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What word traditionally refers to a fictional inhabitant of the planet Mars, which extends loosely to aliens from elsewhere in space?
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Visitors From Science Fiction - by Michael E. Grost
"Stone Lives" (1985)
Science Fiction: A Definition
My personal Definition of Science Fiction: "Fiction which explores innovation, different from our world, in science, technology or society, and which is set in a universe run by rational scientific laws."
The first half of this definition contrasts science fiction with "realism", which is set in the real world with little scientific or social difference from our own world depicted. The second half of this definition distinguishes science fiction from "fantasy", set in a universe run by some impossible postulate or principle (often magic). And from "supernatural fiction", set in a universe run by supernatural forces.
Please see the Wikipedia article on "Definitions of science fiction" . It lists numerous definitions, many of which have much in common with my own, above.
Good SF vs Bad SF. Unlike some of those definitions, mine is NOT an attempt to distinguish between goad and bad science fiction, or to define goals toward which good science fiction should aspire. Instead, my definition simply seeks to distinguish science fiction from other kinds of literature, such as realism, fantasy or the supernatural.
Note: I very much agree that defining good science fiction is a worthwhile task. And that the definitions of people like Heinlein or Sturgeon that attempt to point to good science fiction make informative reading. My definition simply does not attempt to do this - instead, it tries to differentiate science fiction from other kinds of fiction.
Actual SF Tales and the Definition. Both the definitions in the Wikipedia article, and my own definition, reflect the common practice of numerous actual science fiction writers and their stories. These definitions are not, or at least not entirely, a priori prescriptions for how sf should be written. Instead, they reflect the underlying principles of countless real science fiction tales.
Obviously, there are worthwhile tales that say, mix science fiction and fantasy, and which thus do not conform to the above definition. So there are good stories that fall outside my definition, and most of the definitions in the Wikipedia.
But the big point: most good science fiction tales do conform to these definitions. Maybe at least 95% of the tales in the field. So such definitions are very much worth keeping in mind. They make explicit the ideas underlying most, although not quite all, of the successful stories in the sf field. (Ideas in the arts do not need to cover every artwork to have value. An idea, even if it has many exceptions, can illuminate big chunks of a field, and thus be useful and valid.)
The above definition works just as well for "literary" authors of science fiction, such as Karel Capek, Margaret Atwood or William S. Burroughs, as it does for genre writers like Asimov and Heinlein. Burroughs' book Nova Express very much deals with innovations like aliens invading Earth, and "word viruses". While its literary technique is highly experimental, its content is squarely within the boundaries of the above sf definition. Writers like Capek, Atwood and Burroughs clearly saw value in science fiction paradigms, and choose to write books with science fiction as the underlying principle.
Alternate Paths. Two kinds of fiction are often published as "science fiction", but do not correspond well with most definitions of science fiction, including mine:
Alternate History: tales which show, for example, what might have happened if the South won the US Civil War, or the Black Death never happened.
Alternate Paths: tales which show how a person's life might have been different if they had married someone else, or caught a different train. These are popular in the movies.
Both of these kinds of stories are interesting and legitimate. But the fact is, that they do not correspond well with most definitions of science fiction - or with most standard kinds of science fiction books and films actually made.
It is not clear if such tales are "really" science fiction. Maybe they are actually separate, distinct genres.
Jorge Luis Borges
Borges is an unusual combination of mainstream and genre writer. An extraordinarily well read and cultured man, Borges' work is packed with literary and philosophical allusions. Yet most of it has strong ties to either mystery fiction, or science fiction and fantasy. Borges' fiction is complex and highly plotted. The plots are fully in the tradition of popular writers of mysteries and sf. Many of the stories are brilliantly ingenious. Borges' work consists of short stories and essays. While the essays tend to be critical works about some author or topic, they usually develop complex, ingenious ideas that are very similar to those in Borges' stories. A strong influence on all of Borges' work are the ingenious tales of G.K. Chesterton , with their complex, well made plots, their rich atmosphere, and philosophical allusions. Borges was also strongly influenced by Chesterton's master Robert Louis Stevenson , and by such 19th Century pioneers of mystery and sf as Poe and Hawthorne .
Borges' first book of fiction was A Universal History of Infamy. This is a collection of brief, highly fictional biographies of real life criminals and adventurers. It has nothing to do with the Rogue tradition of Hornung and Leblanc. Instead, its tales unroll Borges' complex philosophical imaginings. Many of the tales are loaded with Borges' humor. The best of these 1933-1934 tales are included in the omnibus, Borges A Reader. Borges followed this collection in the 1940's with Ficciones, his greatest collection of stories.
Mystery Stories
"Death and The Compass" is an anti-detective story, where the idea is to look at all of the ingenious ways in which the author subverts the conventions of the traditional detective tale. The mystery plot is complex, but every aspect of it supports Borges' logical satire of detective fiction. One point: one element of the mystery that is never explained is the nakedness of the corpse under the cape; I suspect that this is simply Borges' homage to Ellery Queen's The Spanish Cape Mystery, where such nakedness plays a role in the solution. Like his master Chesterton, and like Ellery Queen, most of Borges' mystery fiction reflects the intuitionist tradition.
By contrast, "Theme of the Traitor and Hero" is a triumph, a real detective story of the first water. It was made into a beautiful color film by director Bernardo Bertolucci , The Spider's Stratagem (1970), a gorgeous film that is like taking a vacation to Italy.
"Ibn Hakkan al-Bokhari, Dead in his Labyrinth" (1949) is full of vivid story-telling detail. Both in plot and style, the tale is a skillful pastiche of Chesterton. It has a fascinating central image of the labyrinth, and some not bad detective deduction at the end about the significance of a labyrinth. Unfortunately, the mystery plot as a whole is not that clever.
Six Problems for Don Isidro Parodi, Borges' collaboration with Adolpho Bioy-Casares, lies somewhere in the middle. Most of the problems are too contrived to make really good classical detective stories. Most of the stories also contain some real ingenuity, and the collection is very much worth reading.
Science Fiction: Borges and the Campbell Tradition
Borges' solo fiction includes more science fiction than detective stories. Even "The Garden of Forking Paths" is more interesting for the sf ideas its characters discuss, than for the thriller elements that make up the story proper.
Borges' writing shows the systematic, logical development of ideas found in Campbell writers of the "Golden Age" of science fiction. Borges is more of a Campbellian than is sometimes realized. Borges repeatedly expressed his admiration for H.G. Wells. Wells is the writer who most influenced Campbell and his authors.
Borges' "The Immortal" (1949) likely shows the influence of John W. Campbell's "Forgetfulness" (1937), a once-famous story. SPOILERS. There are broad similarities, with a huge advanced city, now deserted, and a group of primitive people nearby. Both stories contain a similar plot twist. Both stories have the hero exploring the city, entering by an obscure passageway.
Borges' An Introduction to American Literature (1967), written with Esther Zemborain de Torres, cites Van Vogt and Heinlein as outstanding science fiction authors. They were widely viewed in the 1940's as the two leading writers for John W. Campbell's magazine Astounding Science Fiction.
Mathematics
Several of Borges most important works deal with mathematics, especially permutations and infinity - two not unrelated subjects. These include the stories "The Babylon Lottery" (1941), "The Library of Babel" (1941), "The Book of Sand" (1975) and the essays "The Doctrine of Cycles" (1934), "The Total Library" (1939), "Avatars of the Tortoise" (1939), "The Analytical Language of John Wilkins" (1942). These works take place in an abstract domain entirely created through mathematics.
In addition are those Borges stories that deal with "everything": the concept of infinite collections of objects or ideas. These include "Funes, the Memorious" (1942) and "The Aleph" (1945). These two stories by contrast, take place in real neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. They feature characters who eventually encounter the infinite during their otherwise realistic daily lives. Borges' best story, "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius" (1940) deals with not "everything", but almost everything: a whole planetful of information. It too has some authentic Buenos Aires atmosphere, and the striking contrast between the near-infinite and the everyday.
Karel Capek
Capek, like Borges, was a plot-oriented mainstream writer, who often turned to either mystery or science fiction in his writings.
Tales from Two Pockets
Capek published two collections of brief tales loosely linked to crime, Tales from One Pocket and Tales from the Other Pocket (1928 - 1929). They have been translated into English by Norma Comrada and published in one volume as Tales from Two Pockets (1994).
Some of Capek's tales in these collections are philosophical detective stories. "The Blue Chrysanthemum" is especially concerned with epistemology: how do we know things, learn things, acquire new knowledge. What limitations do we subconsciously impose on our search for truth? Capek's tale ingeniously explores the nature of such concepts. It reminds one somewhat of the philosophical tales of Borges.
"The Stolen Cactus" has some links to "The Blue Chrysanthemum". Both tales involve rare plants and plant collectors. The way the thief in "The Stolen Cactus" evades people's mental categories through disguise, is a bit linked to the epistemological concerns of "The Blue Chrysanthemum". This unexpectedly leads to a brief but interesting discussion of the nature of God, in "The Stolen Cactus", reminding us that Capek is the author of an sf tale about the Deity, The Absolute at Large.
Since the early scientific detective stories of Arthur B. Reeve and Cleveland Moffett, there has been an interest in the "word association test" and what it might reveal about our subconscious thoughts. "The Experiment of Professor Rouss" offers an interesting twist on this idea, one that combines satire with a genuine look at how the word association paradigm might break down.
Capek had a certain realism in his approach. His detectives tend either to be policemen, or ordinary people who take up amateur detection for the first time in their lives, as in "The Disappearance of an Actor". This last story is perhaps the closest Capek came to a conventional detective story; one is surprised that it has not been anthologized more often. The mystery in "The Disappearance of an Actor" is linked to what might loosely be termed the victim's mental makeup or world-view, giving the tale a bit of a cognitive or philosophical cast. "The Disappearance of an Actor" is a search for someone missing, linking it the searches for missing objects in Capek tales like "The Blue Chrysanthemum", "The Missing Letter", "The Stolen Cactus".
"The Receipt" is a nicely done old-fashioned detective story, in which clues found on a corpse are used to deduce the victim's identity. "The Receipt" anticipates "The Disappearance of an Actor", in that the sleuths have to reconstruct the mind-set and behavior of the victim and people the victim knew, to make progress and understand the crime. In "The Disappearance of an Actor" this is then used to develop a surprising mystery puzzle plot twist. By contrast, in "The Receipt" the reconstruction is used purely for purposes of trying to track down who the victim was. Both "The Receipt" and "The Disappearance of an Actor" also share imagery of a decayed corpse found long after a killing.
"The Poet" also deals with the police getting information to track down a crime. It explores different witnesses and their world views, and how this leads the witnesses to process information in different ways. This has philosophical and cognitive implications.
"The Orchestra Conductor's Story" develops a similar theme as "The Poet". In "The Poet", the creative poet "translates" everything he sees into modernist poetry. The conductor "hears" all the sounds around him as a form of music. And this awareness helps him understand things better than other people, even things said in other languages he doesn't speak. "The Orchestra Conductor's Story" is not constructed as a mystery story, though, unlike "The Poet".
"The Crime on the Farm" is a brief and mainly minor tale of murder without mystery or detection. Its most interesting part involves farm fields and the plants that grow on them, as well as the farmer's attitudes towards such fields. The tale's extensive plant imagery links it to Capek botany mysteries like "The Blue Chrysanthemum" and "The Stolen Cactus".
"The Fall of the House of Voticky" is a fair play mystery story, but one with an unusual structure. Capek's series sleuth policeman Dr. Mejzlik is asked to solve a mystery. But the mystery is a historical one. Events in the 1400's are known only from a few scraps of information; Dr. Mejzlik is asked to reconstruct them from these bits of knowledge. Dr. Mejzlik uses deduction, and also some guesswork he subjects to Occam's Razor. This whole structure for a mystery is highly unusual in detective fiction. The mystery involves a puzzle of who killed a certain victim and why. But it goes beyond that to the riddle of explaining all the confusing pieces of information about the case, and reconstructing now forgotten events.
Both intriguing and annoying are sketches in which Capek propounds a mystery, then fails to provide a solution. Such solutionless mysteries include: "Dr. Mejzlik's Case", "Footprints", "The Old Jailbird's Story". Capek tries to milk these situations for philosophical profundity, but mainly they seem a cheat. "Footprints" is a variation on a much better story Capek wrote earlier, "The Footprint" (1917), found in the collection Toward the Radical Center. "The Footprint" explores more possible solutions for its impossibility, before deciding that none of them would work. These ideas are interesting. Then, "The Footprint" suggests some non-trivial philosophical concepts. "The Footprint" does not concentrate on the alleged "ux-explainability" of the impossible footprint. Instead, it develops a metaphor about ideas are which are unconnected from the great bulk of other ideas, just as the mysterious footprint is not connected to a known cause.
"The Stolen Murder" is strikingly surreal, in its odd developments. An idea Capek uses was already in use in crime stories: for example in episode 5 of Les Vampires (1915-1916), a crime movie serial directed by Louis Feuillade . But Capek uses this idea to develop something original: a whole "collapse or transformation of reality". Actual reality, and how reality "officially" looks, become different, midway through the tale. Perhaps this relates a little bit to the cognitive ideas of "The Blue Chrysanthemum", where people have to think outside of standard categories.
"The Little Countess" is a burlesque of spy stories. But the details of the comic parody are also used to create a puzzle plot, mystifying the narrator and reader about what is going on. The narrator-sleuth goes through several stages in understanding the events.
Interpreting Modernist Literature, to Furnish Clues in a Mystery
In Capek's mystery short story "The Poet", a modernist poem is analyzed for hidden content. This approach is used in:
"The Poet" in Tales from One Pocket (1928 - 1929) by Karel Capek.
The Body Goes Round and Round (1942) by Theodora Du Bois .
"Mouthpiece" (1974) by mystery-science fiction hybrid writer Edward Wellen. He is discussed elsewhere in this article .
See also attempts to understand apparently surrealist utterances in:
The Dark Garden (1933) and the short story "Easter Devil" (1934) in The Cases of Susan Dare by Mignon G. Eberhart .
"P as in Poison" (1976) by Lawrence Treat .
R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots)
R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (1920) is a science fiction play by Capek. It is about machine-made workers, and invented the word "robot". It became a sensation on the world's stages in the 1920's, and made Capek famous. A more complete and faithful English translation than the earlier 1920's one is found in the Capek collection Toward the Radical Center.
Much of R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) satirizes industry and the industrial age. The robots are artificially made humans, created purely to be workers. And they are themselves designed according to industrial principles. They are what industry would design and manufacture, if it could replace human workers by a "better" product: better by the standards of modern factory production. Capek develops a large amount of science fictional detail in his picture of the robots, their origin, manufacture and behavior. And most of this detail is logically based in the values and needs of industrial manufacture.
Capek shows modern commerce leading to horrible, unexpected results. The robots are created by the methods and standards of industrial capitalism; they are made in huge numbers by inexorable demands of their economic impact - but everything leads to disaster. Reading the play today, it is hard not to think about global warning, and the economic forces that keep promoting it.
Capek returned to the theme of commerce as a powerful force running roughshod over humans values in other works. The short fantasy "The Five Loaves" (1937) in Toward the Radical Center satirizes commercial goals destroying Christian values. It is an imaginative and chilling tale.
Anthony Boucher
Anthony Boucher was a mystery and science fiction writer, editor and critic. There is a book-length biography and critical study of him, Anthony Boucher: A Biobibliography (2008), by Jeffrey Marks. During 1945-1948, Boucher also plotted a large number of mystery radio plays. A collection of his radio mysteries, The Casebook of Gregory Hood is available from its publisher, Crippen & Landru .
None of the Boucher novels I have read, considered as fair play, puzzle plot detective stories, reach the heights of his mystery short fiction collected in Exeunt Murderers. These are general purpose mystery stories in the Ellery Queen tradition, not impossible crime tales, and are outstandingly plotted.
Boucher's short tales are persistent users of that EQ convention, the dying message. And variations on the dying message, in which the detective has to find hidden meanings or obscure clues, in a piece of text. These are not "dying" messages, strictly speaking, but are closely related.
Boucher is generally undervalued, both as a mystery writer and as a science fiction author. Many people in both fields think of him in his later years, when he functioned mainly as an sf editor and mystery critic. He left a reputation for both personal kindness and literary quality in these roles, with a special emphasis on the encouragement of new authors. Boucher was both the writing teacher and first publisher of Philip K. Dick, for example; Dick later dedicated his classic Ubik (1968) to Boucher's memory. But Boucher's well deserved reputation as an editor has obscured his earlier literary contributions.
Boucher had an influence on several later science fiction authors. His story "Barrier" (1942) sets forth the basic time travel scenario that will later underlay Isaac Asimov's The End of Eternity (1955). Boucher's mystery novel, The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (1940), seems to be a key ancestor of Philip K. Dick sf stories where reality collapses. In Boucher's tale, which is not a science fiction story, characters get involved in many strange surreal adventures, that are later explained naturally as bizarre schemes of the villain. The "feel" is remarkably similar to Dick novels, such as the strange adventures of the hero in The Man Who Japed (1956).
Boucher's series detective Fergus O'Breen first appears in The Case of the Crumpled Knave (1939). This is a Golden Age novel that has everything but a really clever solution. It makes pleasant reading, till one reaches the end and discovers that there is nothing clever lurking behind all this development. Along the way there are numerous subplots focusing on the suspects. Boucher reveals that most of them are Not What They Seem To Be. This is a persistent plot gambit in his novels: Boucher will ring many changes on this theme throughout his books. Boucher includes some clever science fiction ideas in Chapter 7 of this book. This chapter also contains some of the running background information on playing cards and their collectors; more is found in Chapters 10 and 12. Boucher's novels have some Van Dine school characteristics. The settings are among the sort of intellectuals one often finds in Van Dine school writers: the playing card collectors in Knave, the mystery fans of Baker Street, the theater people in Solid Key. While Fergus O'Breen is technically a private eye, he is very intellectual, and falls into the tradition of genius amateur detective who works closely with the police. Boucher's investigations take place immediately after the crime and explore every aspect of the crime and people's lives, in the Van Dine tradition.
Backgrounds: Intellectual
Boucher seemingly moved in every intellectual circle in California, in the 1930's and 40's, as a grad student, aspiring playwright, aspiring screen writer, critic for a political newspaper, mystery writer, science fiction writer, radio writer, practicing Roman Catholic, and classical music lover. Intellectuals from all of these areas show up in his stories, delineated with startling vividness, and much background on their life and work. One has a feeling that one is getting a first hand portrait of a real era in American life. And one that is less idealized (and whitewashed) than the portraits of New York City intellectuals in Van Dine, Ellery Queen and the Lockridges .
Anthony Boucher's works contain three impossible crime novels. One of them, The Case of the Solid Key (1941), is my favorite of Boucher's novels. But not because of the impossible crime. Rather, because it is a fascinating book about 1940's Hollywood, focusing on a bunch of young people who, like Boucher himself at the time, were trying to break into the film industry. Boucher never made it in Hollywood, by the way, but he did become a prolific writer of radio plays. The Case of the Solid Key also looks in detail at a Little Theater play production in which some of these hopefuls are involved. The actual impossible crime in Key is solid but slight.
The best parts of The Case of the Seven of Calvary (1937) deal with putting on a play, and are full of allusions to and ideas about literature. Similar rich inventiveness about matters literary is found in another early Boucher tale, the satire "Threnody" (1936). And while "The Punt and the Pass' (1945) is negligible as a mystery plot, it gives a lively look at a University campus, just like The Case of the Seven of Calvary.
"The Girl Who Married a Monster" (1954) has characters who work in television, and an attempt to create a bit of an inside look at that institution too.
The early Gregory Hood radio plays deal with "celebrity culture". Hood is a society figure who has many celebrity friends, who make guest appearances in his radio plays. I confess this enthusiasm for the famous makes me uneasy. Celebrity culture doesn't seem any more appealing in the 1940's than it does today. 1940's radio was deep into celebrities: they made frequent appearances on radio programs, in a way they rarely or ever did in books or movies. Celebrities were also linked to expensive night clubs and restaurants, a venue that appears in "Murder in Celluloid".
Boucher loved party scenes, involving artists and intellectuals. Some of his most joyous works are centered around such parties: The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars, "Mystery for Christmas", "The Elusive Violin". The presence of artist characters links such tales to the Van Dine School tradition.
The Case of the Seven Sneezes as a whole is Boucher's poorest novel. But its opening chapter is an excellent look at a Hollywood party: one of Boucher's joyous gatherings of creative people. The representatives of old, silent era Hollywood are especially interesting. It is good to see that Boucher is knowledgeable about film history as a whole, not just contemporary Hollywood.
There are some unusual writing partnerships in Boucher: The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapter 14), the frame story in "Mystery for Christmas". The one in "Mystery for Christmas" gets compared to a detective partnership.
Backgrounds: Other
Boucher's "Coffin Corner" (1943), employs sports backgrounds just as EQ did, four years previously, in his Paula Paris series of shorts. Sports also plays a role in Boucher's radio play "Gregory Hood's First Case".
Boucher could also write about policemen, and occasionally about underworld types, who show up in "The Ghost with a Gun" (1945).
"The Adventure of the Headless Monk" and "The Adventure of the Beeswax Candle" are two radio plays from the same period, Spring 1946, that have much in common in subject matter. Both are eerie tales that pit the sleuth against sinister villains who practice the black arts, both take place on foggy or misty nights, both have creepy settings, and in both there is sinister music associated with the events: an organ in "The Adventure of the Headless Monk", a clarinet in "The Adventure of the Beeswax Candle". Such music is a natural for radio. The puzzles in the two plays are quite different, however. Boucher clearly had nothing but contempt for black magic, but he also felt that it made for an appropriately creepy background for a thriller.
Some of Boucher's work is quite racy. His first novel The Case of the Seven of Calvary is downright salty. To be blunt, I don't like this. Explicit material sinks the second half of The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars. The first half is an enjoyable, light hearted Sherlockian romp. The second half has a pair of sex crimes emerge from the suspects' past: dark and unpleasant material. "The Stripper" deals with a serial killer, and the suspects' perverse sex lives. Most of this material is not very good. Boucher was perhaps fortunate, that the puritanism of American radio seems largely to have steered him away from explicit subjects in his radio plays. The occasional exception, like the Gregory Hood radio play "Murder in Celluloid", are among his least likable radio work.
The comic elements in Boucher's novels recall those of John Dickson Carr . The events lurch between wild farce and serious crime; such an alternation of tone derives from Carr. There is also a certain self consciousness about the conventions of detective storytelling, that also recalls Carr, such as Dr. Fell's assertion in The Three Coffins (1935) that one was in the midst of a detective tale.
Politics
"The Smoke-filled Locked Room" (published 1968) was written around 1950. It seems to show the influence of the best-known mainstream political novel of its day, Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men (1946). Both works go behind the scenes in political campaigns, both contain a tough but decent and vulnerable woman political operative, who supports the career of a male politician who ultimately betrays her and what he originally stood for. Both works end in tragedy.
The characters in "The Smoke-filled Locked Room" seem to be from the far left of the Democratic Party.
Boucher would look at Communists in "Death of a Patriarch" (1943). The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (1940) has a brief but pointed condemnation of Los Angeles' anti-Communist Red Squad, comparing it to Hitler's Gestapo (Chapter 7). There is also a discussion of Communism and the Sinclair Lewis campaign in California (end of Chapter 4), a campaign which gets a brief mention later (Chapter 14).
"The White Masters" (1946) finds sleuth Gregory Hood going after a sinister Neo-Nazi organization.
Boucher's politics are perhaps clearest and most detailed in The Case of the Solid Key (1941). His hero, sleuth Fergus O'Breen, attacks both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union (Chapter 5). The book mentions the Ukrainian famine (end of Chapter 4): something that expresses anti-Stalinist politics.
A play which represents the characters' political ideals says that their philosophy is essentially the same as Gandhi's philosophy of passive resistance (Chapter 2). Such Gandhian ideas might, however, be just part of Boucher's political beliefs, rather than a central premise of them all. The novel also idolizes a man who had been a pacifist during World War I (Chapter 3).
Political action reaches a climax in The Case of the Solid Key (Chapter 12), when the good guys decide to run the theater as a cooperative.
But Boucher's left wing politics also have an eclectic aspect. The Case of the Solid Key also sympathizes with executed violent anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti (Chapter 3). So did many left-of-center people who did not share the pair's violent politics. A sympathetic playwright character uses Lillian Hellman's Days to Come (1936) as a model for one of his own play (Chapter 3). Hellman was a Communist. The character's play is left wing, although it is not explicitly Communist.
The Nick Noble short stories
Nine of his short stories employ Boucher's series detective Nick Noble. This character recalls Erle Stanley Gardner's Mugs Magoo, in Gardner's Paul Pry stories. Both are alliteratively named former police officers who were thrown off the force for political reasons, had tragedy strike their lives, and who subsequently declined into alcoholism.
The first Nick Noble tale, "Screwball Division" (1942), includes Los Angeles homicide detective Lt. Herman Finch, a character from Boucher's The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars, a novel with ties to Boucher's Fergus O'Breen series. The last tale in the Nick Noble series, "The Girl Who Married a Monster" (1954), has references to Fergus O'Breen, or at least his detective agency. These indicate that the Nick Noble tales are set in the same "universe" as the O'Breen works.
A non-series short story "Mystery for Christmas" (1943) stars sleuths Mr. Quilter and Tom Smith, characters who bear a bit of a resemblance to Agatha Christie's Mr. Quin and Mr. Satterthwaite. This story too has a frame that refers to the film studio Metropolis Pictures from The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars, and its head F.X. Weinberg.
Nick Noble hangs out in a cafe on Main Street, the downtown near-slum area that served as Los Angeles' Skid Row in the 1940's.
Boucher and Mystery Criticism
Anthony Boucher wrote a vast amount of mystery criticism, from the early 1940's till his death in 1968. His writings are the foundation of most histories of mystery fiction of that period, and he is the most influential critic in modern mystery history. Just as Howard Haycraft's Murder For Pleasure (1941) was treated as a canon-defining look at the pre-1941 era, Boucher's critical writings set the tone for modern mystery reviewing. Boucher's early mystery criticism is now available as The Anthony Boucher Chronicles: Reviews and Commentary 1942 - 1947, edited by Francis M. Nevins. This 450 page volume can be ordered from its publisher Ramble House . It mainly contains brief reviews of hundreds of books and authors, including reprints of many works originally published before 1942.
Boucher's influence began right away, in that many of the books he recommended became winners of the Edgar awards, the annual awards for mystery fiction presented by the Mystery Writers of America. Boucher also had two of the most influential pulpits in mystery reviewing: The New York Times (for general readership) and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (for hard core mystery fans). One might also point out that Howard Haycraft was a big admirer of Boucher, so that Boucher had the sponsorship of both Haycraft and Ellery Queen, the two best known American critics of the era immediately preceding his.
Boucher was often the first writer to identify famous talent. He was the first translator of Borges into English, in the 1940's, nearly 20 years before anyone else outside of Argentina was aware of his existence. He championed Ross Macdonald as the leading private eye writer of the 1950's, a dozen years before Macdonald achieved mainstream fame in 1969. One might point out that when mainstream critics took these writers up in the 1960's, that they completely failed to mention Boucher's early championing of these authors. Boucher, like all mystery critics, was treated as a non-person by the mainstream establishment.
Boucher started a tradition of separate but equal tradition of the many subgenres of crime fiction. A Boucher year-end round up of the best books of the year, will break the books down into categories such as classical puzzles, police procedurals, private eyes, suspense, spy fiction, comic mystery novels, social commentary novels, and so on, and cite the best books in each category. No one category of crime fiction will be privileged over any other by Boucher. He will suggest that good books in each subgenre are especially worthy of respect. However, Boucher will express personal affection for the classical puzzle. He will make clear that this is the most loved genre of crime fiction, by him at least, and his personal favorite. This will be presented as a personal taste, not a belief that puzzle fiction has greater objective merit than other approaches. This is a delicately nuanced approach to the proliferation of genres within mystery fiction today. It is precisely the approach that has been taken by several of today's mystery historians, such as Francis M. Nevins and Jon L. Breen .
Boucher also strongly influenced the generation of mystery reviewers that came after him. Today's large annual convention of mystery fans is called the Bouchercon. Today's critic for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Jon L. Breen, writes in a format recognizably similar to Boucher's, and Breen's yearly round-ups in the Mystery Scene annuals recall Boucher's. Bill Pronzini and Marcia Muller's 1001 Midnights (1986) is a huge collection of reviews of mystery novels, most of them from the post-1941 era. It is the most accessible source of information on the 1941-1985 period, and has become a de facto canon of recommended books for that era. Again and again while reading it, one is struck by the fact that many of the books covered in it were first recommended by Boucher in his reviews. The collection reflects a cultural tradition first started by Boucher himself. I cannot imagine that any of the these writers will be offended by my suggestion that they write in the tradition of Boucher. I think they will take it as a compliment.
Not all modern mystery critics are Boucher derived. Authors of large scale histories of mystery fiction, such as the great Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection (1976), and the current Guide you are reading, were probably most influenced by earlier historians Haycraft, Queen, and their ancestor, S.S. Van Dine . I know that in my own case, I have wanted to write a history of mystery fiction ever since I read Van Dine's The World's Great Detective Stories (1928) as a child, a work I have read and reread with intense fascination ever since. The debt I owe all these earlier writers is huge. And a major strand of modern mystery criticism, the book length author biography cum critical study, is also largely independent of Boucher. Classics here include Norman Donaldson on R. Austin Freeman , Charles A. Norton on Melville Davisson Post , Francis M. Nevins on Ellery Queen and Cornell Woolrich , Jan Cohn on Mary Roberts Rinehart , Richard Layman on Dashiell Hammett , Frank MacShane on Raymond Chandler , John McAleer on Rex Stout , Patricia D. Maida on Anna Katherine Green , Roger Bonniot on �mile Gaboriau , and Douglas G. Greene on John Dickson Carr .
Anthony Boucher and Mystery Plot Structure
SPOILERS AHEAD.
Anthony Boucher repeatedly used a number of mystery plotting techniques, always with variations.
Many Boucher stories contain numerous plot ideas, often from the different categories below. The plot of the story is a mosaic, made up of a series of different plot gambits. It can be startling to read a brief Boucher mystery short story, and see that it has three or four plot ideas, any one of which might have served a lesser writer as the sole subject of a story.
Dying Messages. Boucher's stories are filled with dying messages, a favorite technique of an author who heavily influenced Boucher, Ellery Queen. Examples: the card in The Case of the Crumpled Knave, the victim's statement in "The Three Silver Pesos", the title reference in "QL 696.C9", "Death of a Patriarch", "The Adventure of May Tenth", the coins in "The Adventure of the Green-Eyed Murder", "The Stripper", "The Red Capsule", "The White Masters". There are also statements that are not strictly from dying murder victims, but which function in the same way: such as the identification of the thief in "Mystery for Christmas", the name clue in "Gregory Hood's First Case". The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapters 11, 24) contains two small verbal phrases with more than one meaning; these puzzles also work like dying message mysteries.
The dying messages in Boucher are hard to interpret: the sleuth often comes up with more than one meaning. This adds ingenuity to the tales.
There are also stories in which the presence of a dying message is not immediately obvious, but which has to be unearthed by the detective. See "Screwball Division".
Sleuth Nick Noble in "QL 696.C9" does some ingenious meta-level reasoning about a dying message. This allows him to interpret what the massage means - without at first understanding the underlying methodology of the message.
Hidden Clues in Text. Boucher also sometimes had his sleuths uncover hidden patterns in a piece of text. This text might not strictly speaking be any sort of dying message. Still, this plot approach does have some broad similarities to the dying message problem. In Boucher, see "Crime Must Have a Stop". This approach occurs in MacHarg and Balmer's "The Axton Letters" (1910).
Ciphers. The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapters 5, 8), "The Singular Affair of the Baconian Cipher" show his sleuths working out simple ciphers. In both tales, this is part of the set-up of the stories, rather than part of the finale.
The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapter 8) shows how an extra clue is worked into the cipher format. It is a bit related to the dying message puzzles found elsewhere in Boucher.
Faked evidence. Killers in Boucher often fake evidence, in ways designed to implicate another person. All sorts of evidence can be faked, including dying messages. This means that plots involving faked messages sometimes intergrade with dying message plots in Boucher. Boucher could also mix phony evidence with impossible crime plots, as in "Gregory Hood, Suspect".
Boucher was especially ingenious, in coming up with reasons for his sleuths to conclude a certain piece of evidence is faked. Examples: the card and fingerprints in The Case of the Crumpled Knave, the arrow in "Gregory Hood's First Case", the hair in "The Adventure of the Sad Clown", the document in "The Out-Of-Date Murder".
The evidence for the faking can be part of an elaborate chain of reasoning, involving many aspects of a case. This chain of reasoning can become a complex dance of ideas, as in the finale of The Case of the Crumpled Knave, or the solution to "Screwball Division". The finale of "Murder Beyond the Mountains" involves meta-level reasoning about some faked evidence, linked to a second deduction identifying the killer. The mere fact that evidence has been faked, itself becomes significant, and used for deduction.
"The Adventure of May Tenth" is an unusual Boucher dying message tale, in which the message is partly real, partly faked by the killer. It offers another Boucher variation on two of his favorite plot approaches, dying messages and faked evidence.
"The April Fool Adventure" is unusual, in that we readers know the evidence is fake right from the start.
"The Strange Case of the Girl with a Gazelle" is a seemingly impossible crime, that is actually faked due to phony evidence. The tale is an unusual hybrid of impossible crime and fake evidence plot.
Deductions from real evidence. Boucher detectives do Sherlock Holmes style deductions about people from objects: the archery finger tip and bow in "Gregory Hood's First Case". The Hood radio play "The Forgetful Murderer" has deductions from unbound pages of a book found at a crime scene, and to a lesser degree, from a mysterious metal object.
Several of Boucher's Sherlock Holmes radio plays open with the sleuth making deductions about his clients: something regularly featured in Doyle's original tales. Boucher's deductions tend to be sound but simple. For example, in "The Camberwell Poisoners" Holmes deduces that since his client carries a briefcase, and is out doing business in the middle of the night, that he is probably an insurance adjuster. This play also has deductions about a dog. Other examples: "The Singular Affair of the Uneasy Easy Chair". Such deduction is discussed in The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapter 12), with an example.
Locked Rooms. Locked room puzzles appear in Nine Times Nine, The Case of the Solid Key, Rocket to the Morgue, "Gregory Hood, Suspect", "The Smoke-filled Locked Room".
While some mystery writers deal with a wide range of impossible crime situations, Boucher instead seems most interested in pure locked rooms.
The solutions of Rocket to the Morgue and "The Smoke-filled Locked Room" have some broad elements in common, in terms of their basic approach. The solution in "The Smoke-filled Locked Room" is fairer and more imaginative, though.
"The Strange Case of the Girl with a Gazelle" is an impossible theft from a locked room.
"The Adventure of the Headless Monk" is a locked room murder - or more strictly, a "watched room" mystery, a common variant of the locked room in mystery fiction. Its solution would be a cheat in most circumstances. But within the context of Boucher's story, the solution is an interesting idea. The tale also benefits from its vivid storytelling.
"The Singular Affair of the Uneasy Easy Chair" is a locked room mystery. But its solution is such a cliche that it is not very interesting.
Hidden Objects. Boucher also created examples of an Ellery Queen and Stuart Palmer specialty, the ingeniously hidden object. Examples: the jewels in "Mystery for Christmas", "The April Fool Adventure", "The Double Diamond". Some of the hiding places will only work within the special backgrounds of the story: see "Mystery for Christmas", "The Double Diamond".
The violin in "The Elusive Violin" is also hidden, but more by a process, than by a fixed hiding place.
"The Singular Affair of the Baconian Cipher" deals with the hiding of a man.
Strange Cars. Boucher tales have strange vehicles, sometimes with hidden drivers: The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapter 11), "The Adventure of the Sad Clown".
Alibis. Alibi puzzles occasionally show up in Boucher, as in "The Adventure of the Green-Eyed Murder", "The Camberwell Poisoners". Both alibi tales involve the mathematical calculation of a single time. Once the calculation is done, the sleuth knows everything about the alibis.
A look back at a previous murder case contains a very simple alibi puzzle The Case of the Solid Key (Chapter 7). It is solved right away.
A more traditional, bust-the-perfect-alibi plot shows up in the finale of The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars. This seems right out of the Freeman Wills Crofts tradition.
Tracing a crime to an apparent murder victim. This plot gambit appears in Margery Allingham's Police at the Funeral (1931). Boucher used an Allingham-like approach in a number of works: The Case of the Crumpled Knave (Chapters 23-24), "The Three Silver Pesos". In all of these works, a character's actions murder another person, long after that character's death.
In "Screwball Division", a complex chain of circumstances disguises a victim's guilt.
The complex murder in The Case of the Solid Key was planned by the victim, and was originally designed to murder someone else. The victim winds up in the middle of it, after accidentally getting killed himself. Something similar happens in "The Red Capsule". Both tales also involve a similar planned switch of identity, between killer and victim.
Multiple Villains. Another recurring Boucher approach: a tale in which more than one villain has committed crimes. The detective (and the reader) has to disentangle this, figuring which villain did what. At its crudest, in Boucher's novels The Case of the Seven of Calvary (1937) and The Case of the Seven Sneezes (1942), this is not very inventive, or even especially fair to the reader. But several later Boucher short works use this approach with considerable ingenuity, and a greater fairness to the reader. See "Screwball Division", "Mystery for Christmas", "The Girl Who Married a Monster", "The Three Silver Pesos".
The plots in "Mystery for Christmas" and "The Girl Who Married a Monster" seem related.
Schemes that Backfire. Ellery Queen's There Was an Old Woman (1943) looks at a "harmless" scheme that turns deadly. Boucher wrote some tales in this tradition: his Sherlock Holmes radio play "The Notorious Canary Trainer" (1945), "Like Count Palmieri" (1946).
Boucher and Radio
The Sound of Detection: Ellery Queen's Adventures in Radio (2002), by Francis M. Nevins and Martin Grams, Jr., is a detailed history of the Ellery Queen radio program, with a complete listing of all the shows. It gives an account of Boucher's involvement with the program, to which he provided plot synopses. The book reprints three of Boucher's synopses, written for the Ellery Queen radio show, but never actually used.
The synopses are highly detailed. They include every aspect of the plot, from the initial set-up, to all of the sleuth's reasoning in uncovering the solution. Characters and backgrounds are defined. Some scenes are just a prose summary. But key scenes are fully dramatized, including dialogue. Dialogue that contains clues to the mystery or significant plot elements is especially spelled out in detail.
Of the three synopses, two have good enough mystery elements to be worthy additions to Boucher's canon: "The Adventure of May Tenth", "The Adventure of the Green-Eyed Murder".
Minorities and Civil Rights in mystery fiction
Van Dine School: Pro Civil Rights. Anthony Boucher's sf story, "Q.U.R." (1943), was the one of first to describe African-Americans gaining political prominence in the future: one of them is Head of the Council that governs Earth. This is like being the modern-day President of the United States, only including all of the planet Earth. Both that story's sequel, "Robinc", and The Case of the Solid Key, give early, sympathetic portraits of gay people. All of these depictions of minorities are astonishingly liberal for their time, and probably form the high water mark of integrationist treatments of minorities in genre fiction before the Civil Rights movement of the 1950's. A later sf tale, "The Ambassadors" (1951), treats civil rights issues in an allegorical fashion, with great wit and humor.
Boucher was a prot�g� of Ellery Queen, and hence a member of the Van Dine school. This school showed a continuing interest in a more equal treatment of minorities in its fiction:
This starts with S.S. Van Dine in The "Canary" Murder Case (1927), where the detective actually congratulates the Canary's black maid on her intelligence, a startling comment with political implications at the time, when so many black people were depicted in the racist literature of the day as of low mentality. In The Kennel Murder Case (1933), Philo Vance's egalitarian regard of a Chinese witness is contrasted to the racist stereotypes of the day, which are satirized as they fall from the lips of the low brow Sgt. Heath.
Kennel is probably the model for Rex Stout's Too Many Cooks (1938), in which his detective Nero Wolfe has a memorable encounter, in Chapters 10 and 11, with a group of black waiters who are possible witnesses to a crime. Stout later served as a leader of a World War II writer's group, whose goal was to promote non-stereotyped treatment of minorities in the media. See also its Civil Rights era sequel A Right To Die (1964). Stout's detectives Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin often seem to have a gay subtext.
James Howard Wellard's The Snake in the Grass (1942), a novel likely influenced by Rex Stout, has a pointed look at black waiters and the oppression they face.
Anthony Abbot's About the Murder of the Circus Queen (1932) has a sympathetically described tribe of Ubangis.
Ellery Queen introduced realistic African-American characters in such early tales as "The African Traveler" (1934) and "The House of Darkness" (1935), as well as such later books as Cat of Many Tails (1949). There are signs of a gay subtext in Ellery Queen .
Clyde B. Clason focused on sympathetic depictions of Tibetans and Chinese respectively in The Man From Tibet (1938) and Green Shiver (1941); both novels are explicitly anti-racist. There are hints that Clason's series sleuth Theocritus Lucius Westborough might be gay.
Rufus King has many thinly veiled gay characters, in books like Murder by Latitude (1930), The Lesser Antilles Murder Case (1934), and Murder Masks Miami (1939). Idealized male characters in Crime of Violence (1937) and A Variety of Weapons (1942) also reflect a gay sensibility.
John T. McIntyre , a Van Dine School precursor, drops broad hints that his series sleuth is gay, in the opening of Ashton-Kirk: Investigator (1910).
Ngaio Marsh attacked anti-Semitism in Death in a White Tie (1938), and gave a sympathetic portrait of Maori culture in New Zealand in Colour Scheme (1943).
The comic detective writer Stuart Palmer has a satirical chapter in The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan (1941), in which it is made clear that a black servant is far more intelligent and sensible that the ditzy group of white suspects he has to watch over. Palmer would go on to an endorsement of the Civil Rights movement in The Green Ace (1950).
Craig Rice has the series character Max Hook, the Chicago gambling czar, in her mystery-comedy books starting with The Wrong Murder (1940). Although it is not explicit, Hook seems to be gay.
George Bagby in In Cold Blood (1948) criticizes the racial prejudice a sympathetic black character faces; Give the Little Corpse a Great Big Hand (1953) extends this critique. The article discusses the extensive gay subtext in Bagby's work.
Francis and Richard Lockridge include a Jewish police detective and a taxi driver among their supporting characters in A Pinch of Poison (1941). They offer a satiric look at both race and class in Accent on Murder (1958). Despite its light comic tone, it includes approving mentions of the NAACP.
Harry Kemelman helped pioneer Jewish detectives with his novels about sleuth Rabbi David Small, starting with Friday the Rabbi Slept Late (1964).
Patricia McGerr has her heroine support the Civil Rights movement in Is There a Traitor in the House? (1964).
HIBK School. Mary Roberts Rinehart usually treated the black characters in her novels realistically, without any of the stereotypes or cheap humor some authors of the period favored. The Had I But Known ( HIBK ) writers of the Rinehart school often followed suit. Among Rinehart's followers, Dorothy Cameron Disney's The Balcony (1940) is especially notable for its trenchant treatment of racial issues. Leslie Ford's Murder with Southern Hospitality (1941-1942) looks at police persecution of blacks in the South. Ford's detective Colonel Primrose has a gay subtext .
HIBK writers pioneered in positive portraits of lesbian detectives:
Mignon G. Eberhart comes close to having her series detective Sarah Keate be openly lesbian in the short story "Dead Yesterday" (1936).
Anne Nash has a thinly veiled lesbian couple as heroines in Said with Flowers (1943).
Much earlier Anna Katherine Green has a lesbian dimension in her archetypal spinster sleuth Amelia Butterworth, in her debut case That Affair Next Door (1897).
Hard-Boiled. There is a tendency today for some critics to regard the Van Dine school as artificial, and the hard-boiled school of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler as realistic. Be that as it may, the admirable and pioneering treatment of race by the Van Dine school contrasts with the racism of the two best-known early hard-boiled writers. Hammett's The Dain Curse (1928) shows an unfortunate acceptance of the stereotypes of the day, whereas the more vicious Chandler positively wallows in hatred in The High Window (1942).
During the 1950's some hard-boiled writers became far more positive in depicting racial minorities:
Jack Webb pioneered Jewish detectives with his series about the team of Jewish policeman Sammy Golden and Catholic Father Joseph Shanley, starting with The Big Sin (1952). (Webb is not to be confused with the actor-director of the TV show Dragnet). There also is a possible gay subtext in these books.
Some liberal private eye writers wrote sympathetically about black people and Civil Rights, notably Ed Lacy in Room to Swing (1957), and Kendell Foster Crossen in A Hearse of a Different Color (1958).
J. Lane Linklater in Shadow for a Lady (1947) (start of Chapter 11) offers a brief but pointed denunciation of the awful housing black people were forced to live in.
Hard-boiled writers sometimes included gay feelings into their work. While rarely explicitly labeling such feelings as "gay", there are often vivid queer subtexts:
Blind Detectives. My Syllabus on Mystery Fiction has a section on Blind Detectives .
Native American Detectives. Please see (external to this site) Steve Lewis' list of Native American Detectives .
Woman Detectives. Please see (external to this site) Bob Schneider's list of Woman Detectives .
R. A. Lafferty
R. A. Lafferty is a prolific writer of comic, surrealistic science fiction extravaganzas. His short stories are generally much better than his novels. His little crime story "Enfants Terribles" (1971) falls within our genre.
Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury published around a dozen tales in mystery pulp magazines in the 1940's, in between his much larger careers as a fantasy and mainstream writer. "Yesterday I Lived!" (1944) is a well done tale of mystery on a Hollywood film set. Not surprisingly for Bradbury, the tale is very well written. It also has a good puzzle plot. The article on Karl W. Detzer describes how many of Bradbury's contemporaries were also publishing film set mysteries. Unlike Detzer's, which shows signs of the realist school, Bradbury's is more in a puzzle plot, intuitionist mode.
Isaac Asimov
Even before his official entry into the mystery scene in The Caves Of Steel (1953), Isaac Asimov's science fiction books often exhibited mystery technique. In particular, his great Foundation Trilogy (1941 - 1950) consists of a series of long short stories, each of which has affinities to the formal detective story. Each has a complex plot, and there is usually a surprise ending which reveals hidden aspects to the situation, just as the solution does to a mystery story. Similarly, the stories contained in I, Robot are often science fictional mysteries. A robot is misbehaving: what could possibly cause this? Investigation ultimately reveals the solution to the puzzle. Asimov also wrote non series sf works in the same mystery format, most importantly, "Hostess" (1951). There are no murders or official detectives in these tales, but their status as stories in which mysterious situations are ultimately elucidated, certainly makes them close relatives of the mystery genre. The brilliant plot complexity of the Foundation Trilogy, in particular, marks it out as one of the best works of science fiction.
Asimov's first real novel, and his finest work in the form, Pebble in the Sky (1950) is not a mystery story, but it is a thriller. So is his next, and second best novel, The Stars Like Dust (1951).
Asimov went on to combine the sf novel with an explicit formal Golden Age murder mystery in The Caves Of Steel (1953). This landmark book is not the first sf mystery novel - Asimov's friend Hal Clement wrote Needle (1949), a well done novel which is a science fictional mystery like those in Asimov's earlier short stories - but it is the first full fledged hybrid of the traditional murder mystery and the sf novel, complete with murder case and detectives. Perhaps more importantly, it is a well plotted book, with numerous ingenious surprises and false solutions before the final truth is revealed. Asimov was especially proud of the fact that neither the mysterious situation in the novel, nor its many true and false solutions, would be possible in our 20th century world, that they were entirely enabled by and integrated with the science fictional future of the novel. The book is not merely a contemporary mystery story transposed to the future, but a work in which the sf and mystery elements are totally fused.
Asimov wrote a sequel to The Caves Of Steel, called The Naked Sun (1956). While still being a legitimate detective story, the mystery plotting elements are weaker here, while the sf elements are perhaps stronger than those in the earlier book. Asimov also wrote a series of six sf-mysteries for teenagers about outer space sleuth Lucky Starr. As Joseph Patrouch pointed out in his excellent critical study The Science Fiction of Isaac Asimov, some of these have related backgrounds and mystery puzzles to The Caves Of Steel, notably Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury (1956) and Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter (1957).
He also published a collection of sf mysteries, Asimov's Mysteries, which show his storytelling and sf skills, but which are not distinguished as Golden Age puzzle plot mysteries.
More importantly, several of the tales in Asimov's best sf collections, Nightfall and Nine Tomorrows, contain mystery or thriller elements. The word "thriller" is perhaps a misnomer here, or at least too vague and imprecise. Asimov's tales are best described as melodramas, in which two sides of a dispute engage in an exciting struggle to achieve some practical result, and also to morally and intellectually justify their position. At their best, such as in Pebble in the Sky or "The Ugly Little Boy" (1958) in Nine Tomorrows, Asimov's melodramas are unforgettable stories.
Asimov went on to write a number of non-sf detective stories. His two mystery novels, A Whiff of Death (1958) and Murder at the ABA (1976) are terrible, but some of his later mystery short stories are ingenious. Most of Asimov's 1970's mystery tales are written in the third person, but during the early 1980's he began to experiment with building a tale around the first person narratives of different characters, a somewhat unusual technique that recalls Wilkie Collins .
Asimov made so many slighting references to his own personal literary style - or his alleged lack of it - that one is afraid that critics are going to take him at his own word. Many science fiction writers write in an elaborate, image laden, complex literary style. Examples: Bradbury, Cordwainer Smith, Samuel Delany, J.G. Ballard. There is very little imagery in Asimov's work, and his literary style clearly has nothing in common with theirs. I strongly admire all of these writers' stylistic achievements. But I also think that there are other valid approaches as well. Asimov's work is written in a style that derives not from poetry, like theirs, but which is closer to the pure form of classical music. The rhythmic complexity of Asimov's prose is breathtaking. Each sentence plays its part in an elaborate over all structure, one that builds to complex climaxes like the music of Beethoven.
I wish to thank my friend, Mark L. Ricard, for suggesting that this web site take a deeper dive into the works of Isaac Asimov. Thanks, Mark!
Wendell Urth sf-mystery short stories
The hybrid science fiction-mystery short stories in Asimov's Mysteries are a mixed bag. Five are set in the same series, and mainly employ the series sleuth Wendell Urth. Two of these are inverted tales, modeled directly on those of R. Austin Freeman , who Asimov mentions in the collection's introduction: "The Singing Bell" (1955) and "The Dust of Death" (1957). A third tale in the series "The Dying Night" (1956), is a whodunit rather than an inverted, but it has close ties to these two. The clue that gives away the bad guy in each tale is simple, and based on the same sort of science fiction concept in all three stories. The other two stories in the series "The Talking Stone" (1955) and "The Key" (1966) are dying message tales, with the cryptic message being a clue not to a murderer, but to the location of a hidden object. All of these tales are thus in the strict form of a subgenre of mystery fiction: inverted, whodunit, dying message. However, in each case the science fiction elements are elaborate and creative, while the mystery ideas are simple and form a brief percentage of the tale. These are science fiction tales in the form of mysteries, rather than stories whose main plot content is centered on mystery. Also, with the possible exception of "The Dying Night", none of these stories would really allow a reader to figure out the mystery solution from clues in the story: in other words, they are not "fair play".
The science fiction ideas are richest in the first two tales, which are also the best in the series: "The Singing Bell" and "The Talking Stone". "The Singing Bell" has an elaborate background of a future world full of inventions, that has succeeded in colonizing the Solar System. This is a favorite era and setting of Robert A. Heinlein; it is less common in Asimov's work, and its presence seems almost experimental for Asimov. "The Talking Stone" has a rare alien in Asimov. One suspects he was reading his friend Hal Clement's Mission of Gravity (1953); Asimov's alien has a similar sf approach to those in Clement's novel. So both "The Singing Bell" and "The Talking Stone" incorporate sf subject matter that is not typical of Asimov, and both incorporate mystery forms that were new to him too, the inverted and dying message paradigms, respectively. They seem to be tales in which Asimov is deliberately stretching his range. Neither is a masterpiece or core Asimov, but both richly detailed works repay reading. The titles "The Singing Bell" and "The Talking Stone" both echo R. Austin Freeman's pioneering collection which invented the inverted detective story, The Singing Bone.
"The Key" has sf elements recalling Arthur C. Clarke's "The Sentinel", and others that recall Clifford D. Simak's Way Station (1963). This story also includes an sf device that recalls the Mule parts of Foundation and Empire. "The Key" is best in its first third, which sets up the science fiction situation. This is one of Asimov's elaborate melodramas, in which both sides of a conflict get to present their ideas in full. As is typical of Asimov's work, the many aspects of the conflict are worked out in rich detail. After this, the story mainly turns into a series of puzzles, like those to come in some of the Black Widowers tales. The puzzles are not unpleasant, but they are not as good as the science fiction in the earlier section of the story.
Although it is not an inverted detective story, "Little Lost Robot" (1947) from I, Robot shares approaches with "The Singing Bell". In the inverted finale of "The Singing Bell", the detective has to establish that the suspect has characteristics that are indicative of being the killer - and the detective subjects the suspect to a test to show this. This resembles "Little Lost Robot", whose second half consists of a series of tests that will identify and distinguish the missing robot from a large group of seemingly identical robots. In both stories, Asimov is showing ingenious tests that establish the inner, psychological and mental approach of characters have certain special characteristics.
On a level of imagery, "Runaround" (1942) from I, Robot shares approaches with "The Singing Bell". The test in "The Singing Bell" has the suspect throwing something. For different reasons, the heroes in "Runaround" test the robots' throwing ability. Structurally, these two tales have little in common. But the relationship on the level of imagery is striking. Both stories also have scenes on other worlds, on Mercury and the Moon respectively, that involve black shadows coming out from mountains that give way to regions of bright sunshine.
The mix of Solar System space travel, exotic sf artifacts and traditional mystery genres in the Wendell Urth stories anticipates Poul Anderson's "Adventure of the Martian Crown Jewels" (1958). This is an impossible crime short story, with a rich science fiction background to rival Asimov's. One suspects that Anderson was using Asimov's general approach to constructing an sf mystery, in this story.
Aliens
A note on aliens in Asimov: "Hostess" (1951) looks at alien-human histories on Earth.
"C-Chute" (1951) looks at humans encountering insect-based aliens in space. The most interesting part of "C-Chute" are not the aliens per se, although their social beliefs are well-handled, as in its deconstruction of war fever. Asimov shows that the aliens are behaving just as well and just as badly, as the humans in this interstellar alien Vs humans war. The rich sociological detail of the war, and the alien's behavior in it, is quite inventive and forms a substantial and original anti-war commentary.
"Kid Stuff" (1953) combines the alien-human history of "Hostess" with the insect-based alien approach of "C-Chute". "Kid Stuff" is elaborately detailed, and in theory I should like it. But actually it seems repulsively horror filled.
Asimov returns to these modes in a Black Widowers story, "Neither Brute Nor Human" (1984), a minor tale that takes some unpleasant swipes at Poe and Lovecraft, as well.
"The Talking Stone" (1955) is quite different from all of the above. It shows aliens and humans cooperating with each other, instead of being enemies, as in the other Asimov tales mentioned. The aliens resemble those of Hal Clement's Mission of Gravity (1953) in that they learn science from humans, and in that the aliens' bodies are designed to live in what for humans would be inhospitable environments.
