian calendar date (this is a different calendar system than one one we use. in this system february 17 would be 48, because it’s the 48th day of the year (see the link for more information).
so a lot number of 150066a would mean that it was bottled in 2015 (15), january 6 (006), in usa (a). if it is a citrus oil, you would know that it is best to use it by january of 2017.
this is so important, and not knowing, as well as passing on faulty information can damage your reputation, relationships, and trust. so many people have great intentions but unknowingly give information that leads to an adverse reaction to an essential oil. this is the number one reason essential oil consultants have a negative reputation in this industry. for years now, the atlantic institute has gathered data from essential oil injury reports and a surprising amount of reports is by people who acted on the advice of a well-meaning but under-informed consultant. below i have summarized some information, but it is not all inclusive.
there are many great resources for learning essential oil safety (some of these can be found on my resources page). for example, tisserand institute is a great place to start, and aromahead institute has a free online intro to essential oils course with a section on safety guidelines.
*when offering essential oil for immediate topical use, offer a carrier oil first so the person has the choice of diluting.
*don’t recommend unsafe use: the most common unsafe recommendations involve internal-use methods, undiluted use on the skin, and inappropriate use of essential oil on infants.
my thoughts on internal use – there are a lot of differing opinions on internal use. i don’t recommend drinking essential oils in water or telling others to do so. some essential oil companies sell essential oils contained in specially formulated capsules, or other forms. this may carry fewer risks than drinking essential oils in water, and i would like to think that companies that formulate products for internal use do the appropriate research, but i am not far enough in my continuing education to understand all of the risks and benefits of these formulations. i do know from reading tisserand and young’s book essential oil safety, 2nd edition, that there are more risks with internal use of essential oils (versus topical or aromatic use) when there are other factors present such as medications, health problems, or pregnancy.
the best practice is to recommend that a person speak to a qualified professional who is trained in safe internal use of essential oils before considering this method.
my thoughts on diluting – when in doubt, always dilute. some risks of using essential oils “neat” on the skin are skin reactions that can range from mild to severe, and may include sensitization, where one develops an allergy to an essential oil. always recommend diluting when you share essential oils.
infants – avoid essential oils directly on the skin – any amount used should be heavily diluted, diffuse less than you would for an adult, use hydrosols instead; some essential oils should be avoided near the face such as peppermint and eucalyptus note: while infants and children can benefit from essential oils, they don’t need as much and can easily be overwhelmed. aromahead has a blog with a lot of great information on using essential oils with children.
animals – some are more sensitive than others, and in many cases, essential oils may be too concentrated for them. when diffusing, be sure that pets have an escape route so that they can leave the room if they want to.
i ask if the person is open to trying essential oils and if it’s ok if i share some, or if they want to try some, and offer carrier oil if offering the essential oil to be used topically.
i include a slip of paper that has a list of safety precautions, if offering a sample to keep.
i ask people if they are pregnant or nursing, have any serious medical conditions, liver or kidney disease, or epilepsy, avoid the contraindicated oils and advise on the related precautions.
i provide my business card and get their contact information so that i can follow up and provide more information and resources.
i show the person how to use the sample.
sample drams – these are tiny bottles that hold 20 to 40 drops of essential oil, depending on the size. good sizes for sharing are 1/4 dram (approx 1ml) and 5/8 dram (approx 2 ml) sizes. i like to have some empty ones in addition to my samples.
note: i like to show people how to use the samples, especially if the sample drams have the plastic orifice reducer which can make it difficult to dispense the oil.
dropper bottle and carrier oil – i carry a small dropper bottle with jojoba (it’s a liquid wax often used for diluting essential oils), because so few people have allergies to jojoba, and because it does not go rancid. i like to label my dropper with the batch id number of the jojoba i am using.
cap stickers – you can get sheets of these that have the names of essential oils on them, and it’s helpful to have a sheet of blank ones too for batch numbers or blends.
small bags – i found a box of 175 bead bags (3 x 5 inch) a craft store that are clear, resealable and the perfect size for samples, and fits business card as well.
pen/pencil – this may be out of date for many, but i still find them handy!
brochures, promotional material, membership forms – if you are building a business with your mlm company, these are handy to have on hand, but i recommend reviewing the information to see if there is anything you don’t agree with as far as usage recommendations.
i hope this information has helped you gain more confidence in how you use and share essential oils!


text:
Theresa May’s unedifying rush to embrace Donald Trump exposes several paradoxes about economic policy, the most prominent being their respective views on free trade: the British prime minister is in favour but the US president is implacably opposed.
Just how this one plays out will be of critical strategic interest to Ireland, arguably one of the most globalised countries in the world.
Trump’s mumbled threat to impose a 20 per cent tariff on Mexican imports is one piece of a larger jigsaw that includes pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) and a determination to pick a trade fight with China.
Theresa May seems convinced (but I doubt if this is sincere) that a series of multilateral free trade agreements between the UK and the rest of the world will more than make up for exiting both the EU’s single market and customs union.
Free trade is one of those peculiar things that provokes an almost religious fervour amongst its defenders and opponents. One of the problems facing Trump is the deeply held belief of most Republican senators and congressmen that the virtues of free trade are up there with the right to own a semi-automatic assault rifle.
Paul Krugman won his Nobel Prize for work on international trade. I guess he is the epitome of the experts that we now deride. But even a superficial acquaintance with his work – and that of more modern researchers in the field – leads to clear conclusions. Trade policy is complicated, trade theory equally so and the available data does not lead to easy, universally applicable lessons about what does and does not work. Beware politicians who claim otherwise.
Economists generally share the Republican and Theresa May view of the world. But their opinions are often less fervent and more nuanced: there are downsides to free trade but academics don’t like to talk about them because of the way these caveats get hijacked by Trump-style anti-trade populists.
One area of controversy is over so-called distributional effects: free trade does create winners, but there are also losers. The overall economic consequences are usually thought to be positive (with debate over the size) but economists have generally downplayed the harmful effects. Most obviously, the loss of jobs in coal, steel and other manufacturing activities are argued to be caused by free trade.
Dani Rodrik, a Harvard professor, has for years been waging a lonely battle warning about the dangers of ignoring the losers from free trade. He is at pains never to give succour to crude protectionists but does occasionally run the risk of falling into that trap. He recently looked at the accumulated evidence of the winners and losers from Nafta, taking issue with Brad DeLong, a professor at University of California, Berkeley, who Rodrik thinks exaggerates the gains and minimises the losses.
Both economists actually agree about much: the US economy has benefited but jobs have been lost. Most importantly, they both think that anything Trump does to try to bring jobs back from Mexico (or anywhere else for that matter) is doomed to failure. Their disagreements revolve around how much to worry about the losers from free trade.
At the heart of all of this is a collapse in manufacturing employment. In the 1950s, almost one in three US workers were in manufacturing jobs. Now it is fewer than one in 11. Similar trends have been seen in many countries, including the UK and even Germany. What caused this?
He accuses Rodrik of being an “enabler” of that blame game. Strong stuff, but it neatly illustrated the tenor of the debate and the issues that are at stake.
Whatever Trump does, manufacturing jobs are not coming back to the United States. If May does turn Britain into a bastion of free trade, what is left of manufacturing will, ironically and tragically for those concerned, probably disappear.
Ireland’s exposure to all of this is acute and obvious. Without much influence on either of these major trading partners, we have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
That means preparing for less trade with the UK and the US and figuring out how to boost exports to everyone else.
Could an Irish referendum delay or even derail Brexit?

lowercased:
theresa may’s unedifying rush to embrace donald trump exposes several paradoxes about economic policy, the most prominent being their respective views on free trade: the british prime minister is in favour but the us president is implacably opposed.
just how this one plays out will be of critical strategic interest to ireland, arguably one of the most globalised countries in the world.
trump’s mumbled threat to impose a 20 per cent tariff on mexican imports is one piece of a larger jigsaw that includes pulling out of the trans-pacific partnership (tpp), renegotiating the north american free trade agreement (nafta) and a determination to pick a trade fight with china.
theresa may seems convinced (but i doubt if this is sincere) that a series of multilateral free trade agreements between the uk and the rest of the world will more than make up for exiting both the eu’s single market and customs union.
free trade is one of those peculiar things that provokes an almost religious fervour amongst its defenders and opponents. one of the problems facing trump is the deeply held belief of most republican senators and congressmen that the virtues of free trade are up there with the right to own a semi-automatic assault rifle.
paul krugman won his nobel prize for work on international trade. i guess he is the epitome of the experts that we now deride. but even a superficial acquaintance with his work – and that of more modern researchers in the field – leads to clear conclusions. trade policy is complicated, trade theory equally so and the available data does not lead to easy, universally applicable lessons about what does and does not work. beware politicians who claim otherwise.