The Black Widowers: Real Mysteries
Asimov wrote 66 non-science fiction short stories about the Black Widowers (1971 - 1991), a group that meets once a month for dinner, and to solve a mystery or a puzzle. The tales have been collected in six volumes. The stories are armchair detective tales. Quite a few of them are disappointingly trivial, linked to some tiny point or obscure fact that serves as the gimmick. But several have more substance. I especially liked 18 stories that contain real mystery, and 12 stories that center around puzzles.
First the real mysteries: tales in which the plot contains a mysterious situation to be solved. These fall into a number of series, each related in terms of plot.
1) "No Smoking" (1974) is the first of several Asimov tales, about people whose behavior is observed, but hard to interpret. It has a miasmic quality, and it is hard to see where the story's situation is going - before detective Henry reveals the inner logic of the events.
"The Driver" (1980) also involves interpretation of an observed person. The tale has an obscure fact gimmick, like many other Black Widowers stories - but here it is worked into a real mystery plot, complete with ingenious solution. The story takes place against a background of scientific research: a common subject in Asimov's late 1950's works, such as the sf-mysteries "The Dying Night" (1956) and "The Dust of Death" (1957).
The Union Club mystery "No Refuge Could Save" (1980) also involves a man who observes job candidates professionally for his living, just like "No Smoking". This tale could be regarded as a puzzle story, being based on an obscure bit of information. But this tiny piece of knowledge is worked into a complex mystery story, a spy tale that shows some originality of approach. The tale is loaded with bits of satire, which are often rooted in paradox, just like the mystery plot of the story itself.
Asimov did not include any of these stories in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov. So Asimov apparently felt they were marginal in his work. But to me they seem like some of his best puzzle plots, and among his works which are closest to the pure mystery tradition of "baffling stories ingeniously and surprisingly explained".
All of these tales involve people under psychological observation, often in a business context. This recalls such sf-mystery tales from I, Robot as "Runaround" and "Little Lost Robot", in which humans study robots on the job, and try to understand their psychology. In both these mysteries and the robot tales, Asimov is most interested in what is going on inside people's minds. Asimov's sf-mystery Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter has sf-based observation, through a Venusian "frog".
2) "Out of Sight" (1973) deals with explaining the puzzling leakage of classified information. "The Recipe" (1990) also deals with an impossible leakage of information, and has a solution partly related to "Out of Sight". Close to these Black Widowers stories is Asimov's sf-mystery Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter (1957). Its main mystery plot deals with hidden leakage of information. And the solution of the mystery has some points in common with the Black Widowers tales.
These stories have solutions that are somewhat related to such tales as "No Smoking" and "The Driver".
"Out of Sight" also has specific links to "Quicker Than the Eye" in the "impossible disappearance" series discussed below, having both a solution related to the latter story, and a setting in the restaurant-like dining room of a cruise ship. Like many of the disappearance stories, its solution involves the psychology of a person watching or participating in the events.
Asimov included "Out of Sight" in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov.
3) "Quicker Than the Eye" (1974) and "The Redhead" (1984) are impossible disappearance stories. Oddly enough, both take place in restaurants. This is in addition to the fact that the frame story in most of the Black Widowers tales is itself in a restaurant. "The Lucky Piece" (1990) has another small object that disappears, as in "Quicker Than the Eye". "The Lucky Piece" is unusually tricky, and has more complications than most of Asimov's impossible disappearance tales. One of his last Black Widowers tales, "Lost In a Space Warp" (1990) is another impossible disappearance, very much in the same mode. This takes place in a private home's kitchen, an environment closely related to the restaurant settings of the other tales. The last Black Widowers story (what a sad thing to say!) "The Guest's Guest" (1991) also deals with a vanishing piece of information. This time, it is lost at the Black Widowers restaurant itself.
The Union Club story "He Wasn't There" (1981) also deals with an impossible disappearance, once again from a restaurant. Its solution is less clever and plausible than the Black Widowers stories in this tradition. And the not-very-good Union Club tale "Never Out of Sight" (1983) provides a sort of absurd version of the same idea, this time set an amusement park.
Asimov included all of the above pre-1987 stories in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov (1987), and made clear in his commentary that he valued such stories highly. In More Tales of the Black Widowers, his commentary on "Quicker Than the Eye" aptly links it to G. K. Chesterton's "The Invisible Man" (1910). Chesterton's tale is rooted in the psychology of an observer, something Asimov preserves.
"The Unabridged" (1976) involves a search for a hidden object. This story has formal similarities to the impossible disappearance tales above. This object has not disappeared, strictly speaking. But like the disappeared objects, it is now in a hidden, obscure place. The story opens with a general philosophical discussion of missing and misplaced objects: this contains ideas that will recur in "Lost In a Space Warp".
Even among the real mystery tales, there are formal resemblances to Asimov's puzzle stories. For example, the impossible disappearances are presented as pure puzzles. "The Redhead" asks: "How did the redhead disappear?" This mystery is not linked to a whodunit, or unraveling some other mysterious crime situation, as it would be in a typical impossible crime story by Carr , Chesterton or Hoch . Asimov's story instead presents a pure, isolated puzzle. Still, the kind of puzzle, an impossible disappearance, is 1) one that reflects a long mystery tradition of impossible crimes 2) rooted in the actual main plot of the story. These two factors make "The Redhead" fall within the paradigm of "real mystery fiction".
Asimov liked the restaurant setting for his real mystery tales. The Black Widowers "The Woman in the Bar" (1980) and the Union Club "The Appleby Story" (1981) have such settings, although neither is an impossible crime tale like those mentioned above. Both are fairly minor among Asimov's mysteries. Both do have relationships with the above series, involving a restaurant or bar as a place of concealed contact for a clandestine organization.
4) Some of Asimov's tales deal with ingenious approaches for creating secret codes. These include "Go, Little Book!" (1972), and the Larry tale "The Key Word" (1977).
Most of Asimov's code tales were not included by him in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov.
"Go, Little Book!" also has ties to the "hidden leakage of information" kind of story. It too has scenes in a restaurant.
5) "The Lullaby of Broadway" (1974) is a sort of sequel to "Go, Little Book!". It is relatively unique within the real mysteries, with a plot that has some similarities with the earlier tale, and many differences.
"The Old Purse" (1987) is another hard-to-classify tale within Asimov's mysteries. It has some features in common with "The Lullaby of Broadway": an innocent married couple at the center of the tale, a writer and his wife, the New York City apartment house where they live, surprising but hard to explain events in that apartment house, and a solution involving somewhat similar kinds of intrigue in both stories. Some of these elements also formed a plot thread in The Caves of Steel, with Lije Bailey and his wife Jessie, and the huge futuristic New York City apartment buildings where they live.
Asimov did not include these stories in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov. In his afterwards, Asimov reveals that the initial premise of each story is based on a real life event, while his solution is fictional and made up for the tale.
6) "Can You Prove It?" (1981) deals with an attempt to establish identity. This is an unusual, innovative subject for a mystery story. The solution invokes some of the hidden information that accompanies daily life. So does the solution of the little mystery in the Union Club tale "The Magic Umbrella" (1983), which is also about trying to establish identity, this time not of a person, but of an umbrella. This latter story is most endearing for the characterization of the two battling elderly men. They reflect the similar battling conversations among the Black Widowers. "The Haunted Cabin" (1990) is another puzzle involving a mysterious establishment of identity, like "Can You Prove It?".
Asimov included both of the pre-1987 stories in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov.
Issues of identity, treated in different fashion, are also involved in such sf-mysteries as The Caves of Steel and "Little Lost Robot" from I, Robot.
7) Asimov wrote some "anti-detective stories", tales which deconstruct the conventions of the detective story, violating its norms: "The Obvious Factor" (1973), "Yes, But Why?" (1990). These have some common plot ideas in their solutions. "The Obvious Factor" especially seemed like a cheat when I first read it. No one should read these expecting fair detective tales. However, Asimov's shock effects in "The Obvious Factor" do have a scientific point, one that he memorably makes about pseudo-science.
The solution of these stories gives them some similarity to a different Asimov series mentioned above: "No Smoking", "The Driver", "No Refuge Could Save".
The robot tale "Galley Slave" (1957) also can be seen as a precursor to the anti-detective stories, in a small way. "Galley Slave" is moderately enjoyable as storytelling, being a not-bad Asimov excursion into courtroom drama, but overall the tale lacks substance. In a different way, the robot detective story "Mirror Image" (1972) also has some shared story material. "Mirror Image" has an elaborate, but somehow not very creative plot.
8) The introduction to "The Haunted Cabin" (1990) contains a real life mini-mystery that happened to Dr. Asimov. So does the entire story of "Where Is He?" (1986). Both tales are interesting, but neither of these "found" mysteries aligns closely with the main series of mystery plots that Asimov created above.
The Black Widowers: Puzzle stories
Next the stories about puzzles. These are stories in which the Black Widowers try to solve some puzzle or riddle. There are quite a few of these, probably more than the true mysteries. I confess that I tend to be disappointed by any work of crime fiction that does not offer a good mystery to solve. But still, some of the best Asimov puzzle stories have compensations. The best puzzles can be enjoyable, with the ingenious Dr. A. offering clever sidelights to the puzzle. And the puzzles are embedded in fictional backgrounds that are sometimes well developed.
Probably the closest ancestor to Asimov's puzzle stories are "dying message" tales, and related mysteries in which sleuths have to interpret a mysterious piece of text, such as those which offer cryptic clues to buried treasure. Ellery Queen is the leading writer of dying message tales - and most of the Black Widowers stories were first published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, at the direct suggestion of Ellery Queen. What seems to be the first Asimov tale to involve puzzles, the science fiction mystery "The Key" (1966), centers on both dying messages and clues to the location of a hidden treasure. It establishes Asimov's links with both of these mystery traditions.
Another work, one with more distant relationship to Asimov's writing: Lewis Carroll's A Tangled Tale (1880-1881 in magazines, 1885 in book form). This little-known but ingenious work embeds math puzzles into a fictional story. Asimov only rarely included purely mathematical puzzles or games into his tales. Asimov's Union Club mystery "Getting the Combination" (1982) is an example.
On specific puzzle-oriented Black Widowers tales:
"Friday the Thirteenth" (1975) and "The Year of the Action" (1980) are puzzles that involve both calendars and history; both are about determining ambiguous years; both look at the historical implications of those years. "The Year of the Action" involves Gilbert and Sullivan. It is hardly a mystery - but it does contain a well developed little historical essay about its puzzle, and is fun to read. Asimov had previously written two nicely-done pastiches of Gilbert lyrics: "The Foundation of S.F. Success" (1954) and "The Author's Ordeal" (1957), both in the collection Earth Is Room Enough. Gilbert is quoted by Asimov as early as "Runaround" (1942). "The Year of the Action" prophesizes the rise and re-birth of the animated film. It took awhile, but animation has been a huge business since around 1990.
"The Ultimate Crime" (1976) is a similar pure puzzle, about Sherlock Holmes and astronomy.
"To the Barest" (1979) is fun, because it gives some humorous inside looks at the Black Widowers as an institution. Its "puzzle in a will" aspects recall "The Curious Omission" (1974).
While Asimov was famous for being a religious skeptic, "The One and Only East" (1975) contains a sympathetic character who is religious. It offers a full outline of his religious practice and attitudes. Once again, this is a complex portrait of a whole way of life, that relates in form, to the portraits of new ways of life in Asimov's science fiction stories. As in many of Asimov's puzzle stories, the puzzle is barely connected to the rest of the story. The geography puzzle about "the East" has nothing to do with the religious aspects of the tale, or even the family situation of the hero. It is like a whole second story nested within the tale as a whole. "Sunset on the Water" (1986) has a geographical puzzle related to that in "The One and Only East". It also has autobiographical aspects about Asimov's love of history.
Several of the Black Widowers tales show personal sides of Dr. Asimov. "The Cross of Lorraine" (1976) offers metaphors for Asimov's fictional talent and its place in his personal life, just as the earlier sf "Dreaming is a Private Thing" (1955) did. The tale's puzzle is also unusual, in that it is a purely geometric, non-verbal riddle.
"The Family Man" (1976) deals with cognitive psychology: styles and methods of thinking. The story's puzzle is weak, unfortunately, but the discussions of thinking throughout are interesting. The discussion of "family men" versus solitary men and Henry's position on this adds to the characterization of Henry in the stories.
"Middle Name" (1980) is also a pure puzzle, without real mystery in the conventional sense. It is mixed with an unusual discussion of relations between the sexes. This discussion seems related in approach to science fiction. Just as science fiction, especially Asimov's, often sets forth a sociological account of an imaginary or future world, so does this story create a detailed look at relations between the sexes in today's society.
"The Quiet Place" (1988) offers interesting metaphors for the tales of friendship between men that are so important to Asimov. It is a puzzle story, but it also offers some real detective work in its dual attempts to track down a person and a place. The story contains imagery that suggests mystical visions of peace, here linked to a place visited by the hero. This is perhaps related to the mystical visions of mental breakdown during space travel, that occur in some of Asimov's fictions. The tale has subject matter links with the story-within-a-story "The Wandering Londoner" in The Caves of Steel (Chapter 10), although that is a horror tale, while "The Quiet Place" is upbeat.
A historical note: The first Black Widowers tale, "The Acquisitive Chuckle" (1972), does not really have a detective - the solution just unfolds. It is only with the second tale that Henry firmly assumes the role of detective, which he will hold ever after. This second story is also the first tale in which Asimov realized he was writing a series: Asimov originally conceived "The Acquisitive Chuckle" as a one-shot. Also, there are only five Black Widowers in these first two stories. It is only with the third, the otherwise not-too-interesting "Truth to Tell" (1972), that math teacher Roger Halsted makes his appearance. One also notes that as far back as "Super-Neutron" (1941) Asimov was writing a tale about a men's dining club that has a guest telling it a story. So the Black Widowers have deep roots within Asimov's fiction.
The Union Club Mysteries
The Union Club Mysteries (1980 - 1983) collects a series of very short mystery stories Asimov wrote; a few more appear in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov, and others are still uncollected. Each is around 2,000 words (six pages), but each manages to have a carefully developed background, a puzzle or mystery, and a solution. Like the longer Black Widowers stories, a few of the Union Club tales are real mysteries, and others are preludes to disconnected puzzles embedded in the stories. Quite a few of the tales are fun, in part because of the care Asimov devoted to the backgrounds of the stories, which are often concise but richly developed.
"He Wasn't There" (1981) is one of the most elaborately constructed of the pure mystery Union Club stories. Asimov wrote this based on a plot contributed by Martin Gardner, well known for his "Mathematical Games" columns in Scientific American. Its New York City apartment house setting recalls such Black Widowers stories as "The Lullaby of Broadway" and "The Old Purse", but the mystery plot has a different structure than those tales.
"The Men Who Wouldn't Talk" (1980) has an uninspired puzzle gimmick. But the body of the story deals with a mass investigation at a prison, and contains some inventive ideas. It is related to earlier mass investigations such as "Little Lost Robot" and Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter.
"Irresistible to Women" (1981), despite being in a collection of non-sf mysteries, is actually a science fiction mystery, although it is not labeled as such. Like Asimov's robot sf-mystery novels of the 1950's, it is a whodunit, with a series of suspects, from among whom the detective has to find the guilty party. This whodunit structure is rare in Asimov's post-1972 short stories. Here we have three women suspects who visit the murdered man shortly before his death: a plot set-up found in countless Ellery Queen short stories. The mystery involves cognitive science, and hence is related to the many Asimov mysteries that turn on psychology and the inner mental workings of the characters.
David Starr, Space Ranger
David Starr, Space Ranger (1952) is the first of a series of six juvenile science fiction mystery books Asimov wrote in the 1950's about this character. Like many books published for teen readers, they are long novellas, not really of novel length. Each concentrates on a different region of the solar system, as it was known then.
David Starr, Space Ranger opens with a mysterious death in a restaurant. In this it anticipates the many non-sf mysteries that Asimov would write that were set in restaurants.
Unfortunately, as a mystery David Starr, Space Ranger is weak:
The identity of the villain is hardly made clear from the one obscure scientific clue against him.
Asimov never "closes the circle" to establish that the conspiracy could have been caused only by characters we see in the story.
The finale depends on violence and torture, rather than reasoning. The last is both a moral failing, and a structural weakness in a detective story.
"The Hazing" (1942) has plot motifs that will show up again in David Starr, Space Ranger. Both show a group of heroes who are overpowered and kidnapped by ambiguous-but-obnoxious bad guys. One of the kidnappers is a giant, fierce and low-brow, in both tales. Both groups of heroes are taken to a backward, more primitive society on a frontier planet. Both have adventures there that underscore the masculinity of the heroes, and have the heroes accepted into the rough-and-ready all-male primitive society. In both, the heroes soon are in the gaudy clothes of the frontier society. Both have all-male casts, but this is hardly unusual in Asimov. Asimov's late Black Widowers story "Police at the Door" (1990), will return in part to such material, with its intellectual hero's longing to be part of a group of working class men.
There are other links between "The Hazing" and later Asimov:
In "The Hazing", the heroes are kidnapped, and sent off on space travel.
A similar kidnapping happens to Asimov's series heroes Powell and Donovan in "Escape!" (1945), one of the best tales in I, Robot. Powell and Donovan experience a breakdown in rationality, during their pioneering interstellar jump. This is similar to the mental breakdown experienced by the robot in "Runaround".
In "I'm in Marsport Without Hilda" (1957), all space travelers will experience mental breakdowns during such jumps. In all such cases, the mental irrationality is depicted by Asimov using nonsense sentences the characters think or say: an effect that sometimes resembles modernist or symbolist literature such as Eliot or Joyce. In "Escape!", the characters are subjected to mental teasings by the computer brain that kidnaps them; in "Marsport", the hero tries to stimulate the space travelers, during their period of irrationality. There is a sense of hazing in all of these tales.
In David Starr, Space Ranger, the hero is abducted and loses consciousness not during space travel, but in the novel's central encounter with advanced Martian intelligences. His mind is manipulated by these beings, but in an apparently more sincere and less teasing way than the scenes in "Escape!" and "Marsport". Still, this is once more a mystical, irrational experience. And the disembodied, non-material Martians he encounters have some similarity to the traditional angels and devils the heroes of "Escape!" think they are seeing.
A story with a bit of relationship is "Risk" (1955), one of Asimov's robot tales. Here, a pioneering interstellar jump is seen as a threat to intellect and sanity for humans who attempt it. This is viewed as pure horror, rather than as a mystical or irrational experience, as in the other tales. The hero of this story is forced into a potential jump, somewhat similar to the way the heroes of the other tales are kidnapped.
In The Gods Themselves, when the characters have sex, they lose their consciousness for days at a time. Yet they seem to develop thinking and scientific understanding during this period.
Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury
Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury (1956) is a science fiction mystery that shares imagery and approaches with "The Talking Stone" (1955). It has rock-living aliens, and a dying message delivered by a non-human character. Here, however, the dying message in Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury is an actual clue to the identity of the killer, rather than to a hidden treasure, as in "The Talking Stone". Such a dying message clue to the killer is in the mainstream of dying message mysteries. Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury is a genuine whodunit: a story in which the detective and reader have to pick the guilty party out a cast of suspects. Both the dying message and other clues offer a fully fair play mystery, in which it is possible to identify the villain. In this, it resembles The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun.
Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury continues Asimov's interest in portrayals of scientific research. Here the research of Project Light builds upon the earlier discovery of the interstellar jump and subetheric space, which had been seen in "Little Lost Robot" and "Escape!" in I, Robot. As in the earlier stories, this research is viewed as a part of future history: events logically following on previous events. The way Project Light is a large scale human undertaking set in outer space recalls "Little Lost Robot". The jealousy of Cook for his superior recalls "Liar!" in I, Robot.
Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury reflects the wrong astronomical idea of its era, that Mercury only keeps one face to the sun. It does not: Mercury, we now know, revolves like every other planet. However, luckily the story does not emphasize this aspect much. Instead, the focus of Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury is how large the Sun seems when viewed from Mercury, and how much light it gets from the sun. These aspects have not dated at all. Asimov uses them to create his poetic opening chapter.
Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter
Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter (1957) is a science fiction mystery, that shares some features with The Caves of Steel. Both are whodunits, set in science fiction universes in which all characters are under mental surveillance. Both stories tale place in a related science fictional milieu: Earth versus advanced Outer Worlds, with robots in common use in the Outer Worlds. Perhaps more important is a common structural characteristic. Both works maintain long chains of deductive investigation that stretch over the entire book. Because of this richness of plotting, Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter is the most important of the Lucky Starr works, considered as a mystery.
The Venusian frog aspects develop ideas Asimov first explored with The Mule in The Foundation Trilogy. Lucky also faces a hazing, as in the story "The Hazing", although here it does not lead to space travel or kidnapping.
Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter is also a tale of a large scale scientific program on a base in space, like "Little Lost Robot" and "Escape!" in I, Robot. We see not only people engaged in research, but a richly developed look at the results of the research, anti-gravity. Asimov had previously explored a world in which anti-gravity was in common use, in "The Singing Bell". Here he shows its initial development.
Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn
Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn (1958) is less of a science fiction mystery, than are some of the other books in the Lucky Starr series. There is no central mystery, and the book is structured as a thriller rather than as a mystery puzzle. Closest element to a conventional mystery: there is a subplot about locating a capsule. At the end (Chapter 16), Lucky does this, using clues based on the dying message of a bad guy. This "dying message used to locate a hidden treasure" approach recalls "The Talking Stone" and "The Key". There is also an interesting passage (Chapter 4) in which Lucky finds hidden significance in a message from a Sirian ship. This is not a dying message, but such "text interpretation" has formal similarities to the "dying message" kind of mystery.
While Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn is not mainly a mystery, it is one of the best Lucky Starr novels, gripping throughout. The last three Lucky Starr novels, Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury, Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter, Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn, seem to form a trilogy. Like The Caves of Steel, they emphasize the conflict between Earth and a group of thinly populated outer planets that use robots. In all of these books, robots play a major role. These books and "The Ugly Little Boy" (1958) were the last major sf works Asimov created before the long silence, 1959 - 1971, during which he published almost no new science fiction, except for his novelization of Fantastic Voyage and a few often very short stories. So their very existence seems precious.
Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn opens with an absorbing account of space travel, to and near Saturn (Chapters 1 - 8). It involves a chase through space, as well as a vivid account of Saturn and its rings, and shows what Asimov could do when he choose to write "space opera". Everything has been imagined with both logic and detail. Like the space travel in "Super-Neutron" (1941), the space ship goes south of the ecliptic, and views a planet from its South Pole. There were good space travel scenes in the second half of Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter, too. But those mainly restricted themselves to vivid descriptions about what might be seen from Jupiter's moons. In Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn, Asimov instead develops a look at space travel as a whole.
The second half of Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn deals with a political struggle. Its intrigue reminds one of the political parts of The Foundation Trilogy and Pebble in the Sky. The book has the first real look at the lives and beliefs of the Sirians, and other Outer World planets. It gives a full look at the politics of these societies. The depiction of how the Sirians regard Earth people as racially inferior is a chilling and powerful pro-Civil Rights commentary, like Pebble in the Sky. The book also shows Asimov's belief that political solutions to problems are far better than war.
Between the complex vision of space travel, and the equally full look at a series of planets and their life styles in its second half, Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn is deeply science fictional. It is a full tilt look at a possible future, an Asimov specialty.
Gay Themes
Some of Asimov's works can be read as embodying gay or bisexual themes:
The Gods Themselves deals with alien beings who have three sexes. We see a detailed look at an alien romance, which includes a love between two alien genders referred to as "he", and a third called "she". And Dua has aspects of being transgendered.
The first of Asimov's Lucky Starr novels, David Starr, Space Ranger, deals with a growing friendship between the hero and another man. It is easy to interpret this as a gay love story, although this is by no means ever made explicit in the novel.
The Caves of Steel also deals with the growing friendship between an Earthman policeman, and his good looking new male robot partner. The close relationship between male police partners is a common metaphor for intimate friendships between men, and one of the few allowed in mainstream books, films and TV shows of its era. It is frequently compared to a marriage.
The Foundation Trilogy contains the mutant human known as The Mule. The Mule is a heterosexual who is attracted to women, but he also has unspecified features that prevent him from having children, or apparently, even any sort of relationship with women.
"Hostess" (1951) deals with a man, his wife, and the terrible secret the man is concealing from his wife about the causes of their marriage. This is a possible metaphor for situations facing some gay men.
"Satisfaction Guaranteed" (1951) is about a married woman who has trouble controlling her attraction to a handsome male robot. While the situation is heterosexual, it can be read as a metaphor for attempts to control hidden gay longings. The robot is an expert in woman's couture, makeup and interior design: professions often associated with gay men.
"Liar!" (1941) and "What's in a Name?" (1956) also deal with women who develop uncontrollable passions for handsome men.
One of the characters in "C-Chute" (1951) speculates on whether, if he were a girl, he would be attracted to a handsome young man in the story.
The Gods Themselves
LGBT. The Gods Themselves has many LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) themes in its middle section. The aliens Odeen and Tritt are both referred to as "he", and have a gay male romance. The characters soon join in a permanent relationship: one of the earliest and most vivid accounts of a gay marriage in literature.
Dua is close to what is now known as transgendered: she looks like one of the three sexes on this planet, but she really is an unusual combination of two of these three sexes.
It might be worth emphasizing, that The Gods Themselves deals very purely with "consensual relations among adults". Also, while the characters all have flaws and limitations, their relationships and sexuality are presented largely sympathetically.
Genre science fiction wrote much about gender and gay life during the 1966-1976 era. Writers like Ursula K. Le Guin, Joanna Russ, Samuel R. Delany, Thomas M. Disch and J.G. Ballard offered many science fictional explorations of such alternative sexuality and gender. The Gods Themselves was part of this movement: an important part.
The explicitness, detail, depth of feeling and respect with which the gay and transgender characters and relationships are depicted, makes The Gods Themselves almost unprecedented. Not just in science fiction, but in human literature as a whole.
Redundancy. Asimov uses "redundancy" to make clear that these characters are LGBT:
Dua is referred to right on the first page as "queer": a common term for LGBT people. The story shows that this queerness involves her non-standard attitude towards gender. The word "queer" is repeated.
There are scenes in which characters wish they were members of a different gender: an idea also frequently associated with LGBT people.
Using a term like "queer" is a literary technique that helps make clear to readers what is going on. It is redundant - we can also tell from the plot that she is transgendered. But using "queer" helps clue readers in. This is like newspaper stories that tell a reader everything three times, a standard technique in reporting. It may sound unnecessary. But in practice, redundancy really helps most people, myself included, to understand what they are reading. Film critic David Bordwell has written about the use of redundancy in Hollywood films, that helps viewers understand the stories.
Mystery Plot. The middle section of The Gods Themselves has mystery elements. These elements involve the beings called the Hard Ones. Both heroes Odeen and Dua wonder about the many mysterious unknown aspects of the Hard Ones' lives. The reader wonders too: readers know just as little as Odeen and Dua. At the end of the story, Odeen and Dua figure out the answers about the Hard Ones, and share them with the reader: just like detectives giving the solution at the end of a typical non-science fiction mystery. The middle section of The Gods Themselves is thus a combination of science fiction and mystery: just like The Caves of Steel and other Asimov science fiction-mysteries. However, the middle section of The Gods Themselves differs from The Caves of Steel, in that the mystery does NOT involve a murder.
The mystery in The Gods Themselves has some broad structural resemblances to the mystery surrounding the Second Foundation in The Foundation Trilogy:
Both tales take place among a group that is well understood by both the characters and the reader: The Soft Ones in The Gods Themselves, the First Foundation in The Foundation Trilogy.
A second, related group is mysterious and full of secrets: the Hard Ones in The Gods Themselves, the Second Foundation in The Foundation Trilogy.
At the tales' ends, the secrets of this second, mysterious group are revealed.
Neither book contains a murder mystery. Instead, the mystery is about a group.
Science Laws Changing. The first section of The Gods Themselves deals with the laws of physics changing. This topic appeared previously in writers with roots in 1930's science fiction pulp magazines:
John W. Campbell's short story "Atomic Power" (1934) deals with the force of gravity changing. It explores the physics of this change in detail. In both Campbell and Asimov, the changing physics is linked to energy sources. SPOILERS. Both tales involve multiple universes. In Campbell these are macro mad micro universes; in Asimov they are parallel dimensions.
Otto Binder wrote a number of tales about "changing laws of science" for the comic book Strange Adventures , in the 1950's. See the article for a detailed discussion.
Hard Science Fiction. This opening section of The Gods Themselves is grounded heavily in science. It seems to be an example of "hard science fiction".
Confusingly, "hard sf" is frequently defined in a number of ways, that actually refer to distinct concepts:
Hard sf is sometimes defined as sf based on accurate science.
Other times as science fiction that explores science and/or scientific research in great detail.
Other times as sf based in "hard sciences" such as physics, chemistry or astronomy.
The first section of The Gods Themselves satisfies all three of these definitions. It is thus "hard sf" no matter which definition you use. One suspects that Asimov was familiar with all of these definitions, and was deliberately trying to write a work that embodied all of them.
Asimov was championing hard science fiction in his essays during this period.
Cosmic Engineering. The discussion of moving the Moon (in the last third) is in the tradition of sf tales of Cosmic Engineering. Asimov likely grew up reading such tales in 1926-1945 pulp magazines, written by authors like Edmond Hamilton and Otto Binder. (See also my article on Otto Binder's 1950's Cosmic Engineering comic book tales in Mystery in Space .)
The Gods Themselves has something of a "kitchen sink" construction: as the saying goes, Asimov seems to be "throwing everything but the kitchen sink" into the story. The book is a huge compendium of science fiction subjects and techniques, some old and maybe old-fashioned like Cosmic Engineering, others up-to-the-minute.
C. I. Defontenay
C. I. Defontenay's novel Star ou Psi de Cassiop�e (1854) is a detailed look at another planet and its solar system. It is one of the earliest and best looks at an alien world in science fiction. It should be much better known. It appeared in English translations as Star (Psi Cassiopeia) (1975). The best part of the book is its first half (up through page 103 in the 1975 paperback translation).
J.-H. Rosny a�n�
Rosny's "Les Xipehuz" (1887) is a terrific look at alien beings.
Hugo Gernsback
Hugo Gernsback founded the first all-science-fiction magazine Amazing Stories in 1926.
Ralph 124C41+
His best known science fiction work is the novel Ralph 124C41+ (1911).
The book's highlight is its depiction of the New York City of the future (Chapter 5). This chapter is a parade of technical marvels. Depictions of advanced, large, fabulous cites were a standard in 1910's sf: the Last Redout of humanity in the future in The Night Land (1912) by William Hope Hodgson , the advanced civilization on Venus in Homer Eon Flint's "The Queen of Life" (1919).
Gernsback's New York City anticipates the futuristic city Trantor in Isaac Asimov's Foundation (1951) and the future New York City in The Caves of Steel (1953). Both Asimov and Gernsback have elevators leading to the roofs of buildings, where one can stare out and see immense vistas. The "routing goods" technology in Gernsback perhaps finds an echo in the different "routing people" technology in the opening of Foundation.
Much of the description of Gernsback's New York centers on light. We get an early look at the solar power plants that provide energy to the city. And the chapter concludes with a full scale "light show" showing the city at night. The depictions of light have a "visionary" quality that recalls the work of William Hope Hodgson. They use color, also recalling Hodgson.
The depiction of New York City streets (Chapter 4) shows that electric vehicles have replaced gas-powered cars. Electric vehicles also appear in the non-science-fiction detective story "The Man Higher Up" (1909) by William MacHarg and Edwin Balmer . In Ralph 124C41+, pedestrians are speeded along by the electric-motor roller skates they wear, called "coasters". Both the coasters and the electric vehicles are re-charged wirelessly from power sources on the streets: thus avoiding the need for charging stations.
Aleksandr Kuprin
Aleksandr Kuprin was a Russian author, mainly of realistic fiction, such as his novel The Duel (1905). His first name has often been transliterated as Alexander, making it confusing to search for him and his books.
Moloch
His short novel Moloch (1896) looks at industry and capitalism. I have only read descriptions and summaries of this work. It is likely an early example of Lab Lit: realistic stories about science, technology and industry, set in contemporary times.
It depicts industry as something that consumes workers, the way the evil pagan god Moloch was worshipped by human sacrifice in the Bible. This metaphor anticipates the science fiction film Metropolis ( Fritz Lang , 1927). Metropolis in turn influenced the Moloch imagery in Allen Ginsberg's poem Howl (1955).
Liquid Sunshine
Aleksandr Kuprin's best known science fiction work is the short story "Liquid Sunshine" (1913). "Liquid Sunshine" looks at solar technology. Elaborate machinery turns, capturing sunlight at different times of day. In this it recalls the solar farms in Hugo Gernsback's Ralph 124C41+ (1911). However Ralph 124C41+ depicts solar power, the gathering of energy from the Sun, while "Liquid Sunshine" has machines collecting actual solar photon particles. Still, both works show the deep interest writers in the 1910's had in solar technology.
The description of the elaborate machinery in "Liquid Sunshine" has a "visionary" quality. So do the depictions of advanced lenses and technical equipment earlier in the tale. They describe an elaborate visual experience, one that is beautiful, and which seems to evoke an almost hallucinatory intensity of visual patterns. Visionary experience was prominent in the 1910's works of William Hope Hodgson . The subject matter of Hodgson and Kuprin is different, with Kuprin being more interested in machinery. Still, the visionary feel of Kuprin definitely recalls Hodgson.
The young hero's many jobs and wandering from place to place, recall the early life of Kuprin himself. This gives "Liquid Sunshine" an autobiographical aspect. The liveliness of these descriptions perhaps reflects their roots in reality. However, the specific details of "Liquid Sunshine" are likely different from the author's own adventures.
"Liquid Sunshine" deserves praise for its sympathetic depiction of Jews. The black servants in the story are not caricatured either. Unfortunately, the tale mars these accomplishments, by having the scientist make dismissive racial remarks at the story's end.
Homer Eon Flint
Homer Eon Flint's fiction is as smoothly written as that of any contemporary author. He in no sense seems to be a "primitive". His fiction recalls that of H.G. Wells, as does that of many of his contemporaries.
Flint's Utopian novella "The Queen of Life" (1919), about a trip to Venus, seems quite sophisticated. It opens with a vivid space flight to that planet, followed by a well thought out look at Venus' advanced civilization. The tale is a genuine science fiction story: full of imaginative, logical detail following from Flint's basic premises. The story's many feminist angles should also intrigue modern readers.
Flint's sequels "The Devolutionist" (1921) and "The Emancipatrix" (1921) seem inferior to "The Queen of Life". The idea of humans as slaves to animals has a long tradition in sf. It shows up in "The Emancipatrix", with humans as slaves to bees.
Flint's stories about cosmic engineering, humans altering solar systems through technology, were cited as an influence by Edmond Hamilton.
Edmond Hamilton
Hamilton's early tales of the Interstellar Patrol of the Federated Suns, have been rightly viewed as gems of early science fiction. As Donald A. Wollheim pointed out in his critical study The Universe Makers (1971), Hamilton's are some of the earliest and most inventive tales of interstellar travel.
Murder in the Void: a short story
By contrast, Hamilton's non-series short story "Murder in the Void" (1938) is disappointing. "Murder in the Void" combines science fiction, a murder mystery, and spy thriller features. It is gruesomely violent, relentlessly filled with unpleasant horror material that takes up the bulk of the story. It does have mystery elements, looking at a series of murders, and a mystery about "who done it". The tale has a puzzle plot, with a surprising choice of villain who does not seem able to have committed the crime, until the solution shows how. The hero is mainly a secret agent, and quite a violent one, but he doubles as a detective. "Murder in the Void" shows that at this early date, Hamilton was exploring the possibility of mystery-sf hybrids.
Hamilton would script many mystery and science fiction tales for comic books in the 1950's and 1960's. His mysteries often centered on "mysteries of identity".
Otto Binder
Binder was a major creator of comic book scripts. These are notable for their rich science fiction imagination.
The Teacher from Mars: a short story
"The Teacher from Mars" (1941) is an outstanding short work by Binder. It looks at the evils of racial prejudice, given in science fictional form as hatred against Martians. "The Teacher from Mars" is probably most easily found in the anthology My Best Science Fiction Story (1949), edited by Leo Margulies and Oscar J. Friend.
Nelson S. Bond
"Pilgrimage" (1939) is the first of a series of stories about Meg, a priestess of a future tribe. It is an example of a tale that combines a science fiction look at a far future North America, with a "primitive" tribal life. "Pilgrimage" is likely strongly influenced by "By the Waters of Babylon" (1937) by Stephen Vincent Ben�t, a famous story in its era.
John W. Campbell
Who Goes There?
"Who Goes There?" (1938) is a novella. It mixes science fiction and horror.
Problem and solution. "Who Goes There?" has a "problem and solution" structure. The hero, and implicitly the reader, are faced with a science fiction problem: identifying the alien. Eventually, the hero comes up with a solution, a method to identify the alien. The method used as the solution is logically based on the ideas in the story.
Such a "problem and solution" has some resemblance to the mystery tale: a riddle or puzzle, and a logical yet surprising solution based on prior events in the story.
Note that the method is the solution to the problem. The identity of the alien determined by the method is not something that the reader can deduce logically. Only the method of determining the alien is developed logically from prior story elements. This differs from most mysteries, where the identity of the culprit is the solution, logically derived from clues. By contrast, in "Who Goes There?", it is the method of finding the alien that is the problem's solution.
"Problem and solution" tales occur in other science fiction authors. They include some of Isaac Asimov's robot stories, and Gardner Fox's Adam Strange comic book science fiction series. The final section of Theodore L. Thomas' "The Weather Man" (1962) has a problem-and-solution structure.
Lovecraft tradition. "Who Goes There?" perhaps reflects the work of H.P. Lovecraft and his followers, a tradition not always viewed as close to Campbell:
"Who Goes There?" is a horror story based in science and science fictional in approach: a central Lovecraft tradition.
"Who Goes There?" shows sinister aliens present in Antarctica since ancient times, recalling Lovecraft's At The Mountains of Madness (written 1931, published 1936). However, Lovecraft's aliens built cities, while Campbell's aliens are stuck frozen in ice.
The shoggoths in At The Mountains of Madness are amorphous, have multiple eyes, and center on protoplasm: features suggesting the quite different aliens in "Who Goes There?".
Lovecraft disciple Frank Belknap Long's "The Hounds of Tindalos" (1931) explores the biology of alien beings, suggesting they have different protoplasm. "Who Goes There?" takes an even deeper dive into such possible alien biologies.
While Lovecraft and Long are strictly science fictional, Campbell has even more scientific detail. Campbell approaches what we would now categorize as "hard science fiction".
Technology. "Who Goes There?" opens and closes with pictures of the aliens' advanced technology. This gives a "super-science" dimension to the tale, recalling such Campbell stories as "Night" (1935).
The opening includes a spectacular light show: a favorite subject in science fiction.
Popularity and canons. "Who Goes There?" is far and away John W. Campbell's most famous story today. This is in part because of the numerous film versions, as The Thing. It is also perhaps because it is one of the most horror-centered of Campbell's works, thus finding an audience among the vast group of horror fans.
However, the fame of "Who Goes There?" also reflects its repeated inclusion in science fiction canons. Even before the first film version The Thing from Another World ( Howard Hawks and Christian Nyby, 1951), there are signs that "Who Goes There?" was becoming a canonical science fiction story. "Who Goes There?" was included in the pioneering science fiction anthology Adventures in Time and Space (1946) edited by Raymond J. Healy and J. Francis McComas, a work that helped establish science fiction canons. Since that time, "Who Goes There?" has repeatedly shown up in key science fiction canon-building enterprises, such as The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two (1973), where it was voted top place among science fiction novellas, and the All-Centuries Locus Polls (2012), where "Who Goes There?" took 4th place among novellas.
Arthur C. Clarke
Pre-History: British and in Clarke
Imagery in some of Arthur C. Clarke's best-known works recalls monuments of Prehistoric Britain.
One might compare the description of a prehistoric Dartmoor barrow in the mystery novel known as The Corpse With the Blue Cravat or The Coroner Doubts (1938) by R. A. J. Walling . (Walling's descriptions are near the start of Chapter 3):
The barrow is marked out by a solitary, tall standing stone, referred to by Walling as a "monolith". This anticipates the monolith in Clarke's 2001.
Walling describes an large artificial bowl made of stones, likely made at the same time as the barrow. This is called the "Giant's Basin". It is set in the ground. It anticipates the giant hemispherical bowl in Clarke's Against the Fall of Night (Chapter 7), also artificial. Both bowls are compared to craters.
In real-life Britain, such features were created by early, prehistoric residents of Britain. In Clarke, such features were also created by dimly understood prehistoric beings.
The TV series Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World (1980) includes an episode about megalithic structures, The Riddle of the Stones.
Against the Fall of Night
The Desert and the Forest. Against the Fall of Night (1948-1953) contrasts two societies: a Utopian city built in the desert, Diaspar, and a rural region made up of lush forests, Lys. Symbolically, these could stand for England and Sri Lanka, the two countries where Clarke mainly lived. England is hardly a desert. But it is a place where untouched nature has largely been eradicated. It would have made a stunning contrast in the 1950's with the lush rain forests in Sri Lanka.
Having a hero move out of his home region to explore a forested area, also occurs in Clarke tales like "The Lion of Comarre" and "Second Dawn".
Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed (1974) has its dissatisfied hero travel from his home in a desert Utopia to a lush, fertile green area hosting a very different society. Like Clarke's heroes, he is the only member of his otherwise inward-looking society to make such a journey.
Pets. Theon has two pets, and the human-pet relationship is idealized. Similarly, "The Lion of Comarre" gets its title from the lion who adopts the hero as his human owner. Both tales' relationships are modeled on that of humans and dogs.
Like other parts of Clarke tales, an idealized viewed of dogs is deeply British. British writers and painters often depicted dogs as better morally than humans, with dogs' loyalty and steadfastness seen as morally superior to humans' behavior.
Future Cities. John W. Campbell wrote famous tales of advanced future cities, often abandoned. Such Campbell short stories as "Night" (1935) and "Forgetfulness" (1937) perhaps influenced Clarke's cities in Against the Fall of Night.
The Night Land (1912) by William Hope Hodgson depicts much of what is left of mankind gathered together in a single, isolated city on a far future Earth. The hero learns of the existence of a second settlement, and sets out to find it. This could have influenced Clarke. However, the tone of the two novels is different, with Against the Fall of Night lacking the horror and eeriness of The Night Land.
Automated Transport. SPOILERS. The automatic underground transport system recalls Clarke's "Rescue Party" (1946).
The automatic spaceship in which the hero catches a ride anticipates Childhood's End.
Such systems are very British. They recall the Underground subway system in London, and Britain's national railway system. Both of these are key features of British life.
The Computer. The main computer is known as the Associator. Central to it is what we now call a "database" or "knowledge base": a large collection of information, facts and knowledge. It also has reasoning capabilities. One suspects that the novel's concepts were influenced by earlier real life proposals for creating vast knowledge bases:
H.G. Wells' advocacy of what he called a World Brain in the 1930's.
Vannevar Bush's advocacy of a hypertext knowledge system in his article "As We May Think" (1945). It viewed knowledge associatively, as does Clarke's Associator. Bush's essay later directly influenced such real-life computer scientists as Douglas Engelbart and Ted Nelson.
Vanamonde. Vanamonde is "born" as an infant, and slowly grows up. This anticipates the Star Child at the end of the film 2001. However, Vanamonde is "explained" in considerable science fictional detail, whereas the Star Child is a puzzling image that suddenly appears without explanation.
It is unclear to me that group minds or telepathy are superior to or an advance on the single individual minds of today's humans. This means that I have trouble seeing the ends of Against the Fall of Night and Childhood's End as progress, or improvements on today's humanity.
Religions and Movements. Against the Fall of Night (Chapter 8) has a religious movement, which worships the Old Ones. It eventually drops out of mainstream society, building an alternative society of its own.
Similarly, in "The Lion of Comarre" (Chapter 2) the Decadents movement offers an alternative to mainstream society, eventually building its own city. However, the Decadents are not a religious group, even though they have moral values differing from mainstream society.
Both groups are long-lived, and deeply committed. Neither group is purely political. Such religious or value-based groups allow Clarke to look at social dissent, but without invoking radical politics that is politically based. "Earthlight" (the short story version) makes negative satirical comments about "reformers", expressing what seems to be both distaste and disinterest on Clarke's part in dissenting political movements.
The Decadents are likely inspired by the real-life late 19th Century Decadents, and their British representatives, the Aesthetic movement, led by Walter Pater and Oscar Wilde. Like many other traditions invoked by Clarke, the Aesthetic movement is deeply British. Also notable: Pater and Wilde were gay men, as was Clarke.
A Science Fiction Mystery Story. The hero of Against the Fall of Night is trying to solve two mysteries: What is beyond the city of Diaspar? What is the truth about humanity's past? The book shows him steadily answering both questions.
This gives Against the Fall of Night the structure of a mystery story: a tale in which a hero investigates and solves a mysterious situation.
However, Against the Fall of Night has little of the mechanism of traditional, non-science fiction mystery. Neither clues nor deduction play much role in finding the solution. Nor is a hidden villain revealed, unlike "Whodunit" mystery tales.
A Gay Subtext?. Five of the six main characters in Clarke's Against the Fall of Night are men. Most of the personal relationships are between men. Some of these relationships are emotionally important to the men: see Jeserac's feelings for Alvin (end of Chapter 11) and Rorden's relationship with Alvin (start of Chapter 12). The relationship that develops at the end between Vanamonde and Theon is also between two male characters, even if one of them is non-human.
The hero has no relationships with women. His sexual orientation is unspecified: he is never marked as straight or gay. This is unusual for books and films, which most frequently explicitly describe their heroes as heterosexual.
The idea that all the male characters are gay, and that their friendships have gay sexual dimensions, is consistent with the novel. However, the novel does not actually say this explicitly. It is also possible to read the book as a story which simply does not explore any of the characters' sexuality.
Some of the character types and kinds of relationships return in "The Wall of Darkness" (1949), a tale with all-male characters. In both works, the young hero leaves home for another distant society, and strikes up a friendship with a young man he meets there, a man who helps him explore the world. Both tales also show a relationship between the young hero and his tutor. And the hero of "The Wall of Darkness" does not have an explicit sexual orientation given either. "The Wall of Darkness" can also be seen as a story that ambiguously might have a gay subtext.
Poet A. E. Housman is the source of the book's title. Housman was gay, and was a favorite of gay writers of the era, also giving the title to Patrick White's mainstream novel The Tree of Man (1955), and being quoted by mystery writer Aaron Marc Stein in Sitting Up Dead (1958).
The Wall of Darkness: a short story
A Science Fiction Mystery Story. "The Wall of Darkness" (1949) has the structure of a mystery story:
It opens with a mystery, "What is behind the wall?";
The hero investigates, just like a detective in a conventional mystery;
The hero solves the mystery at the end.
This is exactly the structure of a mystery tale. Only it is applied to a science fiction puzzle, rather than a murder or theft, as in a conventional mystery.
The end of the story explains the solution in enormous detail. Partly this is an example of Clarke's stress on clarity and communication: he is an exceptionally clear writer throughout his books. But it also reflects the way the genre of mystery fiction stresses clear solutions to its mysteries, with everything spelled out in detail during the solution at the end of the story.
Quasi-Medieval. "The Wall of Darkness" (1949) has a quasi-medieval feel:
The families are like feudal lords, landowners who control vast territories.
The architecture is medieval, with a tower supported by flying buttresses.
Society has declined from an earlier, more technologically developed era. This is a bit like the decline of Medieval Europe from the more advanced societies of Ancient Rome and Greece.
Despite this, "The Wall of Darkness" mercifully avoids any trace of the supernatural, unlike some quasi-medieval tales. It instead sticks strictly to science.
Influence on Le Guin?. "The Wall of Darkness" might have influenced Ursula K. Le Guin:
The ancient families with central homes anticipate Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness (1969). So does the general quasi-medieval feel of the society.
"The Building" (2001) in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes shows a building project in the far south of a world in which society and technology have regressed.
Second Dawn: a short story
"Second Dawn" (1951) is an elaborately imagined story about alien beings on another planet. Like "Rescue Party", it is unusual in being a story entirely about aliens, with no human characters.
It has aspects of a "future history", showing the beings undergo a series of developments over time.
"Second Dawn" has links to Against the Fall of Night. In both:
Beings who are dissatisfied with their society undergo a journey, in which they discover a second, much different society in a remote land.
The second society is agricultural, and lives in a lush area that includes forests, unlike the original society.
Alien beings are discovered, that change the direction of the original society.
Telepathy and group minds are explored. However, unlike Against the Fall of Night, telepathy and group minds are NOT seen as a positive, ultimate development. Instead, they are viewed as a possibility that is explored but ultimately rejected as second-rate.
In Against the Fall of Night, the civilization of Diaspar is simply abandoned, as humanity moves towards a group mind. By contrast, "Second Dawn" shows society evolving, with changes in fundamental directions and approaches, and technological innovation. I think this is a more interesting approach.
A big negative: the relentless sexism. The hero's wife is uninterested in ideas, perhaps incapable of serious thinking, and obsessed with jewels and personal display.
Jupiter Five: a short story
"Jupiter Five" (1953) is about a pioneering space journey to Jupiter's moon Jupiter V. (Jupiter V also known as Amalthea, although that name is not used in the story.) It extends ideas from earlier Clarke tales:
Like "The Sentinel" it deals with remains left behind long ago by advanced alien visitors to our Solar System.
Like "Second Dawn", the aliens seem to balance themselves from a projection in the rear, in this case a tail.
I particularly liked the information about the size and geography of Jupiter's moons.
However much of the second half of "Jupiter Five" is a let-down: the tale stops focussing on the aliens, and looks at silly intrigue with a rival explorer. "Jupiter Five" would be better if it were longer and had more about the aliens.
BIG SPOILERS. The description of the huge alien construction reminds one of Simak's prior tale "Limiting Factor" (1949).
"Jupiter Five" contains witty reflexive looks at contemporary publishers, such as Life magazine and Sidgwick & Jackson. Clarke's "I Remember Babylon" will mention Clarke's involvement with the Book of the Month Club.
The art gallery recalls the paintings and carvings on display in the building in "The Lion of Comarre" (Chapter 4). Both are huge buildings filled with a vast number of art treasures, the product of an entire culture.
Robert Heinlein
Future History
Robert Heinlein became famous in the early 1940's, in part because of his Future History. This was a series of short stories and novels, that together painted a historical sequence of future events. Most of the Future History series was collected in the omnibus The Past Through Tomorrow.
"The Roads Must Roll" (1940) is Heinlein's most impressive short story. It is richly inventive in its look at future technology leading to new social organization.
"Delilah and the Space Rigger" (1949) recalls "The Roads Must Roll", in showing a whole new technological infrastructure, and the society that develops out of it.
"Misfit" (1939) is the first of Heinlein's "big engineering projects in the future" tales, anticipating "The Roads Must Roll" and "Delilah and the Space Rigger". In both "Misfit" and "Delilah and the Space Rigger", we see the huge enterprise being built. "Misfit" also has elements of Cosmic Engineering: altering astronomical objects through human engineering, usually to benefit Mankind. Cosmic Engineering is associated with Edmond Hamilton and Otto Binder.
"Coventry" (1940), by contrast has little technology in it. It is mainly sociological. It casts a satiric look at Libertarian fantasies, contrasting them with grim realities.
Three of the stories give a vivid picture of life on a future moon colony: "The Black Pits of Luna" (1948), "It's Great to Be Back!" (1947), "The Menace from Earth" (1957).
Universe
"Universe" (1941) is a novella. It is an early work in the Generation Starship topic, and highly influential on the many Generation Starship tales to follow. It was published shortly after the excellent "The Voyage that Lasted 600 Years" (1940) by Don Wilcox, a Generation Starship tale that explores many different plot possibilities of the premise.
I long since had read such later stories as Simak's "Target Generation" and Le Guin's "Paradises Lost". Both are earnest, serious-toned looks at moral choices faced by people on such starships. By contrast, "Universe" startles by its playful, comic, satirical tone. "Universe" also seems more experimental in its literary techniques, with its inclusion of verse.
Ideology. "Universe" refuses to endorse any historical group as Good Guys:
Both the (self-proclaimed) scientists and the superstitious traditionalists turn out to be completely out-of-touch with reality, and pursuing bad ends.
Both Religion and Atheism based politics and government get held up to scorn, as wrong concepts that lead to evil social ends.
"Universe" is especially disturbed by the prospect that religion or atheism might be the basis of a government. It shows the horrendous consequences of both theocracy, and public policy run by atheism. Implicitly, it strongly prefers the separation of church and state. It makes one thankful for the American system, in which the government stays completely out of religion, and allows the public to freely pursue their own religious approaches.
No one's beliefs in "Universe" are a matter of private conviction - instead, a viewpoint immediately links one to a political-and-social group. The religious are out to preserve the (lousy) traditional society; the young atheists are out to take ever the Ship, and plotting a genocide of the mutants. Both groups are seen as scientifically false and socially rotten.
The religious-government authorities such as the Captain, have their ideas implicitly compared to the way the Catholic Church treated Galileo:
The hero quotes Galileo (without attribution): "Nevertheless - it still moves".
Looking through the Veranda to the stars, is an analogue of Galileo's real-life attempts to get people to look through the newly invented telescope.
The real-life atheist-government most prominent in 1941 were the Communists led by Stalin. They were indeed engaged in mass murder - like the mass killing planned by the young atheists in "Universe".
Heinlein was a Methodist. He was raised in a strongly Methodist family, and he still self-identified himself as a Methodist in his non-fiction travel book Tramp Royale (1953-1954).
Ignorance. "Universe" is another Heinlein work where knowledge is NOT passed along through written form. One of the "root causes" of problems aboard the Ship is that there is no print or electronic transmission of ideas. There are old books, but apparently no new books or documents. And few people can read, or count. As in Starman Jones, knowledge is mainly passed along through apprenticeship: a highly inefficient route, in my judgement.
However, Have Space Suit - Will Travel looks at a contemporary US high school, where the curriculum and attitudes are so dumbed-down that its graduates are not college-ready. The teenage hero has to stand consciously outside of his society, and pursue a vigorous course of self-study, just to be qualified to enter a university engineering program. Here is a whole society, filled with books and literate members, that in spite of these advantages has dumbed itself down nearly to the level of the Ship in "Universe".
Starman Jones
Starman Jones (1953) takes place in the future, in a universe set forth in great detail. It is richest in science fiction ideas in its opening third (Chapters 1-7). Many aspects echo and develop ideas that Heinlein earlier set forth in short tales, most of them part of his Future History:
"The Roads Must Roll": future ground transport, including the "ring trains" and futuristic trucks, and human beings interacting with it dangerously. The labor unions of "Roads" return in much more negative form as the Guilds in Starman Jones.
"Coventry": a look at a society full of crooks, always try to rip off a naive newcomer hero. Also, a man wise in the ways of that society, who becomes a mentor and guide to that same hero.
"We Also Walk Dogs": special environments for alien visitors to Earth.
"Space Jockey": the idea that navigating a spaceship requires endless direct mathematical computations. The men who do this are highly trained mathematicians. Oddly, I think these aspects are less interesting than others, in both "Space Jockey" and Starman Jones. Such math calculations originated in "Misfit".