economists generally share the republican and theresa may view of the world. but their opinions are often less fervent and more nuanced: there are downsides to free trade but academics don’t like to talk about them because of the way these caveats get hijacked by trump-style anti-trade populists.
one area of controversy is over so-called distributional effects: free trade does create winners, but there are also losers. the overall economic consequences are usually thought to be positive (with debate over the size) but economists have generally downplayed the harmful effects. most obviously, the loss of jobs in coal, steel and other manufacturing activities are argued to be caused by free trade.
dani rodrik, a harvard professor, has for years been waging a lonely battle warning about the dangers of ignoring the losers from free trade. he is at pains never to give succour to crude protectionists but does occasionally run the risk of falling into that trap. he recently looked at the accumulated evidence of the winners and losers from nafta, taking issue with brad delong, a professor at university of california, berkeley, who rodrik thinks exaggerates the gains and minimises the losses.
both economists actually agree about much: the us economy has benefited but jobs have been lost. most importantly, they both think that anything trump does to try to bring jobs back from mexico (or anywhere else for that matter) is doomed to failure. their disagreements revolve around how much to worry about the losers from free trade.
at the heart of all of this is a collapse in manufacturing employment. in the 1950s, almost one in three us workers were in manufacturing jobs. now it is fewer than one in 11. similar trends have been seen in many countries, including the uk and even germany. what caused this?
he accuses rodrik of being an “enabler” of that blame game. strong stuff, but it neatly illustrated the tenor of the debate and the issues that are at stake.
whatever trump does, manufacturing jobs are not coming back to the united states. if may does turn britain into a bastion of free trade, what is left of manufacturing will, ironically and tragically for those concerned, probably disappear.
ireland’s exposure to all of this is acute and obvious. without much influence on either of these major trading partners, we have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
that means preparing for less trade with the uk and the us and figuring out how to boost exports to everyone else.
could an irish referendum delay or even derail brexit?


text: Kielce ([ˈkʲɛlt͡sɛ] ( listen); Yiddish: קעלץ, Keltz) is a city in south central Poland with 199,475 inhabitants. It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy Cross Voivodeship) since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship (1919–1939, 1945–1998). The city is located in the middle of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Holy Cross Mountains), at the banks of the Silnica River, in northern part of the historical Polish province of Lesser Poland.

lowercased: kielce ([ˈkʲɛlt͡sɛ] ( listen); yiddish: קעלץ, keltz) is a city in south central poland with 199,475 inhabitants. it is also the capital city of the świętokrzyskie voivodeship (holy cross voivodeship) since 1999, previously in kielce voivodeship (1919–1939, 1945–1998). the city is located in the middle of the świętokrzyskie mountains (holy cross mountains), at the banks of the silnica river, in northern part of the historical polish province of lesser poland.


text:
Karsh Hagan was named a finalist in the 2017 Radio Mercury Awards for Best Overall Agency-Produced Radio Spot. The awards are dedicated to radio, drawing entries from advertising agencies, production houses, radio stations, and educational institutions.
The ad Karsh Hagan developed for Quiznos focuses on promoting the restaurant’s limited release of their lobster and seafood sandwich. Borrowing the voice of Shark Week to share true and wild facts about lobster, Karsh Hagan brought the radio spot to life.
Listen to Karsh Hagan’s spot, the Wild Kingdom of Food, and check out all of the 2017 Radio Mercury Award Finalists.

lowercased:
karsh hagan was named a finalist in the 2017 radio mercury awards for best overall agency-produced radio spot. the awards are dedicated to radio, drawing entries from advertising agencies, production houses, radio stations, and educational institutions.
the ad karsh hagan developed for quiznos focuses on promoting the restaurant’s limited release of their lobster and seafood sandwich. borrowing the voice of shark week to share true and wild facts about lobster, karsh hagan brought the radio spot to life.
listen to karsh hagan’s spot, the wild kingdom of food, and check out all of the 2017 radio mercury award finalists.


text:
So, I was at a party a while back and there was this guy chatting to some girls in a lovely American accent. And I thought, it’s so nice, all the multi-culturalism we’re experiencing down here lately, but then later on when he wandered into my periph and I asked him what part of the States he was from, he told me he was born in Nelspruit but that when he left college he lived in Chicago for nine months. Nelspruit? Nine months? Okay, something is very wrong with this picture.