"And He Built a Crooked House": the fourth dimension, affecting three-dimensional life in our universe. In Starman Jones, used to explain the mathematics behind hyperspace jumps (end of Chapter 7). This explanation is unusually detailed and geometric, for what is often treated just as a convention in sf stories.
"Misfit": both the planned alternating of weightlessness and gravity, and descriptions of pressure locks in space, return briefly in the funeral (start of Chapter 13). The savant of "Misfit" anticipates the hero with photographic memory in Starman Jones. Both do complex math calculations in their head, eventually saving the day.
The versions and details of these ideas in Starman Jones are new. They are variations and developments of previous Heinlein ideas, not simple re-uses. They give Heinlein's worlds a unique mental basis, a grounding in a series of personal approaches.
The last two-thirds of Starman Jones are thinner. The endless political intrigues among the astrogaters are unpleasant. Worse, they lack plausibility, especially in the complete lack of built-in safety features or double checking over their calculations. This criticism has the benefit of hindsight, to be fair: safety features in software are standard in the 2000's, whereas Heinlein was trying to extrapolate in 1953!
Similarly, the photographing of the records is interesting (start of Chapter 14), but one wonders why such archiving doesn't happen automatically. In the future technology of Murray Leinster's "The Ethical Equations" (1945) for example, it likely would have.
Real knowledge of How To Do Things in Starman Jones is restricted to a few men with practical experience. They can teach young men in person. But there are no textbooks, training films, training software or encyclopedias in this future, to share knowledge on a massive scale. Modern society since the 1700's has depended on such books to spread the principles behind its industrial base. Admittedly, in the future world of Starman Jones, all professions and knowledge are highly restricted by Guilds. Still, one wonders if one is also seeing a none-too-workable prejudice in Heinlein against book learnin' and in favor of Practical Men.
Rick Raphael
Rick Raphael is an American science fiction writer, fairly obscure today.
Code Three
"Code Three" (1963) is a novella, about futuristic police vehicles patrolling the superhighways of tomorrow. The future in "Code Three" is refreshingly normal: this is not a dystopia like that in the Mad Max films, and the motorists on the road are also normal human beings, much like those in 1963. The actions of the cops are also normal: basically they resemble a typical episode of the TV series CHiPs, helping stranded motorists, dealing with accidents, etc.
So what is different about the future in "Code Three", from the 1963 United States? Mainly the high tech police vehicles, and the very high speed highways. Most of "Code Three" is devoted to pictures of all the advanced technology mounted on the giant police truck the heroes drive. Raphael shows imagination and logic, in his endlessly detailed depictions of this technology. This is the center of the story.
The high speed freeways are also logically imagined. They are visibly influenced by the advanced highways in Robert Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll" (1940), one of the most famous and admired of sf stories. Heinlein broke up his roads into a series of lanes, each moving at a different speed, from slow to fast. The freeways in "Code Three" are also broken up into zones, in which cars move at different ranges of speed. Heinlein featured a corps of professional highway workers, and buildings and equipment for them; the highways in "Code Three" are similarly patrolled and maintained by a specialized Patrol.
Before either Heinlein or Raphael, Hugo Gernsback had two lanes on pedestrian sidewalks in Ralph 124C41+ (1911) (Chapter 4). The lanes were for pedestrians moving in different directions, not speeds. And Gernsback's pedestrians are on motorized roller skates he called "coasters".
The future in "Code Three" is full of constant communication, resembling a bit today's society and its in-touch members. However, communication in "Code Three" is above all the human voice saying things, transmitted by radio. Radio was THE high tech medium of the 1940's, and it wowed many authors of science fiction and scientific detective stories. It is still central in "Code Three" in 1963. "Code Three" does include a fascinating scene where information is read off metal tags by a machine, interpreted, and transmitted by radio. So Raphael was envisioning other kinds of data communication. But there is no conception of an Internet routinely transmitting every sort of text and data; rather, specialized machines are built occasionally to transmit important kinds of data such as those on the metallic tags.
The heroine is a well-developed person, in the depiction of her professional activities. This is an implicitly feminist portrait, with her working in a position of equality with the men.
"Code Three" recalls 1950's films, about California highways and vehicles:
The title "Code Three" echoes Code Two ( Fred M. Wilcox , 1953), about Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) motorcycle cops.
The young hot-rodders recall those in 1950's films, such as Hot Rod Girl ( Leslie H. Martinson , 1956). In Hot Rod Girl, sympathetic cop Chuck Connors has to find a way to get nice but misguided teenagers to avoid dangerous hot-rod stunts. The same dilemma is faced by the likable-but-concerned cop hero in an episode of "Code Three".
Death in Small Doses ( Joseph M. Newman , 1957) has its Food and Drug Administration agent hero (Peter Graves) battling amphetamine abuse among truckers. It resembles "Code Three" less than the above films, but it is another example of a thriller about highway traffic.
There was a syndicated US television police series Code 3 (1957). While the popular Drganet centered on true tales of the LAPD, Code 3 drew on the records of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
William P. McGivern wrote "Killer on the Turnpike" (1961), a non-science fiction novella about State Police hunting for a murderer on what seems to be the New Jersey Turnpike. The highway and the police patrolling it are organized on similar lines as in "Code Three". This might not indicate that "Killer on the Turnpike" was an influence on "Code Three". It might simply mean that both stories are grounded in the reality of the US highway system in the 1960's. Both authors show mobile police vehicles talking by radio to dispatchers in fixed locations; highway entrance and exit points as key areas of possible interception; milestones used to identify locations on the highway; information connections to national crime fighting networks. Both works also feature bad weather to make the highway scenes more suspenseful.
Code Two and Death in Small Doses are examples of the era's semi-documentary school of films about elite government agencies fighting crime in a high tech world. Such films were shot in a near-documentary manner, showing how their organizations functioned in detail. One can see related ideas in prose mystery fiction like "Killer on the Turnpike" and prose science fiction like "Code Three". These works are also strongly technological.
These works are not explicitly political, but on reflection they do have a political dimension. "Code Three", "Killer on the Turnpike", Code Two and Death in Small Doses all glorify government agents and their organizations. They came from an era when patriotic Americans valued their government. After 1978, radical conservatives and libertarians would constantly belittle and demonize government. They have done everything possible to fire government employees and defame their work. These stories and films reflect the attitudes of an earlier and more practical time, when the real life achievements of government agencies were recognized and applauded.
Cyril M. Kornbluth
Cyril M. Kornbluth is an American science fiction writer and mystery writer. Both genres are discussed in the book C.M. Kornbluth: The Life and Works of a Science Fiction Visionary (2009) by Mark Rich.
A Ghoul and His Money: a Short Story
"A Ghoul and His Money" (1946) is a brief, nicely done mystery short story.
Like some of Kornbluth's science fiction tales, "A Ghoul and His Money" shows contemporary science. In this case, the science is the technology surrounding ceramics. As usual in Kornbluth, the science is depicted in rich detail. It gives the reader an inside look, at part of the contemporary world.
Science is used both by the narrator-detective, and by a woman in the story. This gives "A Ghoul and His Money" an aspect of Scientific Detection .
For such a brief tale, there is a surprising amount of mystery in "A Ghoul and His Money". All the mysteries are resolved by the tale's end.
"A Ghoul and His Money" deals with women's issues, long before they became prominent in the 1970's. Woman's employment, equal attitudes to women, and spousal abuse are all examined trenchantly. Kornbluth manages to cover the core of these issues concisely, without watering down their content or significance. He also injects notes of satire and dark humor, not surprisingly in an author whose science fiction is famous for its satire.
"A Ghoul and His Money" is also typical of Kornbluth, in that it shows us economically struggling people.
Murray Leinster
Science Fiction Short Stories
"The Ethical Equations" (1945) shows its hero investigating a mysterious space-ship. The techniques the hero uses surprisingly anticipate modern technology, such as the Internet. "A Logic Named Joe" (1946) would take Leinster's computer and Internet predictions much further.
"First Contact" (1945), traditionally Leinster's most famous tale, is interesting when discussing the alien's communication through infrared, part of Leinster's interest in communication media. The Crab Nebula parts are lively. But it is also too militaristic for comfort. Leinster sometimes depicts both the social and natural worlds as full of enemies who want to destroy each other. Sometimes, as in "De Profundis" (1945), this can be a basis for an imaginative story. But often times, it just seems depressing.
Leinster also likes portraits of societies breaking down into complete disorder. This is funny and remarkable in "A Logic Named Joe". It is less appealing in the sinister opening sections of "Sidewise in Time" (1934).
Evidence
"Evidence" (1919) is a minor mystery short story, sound enough in its way, but no classic. It is a mystery set at an inquest. A local character serving as amateur detective manages to deduce the real killer. The clue he uses is sound, and fairly unusual. But this clue is not shared with the reader until the story's finale, and the tale thus lacks "fair play".
"Evidence" takes place on a run-down cattle ranch in modern day 1919 Texas, near the Mexican Border. Perhaps any story set on a Texas cattle ranch should be classified as a Western. But Western elements are not stressed. Instead, the tale seems more like a "detective story set in a rural region". The hero seems more like a folksy man of the countryside, rather than any sort of cowboy.
Hal Clement
Hal Clement had personal ties with elite Boston area educational institutions. He graduated from Rindge, a technical public high school in Cambridge, and then from Harvard. He spent 38 years teaching high school science at Milton Academy, an elite (and expensive) private prep school. These schools have links with Modernism: E.E. Cummings went to Rindge, and T.S. Eliot and Buckminster Fuller went to Milton. And political leadership: Bobby and Teddy Kennedy went to Milton, and Bill de Blasio to Rindge. Both of these high schools are often "feeders" to Harvard, sending their graduates there to college.
Proof
"Proof" (1942) is Hal Clement's first published short story. It already shows features in common with Mission of Gravity to come:
detailed alien beings and worlds;
worlds full of extreme physics and how it affects life;
alien protagonists with human characters in supporting roles;
heroes who are who are captains of vessels, in a tradition of sea adventure stories;
richly detailed scientific explanations of event after event in the story;
a future of interstellar travel, but not an advanced galactic civilization;
a contrast between a world's dense core and lighter outer mass, as a key to its physics.
Mission of Gravity
Mission of Gravity (1953) has features that anticipate Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness (1969). Both tales create entire new alien planets, whose civilization is adapted to cold weather. In both novels, the planet is visited by human space explorers, who largely remain in orbit in satellites around the planet, only occasionally sending single men down to the surface. In both, the space explorers are technologically far more advanced than the inhabitants of the planet. In both, the single human on the planet surface has to form alliances with the complex societies of the planet. Both tales are pitched at a precise moment: after First Contact, but before any deep integration of planetary and galactic civilization.
Mission of Gravity shows the influence of an early story by "Lee Gregory" (Milton A. Rothman), "Heavy Planet" (1939). Both deal with planets with huge gravity, and both have protagonists who are alien life forms, adapted to the enormous gravitational pull. In both, the aliens are intelligent and technological, but not as advanced as the humans who have just arrived on the planet for the first time. In both, obtaining new science and technology from the humans is a major goal of the local aliens. Clement's alien society is more idealistic than the one in "Heavy Planet", with the aliens more interested in commerce, and less in war and fighting.
Mission of Gravity is at its best in its opening chapters (1-6), when it offers a pure science fictional look at an initial exploration of an alien planet. After this point, the tale becomes more of an adventure story, with less sf invention. The opening is the part most closely linked with Clement's essay "Whirligig World".
Landscape and Influences. The section about the cliff (Chapter 9) recalls an episode in the film The Big Trail ( Raoul Walsh , 1930), a Western movie about a wagon train. The cliff section is something of a return to the mood of the opening (Chapters 1-6).
As a science fiction novel depicting adventure among oceans, islands and dramatic landscapes, Mission of Gravity has a bit of the feel of H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896).
The bay (Chapter 11) recalls landscapes in Poe's "The Domain of Arnheim" and "Landor's Cottage".
Perhaps Mission of Gravity in turn influenced the later Riverworld books of Philip Jose Farmer. Mission of Gravity (Chapter 10) shows advanced beings boating down a river, and attacked by a warlike tribe who live on the nearby shore: something that returns in the Riverworld. However, Riverworld reportedly originated in an unpublished novel Owe for the Flesh written in 1952, a year before Mission of Gravity was serialized in 1953.
Arthropods. The main alien group in Mission of Gravity is clearly inspired by the Arthropods: the widespread real-life group of animals that includes arachnids, insects and crustaceans. A terrific documentary on Arthropods is The Incredible March of the Spiny Lobsters (1976), an episode of the TV series The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.
Features of the aliens that recall Arthropods:
Segmented bodies.
Pincers
Small size
Names. The alien hero's name Barlennan recalls the French words "le nain", which mean "the dwarf".
The human hero's last name Lackland recalls Lackland Air Force Base, named in 1948 for Brigadier General Frank Lackland. Hal Clement had a long career with the US Air Force. Lackland Air Force Base plays a major role in Air Force training, reminding us that Clement was a teacher both in the Air Force and his civilian job. And that humans spend much time training aliens in Mission of Gravity.
Science: Need for Unconventional Innovation. Science, as an intellectual discipline, is a topic that runs through Mission of Gravity.
The astronomy of the Mesklinites, and their bowl-model of their planet, is at a similar scientific level to the real-life ancient Greek astronomy of Ptolemy. Both are at a similar stage of scientific development:
Both are partially true models of their worlds, that explain many things accurately.
But both have flaws, and need to be replaced by more advanced models: human scientists' view of Mesklin, and Copernicus and Kepler's better version of astronomy that replaced Ptolemy's.
Both the Mesklinites and Ptolemy used sophisticated geometry. They deserve admiration for this. These are not "primitive" views. They are science that needs to be replaced by better and more advanced science.
However, human scientists turn out to have some views that need replacing as well (middle of Chapter 6). Human meteorologists have a hard time accepting at first, that the variable gravity on Mesklin might lead to variable sea levels. This concept is alien to their science. They are also shown at first as disbelieving the alien Barlennan. Here it is humans who need to improve conventional scientific ideas, learning from the knowledge of aliens. Mission of Gravity thus implies that no one racial group has a monopoly on truth, and that every group's ideas can be improved by better science.
"Whirligig World", Clement's article on the creation of Mission of Gravity, depicts him as challenging conventional science fiction truisms in the basic premises of his novel. Such a challenge to conventional ideas also underlies the depiction of science in Mission of Gravity. Both the Mesklinite view of their planet, and human meteorologists' ideas on the sea, need to be replaced with improved models that challenge conventional ideas.
Sociology and Race. Mission of Gravity can be read as an allegory, about the present and near future relationships between Westerners and the Third World. The human hero and allies are humans with advanced technology; the alien is a highly intelligent and hard-working member of alien group with a much lower level of technological and scientific development. The book ultimately shows scientific knowledge flowing to the alien society, which will use it to advance. The humans in the novel can stand for the West, with its advanced science; the aliens might stand for Third World countries in Asia and Africa, who will be learning science from the West, and developing into high tech societies in the near future. And just as the aliens are equally as intelligent and capable as the humans in Mission of Gravity, so, the book implies, Asians and Africans are just as intelligent and capable as whites.
As best one can tell, this parallel is not explicitly made in the novel. But it forms such an exact parallel to the real-life situation of the West and the Third World in 1953, that it seems likely that Mission of Gravity has such implicit meaning.
Mission of Gravity is strongly admiring of its alien heroes, and strongly supportive of their quest to advance technologically. Looked at as an allegory, Mission of Gravity is similarly strongly in favor of the Third World, and its struggle to advance in science and technology.
Hal Clement's real last name, Stubbs, is one with roots in British history: there is a major English painter George Stubbs. One suspects that Hal Clement was a New England WASP. He was friends with the Jewish Isaac Asimov, with whom he brainstormed Mission of Gravity. One sees parallels with the human hero Charles Lackland of Mission of Gravity. Lackland is also an English-sounding name. And he works with biochemist Dr. Rosten. Rosten is a Jewish name. Human society in Mission of Gravity is thus typified by WASPs and Jews working together: a anti-racist portrait of the United States and Western society in 1953.
Diplomat. We learn human hero Charles Lackland is a diplomat (Chapter 5). This suggests a hidden background and agenda to the character.
Government: A Positive View. The science project on which all the human characters work is important to governments (middle of Chapter 5). Although the book doesn't say explicitly, it is likely government-funded or somehow government-sponsored. Both the project and the humans are portrayed in a mainly positive light. Implicitly, so are the governments that fund or sponsor the project. They all seem to be mainly benevolent.
Mission of Gravity implicitly depicts these future governments and the people who work for them as mainly good, practical and effective. Mission of Gravity is NOT a libertarian work. It shows none of the anti-government attitude that drives today's conservative libertarians.
The governments concerned with the project are "the governments of ten planets". This phrase suggests that these are world-governments: governments who run entire planets. Mission of Gravity thus shows humans developing world-government in the future. World-government was a cause advocated by H.G. Wells.
On the other hand, the alien governments seen are mainly portrayed negatively: the forest people (Chapter 10), the island people (Chapter 12). The forest people are a "primitive" society with a dictatorial king, and the book's disdain seems mainly a distaste for dictatorial rule. However, the islanders are more advanced. The negative view of the island people might thus be more relevant as a critique of contemporary society.
Economics. The aliens have a trading system, that looks capitalistic. Clever traders who take risks and make money were much admired by Astounding Science Fiction. See also Simak's "The Big Front Yard" (1958).
The "port fees" assessed by the island people are seen negatively, essentially as extortion (Chapter 12). This might, or might not, be a negative look at government taxation in general.
But we actually learn almost nothing about the humans' economic system. Cost is important to them: we hear about how valuable the lost rocket is, and how much it cost to produce. But otherwise economics is invisible among the humans.
This means that Mission of Gravity does not make any predictions about the future of humanity's economic systems.
The positively portrayed alien traders might be interpreted as an endorsement of capitalism as a system. But the evasiveness in Mission of Gravity about the future of humans' economics suggests interpretation should proceed with caution.
Whirligig World
"Whirligig World" (1953) is an article Clement wrote, describing the science ideas behind Mission of Gravity. It has been included as a supplement in a number of editions of Mission of Gravity. (It is called "Author's Afterword" in some editions.)
The opening of "Whirligig World" describes structural aspects of the "problem" science fiction tale. Although Clement does not make this explicit, or even mention mystery fiction, his ideas seem like well-known concepts about the mystery story genre, modified by him to analyze science fiction:
Science fiction tales are described by Clement as having a "problem", which is then solved at the finale. This is similar to the way detective stories have a mystery "puzzle", explained by a solution at the end.
Clement believes the "solution" of the science fiction tale at its end, should be based on ideas clearly established early in the story. He calls this "fair play". This seems like a modified science fiction version of the well-known mystery concept of "fair play". In mystery fiction, a works exhibits "fair play" if the solution is logically based on clues fully shared with the reader earlier in the novel.
The metaphor of science fiction as a game, is also often used to describe mystery fiction, especially the puzzle plot detective story.
Cordwainer Smith
The Instrumentality of Mankind: Short Stories
The sheer originality of Cordwainer Smith's ideas seem to astonish most people who read his works, especially the great sequence of science fiction short stories about "The Instrumentality of Mankind".
Cordwainer Smith's science fiction resembles Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, in that it takes place in a far future universe that is completely different from both today's society, and the work of other science fiction writers. Both writers are also more interested in showing a future humanity, than they are in exploring alien worlds or beings. Both writers' works have aspects of the thriller, and both writers' thrillers involve melodrama, in which two sides of a moral dispute compete for their teams' success.
Both writers were also scholars in their private life, Smith being a Sinologist with State Department connections. I once interviewed a State Department colleague of Smith's, and he told me that Smith was the wittiest storyteller he had ever met, a man with an amazing flow of monologue.
The Underpeople and Civil Rights
"The Ballad of Lost C'Mell" (1962) and "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" (1964) are Smith's responses to the Civil Rights era. Some of Smith's most major works, they form a powerful attack against racism, and an admiring look at the integrationist civil disobedience of the day. Like Isaac Asimov's Civil Rights novel, Pebble in the Sky (1950), they need to become much better known among general readers.
"The Ballad of Lost C'Mell" is set at a later time period than "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" in Smith's future history and hence was placed later in The Best of Cordwainer Smith. However, I believe "C'Mell" should be read first, to give the two tales maximum impact.
Drunkboat
The rhythmic prose of Smith is some of the best in modern literature. His work has some of the subtlest rhythmic effects since that of Sir Thomas Browne.
In "Drunkboat" (1963), Smith incorporates large sections of Arthur Rimbaud's poem "Le Bateau ivre" (1871). "Drunk boat" is just a literal translation of Rimbaud's title. Here Rimbaud's non-rational visions are made to represent the experience of space travel. There are precedents for such hallucinatory and verbally symbolist depictions of space flight, in Isaac Asimov's "Escape!" (1945) and "I'm in Marsport Without Hilda" (1957). Smith includes other such avant-garde passages in his work, notably the opening of Norstrilia.
Scanners Live in Vain
"Scanners Live in Vain" (1948) is one of Smith's greatest works. The story starts out, first inside the hero's emotions, then expands out from there to the hero's body. Then it encompasses his wife, then his friends, then his coworkers, then finally the whole galaxy. It is a steadily expanding, and very unusual structure. Everything in the story is entirely original; it is not taken from other sf authors, or from common sf conventions of what space travel or the future should be like.
Smith's title is a variation on a quote from William Cowper's hymn "Light Shining Out of Darkness", the one that begins "God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform". As an Anglican, Smith presumably sang this hymn many times in church. Cowper's hymn states that "Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan His work in vain. But God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain." Perhaps from here, Smith developed the sf concept of a "scanner". It is perhaps another example of a sort of pun or word play leading to creative ideas for Smith.
The Scanners as a group resemble many disparate kinds of organizations. These show Smith's interest in and creativity with social organizations that have quasi-governmental roles:
The Scanners suggest elite military groups, such as the US Marines. They work under conditions of military-style discipline. And have an official credo of public recognition as an elite group.
The Scanners call themselves a confraternity. Confraternities in real life are religiously-based organizations of lay people. Confraternities are common in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches, and also found in the Anglican Church, of which Smith was a member. Confraternities sometimes have purely religious missions, but many of them also conduct charitable activities and social work, making them quasi-governmental. In the Middle Ages Confraternities organized musicians and sponsored their performances.
The Scanners refer to each other as "Brother". The real-life labor union for railroads was known as a Brotherhood, and called its members Brothers. The Scanners run space travel, just as the railway workers run trains. The meeting of the Scanners resembles a labor union meeting, especially as depicted in works like the play Waiting for Lefty (1935), by Clifford Odets. This makes the Scanners a look at a labor union, also one of society's major governing institutions.
The Scanners resemble subcultures: groups of people whose interests or lifestyles separates them from the social mainstream, and makes them social outsiders. The Scanners can be seen as metaphors for subcultures like high technology enthusiasts, hobbyists, drug addicts, gays, science fiction fans, and many other groups outside of cultural norms. Many of these groups have substantial internal organization, with social groups, legal support, information systems such as newsletters, mass mailings or blogs, and other features that make them a society within society.
The Scanners eventually launch an attack on science and a scientist. Today this recalls right-wingers and their attacks on Global Warming science. When scientists reveal news that people find unpleasant, people should accept the bad news as reality, and try to figure out constructive action. Instead, the Scanners, like today's radical conservatives, tell lies denying the reality. It is a frightening picture.
The exploited habermen are at first depicted as condemned criminals. They are called the scum of the earth, and are at first seen as just "bad" people. But gradually one becomes aware that the habermans are also drawn from "heretics": people whose views society finds intolerable. This is part of Smith's look at social dissenters and innovators. Such social dissidents are often given terrible difficulties by society in Smith - but often wind up having a deep influence on society, too. It is part of the dual vision Smith has on the importance of social non-conformists and innovators.
The Scanners sometimes communicate by light signals and other visual means. Such light signals recall a bit the "light show" in Hugo Gernsback's description of futuristic New York, in Ralph 124C41+ (1911).
Ria
Cordwainer Smith's novels seem much more minor than his short stories. Nothing in the mainstream novel Ria (1947) is as interesting as the author biography on the jacket, in which Smith says that he has lived in so many cities, that wherever he is, he is homesick for somewhere else. A genuinely Smithian observation!
The well written ending of Ria evokes the inner nature of each character in the form of music. This music all blends together and forms a hidden music of humanity, which Smith calls the Instrumentality of Mankind. It is clear that this is another name for the Tao, the hidden inner principle of reality, in Taoist philosophy. Smith evoked Taoism sympathetically in one of his last stories, "Under Old Earth" (1966), and clearly Taoist ideas were important in his work. Smith used the same name for the governing body of his far future sf tales. It is unclear whether he was already planning these sf stories, and based the name and concept in Ria on this sf government, or whether the reverse was true. I suspect the sf ideas came first. In the sf stories, the phrase "Instrumentality of Mankind" contains no musical meanings, or references to musical instruments. It refers instead to its members being the "Instruments" of humanity, carrying out their wishes, and achieving their goals. The use of the same name to refer to the Tao in Ria, and the giving this name a musical significance, seems to be kind of inspired pun. A pun created not as humor, but as an enhancer of meaning and allusion.
Atomsk
Atomsk (1949) is a now forgotten spy novel: mainly a routine book. It shows that clich� of plotting: the hero first infiltrates an enemy base, then breaks out of it and escapes, with important information. The hero is unusual in that he is an Aleut. He spent World War II undercover posing as a Japanese civilian, and now is fishing for Soviet secrets in Siberia. Only some details about a crashed pilot in the early chapters seem especially Smithian. (This thriller is my excuse for including Cordwainer Smith in this Mystery Guide. Mainly, I just wanted to discuss this major author.)
Charles L. Harness
Charles L. Harness is a science fiction writer, whose tales sometimes have elements of spy fiction. An Ornament to His Profession is a large omnibus collecting Harness' short stories and novellas.
The Rose
Humanity Evolving. "The Rose" (1953) looks at a new stage of humanity evolving. It differs from most such tales, from Van Vogt's Slan (1940) to The X-Men, in that it has little interest in political conflict between traditional humans and mutant humans. Instead, it is concerned with the new mutations themselves, both their biology, and what potential impact they have.
Thinking. "The Rose" shows the possibilities of thought. It deals with many different modes of cognition: music, science, mathematics, paintings, dance, color, automatic writing, graphs of equations, paradoxes, games like chess. It deals with possible translations from one mode to another, such as mathematics to music, and structures found in both science and art.
A non-fiction work that shows many media of thought is A Computer Perspective (1973), by Charles and Ray Eames . This classic book shows the rise of computer technology. It takes a deep dive into human thought, showing how mathematics and computing permeate human history and society. It shows how human life is based on thinking. Reading A Computer Perspective and "The Rose" together will open up new insights into how human life is based in thought, including mathematics.
Campbell era sf took an interest in cognition. Heinlein's "Gulf" and Asimov's "Jokester" are examples. "The Rose" is one of the deepest dives into cognition in Golden Age sf.
Anticipating Kornbluth. "The Rose" anticipates Cyril M. Kornbluth's short story "Gomez" (1954). Both deal with scientists trying to create unified theories. "The Rose" describes attempts to unify nearly all of science. By contrast, Gomez is trying to unify physics, a more restricted but still vast domain. Gomez is trying to create a unified field theory in physics: still a goal of much real life physics.
If "The Rose" compares science and mathematics to classical music, "Gomez" uses a metaphor of a chess grand master to suggest the mental workings of its scientific genius.
"Gomez", like "The Rose", shows a state security apparatus surrounding the genius scientist.
Anticipating Le Guin. "The Rose" anticipates subjects in Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed (1974). SPOILERS. Both works:
Have great scientists try to develop unified theories of physics or science. Le Guin explicitly cites Einstein's real-life attempts. It is likely that Harness also drew on such attempts as inspiration.
Relate classical music to physics and mathematics, as a parallel and related mode of thought.
Like huge numbers of other science fiction tales, they use a "spy fiction" framework as support for their plotting.
Both works are notable for their settings among purely "modern" societies, without any sort of primitivism or medieval flavor. They perhaps can be seen as explorations of what literary theorists call "modernity".
References. "The Rose" cites "Alexander's painting, Lady on a Couch, where the converging stripes of the lady's robe carry the eye forcibly from the lower left margin to her face at the upper right." (Chapter 15) Best guess: this refers to John White Alexander's painting "Repose" (1895). Both "Repose" and another famous Alexander painting "Isabella and the Pot of Basil" (1897) indeed show a striking sense of design, with interesting lines making up the composition. John White Alexander's son was mathematician James Waddell Alexander II, a founder of Knot Theory. The Alexander family themselves embodied "Science and Art".
The finale shows Weber's waltz "Invitation to the Dance" starting in the background. This is perhaps a reference to the ballet The Spectre of the Rose (1911), which used the Weber as its music. This work was produced by the famed Ballets Russes.
The Chessplayers
"The Chessplayers" (1953) is a brief comic tale, that is quite different from Harness' complex space operas. It is set in contemporary times, is barely science fiction, and offers a comic look at real life.
Its overall approach recalls a notable non-sf short story, Douglass Welch's "Mrs. Union Station" (1937). Both tales offer good-natured, but pointed satire on a group of hobbyists who carry their passion to extreme lengths: model railroad enthusiasts in Welch, chess club members in Harness. Both tales are knowing "inside" looks, filled with satiric detail. Both stories are looks at what we would now call a "subculture", a sub-world filled with people with different values and activities than the world at large. The specific events in Harness' "The Chessplayers" are quite different from anything in Welch, though.
Science Fiction and History
Harness frequently writes about time travel. SPOILER. Such tales as "O Lyric Love" (1985) and "The Tetrahedron" (1994) show the heroes taking on the roles and lives of real historic personages. This echoes the end of "The New Reality", in which such a role adoption happens without time travel. These stories also both look at historic Italy, as Harness points out in his introduction to "O Lyric Love".
Both "The New Reality" and "The Tetrahedron" examine famous scientists of the past. They postulate that these scientists had ideas that are now lost to modern science. This premise is implausible, looked at from stern standards of realism. But it does make for interesting sf.
Lethary Fair
"Lethary Fair" (1998) is a comedy with a trial background, like "George Washington Slept Here" (1985). It is even more burlesque and baggy-pants in tone.
"Lethary Fair" echoes Harness traditions, in its own comic way:
The opening shows comic versions of how technology might assist painting, echoing "The Rose".
The mental enhancement also recalls "The Rose", although in "Lethary Fair" this is technological, rather than biological as in "The Rose".
SPOILERS. "Lethary Fair" includes silly comic versions of next-step-evolved humans, a constant feature of early Harness and his main influence Van Vogt.
"Lethary Fair" ends with the arrival of democracy, like The Paradox Men.
Cyberpunk Spoof. There are moments in "The Rose" that foreshadow cyberpunk, especially some of the intrigue in the street. "Lethary Fair" sometimes seems to be parodying cyberbunk, especially William Gibson and the film Blade Runner (1982). "Lethary Fair" includes information transported by emplanted mind chip, like Gibson's "Johnny Mnemonic" (1981). And a beautiful female android, like Blade Runner.
Cyberpunk featured a world that is decayed socially while technologically advanced. But cyberpunk's societies, however socially decayed, tend to feature the most advanced, glamorous cities: Gibson's work is in the Sprawl, a futuristic version of the Boston-New York-Washington corridor, while Blade Runner is inspired by Kyoto and other high tech Japanese cities. By contrast, the baggy-pants comedy of "Lethary Fair" is set in a socially decayed version of a small town in the South, full of good old boys and local characters. It is a deliciously low-rent version of cyberpunk.
Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick is a science fiction writer, whose stories often have elements of crime, mystery or detection.
The Minority Report
"The Minority Report" (1956) is a novella about a future world where crime has been largely abolished, through high tech means.
"The Minority Report" recalls ideas and approaches used by Clifford D. Simak. One of the most powerful ideas in Simak's City, is a future human society in which no man has killed another for decades. In City, this is achieved through advances in human civilization: people achieving a more peaceful future. In Dick's "The Minority Report", such a future without murder has come about through technological innovation instead. While this is less idealistic, perhaps, it is still an important concept. Dick is to be congratulated for having done some original thinking about how such a society might come about and be maintained.
Simak's novella "Worlds Without End" (1956) combines the spy thriller with science fiction. Intrigue shows rival future organizations struggling for power. "The Minority Report" takes a similar approach. Dick shows a political dimension, by structuring this as a sinister military coup against a civilian government. Dick is expressing his pacifist convictions. Dick's story was published nearly a year before Simak's.
The hero of "The Minority Report" encounters or develops several different interpretations of events, over the course of the story. These different ways to see the tale's events can seem almost like "alternative realities". They emerge, seem very real, then suddenly collapse: all rather like the ways Reality itself sometimes collapses in other Dick stories.
The alternative explanations also seem like an approach derived from mystery fiction. Sleuths in mystery fiction often draw up tentative explanations of what they think might be going on. Sometimes these explanations of the tale's mysteries turn out to be true. Other times, these plausible explanations turn out to be utterly wrong, and collapse when confronted by new evidence.
I didn't like Steven Spielberg's film version of "The Minority Report". It drains all the political commentary out of Dick's story, betraying Dick's meaning. Filming "The Minority Report" as an action-and-special-effects film also seems wrong-headed. "The Minority Report" is a spy story. It could have been filmed with standard, traditional film techniques that emphasize story telling and suspense. And with little violence, action or special effects. Classic thrillers like Topaz ( Alfred Hitchcock , 1969), Le Samourai ( Jean-Pierre Melville , 1967) and A Dandy in Aspic ( Anthony Mann , 1968) are the sort of movies that could serve as models for an ideal film version of "The Minority Report".
Ubik
Ubik (1969) is a science fiction novel, with mystery and thriller elements.
The opening (Chapters 1-5, start of Chapter 6) describes a future world. It follows the strict "social science fiction" paradigm: showing how society has been transformed by a series of technological innovations and scientific discoveries. "Social science fiction" is especially associated with editor John W. Campbell and his magazine Astounding Science Fiction. Dick was trained as a writer by Anthony Boucher, who published in Campbell's magazines.
The opening draws on early stories of Dick, but greatly extending their concepts in new directions:
Ubik recalls "The Minority Report" in dealing with precognition. Both stories feature unusual, socially marginal people with psi powers. In both these people are recruited by high powered institutions, which use their abilities to transform society. Both stories describe this transformation in detail, following the norms of "social science fiction". Both stories have thriller elements, and in both the protagonist is confronted with representatives from sinister organizations who tell plausible lies that are very different from the truth. Such lies, and the subsequent truth revealed, can go through a number of stages, each layer depicting reality in a new way.
Ubik recalls "Paycheck" in having powerful corporations with secret projects. Both stories also feature time travel paradoxes, although of different kinds. Both stories have characters developing amnesia, in order to forget details of the time paradox experiences. The corporations in both stories are run by men, but also have female employees important in the story.
The homeostatic devices, such as the talking door, also appear in earlier Dick novels, notably The Game-Players of Titan (1963).
For all his messy personal qualities, the hero Joe Chip's job has him using technical means to investigate and measure the world around him. His job is to discover and learn the real nature of the world, rather than just guessing or judging by appearances. This links him to the job of "detective" in mystery fiction, although Joe Chip has no official detective status.
After the opening, the story moves in drastically different directions (Chapter 6).
Putting Runciter in cold-pac, recalls the way Lord Running Clam's spores are gathered up in Clans of the Alphane Moon.
The funeral hymn Dies Irae, part of the Verdi Requiem (Chapter 7), describes the Last Judgement. So does the poem quoted in "Faith of Our Fathers", Dryden's "A Song for Saint Cecilia's Day".
The helicopter beanie (Chapter 7) is probably a homage to such beanies' inventor, science fiction writer Ray Nelson. Dick and Nelson collaborated on the novel The Ganymede Takeover.
Fred Hoyle
The Black Cloud
Fred Hoyle's The Black Cloud (1957) is an interesting sf novel with an astronomy background. The book eventually develops plot surprises. Logical-but-surprising developments regularly take place in mystery fiction; The Black Cloud is perhaps a science fiction novel whose plot structure of logically-prepared-twist has some broad similarity with a mystery.
Theodore L. Thomas
Theodore L. Thomas was an American science fiction writer, mainly of short stories.
The Weather Man
"The Weather Man" (1962) is a novella about a future Earth run by scientific weather control. It stresses the importance of weather: something that seems even more relevant in today's age of Global Warming. It talks about rising sea levels: something casual in 1962, sinister today.
SF Traditions. Theodore L. Thomas began his career with a collaboration with Charles L. Harness. "The Weather Man" embodies some Harness traditions:
"The Weather Man" shares a Sun setting with Harness' novel The Paradox Men (1953). Both works take one right to the surface of the Sun, using advanced technology vehicles.
"The Weather Man" shows cognitive processes. It depicts how scientists think, in its last two sections. This recalls the cognitive emphasis in Harness' "The Rose".
"The Weather Man" also recalls Isaac Asimov:
It deals with a new science, weather control, just as Asimov's Foundation centers on the new science of psychohistory. Both sciences allow the manipulation of society on a grand scale. Both sciences are mathematical.
"The Weather Man" opens with a quote from a future encyclopedia, also recalling Asimov's Foundation.
"The Weather Man" contains a vivid portrait of a woman scientist. This too recalls Asimov's robotics scientist Susan Calvin in I, Robot, and the woman science genius in Harness' "The Rose" (1953).
As noted, the "cognitive" aspects of "The Weather Man" recall Harness, and the "new science" approach echoes Asimov. However, Thomas' specific ideas are original. And any writer who develops a "new science" faces extraordinary challenges. Thomas' approach may echo sf traditions from Asimov and elsewhere. But it is an important achievement in its own right.
A Story Sequence. In many ways "The Weather Man" is a series of three short stories. The three sections share a common background of a future Earth of weather control. But each one has new characters and a different setting and locale. Story sequences are common in science fiction and mystery fiction. "The Weather Man" is unusual in that its three stories were all published together, as a single work.
However, the science fiction plots and background of the three sections are closely linked.
Three Kinds of SF. The three sections embody three standard kinds of science fiction tales:
The first section is "social science fiction": a tale which shows how a scientific innovation logically leads to a new kind of society. Here, the science innovation is weather control. And we see in detail the new world organization which results from and uses this weather control.
The second section shows a "science research project".
The third section is a "science problem story": people use science to escape from a trap, which is itself science-based. This section also has elements of "science research", especially in its first half, where the characters research and debate the best approach to their weather problem challenge.
All three of these kinds of science fiction have strong roots in Campbell-edited science fiction. Thomas was following Campbell tradition by working in these modes.
Walter M. Miller, Jr.
A Canticle for Leibowitz
A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959) is a post-apocalyptic novel.
Ancestors?. The core premise of A Canticle for Leibowitz recalls H.G. Wells' film Things to Come (1936), another post-apocalyptic tale. Both are future histories, in which:
A world war fought with terrible weapons wipes out civilization.
Scientific knowledge is lost and forgotten. People live in a low tech "primitive" society.
The world is ruled by barbarian war-lords, whose rule is "primitive" and vicious.
Scientists rediscover and rebuild ancient, lost science, take over the world, and build up an advanced technological civilization again.
The new civilization includes space flight.
Concerns that the development of advanced civilization leads inexorably to apocalyptic war were found earlier in Arthur C. Clarke's "Second Dawn" (1951).
Other works in the post-apocalyptic tradition include Lewis Padgett's Mutant (1945, 1953) and John Wyndham's Re-Birth (1955).
A Lack of Science Fiction Ideas. I have mixed feelings about A Canticle for Leibowitz. Among its virtues: it is highly readable and has good storytelling. Among its faults: it has few original science fiction ideas. It sticks closely to the above standard paradigm of the post-apocalyptic tale. It introduces few other science fiction concepts.
Miller certainly knew how to develop a Campbell-style science fiction story, with original science fiction ideas, and which shows how these new ideas lead to a different, innovative society. Examples: his short works "Crucifixus Etiam", and especially "The Lineman". However, he mainly chose NOT to use such a Campbell approach in A Canticle for Leibowitz.
You could easily get the impression reading A Canticle for Leibowitz that it is the work of a naive, mainstream writer, who knew little about traditional science fiction techniques or structures. Not so: Miller's short fiction shows his skill with Campbellian science fiction techniques. And Miller regularly published in Campbell's magazine Astounding.
A Canticle for Leibowitz does in fact read like an almost mainstream novel: One that takes a science fiction premise, the post-apocalyptic tale, and then writes a mainly mainstream novel about it, with few sf ideas.
Underground. Some of the most vivid settings in the novel are underground chambers:
The fallout shelter (Chapters 1, 2).
The monastery library: the basement full of Memorabilia (Chapters 14, 18, 19).
Both are sites of technological progress and discovery. Both sites are also "wired" in ways that much of the rest of the desert is not.
Other works by Miller include high-tech underground sites. Examples:
The huge pit under construction in "Crucifixus Etiam".
The submerged submarine in "Way of a Rebel".
The transformer station in "The Lineman".
Electrical Engineering. The arc-light built in the monastery basement is a simple example of electrical construction. "The Lineman" shows people building the electrical infrastructure for a Moon colony.
Space Colonization. The final third emphasizes how difficult it is for humans to live in colonies on other planets. The difficulties of space colonization are a central subject in Miller shorter works like "Crucifixus Etiam" (1953), "The Hoofer" (1955), "The Lineman" (1957).
Such Miller short works emphasize the horrible psychological difficulties, faced by workers in such inhospitable, stress-filled environments.
Miller had been a member of a bombing crew during World War II: a notoriously stressful work environment. One wonders if this helped inspire such short stories. A mainstream work that offers insights about bomber crews: Irwin Shaw's short story "Gunners' Passage" (1944). It shows originally virile young men on such crews undergoing complete physical and psychological collapse, due to pressures of their job.
Mutants and Color. Mutants in this post-atomic world are sometimes described in terms of body color:
Brother Fingo has multi-colored teeth, and numerous dark patterns on his body (Chapter 3).
The goat has a blue head (Chapter 13).
Brother Fingo and similar mutants are accepted by society. There is probably a subtext of the Civil Rights movement of the era. "The Lineman" explicitly looks at racial equality, with a white southerner trying to atone for racial oppression of black people.
Right to Life. The Catholic Church insists on mutants' right to life (start of Chapter 1). This makes a contrast to John Wyndham's Re-Birth (1955), in which religious fundamentalists try to exterminate mutants.
Thon Taddeo's struggle to flourish as an illegitimate child (first half of Chapter 13) also perhaps has a subtext of Catholic teachings on "right to life".
Collectives: Alternatives to Capitalism. The monks live collectively. Their monastery is a form of economic organization, that is non-capitalist. A Canticle for Leibowitz is thus a look at non-capitalist, collective social organization. The book is sometimes critical of the monastery, especially in Part I. Throughout Parts II and III, it is largely sympathetic to the monks. By contrast, the book is mainly critical of the world outside of the Church, offering scathing looks at war lords and outside governments.
The monks are not entirely separate from capitalism. They sell monastery products, such as the books they copy, thus having them take part in commerce. The commercial demand influences what sort of books they copy (Chapter 7). While the novel makes no explicit comment, it is hard not to feel that it disapproves of this commercial influence, implicitly suggesting that it leads to the copying of less worthwhile books.
Miller short works discuss economics:
"Crucifixus Etiam" shows huge spending on public works giving a big boost to Earth's economy. This idea is Keynesian. The tale shows this Keynesian spending being highly effective at promoting economic growth. But it also offers skepticism about the moral and practical value of such spending.
"The Lineman" (1957) offers a negative look at The Party. This organization is clearly based on the Stalin-aligned American Communist Party of the era.
Catholicism: Piety+Culture. Today, many Americans equate religion with theology. They see religion as theology and theology as religion. But historically many people over the centuries have stressed non-theological issues as central to their religion:
Mainline Protestants have stressed character and behavior. The phrase "the Protestant ethic" encapsulates some of these values.
Catholics have stressed pious devotions, from personal prayer to public church activities, and culture, such as cathedrals, religious paintings, classical music, books and films. Perhaps a quarter of European classical music is Catholic religious music, for example. Perhaps a fifth of major European paintings are Catholic.
A Canticle for Leibowitz stresses "piety+culture" as the central part of its portrait of Catholicism. The monks are shown practicing a wide variety of pious religious devotions, as part of their daily lives. And they are the main ones saving culture and knowledge, with their preservation and copying of manuscripts and documents.
Among the music mentioned in "The Lineman" are Palestrina and plainchant: two key examples of Catholic sacred music.
Mathematics. A discussion of math equations, from a document written by a 20th century physicist, is interesting (Chapter 19). But it is hard to interpret, and to relate to concrete real-life math ideas. Here are some guesses - that may not be accurate.
A contracted derivative actually stand for a whole set of derivatives. Guess: this refers to tensors. Tensors were employed by Albert Einstein for the equations he developed in General Relativity. Einstein fell in love with tensors, admiring their power to compactly note complex mathematic concepts. Thon Taddeo expresses a similar enthusiasm, finding the idea downright "beautiful". Another guess: the unspecified 20th Century physics in this chapter, is actually an account of Einstein's General Relativity.
Next Taddeo talks about equations that stand not for "quantities", but which express a system of equations about a system of quantities. Guess: These equations deal with vectors or perhaps matrices. A further guess: Taddeo had never seen vector equations or matrix equations before. He had only seen equations dealing with isolated quantities: what mathematicians call "scalars". By contrast, vectors and matrices deal with whole systems of numbers simultaneously.
Origin of Humans. A discussion of the origin of humanity is tongue-in-cheek, with elements of satire. SPOILERS. First Taddeo rejects evolution, which the monks propose (Chapter 20). Here are religious people advocating evolution, and a secular scientist rejecting it: a role reversal of the real-life 19th Century development of the theory of evolution.
Next Taddeo proposes an idea which is clearly wrong. The monks suggest he is basing his concepts not on historical fact, but on a play whose fictitious events he has mistaken for fact (Chapter 22). This play is unnamed: but likely it is R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (1920), a science fiction play by Karel Capek.
Allegorical Interpretation. The priest in A Canticle for Leibowitz suggests that the Creation account in Genesis should be interpreted allegorically, rather than literally (Chapter 22). This shows him accepting science rather than fundamentalism.
This view of evolution is widespread, almost universal among contemporary real-life Catholics. They see evolution as offering literal, scientific truth, and are whole-hearted supporters of evolution. And see Genesis as offering an allegory, while not literally true, that has spiritual and cultural value. Given the sympathetic treatment of the priest here, one strongly suspects that A Canticle for Leibowitz is advocating precisely this view.
The anthology Is God a Creationist?: The Religious Case against Creation-Science (1983) edited by Roland Mushat Frye, documents the views of many religious scholars who support evolution. The book includes Catholic, Protestant and Jewish scholars. One is Pope John Paul II.
The priest's advocacy of "allegorical interpretation" has deep roots in Catholic thought. Saint Thomas Aquinas recommended both literal and allegorical interpretations of Scripture.
Two Eras of Catholicism. Part I and Part II of A Canticle for Leibowitz take place around 600 years apart years apart. Knowledge and science greatly advance between the two Parts. Catholicism changes too:
In Part I, Roman Catholicism is based on that of real-life's history's Dark Ages. Catholicism is shown as primitive and sunk in superstition. Still, it is much better than the horrific world around it.
In Part II, Catholicism is based on the attitudes of liberal American Catholic intellectuals of 1959. Science is accepted, superstition is gone, spirituality is prized, but the "supernatural" aspects of Catholicism are seen as beautiful allegories, although not true in any literal sense.
In both Parts and eras, monasticism is shown as a courageous response to the eras' horrific politics - and something that saved civilization and knowledge.
The Coming of War. The final third of A Canticle for Leibowitz shows the coming of possible total war. It can be compared to Miller's brief but vivid short story "Way of a Rebel" (1954) (available free on-line at http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32416 ).
Both tales "deconstruct" noble-sounding government statements, that make the war sound admirable. The tales make clear that this is manipulative propaganda.
"Way of a Rebel" gives its hero the option of taking part or refusing to take part in the war. This is a greater choice than most of the characters in A Canticle for Leibowitz have. "Way of a Rebel" spells out in intelligent detail, the various moral and practical issues involved. It thus gets to explore important ideas not found in A Canticle for Leibowitz.
Stanislaw Lem
Solaris
Solaris (1961) is about the quest to understand a super-human alien intelligence.
The ocean on Solaris makes highly complex geometric patterns, as an expression of its intelligence. Real life folk dancing in Eastern Europe often employs geometric patterns. See all the revolving circular forms in the Lithuanian folk dance Subatele .
The Cyberiad
The Cyberiad (1965) is a sequence of stories set against a shared background: a common structure in both mysteries and science fiction.
Adaptations and Influence. One wonders if The Cyberiad helped inspire The LEGO Movie (2014), with its heroes being "master constructors" in a world nearly entirely made of robot parts.
"The Seventh Sally, or How Trurl's Own Perfection Led to No Good" helped inspire Will Wright's video game SimCity (created 1985, distributed 1989). This story also parallels a long tradition of simulation computer software, stretching from the 1950's to the present.
The Cyberiad was made into an opera (1970) with music by Krzysztof Meyer. The opera seems mainly based on one section, "Tale of the Three Storytelling Machines of King Genius".
Ancestors?. Clifford D. Simak had long written about both robots, and the ability of machinery to enhance/influence artistic creativity. Simak's "Limiting Factor" (1949) anticipates some ideas in the middle section of Lem's "Altruizine".
Aleksandr Kuprin's "Liquid Sunshine" (1913) deals with a very large, multi-story machine. It perhaps influenced the huge machines in Lem. The young Lem worked as both a welder and auto mechanic: scenes of his heroes tinkering with machinery reflect a man who has worked with machinery in real life.
Poland's national literature remembers its medieval era. A book like Krzyzacy ("The Black Cross" or "The Teutonic Knights") (1897-1900) by Henryk Sienkiewicz is filled with sinister knights, kings and fighting. This novel was widely taught in Polish schools. A hugely popular hit film was made of it by director Aleksander Ford in 1960: a film seen by nearly every person in Poland. So the evil kings and regimes in The Cyberiad are grounded in realistic looks at the region's past. They are not simply fairy tales.
The way the robot can manufacture objects, and pull them out of a container in his belly in "A Good Shellacking", recalls the robot in the classic sf film Forbidden Planet ( Fred M. Wilcox , 1956).
The cubical planet in "Altruizine" recalls the Bizarro World in Superman comic books, first seen in the comic book tale "The World of Bizarros" (Action Comics #263, April 1960).
Ancestors?: Burlesques. The "burlesque of fairy tales" tone of The Cyberiad perhaps recalls comics writer-artist Ed Wheelan . Wheelan made burlesques of both movie genres, in his series Minute Movies, and of fairy tales in Foney Fairy Tales. Wheelan's satire "Eyes of the Skull" (Flash Comics #18, June 1941) parodies conflict between the nations Agraria and Agressa. It perhaps anticipates the two countries in conflict in "The Trap of Gargantius".
The Space Child's Mother Goose (1958) by Frederick Winsor presented science-fiction variants on traditional nursery rhymes. It's a delightful book, and surprisingly deep in its mathematical and scientific ideas: also anticipating The Cyberiad.
Trurl's Machine. "Trurl's Machine" deals with a machine that has the wrong idea (two plus two equals seven) and which tries to force that idea on everyone else. It can be read as an allegory, about people who want to inflict bad science on the world, often for political motives:
Today, one thinks immediately of right-wing global warming deniers, often the paid agents of oil companies.
Lem himself came into conflict as a university student with the sinister pseudo-science of Lysenko, then the official doctrine of Stalin and the Communist bloc.
The tale shows various political authorities cowering in fear, refusing to tell the truth or help the truth-tellers. This too seems like a political allegory.
The Trap of Gargantius. "The Trap of Gargantius" creates a detailed future society, with an innovative condition by the end of the tale. It thus follows the Campbell tradition of "social science fiction", which looks at such innovative future or alien societies. By contrast, such Campbellian alternate societies are not present in several other stories in The Cyberiad.
The Dragons of Probability. "The Dragons of Probability" invents a complete imaginary science of probability and nonexistence. As Lem points out in his commentary, the fictitious science is inspired by the real-life physics domains of quantum mechanics and particle physics. This invented science is skillful. It deserves applause both for its creativity and inventive detail, and the accurate, insightful way it mirrors the thinking of real-life physics and mathematics.
Lem had previously invented the fictitious science of "solaristics" in his novel Solaris (1961).
The Divine is transformed into the original-to-this-tale idea of the "Universal Matrix of Transfinite Transformations". Seeing the divine in an all-inclusive collection of all transformations is indeed a mathematically creative view of infinite possibility and structure.
Dragons can "hypercontiguate", a kind of multiplication. This allows dragons to take part in "algebra", such as group theory. Mathematicians love group theory and are eager to find such algebraic structures, in everything from matrices to Lie Algebras to knots. Dragons also have inverses: also a group theory concept. The multiple kinds of inverses perhaps invoke the mathematical theory of quaternions.
Probabilities of dragons have become something other than integers (whole numbers). Such non-integral values recall spin in particle physics. More distantly, they invoke non-integral dimensions in Hausdorff theory.
Trurl's Prescription. "Trurl's Prescription" opens with a good science fiction idea. SPOILERS. It shows a large group of robots, living not on a planet, but plugged into a huge machine they have built, near a star. This is perhaps a variation on the "The Trap of Gargantius": both deal with groups of robots, in both the robots are plugged into something. The rest of the tale is less interesting, offering more word-play than substance in its sf ideas. Its core plot twist is a variation on "The Offer of King Krool".
Altruizine. I disagree with the fundamental thesis of "Altruizine", that idealistic social reforms or innovations are doomed to failure. However, the colorful details of this story are inventive, making it enjoyable reading.
The final section is a story-within-the-story. SPOILERS. Its subject of information shared between minds, is broadly related to the mind-switching in "The Mischief of King Balerion". And both are related to ability of the ocean in Solaris to read minds and create things based on what it reads there.
Gay Themes. SPOILERS. The plugs in "The Trap of Gargantius" can be read as homoerotic imagery. So can the whole subject matter of uniformity imposed by militaristic discipline. Ideas of uniforms and subjection to authority return in "The Offer of King Krool".
The brief suggestion in "The Mischief of King Balerion" that the King might want to experience the body of a woman, can also be given LGBT readings.
"How Trurl built a Femfatalatron" sticks exclusively to heterosexual experience in its sex machine - and in that sense, can be read as a heterosexual story. But it also describes one male controlling and stimulating the sexual feelings of another man, using this machine. This can be seen as a gay sexual situation.
Liu Cixin
The Three-Body Problem
The Three-Body Problem (2006) is a novel. Its original Chinese title is simply Three Body.
Video Game. The video game sections total around 54 pages (but would be shorter if printing were not so expansive in the book). They form a separate novella or long short story embedded in the novel.
The video game episodes resembles a series of linked short stories, based on common themes. The game format allows for unusual story telling approaches. They are "experimental" in their literary techniques.
They contain a science fiction puzzle (set forth in Chapters 7 and 11, solved in Chapter 15). Puzzles are a standard element in some science eviction. Such puzzles have some affinity with mystery fiction. The way Wang solves the puzzle, makes him analogous to the detective in traditional mystery fiction.
The video game sections recall Lem's The Cyberiad. Both works have a series of "artificial" events, that have symbolic relevance to the real world. This is an experimental approach, different from standard fiction techniques. The section on the computer (Chapter 17) recalls a bit "The Trap of Gargantius" in The Cyberiad.
These sections also resemblance Lem's novel Solaris somewhat. The planet in Liu's novel is called Trisolaris, evoking Lem. (I am not sure how close this parallel of names is in the Chinese original.) And the "three-body problem" from physics is presented as a conundrum that is nearly impossible for science to analyze or understand, recalling the ocean in Solaris.
The opening episode of the video game (Chapter 7), somewhat recalls Arthur C. Clarke's "The Lion of Comarre", with travelers converging on a mysterious pyramid.
The multiple civilizations recall Harness' The Paradox Men. The Paradox Men is based on historian Arnold Toynbee's ideas of successive civilizations, and features a new such Toynbee-style civilization in the future. The Three-Body Problem differs from The Paradox Men in that it contains multiple civilizations instead of one, and in that it does not explicitly invoke Toynbee. It also differs from Toynbee in that civilizations fall in The Three-Body Problem because of astronomical factors, while in Toynbee historical forces cause the decline of civilizations.
The emphasis on suns in both the video game and non-video-games parts of The Three-Body Problem, also recalls the solar setting of parts of The Paradox Men.
Hard Science Fiction. Some non-video-game episodes are steeped in science and scientists. They fall squarely into the tradition of "hard science fiction" (often abbreviated as "hard sf"). Likely, the author consciously intended these sections as hard sf:
The exploration of the universe's background radiation (Chapter 9)
The heroine sending out a signal (Chapter 22).
Both of these center on astronomers (and related fields) and astronomical research sites. This is a traditional locale for much American hard science fiction.
There are also hard sf aspects to some of the video games episodes.
The Countdown. The numbers sent to the hero form a countdown from some alien messenger (Chapter 6). This recalls J.G. Ballard's "The Voices of Time".
Pentecost. The Three-Body Problem invokes the Christian doctrine of Pentecost. with the hymn to the Holy Sprit (end of Chapter 9). This links the Christian Pentecost-concept of messages from the divine Holy Spirit, to the messages from aliens in The Three-Body Problem. Pentecost is often symbolized by tongues of fire descending on the disciples; some of the messages in The Three-Body Problem take the form of changes to the universe's background radiation (Chapter 9).
Pentecost is repeatedly invoked in the film Brokeback Mountain ( Ang Lee , 2005).
Ray Nelson
Ray Nelson is an sf writer noted for his off-trail approaches. His Blake's Progress (1975) is a delightful science fiction extravaganza.
Nelson never became a best selling author. But his work was prestigious, and anthologized by such leading sf figures as Isaac Asimov, Forrest J. Ackerman, Avram Davidson, Harlan Ellison and Judith Merril. "Eight O'Clock in the Morning" (1963) was recognized as a classic long before it was filmed, as They Live (1988). The movie adds characters and incidents, but most of its science fiction concepts come straight out of Ray Nelson's story.
SPOILER. "The Great Cosmic Donut of Life" (1965) shows a future society where group marriage is common. The hero is locked in a rivalry with another man, over the heroine's affections. The tale ends with the hero getting down on his knees and proposing marriage - to the other man. It is quite startling. It is not quite "gay marriage": the two men and the heroine are now part of a group marriage of three people.
Ray Nelson has a personal web site . This includes a bibliography.
Avram Davidson
Avram Davidson was a prolific short story writer in both the mystery and science fiction and fantasy fields. He wrote over 200 short tales.
Davidson's crime fiction often attempts to evoke a society, a locale or a milieu. Some of his works are historicals: "The Importance of Trifles" (1969) recreates 1830's New York City. Others evoke a modern-day locale, such as "The Cobblestones of Saratoga Street" (1964), and its portrait of a thinly-disguised version of New York's Gramercy Park neighborhood. In addition, Davidson constructs clear, well-defined plots. These plots partly focus on crime and mystery, but they also include much of the non-crime aspects of his characters' lives and work.
Between his interest in social details, and his plotting, Davidson can be described as a "content-driven" writer. This is not too surprising: both the science fiction and mystery fields are dominated by content-driven writing. Davidson's crime fiction tends to deliver this content in a clear, fairly straightforward manner.
Davidson wrote a linked series of detective stories with fantasy solutions and puzzles, collected in The Adventures of Doctor Eszterhazy. The depiction of their imaginary 1900-ish Eastern European city of Bella, owes something to his portrait of 1830's New York City in "The Importance of Trifles". Both cities have a colorful waterfront full of sailors, as seen in Bella in "The Ceaseless Stone" (1975). The Eszterhazy tales are detective-solving-a-mystery in form, as is "The Importance of Trifles".
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula K. Le Guin writes fantasy, science fiction and mainstream fiction.
The Dispossessed
The Dispossessed (1974) is one of Le Guin's most prestigious books.
A book of essays about it, mainly by Political Science professors, is The New Utopian Politics of Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed (2005) edited by by Laurence Davis and Peter Stillman. It is available for free on-line here . The Dispossessed is linked to a large number of key social questions: environmental, economic, anti-consumerist.
Left-wing social commentary: something widespread in film and TV Westerns of the 1950's and 1960's.
Good guys have to face down ostracism and community opposition: something common in Westerns.
Takver is a strong, tough and highly competent heroine who is good at work and struggle: typical of the resourceful heroines of TV Westerns.
Bedap is the hero's gay best friend in The Dispossessed. Western heroes often had Sidekicks as their best friends. Some people today see several sidekicks as being gay - although not everyone agrees with this view.
Westerns characters often lived in unpretentious rooms in hotels and boarding houses. This anticipates the small rooms in community buildings where the characters live in The Dispossessed.
The simple cafes where Western heroes often get their meals anticipate the communal dining halls in The Dispossessed.
Westerns regularly show traveling theater troupes visiting towns and putting on plays. Theater is popular on Anarres.
Shevek hears harmonium music from a chapel on Urras; church bells sounding out are common in Westerns.
Western characters sometimes go East, visiting big cities like Chicago, confronting an older, much wealthier tradition they left behind when they moved West. There are similarities with Shevek's trip to Urras.
Shevek discovers leather on Urras and gets a pair of leather shoes; movie and TV cowboys frequently wore leather clothes, and prized their boots.
In my experience, educated contemporary people just don't watch TV Westerns, unfortunately. If they did, they would discover a remarkable world of skillful drama and progressive social commentary in the best episodes of Cheyenne, The Rifleman and The Virginian. Comparisons of The Dispossessed to Westerns are meant as praise: strong praise.
Classic Russian literature (Gogol, Dostoyevsky, Anton Chekhov , etc.) famously often deals with financially ordinary people. The same is true of the Western: a point not often appreciated. The archetypal Western hero is a wandering cowboy who owns nothing but a few simple items in his saddle bags. So Le Guin works that deal with poor working people such as The Dispossessed and "Brothers and Sisters" reflect the traditions of Russian Literature. But at the same time, they also can be seen as embodying traditions of the Western.
Mobiles. The heroine Takver makes mobiles. Some of these include wires and beads. These recall:
The "patterning frames" in Le Guin's City of Illusions.
The Japanese glass netfloats found on the beach in "Hand, Cup, Shell".
The unusual, complex and meaningful jewelry in "The Nna Mmoy Language".
The pathetically run down working class woman Shevek sees is wearing big spherical glass earrings (Chapter 9). This recalls the beads in one of Takver's mobiles. We also learn about the fondness of people on Anarres for ornamentation.
Architecture. The old city of Rodarred is notable for its many towers (start of Chapter 11). This is an "ancient city with an imaginative architecture". It recalls another such metropolis, the opening city in The Left Hand of Darkness. That town was built to withstand spring flooding. Compare: The Case of Jennie Brice (1912) by Mary Roberts Rinehart , a mystery tale which also shows people coping routinely with floods in Pittsburgh.
Atmosphere and Light. The Dispossessed is full of descriptions of the sky, light and atmosphere.
One associates such descriptions with Robert Louis Stevenson . And with writers influenced by Stevenson:
H.G. Wells. See The Island of Dr. Moreau.
G. K. Chesterton . Descriptions of atmosphere and light are ubiquitous in Chesterton.
Le Guin is an admirer of the painter J.M.W. Turner, and has stated that his paintings and the music of Beethoven have had a central influence on her writing. Partly one suspects that Le Guin is talking about the fundamental structures of her work, and the presence of deep, complex logical structures in Turner and Beethoven. But one also notes that Turner's paintings are full of depictions of atmosphere, the sky, light and weather.
Cooperatives. The Dispossessed shows a society run entirely by cooperatives, which have replaced for-profit business, government and other legal institutions. This society is a would-be Utopia, a complete transformation of existing society.
In real life here on Earth, cooperatives have been highly successful, for hundreds of years. Such cooperatives are usually part of a mixed economy. co-existing along with for-profit business, government institutions, non-profits, charities, etc. (Although the United States and Western Europe are often described as "capitalist societies", this is an over-simplification. They are in fact mixed economies.)
Consequently, one does not have to depend on the idea of a Utopia-exclusively-run-by-cooperatives, to feel enthused about cooperatives and their potential. Or to be interested in the vivid depictions of cooperatives in The Dispossessed. Whether or not the Utopia shown in The Dispossessed would work in real life, or whether it would be a good thing, thus become side issues. Cooperatives work well in the here-and-now, and without a Utopian transformation of society. This gives The Dispossessed a deep interest, independent of any Utopian ideas in the novel.
Please see my list of Cooperatives and Worker-owned Businesses in Mystery and Science Fiction . The list has links to my articles on the writers mentioned. A vivid look at real-life contemporary cooperatives is the documentary film Shift Change (Melissa Young, Mark Dworkin, 2012).
Challenge. The Dispossessed is a book that challenges us to rethink our own lives. How should we live? What work should we do? With what institutions and organizations should we be affiliated? What public policies should we support? This challenging quality is also found in the films of Roberto Rossellini .
In both Le Guin and Rossellini, this challenge is seen as combining both personal character and social institutions and choices. It is far from fully private. It involves changing and shaping society, too.
Motivation to Work. One of the weakest ideas in The Dispossessed is its repeated insistence that people will work simply for the satisfaction they get out of their jobs, rather than money. In real life, many people will work hard without pay at science, the arts, raising children, and for causes in which they believe. But most jobs people only do if they are paid money. Most work at hard demanding jobs people do for pay. Admittedly, large numbers of people also have an interest in their work, and take pride at doing a good job. Still, their work is only performed if they can get wages.
In real life, many, maybe most people who work at cooperatives draw a salary. So the success of cooperatives does NOT depend on the willingness of people to work purely because they find their work interesting, as in The Dispossessed.
So while I do not believe this aspect of The Dispossessed is accurate, this does NOT invalidate the novel. It makes it uncertain that the Utopian social organization in The Dispossessed would actually work. But it has no affect on the novel's portraits of cooperatives, or the fact that cooperatives have a major role to play in real-life society and economies.
Preserving Cultures. We briefly learn about the survival of a song originated by the miners, the only group of people on Anarres not part of the anarchists who settled the planet later (middle of Chapter 2). This is a relic of an earlier culture, one that has survived.
Le Guin would look at the attempts to preserve earlier knowledge in one of the best of her early science fiction tales "The Masters" (1963). Preserving threatened cultures and their knowledge and fiction would become a major subject in long works of her later career: The Telling (2001), the novella "The Finder" (2001) in Tales from Earthsea, Voices (2004).
The Road to Serfdom?. A-Io is a country much like the contemporary United States. Among other things, it is a prosperous capitalist society; it has freedom of the press. But it is often viewed negatively in The Dispossessed.
A-Io has features associated with horrible societies. It has bad medical care for the poor, systematically having the poor die off needlessly in filthy "hospitals". Troops of the A-Io government massacre protesting citizens and dissidents. It has extensive political prisoners.
All of this has happened on A-Io without any external cause, such as a totalitarian coup or conquest. The Dispossessed thus seems to express a viewpoint widely held by libertarians: Western-style governments are going to degenerate into monstrous regimes. The Le Guin work that chronologically follows The Dispossessed, and widely seen as linked to it, "The New Atlantis" (1975) makes this explicit. It looks at a future United States whose government is full of bureaucrats actively promoting evil. One gets a similar portrait of Western democracy degenerating all by itself into evil bureaucracy in the film Brazil.
I have a big problem with this. It does not seem to be true. It is now over 40 years since The Dispossessed and "The New Atlantis" were published, and nothing in their predictions about the US government have come true. The point of view expressed in Le Guin's books and Brazil seems to be a lot of bunk. This idea, central to libertarians, is just plain false.
Global Warming. The Dispossessed describes a future Earth ruined by environmental catastrophe. It is very hot (Chapter 11).
The linked story "The New Atlantis" (1975) is more explicit. It shows a future Earth hit by the "greenhouse effect". Sea levels have risen, and much of Manhattan is under water. This 1975 story is describing Global Warming at an astonishingly early date.
Unlike their portraits of government bureaucracy which I don't like, these tales' look at Climate Crisis have proved remarkably prophetic.
Let me reiterate what I've always said elsewhere too: Climate change is real. It is caused by humans. It is extremely dangerous. We need to take drastic action immediately, to prevent huge catastrophes in the future. And we need to start accepting what "mainstream science" and 97% of climate scientists are telling us about Global Warming as the truth.
Philosophy. Cetian physics incorporates philosophy and metaphysics. The hero thinks this is a good thing, an example of the "tearing down walls" between subjects that he advocates. By contrast, I'm skeptical of the heavy emphasis on philosophy and psychology in the real-world study of literature and film over the last fifty years. Literary and cinematic criticism might be better off without incorporating philosophy and psychology.
The Wall. In general, however, I'm impressed with Le Guin's concept of "the wall". It refers to people refusing to examine ideas or think about subjects, because it would contradict their preconceptions, or what society tells them they should think. This is in fact common in real life.
Brothers and Sisters: a short story
"Brothers and Sisters" is a long short story in the collection Orsinian Tales. It is not science fiction, being a realistic story set in the imaginary Eastern European country of Orsinia. "Brothers and Sisters" is a bit unusual among Le Guin's Orsinian stories in that politics and history play apparently little role in the tale.
"Brothers and Sisters" has neither the anarcho-syndicalism nor the Cetian physics so prominent in The Dispossessed. But otherwise its setting strongly anticipates the planet Anarres:
Anarres is a desert world. "Brothers and Sisters" takes place in a barren limestone region, the kind known as Karst. There is little surface water in either. Both can be dusty.
Only the most restricted plants grow in both locales.
Mining is central to Anarres' economy. The main business in "Brothers and Sisters" is quarrying limestone.
Mountains are in the background in both locales.
Both works are full of rich descriptions of the sky, light, atmosphere and weather.
Both societies are poor, dominated by scarcity.
People have limited job and economic opportunities in both works.
Serious work-related accidents occur.
Railways are used for transport in both tales.
The hero Stefan of "Brothers and Sisters" is a genius who wants to leave his limited town. This anticipates Shevek, a scientific genius who winds up leaving Anarres for another planet. Both works feature networks of young friends, all of whom are slowly groping towards adulthood, and finding their adult roles and jobs.
There is a gay character in both works.
"Brothers and Sisters" is one of Le Guin's best mainstream works.
A Western. The locale of "Brothers and Sisters" has a Western feel, like The Dispossessed. The dry setting, the quarrying, the railroads, the mountains contribute to this Western effect. The story takes place in 1910: close to the time period of many Westerns. Foremen are typical characters in Westerns: Kostant is a foreman at the quarry in "Brothers and Sisters".
"Brothers and Sisters" has some Western-like features not found in The Dispossessed:
People ride horses. (There are no horses or other large land animals on the ecologically restricted planet Anarres.)
Characters live in a rooming house.
There is an isolated farm.
A Week in the Country: a short story
"A Week in the Country" is a short story in the collection Orsinian Tales. Although a sequel of sorts to "Brothers and Sisters", as a piece of fiction and work of story telling it resembles The Dispossessed less than "Brothers and Sisters" does. Points of similarity to The Dispossessed:
It is a denunciation of a Communist regime, like Thu in The Dispossessed.
Sinister government police anticipate the Urras scenes.
Smuggling of dissidents past police state barriers.
Western capitalist societies are denounced for materialism.
The hero goes through a major illness, in this case, pneumonia.
Special grains are grown for food: oats in "A Week in the Country", holum-grass in The Dispossessed.
A scientist hero.
Arrivals by night after a journey.
Very simple small living quarters for a married couple in a poor society.
"A Week in the Country" also feels much less like a Western than do "Brothers and Sisters" and The Dispossessed. But the events in its finale somewhat recall a TV Western: The Stand-In (1961), an episode of the TV series The Rifleman directed by Joseph H. Lewis . A variant on these events appears in "Dawodow the Innumerable", one of the "Woeful Tales from Mahigul" in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. (One might note that the Mahigul tales are not really science fiction. Instead, they resemble the Orsinia works in that they are realistic stories set in imaginary countries or regions.)
"A Week in the Country", "Imaginary Countries" and "Hand, Cup, Shell" are all set at country homes; they are all group portraits of a family that owns the home. I confess I don't like this subject in Le Guin's work very much. As fiction these country house works seem drastically inferior to "Brothers and Sisters" and The Dispossessed. "A Week in the Country" picks up whenever it gets away from the country house subject and starts criticizing Communism. The anti-Communist parts are both politically meaningful, and embedded in memorable imagery.
The lyric quoted is by Thomas Campion. It is the finale of verses that begin "Silly Boy!", from Campion's The Third Book of Ayres (1617?). Campion is a gifted poet, a contemporary of Shakespeare. I've read his complete poems, and you would enjoy them too. They are available in The Works of Thomas Campion (1967) edited by Walter R. Davis.
Unlocking the Air: a short story
"Unlocking the Air" (1990) is a sequel to "A Week in the Country". It directly continues the anti-Communist concerns of the earlier tale, as its main subject.
As a subsidiary theme, the criticism of the West for materialism also persists. We do not learn the actual politics of the revolutionaries, but we do learn that they want to develop a society that is both utterly non-Communist and which avoids the materialism of Western capitalism. This avoidance of both Communism and capitalism is also present in the anarcho-syndicalism of Anarres.
"Unlocking the Air" is also a portrait of a revolution, like the revolution that led to Anarres in The Dispossessed. Both works' politics center on a woman revolutionary thinker: Stefana Fabbre in "Unlocking the Air", Odo in The Dispossessed.
The huge rally recalls the big protest in A-Io in The Dispossessed.
The Author of the Acacia Seeds: a short story
"The Author of the Acacia Seeds and Other Extracts from the Journal of the Association of Therolinguistics" (1974) is a short story in Le Guin's collection The Compass Rose. It is one of Le Guin's best science fiction tales. It shares subjects with The Dispossessed, which was published the same year. Both:
Sympathetically examine social revolts against authority.
Look at unusual ("The Author of the Acacia Seeds") or innovative (The Dispossessed) languages.
Draw parallels between physics and music: The Dispossessed; or between language and ballet: "The Author of the Acacia Seeds".
Deal with the contrast between collective living and individualism.
Depict scientific research and its scholarly publication.
Like The Left Hand of Darkness, "Brothers and Sisters" and "Sur", "The Author of the Acacia Seeds" examines worlds of extreme cold and ice.
A statement by the author-of-the-acacia-seeds seems Taoist. It seems like a witty transcription of Taoist views into that author's language and world view.
Rocks. The end of the story discusses rocks. Geology as a science appears in "Hand, Cup, Shell", and a poetic treatment is found in "The Bones of the Earth" in Tales from Earthsea. The Karst in "Brothers and Sisters" is memorable. Small stones become symbolically important to people in Very Far Away From Anywhere Else and "Solitude".
The Squid. A brief episode in "Solitude" reads as if it were another section of "The Author of the Acacia Seeds". This is the bit about the zoologist studying the squid. This episode has little to do with the rest of "Solitude": it is a change of pace.
Margaret Atwood made a notorious comment about science fiction dealing with "talking squids in outer space". Somewhat startlingly, this episode in "Solitude" actually is about "talking squids in outer space"! I have been unable to find the exact date of Atwood's quote, but it seems to be post-2000, long after Le Guin's tale.
The Ire of the Veksi: a short story
"The Ire of the Veksi" (2003) is a short story in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. It recalls Le Guin stories about humanoids with aggressive rage: "The Matter of Seggri"; and with anti-social, living alone patterns: "Solitude". All of these works are Social Science Fiction. The social/sexual organization in "The Ire of the Veksi" seems directly modeled on that in "Solitude".
At first the Veksi seem just nasty and brutal, likely even evil. This is certainly an aspect of their lives. But eventually the story begins to tell something odd about them: they have no dominance goals, or superior-inferior relations. So this aspect of their lives becomes a Utopian tale. Like the anarchists of The Dispossessed, it shows a society without hierarchy.
The weird anger-based grief of the Veksi, perhaps extends the mother's dubious lament at the start of "Brothers and Sisters".
The Veksi's hooves recall the aliens in Arthur C. Clarke's "Second Dawn" (1951). Le Guin has come up with new ideas that build on and further develop Clarke's original concepts. Science fiction writers are regularly in this sort of "dialogue".
Seasons of the Ansarac: a short story
"Seasons of the Ansarac" (2002) is a short story in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. It is most closely related to Le Guin works about humanoids with non-standard, modified sexuality, such as The Left Hand of Darkness, "Coming of Age in Karhide" and "The Matter of Seggri". All of these works are Social Science Fiction.
The conflict with the Bayderac at the end is richly imagined, in its science fictional detail. It offers a new dimension to Le Guin's stories about non-standard humanoids. Politically it anticipates the conflict in Voices.
"Seasons of the Ansarac" shares subjects with The Dispossessed. Both:
Contrast communal with individualistic societies. The Ansarac live individually in their Northern range, and in groups in the Southern domain. Here we have not two different populations, as in most such Le Guin tales of the individual vs the collective, but one population at different times of its life cycle.
Characters journey around a planet.
Education of the young is examined.
Pair bonding of couples is important.
Communicating through dancing in "Seasons of the Ansarac" recalls "The Author of the Acacia Seeds". In both tales, this is linked to birds or bird-like beings.
Social Dreaming of the Frin: a short story
"Social Dreaming of the Frin" (2002) is a short story in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. It shares subjects with The Dispossessed. Both:
Explore in detail a society based on communal, collective principles.
Look at how children might be raised differently in that society.
Contain scenes with pregnant women.
Contrast the society with a capitalist, individualist society much like the modern day USA.
Question whether it is a good idea for that communal society to be sharing information with the capitalist group.
Quote from a woman thinker who sets forth fundamental principles of the communal society: Sorrdja of Farfrit in "Social Dreaming of the Frin", Odo in The Dispossessed. See also Stefana Fabbre in "Unlocking the Air".
"Social Dreaming of the Frin" is structured as a work of "Social Science Fiction". That is, it explores in detail what kind of society and way of life logically follows from an innovation. In "Social Dreaming of the Frin", the innovation is the communal dreaming of the title.
The subject of dreaming links this tale to The Lathe of Heaven. However the treatment of dreaming is quite different in the two works.
The picture of life on farms and in small towns recalls a bit "Brothers and Sisters".
The Nna Mmoy Language: a short story
"The Nna Mmoy Language" (2003) is a short story in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. It shares subjects with The Dispossessed. Both:
Explore positive and negative features of an attempted Utopia.
Have innovative, made-up languages.
Have unusual metal constructs, jewelry in "The Nna Mmoy Language", the mobiles and jewelry in The Dispossessed.
Look at a planet with a severely limited number of animals.
Postulate the collapse of an environmentally destructive civilization.
The elaborate outpouring of verbal culture in this world, recalls Le Guin's The Telling. Both works vividly convey some of the richness of real-life human cultures.
As best as I know, the tale's invented language and its treatment of meaning have no exact real world analogues. But the branching nature of meaning in the language is interesting. The complex branching of the language reminds one of some non-linguistic media of sharing ideas, which employ branching:
Mathematical formulas. The algebraic quantities in formulas can take on complex forms. These forms are equivalent to branching tree structures.
Graphs, trees and networks in mathematics.
Plots in fiction. Plots can be linear - but they can also branch out in complex ways.
The "development" of "themes" (melodies) in classical music, and such classical music forms as the sonata-allegro (the first movement of "the sonata form"), the theme-and-variations, and the fugue. See also the ragam-tanam-pallavi form in Carnatic music, the classical music of South India.
The tree structures used in cladistics: the study of evolution in biology.
Taxonomies used by anthropologists to model a culture's knowledge.
Inheritance in object-oriented programming, in computer science.
Lists in computer languages like LISP and Smalltalk. Such lists are formally equivalent to branching tree structures.
In real life, one suspects that thinkers wanting to communicate branching ideas have used one of the above forms, or something related. They have not tried to invent a new language, as in "The Nna Mmoy Language". Probably using one of the above forms or structures is a more practical approach, rather than changing language itself.
"The Nna Mmoy Language" is a favorite story of mine. One wishes it were better known.
The Building: a short story
"The Building" (2001) is a short story in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. It has elements of mystery: why are the Aq building?
It has links with The Dispossessed. Both:
Contrast two large groups of people, one of which is traditionally, boisterously and disastrously capitalist, the other smaller group being quiet and committed to communal effort and work.
Travel around a planet, showing its geographical features and different regions.
Have a massive economic/environmental collapse as part of their history.
Have domes and towers as part of a culture's architecture.
SPOILERS. The ending, with the Aq helping the Daqo after the latter's ecological ruin, recalls the Hainish helping the Terrans after their ecological collapse in The Dispossessed (Chapter 11). Both helps come in the form of a gift.
The building has a non-linear, branching structure, like the language in "The Nna Mmoy Language". Both are interesting, complex embodiments of human creativity.
Always Coming Home
Always Coming Home (1985) is a large fictional work, composed of many linked tales, poems and plays, set against a common future background.
World Building. Among the best episodes in Always Coming Home are those that tell the reader about the key features of the book's future world. In sf and fantasy as a whole, tales like these are said to engage in world building, the literary creation of an imagined world. World building is of interest in many authors. Le Guin is skillful at it, and these sections befit from her imagination.
These sections include:
Roger Zelazny was a prolific writer of fantasy and science fiction.
Lord of Light
Lord of Light (1967) is a famous novel that mixes fantasy and science fiction.
Science fiction: the Campbell tradition. Science fiction elements are most emphasized in an early section, detailing the background of the book's society (Chapter 2). This section recalls in broad terms Robert Heinlein's famous novella "Universe" (1941). The tales differ in that Heinlein's takes place on a spaceship on a long voyage from Earth, whereas Lord of Light shows us the society that has developed long after the spaceship has crashed on an alien planet. So there is no "spaceship universe" as there is in "Universe" and most of its many imitators. But both "Universe" and Lord of Light show:
An isolated group of humans who have degenerated into a much more primitive society, due to isolation.
Science being forgotten, and replaced by an ignorant primitive religion.
The crew of the ship becoming an elite, with specialized knowledge and privileges.
This early section reflects the Campbell tradition of science fiction. Not only does it draw on a famous work published by Campbell, "Universe". But more importantly, it follows the Campbell tradition of an alternate future society, organized on different lines from the present.
Reproduction. This section's depiction of radical reproduction technology (in the Karma houses) changing how humans create themselves in future generations, is part of a sf tradition that includes Arthur C. Clarke's The City and the Stars (1956) and Philip K. Dick's Dr. Futurity (1954, 1960). It also recalls the mass manufacture of humans and human body parts in Karel Capek's R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (1920).
Mystery. Lord of Light has mystery elements. They are located in central sections of the novel (Chapters 4, 5, first half of 6). They culminate in a murder mystery. The mystery is soon solved (middle of Chapter 6). Lord of Light has a full, formal mystery puzzle. The identity of killer is a surprise, when revealed - although it is fairly easy to suspect. SPOILER. More baffling are aspects of how the killer managed to become an active presence. This two-stage process is firmly rooted in events previously depicted in earlier chapters. The use of these events by the killer is "logical but unexpected and surprising", in the best mystery puzzle tradition.
Reviving neglected ideas. The heroes in Lord of Light try to revive technological knowledge that has been suppressed by the planet's elites. The whole question of preserving and reviving knowledge that has slid or been pushed into obscurity is an important one. It appears in other sf works, such as Ursula K. Le Guin's The Telling (2000).
In real life, neglected ideas are sometimes linked to embattled minorities who speak their own languages. There are institutions attempting to preserve everything from Native American cultures to Scots Gaelic literature (see An Comunn Gaidhealach). Cultures can also be attacked politically, such as Cambodian culture under dictator Pol Pot, or Taoism in Communist China.
In addition, ideas can fall out of favor. Traditional ideas about mystery fiction and science fiction seem to be understood by far fewer people today than 50 or 100 years ago.
Meritocracy. The society in Lord of Light presents itself as a meritocracy. Its citizens are told that if they are virtuous, they will be promoted in future lives, and eventually reach the top rung and become gods. In reality, exactly the opposite is happening. People with real ability and independent ideas are being weeded out and killed. Only mediocrities with "go along and get along attitudes" prosper and get promoted.
This bears a satirical resemblance to the present day United States. The USA too is often depicted as a meritocracy, especially by members of the elites. It is unclear how good these elites actually are. How many owe their positions to coming from families of wealth and power? These questions might not have single answers, and some "elites" might be better than others. It might be, for example, that tenured college professors are genuinely highly skilled, while top Wall Street money-makers might simply be well-connected mediocrities and hacks.
Lord of Light has corrupt evil powerful people running society, battling each other and external challengers in sleazy, violent and vicious ways. This can recall Al Capone and 1920's mobsters battling for power; Nazi, Communist and Third World dictatorships with internal battles for power. It also recalls Jacobean tragedies, with their corrupt aristocrats fighting each other. Zelazny wrote his master's thesis on the Jacobean play The Revenger's Tragedy (1606).
Allusions. Lord of Light bears an overall resemblance to John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (1664). Both show a revolt of a high-powered being against Heaven. The hero of Lord of Light is far more moral than Milton's protagonist, however.
Lord of Light references two other poems, by descriptions rather than by explicitly naming the poets. These are "Correspondences" by Charles Baudelaire, and The Inferno by Dante. "Correspondences" does indeed anticipate the feel of Lord of Light.
The Rakasha pleading to be let out of their imprisonment, recall genies begging to be let out of bottles in The Arabian Nights.
The Irish stand-down contest recalls a similar duel in Baranca (1960), an episode of the TV series The Rifleman directed by Joseph H. Lewis .
24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai
"24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai" (1985) is a long novella.
Nikki: poetic diaries. "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai" explicitly invokes the Japanese poet Matsuo Basho. Basho took part in the Japanese tradition of nikki: poetic diaries. These diaries describe beautiful events in heightened poetic language. Some describe travel, journeys their authors took. This includes the Tosa Nikki (935) by Ki no Tsurayuki, one of the first great nikkis. And Basho's classic The Narrow Road to the Deep North (circa 1689). The nikki tradition influenced Beat writers, such as Jack Kerouac's On The Road (1957), which describes his journeys in the American West. "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai" is very much in the nikki travel diary tradition, with rich descriptions of what the heroine is viewing throughout Japan.
Gene Wolfe
Gene Wolfe is a prolific author of science fiction and fantasy.
The Fifth Head of Cerberus
"The Fifth Head of Cerberus" (1972) is an unusual science fiction story. It describes the life of a youth growing up on a strange planet. Neither the youth himself nor the reader knows very much at first about the planet, or the background of the youth himself and his family. Only throughout the story do we get facts, as background secrets are revealed. As Brian Aldiss and David Wingrove point out in their critical book Trillion Year Spree: The History of Science Fiction, this gives "The Fifth Head of Cerberus" something of the structure of a mystery tale. First there are mysterious situations; then there are revelations that "solve" and explain those mysteries.
"The Fifth Head of Cerberus" perhaps shows the influence of Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light:
Both take place on exotically detailed planets, whose distinctive culture is a result of human settlement.
Both have formal mystery puzzle elements.
"The Fifth Head of Cerberus" possibly influenced Ursula K. Le Guin:
Its subject of a re-introduction of slavery into a depraved, exploitative modern society, anticipates Le Guin's Four Roads to Forgiveness.
Its setting of a large old family house, set in town streets in a small city navigated by pedestrians, and a harbor front, anticipate Le Guin's Voices. So does its imagery of an old library.
Edward Wellen
Edward Wellen is a science fiction writer, whose works sometimes include elements of mystery fiction. A post at MYSTERY*FILE discusses his work, and has useful links too, including bibliographies.
Mouthpiece
"Mouthpiece" (1974) is a novella, that combines a hard-boiled setting among tough Greater New York City crooks, cops and hangers-on, with science fiction about intelligent computers. The "smart computer with a human personality" working with a human, anticipates a bit Dave Zeltserman's stories about Julius Katz and Archie, such as "Archie's Been Framed" (2010).
"Mouthpiece" opens with the dying, apparently meaningless ravings of a crook. Then the hero tracks down the crook's associates, to try to interpret the ravings. Such interpretation has antecedents both within and outside mystery fiction:
Trying to find "hidden meanings" in a text recalls the mystery story "The Great Cipher" (1921) by Melville Davisson Post .
Previous mystery writers had modernist-style poems analyzed for hidden meanings: Karel Capek in "The Poet" (1928-1929), Theodora Du Bois in The Body Goes Round and Round (1942). See also The Dark Garden (1933) and the short story "Easter Devil" (1934) in The Cases of Susan Dare by Mignon G. Eberhart .
Wellen includes a non-mystery antecedent right in the story, a reference to literary critic John Livingston Lowes' The Road to Xanadu (1927). "Mouthpiece" mentions Lowes' attempt to discover hidden background material that would shed light on Coleridge's poem "Kubla Khan". The hero of "Mouthpiece" similarly tries to find background events that turn apparently meaningless ravings into coherent accounts.
The ravings that open "Mouthpiece" also embody Modernist literary approaches, such as those used by James Joyce or T.S. Eliot. They are designed to be modernist "poetry", as a character in the story suggests. The inclusion of Modernist passages in science fiction is a tradition. It is especially associated with works by Cordwainer Smith, such as "Drunkboat" (1963). Their elaborate prose style also reflects the way that complex prose styles are valued in science fiction. Such Modernist passages would have been much less likely to be published in a regular, non-sf mystery novel or mystery magazine.
Meanwhile, the story's events trigger thriller elements. These seem modeled on The Mask of Dimitrios (1939) by Eric Ambler .
Vernor Vinge
Vernor Vinge is an American science fiction writer.
Social Science Fiction
Vernor Vinge began his career by selling short stories to editor John W. Campbell. Vinge is very much a writer in the Campbell tradition: like other Campbell writers before him, Vinge develops detailed future worlds, logically based in a series of scientific and technological innovations. This Campbellian approach makes for a sound foundation for science fiction. It is widely employed by sf writers who wrote for Campbell. Campbell author Isaac Asimov called it "Social Science Fiction": sf that develops future worlds or alien planets, organized with logical consistency along both innovative social and scientific lines.
One can see such logically developed, highly detailed future societies in Vinge:
"True Names" has the Other Plane: a cyber-world where data is earthed out by virtual reality metaphors.
"True Names" also has a physical future world: one where the successful have emigrated to the country, and the poor live in huge urban apartment complexes.
"Fast Times at Fairmont High" shows a future where virtual reality enhances homes, neighborhoods and clothes, and where Internet search engines and reasoning tools have reached high sophistication.
Much of the best science fiction is in fact "Social Science Fiction". It seems to encourage imagination, complexity and logic: key traits of good creative art.
Hard Science Fiction
"True Names" and "Fast Times at Fairmont High" are loaded with genuine computer science concepts. This links them, at least partially, to the tradition of "Hard Science Fiction" tales that center on science.
Campbell also liked sf stories based on science and technology. This has led some writers to claim, with some justification, that Hard Science Fiction is also a Campbell-based tradition. Still, in practice the term Hard Science Fiction has been most linked to post-1965 writers, who emerged after Campbell's heyday.
"Hard Science Fiction" and "Social Science Fiction" are two different concepts. A story can contain one without the other. Gregory Benford's "Exposures" (1981) is a good example of a story that is "Hard Science Fiction" but not "Social Science Fiction". It focus on an astronomer in the modern day USA, who makes discoveries at his observatory. There is plenty of serious science in the tale: making it "Hard Science Fiction". But there is no future society: just the typical life of contemporary America. This makes it NOT "Social Science Fiction".
Works can also be BOTH "Hard Science Fiction" and "Social Science Fiction". In other words, they can both contain much science, and develop future or alien societies. Examples include Hal Clement's Mission of Gravity, and Vinge's "True Names" and "Fast Times at Fairmont High".
True Names
"True Names" (1981) has links to mystery fiction as well as sf. It propounds a mystery of identity: who is the identity of the villain lurking behind the pseudonym the Mailman? Such mysteries of identity have a long history in mystery fiction. Edmond Hamilton often specialized in them.
The mystery of the Mailman is given three separate solutions during the course of "True Names", with only the third and last being the true solution. Such mysteries with multiple solutions go back to Trent's Last Case (1913) by E.C. Bentley , and are also common in the later mystery writers Anthony Berkeley and Ellery Queen .
The first and third solutions in "True Names" are deeply science fictional. By contrast, the second explanation is one that could occur in a non-sf mystery.
A reference early in "True Names" to government organizations as "instrumentalities", is perhaps a homage to Cordwainer Smith, and his concept of The Instrumentality of Mankind.
The Cookie Monster
"The Cookie Monster" (2003) is another novella blending science fiction and mystery. Like "True Names", the mystery begins with a mysterious unknown person sending e-mail. But unlike "True Names", this is not primarily a "mystery of identity". We eventually do learn who is sending the e-mail. But this is less central to the plot than in "True Names". The big mystery in "The Cookie Monster" instead centers on explaining the science fictional situation behind the heroine's situation.
"The Cookie Monster" starts out like a typical mystery novel of the 2000's, with a heroine getting a new, ordinary job and plunged into mild mystery from it. This is the sort of situation that could occur in standard modern detective stories. But the science fictional events that soon erupt are far from standard.
The repeated looping of the characters, recalls a bit Charles L. Harness' "Time Trap" (1948).
"The Cookie Monster" offers a devastating look at the new world of work in the USA. People with middle class dreams and middle class self-identities, discover that they are really part of an exploited proletariat. Vinge includes both the computer industry and academia in the scope of this bitter satire.
Greg Bear
Greg Bear is an American science fiction writer.
Petra: a short story
"Petra" (1982) perhaps shows the influence of Robert Heinlein's novella "Universe". Both:
Take place in a once advanced, modern society that has retreated back into primitivism.
Show the rise of a theocracy in the society.
Deal with enclosed, isolated worlds.
Take place in a small, limited environment.
Have characters moving towards the upper level of their physical environments.
Paul Di Filippo
Paul Di Filippo is a prolific science fiction writer.
Stone Lives: a short story
"Stone Lives" (1985) shows the future of visual imaging technology. It is predictive of many things technology can do today, such as visual editing, photography and wireless transmission of images to computers.
SPOILERS. The powerful heroine's request for a social outsider to investigate (and by implication, change) her society, recalls members of the Instrumentality inducing social change in Cordwainer Smith.
SPOILERS. Elements of the mystery plot recall A Variety of Weapons (1942) by Rufus King . In both books, outsiders are brought into a compound of the rich; in both similar motives are eventually revealed.
J.G. Ballard
J.G. Ballard is the world's greatest contemporary writer, and the finest contemporary prose stylist in the English language. His reputation would be much higher, were it not for the prejudices shown against science fiction writers.
Ballard had a great period in 1980-1984 with such classic works as the novel Hello America, the story sequence Memories of the Space Age, the historical novel Empire of the Sun, such short stories as "Report on an Unidentified Space Station" and "The Object of the Attack", and the interviews collected in Re/Search No 8/9 and the essay "What I Believe".
Running Wild. Three of his works of the 1985 - 1991 period stand out. "Running Wild" (1988) is a fascinating mystery novella. This story is thematically related to "The Object of the Attack" (1984). Both deal with revolt among a group of disaffected young people against authority in contemporary Britain. Both have a mystery like format, and a similar "tone". Both are full of political and cultural allusions that give the basic plot much richness of meaning.
On its own, "Running Wild" displays Ballard's mastery of narration. Ballard is able to create climaxes and give shape to events the way a classical composer gives structure to a piece of music. The reader soon comes to hang on every word of the story, not just to find out what happens next, but because of its meaningful part in an overall narrative structural flow. Ballard has created such effects before, in stories such as "The Waiting Grounds" and "Now: Zero". But this is one of his longest and most sustained pieces of narrative flow. At each step or stage of the story, Ballard creates a very elaborate "mise-en-scène" or atmosphere, just the way a film director creates a mise-en-scène in a movie. The Ballardian technique of narration shows each mise-en-scène emerging out of the next, through a logical (and emotional) development. Step by step, through eighty pages, Ballard develops each new mise-en-scène out of the last. The constant changes in the inner structure of the mise-en-scène, and the relationships between each mise-en-scène and the next, fascinate any reader with an interest in the formal unfolding of complex structures, whether in the form of music or story or film.
The reader almost "sees" the narrative progression of the story in terms of movement, or as dance images. It awakens mental images of movement, the way the unfolding forms of classical music also do. This is a good mental metaphor, one that springs spontaneously to the brain while under the influence of the artistic experience of the story, a metaphor that seeks to capture the almost magical sense of movement or flow this story seems to provide.
Dream Cargoes. "Dream Cargoes" (1991) is a science fiction short story. It breaks new thematic ground in Ballard's work in that it deals with the conception of a new child, an image of new fertility in Ballard's work. Although "The Waiting Grounds" can also be read as the "birth" of an advanced cosmic mind.
"Dream Cargoes" succeeds as a complex piece of science fiction imagination. One should never forget that Ballard, in his own words, is "a real science fiction writer", and that creating new science fictional situations is an important component of Ballard's art.
"Dream Cargoes", like the stories in Memories of the Space Age, is related in theme and technique to Ballard's earlier novel, The Crystal World (1964/1966). All of these works feature Ballard's most elaborate verbal style, featuring complex rhythmical prose and vivid visual imagery. (So do many Ballard works not thematically related to The Crystal World.) Such beautifully written stories are deeply satisfying to read.
Report on an Unidentified Space Station. Ballard says that he remembers virtually all his dreams. "Report on an Unidentified Space Station" (1982) is based on one of Ballard's dreams. It is one of his most Borges like works, recalling Borges' "The Library of Babel" (1941).
Its image of the station filling the universe recalls the global mind filling the universe at the climax of its evolution in "The Waiting Grounds".
The characters take confusing paths through a bewilderedly laid-out station. This recalls the way the hero wanders lost through the forest in "The Illuminated Man". In both works the protagonist finds himself doubling back over his trail. Both environments are futuristic and complex.
The Enormous Space. The story "The Enormous Space" (1989) features some of Ballard's most dream like imagery. This uneven but fascinating tale holds similarities to Ballard's early story "The Overloaded Man" (1961), where the protagonist deliberately tries to abstract his perceptions away from reality, and to "The Terminal Beach" (1964), where the hero deliberately maroons himself on an island with nothing but a candy bar to eat. Here the hero maroons himself in his home.
As hunger breaks down the protagonist's sense of reality, he begins to perceive his house in a new way, "discovering" new doors and rooms he never saw before. I have exactly such experiences in dreams, where I have found and explored such new areas in the house I grew up in. Ballard's story captures this sort of dream experience with extraordinary vividness and accuracy. Although it eventually falls apart into trumped up violence in its second half, the dream experiences of the beginning stab the heart with their beauty and insight to the world of dreams.
Passport to Eternity. The best of J.G. Ballard's very early stories is the exuberantly inventive outer space fantasy, "Passport to Eternity" (written c1955, published 1962). Ballard would never write anything this "science fictional" again, with the exception of "The Waiting Grounds". "Passport to Eternity" is part of a series of raucous comic satires that run through Ballard, culminating in "The Index" and "The Message from Mars" (1992).
"Passport to Eternity" anticipates Ballard's later novels, in which well-to-do characters indulge some taboo pathology as a kind of "entertainment". Those novels tend to be mainstream works set in contemporary times, rather than the science fiction of "Passport to Eternity". Both "Passport to Eternity" and the novels tend to have much about sexual indulgence.
Prima Belladonna. This period also saw "Prima Belladonna" (1956), the first of his Vermilion Sands short story series, set in a future resort town. All of these stories deal with some futuristic art form, and "Prima Belladonna starts this pattern by focusing on singing plants.
Both of the early tales, "Prima Belladonna" and "Passport to Eternity", are comic and intellectual in tone.
The characters in the Vermilion Sands stories show an intense interest in the arts, an interest that is both intellectual and burningly personal. This interest was widespread among intellectuals in the 1956-1970 period: the era in which the tales were first published. One can see this interest in the rapt attention of the people in the art galley in the film L'Avventura ( Michelangelo Antonioni , 1960).
"Prima Belladonna" is set in the Recess, a ten-year period of reduced employment and thus enforced leisure. Many people instead devote their energies to the arts. This is a vision of a society where art is valued more than commerce, making money or economic development. Under its comic surface, this is a Utopian vision of a less materialistic society. The Vermilion Sands stories are how Ballard himself envisions the future, as he points out in the preface to the book. These stories don't preach or explicitly advocate such a less materialistic culture and society: but they show such attitudes in detail.
The Subliminal Man. The anti-materialist attitudes in "Prima Belladonna" can be contrasted with Ballard's nightmare tale of capitalist consumer society pushed to its ultimate in "The Subliminal Man", a tale that depicts work and consumption as evil forces that seize control of people's lives. "Prima Belladonna" and Vermilion Sands show the Utopia that can come about through anti-materialist society; "The Subliminal Man" depicts the Dystopia of materialism and the capitalist consumer good society.
Imagery at the end of "The Subliminal Man" recalls the climax of the film Il Grido ( Michelangelo Antonioni , 1957). SPOILERS. Both have a man climbing up to a height on a structure, then falling to his death. Both have crowds of politically disturbed people below.
The Waiting Grounds. Ballard only published intermittently throughout the 1950's. His prolific period begins in force with "The Waiting Grounds" (1959), his first great work. Everything is immensely still in the early portions of this tale. Eventually, slight movement is introduced. It gradually accelerates, and eventually the landscape begins to revolve. The whole movement is one of the great triumphs of mise-en-scène in Ballard's work. Several later Ballard stories involve the vortex of a storm: the effect like the eye of a hurricane that sweeps through the forest in "The Illuminated Man", the tornado at the end of "The Cloud Sculptors of Coral D".
"The Waiting Grounds" seems to be in the tradition of Arthur C. Clarke:
It describes simple but high-tech human colonization of an alien world: a very Clarke-like subject matter.
"The Waiting Grounds" has plot elements that perhaps recall Clarke's "The Sentinel" (1951). In turn, the megaliths in "The Waiting Grounds" perhaps anticipate the monoliths in Clarke's film 2001, in shape at least, if not in function.
The evolution and "birth" of an evolved cosmic mind in "The Waiting Grounds" recalls Vanamonde in Clarke's Against the Fall of Night (1948-1953). It also anticipates the Star Child at the end of 2001, though the parallels are not exact.
The hemispherical bowls recall Shalmirane in Against the Fall of Night (Chapter 7).
"The Waiting Grounds" does not always seem as personal or "Ballardian" as much of Ballard's work. Its science fictional background is creative, but perhaps more reflects the traditions of Clarke and science fiction as a whole, rather than Ballard himself. This is especially true of the tale's first half.
"The Waiting Grounds" involves a highly geometric construction. Geometry in Ballard:
Such geometric architecture recurs in "The Voices of Time", with its mandala, geodesic dome, parabolic lecture hall and spiralling "folly".
Geometry plays a role in "The Atrocity Exhibition", with its invocation of some real-life geometry: Enneper's models of geometric surfaces.
Geometry in art and architecture is discussed in a key passage of "The Illuminated Man", contrasting rectilinear modern architecture with curvilinear forms in Baroque art.
The geometry of buildings and constructions is a Ballard motif, a place where mathematics enters his writing.
"The Waiting Grounds" is also the first Ballard tale to introduce one of his complex landscapes. These elaborate environments are one of the best features of his work. They are intended to evoke states of mind.
Studio Five, The Stars. The landscape of "The Waiting Grounds" would essentially reappear in the Vermilion Sands series, starting with the second tale, "Studio Five, The Stars" (1961). This tale, with its elaborate description of Vermilion Sands, is in some ways the real start of the series.
"Studio Five, The Stars" deals with the use of computers to write poetry. While now outdated in some slight ways - the use of paper punch tape is now pass�, although it is put to magnificently poetic use in the story - this is an amazingly prescient look at the future of computing. It is still one of the best and most realistic looks at artificial intelligence in science fiction.
The Last World of Mr. Goddard. Ballard wrote several stories in this period, in which the sf events of the tale allegorically depict the mental states of the protagonist. The best of these pieces is "The Last World of Mr. Goddard" (1960). This is a fantasy tale, depicting a man about to be retired.
The Voices of Time. Published the same month (October 1960) as "Goddard" is "The Voices of Time". The climax of Ballard's early fiction, it is Ballard's greatest story. It is exceptionally beautifully written, with a rich collection of imagery.
The way first plants, then the hero can perceive time, is an example of the ideas about time that run through Ballard. The crystallization in "The Illuminated Man" and The Crystal World is based on overlapping time images. Ballard ingeniously describes the same process in reverse in "The Atrocity Exhibition", where real-life images are discussed as if they were examples of the overlapping time photos in a Marey chronogram. Mathematicians frequently invoke both a function and its inverse function; the overlapping-in-time images of The Crystal World, and the reversal of this process in "The Atrocity Exhibition", are rigorous mathematical inverse functions of each other.
"The Voices of Time" has spinal imagery, with sea anemones evolving into developing a notochord: the evolutionary ancestor of the spine in vertebrates. "The Atrocity Exhibition" including the image of a trilobite, a primitive segmented animal from the ancient past, one whose segmentation reflects the segmentation that underlies the body plans of spinal creatures. The trilobite is linked to a photo of balconies on a hotel: likely also involving repeated architectural segments in a row, like the repeated segments of a trilobite.
"The Voices of Time" ends with the hero experiencing a vision involving time in outer space. "The Waiting Grounds" also concludes with a penultimate vision; both stories have epilogues that wrap things up after the vision ends. These visions have something of the feel of a mystic vision: they reveal to the hero cosmic forces shaping the universe. But neither is in fact mystic: both visions use a mechanism based in science rather than mysticism, such as the time perception in "The Voices of Time". And both show a scientific cosmos, rather than a religious revelation.
The vision in "The Voices of Time" is linked to cosmic sources in far outer space. In this it anticipates the sources of the crystallization in similar outer space regions in "The Illuminated Man" and The Crystal World.
"The Voices of Time" is filled with strange plants and animals, evolved from and different from the familiar plants and animals of today's world. These are perhaps linked to the "biomorphic" abstraction in Surrealist painting. Surrealist abstract paintings like Max Ernst's The Eye of Silence (1944) show patterns built up out of forms and shapes that might be found in human or animal bodies. They are "biomorphic", coming from Greek words "bio" meaning "life" and "morph" meaning "form": paintings based on "life forms", the shapes of body parts. Ballard choose The Eye of Silence to be reproduced on the book jacket of Ballard's novel The Crystal World. Ballard is an outspoken admirer ofd Surrealism. "The Voices of Time" explicitly evokes Surrealism in its description of the evolved animals and plants.
The evolved, surreal animals living in their vivariums in "The Voices of Time", recall the evolved, surreal orchids in their vivariums in "Prima Belladonna". All of these organisms have startling new properties, ones that be called "cognitive": they relate to how these beings think, perceive and communicate. However, the tone of "Prima Belladonna" is comic and cheerful, while that of "The Voices of Time" is nightmarish.
The mandala is a well-known symbol in several religious traditions. The one in "The Voices of Time" contains a large cross inside, lines reaching to the circular edge. This anticipates the crucifix that is so prominent in "The Illuminated Man". Christian symbolism runs through Ballard. His point of view seems to be Mainline Protestant: the minister in "The Illuminated Man" is Presbyterian, for example.
The Cloud Sculptors of Coral D. Also very beautiful is "The Cloud Sculptors of Coral D" (1967). This piece has some of Ballard's best allegory, in the scene where the hero and heroine lay down in cracks of a giant mirror. This is allegory worthy of Hawthorne . Ballard is very sensitive to postures: see the Preface to Vermilion Sands, and the finale of "The Atrocity Exhibition" (1966), which concludes when the hero assumes a final posture - a sublimely imagined end. We are used to reading stories whose climax is some colossal event; this tale suggests we should look at the most intimate parts of our personal experience. In all these stories, the posture is "lying down". This is preparatory to sleep, in human life, and reminds one of the onset of sleep at the end of "The Voices of Time".
The Wind From Nowhere. Ballard has all but disowned his first novel, The Wind From Nowhere (1961), often no longer including it in lists of his published books. Written in two weeks of vacation from his job, it is very atypical of his work of the period. Unlike them, it is written in a plain prose style, and has little poetic imagery. I found it impossible to read years ago. However, after reading Empire of the Sun (1984), I went back to it, and found it surprisingly interesting. Like Empire, it has a war, or at least a military logistics background. It shows a side of Ballard that would not emerge into the rest of his work till twenty years later. The novel eventually turns into an absorbing adventure story.
The Drought. The Drought (1964) has the best architecture of Ballard's early novels. The first half shows a journey toward a goal (in this case, the sea); the second half takes place some years later, and shows the journey back. Along the way, the characters and places of the first half return, and their fates are revealed. Ballard used an identical architecture for Empire of the Sun. This later novel draws on the architecture of The Drought, and the subject matter of The Wind From Nowhere.
Clifford D. Simak
Clifford D. Simak's science fiction work, sometimes has a plot structure related to mystery fiction. A novella like "The Trouble with Tycho" (1960) has a hero who goes to the Moon, to investigate a mysterious situation there. As in a conventional mystery, we have a complex set-up full of mysterious, unexplained events, a thinking-man's hero who investigates the situation, and a final explanation of all the mysterious events. The story is far from being any sort of murder mystery however. There is no murder - the mysterious events are purely science fictional: what is going on in remote craters of the Moon? And the solution is science fictional, as well.
"The Trouble with Tycho" shares story elements with the earlier short tale "Mirage" (1950). "Mirage" investigates mysterious life on Mars, and shares some concepts with "The Trouble with Tycho". "The Trouble with Tycho" also reflects "Hermit of Mars" (1939), with the hunters of "Hermit of Mars" anticipating the prospectors on the Moon in "The Trouble with Tycho", similar mysterious creatures around, and a trip to a remote part of the alien landscape. A much poorer story, "Mr. Meek Plays Polo" (1944), also has an ancestral element, with its "radiation moss" gathered on rocks in the Inner Ring of Saturn anticipating the equally health-giving lichen on the Moon in "The Trouble with Tycho".
Rural Wisconsin - and the Stars
Simak's best stories are rich in science fiction concepts. He is a writer who is easy to caricature as a slinger of cornpone fantasies. This ignores the breadth of thinking in his tales. A story like "The Big Front Yard" (1958) is indeed folksy, with its opening among ordinary people in rural Wisconsin. But it develops into a wildly imaginative and detailed science fiction situation. The vistas of alien landscapes seem like something out of a dream. The treatment of the tale's "simple" character anticipates the young woman in Way Station. These characters exhibit the value of the virtue of humility. So does the memorable finale of All Flesh Is Grass (1965).