Now, I understand very well the seductiveness of Americana. When I was 10 I regularly had conversations with myself in the mirror in a phony American accent because, in those days, everything American was cool and everything South African was stupid. They had The Cosby Show and CHiPs, we had Trompie and Blitzpatrollie. They had cool presidents and a Star Spangled banner, we had P.W.Botha and Oranje Blanje Blou. It just wasn’t ayoba to be from here. And it was devastating to me that my parents couldn’t see the error of their ways, pack up our belongings and go somewhere fabulous, like Idaho. Because any back-water town in America had to be better than Somerset West.
I also wanted to wear normal clothes to school, go to the prom, be in a sorority (not that I know what that means to this day) and drive at the age of 16. I just knew that in America I would be something. But, happily, I grew up and was lucky enough to travel and while I love the US with a capital ‘l’, and if I had to live anywhere else in the world it would probably be there – I mean, who else puts bacon on a cake? – I’ve also learnt that America is just a place like any other, and while it’s really, really good at marketing itself, real-life Americans are just ordinary people, and for all the hoo-hah surrounding this nation, can be surprisingly conservative and parochial in their thinking.
Which makes me curious about why some of us are so eager to leave our roots behind and take on this identity. Danish actress from the eighties, Brigitte Nielsen, had barely been in Hollywood for five minutes when, in an interview on Danish television, she asked the host to please speak English as she ‘couldn’t remember’ Danish. Huh? Then of course there is Charlize who we can’t get cross with because we love her so much, but must she talk like that all the time? Nicole Kidman still speaks like an Aussie, after all, and everyone understands her perfectly.
I guess, somewhere in our psyche, we’re still a bit shy about coming from a country which institutionalized racism right up to the nineties, and we’ll always have a slight inferiority complex about being on the arse-end of Africa and not having been allowed to buy Levis. But the truth is that lately we’re actually pretty much up there in the stakes of cool. I’d say, since Mandela, Nelspruit might even beat Idaho as a happening place to come from. So, Nelspruit guy, I hope when you’re old like me you’ll see the silliness of pretending to be something you’re not, drop the fake accent and embrace your roots. You’re more interesting than you think.
I’ve from America and I can’t even begin to tell you how fascinating this blog entry was to me!!!!! Also – I worked with 2 guys from SA and I just LOVED their accents – LOVED! Why anyone would want to have an American accent is lost on me LOL.
Would it make you feel any better to know that I went back to the US after six months in Jo’burg saying Jah and Yis?
It took me 6 years to adapt a proper New York accent. I arrive in SA and my uncle tells me to lose my ‘bloody Yankee accent’. Now I just add a ‘jah’ and a ‘howzit’ once in a while and he has stopped complaining.
The South African accent is so ugly I’m not surprised so many people want to change it ja?
I don’t think it’s ugly at all. Compared to what?
Again, I’m late to the party here. Where I live in the SS, its often like ‘little England’ and am I sick of it. At least Afrikaners with their foreign ancestry are proud to be SA’n and choose to be associated only with SA. But a lot of my SA’n-born friends always refer to their ‘roots’ as ‘foreign’ and I said to a friend just a few weeks ago, ‘you know ‘yeah’ doesn’t do it for me, its yah or ja from now on. When I hear (and have seen) of all the ‘stuff”, very bad weather and all, going on all over Europe and the States, I am more than happy to be in the country of my birth, which I dearly love, warts and all.
Oh, and speak of Charlize, and I ll add Margaret Gardiner, what an irritation. I cant watch them.
I have family living in AUS for 26 yrs and when they come over, often, they still speak like SA’ns and even throw in a bit of slang here and there.
Leila, with elocution lessons, it can be beautiful in its natural well-spoken accent.
As Susan says, compared to what?
Reading this as an American is so funny. Especially places like ‘Idaho’, while very pretty it’s also very apple-pie, Americana, too Vanilla, where everyone is Christian and straight with perfect teeth smiles. Yet we seek to get away from small towns and go to more glamourous big cities like New York, Los Angeles, or even Chicago or St. Paul (Minnesota) or even abroad to Johannesburg if people can afford it.
About Charlize Theron, if you hear her interviews in America spoken in an American accent that even Americans have a hard time mastering, she said when she first came to Los Angeles, she had a hard time being understood – and she’s Afrikaan speaking and she had trouble with just even English. When she went on auditions, her accent isn’t British or Australian and it was hard to cast her in films. So, she just learned to talk American and that was that. And she’s a very lovely lady and speaks glowingly about her homeland – always. But I agree, it must be jarring for SA to watch their compatriot speak in an accent that is so foreign.