Way Station is also an impressive look at non-standard sexuality. It forms a plea for tolerance for those who are sexually "different". This centers on the treatment of the Vegan characters.
"The Thing in the Stone" (1970) resembles Way Station, in starring an isolated but educated man, living alone in rural Wisconsin, but who is in touch with aliens. It also has time travel elements, that recall "Project Mastodon".
The Cold War
The short story "Galactic Chest" (1956) and the novel Way Station (1963) deal with the Cold War. Simak views the tensions between East and West as frightening - and insists that mankind look for ways to get through the impasse. Simak has science fictional deus ex machinas solve the problem. This might be a bit of a cop-out. But it also underscores the gravity of the situation.
"Honorable Opponent" (1956) also reflects Cold War tensions. It moves to a comic solution that is a bit of a wish fulfillment, but which is also clever as plotting.
"Project Mastodon" (1955) is unpleasant, when time travel is envisioned as a method for providing weapons for the Cold War. Such militarism is in contrast to the Cold War solutions offered in other Simak.
Instant Transportation
But "Project Mastodon" is inventive when it thinks about the technical issues in time travel itself (such as the use of the helicopter), and why the experimenters chose this particular location for their time travels. Also, in some ways the time travel to the past, anticipates the teleportation to different planets in "The Big Front Yard" (1958). Both take characters instantly to another locale: a locale that is exploited for trade or gain.
"Buckets of Diamonds" (1969) is another tale in the same mode as "The Big Front Yard". Transportation goes to the future in it. It also has some interesting ideas about both technology's role in life, and the possibilities of language. This light-hearted tale has some satire about the Cold War, recalling "Galactic Chest".
Robots
Robots in some Simak stories stand in allegorically for both the exploited working class, and exploited racial minorities, especially African-Americans. "Skirmish" (1950) and "All the Traps of Earth" (1960) show robots and machines taking alternative responses to this exploitation, violent and non-violent. Time and Again (1950) is a novel which similarly deals with androids, rather than robots, standing in for real-life oppressed groups.
"How-2" (1954) is another look at the ideas of "Skirmish", but with non-violent solutions, this time in the courts. "How-2" was published a few months after the landmark US Supreme Court decision "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka" (1954), which ordered the desegregation of US schools. Such legal approaches to integration were highly topical.
While comic, both "How-2" and "Skirmish" have a disturbing edge. One is uncomfortable about the machine imagery, which Simak develops with an uninhibited relish. One suspects that "How-2" might have influenced John Sladek's The Reproductive System (1968).
"Horrible Example" (1961) is a short but delightful tale, that builds on ideas in "All the Traps of Earth".
Mystery Planets
Plot ideas in "Limiting Factor" (1949) are used again in "Construction Shack" (1973). Both involve human teams exploring new, mysterious planets. Both planets are deserted, but filled with technology. "Limiting Factor" is nearly an essay-in-form-of-a-short-story, with the characters little more than mouthpieces to set forth ideas about the planet. The storytelling in "Construction Shack" is much better: it has a lively readability lacking in the earlier tale. The ideas in "Limiting Factor" have dated, and are partly obsolete, whereas those in "Construction Shack" are still a bit more plausible. However, the sf concepts in "Limiting Factor" have more relevance to human life.
Both tales are constructed as science fiction mysteries: what is going on with the mysterious planet? Just as in a regular mystery, there are clues, investigation, and a solution to the mystery at the end of the story. Simak makes this explicit in "Limiting Factor". The characters are discussing the strange planetary system:
"This system," he said, "is like a pulp whodunit. Everywhere you turn, you stumble on a clue, and every clue is haywire. Too many mysteries".
"I have a feeling there's a tie between it all," Griffith said.
By 1949, when "Limiting Factor" appeared, pulp magazines and their mystery fiction had been going on for over forty years. "Limiting Factor" itself appeared in an sf pulp magazine.
A similar mystery planet turns up in "Jackpot" (1956), but this tale is perfunctory.
SF and the Arts
Simak turned his science fictional imagination loose on the act of writing itself. "Shadow Show" (1953) is a strange but too cornball and conventional account. But the impressive "So Bright the Vision" (1956) is a genuine look at a future in which technology might affect the act of writing. It anticipates J. G. Ballard's "Studio Five, The Stars" (1961).
"Worlds Without End" (1956) combines the spy thriller form, with science fiction. It has a bit of mystery, elements which are eventually explained. Simak has fun, coming up with science fictional versions of spy thriller paradigms, such as loyalty to dueling countries, or different teams of supporters (they include robots here). Such science fictional variants of modern day institutions, remind readers that human society is going to change: a key theme of science fiction. Way Station also opens with spy fiction elements, but they play less of a role as the tale progresses.
"Worlds Without End" continues Simak's interest in computer-aided writing. The two story-creators in the tale, George and Herb, echo the zany pair of Hollywood scriptwriters in the 1930's satirical play and film Boy Meets Girl, co-written by Samuel Spewack .
"Earth for Inspiration" (1941) is an early look by Simak, at "science fiction writing within an sf story". It does not deal with computer-aided writing. But it is a lively, inventive tale. It also deals with robots, and Earth's future history, elements that would soon be part of Simak's City. "Earth for Inspiration" was reprinted in Sam Moskowitz's anthology The Coming of the Robots (1963).
A non-science fiction look by Simak at the value of the press is found in his Western short story "Trail City's Hot-Lead Crusaders" (1944). The crusaders of the title, are newspapermen who stand up to corrupt town bosses in the old West. Simak was a newspaperman all his life, and this tale speaks to his convictions on the subject. "Trail City's Hot-Lead Crusaders" is in the anthology Westerns of the 40's: Classics from the Great Pulps (1977), edited by Damon Knight (also reprinted as 7 Westerns of the 40's: Classics from the Great Pulps). I was impressed by "Trail City's Hot-Lead Crusaders" decades ago. but a recent rereading suggests it is a fairly conventional Western tale, less creative than Simak's sf.
Way Station looks at an alien artform: works which blend abstract color images and a film-like experience. Such works recall the real-life "color music" or "abstract" films, long created by experimental animators. Simak's treatment is enthusiastic. It perhaps reflects the intense interest in avant-garde art, literature and film amnion educated people in the 1960's.
By contrast, I didn't like two Simak short stories about painters, "The Spaceman's Van Gogh" (1956), and the award-winning "Grotto of the Dancing Deer" (1980). Both seem static as story-telling, and uninteresting in their treatment of art. Both deal with solitary painters who have lived isolated lives. Both have a hero who tracks down the artist's work. Both have him finding an example of the painting, in a small, somewhat claustrophobic underground cave or burrow.
"The Civilization Game" (1958) returns to a subplot from Ring Around the Sun: humans deliberately leading archaic lifestyles. In "The Civilization Game" this is given more of a meaning and a serious purpose, in an attempt to preserve traditions that otherwise would be lost. It's a interesting idea, but one of which Simak seems to have generally negative feelings. The traditions include the arts, and also various political activities. "The Civilization Game" is one of several Simak works that suggest "bad" human traits, such as swindling and dirty dealing, might have hidden merit or survival value for humanity.
"Ogre" (1944) is a novella about an alien planet where music is composed, among other things. The tale embraces some dreadful moral and political ideas at the end: it seems to be written by Simak's Evil Twin. Probably the worst Simak story ever. Nellie the robot, does show that highly individualized robots were already part of Simak's fiction at this early date. The story appeared in January 1944, shortly before the debut of Simak's City series. Like a number of Simak's early works for John W. Campbell, it shows frighteningly powerful aliens in conflict with humans visiting their planets: see "Masquerade" (1941), "Tools" (1942), "Hunch" (1943), the last of which shares the moral failings of "Ogre". "Masquerade" has aliens on Mercury taking up human music and dancing through mimicry. These tales tend to be grim.
Future Societies
A Utopian story, "Univac: 2200" (1973) depicts what Simak feels would be an ideal future life for humanity, two centuries hence. It includes computer-aided thinking: not writing per se, but a related concept. Like many authors' Utopian works, "Univac: 2200" is more an essay in story form, than any sort of narrative. But it is carefully thought through, and has some substance as an Utopian vision. It stresses ecological ideas, such as designing objects that will last and not become obsolete. "Univac: 2200" is found in the aptly-named anthology Frontiers 1: Tomorrow's Alternatives, edited by Roger Elwood.
Both "Full Cycle" (1955) and "So Bright the Vision" are full scale sociological looks at future human societies. "Full Cycle" draws on sf premises Simak previously explored in City.
The Cosmos
"The Creator" (1935) deals with an alien scientist who created our universe in his laboratory. It was considered religiously daring in its day, and in fact, has not been much reprinted. This central idea of the tale is impressive: it is what Hollywood calls "high concept", a work built around a new, striking idea. But like quite a few "high concept" works, the concept itself is the best part of the tale. Especially dull is the opening ten pages of mumbo-jumbo, depicting the occult research and philosophizing of the heroes.
Simak would go on to look at multiple universes and their interaction in Cosmic Engineers (1939). This too is a pretty mild story, as a reading experience.
Way Station contains an approach that will recur in other Simak tales: the idea that in the future, scientific discoveries might give a factual, scientific basis to specific religious concepts. Such a development might increase spirituality and spiritual practice. But it also might change or transform the way people today view religion. It would thus be a two-edged sword. In science fiction, the future has the potential to transform everything. In Simak stories, the future can affect religion too.
Simak's Reputation
Simak published sf from 1931-1986. He was widely admired as an outstanding sf writer during most of that long period. Simak was admired and endorsed by a especially wide diversity of sf types: pulp magazine readers and editors, Golden Age sf fans of the 1940's, hardback publishers, paperback publishers, sf reviewers of many different schools, teenagers who read sf paperbacks in the 60's and 70's, academics who specialized in sf. He was the darling of the academic sf journal Extrapolation; he also won the field's major awards from the 1950's through the 1980's. Simak's books were widely available for decades, wherever paperback sf books were sold in the U.S. He was also a mainstay of public libraries.
Simak never became a big best-seller, or a household name celebrity. Almost all of Simak's readers were people who were interested in sf as a whole, from pulp fans in the 30's to academic specialists in sf in the 70's. He was rarely described as "transcending the genre". He was never taken up by mainstream literary critics who didn't read much sf. One guesses that he was completely unknown to most people who didn't read sf - and widely admired by those that did.
Simak's work has trenchant, far reaching sf concepts. It also has values that endear it to readers who believe sf should be literary, such as characterization, lyrical writing about nature, and a concern for human beings. Because of this, Simak was endorsed by many different schools of sf fandom, and kinds of literary taste.
Simak wrote a large number of short stories and novellas. The novellas are especially good. The novellas are concentrated in three key collections: So Bright the Vision, Skirmish, and Worlds Without End. These novellas offer much that can enhance Simak's reputation.
Bibliography
A Simak bibliography is at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database .
Favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy Films
These are my personal picks and favorites, films I saw and like.
Please see also the science fiction and fantasy sections of my list of Best TV Shows . And my list of best Science Fiction TV Commercials .
Informative books on Science Fiction films:
John Baxter - Science Fiction in the Cinema (1970).
Gary Westfahl - The Spacesuit Film (2012). On space travel films, especially realistic looks at the Space Program.
"Bookmarks" that will take you right away to sections of the list:
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Martian
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What conifer shrub is known traditionally and offensively as 'bastard killer', because its berries were used to procure abortion?
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Visitors From Science Fiction - by Michael E. Grost
"Stone Lives" (1985)
Science Fiction: A Definition
My personal Definition of Science Fiction: "Fiction which explores innovation, different from our world, in science, technology or society, and which is set in a universe run by rational scientific laws."
The first half of this definition contrasts science fiction with "realism", which is set in the real world with little scientific or social difference from our own world depicted. The second half of this definition distinguishes science fiction from "fantasy", set in a universe run by some impossible postulate or principle (often magic). And from "supernatural fiction", set in a universe run by supernatural forces.
Please see the Wikipedia article on "Definitions of science fiction" . It lists numerous definitions, many of which have much in common with my own, above.
Good SF vs Bad SF. Unlike some of those definitions, mine is NOT an attempt to distinguish between goad and bad science fiction, or to define goals toward which good science fiction should aspire. Instead, my definition simply seeks to distinguish science fiction from other kinds of literature, such as realism, fantasy or the supernatural.
Note: I very much agree that defining good science fiction is a worthwhile task. And that the definitions of people like Heinlein or Sturgeon that attempt to point to good science fiction make informative reading. My definition simply does not attempt to do this - instead, it tries to differentiate science fiction from other kinds of fiction.
Actual SF Tales and the Definition. Both the definitions in the Wikipedia article, and my own definition, reflect the common practice of numerous actual science fiction writers and their stories. These definitions are not, or at least not entirely, a priori prescriptions for how sf should be written. Instead, they reflect the underlying principles of countless real science fiction tales.
Obviously, there are worthwhile tales that say, mix science fiction and fantasy, and which thus do not conform to the above definition. So there are good stories that fall outside my definition, and most of the definitions in the Wikipedia.
But the big point: most good science fiction tales do conform to these definitions. Maybe at least 95% of the tales in the field. So such definitions are very much worth keeping in mind. They make explicit the ideas underlying most, although not quite all, of the successful stories in the sf field. (Ideas in the arts do not need to cover every artwork to have value. An idea, even if it has many exceptions, can illuminate big chunks of a field, and thus be useful and valid.)
The above definition works just as well for "literary" authors of science fiction, such as Karel Capek, Margaret Atwood or William S. Burroughs, as it does for genre writers like Asimov and Heinlein. Burroughs' book Nova Express very much deals with innovations like aliens invading Earth, and "word viruses". While its literary technique is highly experimental, its content is squarely within the boundaries of the above sf definition. Writers like Capek, Atwood and Burroughs clearly saw value in science fiction paradigms, and choose to write books with science fiction as the underlying principle.
Alternate Paths. Two kinds of fiction are often published as "science fiction", but do not correspond well with most definitions of science fiction, including mine:
Alternate History: tales which show, for example, what might have happened if the South won the US Civil War, or the Black Death never happened.
Alternate Paths: tales which show how a person's life might have been different if they had married someone else, or caught a different train. These are popular in the movies.
Both of these kinds of stories are interesting and legitimate. But the fact is, that they do not correspond well with most definitions of science fiction - or with most standard kinds of science fiction books and films actually made.
It is not clear if such tales are "really" science fiction. Maybe they are actually separate, distinct genres.
Jorge Luis Borges
Borges is an unusual combination of mainstream and genre writer. An extraordinarily well read and cultured man, Borges' work is packed with literary and philosophical allusions. Yet most of it has strong ties to either mystery fiction, or science fiction and fantasy. Borges' fiction is complex and highly plotted. The plots are fully in the tradition of popular writers of mysteries and sf. Many of the stories are brilliantly ingenious. Borges' work consists of short stories and essays. While the essays tend to be critical works about some author or topic, they usually develop complex, ingenious ideas that are very similar to those in Borges' stories. A strong influence on all of Borges' work are the ingenious tales of G.K. Chesterton , with their complex, well made plots, their rich atmosphere, and philosophical allusions. Borges was also strongly influenced by Chesterton's master Robert Louis Stevenson , and by such 19th Century pioneers of mystery and sf as Poe and Hawthorne .
Borges' first book of fiction was A Universal History of Infamy. This is a collection of brief, highly fictional biographies of real life criminals and adventurers. It has nothing to do with the Rogue tradition of Hornung and Leblanc. Instead, its tales unroll Borges' complex philosophical imaginings. Many of the tales are loaded with Borges' humor. The best of these 1933-1934 tales are included in the omnibus, Borges A Reader. Borges followed this collection in the 1940's with Ficciones, his greatest collection of stories.
Mystery Stories
"Death and The Compass" is an anti-detective story, where the idea is to look at all of the ingenious ways in which the author subverts the conventions of the traditional detective tale. The mystery plot is complex, but every aspect of it supports Borges' logical satire of detective fiction. One point: one element of the mystery that is never explained is the nakedness of the corpse under the cape; I suspect that this is simply Borges' homage to Ellery Queen's The Spanish Cape Mystery, where such nakedness plays a role in the solution. Like his master Chesterton, and like Ellery Queen, most of Borges' mystery fiction reflects the intuitionist tradition.
By contrast, "Theme of the Traitor and Hero" is a triumph, a real detective story of the first water. It was made into a beautiful color film by director Bernardo Bertolucci , The Spider's Stratagem (1970), a gorgeous film that is like taking a vacation to Italy.
"Ibn Hakkan al-Bokhari, Dead in his Labyrinth" (1949) is full of vivid story-telling detail. Both in plot and style, the tale is a skillful pastiche of Chesterton. It has a fascinating central image of the labyrinth, and some not bad detective deduction at the end about the significance of a labyrinth. Unfortunately, the mystery plot as a whole is not that clever.
Six Problems for Don Isidro Parodi, Borges' collaboration with Adolpho Bioy-Casares, lies somewhere in the middle. Most of the problems are too contrived to make really good classical detective stories. Most of the stories also contain some real ingenuity, and the collection is very much worth reading.
Science Fiction: Borges and the Campbell Tradition
Borges' solo fiction includes more science fiction than detective stories. Even "The Garden of Forking Paths" is more interesting for the sf ideas its characters discuss, than for the thriller elements that make up the story proper.
Borges' writing shows the systematic, logical development of ideas found in Campbell writers of the "Golden Age" of science fiction. Borges is more of a Campbellian than is sometimes realized. Borges repeatedly expressed his admiration for H.G. Wells. Wells is the writer who most influenced Campbell and his authors.
Borges' "The Immortal" (1949) likely shows the influence of John W. Campbell's "Forgetfulness" (1937), a once-famous story. SPOILERS. There are broad similarities, with a huge advanced city, now deserted, and a group of primitive people nearby. Both stories contain a similar plot twist. Both stories have the hero exploring the city, entering by an obscure passageway.
Borges' An Introduction to American Literature (1967), written with Esther Zemborain de Torres, cites Van Vogt and Heinlein as outstanding science fiction authors. They were widely viewed in the 1940's as the two leading writers for John W. Campbell's magazine Astounding Science Fiction.
Mathematics
Several of Borges most important works deal with mathematics, especially permutations and infinity - two not unrelated subjects. These include the stories "The Babylon Lottery" (1941), "The Library of Babel" (1941), "The Book of Sand" (1975) and the essays "The Doctrine of Cycles" (1934), "The Total Library" (1939), "Avatars of the Tortoise" (1939), "The Analytical Language of John Wilkins" (1942). These works take place in an abstract domain entirely created through mathematics.
In addition are those Borges stories that deal with "everything": the concept of infinite collections of objects or ideas. These include "Funes, the Memorious" (1942) and "The Aleph" (1945). These two stories by contrast, take place in real neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. They feature characters who eventually encounter the infinite during their otherwise realistic daily lives. Borges' best story, "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius" (1940) deals with not "everything", but almost everything: a whole planetful of information. It too has some authentic Buenos Aires atmosphere, and the striking contrast between the near-infinite and the everyday.
Karel Capek
Capek, like Borges, was a plot-oriented mainstream writer, who often turned to either mystery or science fiction in his writings.
Tales from Two Pockets
Capek published two collections of brief tales loosely linked to crime, Tales from One Pocket and Tales from the Other Pocket (1928 - 1929). They have been translated into English by Norma Comrada and published in one volume as Tales from Two Pockets (1994).
Some of Capek's tales in these collections are philosophical detective stories. "The Blue Chrysanthemum" is especially concerned with epistemology: how do we know things, learn things, acquire new knowledge. What limitations do we subconsciously impose on our search for truth? Capek's tale ingeniously explores the nature of such concepts. It reminds one somewhat of the philosophical tales of Borges.
"The Stolen Cactus" has some links to "The Blue Chrysanthemum". Both tales involve rare plants and plant collectors. The way the thief in "The Stolen Cactus" evades people's mental categories through disguise, is a bit linked to the epistemological concerns of "The Blue Chrysanthemum". This unexpectedly leads to a brief but interesting discussion of the nature of God, in "The Stolen Cactus", reminding us that Capek is the author of an sf tale about the Deity, The Absolute at Large.
Since the early scientific detective stories of Arthur B. Reeve and Cleveland Moffett, there has been an interest in the "word association test" and what it might reveal about our subconscious thoughts. "The Experiment of Professor Rouss" offers an interesting twist on this idea, one that combines satire with a genuine look at how the word association paradigm might break down.
Capek had a certain realism in his approach. His detectives tend either to be policemen, or ordinary people who take up amateur detection for the first time in their lives, as in "The Disappearance of an Actor". This last story is perhaps the closest Capek came to a conventional detective story; one is surprised that it has not been anthologized more often. The mystery in "The Disappearance of an Actor" is linked to what might loosely be termed the victim's mental makeup or world-view, giving the tale a bit of a cognitive or philosophical cast. "The Disappearance of an Actor" is a search for someone missing, linking it the searches for missing objects in Capek tales like "The Blue Chrysanthemum", "The Missing Letter", "The Stolen Cactus".
"The Receipt" is a nicely done old-fashioned detective story, in which clues found on a corpse are used to deduce the victim's identity. "The Receipt" anticipates "The Disappearance of an Actor", in that the sleuths have to reconstruct the mind-set and behavior of the victim and people the victim knew, to make progress and understand the crime. In "The Disappearance of an Actor" this is then used to develop a surprising mystery puzzle plot twist. By contrast, in "The Receipt" the reconstruction is used purely for purposes of trying to track down who the victim was. Both "The Receipt" and "The Disappearance of an Actor" also share imagery of a decayed corpse found long after a killing.
"The Poet" also deals with the police getting information to track down a crime. It explores different witnesses and their world views, and how this leads the witnesses to process information in different ways. This has philosophical and cognitive implications.
"The Orchestra Conductor's Story" develops a similar theme as "The Poet". In "The Poet", the creative poet "translates" everything he sees into modernist poetry. The conductor "hears" all the sounds around him as a form of music. And this awareness helps him understand things better than other people, even things said in other languages he doesn't speak. "The Orchestra Conductor's Story" is not constructed as a mystery story, though, unlike "The Poet".
"The Crime on the Farm" is a brief and mainly minor tale of murder without mystery or detection. Its most interesting part involves farm fields and the plants that grow on them, as well as the farmer's attitudes towards such fields. The tale's extensive plant imagery links it to Capek botany mysteries like "The Blue Chrysanthemum" and "The Stolen Cactus".
"The Fall of the House of Voticky" is a fair play mystery story, but one with an unusual structure. Capek's series sleuth policeman Dr. Mejzlik is asked to solve a mystery. But the mystery is a historical one. Events in the 1400's are known only from a few scraps of information; Dr. Mejzlik is asked to reconstruct them from these bits of knowledge. Dr. Mejzlik uses deduction, and also some guesswork he subjects to Occam's Razor. This whole structure for a mystery is highly unusual in detective fiction. The mystery involves a puzzle of who killed a certain victim and why. But it goes beyond that to the riddle of explaining all the confusing pieces of information about the case, and reconstructing now forgotten events.
Both intriguing and annoying are sketches in which Capek propounds a mystery, then fails to provide a solution. Such solutionless mysteries include: "Dr. Mejzlik's Case", "Footprints", "The Old Jailbird's Story". Capek tries to milk these situations for philosophical profundity, but mainly they seem a cheat. "Footprints" is a variation on a much better story Capek wrote earlier, "The Footprint" (1917), found in the collection Toward the Radical Center. "The Footprint" explores more possible solutions for its impossibility, before deciding that none of them would work. These ideas are interesting. Then, "The Footprint" suggests some non-trivial philosophical concepts. "The Footprint" does not concentrate on the alleged "ux-explainability" of the impossible footprint. Instead, it develops a metaphor about ideas are which are unconnected from the great bulk of other ideas, just as the mysterious footprint is not connected to a known cause.
"The Stolen Murder" is strikingly surreal, in its odd developments. An idea Capek uses was already in use in crime stories: for example in episode 5 of Les Vampires (1915-1916), a crime movie serial directed by Louis Feuillade . But Capek uses this idea to develop something original: a whole "collapse or transformation of reality". Actual reality, and how reality "officially" looks, become different, midway through the tale. Perhaps this relates a little bit to the cognitive ideas of "The Blue Chrysanthemum", where people have to think outside of standard categories.
"The Little Countess" is a burlesque of spy stories. But the details of the comic parody are also used to create a puzzle plot, mystifying the narrator and reader about what is going on. The narrator-sleuth goes through several stages in understanding the events.
Interpreting Modernist Literature, to Furnish Clues in a Mystery
In Capek's mystery short story "The Poet", a modernist poem is analyzed for hidden content. This approach is used in:
"The Poet" in Tales from One Pocket (1928 - 1929) by Karel Capek.
The Body Goes Round and Round (1942) by Theodora Du Bois .
"Mouthpiece" (1974) by mystery-science fiction hybrid writer Edward Wellen. He is discussed elsewhere in this article .
See also attempts to understand apparently surrealist utterances in:
The Dark Garden (1933) and the short story "Easter Devil" (1934) in The Cases of Susan Dare by Mignon G. Eberhart .
"P as in Poison" (1976) by Lawrence Treat .
R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots)
R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (1920) is a science fiction play by Capek. It is about machine-made workers, and invented the word "robot". It became a sensation on the world's stages in the 1920's, and made Capek famous. A more complete and faithful English translation than the earlier 1920's one is found in the Capek collection Toward the Radical Center.
Much of R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) satirizes industry and the industrial age. The robots are artificially made humans, created purely to be workers. And they are themselves designed according to industrial principles. They are what industry would design and manufacture, if it could replace human workers by a "better" product: better by the standards of modern factory production. Capek develops a large amount of science fictional detail in his picture of the robots, their origin, manufacture and behavior. And most of this detail is logically based in the values and needs of industrial manufacture.
Capek shows modern commerce leading to horrible, unexpected results. The robots are created by the methods and standards of industrial capitalism; they are made in huge numbers by inexorable demands of their economic impact - but everything leads to disaster. Reading the play today, it is hard not to think about global warning, and the economic forces that keep promoting it.
Capek returned to the theme of commerce as a powerful force running roughshod over humans values in other works. The short fantasy "The Five Loaves" (1937) in Toward the Radical Center satirizes commercial goals destroying Christian values. It is an imaginative and chilling tale.
Anthony Boucher
Anthony Boucher was a mystery and science fiction writer, editor and critic. There is a book-length biography and critical study of him, Anthony Boucher: A Biobibliography (2008), by Jeffrey Marks. During 1945-1948, Boucher also plotted a large number of mystery radio plays. A collection of his radio mysteries, The Casebook of Gregory Hood is available from its publisher, Crippen & Landru .
None of the Boucher novels I have read, considered as fair play, puzzle plot detective stories, reach the heights of his mystery short fiction collected in Exeunt Murderers. These are general purpose mystery stories in the Ellery Queen tradition, not impossible crime tales, and are outstandingly plotted.
Boucher's short tales are persistent users of that EQ convention, the dying message. And variations on the dying message, in which the detective has to find hidden meanings or obscure clues, in a piece of text. These are not "dying" messages, strictly speaking, but are closely related.
Boucher is generally undervalued, both as a mystery writer and as a science fiction author. Many people in both fields think of him in his later years, when he functioned mainly as an sf editor and mystery critic. He left a reputation for both personal kindness and literary quality in these roles, with a special emphasis on the encouragement of new authors. Boucher was both the writing teacher and first publisher of Philip K. Dick, for example; Dick later dedicated his classic Ubik (1968) to Boucher's memory. But Boucher's well deserved reputation as an editor has obscured his earlier literary contributions.
Boucher had an influence on several later science fiction authors. His story "Barrier" (1942) sets forth the basic time travel scenario that will later underlay Isaac Asimov's The End of Eternity (1955). Boucher's mystery novel, The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (1940), seems to be a key ancestor of Philip K. Dick sf stories where reality collapses. In Boucher's tale, which is not a science fiction story, characters get involved in many strange surreal adventures, that are later explained naturally as bizarre schemes of the villain. The "feel" is remarkably similar to Dick novels, such as the strange adventures of the hero in The Man Who Japed (1956).
Boucher's series detective Fergus O'Breen first appears in The Case of the Crumpled Knave (1939). This is a Golden Age novel that has everything but a really clever solution. It makes pleasant reading, till one reaches the end and discovers that there is nothing clever lurking behind all this development. Along the way there are numerous subplots focusing on the suspects. Boucher reveals that most of them are Not What They Seem To Be. This is a persistent plot gambit in his novels: Boucher will ring many changes on this theme throughout his books. Boucher includes some clever science fiction ideas in Chapter 7 of this book. This chapter also contains some of the running background information on playing cards and their collectors; more is found in Chapters 10 and 12. Boucher's novels have some Van Dine school characteristics. The settings are among the sort of intellectuals one often finds in Van Dine school writers: the playing card collectors in Knave, the mystery fans of Baker Street, the theater people in Solid Key. While Fergus O'Breen is technically a private eye, he is very intellectual, and falls into the tradition of genius amateur detective who works closely with the police. Boucher's investigations take place immediately after the crime and explore every aspect of the crime and people's lives, in the Van Dine tradition.
Backgrounds: Intellectual
Boucher seemingly moved in every intellectual circle in California, in the 1930's and 40's, as a grad student, aspiring playwright, aspiring screen writer, critic for a political newspaper, mystery writer, science fiction writer, radio writer, practicing Roman Catholic, and classical music lover. Intellectuals from all of these areas show up in his stories, delineated with startling vividness, and much background on their life and work. One has a feeling that one is getting a first hand portrait of a real era in American life. And one that is less idealized (and whitewashed) than the portraits of New York City intellectuals in Van Dine, Ellery Queen and the Lockridges .
Anthony Boucher's works contain three impossible crime novels. One of them, The Case of the Solid Key (1941), is my favorite of Boucher's novels. But not because of the impossible crime. Rather, because it is a fascinating book about 1940's Hollywood, focusing on a bunch of young people who, like Boucher himself at the time, were trying to break into the film industry. Boucher never made it in Hollywood, by the way, but he did become a prolific writer of radio plays. The Case of the Solid Key also looks in detail at a Little Theater play production in which some of these hopefuls are involved. The actual impossible crime in Key is solid but slight.
The best parts of The Case of the Seven of Calvary (1937) deal with putting on a play, and are full of allusions to and ideas about literature. Similar rich inventiveness about matters literary is found in another early Boucher tale, the satire "Threnody" (1936). And while "The Punt and the Pass' (1945) is negligible as a mystery plot, it gives a lively look at a University campus, just like The Case of the Seven of Calvary.
"The Girl Who Married a Monster" (1954) has characters who work in television, and an attempt to create a bit of an inside look at that institution too.
The early Gregory Hood radio plays deal with "celebrity culture". Hood is a society figure who has many celebrity friends, who make guest appearances in his radio plays. I confess this enthusiasm for the famous makes me uneasy. Celebrity culture doesn't seem any more appealing in the 1940's than it does today. 1940's radio was deep into celebrities: they made frequent appearances on radio programs, in a way they rarely or ever did in books or movies. Celebrities were also linked to expensive night clubs and restaurants, a venue that appears in "Murder in Celluloid".
Boucher loved party scenes, involving artists and intellectuals. Some of his most joyous works are centered around such parties: The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars, "Mystery for Christmas", "The Elusive Violin". The presence of artist characters links such tales to the Van Dine School tradition.
The Case of the Seven Sneezes as a whole is Boucher's poorest novel. But its opening chapter is an excellent look at a Hollywood party: one of Boucher's joyous gatherings of creative people. The representatives of old, silent era Hollywood are especially interesting. It is good to see that Boucher is knowledgeable about film history as a whole, not just contemporary Hollywood.
There are some unusual writing partnerships in Boucher: The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapter 14), the frame story in "Mystery for Christmas". The one in "Mystery for Christmas" gets compared to a detective partnership.
Backgrounds: Other
Boucher's "Coffin Corner" (1943), employs sports backgrounds just as EQ did, four years previously, in his Paula Paris series of shorts. Sports also plays a role in Boucher's radio play "Gregory Hood's First Case".
Boucher could also write about policemen, and occasionally about underworld types, who show up in "The Ghost with a Gun" (1945).
"The Adventure of the Headless Monk" and "The Adventure of the Beeswax Candle" are two radio plays from the same period, Spring 1946, that have much in common in subject matter. Both are eerie tales that pit the sleuth against sinister villains who practice the black arts, both take place on foggy or misty nights, both have creepy settings, and in both there is sinister music associated with the events: an organ in "The Adventure of the Headless Monk", a clarinet in "The Adventure of the Beeswax Candle". Such music is a natural for radio. The puzzles in the two plays are quite different, however. Boucher clearly had nothing but contempt for black magic, but he also felt that it made for an appropriately creepy background for a thriller.
Some of Boucher's work is quite racy. His first novel The Case of the Seven of Calvary is downright salty. To be blunt, I don't like this. Explicit material sinks the second half of The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars. The first half is an enjoyable, light hearted Sherlockian romp. The second half has a pair of sex crimes emerge from the suspects' past: dark and unpleasant material. "The Stripper" deals with a serial killer, and the suspects' perverse sex lives. Most of this material is not very good. Boucher was perhaps fortunate, that the puritanism of American radio seems largely to have steered him away from explicit subjects in his radio plays. The occasional exception, like the Gregory Hood radio play "Murder in Celluloid", are among his least likable radio work.
The comic elements in Boucher's novels recall those of John Dickson Carr . The events lurch between wild farce and serious crime; such an alternation of tone derives from Carr. There is also a certain self consciousness about the conventions of detective storytelling, that also recalls Carr, such as Dr. Fell's assertion in The Three Coffins (1935) that one was in the midst of a detective tale.
Politics
"The Smoke-filled Locked Room" (published 1968) was written around 1950. It seems to show the influence of the best-known mainstream political novel of its day, Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men (1946). Both works go behind the scenes in political campaigns, both contain a tough but decent and vulnerable woman political operative, who supports the career of a male politician who ultimately betrays her and what he originally stood for. Both works end in tragedy.
The characters in "The Smoke-filled Locked Room" seem to be from the far left of the Democratic Party.
Boucher would look at Communists in "Death of a Patriarch" (1943). The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (1940) has a brief but pointed condemnation of Los Angeles' anti-Communist Red Squad, comparing it to Hitler's Gestapo (Chapter 7). There is also a discussion of Communism and the Sinclair Lewis campaign in California (end of Chapter 4), a campaign which gets a brief mention later (Chapter 14).
"The White Masters" (1946) finds sleuth Gregory Hood going after a sinister Neo-Nazi organization.
Boucher's politics are perhaps clearest and most detailed in The Case of the Solid Key (1941). His hero, sleuth Fergus O'Breen, attacks both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union (Chapter 5). The book mentions the Ukrainian famine (end of Chapter 4): something that expresses anti-Stalinist politics.
A play which represents the characters' political ideals says that their philosophy is essentially the same as Gandhi's philosophy of passive resistance (Chapter 2). Such Gandhian ideas might, however, be just part of Boucher's political beliefs, rather than a central premise of them all. The novel also idolizes a man who had been a pacifist during World War I (Chapter 3).
Political action reaches a climax in The Case of the Solid Key (Chapter 12), when the good guys decide to run the theater as a cooperative.
But Boucher's left wing politics also have an eclectic aspect. The Case of the Solid Key also sympathizes with executed violent anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti (Chapter 3). So did many left-of-center people who did not share the pair's violent politics. A sympathetic playwright character uses Lillian Hellman's Days to Come (1936) as a model for one of his own play (Chapter 3). Hellman was a Communist. The character's play is left wing, although it is not explicitly Communist.
The Nick Noble short stories
Nine of his short stories employ Boucher's series detective Nick Noble. This character recalls Erle Stanley Gardner's Mugs Magoo, in Gardner's Paul Pry stories. Both are alliteratively named former police officers who were thrown off the force for political reasons, had tragedy strike their lives, and who subsequently declined into alcoholism.
The first Nick Noble tale, "Screwball Division" (1942), includes Los Angeles homicide detective Lt. Herman Finch, a character from Boucher's The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars, a novel with ties to Boucher's Fergus O'Breen series. The last tale in the Nick Noble series, "The Girl Who Married a Monster" (1954), has references to Fergus O'Breen, or at least his detective agency. These indicate that the Nick Noble tales are set in the same "universe" as the O'Breen works.
A non-series short story "Mystery for Christmas" (1943) stars sleuths Mr. Quilter and Tom Smith, characters who bear a bit of a resemblance to Agatha Christie's Mr. Quin and Mr. Satterthwaite. This story too has a frame that refers to the film studio Metropolis Pictures from The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars, and its head F.X. Weinberg.
Nick Noble hangs out in a cafe on Main Street, the downtown near-slum area that served as Los Angeles' Skid Row in the 1940's.
Boucher and Mystery Criticism
Anthony Boucher wrote a vast amount of mystery criticism, from the early 1940's till his death in 1968. His writings are the foundation of most histories of mystery fiction of that period, and he is the most influential critic in modern mystery history. Just as Howard Haycraft's Murder For Pleasure (1941) was treated as a canon-defining look at the pre-1941 era, Boucher's critical writings set the tone for modern mystery reviewing. Boucher's early mystery criticism is now available as The Anthony Boucher Chronicles: Reviews and Commentary 1942 - 1947, edited by Francis M. Nevins. This 450 page volume can be ordered from its publisher Ramble House . It mainly contains brief reviews of hundreds of books and authors, including reprints of many works originally published before 1942.
Boucher's influence began right away, in that many of the books he recommended became winners of the Edgar awards, the annual awards for mystery fiction presented by the Mystery Writers of America. Boucher also had two of the most influential pulpits in mystery reviewing: The New York Times (for general readership) and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (for hard core mystery fans). One might also point out that Howard Haycraft was a big admirer of Boucher, so that Boucher had the sponsorship of both Haycraft and Ellery Queen, the two best known American critics of the era immediately preceding his.
Boucher was often the first writer to identify famous talent. He was the first translator of Borges into English, in the 1940's, nearly 20 years before anyone else outside of Argentina was aware of his existence. He championed Ross Macdonald as the leading private eye writer of the 1950's, a dozen years before Macdonald achieved mainstream fame in 1969. One might point out that when mainstream critics took these writers up in the 1960's, that they completely failed to mention Boucher's early championing of these authors. Boucher, like all mystery critics, was treated as a non-person by the mainstream establishment.
Boucher started a tradition of separate but equal tradition of the many subgenres of crime fiction. A Boucher year-end round up of the best books of the year, will break the books down into categories such as classical puzzles, police procedurals, private eyes, suspense, spy fiction, comic mystery novels, social commentary novels, and so on, and cite the best books in each category. No one category of crime fiction will be privileged over any other by Boucher. He will suggest that good books in each subgenre are especially worthy of respect. However, Boucher will express personal affection for the classical puzzle. He will make clear that this is the most loved genre of crime fiction, by him at least, and his personal favorite. This will be presented as a personal taste, not a belief that puzzle fiction has greater objective merit than other approaches. This is a delicately nuanced approach to the proliferation of genres within mystery fiction today. It is precisely the approach that has been taken by several of today's mystery historians, such as Francis M. Nevins and Jon L. Breen .
Boucher also strongly influenced the generation of mystery reviewers that came after him. Today's large annual convention of mystery fans is called the Bouchercon. Today's critic for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Jon L. Breen, writes in a format recognizably similar to Boucher's, and Breen's yearly round-ups in the Mystery Scene annuals recall Boucher's. Bill Pronzini and Marcia Muller's 1001 Midnights (1986) is a huge collection of reviews of mystery novels, most of them from the post-1941 era. It is the most accessible source of information on the 1941-1985 period, and has become a de facto canon of recommended books for that era. Again and again while reading it, one is struck by the fact that many of the books covered in it were first recommended by Boucher in his reviews. The collection reflects a cultural tradition first started by Boucher himself. I cannot imagine that any of the these writers will be offended by my suggestion that they write in the tradition of Boucher. I think they will take it as a compliment.
Not all modern mystery critics are Boucher derived. Authors of large scale histories of mystery fiction, such as the great Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection (1976), and the current Guide you are reading, were probably most influenced by earlier historians Haycraft, Queen, and their ancestor, S.S. Van Dine . I know that in my own case, I have wanted to write a history of mystery fiction ever since I read Van Dine's The World's Great Detective Stories (1928) as a child, a work I have read and reread with intense fascination ever since. The debt I owe all these earlier writers is huge. And a major strand of modern mystery criticism, the book length author biography cum critical study, is also largely independent of Boucher. Classics here include Norman Donaldson on R. Austin Freeman , Charles A. Norton on Melville Davisson Post , Francis M. Nevins on Ellery Queen and Cornell Woolrich , Jan Cohn on Mary Roberts Rinehart , Richard Layman on Dashiell Hammett , Frank MacShane on Raymond Chandler , John McAleer on Rex Stout , Patricia D. Maida on Anna Katherine Green , Roger Bonniot on �mile Gaboriau , and Douglas G. Greene on John Dickson Carr .
Anthony Boucher and Mystery Plot Structure
SPOILERS AHEAD.
Anthony Boucher repeatedly used a number of mystery plotting techniques, always with variations.
Many Boucher stories contain numerous plot ideas, often from the different categories below. The plot of the story is a mosaic, made up of a series of different plot gambits. It can be startling to read a brief Boucher mystery short story, and see that it has three or four plot ideas, any one of which might have served a lesser writer as the sole subject of a story.
Dying Messages. Boucher's stories are filled with dying messages, a favorite technique of an author who heavily influenced Boucher, Ellery Queen. Examples: the card in The Case of the Crumpled Knave, the victim's statement in "The Three Silver Pesos", the title reference in "QL 696.C9", "Death of a Patriarch", "The Adventure of May Tenth", the coins in "The Adventure of the Green-Eyed Murder", "The Stripper", "The Red Capsule", "The White Masters". There are also statements that are not strictly from dying murder victims, but which function in the same way: such as the identification of the thief in "Mystery for Christmas", the name clue in "Gregory Hood's First Case". The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapters 11, 24) contains two small verbal phrases with more than one meaning; these puzzles also work like dying message mysteries.
The dying messages in Boucher are hard to interpret: the sleuth often comes up with more than one meaning. This adds ingenuity to the tales.
There are also stories in which the presence of a dying message is not immediately obvious, but which has to be unearthed by the detective. See "Screwball Division".
Sleuth Nick Noble in "QL 696.C9" does some ingenious meta-level reasoning about a dying message. This allows him to interpret what the massage means - without at first understanding the underlying methodology of the message.
Hidden Clues in Text. Boucher also sometimes had his sleuths uncover hidden patterns in a piece of text. This text might not strictly speaking be any sort of dying message. Still, this plot approach does have some broad similarities to the dying message problem. In Boucher, see "Crime Must Have a Stop". This approach occurs in MacHarg and Balmer's "The Axton Letters" (1910).
Ciphers. The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapters 5, 8), "The Singular Affair of the Baconian Cipher" show his sleuths working out simple ciphers. In both tales, this is part of the set-up of the stories, rather than part of the finale.
The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapter 8) shows how an extra clue is worked into the cipher format. It is a bit related to the dying message puzzles found elsewhere in Boucher.
Faked evidence. Killers in Boucher often fake evidence, in ways designed to implicate another person. All sorts of evidence can be faked, including dying messages. This means that plots involving faked messages sometimes intergrade with dying message plots in Boucher. Boucher could also mix phony evidence with impossible crime plots, as in "Gregory Hood, Suspect".
Boucher was especially ingenious, in coming up with reasons for his sleuths to conclude a certain piece of evidence is faked. Examples: the card and fingerprints in The Case of the Crumpled Knave, the arrow in "Gregory Hood's First Case", the hair in "The Adventure of the Sad Clown", the document in "The Out-Of-Date Murder".
The evidence for the faking can be part of an elaborate chain of reasoning, involving many aspects of a case. This chain of reasoning can become a complex dance of ideas, as in the finale of The Case of the Crumpled Knave, or the solution to "Screwball Division". The finale of "Murder Beyond the Mountains" involves meta-level reasoning about some faked evidence, linked to a second deduction identifying the killer. The mere fact that evidence has been faked, itself becomes significant, and used for deduction.
"The Adventure of May Tenth" is an unusual Boucher dying message tale, in which the message is partly real, partly faked by the killer. It offers another Boucher variation on two of his favorite plot approaches, dying messages and faked evidence.
"The April Fool Adventure" is unusual, in that we readers know the evidence is fake right from the start.
"The Strange Case of the Girl with a Gazelle" is a seemingly impossible crime, that is actually faked due to phony evidence. The tale is an unusual hybrid of impossible crime and fake evidence plot.
Deductions from real evidence. Boucher detectives do Sherlock Holmes style deductions about people from objects: the archery finger tip and bow in "Gregory Hood's First Case". The Hood radio play "The Forgetful Murderer" has deductions from unbound pages of a book found at a crime scene, and to a lesser degree, from a mysterious metal object.
Several of Boucher's Sherlock Holmes radio plays open with the sleuth making deductions about his clients: something regularly featured in Doyle's original tales. Boucher's deductions tend to be sound but simple. For example, in "The Camberwell Poisoners" Holmes deduces that since his client carries a briefcase, and is out doing business in the middle of the night, that he is probably an insurance adjuster. This play also has deductions about a dog. Other examples: "The Singular Affair of the Uneasy Easy Chair". Such deduction is discussed in The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapter 12), with an example.
Locked Rooms. Locked room puzzles appear in Nine Times Nine, The Case of the Solid Key, Rocket to the Morgue, "Gregory Hood, Suspect", "The Smoke-filled Locked Room".
While some mystery writers deal with a wide range of impossible crime situations, Boucher instead seems most interested in pure locked rooms.
The solutions of Rocket to the Morgue and "The Smoke-filled Locked Room" have some broad elements in common, in terms of their basic approach. The solution in "The Smoke-filled Locked Room" is fairer and more imaginative, though.
"The Strange Case of the Girl with a Gazelle" is an impossible theft from a locked room.
"The Adventure of the Headless Monk" is a locked room murder - or more strictly, a "watched room" mystery, a common variant of the locked room in mystery fiction. Its solution would be a cheat in most circumstances. But within the context of Boucher's story, the solution is an interesting idea. The tale also benefits from its vivid storytelling.
"The Singular Affair of the Uneasy Easy Chair" is a locked room mystery. But its solution is such a cliche that it is not very interesting.
Hidden Objects. Boucher also created examples of an Ellery Queen and Stuart Palmer specialty, the ingeniously hidden object. Examples: the jewels in "Mystery for Christmas", "The April Fool Adventure", "The Double Diamond". Some of the hiding places will only work within the special backgrounds of the story: see "Mystery for Christmas", "The Double Diamond".
The violin in "The Elusive Violin" is also hidden, but more by a process, than by a fixed hiding place.
"The Singular Affair of the Baconian Cipher" deals with the hiding of a man.
Strange Cars. Boucher tales have strange vehicles, sometimes with hidden drivers: The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars (Chapter 11), "The Adventure of the Sad Clown".
Alibis. Alibi puzzles occasionally show up in Boucher, as in "The Adventure of the Green-Eyed Murder", "The Camberwell Poisoners". Both alibi tales involve the mathematical calculation of a single time. Once the calculation is done, the sleuth knows everything about the alibis.
A look back at a previous murder case contains a very simple alibi puzzle The Case of the Solid Key (Chapter 7). It is solved right away.
A more traditional, bust-the-perfect-alibi plot shows up in the finale of The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars. This seems right out of the Freeman Wills Crofts tradition.
Tracing a crime to an apparent murder victim. This plot gambit appears in Margery Allingham's Police at the Funeral (1931). Boucher used an Allingham-like approach in a number of works: The Case of the Crumpled Knave (Chapters 23-24), "The Three Silver Pesos". In all of these works, a character's actions murder another person, long after that character's death.
In "Screwball Division", a complex chain of circumstances disguises a victim's guilt.
The complex murder in The Case of the Solid Key was planned by the victim, and was originally designed to murder someone else. The victim winds up in the middle of it, after accidentally getting killed himself. Something similar happens in "The Red Capsule". Both tales also involve a similar planned switch of identity, between killer and victim.
Multiple Villains. Another recurring Boucher approach: a tale in which more than one villain has committed crimes. The detective (and the reader) has to disentangle this, figuring which villain did what. At its crudest, in Boucher's novels The Case of the Seven of Calvary (1937) and The Case of the Seven Sneezes (1942), this is not very inventive, or even especially fair to the reader. But several later Boucher short works use this approach with considerable ingenuity, and a greater fairness to the reader. See "Screwball Division", "Mystery for Christmas", "The Girl Who Married a Monster", "The Three Silver Pesos".
The plots in "Mystery for Christmas" and "The Girl Who Married a Monster" seem related.
Schemes that Backfire. Ellery Queen's There Was an Old Woman (1943) looks at a "harmless" scheme that turns deadly. Boucher wrote some tales in this tradition: his Sherlock Holmes radio play "The Notorious Canary Trainer" (1945), "Like Count Palmieri" (1946).
Boucher and Radio
The Sound of Detection: Ellery Queen's Adventures in Radio (2002), by Francis M. Nevins and Martin Grams, Jr., is a detailed history of the Ellery Queen radio program, with a complete listing of all the shows. It gives an account of Boucher's involvement with the program, to which he provided plot synopses. The book reprints three of Boucher's synopses, written for the Ellery Queen radio show, but never actually used.
The synopses are highly detailed. They include every aspect of the plot, from the initial set-up, to all of the sleuth's reasoning in uncovering the solution. Characters and backgrounds are defined. Some scenes are just a prose summary. But key scenes are fully dramatized, including dialogue. Dialogue that contains clues to the mystery or significant plot elements is especially spelled out in detail.
Of the three synopses, two have good enough mystery elements to be worthy additions to Boucher's canon: "The Adventure of May Tenth", "The Adventure of the Green-Eyed Murder".
Minorities and Civil Rights in mystery fiction
Van Dine School: Pro Civil Rights. Anthony Boucher's sf story, "Q.U.R." (1943), was the one of first to describe African-Americans gaining political prominence in the future: one of them is Head of the Council that governs Earth. This is like being the modern-day President of the United States, only including all of the planet Earth. Both that story's sequel, "Robinc", and The Case of the Solid Key, give early, sympathetic portraits of gay people. All of these depictions of minorities are astonishingly liberal for their time, and probably form the high water mark of integrationist treatments of minorities in genre fiction before the Civil Rights movement of the 1950's. A later sf tale, "The Ambassadors" (1951), treats civil rights issues in an allegorical fashion, with great wit and humor.
Boucher was a prot�g� of Ellery Queen, and hence a member of the Van Dine school. This school showed a continuing interest in a more equal treatment of minorities in its fiction:
This starts with S.S. Van Dine in The "Canary" Murder Case (1927), where the detective actually congratulates the Canary's black maid on her intelligence, a startling comment with political implications at the time, when so many black people were depicted in the racist literature of the day as of low mentality. In The Kennel Murder Case (1933), Philo Vance's egalitarian regard of a Chinese witness is contrasted to the racist stereotypes of the day, which are satirized as they fall from the lips of the low brow Sgt. Heath.
Kennel is probably the model for Rex Stout's Too Many Cooks (1938), in which his detective Nero Wolfe has a memorable encounter, in Chapters 10 and 11, with a group of black waiters who are possible witnesses to a crime. Stout later served as a leader of a World War II writer's group, whose goal was to promote non-stereotyped treatment of minorities in the media. See also its Civil Rights era sequel A Right To Die (1964). Stout's detectives Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin often seem to have a gay subtext.
James Howard Wellard's The Snake in the Grass (1942), a novel likely influenced by Rex Stout, has a pointed look at black waiters and the oppression they face.
Anthony Abbot's About the Murder of the Circus Queen (1932) has a sympathetically described tribe of Ubangis.
Ellery Queen introduced realistic African-American characters in such early tales as "The African Traveler" (1934) and "The House of Darkness" (1935), as well as such later books as Cat of Many Tails (1949). There are signs of a gay subtext in Ellery Queen .
Clyde B. Clason focused on sympathetic depictions of Tibetans and Chinese respectively in The Man From Tibet (1938) and Green Shiver (1941); both novels are explicitly anti-racist. There are hints that Clason's series sleuth Theocritus Lucius Westborough might be gay.
Rufus King has many thinly veiled gay characters, in books like Murder by Latitude (1930), The Lesser Antilles Murder Case (1934), and Murder Masks Miami (1939). Idealized male characters in Crime of Violence (1937) and A Variety of Weapons (1942) also reflect a gay sensibility.
John T. McIntyre , a Van Dine School precursor, drops broad hints that his series sleuth is gay, in the opening of Ashton-Kirk: Investigator (1910).
Ngaio Marsh attacked anti-Semitism in Death in a White Tie (1938), and gave a sympathetic portrait of Maori culture in New Zealand in Colour Scheme (1943).
The comic detective writer Stuart Palmer has a satirical chapter in The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan (1941), in which it is made clear that a black servant is far more intelligent and sensible that the ditzy group of white suspects he has to watch over. Palmer would go on to an endorsement of the Civil Rights movement in The Green Ace (1950).
Craig Rice has the series character Max Hook, the Chicago gambling czar, in her mystery-comedy books starting with The Wrong Murder (1940). Although it is not explicit, Hook seems to be gay.
George Bagby in In Cold Blood (1948) criticizes the racial prejudice a sympathetic black character faces; Give the Little Corpse a Great Big Hand (1953) extends this critique. The article discusses the extensive gay subtext in Bagby's work.
Francis and Richard Lockridge include a Jewish police detective and a taxi driver among their supporting characters in A Pinch of Poison (1941). They offer a satiric look at both race and class in Accent on Murder (1958). Despite its light comic tone, it includes approving mentions of the NAACP.
Harry Kemelman helped pioneer Jewish detectives with his novels about sleuth Rabbi David Small, starting with Friday the Rabbi Slept Late (1964).
Patricia McGerr has her heroine support the Civil Rights movement in Is There a Traitor in the House? (1964).
HIBK School. Mary Roberts Rinehart usually treated the black characters in her novels realistically, without any of the stereotypes or cheap humor some authors of the period favored. The Had I But Known ( HIBK ) writers of the Rinehart school often followed suit. Among Rinehart's followers, Dorothy Cameron Disney's The Balcony (1940) is especially notable for its trenchant treatment of racial issues. Leslie Ford's Murder with Southern Hospitality (1941-1942) looks at police persecution of blacks in the South. Ford's detective Colonel Primrose has a gay subtext .
HIBK writers pioneered in positive portraits of lesbian detectives:
Mignon G. Eberhart comes close to having her series detective Sarah Keate be openly lesbian in the short story "Dead Yesterday" (1936).
Anne Nash has a thinly veiled lesbian couple as heroines in Said with Flowers (1943).
Much earlier Anna Katherine Green has a lesbian dimension in her archetypal spinster sleuth Amelia Butterworth, in her debut case That Affair Next Door (1897).
Hard-Boiled. There is a tendency today for some critics to regard the Van Dine school as artificial, and the hard-boiled school of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler as realistic. Be that as it may, the admirable and pioneering treatment of race by the Van Dine school contrasts with the racism of the two best-known early hard-boiled writers. Hammett's The Dain Curse (1928) shows an unfortunate acceptance of the stereotypes of the day, whereas the more vicious Chandler positively wallows in hatred in The High Window (1942).
During the 1950's some hard-boiled writers became far more positive in depicting racial minorities:
Jack Webb pioneered Jewish detectives with his series about the team of Jewish policeman Sammy Golden and Catholic Father Joseph Shanley, starting with The Big Sin (1952). (Webb is not to be confused with the actor-director of the TV show Dragnet). There also is a possible gay subtext in these books.
Some liberal private eye writers wrote sympathetically about black people and Civil Rights, notably Ed Lacy in Room to Swing (1957), and Kendell Foster Crossen in A Hearse of a Different Color (1958).
J. Lane Linklater in Shadow for a Lady (1947) (start of Chapter 11) offers a brief but pointed denunciation of the awful housing black people were forced to live in.
Hard-boiled writers sometimes included gay feelings into their work. While rarely explicitly labeling such feelings as "gay", there are often vivid queer subtexts:
Blind Detectives. My Syllabus on Mystery Fiction has a section on Blind Detectives .
Native American Detectives. Please see (external to this site) Steve Lewis' list of Native American Detectives .
Woman Detectives. Please see (external to this site) Bob Schneider's list of Woman Detectives .
R. A. Lafferty
R. A. Lafferty is a prolific writer of comic, surrealistic science fiction extravaganzas. His short stories are generally much better than his novels. His little crime story "Enfants Terribles" (1971) falls within our genre.
Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury published around a dozen tales in mystery pulp magazines in the 1940's, in between his much larger careers as a fantasy and mainstream writer. "Yesterday I Lived!" (1944) is a well done tale of mystery on a Hollywood film set. Not surprisingly for Bradbury, the tale is very well written. It also has a good puzzle plot. The article on Karl W. Detzer describes how many of Bradbury's contemporaries were also publishing film set mysteries. Unlike Detzer's, which shows signs of the realist school, Bradbury's is more in a puzzle plot, intuitionist mode.
Isaac Asimov
Even before his official entry into the mystery scene in The Caves Of Steel (1953), Isaac Asimov's science fiction books often exhibited mystery technique. In particular, his great Foundation Trilogy (1941 - 1950) consists of a series of long short stories, each of which has affinities to the formal detective story. Each has a complex plot, and there is usually a surprise ending which reveals hidden aspects to the situation, just as the solution does to a mystery story. Similarly, the stories contained in I, Robot are often science fictional mysteries. A robot is misbehaving: what could possibly cause this? Investigation ultimately reveals the solution to the puzzle. Asimov also wrote non series sf works in the same mystery format, most importantly, "Hostess" (1951). There are no murders or official detectives in these tales, but their status as stories in which mysterious situations are ultimately elucidated, certainly makes them close relatives of the mystery genre. The brilliant plot complexity of the Foundation Trilogy, in particular, marks it out as one of the best works of science fiction.
Asimov's first real novel, and his finest work in the form, Pebble in the Sky (1950) is not a mystery story, but it is a thriller. So is his next, and second best novel, The Stars Like Dust (1951).
Asimov went on to combine the sf novel with an explicit formal Golden Age murder mystery in The Caves Of Steel (1953). This landmark book is not the first sf mystery novel - Asimov's friend Hal Clement wrote Needle (1949), a well done novel which is a science fictional mystery like those in Asimov's earlier short stories - but it is the first full fledged hybrid of the traditional murder mystery and the sf novel, complete with murder case and detectives. Perhaps more importantly, it is a well plotted book, with numerous ingenious surprises and false solutions before the final truth is revealed. Asimov was especially proud of the fact that neither the mysterious situation in the novel, nor its many true and false solutions, would be possible in our 20th century world, that they were entirely enabled by and integrated with the science fictional future of the novel. The book is not merely a contemporary mystery story transposed to the future, but a work in which the sf and mystery elements are totally fused.
Asimov wrote a sequel to The Caves Of Steel, called The Naked Sun (1956). While still being a legitimate detective story, the mystery plotting elements are weaker here, while the sf elements are perhaps stronger than those in the earlier book. Asimov also wrote a series of six sf-mysteries for teenagers about outer space sleuth Lucky Starr. As Joseph Patrouch pointed out in his excellent critical study The Science Fiction of Isaac Asimov, some of these have related backgrounds and mystery puzzles to The Caves Of Steel, notably Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury (1956) and Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter (1957).
He also published a collection of sf mysteries, Asimov's Mysteries, which show his storytelling and sf skills, but which are not distinguished as Golden Age puzzle plot mysteries.
More importantly, several of the tales in Asimov's best sf collections, Nightfall and Nine Tomorrows, contain mystery or thriller elements. The word "thriller" is perhaps a misnomer here, or at least too vague and imprecise. Asimov's tales are best described as melodramas, in which two sides of a dispute engage in an exciting struggle to achieve some practical result, and also to morally and intellectually justify their position. At their best, such as in Pebble in the Sky or "The Ugly Little Boy" (1958) in Nine Tomorrows, Asimov's melodramas are unforgettable stories.
Asimov went on to write a number of non-sf detective stories. His two mystery novels, A Whiff of Death (1958) and Murder at the ABA (1976) are terrible, but some of his later mystery short stories are ingenious. Most of Asimov's 1970's mystery tales are written in the third person, but during the early 1980's he began to experiment with building a tale around the first person narratives of different characters, a somewhat unusual technique that recalls Wilkie Collins .
Asimov made so many slighting references to his own personal literary style - or his alleged lack of it - that one is afraid that critics are going to take him at his own word. Many science fiction writers write in an elaborate, image laden, complex literary style. Examples: Bradbury, Cordwainer Smith, Samuel Delany, J.G. Ballard. There is very little imagery in Asimov's work, and his literary style clearly has nothing in common with theirs. I strongly admire all of these writers' stylistic achievements. But I also think that there are other valid approaches as well. Asimov's work is written in a style that derives not from poetry, like theirs, but which is closer to the pure form of classical music. The rhythmic complexity of Asimov's prose is breathtaking. Each sentence plays its part in an elaborate over all structure, one that builds to complex climaxes like the music of Beethoven.
I wish to thank my friend, Mark L. Ricard, for suggesting that this web site take a deeper dive into the works of Isaac Asimov. Thanks, Mark!
Wendell Urth sf-mystery short stories
The hybrid science fiction-mystery short stories in Asimov's Mysteries are a mixed bag. Five are set in the same series, and mainly employ the series sleuth Wendell Urth. Two of these are inverted tales, modeled directly on those of R. Austin Freeman , who Asimov mentions in the collection's introduction: "The Singing Bell" (1955) and "The Dust of Death" (1957). A third tale in the series "The Dying Night" (1956), is a whodunit rather than an inverted, but it has close ties to these two. The clue that gives away the bad guy in each tale is simple, and based on the same sort of science fiction concept in all three stories. The other two stories in the series "The Talking Stone" (1955) and "The Key" (1966) are dying message tales, with the cryptic message being a clue not to a murderer, but to the location of a hidden object. All of these tales are thus in the strict form of a subgenre of mystery fiction: inverted, whodunit, dying message. However, in each case the science fiction elements are elaborate and creative, while the mystery ideas are simple and form a brief percentage of the tale. These are science fiction tales in the form of mysteries, rather than stories whose main plot content is centered on mystery. Also, with the possible exception of "The Dying Night", none of these stories would really allow a reader to figure out the mystery solution from clues in the story: in other words, they are not "fair play".
The science fiction ideas are richest in the first two tales, which are also the best in the series: "The Singing Bell" and "The Talking Stone". "The Singing Bell" has an elaborate background of a future world full of inventions, that has succeeded in colonizing the Solar System. This is a favorite era and setting of Robert A. Heinlein; it is less common in Asimov's work, and its presence seems almost experimental for Asimov. "The Talking Stone" has a rare alien in Asimov. One suspects he was reading his friend Hal Clement's Mission of Gravity (1953); Asimov's alien has a similar sf approach to those in Clement's novel. So both "The Singing Bell" and "The Talking Stone" incorporate sf subject matter that is not typical of Asimov, and both incorporate mystery forms that were new to him too, the inverted and dying message paradigms, respectively. They seem to be tales in which Asimov is deliberately stretching his range. Neither is a masterpiece or core Asimov, but both richly detailed works repay reading. The titles "The Singing Bell" and "The Talking Stone" both echo R. Austin Freeman's pioneering collection which invented the inverted detective story, The Singing Bone.
"The Key" has sf elements recalling Arthur C. Clarke's "The Sentinel", and others that recall Clifford D. Simak's Way Station (1963). This story also includes an sf device that recalls the Mule parts of Foundation and Empire. "The Key" is best in its first third, which sets up the science fiction situation. This is one of Asimov's elaborate melodramas, in which both sides of a conflict get to present their ideas in full. As is typical of Asimov's work, the many aspects of the conflict are worked out in rich detail. After this, the story mainly turns into a series of puzzles, like those to come in some of the Black Widowers tales. The puzzles are not unpleasant, but they are not as good as the science fiction in the earlier section of the story.
Although it is not an inverted detective story, "Little Lost Robot" (1947) from I, Robot shares approaches with "The Singing Bell". In the inverted finale of "The Singing Bell", the detective has to establish that the suspect has characteristics that are indicative of being the killer - and the detective subjects the suspect to a test to show this. This resembles "Little Lost Robot", whose second half consists of a series of tests that will identify and distinguish the missing robot from a large group of seemingly identical robots. In both stories, Asimov is showing ingenious tests that establish the inner, psychological and mental approach of characters have certain special characteristics.
On a level of imagery, "Runaround" (1942) from I, Robot shares approaches with "The Singing Bell". The test in "The Singing Bell" has the suspect throwing something. For different reasons, the heroes in "Runaround" test the robots' throwing ability. Structurally, these two tales have little in common. But the relationship on the level of imagery is striking. Both stories also have scenes on other worlds, on Mercury and the Moon respectively, that involve black shadows coming out from mountains that give way to regions of bright sunshine.
The mix of Solar System space travel, exotic sf artifacts and traditional mystery genres in the Wendell Urth stories anticipates Poul Anderson's "Adventure of the Martian Crown Jewels" (1958). This is an impossible crime short story, with a rich science fiction background to rival Asimov's. One suspects that Anderson was using Asimov's general approach to constructing an sf mystery, in this story.
Aliens
A note on aliens in Asimov: "Hostess" (1951) looks at alien-human histories on Earth.
"C-Chute" (1951) looks at humans encountering insect-based aliens in space. The most interesting part of "C-Chute" are not the aliens per se, although their social beliefs are well-handled, as in its deconstruction of war fever. Asimov shows that the aliens are behaving just as well and just as badly, as the humans in this interstellar alien Vs humans war. The rich sociological detail of the war, and the alien's behavior in it, is quite inventive and forms a substantial and original anti-war commentary.
"Kid Stuff" (1953) combines the alien-human history of "Hostess" with the insect-based alien approach of "C-Chute". "Kid Stuff" is elaborately detailed, and in theory I should like it. But actually it seems repulsively horror filled.
Asimov returns to these modes in a Black Widowers story, "Neither Brute Nor Human" (1984), a minor tale that takes some unpleasant swipes at Poe and Lovecraft, as well.
"The Talking Stone" (1955) is quite different from all of the above. It shows aliens and humans cooperating with each other, instead of being enemies, as in the other Asimov tales mentioned. The aliens resemble those of Hal Clement's Mission of Gravity (1953) in that they learn science from humans, and in that the aliens' bodies are designed to live in what for humans would be inhospitable environments.
The Black Widowers: Real Mysteries
Asimov wrote 66 non-science fiction short stories about the Black Widowers (1971 - 1991), a group that meets once a month for dinner, and to solve a mystery or a puzzle. The tales have been collected in six volumes. The stories are armchair detective tales. Quite a few of them are disappointingly trivial, linked to some tiny point or obscure fact that serves as the gimmick. But several have more substance. I especially liked 18 stories that contain real mystery, and 12 stories that center around puzzles.
First the real mysteries: tales in which the plot contains a mysterious situation to be solved. These fall into a number of series, each related in terms of plot.
1) "No Smoking" (1974) is the first of several Asimov tales, about people whose behavior is observed, but hard to interpret. It has a miasmic quality, and it is hard to see where the story's situation is going - before detective Henry reveals the inner logic of the events.
"The Driver" (1980) also involves interpretation of an observed person. The tale has an obscure fact gimmick, like many other Black Widowers stories - but here it is worked into a real mystery plot, complete with ingenious solution. The story takes place against a background of scientific research: a common subject in Asimov's late 1950's works, such as the sf-mysteries "The Dying Night" (1956) and "The Dust of Death" (1957).
The Union Club mystery "No Refuge Could Save" (1980) also involves a man who observes job candidates professionally for his living, just like "No Smoking". This tale could be regarded as a puzzle story, being based on an obscure bit of information. But this tiny piece of knowledge is worked into a complex mystery story, a spy tale that shows some originality of approach. The tale is loaded with bits of satire, which are often rooted in paradox, just like the mystery plot of the story itself.
Asimov did not include any of these stories in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov. So Asimov apparently felt they were marginal in his work. But to me they seem like some of his best puzzle plots, and among his works which are closest to the pure mystery tradition of "baffling stories ingeniously and surprisingly explained".
All of these tales involve people under psychological observation, often in a business context. This recalls such sf-mystery tales from I, Robot as "Runaround" and "Little Lost Robot", in which humans study robots on the job, and try to understand their psychology. In both these mysteries and the robot tales, Asimov is most interested in what is going on inside people's minds. Asimov's sf-mystery Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter has sf-based observation, through a Venusian "frog".
2) "Out of Sight" (1973) deals with explaining the puzzling leakage of classified information. "The Recipe" (1990) also deals with an impossible leakage of information, and has a solution partly related to "Out of Sight". Close to these Black Widowers stories is Asimov's sf-mystery Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter (1957). Its main mystery plot deals with hidden leakage of information. And the solution of the mystery has some points in common with the Black Widowers tales.
These stories have solutions that are somewhat related to such tales as "No Smoking" and "The Driver".
"Out of Sight" also has specific links to "Quicker Than the Eye" in the "impossible disappearance" series discussed below, having both a solution related to the latter story, and a setting in the restaurant-like dining room of a cruise ship. Like many of the disappearance stories, its solution involves the psychology of a person watching or participating in the events.
Asimov included "Out of Sight" in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov.
3) "Quicker Than the Eye" (1974) and "The Redhead" (1984) are impossible disappearance stories. Oddly enough, both take place in restaurants. This is in addition to the fact that the frame story in most of the Black Widowers tales is itself in a restaurant. "The Lucky Piece" (1990) has another small object that disappears, as in "Quicker Than the Eye". "The Lucky Piece" is unusually tricky, and has more complications than most of Asimov's impossible disappearance tales. One of his last Black Widowers tales, "Lost In a Space Warp" (1990) is another impossible disappearance, very much in the same mode. This takes place in a private home's kitchen, an environment closely related to the restaurant settings of the other tales. The last Black Widowers story (what a sad thing to say!) "The Guest's Guest" (1991) also deals with a vanishing piece of information. This time, it is lost at the Black Widowers restaurant itself.
The Union Club story "He Wasn't There" (1981) also deals with an impossible disappearance, once again from a restaurant. Its solution is less clever and plausible than the Black Widowers stories in this tradition. And the not-very-good Union Club tale "Never Out of Sight" (1983) provides a sort of absurd version of the same idea, this time set an amusement park.
Asimov included all of the above pre-1987 stories in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov (1987), and made clear in his commentary that he valued such stories highly. In More Tales of the Black Widowers, his commentary on "Quicker Than the Eye" aptly links it to G. K. Chesterton's "The Invisible Man" (1910). Chesterton's tale is rooted in the psychology of an observer, something Asimov preserves.
"The Unabridged" (1976) involves a search for a hidden object. This story has formal similarities to the impossible disappearance tales above. This object has not disappeared, strictly speaking. But like the disappeared objects, it is now in a hidden, obscure place. The story opens with a general philosophical discussion of missing and misplaced objects: this contains ideas that will recur in "Lost In a Space Warp".
Even among the real mystery tales, there are formal resemblances to Asimov's puzzle stories. For example, the impossible disappearances are presented as pure puzzles. "The Redhead" asks: "How did the redhead disappear?" This mystery is not linked to a whodunit, or unraveling some other mysterious crime situation, as it would be in a typical impossible crime story by Carr , Chesterton or Hoch . Asimov's story instead presents a pure, isolated puzzle. Still, the kind of puzzle, an impossible disappearance, is 1) one that reflects a long mystery tradition of impossible crimes 2) rooted in the actual main plot of the story. These two factors make "The Redhead" fall within the paradigm of "real mystery fiction".
Asimov liked the restaurant setting for his real mystery tales. The Black Widowers "The Woman in the Bar" (1980) and the Union Club "The Appleby Story" (1981) have such settings, although neither is an impossible crime tale like those mentioned above. Both are fairly minor among Asimov's mysteries. Both do have relationships with the above series, involving a restaurant or bar as a place of concealed contact for a clandestine organization.
4) Some of Asimov's tales deal with ingenious approaches for creating secret codes. These include "Go, Little Book!" (1972), and the Larry tale "The Key Word" (1977).
Most of Asimov's code tales were not included by him in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov.
"Go, Little Book!" also has ties to the "hidden leakage of information" kind of story. It too has scenes in a restaurant.
5) "The Lullaby of Broadway" (1974) is a sort of sequel to "Go, Little Book!". It is relatively unique within the real mysteries, with a plot that has some similarities with the earlier tale, and many differences.
"The Old Purse" (1987) is another hard-to-classify tale within Asimov's mysteries. It has some features in common with "The Lullaby of Broadway": an innocent married couple at the center of the tale, a writer and his wife, the New York City apartment house where they live, surprising but hard to explain events in that apartment house, and a solution involving somewhat similar kinds of intrigue in both stories. Some of these elements also formed a plot thread in The Caves of Steel, with Lije Bailey and his wife Jessie, and the huge futuristic New York City apartment buildings where they live.
Asimov did not include these stories in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov. In his afterwards, Asimov reveals that the initial premise of each story is based on a real life event, while his solution is fictional and made up for the tale.
6) "Can You Prove It?" (1981) deals with an attempt to establish identity. This is an unusual, innovative subject for a mystery story. The solution invokes some of the hidden information that accompanies daily life. So does the solution of the little mystery in the Union Club tale "The Magic Umbrella" (1983), which is also about trying to establish identity, this time not of a person, but of an umbrella. This latter story is most endearing for the characterization of the two battling elderly men. They reflect the similar battling conversations among the Black Widowers. "The Haunted Cabin" (1990) is another puzzle involving a mysterious establishment of identity, like "Can You Prove It?".
Asimov included both of the pre-1987 stories in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov.
Issues of identity, treated in different fashion, are also involved in such sf-mysteries as The Caves of Steel and "Little Lost Robot" from I, Robot.
7) Asimov wrote some "anti-detective stories", tales which deconstruct the conventions of the detective story, violating its norms: "The Obvious Factor" (1973), "Yes, But Why?" (1990). These have some common plot ideas in their solutions. "The Obvious Factor" especially seemed like a cheat when I first read it. No one should read these expecting fair detective tales. However, Asimov's shock effects in "The Obvious Factor" do have a scientific point, one that he memorably makes about pseudo-science.
The solution of these stories gives them some similarity to a different Asimov series mentioned above: "No Smoking", "The Driver", "No Refuge Could Save".
The robot tale "Galley Slave" (1957) also can be seen as a precursor to the anti-detective stories, in a small way. "Galley Slave" is moderately enjoyable as storytelling, being a not-bad Asimov excursion into courtroom drama, but overall the tale lacks substance. In a different way, the robot detective story "Mirror Image" (1972) also has some shared story material. "Mirror Image" has an elaborate, but somehow not very creative plot.
8) The introduction to "The Haunted Cabin" (1990) contains a real life mini-mystery that happened to Dr. Asimov. So does the entire story of "Where Is He?" (1986). Both tales are interesting, but neither of these "found" mysteries aligns closely with the main series of mystery plots that Asimov created above.
The Black Widowers: Puzzle stories
Next the stories about puzzles. These are stories in which the Black Widowers try to solve some puzzle or riddle. There are quite a few of these, probably more than the true mysteries. I confess that I tend to be disappointed by any work of crime fiction that does not offer a good mystery to solve. But still, some of the best Asimov puzzle stories have compensations. The best puzzles can be enjoyable, with the ingenious Dr. A. offering clever sidelights to the puzzle. And the puzzles are embedded in fictional backgrounds that are sometimes well developed.
Probably the closest ancestor to Asimov's puzzle stories are "dying message" tales, and related mysteries in which sleuths have to interpret a mysterious piece of text, such as those which offer cryptic clues to buried treasure. Ellery Queen is the leading writer of dying message tales - and most of the Black Widowers stories were first published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, at the direct suggestion of Ellery Queen. What seems to be the first Asimov tale to involve puzzles, the science fiction mystery "The Key" (1966), centers on both dying messages and clues to the location of a hidden treasure. It establishes Asimov's links with both of these mystery traditions.
Another work, one with more distant relationship to Asimov's writing: Lewis Carroll's A Tangled Tale (1880-1881 in magazines, 1885 in book form). This little-known but ingenious work embeds math puzzles into a fictional story. Asimov only rarely included purely mathematical puzzles or games into his tales. Asimov's Union Club mystery "Getting the Combination" (1982) is an example.
On specific puzzle-oriented Black Widowers tales:
"Friday the Thirteenth" (1975) and "The Year of the Action" (1980) are puzzles that involve both calendars and history; both are about determining ambiguous years; both look at the historical implications of those years. "The Year of the Action" involves Gilbert and Sullivan. It is hardly a mystery - but it does contain a well developed little historical essay about its puzzle, and is fun to read. Asimov had previously written two nicely-done pastiches of Gilbert lyrics: "The Foundation of S.F. Success" (1954) and "The Author's Ordeal" (1957), both in the collection Earth Is Room Enough. Gilbert is quoted by Asimov as early as "Runaround" (1942). "The Year of the Action" prophesizes the rise and re-birth of the animated film. It took awhile, but animation has been a huge business since around 1990.
"The Ultimate Crime" (1976) is a similar pure puzzle, about Sherlock Holmes and astronomy.
"To the Barest" (1979) is fun, because it gives some humorous inside looks at the Black Widowers as an institution. Its "puzzle in a will" aspects recall "The Curious Omission" (1974).
While Asimov was famous for being a religious skeptic, "The One and Only East" (1975) contains a sympathetic character who is religious. It offers a full outline of his religious practice and attitudes. Once again, this is a complex portrait of a whole way of life, that relates in form, to the portraits of new ways of life in Asimov's science fiction stories. As in many of Asimov's puzzle stories, the puzzle is barely connected to the rest of the story. The geography puzzle about "the East" has nothing to do with the religious aspects of the tale, or even the family situation of the hero. It is like a whole second story nested within the tale as a whole. "Sunset on the Water" (1986) has a geographical puzzle related to that in "The One and Only East". It also has autobiographical aspects about Asimov's love of history.
Several of the Black Widowers tales show personal sides of Dr. Asimov. "The Cross of Lorraine" (1976) offers metaphors for Asimov's fictional talent and its place in his personal life, just as the earlier sf "Dreaming is a Private Thing" (1955) did. The tale's puzzle is also unusual, in that it is a purely geometric, non-verbal riddle.
"The Family Man" (1976) deals with cognitive psychology: styles and methods of thinking. The story's puzzle is weak, unfortunately, but the discussions of thinking throughout are interesting. The discussion of "family men" versus solitary men and Henry's position on this adds to the characterization of Henry in the stories.
"Middle Name" (1980) is also a pure puzzle, without real mystery in the conventional sense. It is mixed with an unusual discussion of relations between the sexes. This discussion seems related in approach to science fiction. Just as science fiction, especially Asimov's, often sets forth a sociological account of an imaginary or future world, so does this story create a detailed look at relations between the sexes in today's society.
"The Quiet Place" (1988) offers interesting metaphors for the tales of friendship between men that are so important to Asimov. It is a puzzle story, but it also offers some real detective work in its dual attempts to track down a person and a place. The story contains imagery that suggests mystical visions of peace, here linked to a place visited by the hero. This is perhaps related to the mystical visions of mental breakdown during space travel, that occur in some of Asimov's fictions. The tale has subject matter links with the story-within-a-story "The Wandering Londoner" in The Caves of Steel (Chapter 10), although that is a horror tale, while "The Quiet Place" is upbeat.
A historical note: The first Black Widowers tale, "The Acquisitive Chuckle" (1972), does not really have a detective - the solution just unfolds. It is only with the second tale that Henry firmly assumes the role of detective, which he will hold ever after. This second story is also the first tale in which Asimov realized he was writing a series: Asimov originally conceived "The Acquisitive Chuckle" as a one-shot. Also, there are only five Black Widowers in these first two stories. It is only with the third, the otherwise not-too-interesting "Truth to Tell" (1972), that math teacher Roger Halsted makes his appearance. One also notes that as far back as "Super-Neutron" (1941) Asimov was writing a tale about a men's dining club that has a guest telling it a story. So the Black Widowers have deep roots within Asimov's fiction.
The Union Club Mysteries
The Union Club Mysteries (1980 - 1983) collects a series of very short mystery stories Asimov wrote; a few more appear in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov, and others are still uncollected. Each is around 2,000 words (six pages), but each manages to have a carefully developed background, a puzzle or mystery, and a solution. Like the longer Black Widowers stories, a few of the Union Club tales are real mysteries, and others are preludes to disconnected puzzles embedded in the stories. Quite a few of the tales are fun, in part because of the care Asimov devoted to the backgrounds of the stories, which are often concise but richly developed.
"He Wasn't There" (1981) is one of the most elaborately constructed of the pure mystery Union Club stories. Asimov wrote this based on a plot contributed by Martin Gardner, well known for his "Mathematical Games" columns in Scientific American. Its New York City apartment house setting recalls such Black Widowers stories as "The Lullaby of Broadway" and "The Old Purse", but the mystery plot has a different structure than those tales.
"The Men Who Wouldn't Talk" (1980) has an uninspired puzzle gimmick. But the body of the story deals with a mass investigation at a prison, and contains some inventive ideas. It is related to earlier mass investigations such as "Little Lost Robot" and Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter.
"Irresistible to Women" (1981), despite being in a collection of non-sf mysteries, is actually a science fiction mystery, although it is not labeled as such. Like Asimov's robot sf-mystery novels of the 1950's, it is a whodunit, with a series of suspects, from among whom the detective has to find the guilty party. This whodunit structure is rare in Asimov's post-1972 short stories. Here we have three women suspects who visit the murdered man shortly before his death: a plot set-up found in countless Ellery Queen short stories. The mystery involves cognitive science, and hence is related to the many Asimov mysteries that turn on psychology and the inner mental workings of the characters.
David Starr, Space Ranger
David Starr, Space Ranger (1952) is the first of a series of six juvenile science fiction mystery books Asimov wrote in the 1950's about this character. Like many books published for teen readers, they are long novellas, not really of novel length. Each concentrates on a different region of the solar system, as it was known then.
David Starr, Space Ranger opens with a mysterious death in a restaurant. In this it anticipates the many non-sf mysteries that Asimov would write that were set in restaurants.
Unfortunately, as a mystery David Starr, Space Ranger is weak:
The identity of the villain is hardly made clear from the one obscure scientific clue against him.
Asimov never "closes the circle" to establish that the conspiracy could have been caused only by characters we see in the story.
The finale depends on violence and torture, rather than reasoning. The last is both a moral failing, and a structural weakness in a detective story.
"The Hazing" (1942) has plot motifs that will show up again in David Starr, Space Ranger. Both show a group of heroes who are overpowered and kidnapped by ambiguous-but-obnoxious bad guys. One of the kidnappers is a giant, fierce and low-brow, in both tales. Both groups of heroes are taken to a backward, more primitive society on a frontier planet. Both have adventures there that underscore the masculinity of the heroes, and have the heroes accepted into the rough-and-ready all-male primitive society. In both, the heroes soon are in the gaudy clothes of the frontier society. Both have all-male casts, but this is hardly unusual in Asimov. Asimov's late Black Widowers story "Police at the Door" (1990), will return in part to such material, with its intellectual hero's longing to be part of a group of working class men.
There are other links between "The Hazing" and later Asimov:
In "The Hazing", the heroes are kidnapped, and sent off on space travel.
A similar kidnapping happens to Asimov's series heroes Powell and Donovan in "Escape!" (1945), one of the best tales in I, Robot. Powell and Donovan experience a breakdown in rationality, during their pioneering interstellar jump. This is similar to the mental breakdown experienced by the robot in "Runaround".
In "I'm in Marsport Without Hilda" (1957), all space travelers will experience mental breakdowns during such jumps. In all such cases, the mental irrationality is depicted by Asimov using nonsense sentences the characters think or say: an effect that sometimes resembles modernist or symbolist literature such as Eliot or Joyce. In "Escape!", the characters are subjected to mental teasings by the computer brain that kidnaps them; in "Marsport", the hero tries to stimulate the space travelers, during their period of irrationality. There is a sense of hazing in all of these tales.
In David Starr, Space Ranger, the hero is abducted and loses consciousness not during space travel, but in the novel's central encounter with advanced Martian intelligences. His mind is manipulated by these beings, but in an apparently more sincere and less teasing way than the scenes in "Escape!" and "Marsport". Still, this is once more a mystical, irrational experience. And the disembodied, non-material Martians he encounters have some similarity to the traditional angels and devils the heroes of "Escape!" think they are seeing.
A story with a bit of relationship is "Risk" (1955), one of Asimov's robot tales. Here, a pioneering interstellar jump is seen as a threat to intellect and sanity for humans who attempt it. This is viewed as pure horror, rather than as a mystical or irrational experience, as in the other tales. The hero of this story is forced into a potential jump, somewhat similar to the way the heroes of the other tales are kidnapped.
In The Gods Themselves, when the characters have sex, they lose their consciousness for days at a time. Yet they seem to develop thinking and scientific understanding during this period.
Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury
Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury (1956) is a science fiction mystery that shares imagery and approaches with "The Talking Stone" (1955). It has rock-living aliens, and a dying message delivered by a non-human character. Here, however, the dying message in Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury is an actual clue to the identity of the killer, rather than to a hidden treasure, as in "The Talking Stone". Such a dying message clue to the killer is in the mainstream of dying message mysteries. Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury is a genuine whodunit: a story in which the detective and reader have to pick the guilty party out a cast of suspects. Both the dying message and other clues offer a fully fair play mystery, in which it is possible to identify the villain. In this, it resembles The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun.
Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury continues Asimov's interest in portrayals of scientific research. Here the research of Project Light builds upon the earlier discovery of the interstellar jump and subetheric space, which had been seen in "Little Lost Robot" and "Escape!" in I, Robot. As in the earlier stories, this research is viewed as a part of future history: events logically following on previous events. The way Project Light is a large scale human undertaking set in outer space recalls "Little Lost Robot". The jealousy of Cook for his superior recalls "Liar!" in I, Robot.
Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury reflects the wrong astronomical idea of its era, that Mercury only keeps one face to the sun. It does not: Mercury, we now know, revolves like every other planet. However, luckily the story does not emphasize this aspect much. Instead, the focus of Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury is how large the Sun seems when viewed from Mercury, and how much light it gets from the sun. These aspects have not dated at all. Asimov uses them to create his poetic opening chapter.
Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter
Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter (1957) is a science fiction mystery, that shares some features with The Caves of Steel. Both are whodunits, set in science fiction universes in which all characters are under mental surveillance. Both stories tale place in a related science fictional milieu: Earth versus advanced Outer Worlds, with robots in common use in the Outer Worlds. Perhaps more important is a common structural characteristic. Both works maintain long chains of deductive investigation that stretch over the entire book. Because of this richness of plotting, Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter is the most important of the Lucky Starr works, considered as a mystery.
The Venusian frog aspects develop ideas Asimov first explored with The Mule in The Foundation Trilogy. Lucky also faces a hazing, as in the story "The Hazing", although here it does not lead to space travel or kidnapping.
Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter is also a tale of a large scale scientific program on a base in space, like "Little Lost Robot" and "Escape!" in I, Robot. We see not only people engaged in research, but a richly developed look at the results of the research, anti-gravity. Asimov had previously explored a world in which anti-gravity was in common use, in "The Singing Bell". Here he shows its initial development.
Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn
Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn (1958) is less of a science fiction mystery, than are some of the other books in the Lucky Starr series. There is no central mystery, and the book is structured as a thriller rather than as a mystery puzzle. Closest element to a conventional mystery: there is a subplot about locating a capsule. At the end (Chapter 16), Lucky does this, using clues based on the dying message of a bad guy. This "dying message used to locate a hidden treasure" approach recalls "The Talking Stone" and "The Key". There is also an interesting passage (Chapter 4) in which Lucky finds hidden significance in a message from a Sirian ship. This is not a dying message, but such "text interpretation" has formal similarities to the "dying message" kind of mystery.
While Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn is not mainly a mystery, it is one of the best Lucky Starr novels, gripping throughout. The last three Lucky Starr novels, Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury, Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter, Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn, seem to form a trilogy. Like The Caves of Steel, they emphasize the conflict between Earth and a group of thinly populated outer planets that use robots. In all of these books, robots play a major role. These books and "The Ugly Little Boy" (1958) were the last major sf works Asimov created before the long silence, 1959 - 1971, during which he published almost no new science fiction, except for his novelization of Fantastic Voyage and a few often very short stories. So their very existence seems precious.
Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn opens with an absorbing account of space travel, to and near Saturn (Chapters 1 - 8). It involves a chase through space, as well as a vivid account of Saturn and its rings, and shows what Asimov could do when he choose to write "space opera". Everything has been imagined with both logic and detail. Like the space travel in "Super-Neutron" (1941), the space ship goes south of the ecliptic, and views a planet from its South Pole. There were good space travel scenes in the second half of Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter, too. But those mainly restricted themselves to vivid descriptions about what might be seen from Jupiter's moons. In Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn, Asimov instead develops a look at space travel as a whole.
The second half of Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn deals with a political struggle. Its intrigue reminds one of the political parts of The Foundation Trilogy and Pebble in the Sky. The book has the first real look at the lives and beliefs of the Sirians, and other Outer World planets. It gives a full look at the politics of these societies. The depiction of how the Sirians regard Earth people as racially inferior is a chilling and powerful pro-Civil Rights commentary, like Pebble in the Sky. The book also shows Asimov's belief that political solutions to problems are far better than war.
Between the complex vision of space travel, and the equally full look at a series of planets and their life styles in its second half, Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn is deeply science fictional. It is a full tilt look at a possible future, an Asimov specialty.
Gay Themes
Some of Asimov's works can be read as embodying gay or bisexual themes:
The Gods Themselves deals with alien beings who have three sexes. We see a detailed look at an alien romance, which includes a love between two alien genders referred to as "he", and a third called "she". And Dua has aspects of being transgendered.
The first of Asimov's Lucky Starr novels, David Starr, Space Ranger, deals with a growing friendship between the hero and another man. It is easy to interpret this as a gay love story, although this is by no means ever made explicit in the novel.
The Caves of Steel also deals with the growing friendship between an Earthman policeman, and his good looking new male robot partner. The close relationship between male police partners is a common metaphor for intimate friendships between men, and one of the few allowed in mainstream books, films and TV shows of its era. It is frequently compared to a marriage.
The Foundation Trilogy contains the mutant human known as The Mule. The Mule is a heterosexual who is attracted to women, but he also has unspecified features that prevent him from having children, or apparently, even any sort of relationship with women.
"Hostess" (1951) deals with a man, his wife, and the terrible secret the man is concealing from his wife about the causes of their marriage. This is a possible metaphor for situations facing some gay men.
"Satisfaction Guaranteed" (1951) is about a married woman who has trouble controlling her attraction to a handsome male robot. While the situation is heterosexual, it can be read as a metaphor for attempts to control hidden gay longings. The robot is an expert in woman's couture, makeup and interior design: professions often associated with gay men.
"Liar!" (1941) and "What's in a Name?" (1956) also deal with women who develop uncontrollable passions for handsome men.
One of the characters in "C-Chute" (1951) speculates on whether, if he were a girl, he would be attracted to a handsome young man in the story.
The Gods Themselves
LGBT. The Gods Themselves has many LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) themes in its middle section. The aliens Odeen and Tritt are both referred to as "he", and have a gay male romance. The characters soon join in a permanent relationship: one of the earliest and most vivid accounts of a gay marriage in literature.
Dua is close to what is now known as transgendered: she looks like one of the three sexes on this planet, but she really is an unusual combination of two of these three sexes.
It might be worth emphasizing, that The Gods Themselves deals very purely with "consensual relations among adults". Also, while the characters all have flaws and limitations, their relationships and sexuality are presented largely sympathetically.
Genre science fiction wrote much about gender and gay life during the 1966-1976 era. Writers like Ursula K. Le Guin, Joanna Russ, Samuel R. Delany, Thomas M. Disch and J.G. Ballard offered many science fictional explorations of such alternative sexuality and gender. The Gods Themselves was part of this movement: an important part.
The explicitness, detail, depth of feeling and respect with which the gay and transgender characters and relationships are depicted, makes The Gods Themselves almost unprecedented. Not just in science fiction, but in human literature as a whole.
Redundancy. Asimov uses "redundancy" to make clear that these characters are LGBT:
Dua is referred to right on the first page as "queer": a common term for LGBT people. The story shows that this queerness involves her non-standard attitude towards gender. The word "queer" is repeated.
There are scenes in which characters wish they were members of a different gender: an idea also frequently associated with LGBT people.
Using a term like "queer" is a literary technique that helps make clear to readers what is going on. It is redundant - we can also tell from the plot that she is transgendered. But using "queer" helps clue readers in. This is like newspaper stories that tell a reader everything three times, a standard technique in reporting. It may sound unnecessary. But in practice, redundancy really helps most people, myself included, to understand what they are reading. Film critic David Bordwell has written about the use of redundancy in Hollywood films, that helps viewers understand the stories.
Mystery Plot. The middle section of The Gods Themselves has mystery elements. These elements involve the beings called the Hard Ones. Both heroes Odeen and Dua wonder about the many mysterious unknown aspects of the Hard Ones' lives. The reader wonders too: readers know just as little as Odeen and Dua. At the end of the story, Odeen and Dua figure out the answers about the Hard Ones, and share them with the reader: just like detectives giving the solution at the end of a typical non-science fiction mystery. The middle section of The Gods Themselves is thus a combination of science fiction and mystery: just like The Caves of Steel and other Asimov science fiction-mysteries. However, the middle section of The Gods Themselves differs from The Caves of Steel, in that the mystery does NOT involve a murder.
The mystery in The Gods Themselves has some broad structural resemblances to the mystery surrounding the Second Foundation in The Foundation Trilogy:
Both tales take place among a group that is well understood by both the characters and the reader: The Soft Ones in The Gods Themselves, the First Foundation in The Foundation Trilogy.
A second, related group is mysterious and full of secrets: the Hard Ones in The Gods Themselves, the Second Foundation in The Foundation Trilogy.
At the tales' ends, the secrets of this second, mysterious group are revealed.
Neither book contains a murder mystery. Instead, the mystery is about a group.
Science Laws Changing. The first section of The Gods Themselves deals with the laws of physics changing. This topic appeared previously in writers with roots in 1930's science fiction pulp magazines:
John W. Campbell's short story "Atomic Power" (1934) deals with the force of gravity changing. It explores the physics of this change in detail. In both Campbell and Asimov, the changing physics is linked to energy sources. SPOILERS. Both tales involve multiple universes. In Campbell these are macro mad micro universes; in Asimov they are parallel dimensions.
Otto Binder wrote a number of tales about "changing laws of science" for the comic book Strange Adventures , in the 1950's. See the article for a detailed discussion.
Hard Science Fiction. This opening section of The Gods Themselves is grounded heavily in science. It seems to be an example of "hard science fiction".
Confusingly, "hard sf" is frequently defined in a number of ways, that actually refer to distinct concepts:
Hard sf is sometimes defined as sf based on accurate science.
Other times as science fiction that explores science and/or scientific research in great detail.
Other times as sf based in "hard sciences" such as physics, chemistry or astronomy.
The first section of The Gods Themselves satisfies all three of these definitions. It is thus "hard sf" no matter which definition you use. One suspects that Asimov was familiar with all of these definitions, and was deliberately trying to write a work that embodied all of them.
Asimov was championing hard science fiction in his essays during this period.
Cosmic Engineering. The discussion of moving the Moon (in the last third) is in the tradition of sf tales of Cosmic Engineering. Asimov likely grew up reading such tales in 1926-1945 pulp magazines, written by authors like Edmond Hamilton and Otto Binder. (See also my article on Otto Binder's 1950's Cosmic Engineering comic book tales in Mystery in Space .)
The Gods Themselves has something of a "kitchen sink" construction: as the saying goes, Asimov seems to be "throwing everything but the kitchen sink" into the story. The book is a huge compendium of science fiction subjects and techniques, some old and maybe old-fashioned like Cosmic Engineering, others up-to-the-minute.
C. I. Defontenay
C. I. Defontenay's novel Star ou Psi de Cassiop�e (1854) is a detailed look at another planet and its solar system. It is one of the earliest and best looks at an alien world in science fiction. It should be much better known. It appeared in English translations as Star (Psi Cassiopeia) (1975). The best part of the book is its first half (up through page 103 in the 1975 paperback translation).
J.-H. Rosny a�n�
Rosny's "Les Xipehuz" (1887) is a terrific look at alien beings.
Hugo Gernsback
Hugo Gernsback founded the first all-science-fiction magazine Amazing Stories in 1926.
Ralph 124C41+
His best known science fiction work is the novel Ralph 124C41+ (1911).
The book's highlight is its depiction of the New York City of the future (Chapter 5). This chapter is a parade of technical marvels. Depictions of advanced, large, fabulous cites were a standard in 1910's sf: the Last Redout of humanity in the future in The Night Land (1912) by William Hope Hodgson , the advanced civilization on Venus in Homer Eon Flint's "The Queen of Life" (1919).
Gernsback's New York City anticipates the futuristic city Trantor in Isaac Asimov's Foundation (1951) and the future New York City in The Caves of Steel (1953). Both Asimov and Gernsback have elevators leading to the roofs of buildings, where one can stare out and see immense vistas. The "routing goods" technology in Gernsback perhaps finds an echo in the different "routing people" technology in the opening of Foundation.
Much of the description of Gernsback's New York centers on light. We get an early look at the solar power plants that provide energy to the city. And the chapter concludes with a full scale "light show" showing the city at night. The depictions of light have a "visionary" quality that recalls the work of William Hope Hodgson. They use color, also recalling Hodgson.
The depiction of New York City streets (Chapter 4) shows that electric vehicles have replaced gas-powered cars. Electric vehicles also appear in the non-science-fiction detective story "The Man Higher Up" (1909) by William MacHarg and Edwin Balmer . In Ralph 124C41+, pedestrians are speeded along by the electric-motor roller skates they wear, called "coasters". Both the coasters and the electric vehicles are re-charged wirelessly from power sources on the streets: thus avoiding the need for charging stations.
Aleksandr Kuprin
Aleksandr Kuprin was a Russian author, mainly of realistic fiction, such as his novel The Duel (1905). His first name has often been transliterated as Alexander, making it confusing to search for him and his books.
Moloch
His short novel Moloch (1896) looks at industry and capitalism. I have only read descriptions and summaries of this work. It is likely an early example of Lab Lit: realistic stories about science, technology and industry, set in contemporary times.
It depicts industry as something that consumes workers, the way the evil pagan god Moloch was worshipped by human sacrifice in the Bible. This metaphor anticipates the science fiction film Metropolis ( Fritz Lang , 1927). Metropolis in turn influenced the Moloch imagery in Allen Ginsberg's poem Howl (1955).
Liquid Sunshine
Aleksandr Kuprin's best known science fiction work is the short story "Liquid Sunshine" (1913). "Liquid Sunshine" looks at solar technology. Elaborate machinery turns, capturing sunlight at different times of day. In this it recalls the solar farms in Hugo Gernsback's Ralph 124C41+ (1911). However Ralph 124C41+ depicts solar power, the gathering of energy from the Sun, while "Liquid Sunshine" has machines collecting actual solar photon particles. Still, both works show the deep interest writers in the 1910's had in solar technology.
The description of the elaborate machinery in "Liquid Sunshine" has a "visionary" quality. So do the depictions of advanced lenses and technical equipment earlier in the tale. They describe an elaborate visual experience, one that is beautiful, and which seems to evoke an almost hallucinatory intensity of visual patterns. Visionary experience was prominent in the 1910's works of William Hope Hodgson . The subject matter of Hodgson and Kuprin is different, with Kuprin being more interested in machinery. Still, the visionary feel of Kuprin definitely recalls Hodgson.
The young hero's many jobs and wandering from place to place, recall the early life of Kuprin himself. This gives "Liquid Sunshine" an autobiographical aspect. The liveliness of these descriptions perhaps reflects their roots in reality. However, the specific details of "Liquid Sunshine" are likely different from the author's own adventures.
"Liquid Sunshine" deserves praise for its sympathetic depiction of Jews. The black servants in the story are not caricatured either. Unfortunately, the tale mars these accomplishments, by having the scientist make dismissive racial remarks at the story's end.
Homer Eon Flint
Homer Eon Flint's fiction is as smoothly written as that of any contemporary author. He in no sense seems to be a "primitive". His fiction recalls that of H.G. Wells, as does that of many of his contemporaries.
Flint's Utopian novella "The Queen of Life" (1919), about a trip to Venus, seems quite sophisticated. It opens with a vivid space flight to that planet, followed by a well thought out look at Venus' advanced civilization. The tale is a genuine science fiction story: full of imaginative, logical detail following from Flint's basic premises. The story's many feminist angles should also intrigue modern readers.
Flint's sequels "The Devolutionist" (1921) and "The Emancipatrix" (1921) seem inferior to "The Queen of Life". The idea of humans as slaves to animals has a long tradition in sf. It shows up in "The Emancipatrix", with humans as slaves to bees.
Flint's stories about cosmic engineering, humans altering solar systems through technology, were cited as an influence by Edmond Hamilton.
Edmond Hamilton
Hamilton's early tales of the Interstellar Patrol of the Federated Suns, have been rightly viewed as gems of early science fiction. As Donald A. Wollheim pointed out in his critical study The Universe Makers (1971), Hamilton's are some of the earliest and most inventive tales of interstellar travel.
Murder in the Void: a short story
By contrast, Hamilton's non-series short story "Murder in the Void" (1938) is disappointing. "Murder in the Void" combines science fiction, a murder mystery, and spy thriller features. It is gruesomely violent, relentlessly filled with unpleasant horror material that takes up the bulk of the story. It does have mystery elements, looking at a series of murders, and a mystery about "who done it". The tale has a puzzle plot, with a surprising choice of villain who does not seem able to have committed the crime, until the solution shows how. The hero is mainly a secret agent, and quite a violent one, but he doubles as a detective. "Murder in the Void" shows that at this early date, Hamilton was exploring the possibility of mystery-sf hybrids.
Hamilton would script many mystery and science fiction tales for comic books in the 1950's and 1960's. His mysteries often centered on "mysteries of identity".
Otto Binder
Binder was a major creator of comic book scripts. These are notable for their rich science fiction imagination.
The Teacher from Mars: a short story
"The Teacher from Mars" (1941) is an outstanding short work by Binder. It looks at the evils of racial prejudice, given in science fictional form as hatred against Martians. "The Teacher from Mars" is probably most easily found in the anthology My Best Science Fiction Story (1949), edited by Leo Margulies and Oscar J. Friend.
Nelson S. Bond
"Pilgrimage" (1939) is the first of a series of stories about Meg, a priestess of a future tribe. It is an example of a tale that combines a science fiction look at a far future North America, with a "primitive" tribal life. "Pilgrimage" is likely strongly influenced by "By the Waters of Babylon" (1937) by Stephen Vincent Ben�t, a famous story in its era.
John W. Campbell
Who Goes There?
"Who Goes There?" (1938) is a novella. It mixes science fiction and horror.
Problem and solution. "Who Goes There?" has a "problem and solution" structure. The hero, and implicitly the reader, are faced with a science fiction problem: identifying the alien. Eventually, the hero comes up with a solution, a method to identify the alien. The method used as the solution is logically based on the ideas in the story.
Such a "problem and solution" has some resemblance to the mystery tale: a riddle or puzzle, and a logical yet surprising solution based on prior events in the story.
Note that the method is the solution to the problem. The identity of the alien determined by the method is not something that the reader can deduce logically. Only the method of determining the alien is developed logically from prior story elements. This differs from most mysteries, where the identity of the culprit is the solution, logically derived from clues. By contrast, in "Who Goes There?", it is the method of finding the alien that is the problem's solution.
"Problem and solution" tales occur in other science fiction authors. They include some of Isaac Asimov's robot stories, and Gardner Fox's Adam Strange comic book science fiction series. The final section of Theodore L. Thomas' "The Weather Man" (1962) has a problem-and-solution structure.
Lovecraft tradition. "Who Goes There?" perhaps reflects the work of H.P. Lovecraft and his followers, a tradition not always viewed as close to Campbell:
"Who Goes There?" is a horror story based in science and science fictional in approach: a central Lovecraft tradition.
"Who Goes There?" shows sinister aliens present in Antarctica since ancient times, recalling Lovecraft's At The Mountains of Madness (written 1931, published 1936). However, Lovecraft's aliens built cities, while Campbell's aliens are stuck frozen in ice.
The shoggoths in At The Mountains of Madness are amorphous, have multiple eyes, and center on protoplasm: features suggesting the quite different aliens in "Who Goes There?".
Lovecraft disciple Frank Belknap Long's "The Hounds of Tindalos" (1931) explores the biology of alien beings, suggesting they have different protoplasm. "Who Goes There?" takes an even deeper dive into such possible alien biologies.
While Lovecraft and Long are strictly science fictional, Campbell has even more scientific detail. Campbell approaches what we would now categorize as "hard science fiction".
Technology. "Who Goes There?" opens and closes with pictures of the aliens' advanced technology. This gives a "super-science" dimension to the tale, recalling such Campbell stories as "Night" (1935).
The opening includes a spectacular light show: a favorite subject in science fiction.
Popularity and canons. "Who Goes There?" is far and away John W. Campbell's most famous story today. This is in part because of the numerous film versions, as The Thing. It is also perhaps because it is one of the most horror-centered of Campbell's works, thus finding an audience among the vast group of horror fans.
However, the fame of "Who Goes There?" also reflects its repeated inclusion in science fiction canons. Even before the first film version The Thing from Another World ( Howard Hawks and Christian Nyby, 1951), there are signs that "Who Goes There?" was becoming a canonical science fiction story. "Who Goes There?" was included in the pioneering science fiction anthology Adventures in Time and Space (1946) edited by Raymond J. Healy and J. Francis McComas, a work that helped establish science fiction canons. Since that time, "Who Goes There?" has repeatedly shown up in key science fiction canon-building enterprises, such as The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two (1973), where it was voted top place among science fiction novellas, and the All-Centuries Locus Polls (2012), where "Who Goes There?" took 4th place among novellas.
Arthur C. Clarke
Pre-History: British and in Clarke
Imagery in some of Arthur C. Clarke's best-known works recalls monuments of Prehistoric Britain.
One might compare the description of a prehistoric Dartmoor barrow in the mystery novel known as The Corpse With the Blue Cravat or The Coroner Doubts (1938) by R. A. J. Walling . (Walling's descriptions are near the start of Chapter 3):
The barrow is marked out by a solitary, tall standing stone, referred to by Walling as a "monolith". This anticipates the monolith in Clarke's 2001.
Walling describes an large artificial bowl made of stones, likely made at the same time as the barrow. This is called the "Giant's Basin". It is set in the ground. It anticipates the giant hemispherical bowl in Clarke's Against the Fall of Night (Chapter 7), also artificial. Both bowls are compared to craters.
In real-life Britain, such features were created by early, prehistoric residents of Britain. In Clarke, such features were also created by dimly understood prehistoric beings.
The TV series Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World (1980) includes an episode about megalithic structures, The Riddle of the Stones.
Against the Fall of Night
The Desert and the Forest. Against the Fall of Night (1948-1953) contrasts two societies: a Utopian city built in the desert, Diaspar, and a rural region made up of lush forests, Lys. Symbolically, these could stand for England and Sri Lanka, the two countries where Clarke mainly lived. England is hardly a desert. But it is a place where untouched nature has largely been eradicated. It would have made a stunning contrast in the 1950's with the lush rain forests in Sri Lanka.
Having a hero move out of his home region to explore a forested area, also occurs in Clarke tales like "The Lion of Comarre" and "Second Dawn".
Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed (1974) has its dissatisfied hero travel from his home in a desert Utopia to a lush, fertile green area hosting a very different society. Like Clarke's heroes, he is the only member of his otherwise inward-looking society to make such a journey.
Pets. Theon has two pets, and the human-pet relationship is idealized. Similarly, "The Lion of Comarre" gets its title from the lion who adopts the hero as his human owner. Both tales' relationships are modeled on that of humans and dogs.
Like other parts of Clarke tales, an idealized viewed of dogs is deeply British. British writers and painters often depicted dogs as better morally than humans, with dogs' loyalty and steadfastness seen as morally superior to humans' behavior.
Future Cities. John W. Campbell wrote famous tales of advanced future cities, often abandoned. Such Campbell short stories as "Night" (1935) and "Forgetfulness" (1937) perhaps influenced Clarke's cities in Against the Fall of Night.
The Night Land (1912) by William Hope Hodgson depicts much of what is left of mankind gathered together in a single, isolated city on a far future Earth. The hero learns of the existence of a second settlement, and sets out to find it. This could have influenced Clarke. However, the tone of the two novels is different, with Against the Fall of Night lacking the horror and eeriness of The Night Land.
Automated Transport. SPOILERS. The automatic underground transport system recalls Clarke's "Rescue Party" (1946).
The automatic spaceship in which the hero catches a ride anticipates Childhood's End.
Such systems are very British. They recall the Underground subway system in London, and Britain's national railway system. Both of these are key features of British life.
The Computer. The main computer is known as the Associator. Central to it is what we now call a "database" or "knowledge base": a large collection of information, facts and knowledge. It also has reasoning capabilities. One suspects that the novel's concepts were influenced by earlier real life proposals for creating vast knowledge bases:
H.G. Wells' advocacy of what he called a World Brain in the 1930's.
Vannevar Bush's advocacy of a hypertext knowledge system in his article "As We May Think" (1945). It viewed knowledge associatively, as does Clarke's Associator. Bush's essay later directly influenced such real-life computer scientists as Douglas Engelbart and Ted Nelson.
Vanamonde. Vanamonde is "born" as an infant, and slowly grows up. This anticipates the Star Child at the end of the film 2001. However, Vanamonde is "explained" in considerable science fictional detail, whereas the Star Child is a puzzling image that suddenly appears without explanation.
It is unclear to me that group minds or telepathy are superior to or an advance on the single individual minds of today's humans. This means that I have trouble seeing the ends of Against the Fall of Night and Childhood's End as progress, or improvements on today's humanity.
Religions and Movements. Against the Fall of Night (Chapter 8) has a religious movement, which worships the Old Ones. It eventually drops out of mainstream society, building an alternative society of its own.