lowercased:
so, i was at a party a while back and there was this guy chatting to some girls in a lovely american accent. and i thought, it’s so nice, all the multi-culturalism we’re experiencing down here lately, but then later on when he wandered into my periph and i asked him what part of the states he was from, he told me he was born in nelspruit but that when he left college he lived in chicago for nine months. nelspruit? nine months? okay, something is very wrong with this picture.
now, i understand very well the seductiveness of americana. when i was 10 i regularly had conversations with myself in the mirror in a phony american accent because, in those days, everything american was cool and everything south african was stupid. they had the cosby show and chips, we had trompie and blitzpatrollie. they had cool presidents and a star spangled banner, we had p.w.botha and oranje blanje blou. it just wasn’t ayoba to be from here. and it was devastating to me that my parents couldn’t see the error of their ways, pack up our belongings and go somewhere fabulous, like idaho. because any back-water town in america had to be better than somerset west.
i also wanted to wear normal clothes to school, go to the prom, be in a sorority (not that i know what that means to this day) and drive at the age of 16. i just knew that in america i would be something. but, happily, i grew up and was lucky enough to travel and while i love the us with a capital ‘l’, and if i had to live anywhere else in the world it would probably be there – i mean, who else puts bacon on a cake? – i’ve also learnt that america is just a place like any other, and while it’s really, really good at marketing itself, real-life americans are just ordinary people, and for all the hoo-hah surrounding this nation, can be surprisingly conservative and parochial in their thinking.
which makes me curious about why some of us are so eager to leave our roots behind and take on this identity. danish actress from the eighties, brigitte nielsen, had barely been in hollywood for five minutes when, in an interview on danish television, she asked the host to please speak english as she ‘couldn’t remember’ danish. huh? then of course there is charlize who we can’t get cross with because we love her so much, but must she talk like that all the time? nicole kidman still speaks like an aussie, after all, and everyone understands her perfectly.
i guess, somewhere in our psyche, we’re still a bit shy about coming from a country which institutionalized racism right up to the nineties, and we’ll always have a slight inferiority complex about being on the arse-end of africa and not having been allowed to buy levis. but the truth is that lately we’re actually pretty much up there in the stakes of cool. i’d say, since mandela, nelspruit might even beat idaho as a happening place to come from. so, nelspruit guy, i hope when you’re old like me you’ll see the silliness of pretending to be something you’re not, drop the fake accent and embrace your roots. you’re more interesting than you think.
i’ve from america and i can’t even begin to tell you how fascinating this blog entry was to me!!!!! also – i worked with 2 guys from sa and i just loved their accents – loved! why anyone would want to have an american accent is lost on me lol.
would it make you feel any better to know that i went back to the us after six months in jo’burg saying jah and yis?
it took me 6 years to adapt a proper new york accent. i arrive in sa and my uncle tells me to lose my ‘bloody yankee accent’. now i just add a ‘jah’ and a ‘howzit’ once in a while and he has stopped complaining.
the south african accent is so ugly i’m not surprised so many people want to change it ja?
i don’t think it’s ugly at all. compared to what?
again, i’m late to the party here. where i live in the ss, its often like ‘little england’ and am i sick of it. at least afrikaners with their foreign ancestry are proud to be sa’n and choose to be associated only with sa. but a lot of my sa’n-born friends always refer to their ‘roots’ as ‘foreign’ and i said to a friend just a few weeks ago, ‘you know ‘yeah’ doesn’t do it for me, its yah or ja from now on. when i hear (and have seen) of all the ‘stuff”, very bad weather and all, going on all over europe and the states, i am more than happy to be in the country of my birth, which i dearly love, warts and all.
oh, and speak of charlize, and i ll add margaret gardiner, what an irritation. i cant watch them.
i have family living in aus for 26 yrs and when they come over, often, they still speak like sa’ns and even throw in a bit of slang here and there.
leila, with elocution lessons, it can be beautiful in its natural well-spoken accent.
as susan says, compared to what?
reading this as an american is so funny. especially places like ‘idaho’, while very pretty it’s also very apple-pie, americana, too vanilla, where everyone is christian and straight with perfect teeth smiles. yet we seek to get away from small towns and go to more glamourous big cities like new york, los angeles, or even chicago or st. paul (minnesota) or even abroad to johannesburg if people can afford it.
about charlize theron, if you hear her interviews in america spoken in an american accent that even americans have a hard time mastering, she said when she first came to los angeles, she had a hard time being understood – and she’s afrikaan speaking and she had trouble with just even english. when she went on auditions, her accent isn’t british or australian and it was hard to cast her in films. so, she just learned to talk american and that was that. and she’s a very lovely lady and speaks glowingly about her homeland – always. but i agree, it must be jarring for sa to watch their compatriot speak in an accent that is so foreign.