Similarly, in "The Lion of Comarre" (Chapter 2) the Decadents movement offers an alternative to mainstream society, eventually building its own city. However, the Decadents are not a religious group, even though they have moral values differing from mainstream society.
Both groups are long-lived, and deeply committed. Neither group is purely political. Such religious or value-based groups allow Clarke to look at social dissent, but without invoking radical politics that is politically based. "Earthlight" (the short story version) makes negative satirical comments about "reformers", expressing what seems to be both distaste and disinterest on Clarke's part in dissenting political movements.
The Decadents are likely inspired by the real-life late 19th Century Decadents, and their British representatives, the Aesthetic movement, led by Walter Pater and Oscar Wilde. Like many other traditions invoked by Clarke, the Aesthetic movement is deeply British. Also notable: Pater and Wilde were gay men, as was Clarke.
A Science Fiction Mystery Story. The hero of Against the Fall of Night is trying to solve two mysteries: What is beyond the city of Diaspar? What is the truth about humanity's past? The book shows him steadily answering both questions.
This gives Against the Fall of Night the structure of a mystery story: a tale in which a hero investigates and solves a mysterious situation.
However, Against the Fall of Night has little of the mechanism of traditional, non-science fiction mystery. Neither clues nor deduction play much role in finding the solution. Nor is a hidden villain revealed, unlike "Whodunit" mystery tales.
A Gay Subtext?. Five of the six main characters in Clarke's Against the Fall of Night are men. Most of the personal relationships are between men. Some of these relationships are emotionally important to the men: see Jeserac's feelings for Alvin (end of Chapter 11) and Rorden's relationship with Alvin (start of Chapter 12). The relationship that develops at the end between Vanamonde and Theon is also between two male characters, even if one of them is non-human.
The hero has no relationships with women. His sexual orientation is unspecified: he is never marked as straight or gay. This is unusual for books and films, which most frequently explicitly describe their heroes as heterosexual.
The idea that all the male characters are gay, and that their friendships have gay sexual dimensions, is consistent with the novel. However, the novel does not actually say this explicitly. It is also possible to read the book as a story which simply does not explore any of the characters' sexuality.
Some of the character types and kinds of relationships return in "The Wall of Darkness" (1949), a tale with all-male characters. In both works, the young hero leaves home for another distant society, and strikes up a friendship with a young man he meets there, a man who helps him explore the world. Both tales also show a relationship between the young hero and his tutor. And the hero of "The Wall of Darkness" does not have an explicit sexual orientation given either. "The Wall of Darkness" can also be seen as a story that ambiguously might have a gay subtext.
Poet A. E. Housman is the source of the book's title. Housman was gay, and was a favorite of gay writers of the era, also giving the title to Patrick White's mainstream novel The Tree of Man (1955), and being quoted by mystery writer Aaron Marc Stein in Sitting Up Dead (1958).
The Wall of Darkness: a short story
A Science Fiction Mystery Story. "The Wall of Darkness" (1949) has the structure of a mystery story:
It opens with a mystery, "What is behind the wall?";
The hero investigates, just like a detective in a conventional mystery;
The hero solves the mystery at the end.
This is exactly the structure of a mystery tale. Only it is applied to a science fiction puzzle, rather than a murder or theft, as in a conventional mystery.
The end of the story explains the solution in enormous detail. Partly this is an example of Clarke's stress on clarity and communication: he is an exceptionally clear writer throughout his books. But it also reflects the way the genre of mystery fiction stresses clear solutions to its mysteries, with everything spelled out in detail during the solution at the end of the story.
Quasi-Medieval. "The Wall of Darkness" (1949) has a quasi-medieval feel:
The families are like feudal lords, landowners who control vast territories.
The architecture is medieval, with a tower supported by flying buttresses.
Society has declined from an earlier, more technologically developed era. This is a bit like the decline of Medieval Europe from the more advanced societies of Ancient Rome and Greece.
Despite this, "The Wall of Darkness" mercifully avoids any trace of the supernatural, unlike some quasi-medieval tales. It instead sticks strictly to science.
Influence on Le Guin?. "The Wall of Darkness" might have influenced Ursula K. Le Guin:
The ancient families with central homes anticipate Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness (1969). So does the general quasi-medieval feel of the society.
"The Building" (2001) in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes shows a building project in the far south of a world in which society and technology have regressed.
Second Dawn: a short story
"Second Dawn" (1951) is an elaborately imagined story about alien beings on another planet. Like "Rescue Party", it is unusual in being a story entirely about aliens, with no human characters.
It has aspects of a "future history", showing the beings undergo a series of developments over time.
"Second Dawn" has links to Against the Fall of Night. In both:
Beings who are dissatisfied with their society undergo a journey, in which they discover a second, much different society in a remote land.
The second society is agricultural, and lives in a lush area that includes forests, unlike the original society.
Alien beings are discovered, that change the direction of the original society.
Telepathy and group minds are explored. However, unlike Against the Fall of Night, telepathy and group minds are NOT seen as a positive, ultimate development. Instead, they are viewed as a possibility that is explored but ultimately rejected as second-rate.
In Against the Fall of Night, the civilization of Diaspar is simply abandoned, as humanity moves towards a group mind. By contrast, "Second Dawn" shows society evolving, with changes in fundamental directions and approaches, and technological innovation. I think this is a more interesting approach.
A big negative: the relentless sexism. The hero's wife is uninterested in ideas, perhaps incapable of serious thinking, and obsessed with jewels and personal display.
Jupiter Five: a short story
"Jupiter Five" (1953) is about a pioneering space journey to Jupiter's moon Jupiter V. (Jupiter V also known as Amalthea, although that name is not used in the story.) It extends ideas from earlier Clarke tales:
Like "The Sentinel" it deals with remains left behind long ago by advanced alien visitors to our Solar System.
Like "Second Dawn", the aliens seem to balance themselves from a projection in the rear, in this case a tail.
I particularly liked the information about the size and geography of Jupiter's moons.
However much of the second half of "Jupiter Five" is a let-down: the tale stops focussing on the aliens, and looks at silly intrigue with a rival explorer. "Jupiter Five" would be better if it were longer and had more about the aliens.
BIG SPOILERS. The description of the huge alien construction reminds one of Simak's prior tale "Limiting Factor" (1949).
"Jupiter Five" contains witty reflexive looks at contemporary publishers, such as Life magazine and Sidgwick & Jackson. Clarke's "I Remember Babylon" will mention Clarke's involvement with the Book of the Month Club.
The art gallery recalls the paintings and carvings on display in the building in "The Lion of Comarre" (Chapter 4). Both are huge buildings filled with a vast number of art treasures, the product of an entire culture.
Robert Heinlein
Future History
Robert Heinlein became famous in the early 1940's, in part because of his Future History. This was a series of short stories and novels, that together painted a historical sequence of future events. Most of the Future History series was collected in the omnibus The Past Through Tomorrow.
"The Roads Must Roll" (1940) is Heinlein's most impressive short story. It is richly inventive in its look at future technology leading to new social organization.
"Delilah and the Space Rigger" (1949) recalls "The Roads Must Roll", in showing a whole new technological infrastructure, and the society that develops out of it.
"Misfit" (1939) is the first of Heinlein's "big engineering projects in the future" tales, anticipating "The Roads Must Roll" and "Delilah and the Space Rigger". In both "Misfit" and "Delilah and the Space Rigger", we see the huge enterprise being built. "Misfit" also has elements of Cosmic Engineering: altering astronomical objects through human engineering, usually to benefit Mankind. Cosmic Engineering is associated with Edmond Hamilton and Otto Binder.
"Coventry" (1940), by contrast has little technology in it. It is mainly sociological. It casts a satiric look at Libertarian fantasies, contrasting them with grim realities.
Three of the stories give a vivid picture of life on a future moon colony: "The Black Pits of Luna" (1948), "It's Great to Be Back!" (1947), "The Menace from Earth" (1957).
Universe
"Universe" (1941) is a novella. It is an early work in the Generation Starship topic, and highly influential on the many Generation Starship tales to follow. It was published shortly after the excellent "The Voyage that Lasted 600 Years" (1940) by Don Wilcox, a Generation Starship tale that explores many different plot possibilities of the premise.
I long since had read such later stories as Simak's "Target Generation" and Le Guin's "Paradises Lost". Both are earnest, serious-toned looks at moral choices faced by people on such starships. By contrast, "Universe" startles by its playful, comic, satirical tone. "Universe" also seems more experimental in its literary techniques, with its inclusion of verse.
Ideology. "Universe" refuses to endorse any historical group as Good Guys:
Both the (self-proclaimed) scientists and the superstitious traditionalists turn out to be completely out-of-touch with reality, and pursuing bad ends.
Both Religion and Atheism based politics and government get held up to scorn, as wrong concepts that lead to evil social ends.
"Universe" is especially disturbed by the prospect that religion or atheism might be the basis of a government. It shows the horrendous consequences of both theocracy, and public policy run by atheism. Implicitly, it strongly prefers the separation of church and state. It makes one thankful for the American system, in which the government stays completely out of religion, and allows the public to freely pursue their own religious approaches.
No one's beliefs in "Universe" are a matter of private conviction - instead, a viewpoint immediately links one to a political-and-social group. The religious are out to preserve the (lousy) traditional society; the young atheists are out to take ever the Ship, and plotting a genocide of the mutants. Both groups are seen as scientifically false and socially rotten.
The religious-government authorities such as the Captain, have their ideas implicitly compared to the way the Catholic Church treated Galileo:
The hero quotes Galileo (without attribution): "Nevertheless - it still moves".
Looking through the Veranda to the stars, is an analogue of Galileo's real-life attempts to get people to look through the newly invented telescope.
The real-life atheist-government most prominent in 1941 were the Communists led by Stalin. They were indeed engaged in mass murder - like the mass killing planned by the young atheists in "Universe".
Heinlein was a Methodist. He was raised in a strongly Methodist family, and he still self-identified himself as a Methodist in his non-fiction travel book Tramp Royale (1953-1954).
Ignorance. "Universe" is another Heinlein work where knowledge is NOT passed along through written form. One of the "root causes" of problems aboard the Ship is that there is no print or electronic transmission of ideas. There are old books, but apparently no new books or documents. And few people can read, or count. As in Starman Jones, knowledge is mainly passed along through apprenticeship: a highly inefficient route, in my judgement.
However, Have Space Suit - Will Travel looks at a contemporary US high school, where the curriculum and attitudes are so dumbed-down that its graduates are not college-ready. The teenage hero has to stand consciously outside of his society, and pursue a vigorous course of self-study, just to be qualified to enter a university engineering program. Here is a whole society, filled with books and literate members, that in spite of these advantages has dumbed itself down nearly to the level of the Ship in "Universe".
Starman Jones
Starman Jones (1953) takes place in the future, in a universe set forth in great detail. It is richest in science fiction ideas in its opening third (Chapters 1-7). Many aspects echo and develop ideas that Heinlein earlier set forth in short tales, most of them part of his Future History:
"The Roads Must Roll": future ground transport, including the "ring trains" and futuristic trucks, and human beings interacting with it dangerously. The labor unions of "Roads" return in much more negative form as the Guilds in Starman Jones.
"Coventry": a look at a society full of crooks, always try to rip off a naive newcomer hero. Also, a man wise in the ways of that society, who becomes a mentor and guide to that same hero.
"We Also Walk Dogs": special environments for alien visitors to Earth.
"Space Jockey": the idea that navigating a spaceship requires endless direct mathematical computations. The men who do this are highly trained mathematicians. Oddly, I think these aspects are less interesting than others, in both "Space Jockey" and Starman Jones. Such math calculations originated in "Misfit".
"And He Built a Crooked House": the fourth dimension, affecting three-dimensional life in our universe. In Starman Jones, used to explain the mathematics behind hyperspace jumps (end of Chapter 7). This explanation is unusually detailed and geometric, for what is often treated just as a convention in sf stories.
"Misfit": both the planned alternating of weightlessness and gravity, and descriptions of pressure locks in space, return briefly in the funeral (start of Chapter 13). The savant of "Misfit" anticipates the hero with photographic memory in Starman Jones. Both do complex math calculations in their head, eventually saving the day.
The versions and details of these ideas in Starman Jones are new. They are variations and developments of previous Heinlein ideas, not simple re-uses. They give Heinlein's worlds a unique mental basis, a grounding in a series of personal approaches.
The last two-thirds of Starman Jones are thinner. The endless political intrigues among the astrogaters are unpleasant. Worse, they lack plausibility, especially in the complete lack of built-in safety features or double checking over their calculations. This criticism has the benefit of hindsight, to be fair: safety features in software are standard in the 2000's, whereas Heinlein was trying to extrapolate in 1953!
Similarly, the photographing of the records is interesting (start of Chapter 14), but one wonders why such archiving doesn't happen automatically. In the future technology of Murray Leinster's "The Ethical Equations" (1945) for example, it likely would have.
Real knowledge of How To Do Things in Starman Jones is restricted to a few men with practical experience. They can teach young men in person. But there are no textbooks, training films, training software or encyclopedias in this future, to share knowledge on a massive scale. Modern society since the 1700's has depended on such books to spread the principles behind its industrial base. Admittedly, in the future world of Starman Jones, all professions and knowledge are highly restricted by Guilds. Still, one wonders if one is also seeing a none-too-workable prejudice in Heinlein against book learnin' and in favor of Practical Men.
Rick Raphael
Rick Raphael is an American science fiction writer, fairly obscure today.
Code Three
"Code Three" (1963) is a novella, about futuristic police vehicles patrolling the superhighways of tomorrow. The future in "Code Three" is refreshingly normal: this is not a dystopia like that in the Mad Max films, and the motorists on the road are also normal human beings, much like those in 1963. The actions of the cops are also normal: basically they resemble a typical episode of the TV series CHiPs, helping stranded motorists, dealing with accidents, etc.
So what is different about the future in "Code Three", from the 1963 United States? Mainly the high tech police vehicles, and the very high speed highways. Most of "Code Three" is devoted to pictures of all the advanced technology mounted on the giant police truck the heroes drive. Raphael shows imagination and logic, in his endlessly detailed depictions of this technology. This is the center of the story.
The high speed freeways are also logically imagined. They are visibly influenced by the advanced highways in Robert Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll" (1940), one of the most famous and admired of sf stories. Heinlein broke up his roads into a series of lanes, each moving at a different speed, from slow to fast. The freeways in "Code Three" are also broken up into zones, in which cars move at different ranges of speed. Heinlein featured a corps of professional highway workers, and buildings and equipment for them; the highways in "Code Three" are similarly patrolled and maintained by a specialized Patrol.
Before either Heinlein or Raphael, Hugo Gernsback had two lanes on pedestrian sidewalks in Ralph 124C41+ (1911) (Chapter 4). The lanes were for pedestrians moving in different directions, not speeds. And Gernsback's pedestrians are on motorized roller skates he called "coasters".
The future in "Code Three" is full of constant communication, resembling a bit today's society and its in-touch members. However, communication in "Code Three" is above all the human voice saying things, transmitted by radio. Radio was THE high tech medium of the 1940's, and it wowed many authors of science fiction and scientific detective stories. It is still central in "Code Three" in 1963. "Code Three" does include a fascinating scene where information is read off metal tags by a machine, interpreted, and transmitted by radio. So Raphael was envisioning other kinds of data communication. But there is no conception of an Internet routinely transmitting every sort of text and data; rather, specialized machines are built occasionally to transmit important kinds of data such as those on the metallic tags.
The heroine is a well-developed person, in the depiction of her professional activities. This is an implicitly feminist portrait, with her working in a position of equality with the men.
"Code Three" recalls 1950's films, about California highways and vehicles:
The title "Code Three" echoes Code Two ( Fred M. Wilcox , 1953), about Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) motorcycle cops.
The young hot-rodders recall those in 1950's films, such as Hot Rod Girl ( Leslie H. Martinson , 1956). In Hot Rod Girl, sympathetic cop Chuck Connors has to find a way to get nice but misguided teenagers to avoid dangerous hot-rod stunts. The same dilemma is faced by the likable-but-concerned cop hero in an episode of "Code Three".
Death in Small Doses ( Joseph M. Newman , 1957) has its Food and Drug Administration agent hero (Peter Graves) battling amphetamine abuse among truckers. It resembles "Code Three" less than the above films, but it is another example of a thriller about highway traffic.
There was a syndicated US television police series Code 3 (1957). While the popular Drganet centered on true tales of the LAPD, Code 3 drew on the records of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
William P. McGivern wrote "Killer on the Turnpike" (1961), a non-science fiction novella about State Police hunting for a murderer on what seems to be the New Jersey Turnpike. The highway and the police patrolling it are organized on similar lines as in "Code Three". This might not indicate that "Killer on the Turnpike" was an influence on "Code Three". It might simply mean that both stories are grounded in the reality of the US highway system in the 1960's. Both authors show mobile police vehicles talking by radio to dispatchers in fixed locations; highway entrance and exit points as key areas of possible interception; milestones used to identify locations on the highway; information connections to national crime fighting networks. Both works also feature bad weather to make the highway scenes more suspenseful.
Code Two and Death in Small Doses are examples of the era's semi-documentary school of films about elite government agencies fighting crime in a high tech world. Such films were shot in a near-documentary manner, showing how their organizations functioned in detail. One can see related ideas in prose mystery fiction like "Killer on the Turnpike" and prose science fiction like "Code Three". These works are also strongly technological.
These works are not explicitly political, but on reflection they do have a political dimension. "Code Three", "Killer on the Turnpike", Code Two and Death in Small Doses all glorify government agents and their organizations. They came from an era when patriotic Americans valued their government. After 1978, radical conservatives and libertarians would constantly belittle and demonize government. They have done everything possible to fire government employees and defame their work. These stories and films reflect the attitudes of an earlier and more practical time, when the real life achievements of government agencies were recognized and applauded.
Cyril M. Kornbluth
Cyril M. Kornbluth is an American science fiction writer and mystery writer. Both genres are discussed in the book C.M. Kornbluth: The Life and Works of a Science Fiction Visionary (2009) by Mark Rich.
A Ghoul and His Money: a Short Story
"A Ghoul and His Money" (1946) is a brief, nicely done mystery short story.
Like some of Kornbluth's science fiction tales, "A Ghoul and His Money" shows contemporary science. In this case, the science is the technology surrounding ceramics. As usual in Kornbluth, the science is depicted in rich detail. It gives the reader an inside look, at part of the contemporary world.
Science is used both by the narrator-detective, and by a woman in the story. This gives "A Ghoul and His Money" an aspect of Scientific Detection .
For such a brief tale, there is a surprising amount of mystery in "A Ghoul and His Money". All the mysteries are resolved by the tale's end.
"A Ghoul and His Money" deals with women's issues, long before they became prominent in the 1970's. Woman's employment, equal attitudes to women, and spousal abuse are all examined trenchantly. Kornbluth manages to cover the core of these issues concisely, without watering down their content or significance. He also injects notes of satire and dark humor, not surprisingly in an author whose science fiction is famous for its satire.
"A Ghoul and His Money" is also typical of Kornbluth, in that it shows us economically struggling people.
Murray Leinster
Science Fiction Short Stories
"The Ethical Equations" (1945) shows its hero investigating a mysterious space-ship. The techniques the hero uses surprisingly anticipate modern technology, such as the Internet. "A Logic Named Joe" (1946) would take Leinster's computer and Internet predictions much further.
"First Contact" (1945), traditionally Leinster's most famous tale, is interesting when discussing the alien's communication through infrared, part of Leinster's interest in communication media. The Crab Nebula parts are lively. But it is also too militaristic for comfort. Leinster sometimes depicts both the social and natural worlds as full of enemies who want to destroy each other. Sometimes, as in "De Profundis" (1945), this can be a basis for an imaginative story. But often times, it just seems depressing.
Leinster also likes portraits of societies breaking down into complete disorder. This is funny and remarkable in "A Logic Named Joe". It is less appealing in the sinister opening sections of "Sidewise in Time" (1934).
Evidence
"Evidence" (1919) is a minor mystery short story, sound enough in its way, but no classic. It is a mystery set at an inquest. A local character serving as amateur detective manages to deduce the real killer. The clue he uses is sound, and fairly unusual. But this clue is not shared with the reader until the story's finale, and the tale thus lacks "fair play".
"Evidence" takes place on a run-down cattle ranch in modern day 1919 Texas, near the Mexican Border. Perhaps any story set on a Texas cattle ranch should be classified as a Western. But Western elements are not stressed. Instead, the tale seems more like a "detective story set in a rural region". The hero seems more like a folksy man of the countryside, rather than any sort of cowboy.
Hal Clement
Hal Clement had personal ties with elite Boston area educational institutions. He graduated from Rindge, a technical public high school in Cambridge, and then from Harvard. He spent 38 years teaching high school science at Milton Academy, an elite (and expensive) private prep school. These schools have links with Modernism: E.E. Cummings went to Rindge, and T.S. Eliot and Buckminster Fuller went to Milton. And political leadership: Bobby and Teddy Kennedy went to Milton, and Bill de Blasio to Rindge. Both of these high schools are often "feeders" to Harvard, sending their graduates there to college.
Proof
"Proof" (1942) is Hal Clement's first published short story. It already shows features in common with Mission of Gravity to come:
detailed alien beings and worlds;
worlds full of extreme physics and how it affects life;
alien protagonists with human characters in supporting roles;
heroes who are who are captains of vessels, in a tradition of sea adventure stories;
richly detailed scientific explanations of event after event in the story;
a future of interstellar travel, but not an advanced galactic civilization;
a contrast between a world's dense core and lighter outer mass, as a key to its physics.
Mission of Gravity
Mission of Gravity (1953) has features that anticipate Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness (1969). Both tales create entire new alien planets, whose civilization is adapted to cold weather. In both novels, the planet is visited by human space explorers, who largely remain in orbit in satellites around the planet, only occasionally sending single men down to the surface. In both, the space explorers are technologically far more advanced than the inhabitants of the planet. In both, the single human on the planet surface has to form alliances with the complex societies of the planet. Both tales are pitched at a precise moment: after First Contact, but before any deep integration of planetary and galactic civilization.
Mission of Gravity shows the influence of an early story by "Lee Gregory" (Milton A. Rothman), "Heavy Planet" (1939). Both deal with planets with huge gravity, and both have protagonists who are alien life forms, adapted to the enormous gravitational pull. In both, the aliens are intelligent and technological, but not as advanced as the humans who have just arrived on the planet for the first time. In both, obtaining new science and technology from the humans is a major goal of the local aliens. Clement's alien society is more idealistic than the one in "Heavy Planet", with the aliens more interested in commerce, and less in war and fighting.
Mission of Gravity is at its best in its opening chapters (1-6), when it offers a pure science fictional look at an initial exploration of an alien planet. After this point, the tale becomes more of an adventure story, with less sf invention. The opening is the part most closely linked with Clement's essay "Whirligig World".
Landscape and Influences. The section about the cliff (Chapter 9) recalls an episode in the film The Big Trail ( Raoul Walsh , 1930), a Western movie about a wagon train. The cliff section is something of a return to the mood of the opening (Chapters 1-6).
As a science fiction novel depicting adventure among oceans, islands and dramatic landscapes, Mission of Gravity has a bit of the feel of H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896).
The bay (Chapter 11) recalls landscapes in Poe's "The Domain of Arnheim" and "Landor's Cottage".
Perhaps Mission of Gravity in turn influenced the later Riverworld books of Philip Jose Farmer. Mission of Gravity (Chapter 10) shows advanced beings boating down a river, and attacked by a warlike tribe who live on the nearby shore: something that returns in the Riverworld. However, Riverworld reportedly originated in an unpublished novel Owe for the Flesh written in 1952, a year before Mission of Gravity was serialized in 1953.
Arthropods. The main alien group in Mission of Gravity is clearly inspired by the Arthropods: the widespread real-life group of animals that includes arachnids, insects and crustaceans. A terrific documentary on Arthropods is The Incredible March of the Spiny Lobsters (1976), an episode of the TV series The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.
Features of the aliens that recall Arthropods:
Segmented bodies.
Pincers
Small size
Names. The alien hero's name Barlennan recalls the French words "le nain", which mean "the dwarf".
The human hero's last name Lackland recalls Lackland Air Force Base, named in 1948 for Brigadier General Frank Lackland. Hal Clement had a long career with the US Air Force. Lackland Air Force Base plays a major role in Air Force training, reminding us that Clement was a teacher both in the Air Force and his civilian job. And that humans spend much time training aliens in Mission of Gravity.
Science: Need for Unconventional Innovation. Science, as an intellectual discipline, is a topic that runs through Mission of Gravity.
The astronomy of the Mesklinites, and their bowl-model of their planet, is at a similar scientific level to the real-life ancient Greek astronomy of Ptolemy. Both are at a similar stage of scientific development:
Both are partially true models of their worlds, that explain many things accurately.
But both have flaws, and need to be replaced by more advanced models: human scientists' view of Mesklin, and Copernicus and Kepler's better version of astronomy that replaced Ptolemy's.
Both the Mesklinites and Ptolemy used sophisticated geometry. They deserve admiration for this. These are not "primitive" views. They are science that needs to be replaced by better and more advanced science.
However, human scientists turn out to have some views that need replacing as well (middle of Chapter 6). Human meteorologists have a hard time accepting at first, that the variable gravity on Mesklin might lead to variable sea levels. This concept is alien to their science. They are also shown at first as disbelieving the alien Barlennan. Here it is humans who need to improve conventional scientific ideas, learning from the knowledge of aliens. Mission of Gravity thus implies that no one racial group has a monopoly on truth, and that every group's ideas can be improved by better science.
"Whirligig World", Clement's article on the creation of Mission of Gravity, depicts him as challenging conventional science fiction truisms in the basic premises of his novel. Such a challenge to conventional ideas also underlies the depiction of science in Mission of Gravity. Both the Mesklinite view of their planet, and human meteorologists' ideas on the sea, need to be replaced with improved models that challenge conventional ideas.
Sociology and Race. Mission of Gravity can be read as an allegory, about the present and near future relationships between Westerners and the Third World. The human hero and allies are humans with advanced technology; the alien is a highly intelligent and hard-working member of alien group with a much lower level of technological and scientific development. The book ultimately shows scientific knowledge flowing to the alien society, which will use it to advance. The humans in the novel can stand for the West, with its advanced science; the aliens might stand for Third World countries in Asia and Africa, who will be learning science from the West, and developing into high tech societies in the near future. And just as the aliens are equally as intelligent and capable as the humans in Mission of Gravity, so, the book implies, Asians and Africans are just as intelligent and capable as whites.
As best one can tell, this parallel is not explicitly made in the novel. But it forms such an exact parallel to the real-life situation of the West and the Third World in 1953, that it seems likely that Mission of Gravity has such implicit meaning.
Mission of Gravity is strongly admiring of its alien heroes, and strongly supportive of their quest to advance technologically. Looked at as an allegory, Mission of Gravity is similarly strongly in favor of the Third World, and its struggle to advance in science and technology.
Hal Clement's real last name, Stubbs, is one with roots in British history: there is a major English painter George Stubbs. One suspects that Hal Clement was a New England WASP. He was friends with the Jewish Isaac Asimov, with whom he brainstormed Mission of Gravity. One sees parallels with the human hero Charles Lackland of Mission of Gravity. Lackland is also an English-sounding name. And he works with biochemist Dr. Rosten. Rosten is a Jewish name. Human society in Mission of Gravity is thus typified by WASPs and Jews working together: a anti-racist portrait of the United States and Western society in 1953.
Diplomat. We learn human hero Charles Lackland is a diplomat (Chapter 5). This suggests a hidden background and agenda to the character.
Government: A Positive View. The science project on which all the human characters work is important to governments (middle of Chapter 5). Although the book doesn't say explicitly, it is likely government-funded or somehow government-sponsored. Both the project and the humans are portrayed in a mainly positive light. Implicitly, so are the governments that fund or sponsor the project. They all seem to be mainly benevolent.
Mission of Gravity implicitly depicts these future governments and the people who work for them as mainly good, practical and effective. Mission of Gravity is NOT a libertarian work. It shows none of the anti-government attitude that drives today's conservative libertarians.
The governments concerned with the project are "the governments of ten planets". This phrase suggests that these are world-governments: governments who run entire planets. Mission of Gravity thus shows humans developing world-government in the future. World-government was a cause advocated by H.G. Wells.
On the other hand, the alien governments seen are mainly portrayed negatively: the forest people (Chapter 10), the island people (Chapter 12). The forest people are a "primitive" society with a dictatorial king, and the book's disdain seems mainly a distaste for dictatorial rule. However, the islanders are more advanced. The negative view of the island people might thus be more relevant as a critique of contemporary society.
Economics. The aliens have a trading system, that looks capitalistic. Clever traders who take risks and make money were much admired by Astounding Science Fiction. See also Simak's "The Big Front Yard" (1958).
The "port fees" assessed by the island people are seen negatively, essentially as extortion (Chapter 12). This might, or might not, be a negative look at government taxation in general.
But we actually learn almost nothing about the humans' economic system. Cost is important to them: we hear about how valuable the lost rocket is, and how much it cost to produce. But otherwise economics is invisible among the humans.
This means that Mission of Gravity does not make any predictions about the future of humanity's economic systems.
The positively portrayed alien traders might be interpreted as an endorsement of capitalism as a system. But the evasiveness in Mission of Gravity about the future of humans' economics suggests interpretation should proceed with caution.
Whirligig World
"Whirligig World" (1953) is an article Clement wrote, describing the science ideas behind Mission of Gravity. It has been included as a supplement in a number of editions of Mission of Gravity. (It is called "Author's Afterword" in some editions.)
The opening of "Whirligig World" describes structural aspects of the "problem" science fiction tale. Although Clement does not make this explicit, or even mention mystery fiction, his ideas seem like well-known concepts about the mystery story genre, modified by him to analyze science fiction:
Science fiction tales are described by Clement as having a "problem", which is then solved at the finale. This is similar to the way detective stories have a mystery "puzzle", explained by a solution at the end.
Clement believes the "solution" of the science fiction tale at its end, should be based on ideas clearly established early in the story. He calls this "fair play". This seems like a modified science fiction version of the well-known mystery concept of "fair play". In mystery fiction, a works exhibits "fair play" if the solution is logically based on clues fully shared with the reader earlier in the novel.
The metaphor of science fiction as a game, is also often used to describe mystery fiction, especially the puzzle plot detective story.
Cordwainer Smith
The Instrumentality of Mankind: Short Stories
The sheer originality of Cordwainer Smith's ideas seem to astonish most people who read his works, especially the great sequence of science fiction short stories about "The Instrumentality of Mankind".
Cordwainer Smith's science fiction resembles Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, in that it takes place in a far future universe that is completely different from both today's society, and the work of other science fiction writers. Both writers are also more interested in showing a future humanity, than they are in exploring alien worlds or beings. Both writers' works have aspects of the thriller, and both writers' thrillers involve melodrama, in which two sides of a moral dispute compete for their teams' success.
Both writers were also scholars in their private life, Smith being a Sinologist with State Department connections. I once interviewed a State Department colleague of Smith's, and he told me that Smith was the wittiest storyteller he had ever met, a man with an amazing flow of monologue.
The Underpeople and Civil Rights
"The Ballad of Lost C'Mell" (1962) and "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" (1964) are Smith's responses to the Civil Rights era. Some of Smith's most major works, they form a powerful attack against racism, and an admiring look at the integrationist civil disobedience of the day. Like Isaac Asimov's Civil Rights novel, Pebble in the Sky (1950), they need to become much better known among general readers.
"The Ballad of Lost C'Mell" is set at a later time period than "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" in Smith's future history and hence was placed later in The Best of Cordwainer Smith. However, I believe "C'Mell" should be read first, to give the two tales maximum impact.
Drunkboat
The rhythmic prose of Smith is some of the best in modern literature. His work has some of the subtlest rhythmic effects since that of Sir Thomas Browne.
In "Drunkboat" (1963), Smith incorporates large sections of Arthur Rimbaud's poem "Le Bateau ivre" (1871). "Drunk boat" is just a literal translation of Rimbaud's title. Here Rimbaud's non-rational visions are made to represent the experience of space travel. There are precedents for such hallucinatory and verbally symbolist depictions of space flight, in Isaac Asimov's "Escape!" (1945) and "I'm in Marsport Without Hilda" (1957). Smith includes other such avant-garde passages in his work, notably the opening of Norstrilia.
Scanners Live in Vain
"Scanners Live in Vain" (1948) is one of Smith's greatest works. The story starts out, first inside the hero's emotions, then expands out from there to the hero's body. Then it encompasses his wife, then his friends, then his coworkers, then finally the whole galaxy. It is a steadily expanding, and very unusual structure. Everything in the story is entirely original; it is not taken from other sf authors, or from common sf conventions of what space travel or the future should be like.
Smith's title is a variation on a quote from William Cowper's hymn "Light Shining Out of Darkness", the one that begins "God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform". As an Anglican, Smith presumably sang this hymn many times in church. Cowper's hymn states that "Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan His work in vain. But God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain." Perhaps from here, Smith developed the sf concept of a "scanner". It is perhaps another example of a sort of pun or word play leading to creative ideas for Smith.
The Scanners as a group resemble many disparate kinds of organizations. These show Smith's interest in and creativity with social organizations that have quasi-governmental roles:
The Scanners suggest elite military groups, such as the US Marines. They work under conditions of military-style discipline. And have an official credo of public recognition as an elite group.
The Scanners call themselves a confraternity. Confraternities in real life are religiously-based organizations of lay people. Confraternities are common in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches, and also found in the Anglican Church, of which Smith was a member. Confraternities sometimes have purely religious missions, but many of them also conduct charitable activities and social work, making them quasi-governmental. In the Middle Ages Confraternities organized musicians and sponsored their performances.
The Scanners refer to each other as "Brother". The real-life labor union for railroads was known as a Brotherhood, and called its members Brothers. The Scanners run space travel, just as the railway workers run trains. The meeting of the Scanners resembles a labor union meeting, especially as depicted in works like the play Waiting for Lefty (1935), by Clifford Odets. This makes the Scanners a look at a labor union, also one of society's major governing institutions.
The Scanners resemble subcultures: groups of people whose interests or lifestyles separates them from the social mainstream, and makes them social outsiders. The Scanners can be seen as metaphors for subcultures like high technology enthusiasts, hobbyists, drug addicts, gays, science fiction fans, and many other groups outside of cultural norms. Many of these groups have substantial internal organization, with social groups, legal support, information systems such as newsletters, mass mailings or blogs, and other features that make them a society within society.
The Scanners eventually launch an attack on science and a scientist. Today this recalls right-wingers and their attacks on Global Warming science. When scientists reveal news that people find unpleasant, people should accept the bad news as reality, and try to figure out constructive action. Instead, the Scanners, like today's radical conservatives, tell lies denying the reality. It is a frightening picture.
The exploited habermen are at first depicted as condemned criminals. They are called the scum of the earth, and are at first seen as just "bad" people. But gradually one becomes aware that the habermans are also drawn from "heretics": people whose views society finds intolerable. This is part of Smith's look at social dissenters and innovators. Such social dissidents are often given terrible difficulties by society in Smith - but often wind up having a deep influence on society, too. It is part of the dual vision Smith has on the importance of social non-conformists and innovators.
The Scanners sometimes communicate by light signals and other visual means. Such light signals recall a bit the "light show" in Hugo Gernsback's description of futuristic New York, in Ralph 124C41+ (1911).
Ria
Cordwainer Smith's novels seem much more minor than his short stories. Nothing in the mainstream novel Ria (1947) is as interesting as the author biography on the jacket, in which Smith says that he has lived in so many cities, that wherever he is, he is homesick for somewhere else. A genuinely Smithian observation!
The well written ending of Ria evokes the inner nature of each character in the form of music. This music all blends together and forms a hidden music of humanity, which Smith calls the Instrumentality of Mankind. It is clear that this is another name for the Tao, the hidden inner principle of reality, in Taoist philosophy. Smith evoked Taoism sympathetically in one of his last stories, "Under Old Earth" (1966), and clearly Taoist ideas were important in his work. Smith used the same name for the governing body of his far future sf tales. It is unclear whether he was already planning these sf stories, and based the name and concept in Ria on this sf government, or whether the reverse was true. I suspect the sf ideas came first. In the sf stories, the phrase "Instrumentality of Mankind" contains no musical meanings, or references to musical instruments. It refers instead to its members being the "Instruments" of humanity, carrying out their wishes, and achieving their goals. The use of the same name to refer to the Tao in Ria, and the giving this name a musical significance, seems to be kind of inspired pun. A pun created not as humor, but as an enhancer of meaning and allusion.
Atomsk
Atomsk (1949) is a now forgotten spy novel: mainly a routine book. It shows that clich� of plotting: the hero first infiltrates an enemy base, then breaks out of it and escapes, with important information. The hero is unusual in that he is an Aleut. He spent World War II undercover posing as a Japanese civilian, and now is fishing for Soviet secrets in Siberia. Only some details about a crashed pilot in the early chapters seem especially Smithian. (This thriller is my excuse for including Cordwainer Smith in this Mystery Guide. Mainly, I just wanted to discuss this major author.)
Charles L. Harness
Charles L. Harness is a science fiction writer, whose tales sometimes have elements of spy fiction. An Ornament to His Profession is a large omnibus collecting Harness' short stories and novellas.
The Rose
Humanity Evolving. "The Rose" (1953) looks at a new stage of humanity evolving. It differs from most such tales, from Van Vogt's Slan (1940) to The X-Men, in that it has little interest in political conflict between traditional humans and mutant humans. Instead, it is concerned with the new mutations themselves, both their biology, and what potential impact they have.
Thinking. "The Rose" shows the possibilities of thought. It deals with many different modes of cognition: music, science, mathematics, paintings, dance, color, automatic writing, graphs of equations, paradoxes, games like chess. It deals with possible translations from one mode to another, such as mathematics to music, and structures found in both science and art.
A non-fiction work that shows many media of thought is A Computer Perspective (1973), by Charles and Ray Eames . This classic book shows the rise of computer technology. It takes a deep dive into human thought, showing how mathematics and computing permeate human history and society. It shows how human life is based on thinking. Reading A Computer Perspective and "The Rose" together will open up new insights into how human life is based in thought, including mathematics.
Campbell era sf took an interest in cognition. Heinlein's "Gulf" and Asimov's "Jokester" are examples. "The Rose" is one of the deepest dives into cognition in Golden Age sf.
Anticipating Kornbluth. "The Rose" anticipates Cyril M. Kornbluth's short story "Gomez" (1954). Both deal with scientists trying to create unified theories. "The Rose" describes attempts to unify nearly all of science. By contrast, Gomez is trying to unify physics, a more restricted but still vast domain. Gomez is trying to create a unified field theory in physics: still a goal of much real life physics.
If "The Rose" compares science and mathematics to classical music, "Gomez" uses a metaphor of a chess grand master to suggest the mental workings of its scientific genius.
"Gomez", like "The Rose", shows a state security apparatus surrounding the genius scientist.
Anticipating Le Guin. "The Rose" anticipates subjects in Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed (1974). SPOILERS. Both works:
Have great scientists try to develop unified theories of physics or science. Le Guin explicitly cites Einstein's real-life attempts. It is likely that Harness also drew on such attempts as inspiration.
Relate classical music to physics and mathematics, as a parallel and related mode of thought.
Like huge numbers of other science fiction tales, they use a "spy fiction" framework as support for their plotting.
Both works are notable for their settings among purely "modern" societies, without any sort of primitivism or medieval flavor. They perhaps can be seen as explorations of what literary theorists call "modernity".
References. "The Rose" cites "Alexander's painting, Lady on a Couch, where the converging stripes of the lady's robe carry the eye forcibly from the lower left margin to her face at the upper right." (Chapter 15) Best guess: this refers to John White Alexander's painting "Repose" (1895). Both "Repose" and another famous Alexander painting "Isabella and the Pot of Basil" (1897) indeed show a striking sense of design, with interesting lines making up the composition. John White Alexander's son was mathematician James Waddell Alexander II, a founder of Knot Theory. The Alexander family themselves embodied "Science and Art".
The finale shows Weber's waltz "Invitation to the Dance" starting in the background. This is perhaps a reference to the ballet The Spectre of the Rose (1911), which used the Weber as its music. This work was produced by the famed Ballets Russes.
The Chessplayers
"The Chessplayers" (1953) is a brief comic tale, that is quite different from Harness' complex space operas. It is set in contemporary times, is barely science fiction, and offers a comic look at real life.
Its overall approach recalls a notable non-sf short story, Douglass Welch's "Mrs. Union Station" (1937). Both tales offer good-natured, but pointed satire on a group of hobbyists who carry their passion to extreme lengths: model railroad enthusiasts in Welch, chess club members in Harness. Both tales are knowing "inside" looks, filled with satiric detail. Both stories are looks at what we would now call a "subculture", a sub-world filled with people with different values and activities than the world at large. The specific events in Harness' "The Chessplayers" are quite different from anything in Welch, though.
Science Fiction and History
Harness frequently writes about time travel. SPOILER. Such tales as "O Lyric Love" (1985) and "The Tetrahedron" (1994) show the heroes taking on the roles and lives of real historic personages. This echoes the end of "The New Reality", in which such a role adoption happens without time travel. These stories also both look at historic Italy, as Harness points out in his introduction to "O Lyric Love".
Both "The New Reality" and "The Tetrahedron" examine famous scientists of the past. They postulate that these scientists had ideas that are now lost to modern science. This premise is implausible, looked at from stern standards of realism. But it does make for interesting sf.
Lethary Fair
"Lethary Fair" (1998) is a comedy with a trial background, like "George Washington Slept Here" (1985). It is even more burlesque and baggy-pants in tone.
"Lethary Fair" echoes Harness traditions, in its own comic way:
The opening shows comic versions of how technology might assist painting, echoing "The Rose".
The mental enhancement also recalls "The Rose", although in "Lethary Fair" this is technological, rather than biological as in "The Rose".
SPOILERS. "Lethary Fair" includes silly comic versions of next-step-evolved humans, a constant feature of early Harness and his main influence Van Vogt.
"Lethary Fair" ends with the arrival of democracy, like The Paradox Men.
Cyberpunk Spoof. There are moments in "The Rose" that foreshadow cyberpunk, especially some of the intrigue in the street. "Lethary Fair" sometimes seems to be parodying cyberbunk, especially William Gibson and the film Blade Runner (1982). "Lethary Fair" includes information transported by emplanted mind chip, like Gibson's "Johnny Mnemonic" (1981). And a beautiful female android, like Blade Runner.
Cyberpunk featured a world that is decayed socially while technologically advanced. But cyberpunk's societies, however socially decayed, tend to feature the most advanced, glamorous cities: Gibson's work is in the Sprawl, a futuristic version of the Boston-New York-Washington corridor, while Blade Runner is inspired by Kyoto and other high tech Japanese cities. By contrast, the baggy-pants comedy of "Lethary Fair" is set in a socially decayed version of a small town in the South, full of good old boys and local characters. It is a deliciously low-rent version of cyberpunk.
Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick is a science fiction writer, whose stories often have elements of crime, mystery or detection.
The Minority Report
"The Minority Report" (1956) is a novella about a future world where crime has been largely abolished, through high tech means.
"The Minority Report" recalls ideas and approaches used by Clifford D. Simak. One of the most powerful ideas in Simak's City, is a future human society in which no man has killed another for decades. In City, this is achieved through advances in human civilization: people achieving a more peaceful future. In Dick's "The Minority Report", such a future without murder has come about through technological innovation instead. While this is less idealistic, perhaps, it is still an important concept. Dick is to be congratulated for having done some original thinking about how such a society might come about and be maintained.
Simak's novella "Worlds Without End" (1956) combines the spy thriller with science fiction. Intrigue shows rival future organizations struggling for power. "The Minority Report" takes a similar approach. Dick shows a political dimension, by structuring this as a sinister military coup against a civilian government. Dick is expressing his pacifist convictions. Dick's story was published nearly a year before Simak's.
The hero of "The Minority Report" encounters or develops several different interpretations of events, over the course of the story. These different ways to see the tale's events can seem almost like "alternative realities". They emerge, seem very real, then suddenly collapse: all rather like the ways Reality itself sometimes collapses in other Dick stories.
The alternative explanations also seem like an approach derived from mystery fiction. Sleuths in mystery fiction often draw up tentative explanations of what they think might be going on. Sometimes these explanations of the tale's mysteries turn out to be true. Other times, these plausible explanations turn out to be utterly wrong, and collapse when confronted by new evidence.
I didn't like Steven Spielberg's film version of "The Minority Report". It drains all the political commentary out of Dick's story, betraying Dick's meaning. Filming "The Minority Report" as an action-and-special-effects film also seems wrong-headed. "The Minority Report" is a spy story. It could have been filmed with standard, traditional film techniques that emphasize story telling and suspense. And with little violence, action or special effects. Classic thrillers like Topaz ( Alfred Hitchcock , 1969), Le Samourai ( Jean-Pierre Melville , 1967) and A Dandy in Aspic ( Anthony Mann , 1968) are the sort of movies that could serve as models for an ideal film version of "The Minority Report".
Ubik
Ubik (1969) is a science fiction novel, with mystery and thriller elements.
The opening (Chapters 1-5, start of Chapter 6) describes a future world. It follows the strict "social science fiction" paradigm: showing how society has been transformed by a series of technological innovations and scientific discoveries. "Social science fiction" is especially associated with editor John W. Campbell and his magazine Astounding Science Fiction. Dick was trained as a writer by Anthony Boucher, who published in Campbell's magazines.
The opening draws on early stories of Dick, but greatly extending their concepts in new directions:
Ubik recalls "The Minority Report" in dealing with precognition. Both stories feature unusual, socially marginal people with psi powers. In both these people are recruited by high powered institutions, which use their abilities to transform society. Both stories describe this transformation in detail, following the norms of "social science fiction". Both stories have thriller elements, and in both the protagonist is confronted with representatives from sinister organizations who tell plausible lies that are very different from the truth. Such lies, and the subsequent truth revealed, can go through a number of stages, each layer depicting reality in a new way.
Ubik recalls "Paycheck" in having powerful corporations with secret projects. Both stories also feature time travel paradoxes, although of different kinds. Both stories have characters developing amnesia, in order to forget details of the time paradox experiences. The corporations in both stories are run by men, but also have female employees important in the story.
The homeostatic devices, such as the talking door, also appear in earlier Dick novels, notably The Game-Players of Titan (1963).
For all his messy personal qualities, the hero Joe Chip's job has him using technical means to investigate and measure the world around him. His job is to discover and learn the real nature of the world, rather than just guessing or judging by appearances. This links him to the job of "detective" in mystery fiction, although Joe Chip has no official detective status.
After the opening, the story moves in drastically different directions (Chapter 6).
Putting Runciter in cold-pac, recalls the way Lord Running Clam's spores are gathered up in Clans of the Alphane Moon.
The funeral hymn Dies Irae, part of the Verdi Requiem (Chapter 7), describes the Last Judgement. So does the poem quoted in "Faith of Our Fathers", Dryden's "A Song for Saint Cecilia's Day".
The helicopter beanie (Chapter 7) is probably a homage to such beanies' inventor, science fiction writer Ray Nelson. Dick and Nelson collaborated on the novel The Ganymede Takeover.
Fred Hoyle
The Black Cloud
Fred Hoyle's The Black Cloud (1957) is an interesting sf novel with an astronomy background. The book eventually develops plot surprises. Logical-but-surprising developments regularly take place in mystery fiction; The Black Cloud is perhaps a science fiction novel whose plot structure of logically-prepared-twist has some broad similarity with a mystery.
Theodore L. Thomas
Theodore L. Thomas was an American science fiction writer, mainly of short stories.
The Weather Man
"The Weather Man" (1962) is a novella about a future Earth run by scientific weather control. It stresses the importance of weather: something that seems even more relevant in today's age of Global Warming. It talks about rising sea levels: something casual in 1962, sinister today.
SF Traditions. Theodore L. Thomas began his career with a collaboration with Charles L. Harness. "The Weather Man" embodies some Harness traditions:
"The Weather Man" shares a Sun setting with Harness' novel The Paradox Men (1953). Both works take one right to the surface of the Sun, using advanced technology vehicles.
"The Weather Man" shows cognitive processes. It depicts how scientists think, in its last two sections. This recalls the cognitive emphasis in Harness' "The Rose".
"The Weather Man" also recalls Isaac Asimov:
It deals with a new science, weather control, just as Asimov's Foundation centers on the new science of psychohistory. Both sciences allow the manipulation of society on a grand scale. Both sciences are mathematical.
"The Weather Man" opens with a quote from a future encyclopedia, also recalling Asimov's Foundation.
"The Weather Man" contains a vivid portrait of a woman scientist. This too recalls Asimov's robotics scientist Susan Calvin in I, Robot, and the woman science genius in Harness' "The Rose" (1953).
As noted, the "cognitive" aspects of "The Weather Man" recall Harness, and the "new science" approach echoes Asimov. However, Thomas' specific ideas are original. And any writer who develops a "new science" faces extraordinary challenges. Thomas' approach may echo sf traditions from Asimov and elsewhere. But it is an important achievement in its own right.
A Story Sequence. In many ways "The Weather Man" is a series of three short stories. The three sections share a common background of a future Earth of weather control. But each one has new characters and a different setting and locale. Story sequences are common in science fiction and mystery fiction. "The Weather Man" is unusual in that its three stories were all published together, as a single work.
However, the science fiction plots and background of the three sections are closely linked.
Three Kinds of SF. The three sections embody three standard kinds of science fiction tales:
The first section is "social science fiction": a tale which shows how a scientific innovation logically leads to a new kind of society. Here, the science innovation is weather control. And we see in detail the new world organization which results from and uses this weather control.
The second section shows a "science research project".
The third section is a "science problem story": people use science to escape from a trap, which is itself science-based. This section also has elements of "science research", especially in its first half, where the characters research and debate the best approach to their weather problem challenge.
All three of these kinds of science fiction have strong roots in Campbell-edited science fiction. Thomas was following Campbell tradition by working in these modes.
Walter M. Miller, Jr.
A Canticle for Leibowitz
A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959) is a post-apocalyptic novel.
Ancestors?. The core premise of A Canticle for Leibowitz recalls H.G. Wells' film Things to Come (1936), another post-apocalyptic tale. Both are future histories, in which:
A world war fought with terrible weapons wipes out civilization.
Scientific knowledge is lost and forgotten. People live in a low tech "primitive" society.
The world is ruled by barbarian war-lords, whose rule is "primitive" and vicious.
Scientists rediscover and rebuild ancient, lost science, take over the world, and build up an advanced technological civilization again.
The new civilization includes space flight.
Concerns that the development of advanced civilization leads inexorably to apocalyptic war were found earlier in Arthur C. Clarke's "Second Dawn" (1951).
Other works in the post-apocalyptic tradition include Lewis Padgett's Mutant (1945, 1953) and John Wyndham's Re-Birth (1955).
A Lack of Science Fiction Ideas. I have mixed feelings about A Canticle for Leibowitz. Among its virtues: it is highly readable and has good storytelling. Among its faults: it has few original science fiction ideas. It sticks closely to the above standard paradigm of the post-apocalyptic tale. It introduces few other science fiction concepts.
Miller certainly knew how to develop a Campbell-style science fiction story, with original science fiction ideas, and which shows how these new ideas lead to a different, innovative society. Examples: his short works "Crucifixus Etiam", and especially "The Lineman". However, he mainly chose NOT to use such a Campbell approach in A Canticle for Leibowitz.
You could easily get the impression reading A Canticle for Leibowitz that it is the work of a naive, mainstream writer, who knew little about traditional science fiction techniques or structures. Not so: Miller's short fiction shows his skill with Campbellian science fiction techniques. And Miller regularly published in Campbell's magazine Astounding.
A Canticle for Leibowitz does in fact read like an almost mainstream novel: One that takes a science fiction premise, the post-apocalyptic tale, and then writes a mainly mainstream novel about it, with few sf ideas.
Underground. Some of the most vivid settings in the novel are underground chambers:
The fallout shelter (Chapters 1, 2).
The monastery library: the basement full of Memorabilia (Chapters 14, 18, 19).
Both are sites of technological progress and discovery. Both sites are also "wired" in ways that much of the rest of the desert is not.
Other works by Miller include high-tech underground sites. Examples:
The huge pit under construction in "Crucifixus Etiam".
The submerged submarine in "Way of a Rebel".
The transformer station in "The Lineman".
Electrical Engineering. The arc-light built in the monastery basement is a simple example of electrical construction. "The Lineman" shows people building the electrical infrastructure for a Moon colony.
Space Colonization. The final third emphasizes how difficult it is for humans to live in colonies on other planets. The difficulties of space colonization are a central subject in Miller shorter works like "Crucifixus Etiam" (1953), "The Hoofer" (1955), "The Lineman" (1957).
Such Miller short works emphasize the horrible psychological difficulties, faced by workers in such inhospitable, stress-filled environments.
Miller had been a member of a bombing crew during World War II: a notoriously stressful work environment. One wonders if this helped inspire such short stories. A mainstream work that offers insights about bomber crews: Irwin Shaw's short story "Gunners' Passage" (1944). It shows originally virile young men on such crews undergoing complete physical and psychological collapse, due to pressures of their job.
Mutants and Color. Mutants in this post-atomic world are sometimes described in terms of body color:
Brother Fingo has multi-colored teeth, and numerous dark patterns on his body (Chapter 3).
The goat has a blue head (Chapter 13).
Brother Fingo and similar mutants are accepted by society. There is probably a subtext of the Civil Rights movement of the era. "The Lineman" explicitly looks at racial equality, with a white southerner trying to atone for racial oppression of black people.
Right to Life. The Catholic Church insists on mutants' right to life (start of Chapter 1). This makes a contrast to John Wyndham's Re-Birth (1955), in which religious fundamentalists try to exterminate mutants.
Thon Taddeo's struggle to flourish as an illegitimate child (first half of Chapter 13) also perhaps has a subtext of Catholic teachings on "right to life".
Collectives: Alternatives to Capitalism. The monks live collectively. Their monastery is a form of economic organization, that is non-capitalist. A Canticle for Leibowitz is thus a look at non-capitalist, collective social organization. The book is sometimes critical of the monastery, especially in Part I. Throughout Parts II and III, it is largely sympathetic to the monks. By contrast, the book is mainly critical of the world outside of the Church, offering scathing looks at war lords and outside governments.
The monks are not entirely separate from capitalism. They sell monastery products, such as the books they copy, thus having them take part in commerce. The commercial demand influences what sort of books they copy (Chapter 7). While the novel makes no explicit comment, it is hard not to feel that it disapproves of this commercial influence, implicitly suggesting that it leads to the copying of less worthwhile books.
Miller short works discuss economics:
"Crucifixus Etiam" shows huge spending on public works giving a big boost to Earth's economy. This idea is Keynesian. The tale shows this Keynesian spending being highly effective at promoting economic growth. But it also offers skepticism about the moral and practical value of such spending.
"The Lineman" (1957) offers a negative look at The Party. This organization is clearly based on the Stalin-aligned American Communist Party of the era.
Catholicism: Piety+Culture. Today, many Americans equate religion with theology. They see religion as theology and theology as religion. But historically many people over the centuries have stressed non-theological issues as central to their religion:
Mainline Protestants have stressed character and behavior. The phrase "the Protestant ethic" encapsulates some of these values.