text:
I had a chance to travel to Ipoh. Now sadly in all my years on this earth I have never been to Ipoh, only passed through, and to visit someone while passing through and for a Dog Show when I was a wee lad.
Now the funny thing is my Mother is from Batu Gajah and yet we never ever venture to that area. So this time my new BBF Singapores Culinary Goddess Teoh Seok Hean offered to take me to Ipoh and of course I jumped at the opportunity. I was so excited because all I knew about Ipoh food is that they have nice fat bean sprouts and they produce out of this world Koay Teow (Ribbon Noodles). That too was courtesy of Seok Hean on her last visit to Ipoh.
Another fact about Ipoh is that most Miss Malaysia’s come from Ipoh, most notably would be our very own Datuk Michelle Yeoh.
So Wednesday was a big rush to finish work for Saturday as I would be gone till Friday evening. Rush! Rush! Rush! It was and what a waste of time because that evening they called to change the date. I was rather peeved and could have used a lot of swear words but I held my tongue as it was no use telling the idiot off because it was clearly out of his hands. Now I know the importance of having everything in black and white. Anyhow, as angry as I was, this silly incident was not going to be a dampener for my trip to Ipoh. I waited patiently from 3 pm. I kind of felt like my Aunty Mary who would be ready be ready and packed to leave for the railway station to Penang at 4 pm when her train was scheduled to leave KL at 9 pm. Hope I don’t become like that.
Ok I digress, this is because I am still excited about this trip. Anyhow while waiting, my friend Sarah Carol called and when I told her about my trip she told me I had to have the Chicken with Ipoh Bean Sprouts. She said it was the best and it was something I could not leave Ipoh without trying. I had a rough idea but still was clueless of whole thing.
Seok Hean and Eddie arrive and whisk me away! Eddie is my good friend of many many years and Seok Hean is his wife. Seok Hean and I get on like a house on fire much to the chagrin of Eddie who I am sure wonders what we talk about every day when we are online. So off we went through the 5 pm traffic, I was entering a totally new frontier. Last time I was on this side of the highway was in the 80s. How shocking is that? Everything looked strange and new. The whole trip to Ipoh was a wonderment, and of course the bad idea of making me sit behind is that I can talk and talk and talk without getting car sick! I probably gave Eddie an earache.
So we reached Ipoh what do I spot…. Old Town Coffee and Pappa Rich, and its marketing strategy of always being close to each other was also practiced in this land of good food. Now I wonder what their food taste like in Ipoh? Hmmm must check it out next time.
Digressed again… see how excited I am?
So we reached Seok Hean’s house and I was introduced to this very ladylike very regal woman. I am told Mrs Teoh is Gourmand herself but due to age and health issues she hardly cooks these days. I now know where Seok Hean developed her Goddess like ways in the kitchen. While Seok Hean would be a little like Nigella, Mrs Teoh was much like a classy British Martha Stewart or kind of like Delia Smith with much more gentility and a lot more class. We also met Ah Yoke, who has lived with the Teoh family and is quite the Goddess of sorts in the kitchen as well..a no holes barred kind.
Now I love Ipoh Bean Sprouts. I have eaten our usual one in KL and also in Australia, and nothing matched Ipoh Bean Sprouts. They say it is the water over there, because the Bean Sprouts in Ipoh are fat, has a distinct flavor and crunch, and is just tasty even eaten as a salad. I love my Ipoh Bean Sprouts cooked as little as possible because I like to eat my vegetables crunchy.
Our first stop was through a number of roads and finally we reached the Pekan Baru Police Station to the junction of Yau Teck Shin Road. Low and behold, almost every shop sold Ngah Choy Kai. I guess as usual the busiest shop would be the best, so we ended up at Restoran Tauge Ayam Lou Wong. The place was crowded as can be and it was almost 10 pm. Eddie ordered and in a jiffy a bowl of fishballs appeared. Now I am sure I have mentioned I am not a fan of fish balls. So ok I was ‘riveted’.
Then Seok told me to taste it and holy cow…. It was so nice. The right texture and sponginess and it tasted like the meat it was suppose to be as opposed to Mystery Meat Balls in the case of Kuala Lumpur style fish balls or any balls for that matter.
Hor fun appeared, I was excited, and then the bean sprouts and chicken was placed in front of us. It looked like the average hawker fare, nothing to shout at presentation, but it all changed when you took a piece of chicken and tasted it. It was melt in the mouth silky and perfect to the touch. I had never ever eaten chicken like that before. I even ate the skin. Now I never eat chicken skin!! It was fantastic.
I wished though they would cut the chicken a trifle bit bigger simply because I have a big mouth. It was a little too dainty but it was really good. The simplicity to it all made it that much more better.
The noodles were as usual just out of this world. No need to go there or this piece will never end. I did forget to take a photo for some odd reason.
Now the beansprouts. PERFECT! Just the way I like it. They must have known!
NO one gets it right in KL, not even the regular places I hang out at. And even with the simplest of instructions I never ever get them to do it right over here. Today it was PERFECT! The soy sauce dressing like gravy with a hint of sesame, real chicken stock and the hint of pepper, it was again simplicity taken to a new high. You could not spoon the dressing and drink it on its own, I tried it and it was salty as, but together with the bean sprouts it was just perfect. The tender flavor that oozes out of the bean sprouts when you chew on it with the dressing, is really unimaginable. I could have had more but I was being polite.
Everything was perfect. I wish we did not arrive so late. And one more thing. Another first for me. I actually say by the roadside to eat. I never do things like that anywhere because I always have this fear of being attacked or some car will fly over something and land on top of me. Only me of course and no one else! So all my life I have never sat outside a shop serving anything, especially one that had tables on the roadside.
Lou Wong has a branch in Petaling Jaya at PJU 1 Sunway Mas. I must go and have a try, since I know the original one and all. They are even on facebook!
I was so full, full of balls, full of chicken and hor fun, but I was glad a lot of it was also vegetable. A thoroughly balanced meal.
Lou Wong set the standard that Wednesday night. I knew my trip was going to be one that would be truly memorable. Breakfast beckons. Now I wonder what Seok Hean and Eddie have in mind?

lowercased:
i had a chance to travel to ipoh. now sadly in all my years on this earth i have never been to ipoh, only passed through, and to visit someone while passing through and for a dog show when i was a wee lad.
now the funny thing is my mother is from batu gajah and yet we never ever venture to that area. so this time my new bbf singapores culinary goddess teoh seok hean offered to take me to ipoh and of course i jumped at the opportunity. i was so excited because all i knew about ipoh food is that they have nice fat bean sprouts and they produce out of this world koay teow (ribbon noodles). that too was courtesy of seok hean on her last visit to ipoh.
another fact about ipoh is that most miss malaysia’s come from ipoh, most notably would be our very own datuk michelle yeoh.
so wednesday was a big rush to finish work for saturday as i would be gone till friday evening. rush! rush! rush! it was and what a waste of time because that evening they called to change the date. i was rather peeved and could have used a lot of swear words but i held my tongue as it was no use telling the idiot off because it was clearly out of his hands. now i know the importance of having everything in black and white. anyhow, as angry as i was, this silly incident was not going to be a dampener for my trip to ipoh. i waited patiently from 3 pm. i kind of felt like my aunty mary who would be ready be ready and packed to leave for the railway station to penang at 4 pm when her train was scheduled to leave kl at 9 pm. hope i don’t become like that.
ok i digress, this is because i am still excited about this trip. anyhow while waiting, my friend sarah carol called and when i told her about my trip she told me i had to have the chicken with ipoh bean sprouts. she said it was the best and it was something i could not leave ipoh without trying. i had a rough idea but still was clueless of whole thing.
seok hean and eddie arrive and whisk me away! eddie is my good friend of many many years and seok hean is his wife. seok hean and i get on like a house on fire much to the chagrin of eddie who i am sure wonders what we talk about every day when we are online. so off we went through the 5 pm traffic, i was entering a totally new frontier. last time i was on this side of the highway was in the 80s. how shocking is that? everything looked strange and new. the whole trip to ipoh was a wonderment, and of course the bad idea of making me sit behind is that i can talk and talk and talk without getting car sick! i probably gave eddie an earache.
so we reached ipoh what do i spot…. old town coffee and pappa rich, and its marketing strategy of always being close to each other was also practiced in this land of good food. now i wonder what their food taste like in ipoh? hmmm must check it out next time.
digressed again… see how excited i am?
so we reached seok hean’s house and i was introduced to this very ladylike very regal woman. i am told mrs teoh is gourmand herself but due to age and health issues she hardly cooks these days. i now know where seok hean developed her goddess like ways in the kitchen. while seok hean would be a little like nigella, mrs teoh was much like a classy british martha stewart or kind of like delia smith with much more gentility and a lot more class. we also met ah yoke, who has lived with the teoh family and is quite the goddess of sorts in the kitchen as well..a no holes barred kind.
now i love ipoh bean sprouts. i have eaten our usual one in kl and also in australia, and nothing matched ipoh bean sprouts. they say it is the water over there, because the bean sprouts in ipoh are fat, has a distinct flavor and crunch, and is just tasty even eaten as a salad. i love my ipoh bean sprouts cooked as little as possible because i like to eat my vegetables crunchy.
our first stop was through a number of roads and finally we reached the pekan baru police station to the junction of yau teck shin road. low and behold, almost every shop sold ngah choy kai. i guess as usual the busiest shop would be the best, so we ended up at restoran tauge ayam lou wong. the place was crowded as can be and it was almost 10 pm. eddie ordered and in a jiffy a bowl of fishballs appeared. now i am sure i have mentioned i am not a fan of fish balls. so ok i was ‘riveted’.
then seok told me to taste it and holy cow…. it was so nice. the right texture and sponginess and it tasted like the meat it was suppose to be as opposed to mystery meat balls in the case of kuala lumpur style fish balls or any balls for that matter.
hor fun appeared, i was excited, and then the bean sprouts and chicken was placed in front of us. it looked like the average hawker fare, nothing to shout at presentation, but it all changed when you took a piece of chicken and tasted it. it was melt in the mouth silky and perfect to the touch. i had never ever eaten chicken like that before. i even ate the skin. now i never eat chicken skin!! it was fantastic.
i wished though they would cut the chicken a trifle bit bigger simply because i have a big mouth. it was a little too dainty but it was really good. the simplicity to it all made it that much more better.
the noodles were as usual just out of this world. no need to go there or this piece will never end. i did forget to take a photo for some odd reason.
now the beansprouts. perfect! just the way i like it. they must have known!
no one gets it right in kl, not even the regular places i hang out at. and even with the simplest of instructions i never ever get them to do it right over here. today it was perfect! the soy sauce dressing like gravy with a hint of sesame, real chicken stock and the hint of pepper, it was again simplicity taken to a new high. you could not spoon the dressing and drink it on its own, i tried it and it was salty as, but together with the bean sprouts it was just perfect. the tender flavor that oozes out of the bean sprouts when you chew on it with the dressing, is really unimaginable. i could have had more but i was being polite.
everything was perfect. i wish we did not arrive so late. and one more thing. another first for me. i actually say by the roadside to eat. i never do things like that anywhere because i always have this fear of being attacked or some car will fly over something and land on top of me. only me of course and no one else! so all my life i have never sat outside a shop serving anything, especially one that had tables on the roadside.
lou wong has a branch in petaling jaya at pju 1 sunway mas. i must go and have a try, since i know the original one and all. they are even on facebook!
i was so full, full of balls, full of chicken and hor fun, but i was glad a lot of it was also vegetable. a thoroughly balanced meal.
lou wong set the standard that wednesday night. i knew my trip was going to be one that would be truly memorable. breakfast beckons. now i wonder what seok hean and eddie have in mind?


text:
Is Defra ready for Brexit?
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee held a one-off evidence session with the Secretary of State examining Defra’s staffing, legislative programme and efforts to replace or negotiate access to EU systems after Brexit.
Terms of reference: Is Defra ready for Brexit?
Evidence given by Dr Thérèse Coffey MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Lord Gardiner, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity, Rt Hon Robert Goodwill MP, Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and David Rutley MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Food and Animal Welfare, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (at 10.30am).

lowercased:
is defra ready for brexit?
the environment, food and rural affairs committee held a one-off evidence session with the secretary of state examining defra’s staffing, legislative programme and efforts to replace or negotiate access to eu systems after brexit.
terms of reference: is defra ready for brexit?
evidence given by dr thérèse coffey mp, parliamentary under-secretary of state for the environment, lord gardiner, parliamentary under-secretary of state for rural affairs and biosecurity, rt hon robert goodwill mp, minister of state for agriculture, fisheries and food, and david rutley mp, parliamentary under-secretary of state for food and animal welfare, department for environment, food and rural affairs; rt hon michael gove mp, secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs (at 10.30am).