Catholics have stressed pious devotions, from personal prayer to public church activities, and culture, such as cathedrals, religious paintings, classical music, books and films. Perhaps a quarter of European classical music is Catholic religious music, for example. Perhaps a fifth of major European paintings are Catholic.
A Canticle for Leibowitz stresses "piety+culture" as the central part of its portrait of Catholicism. The monks are shown practicing a wide variety of pious religious devotions, as part of their daily lives. And they are the main ones saving culture and knowledge, with their preservation and copying of manuscripts and documents.
Among the music mentioned in "The Lineman" are Palestrina and plainchant: two key examples of Catholic sacred music.
Mathematics. A discussion of math equations, from a document written by a 20th century physicist, is interesting (Chapter 19). But it is hard to interpret, and to relate to concrete real-life math ideas. Here are some guesses - that may not be accurate.
A contracted derivative actually stand for a whole set of derivatives. Guess: this refers to tensors. Tensors were employed by Albert Einstein for the equations he developed in General Relativity. Einstein fell in love with tensors, admiring their power to compactly note complex mathematic concepts. Thon Taddeo expresses a similar enthusiasm, finding the idea downright "beautiful". Another guess: the unspecified 20th Century physics in this chapter, is actually an account of Einstein's General Relativity.
Next Taddeo talks about equations that stand not for "quantities", but which express a system of equations about a system of quantities. Guess: These equations deal with vectors or perhaps matrices. A further guess: Taddeo had never seen vector equations or matrix equations before. He had only seen equations dealing with isolated quantities: what mathematicians call "scalars". By contrast, vectors and matrices deal with whole systems of numbers simultaneously.
Origin of Humans. A discussion of the origin of humanity is tongue-in-cheek, with elements of satire. SPOILERS. First Taddeo rejects evolution, which the monks propose (Chapter 20). Here are religious people advocating evolution, and a secular scientist rejecting it: a role reversal of the real-life 19th Century development of the theory of evolution.
Next Taddeo proposes an idea which is clearly wrong. The monks suggest he is basing his concepts not on historical fact, but on a play whose fictitious events he has mistaken for fact (Chapter 22). This play is unnamed: but likely it is R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (1920), a science fiction play by Karel Capek.
Allegorical Interpretation. The priest in A Canticle for Leibowitz suggests that the Creation account in Genesis should be interpreted allegorically, rather than literally (Chapter 22). This shows him accepting science rather than fundamentalism.
This view of evolution is widespread, almost universal among contemporary real-life Catholics. They see evolution as offering literal, scientific truth, and are whole-hearted supporters of evolution. And see Genesis as offering an allegory, while not literally true, that has spiritual and cultural value. Given the sympathetic treatment of the priest here, one strongly suspects that A Canticle for Leibowitz is advocating precisely this view.
The anthology Is God a Creationist?: The Religious Case against Creation-Science (1983) edited by Roland Mushat Frye, documents the views of many religious scholars who support evolution. The book includes Catholic, Protestant and Jewish scholars. One is Pope John Paul II.
The priest's advocacy of "allegorical interpretation" has deep roots in Catholic thought. Saint Thomas Aquinas recommended both literal and allegorical interpretations of Scripture.
Two Eras of Catholicism. Part I and Part II of A Canticle for Leibowitz take place around 600 years apart years apart. Knowledge and science greatly advance between the two Parts. Catholicism changes too:
In Part I, Roman Catholicism is based on that of real-life's history's Dark Ages. Catholicism is shown as primitive and sunk in superstition. Still, it is much better than the horrific world around it.
In Part II, Catholicism is based on the attitudes of liberal American Catholic intellectuals of 1959. Science is accepted, superstition is gone, spirituality is prized, but the "supernatural" aspects of Catholicism are seen as beautiful allegories, although not true in any literal sense.
In both Parts and eras, monasticism is shown as a courageous response to the eras' horrific politics - and something that saved civilization and knowledge.
The Coming of War. The final third of A Canticle for Leibowitz shows the coming of possible total war. It can be compared to Miller's brief but vivid short story "Way of a Rebel" (1954) (available free on-line at http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32416 ).
Both tales "deconstruct" noble-sounding government statements, that make the war sound admirable. The tales make clear that this is manipulative propaganda.
"Way of a Rebel" gives its hero the option of taking part or refusing to take part in the war. This is a greater choice than most of the characters in A Canticle for Leibowitz have. "Way of a Rebel" spells out in intelligent detail, the various moral and practical issues involved. It thus gets to explore important ideas not found in A Canticle for Leibowitz.
Stanislaw Lem
Solaris
Solaris (1961) is about the quest to understand a super-human alien intelligence.
The ocean on Solaris makes highly complex geometric patterns, as an expression of its intelligence. Real life folk dancing in Eastern Europe often employs geometric patterns. See all the revolving circular forms in the Lithuanian folk dance Subatele .
The Cyberiad
The Cyberiad (1965) is a sequence of stories set against a shared background: a common structure in both mysteries and science fiction.
Adaptations and Influence. One wonders if The Cyberiad helped inspire The LEGO Movie (2014), with its heroes being "master constructors" in a world nearly entirely made of robot parts.
"The Seventh Sally, or How Trurl's Own Perfection Led to No Good" helped inspire Will Wright's video game SimCity (created 1985, distributed 1989). This story also parallels a long tradition of simulation computer software, stretching from the 1950's to the present.
The Cyberiad was made into an opera (1970) with music by Krzysztof Meyer. The opera seems mainly based on one section, "Tale of the Three Storytelling Machines of King Genius".
Ancestors?. Clifford D. Simak had long written about both robots, and the ability of machinery to enhance/influence artistic creativity. Simak's "Limiting Factor" (1949) anticipates some ideas in the middle section of Lem's "Altruizine".
Aleksandr Kuprin's "Liquid Sunshine" (1913) deals with a very large, multi-story machine. It perhaps influenced the huge machines in Lem. The young Lem worked as both a welder and auto mechanic: scenes of his heroes tinkering with machinery reflect a man who has worked with machinery in real life.
Poland's national literature remembers its medieval era. A book like Krzyzacy ("The Black Cross" or "The Teutonic Knights") (1897-1900) by Henryk Sienkiewicz is filled with sinister knights, kings and fighting. This novel was widely taught in Polish schools. A hugely popular hit film was made of it by director Aleksander Ford in 1960: a film seen by nearly every person in Poland. So the evil kings and regimes in The Cyberiad are grounded in realistic looks at the region's past. They are not simply fairy tales.
The way the robot can manufacture objects, and pull them out of a container in his belly in "A Good Shellacking", recalls the robot in the classic sf film Forbidden Planet ( Fred M. Wilcox , 1956).
The cubical planet in "Altruizine" recalls the Bizarro World in Superman comic books, first seen in the comic book tale "The World of Bizarros" (Action Comics #263, April 1960).
Ancestors?: Burlesques. The "burlesque of fairy tales" tone of The Cyberiad perhaps recalls comics writer-artist Ed Wheelan . Wheelan made burlesques of both movie genres, in his series Minute Movies, and of fairy tales in Foney Fairy Tales. Wheelan's satire "Eyes of the Skull" (Flash Comics #18, June 1941) parodies conflict between the nations Agraria and Agressa. It perhaps anticipates the two countries in conflict in "The Trap of Gargantius".
The Space Child's Mother Goose (1958) by Frederick Winsor presented science-fiction variants on traditional nursery rhymes. It's a delightful book, and surprisingly deep in its mathematical and scientific ideas: also anticipating The Cyberiad.
Trurl's Machine. "Trurl's Machine" deals with a machine that has the wrong idea (two plus two equals seven) and which tries to force that idea on everyone else. It can be read as an allegory, about people who want to inflict bad science on the world, often for political motives:
Today, one thinks immediately of right-wing global warming deniers, often the paid agents of oil companies.
Lem himself came into conflict as a university student with the sinister pseudo-science of Lysenko, then the official doctrine of Stalin and the Communist bloc.
The tale shows various political authorities cowering in fear, refusing to tell the truth or help the truth-tellers. This too seems like a political allegory.
The Trap of Gargantius. "The Trap of Gargantius" creates a detailed future society, with an innovative condition by the end of the tale. It thus follows the Campbell tradition of "social science fiction", which looks at such innovative future or alien societies. By contrast, such Campbellian alternate societies are not present in several other stories in The Cyberiad.
The Dragons of Probability. "The Dragons of Probability" invents a complete imaginary science of probability and nonexistence. As Lem points out in his commentary, the fictitious science is inspired by the real-life physics domains of quantum mechanics and particle physics. This invented science is skillful. It deserves applause both for its creativity and inventive detail, and the accurate, insightful way it mirrors the thinking of real-life physics and mathematics.
Lem had previously invented the fictitious science of "solaristics" in his novel Solaris (1961).
The Divine is transformed into the original-to-this-tale idea of the "Universal Matrix of Transfinite Transformations". Seeing the divine in an all-inclusive collection of all transformations is indeed a mathematically creative view of infinite possibility and structure.
Dragons can "hypercontiguate", a kind of multiplication. This allows dragons to take part in "algebra", such as group theory. Mathematicians love group theory and are eager to find such algebraic structures, in everything from matrices to Lie Algebras to knots. Dragons also have inverses: also a group theory concept. The multiple kinds of inverses perhaps invoke the mathematical theory of quaternions.
Probabilities of dragons have become something other than integers (whole numbers). Such non-integral values recall spin in particle physics. More distantly, they invoke non-integral dimensions in Hausdorff theory.
Trurl's Prescription. "Trurl's Prescription" opens with a good science fiction idea. SPOILERS. It shows a large group of robots, living not on a planet, but plugged into a huge machine they have built, near a star. This is perhaps a variation on the "The Trap of Gargantius": both deal with groups of robots, in both the robots are plugged into something. The rest of the tale is less interesting, offering more word-play than substance in its sf ideas. Its core plot twist is a variation on "The Offer of King Krool".
Altruizine. I disagree with the fundamental thesis of "Altruizine", that idealistic social reforms or innovations are doomed to failure. However, the colorful details of this story are inventive, making it enjoyable reading.
The final section is a story-within-the-story. SPOILERS. Its subject of information shared between minds, is broadly related to the mind-switching in "The Mischief of King Balerion". And both are related to ability of the ocean in Solaris to read minds and create things based on what it reads there.
Gay Themes. SPOILERS. The plugs in "The Trap of Gargantius" can be read as homoerotic imagery. So can the whole subject matter of uniformity imposed by militaristic discipline. Ideas of uniforms and subjection to authority return in "The Offer of King Krool".
The brief suggestion in "The Mischief of King Balerion" that the King might want to experience the body of a woman, can also be given LGBT readings.
"How Trurl built a Femfatalatron" sticks exclusively to heterosexual experience in its sex machine - and in that sense, can be read as a heterosexual story. But it also describes one male controlling and stimulating the sexual feelings of another man, using this machine. This can be seen as a gay sexual situation.
Liu Cixin
The Three-Body Problem
The Three-Body Problem (2006) is a novel. Its original Chinese title is simply Three Body.
Video Game. The video game sections total around 54 pages (but would be shorter if printing were not so expansive in the book). They form a separate novella or long short story embedded in the novel.
The video game episodes resembles a series of linked short stories, based on common themes. The game format allows for unusual story telling approaches. They are "experimental" in their literary techniques.
They contain a science fiction puzzle (set forth in Chapters 7 and 11, solved in Chapter 15). Puzzles are a standard element in some science eviction. Such puzzles have some affinity with mystery fiction. The way Wang solves the puzzle, makes him analogous to the detective in traditional mystery fiction.
The video game sections recall Lem's The Cyberiad. Both works have a series of "artificial" events, that have symbolic relevance to the real world. This is an experimental approach, different from standard fiction techniques. The section on the computer (Chapter 17) recalls a bit "The Trap of Gargantius" in The Cyberiad.
These sections also resemblance Lem's novel Solaris somewhat. The planet in Liu's novel is called Trisolaris, evoking Lem. (I am not sure how close this parallel of names is in the Chinese original.) And the "three-body problem" from physics is presented as a conundrum that is nearly impossible for science to analyze or understand, recalling the ocean in Solaris.
The opening episode of the video game (Chapter 7), somewhat recalls Arthur C. Clarke's "The Lion of Comarre", with travelers converging on a mysterious pyramid.
The multiple civilizations recall Harness' The Paradox Men. The Paradox Men is based on historian Arnold Toynbee's ideas of successive civilizations, and features a new such Toynbee-style civilization in the future. The Three-Body Problem differs from The Paradox Men in that it contains multiple civilizations instead of one, and in that it does not explicitly invoke Toynbee. It also differs from Toynbee in that civilizations fall in The Three-Body Problem because of astronomical factors, while in Toynbee historical forces cause the decline of civilizations.
The emphasis on suns in both the video game and non-video-games parts of The Three-Body Problem, also recalls the solar setting of parts of The Paradox Men.
Hard Science Fiction. Some non-video-game episodes are steeped in science and scientists. They fall squarely into the tradition of "hard science fiction" (often abbreviated as "hard sf"). Likely, the author consciously intended these sections as hard sf:
The exploration of the universe's background radiation (Chapter 9)
The heroine sending out a signal (Chapter 22).
Both of these center on astronomers (and related fields) and astronomical research sites. This is a traditional locale for much American hard science fiction.
There are also hard sf aspects to some of the video games episodes.
The Countdown. The numbers sent to the hero form a countdown from some alien messenger (Chapter 6). This recalls J.G. Ballard's "The Voices of Time".
Pentecost. The Three-Body Problem invokes the Christian doctrine of Pentecost. with the hymn to the Holy Sprit (end of Chapter 9). This links the Christian Pentecost-concept of messages from the divine Holy Spirit, to the messages from aliens in The Three-Body Problem. Pentecost is often symbolized by tongues of fire descending on the disciples; some of the messages in The Three-Body Problem take the form of changes to the universe's background radiation (Chapter 9).
Pentecost is repeatedly invoked in the film Brokeback Mountain ( Ang Lee , 2005).
Ray Nelson
Ray Nelson is an sf writer noted for his off-trail approaches. His Blake's Progress (1975) is a delightful science fiction extravaganza.
Nelson never became a best selling author. But his work was prestigious, and anthologized by such leading sf figures as Isaac Asimov, Forrest J. Ackerman, Avram Davidson, Harlan Ellison and Judith Merril. "Eight O'Clock in the Morning" (1963) was recognized as a classic long before it was filmed, as They Live (1988). The movie adds characters and incidents, but most of its science fiction concepts come straight out of Ray Nelson's story.
SPOILER. "The Great Cosmic Donut of Life" (1965) shows a future society where group marriage is common. The hero is locked in a rivalry with another man, over the heroine's affections. The tale ends with the hero getting down on his knees and proposing marriage - to the other man. It is quite startling. It is not quite "gay marriage": the two men and the heroine are now part of a group marriage of three people.
Ray Nelson has a personal web site . This includes a bibliography.
Avram Davidson
Avram Davidson was a prolific short story writer in both the mystery and science fiction and fantasy fields. He wrote over 200 short tales.
Davidson's crime fiction often attempts to evoke a society, a locale or a milieu. Some of his works are historicals: "The Importance of Trifles" (1969) recreates 1830's New York City. Others evoke a modern-day locale, such as "The Cobblestones of Saratoga Street" (1964), and its portrait of a thinly-disguised version of New York's Gramercy Park neighborhood. In addition, Davidson constructs clear, well-defined plots. These plots partly focus on crime and mystery, but they also include much of the non-crime aspects of his characters' lives and work.
Between his interest in social details, and his plotting, Davidson can be described as a "content-driven" writer. This is not too surprising: both the science fiction and mystery fields are dominated by content-driven writing. Davidson's crime fiction tends to deliver this content in a clear, fairly straightforward manner.
Davidson wrote a linked series of detective stories with fantasy solutions and puzzles, collected in The Adventures of Doctor Eszterhazy. The depiction of their imaginary 1900-ish Eastern European city of Bella, owes something to his portrait of 1830's New York City in "The Importance of Trifles". Both cities have a colorful waterfront full of sailors, as seen in Bella in "The Ceaseless Stone" (1975). The Eszterhazy tales are detective-solving-a-mystery in form, as is "The Importance of Trifles".
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula K. Le Guin writes fantasy, science fiction and mainstream fiction.
The Dispossessed
The Dispossessed (1974) is one of Le Guin's most prestigious books.
A book of essays about it, mainly by Political Science professors, is The New Utopian Politics of Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed (2005) edited by by Laurence Davis and Peter Stillman. It is available for free on-line here . The Dispossessed is linked to a large number of key social questions: environmental, economic, anti-consumerist.
Left-wing social commentary: something widespread in film and TV Westerns of the 1950's and 1960's.
Good guys have to face down ostracism and community opposition: something common in Westerns.
Takver is a strong, tough and highly competent heroine who is good at work and struggle: typical of the resourceful heroines of TV Westerns.
Bedap is the hero's gay best friend in The Dispossessed. Western heroes often had Sidekicks as their best friends. Some people today see several sidekicks as being gay - although not everyone agrees with this view.
Westerns characters often lived in unpretentious rooms in hotels and boarding houses. This anticipates the small rooms in community buildings where the characters live in The Dispossessed.
The simple cafes where Western heroes often get their meals anticipate the communal dining halls in The Dispossessed.
Westerns regularly show traveling theater troupes visiting towns and putting on plays. Theater is popular on Anarres.
Shevek hears harmonium music from a chapel on Urras; church bells sounding out are common in Westerns.
Western characters sometimes go East, visiting big cities like Chicago, confronting an older, much wealthier tradition they left behind when they moved West. There are similarities with Shevek's trip to Urras.
Shevek discovers leather on Urras and gets a pair of leather shoes; movie and TV cowboys frequently wore leather clothes, and prized their boots.
In my experience, educated contemporary people just don't watch TV Westerns, unfortunately. If they did, they would discover a remarkable world of skillful drama and progressive social commentary in the best episodes of Cheyenne, The Rifleman and The Virginian. Comparisons of The Dispossessed to Westerns are meant as praise: strong praise.
Classic Russian literature (Gogol, Dostoyevsky, Anton Chekhov , etc.) famously often deals with financially ordinary people. The same is true of the Western: a point not often appreciated. The archetypal Western hero is a wandering cowboy who owns nothing but a few simple items in his saddle bags. So Le Guin works that deal with poor working people such as The Dispossessed and "Brothers and Sisters" reflect the traditions of Russian Literature. But at the same time, they also can be seen as embodying traditions of the Western.
Mobiles. The heroine Takver makes mobiles. Some of these include wires and beads. These recall:
The "patterning frames" in Le Guin's City of Illusions.
The Japanese glass netfloats found on the beach in "Hand, Cup, Shell".
The unusual, complex and meaningful jewelry in "The Nna Mmoy Language".
The pathetically run down working class woman Shevek sees is wearing big spherical glass earrings (Chapter 9). This recalls the beads in one of Takver's mobiles. We also learn about the fondness of people on Anarres for ornamentation.
Architecture. The old city of Rodarred is notable for its many towers (start of Chapter 11). This is an "ancient city with an imaginative architecture". It recalls another such metropolis, the opening city in The Left Hand of Darkness. That town was built to withstand spring flooding. Compare: The Case of Jennie Brice (1912) by Mary Roberts Rinehart , a mystery tale which also shows people coping routinely with floods in Pittsburgh.
Atmosphere and Light. The Dispossessed is full of descriptions of the sky, light and atmosphere.
One associates such descriptions with Robert Louis Stevenson . And with writers influenced by Stevenson:
H.G. Wells. See The Island of Dr. Moreau.
G. K. Chesterton . Descriptions of atmosphere and light are ubiquitous in Chesterton.
Le Guin is an admirer of the painter J.M.W. Turner, and has stated that his paintings and the music of Beethoven have had a central influence on her writing. Partly one suspects that Le Guin is talking about the fundamental structures of her work, and the presence of deep, complex logical structures in Turner and Beethoven. But one also notes that Turner's paintings are full of depictions of atmosphere, the sky, light and weather.
Cooperatives. The Dispossessed shows a society run entirely by cooperatives, which have replaced for-profit business, government and other legal institutions. This society is a would-be Utopia, a complete transformation of existing society.
In real life here on Earth, cooperatives have been highly successful, for hundreds of years. Such cooperatives are usually part of a mixed economy. co-existing along with for-profit business, government institutions, non-profits, charities, etc. (Although the United States and Western Europe are often described as "capitalist societies", this is an over-simplification. They are in fact mixed economies.)
Consequently, one does not have to depend on the idea of a Utopia-exclusively-run-by-cooperatives, to feel enthused about cooperatives and their potential. Or to be interested in the vivid depictions of cooperatives in The Dispossessed. Whether or not the Utopia shown in The Dispossessed would work in real life, or whether it would be a good thing, thus become side issues. Cooperatives work well in the here-and-now, and without a Utopian transformation of society. This gives The Dispossessed a deep interest, independent of any Utopian ideas in the novel.
Please see my list of Cooperatives and Worker-owned Businesses in Mystery and Science Fiction . The list has links to my articles on the writers mentioned. A vivid look at real-life contemporary cooperatives is the documentary film Shift Change (Melissa Young, Mark Dworkin, 2012).
Challenge. The Dispossessed is a book that challenges us to rethink our own lives. How should we live? What work should we do? With what institutions and organizations should we be affiliated? What public policies should we support? This challenging quality is also found in the films of Roberto Rossellini .
In both Le Guin and Rossellini, this challenge is seen as combining both personal character and social institutions and choices. It is far from fully private. It involves changing and shaping society, too.
Motivation to Work. One of the weakest ideas in The Dispossessed is its repeated insistence that people will work simply for the satisfaction they get out of their jobs, rather than money. In real life, many people will work hard without pay at science, the arts, raising children, and for causes in which they believe. But most jobs people only do if they are paid money. Most work at hard demanding jobs people do for pay. Admittedly, large numbers of people also have an interest in their work, and take pride at doing a good job. Still, their work is only performed if they can get wages.
In real life, many, maybe most people who work at cooperatives draw a salary. So the success of cooperatives does NOT depend on the willingness of people to work purely because they find their work interesting, as in The Dispossessed.
So while I do not believe this aspect of The Dispossessed is accurate, this does NOT invalidate the novel. It makes it uncertain that the Utopian social organization in The Dispossessed would actually work. But it has no affect on the novel's portraits of cooperatives, or the fact that cooperatives have a major role to play in real-life society and economies.
Preserving Cultures. We briefly learn about the survival of a song originated by the miners, the only group of people on Anarres not part of the anarchists who settled the planet later (middle of Chapter 2). This is a relic of an earlier culture, one that has survived.
Le Guin would look at the attempts to preserve earlier knowledge in one of the best of her early science fiction tales "The Masters" (1963). Preserving threatened cultures and their knowledge and fiction would become a major subject in long works of her later career: The Telling (2001), the novella "The Finder" (2001) in Tales from Earthsea, Voices (2004).
The Road to Serfdom?. A-Io is a country much like the contemporary United States. Among other things, it is a prosperous capitalist society; it has freedom of the press. But it is often viewed negatively in The Dispossessed.
A-Io has features associated with horrible societies. It has bad medical care for the poor, systematically having the poor die off needlessly in filthy "hospitals". Troops of the A-Io government massacre protesting citizens and dissidents. It has extensive political prisoners.
All of this has happened on A-Io without any external cause, such as a totalitarian coup or conquest. The Dispossessed thus seems to express a viewpoint widely held by libertarians: Western-style governments are going to degenerate into monstrous regimes. The Le Guin work that chronologically follows The Dispossessed, and widely seen as linked to it, "The New Atlantis" (1975) makes this explicit. It looks at a future United States whose government is full of bureaucrats actively promoting evil. One gets a similar portrait of Western democracy degenerating all by itself into evil bureaucracy in the film Brazil.
I have a big problem with this. It does not seem to be true. It is now over 40 years since The Dispossessed and "The New Atlantis" were published, and nothing in their predictions about the US government have come true. The point of view expressed in Le Guin's books and Brazil seems to be a lot of bunk. This idea, central to libertarians, is just plain false.
Global Warming. The Dispossessed describes a future Earth ruined by environmental catastrophe. It is very hot (Chapter 11).
The linked story "The New Atlantis" (1975) is more explicit. It shows a future Earth hit by the "greenhouse effect". Sea levels have risen, and much of Manhattan is under water. This 1975 story is describing Global Warming at an astonishingly early date.
Unlike their portraits of government bureaucracy which I don't like, these tales' look at Climate Crisis have proved remarkably prophetic.
Let me reiterate what I've always said elsewhere too: Climate change is real. It is caused by humans. It is extremely dangerous. We need to take drastic action immediately, to prevent huge catastrophes in the future. And we need to start accepting what "mainstream science" and 97% of climate scientists are telling us about Global Warming as the truth.
Philosophy. Cetian physics incorporates philosophy and metaphysics. The hero thinks this is a good thing, an example of the "tearing down walls" between subjects that he advocates. By contrast, I'm skeptical of the heavy emphasis on philosophy and psychology in the real-world study of literature and film over the last fifty years. Literary and cinematic criticism might be better off without incorporating philosophy and psychology.
The Wall. In general, however, I'm impressed with Le Guin's concept of "the wall". It refers to people refusing to examine ideas or think about subjects, because it would contradict their preconceptions, or what society tells them they should think. This is in fact common in real life.
Brothers and Sisters: a short story
"Brothers and Sisters" is a long short story in the collection Orsinian Tales. It is not science fiction, being a realistic story set in the imaginary Eastern European country of Orsinia. "Brothers and Sisters" is a bit unusual among Le Guin's Orsinian stories in that politics and history play apparently little role in the tale.
"Brothers and Sisters" has neither the anarcho-syndicalism nor the Cetian physics so prominent in The Dispossessed. But otherwise its setting strongly anticipates the planet Anarres:
Anarres is a desert world. "Brothers and Sisters" takes place in a barren limestone region, the kind known as Karst. There is little surface water in either. Both can be dusty.
Only the most restricted plants grow in both locales.
Mining is central to Anarres' economy. The main business in "Brothers and Sisters" is quarrying limestone.
Mountains are in the background in both locales.
Both works are full of rich descriptions of the sky, light, atmosphere and weather.
Both societies are poor, dominated by scarcity.
People have limited job and economic opportunities in both works.
Serious work-related accidents occur.
Railways are used for transport in both tales.
The hero Stefan of "Brothers and Sisters" is a genius who wants to leave his limited town. This anticipates Shevek, a scientific genius who winds up leaving Anarres for another planet. Both works feature networks of young friends, all of whom are slowly groping towards adulthood, and finding their adult roles and jobs.
There is a gay character in both works.
"Brothers and Sisters" is one of Le Guin's best mainstream works.
A Western. The locale of "Brothers and Sisters" has a Western feel, like The Dispossessed. The dry setting, the quarrying, the railroads, the mountains contribute to this Western effect. The story takes place in 1910: close to the time period of many Westerns. Foremen are typical characters in Westerns: Kostant is a foreman at the quarry in "Brothers and Sisters".
"Brothers and Sisters" has some Western-like features not found in The Dispossessed:
People ride horses. (There are no horses or other large land animals on the ecologically restricted planet Anarres.)
Characters live in a rooming house.
There is an isolated farm.
A Week in the Country: a short story
"A Week in the Country" is a short story in the collection Orsinian Tales. Although a sequel of sorts to "Brothers and Sisters", as a piece of fiction and work of story telling it resembles The Dispossessed less than "Brothers and Sisters" does. Points of similarity to The Dispossessed:
It is a denunciation of a Communist regime, like Thu in The Dispossessed.
Sinister government police anticipate the Urras scenes.
Smuggling of dissidents past police state barriers.
Western capitalist societies are denounced for materialism.
The hero goes through a major illness, in this case, pneumonia.
Special grains are grown for food: oats in "A Week in the Country", holum-grass in The Dispossessed.
A scientist hero.
Arrivals by night after a journey.
Very simple small living quarters for a married couple in a poor society.
"A Week in the Country" also feels much less like a Western than do "Brothers and Sisters" and The Dispossessed. But the events in its finale somewhat recall a TV Western: The Stand-In (1961), an episode of the TV series The Rifleman directed by Joseph H. Lewis . A variant on these events appears in "Dawodow the Innumerable", one of the "Woeful Tales from Mahigul" in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. (One might note that the Mahigul tales are not really science fiction. Instead, they resemble the Orsinia works in that they are realistic stories set in imaginary countries or regions.)
"A Week in the Country", "Imaginary Countries" and "Hand, Cup, Shell" are all set at country homes; they are all group portraits of a family that owns the home. I confess I don't like this subject in Le Guin's work very much. As fiction these country house works seem drastically inferior to "Brothers and Sisters" and The Dispossessed. "A Week in the Country" picks up whenever it gets away from the country house subject and starts criticizing Communism. The anti-Communist parts are both politically meaningful, and embedded in memorable imagery.
The lyric quoted is by Thomas Campion. It is the finale of verses that begin "Silly Boy!", from Campion's The Third Book of Ayres (1617?). Campion is a gifted poet, a contemporary of Shakespeare. I've read his complete poems, and you would enjoy them too. They are available in The Works of Thomas Campion (1967) edited by Walter R. Davis.
Unlocking the Air: a short story
"Unlocking the Air" (1990) is a sequel to "A Week in the Country". It directly continues the anti-Communist concerns of the earlier tale, as its main subject.
As a subsidiary theme, the criticism of the West for materialism also persists. We do not learn the actual politics of the revolutionaries, but we do learn that they want to develop a society that is both utterly non-Communist and which avoids the materialism of Western capitalism. This avoidance of both Communism and capitalism is also present in the anarcho-syndicalism of Anarres.
"Unlocking the Air" is also a portrait of a revolution, like the revolution that led to Anarres in The Dispossessed. Both works' politics center on a woman revolutionary thinker: Stefana Fabbre in "Unlocking the Air", Odo in The Dispossessed.
The huge rally recalls the big protest in A-Io in The Dispossessed.
The Author of the Acacia Seeds: a short story
"The Author of the Acacia Seeds and Other Extracts from the Journal of the Association of Therolinguistics" (1974) is a short story in Le Guin's collection The Compass Rose. It is one of Le Guin's best science fiction tales. It shares subjects with The Dispossessed, which was published the same year. Both:
Sympathetically examine social revolts against authority.
Look at unusual ("The Author of the Acacia Seeds") or innovative (The Dispossessed) languages.
Draw parallels between physics and music: The Dispossessed; or between language and ballet: "The Author of the Acacia Seeds".
Deal with the contrast between collective living and individualism.
Depict scientific research and its scholarly publication.
Like The Left Hand of Darkness, "Brothers and Sisters" and "Sur", "The Author of the Acacia Seeds" examines worlds of extreme cold and ice.
A statement by the author-of-the-acacia-seeds seems Taoist. It seems like a witty transcription of Taoist views into that author's language and world view.
Rocks. The end of the story discusses rocks. Geology as a science appears in "Hand, Cup, Shell", and a poetic treatment is found in "The Bones of the Earth" in Tales from Earthsea. The Karst in "Brothers and Sisters" is memorable. Small stones become symbolically important to people in Very Far Away From Anywhere Else and "Solitude".
The Squid. A brief episode in "Solitude" reads as if it were another section of "The Author of the Acacia Seeds". This is the bit about the zoologist studying the squid. This episode has little to do with the rest of "Solitude": it is a change of pace.
Margaret Atwood made a notorious comment about science fiction dealing with "talking squids in outer space". Somewhat startlingly, this episode in "Solitude" actually is about "talking squids in outer space"! I have been unable to find the exact date of Atwood's quote, but it seems to be post-2000, long after Le Guin's tale.
The Ire of the Veksi: a short story
"The Ire of the Veksi" (2003) is a short story in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. It recalls Le Guin stories about humanoids with aggressive rage: "The Matter of Seggri"; and with anti-social, living alone patterns: "Solitude". All of these works are Social Science Fiction. The social/sexual organization in "The Ire of the Veksi" seems directly modeled on that in "Solitude".
At first the Veksi seem just nasty and brutal, likely even evil. This is certainly an aspect of their lives. But eventually the story begins to tell something odd about them: they have no dominance goals, or superior-inferior relations. So this aspect of their lives becomes a Utopian tale. Like the anarchists of The Dispossessed, it shows a society without hierarchy.
The weird anger-based grief of the Veksi, perhaps extends the mother's dubious lament at the start of "Brothers and Sisters".
The Veksi's hooves recall the aliens in Arthur C. Clarke's "Second Dawn" (1951). Le Guin has come up with new ideas that build on and further develop Clarke's original concepts. Science fiction writers are regularly in this sort of "dialogue".
Seasons of the Ansarac: a short story
"Seasons of the Ansarac" (2002) is a short story in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. It is most closely related to Le Guin works about humanoids with non-standard, modified sexuality, such as The Left Hand of Darkness, "Coming of Age in Karhide" and "The Matter of Seggri". All of these works are Social Science Fiction.
The conflict with the Bayderac at the end is richly imagined, in its science fictional detail. It offers a new dimension to Le Guin's stories about non-standard humanoids. Politically it anticipates the conflict in Voices.
"Seasons of the Ansarac" shares subjects with The Dispossessed. Both:
Contrast communal with individualistic societies. The Ansarac live individually in their Northern range, and in groups in the Southern domain. Here we have not two different populations, as in most such Le Guin tales of the individual vs the collective, but one population at different times of its life cycle.
Characters journey around a planet.
Education of the young is examined.
Pair bonding of couples is important.
Communicating through dancing in "Seasons of the Ansarac" recalls "The Author of the Acacia Seeds". In both tales, this is linked to birds or bird-like beings.
Social Dreaming of the Frin: a short story
"Social Dreaming of the Frin" (2002) is a short story in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. It shares subjects with The Dispossessed. Both:
Explore in detail a society based on communal, collective principles.
Look at how children might be raised differently in that society.
Contain scenes with pregnant women.
Contrast the society with a capitalist, individualist society much like the modern day USA.
Question whether it is a good idea for that communal society to be sharing information with the capitalist group.
Quote from a woman thinker who sets forth fundamental principles of the communal society: Sorrdja of Farfrit in "Social Dreaming of the Frin", Odo in The Dispossessed. See also Stefana Fabbre in "Unlocking the Air".
"Social Dreaming of the Frin" is structured as a work of "Social Science Fiction". That is, it explores in detail what kind of society and way of life logically follows from an innovation. In "Social Dreaming of the Frin", the innovation is the communal dreaming of the title.
The subject of dreaming links this tale to The Lathe of Heaven. However the treatment of dreaming is quite different in the two works.
The picture of life on farms and in small towns recalls a bit "Brothers and Sisters".
The Nna Mmoy Language: a short story
"The Nna Mmoy Language" (2003) is a short story in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. It shares subjects with The Dispossessed. Both:
Explore positive and negative features of an attempted Utopia.
Have innovative, made-up languages.
Have unusual metal constructs, jewelry in "The Nna Mmoy Language", the mobiles and jewelry in The Dispossessed.
Look at a planet with a severely limited number of animals.
Postulate the collapse of an environmentally destructive civilization.
The elaborate outpouring of verbal culture in this world, recalls Le Guin's The Telling. Both works vividly convey some of the richness of real-life human cultures.
As best as I know, the tale's invented language and its treatment of meaning have no exact real world analogues. But the branching nature of meaning in the language is interesting. The complex branching of the language reminds one of some non-linguistic media of sharing ideas, which employ branching:
Mathematical formulas. The algebraic quantities in formulas can take on complex forms. These forms are equivalent to branching tree structures.
Graphs, trees and networks in mathematics.
Plots in fiction. Plots can be linear - but they can also branch out in complex ways.
The "development" of "themes" (melodies) in classical music, and such classical music forms as the sonata-allegro (the first movement of "the sonata form"), the theme-and-variations, and the fugue. See also the ragam-tanam-pallavi form in Carnatic music, the classical music of South India.
The tree structures used in cladistics: the study of evolution in biology.
Taxonomies used by anthropologists to model a culture's knowledge.
Inheritance in object-oriented programming, in computer science.
Lists in computer languages like LISP and Smalltalk. Such lists are formally equivalent to branching tree structures.
In real life, one suspects that thinkers wanting to communicate branching ideas have used one of the above forms, or something related. They have not tried to invent a new language, as in "The Nna Mmoy Language". Probably using one of the above forms or structures is a more practical approach, rather than changing language itself.
"The Nna Mmoy Language" is a favorite story of mine. One wishes it were better known.
The Building: a short story
"The Building" (2001) is a short story in Le Guin's collection Changing Planes. It has elements of mystery: why are the Aq building?
It has links with The Dispossessed. Both:
Contrast two large groups of people, one of which is traditionally, boisterously and disastrously capitalist, the other smaller group being quiet and committed to communal effort and work.
Travel around a planet, showing its geographical features and different regions.
Have a massive economic/environmental collapse as part of their history.
Have domes and towers as part of a culture's architecture.
SPOILERS. The ending, with the Aq helping the Daqo after the latter's ecological ruin, recalls the Hainish helping the Terrans after their ecological collapse in The Dispossessed (Chapter 11). Both helps come in the form of a gift.
The building has a non-linear, branching structure, like the language in "The Nna Mmoy Language". Both are interesting, complex embodiments of human creativity.
Always Coming Home
Always Coming Home (1985) is a large fictional work, composed of many linked tales, poems and plays, set against a common future background.
World Building. Among the best episodes in Always Coming Home are those that tell the reader about the key features of the book's future world. In sf and fantasy as a whole, tales like these are said to engage in world building, the literary creation of an imagined world. World building is of interest in many authors. Le Guin is skillful at it, and these sections befit from her imagination.
These sections include:
Roger Zelazny was a prolific writer of fantasy and science fiction.
Lord of Light
Lord of Light (1967) is a famous novel that mixes fantasy and science fiction.
Science fiction: the Campbell tradition. Science fiction elements are most emphasized in an early section, detailing the background of the book's society (Chapter 2). This section recalls in broad terms Robert Heinlein's famous novella "Universe" (1941). The tales differ in that Heinlein's takes place on a spaceship on a long voyage from Earth, whereas Lord of Light shows us the society that has developed long after the spaceship has crashed on an alien planet. So there is no "spaceship universe" as there is in "Universe" and most of its many imitators. But both "Universe" and Lord of Light show:
An isolated group of humans who have degenerated into a much more primitive society, due to isolation.
Science being forgotten, and replaced by an ignorant primitive religion.
The crew of the ship becoming an elite, with specialized knowledge and privileges.
This early section reflects the Campbell tradition of science fiction. Not only does it draw on a famous work published by Campbell, "Universe". But more importantly, it follows the Campbell tradition of an alternate future society, organized on different lines from the present.
Reproduction. This section's depiction of radical reproduction technology (in the Karma houses) changing how humans create themselves in future generations, is part of a sf tradition that includes Arthur C. Clarke's The City and the Stars (1956) and Philip K. Dick's Dr. Futurity (1954, 1960). It also recalls the mass manufacture of humans and human body parts in Karel Capek's R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (1920).
Mystery. Lord of Light has mystery elements. They are located in central sections of the novel (Chapters 4, 5, first half of 6). They culminate in a murder mystery. The mystery is soon solved (middle of Chapter 6). Lord of Light has a full, formal mystery puzzle. The identity of killer is a surprise, when revealed - although it is fairly easy to suspect. SPOILER. More baffling are aspects of how the killer managed to become an active presence. This two-stage process is firmly rooted in events previously depicted in earlier chapters. The use of these events by the killer is "logical but unexpected and surprising", in the best mystery puzzle tradition.
Reviving neglected ideas. The heroes in Lord of Light try to revive technological knowledge that has been suppressed by the planet's elites. The whole question of preserving and reviving knowledge that has slid or been pushed into obscurity is an important one. It appears in other sf works, such as Ursula K. Le Guin's The Telling (2000).
In real life, neglected ideas are sometimes linked to embattled minorities who speak their own languages. There are institutions attempting to preserve everything from Native American cultures to Scots Gaelic literature (see An Comunn Gaidhealach). Cultures can also be attacked politically, such as Cambodian culture under dictator Pol Pot, or Taoism in Communist China.
In addition, ideas can fall out of favor. Traditional ideas about mystery fiction and science fiction seem to be understood by far fewer people today than 50 or 100 years ago.
Meritocracy. The society in Lord of Light presents itself as a meritocracy. Its citizens are told that if they are virtuous, they will be promoted in future lives, and eventually reach the top rung and become gods. In reality, exactly the opposite is happening. People with real ability and independent ideas are being weeded out and killed. Only mediocrities with "go along and get along attitudes" prosper and get promoted.
This bears a satirical resemblance to the present day United States. The USA too is often depicted as a meritocracy, especially by members of the elites. It is unclear how good these elites actually are. How many owe their positions to coming from families of wealth and power? These questions might not have single answers, and some "elites" might be better than others. It might be, for example, that tenured college professors are genuinely highly skilled, while top Wall Street money-makers might simply be well-connected mediocrities and hacks.
Lord of Light has corrupt evil powerful people running society, battling each other and external challengers in sleazy, violent and vicious ways. This can recall Al Capone and 1920's mobsters battling for power; Nazi, Communist and Third World dictatorships with internal battles for power. It also recalls Jacobean tragedies, with their corrupt aristocrats fighting each other. Zelazny wrote his master's thesis on the Jacobean play The Revenger's Tragedy (1606).
Allusions. Lord of Light bears an overall resemblance to John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (1664). Both show a revolt of a high-powered being against Heaven. The hero of Lord of Light is far more moral than Milton's protagonist, however.
Lord of Light references two other poems, by descriptions rather than by explicitly naming the poets. These are "Correspondences" by Charles Baudelaire, and The Inferno by Dante. "Correspondences" does indeed anticipate the feel of Lord of Light.
The Rakasha pleading to be let out of their imprisonment, recall genies begging to be let out of bottles in The Arabian Nights.
The Irish stand-down contest recalls a similar duel in Baranca (1960), an episode of the TV series The Rifleman directed by Joseph H. Lewis .
24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai
"24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai" (1985) is a long novella.
Nikki: poetic diaries. "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai" explicitly invokes the Japanese poet Matsuo Basho. Basho took part in the Japanese tradition of nikki: poetic diaries. These diaries describe beautiful events in heightened poetic language. Some describe travel, journeys their authors took. This includes the Tosa Nikki (935) by Ki no Tsurayuki, one of the first great nikkis. And Basho's classic The Narrow Road to the Deep North (circa 1689). The nikki tradition influenced Beat writers, such as Jack Kerouac's On The Road (1957), which describes his journeys in the American West. "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai" is very much in the nikki travel diary tradition, with rich descriptions of what the heroine is viewing throughout Japan.
Gene Wolfe
Gene Wolfe is a prolific author of science fiction and fantasy.
The Fifth Head of Cerberus
"The Fifth Head of Cerberus" (1972) is an unusual science fiction story. It describes the life of a youth growing up on a strange planet. Neither the youth himself nor the reader knows very much at first about the planet, or the background of the youth himself and his family. Only throughout the story do we get facts, as background secrets are revealed. As Brian Aldiss and David Wingrove point out in their critical book Trillion Year Spree: The History of Science Fiction, this gives "The Fifth Head of Cerberus" something of the structure of a mystery tale. First there are mysterious situations; then there are revelations that "solve" and explain those mysteries.
"The Fifth Head of Cerberus" perhaps shows the influence of Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light:
Both take place on exotically detailed planets, whose distinctive culture is a result of human settlement.
Both have formal mystery puzzle elements.
"The Fifth Head of Cerberus" possibly influenced Ursula K. Le Guin:
Its subject of a re-introduction of slavery into a depraved, exploitative modern society, anticipates Le Guin's Four Roads to Forgiveness.
Its setting of a large old family house, set in town streets in a small city navigated by pedestrians, and a harbor front, anticipate Le Guin's Voices. So does its imagery of an old library.
Edward Wellen
Edward Wellen is a science fiction writer, whose works sometimes include elements of mystery fiction. A post at MYSTERY*FILE discusses his work, and has useful links too, including bibliographies.
Mouthpiece
"Mouthpiece" (1974) is a novella, that combines a hard-boiled setting among tough Greater New York City crooks, cops and hangers-on, with science fiction about intelligent computers. The "smart computer with a human personality" working with a human, anticipates a bit Dave Zeltserman's stories about Julius Katz and Archie, such as "Archie's Been Framed" (2010).
"Mouthpiece" opens with the dying, apparently meaningless ravings of a crook. Then the hero tracks down the crook's associates, to try to interpret the ravings. Such interpretation has antecedents both within and outside mystery fiction:
Trying to find "hidden meanings" in a text recalls the mystery story "The Great Cipher" (1921) by Melville Davisson Post .
Previous mystery writers had modernist-style poems analyzed for hidden meanings: Karel Capek in "The Poet" (1928-1929), Theodora Du Bois in The Body Goes Round and Round (1942). See also The Dark Garden (1933) and the short story "Easter Devil" (1934) in The Cases of Susan Dare by Mignon G. Eberhart .
Wellen includes a non-mystery antecedent right in the story, a reference to literary critic John Livingston Lowes' The Road to Xanadu (1927). "Mouthpiece" mentions Lowes' attempt to discover hidden background material that would shed light on Coleridge's poem "Kubla Khan". The hero of "Mouthpiece" similarly tries to find background events that turn apparently meaningless ravings into coherent accounts.
The ravings that open "Mouthpiece" also embody Modernist literary approaches, such as those used by James Joyce or T.S. Eliot. They are designed to be modernist "poetry", as a character in the story suggests. The inclusion of Modernist passages in science fiction is a tradition. It is especially associated with works by Cordwainer Smith, such as "Drunkboat" (1963). Their elaborate prose style also reflects the way that complex prose styles are valued in science fiction. Such Modernist passages would have been much less likely to be published in a regular, non-sf mystery novel or mystery magazine.
Meanwhile, the story's events trigger thriller elements. These seem modeled on The Mask of Dimitrios (1939) by Eric Ambler .
Vernor Vinge
Vernor Vinge is an American science fiction writer.
Social Science Fiction
Vernor Vinge began his career by selling short stories to editor John W. Campbell. Vinge is very much a writer in the Campbell tradition: like other Campbell writers before him, Vinge develops detailed future worlds, logically based in a series of scientific and technological innovations. This Campbellian approach makes for a sound foundation for science fiction. It is widely employed by sf writers who wrote for Campbell. Campbell author Isaac Asimov called it "Social Science Fiction": sf that develops future worlds or alien planets, organized with logical consistency along both innovative social and scientific lines.
One can see such logically developed, highly detailed future societies in Vinge:
"True Names" has the Other Plane: a cyber-world where data is earthed out by virtual reality metaphors.
"True Names" also has a physical future world: one where the successful have emigrated to the country, and the poor live in huge urban apartment complexes.
"Fast Times at Fairmont High" shows a future where virtual reality enhances homes, neighborhoods and clothes, and where Internet search engines and reasoning tools have reached high sophistication.
Much of the best science fiction is in fact "Social Science Fiction". It seems to encourage imagination, complexity and logic: key traits of good creative art.
Hard Science Fiction
"True Names" and "Fast Times at Fairmont High" are loaded with genuine computer science concepts. This links them, at least partially, to the tradition of "Hard Science Fiction" tales that center on science.
Campbell also liked sf stories based on science and technology. This has led some writers to claim, with some justification, that Hard Science Fiction is also a Campbell-based tradition. Still, in practice the term Hard Science Fiction has been most linked to post-1965 writers, who emerged after Campbell's heyday.
"Hard Science Fiction" and "Social Science Fiction" are two different concepts. A story can contain one without the other. Gregory Benford's "Exposures" (1981) is a good example of a story that is "Hard Science Fiction" but not "Social Science Fiction". It focus on an astronomer in the modern day USA, who makes discoveries at his observatory. There is plenty of serious science in the tale: making it "Hard Science Fiction". But there is no future society: just the typical life of contemporary America. This makes it NOT "Social Science Fiction".
Works can also be BOTH "Hard Science Fiction" and "Social Science Fiction". In other words, they can both contain much science, and develop future or alien societies. Examples include Hal Clement's Mission of Gravity, and Vinge's "True Names" and "Fast Times at Fairmont High".
True Names
"True Names" (1981) has links to mystery fiction as well as sf. It propounds a mystery of identity: who is the identity of the villain lurking behind the pseudonym the Mailman? Such mysteries of identity have a long history in mystery fiction. Edmond Hamilton often specialized in them.
The mystery of the Mailman is given three separate solutions during the course of "True Names", with only the third and last being the true solution. Such mysteries with multiple solutions go back to Trent's Last Case (1913) by E.C. Bentley , and are also common in the later mystery writers Anthony Berkeley and Ellery Queen .
The first and third solutions in "True Names" are deeply science fictional. By contrast, the second explanation is one that could occur in a non-sf mystery.
A reference early in "True Names" to government organizations as "instrumentalities", is perhaps a homage to Cordwainer Smith, and his concept of The Instrumentality of Mankind.
The Cookie Monster
"The Cookie Monster" (2003) is another novella blending science fiction and mystery. Like "True Names", the mystery begins with a mysterious unknown person sending e-mail. But unlike "True Names", this is not primarily a "mystery of identity". We eventually do learn who is sending the e-mail. But this is less central to the plot than in "True Names". The big mystery in "The Cookie Monster" instead centers on explaining the science fictional situation behind the heroine's situation.
"The Cookie Monster" starts out like a typical mystery novel of the 2000's, with a heroine getting a new, ordinary job and plunged into mild mystery from it. This is the sort of situation that could occur in standard modern detective stories. But the science fictional events that soon erupt are far from standard.
The repeated looping of the characters, recalls a bit Charles L. Harness' "Time Trap" (1948).
"The Cookie Monster" offers a devastating look at the new world of work in the USA. People with middle class dreams and middle class self-identities, discover that they are really part of an exploited proletariat. Vinge includes both the computer industry and academia in the scope of this bitter satire.
Greg Bear
Greg Bear is an American science fiction writer.
Petra: a short story
"Petra" (1982) perhaps shows the influence of Robert Heinlein's novella "Universe". Both:
Take place in a once advanced, modern society that has retreated back into primitivism.
Show the rise of a theocracy in the society.
Deal with enclosed, isolated worlds.
Take place in a small, limited environment.
Have characters moving towards the upper level of their physical environments.
Paul Di Filippo
Paul Di Filippo is a prolific science fiction writer.
Stone Lives: a short story
"Stone Lives" (1985) shows the future of visual imaging technology. It is predictive of many things technology can do today, such as visual editing, photography and wireless transmission of images to computers.
SPOILERS. The powerful heroine's request for a social outsider to investigate (and by implication, change) her society, recalls members of the Instrumentality inducing social change in Cordwainer Smith.
SPOILERS. Elements of the mystery plot recall A Variety of Weapons (1942) by Rufus King . In both books, outsiders are brought into a compound of the rich; in both similar motives are eventually revealed.
J.G. Ballard
J.G. Ballard is the world's greatest contemporary writer, and the finest contemporary prose stylist in the English language. His reputation would be much higher, were it not for the prejudices shown against science fiction writers.
Ballard had a great period in 1980-1984 with such classic works as the novel Hello America, the story sequence Memories of the Space Age, the historical novel Empire of the Sun, such short stories as "Report on an Unidentified Space Station" and "The Object of the Attack", and the interviews collected in Re/Search No 8/9 and the essay "What I Believe".
Running Wild. Three of his works of the 1985 - 1991 period stand out. "Running Wild" (1988) is a fascinating mystery novella. This story is thematically related to "The Object of the Attack" (1984). Both deal with revolt among a group of disaffected young people against authority in contemporary Britain. Both have a mystery like format, and a similar "tone". Both are full of political and cultural allusions that give the basic plot much richness of meaning.
On its own, "Running Wild" displays Ballard's mastery of narration. Ballard is able to create climaxes and give shape to events the way a classical composer gives structure to a piece of music. The reader soon comes to hang on every word of the story, not just to find out what happens next, but because of its meaningful part in an overall narrative structural flow. Ballard has created such effects before, in stories such as "The Waiting Grounds" and "Now: Zero". But this is one of his longest and most sustained pieces of narrative flow. At each step or stage of the story, Ballard creates a very elaborate "mise-en-scène" or atmosphere, just the way a film director creates a mise-en-scène in a movie. The Ballardian technique of narration shows each mise-en-scène emerging out of the next, through a logical (and emotional) development. Step by step, through eighty pages, Ballard develops each new mise-en-scène out of the last. The constant changes in the inner structure of the mise-en-scène, and the relationships between each mise-en-scène and the next, fascinate any reader with an interest in the formal unfolding of complex structures, whether in the form of music or story or film.
The reader almost "sees" the narrative progression of the story in terms of movement, or as dance images. It awakens mental images of movement, the way the unfolding forms of classical music also do. This is a good mental metaphor, one that springs spontaneously to the brain while under the influence of the artistic experience of the story, a metaphor that seeks to capture the almost magical sense of movement or flow this story seems to provide.
Dream Cargoes. "Dream Cargoes" (1991) is a science fiction short story. It breaks new thematic ground in Ballard's work in that it deals with the conception of a new child, an image of new fertility in Ballard's work. Although "The Waiting Grounds" can also be read as the "birth" of an advanced cosmic mind.
"Dream Cargoes" succeeds as a complex piece of science fiction imagination. One should never forget that Ballard, in his own words, is "a real science fiction writer", and that creating new science fictional situations is an important component of Ballard's art.
"Dream Cargoes", like the stories in Memories of the Space Age, is related in theme and technique to Ballard's earlier novel, The Crystal World (1964/1966). All of these works feature Ballard's most elaborate verbal style, featuring complex rhythmical prose and vivid visual imagery. (So do many Ballard works not thematically related to The Crystal World.) Such beautifully written stories are deeply satisfying to read.
Report on an Unidentified Space Station. Ballard says that he remembers virtually all his dreams. "Report on an Unidentified Space Station" (1982) is based on one of Ballard's dreams. It is one of his most Borges like works, recalling Borges' "The Library of Babel" (1941).
Its image of the station filling the universe recalls the global mind filling the universe at the climax of its evolution in "The Waiting Grounds".
The characters take confusing paths through a bewilderedly laid-out station. This recalls the way the hero wanders lost through the forest in "The Illuminated Man". In both works the protagonist finds himself doubling back over his trail. Both environments are futuristic and complex.
The Enormous Space. The story "The Enormous Space" (1989) features some of Ballard's most dream like imagery. This uneven but fascinating tale holds similarities to Ballard's early story "The Overloaded Man" (1961), where the protagonist deliberately tries to abstract his perceptions away from reality, and to "The Terminal Beach" (1964), where the hero deliberately maroons himself on an island with nothing but a candy bar to eat. Here the hero maroons himself in his home.
As hunger breaks down the protagonist's sense of reality, he begins to perceive his house in a new way, "discovering" new doors and rooms he never saw before. I have exactly such experiences in dreams, where I have found and explored such new areas in the house I grew up in. Ballard's story captures this sort of dream experience with extraordinary vividness and accuracy. Although it eventually falls apart into trumped up violence in its second half, the dream experiences of the beginning stab the heart with their beauty and insight to the world of dreams.
Passport to Eternity. The best of J.G. Ballard's very early stories is the exuberantly inventive outer space fantasy, "Passport to Eternity" (written c1955, published 1962). Ballard would never write anything this "science fictional" again, with the exception of "The Waiting Grounds". "Passport to Eternity" is part of a series of raucous comic satires that run through Ballard, culminating in "The Index" and "The Message from Mars" (1992).
"Passport to Eternity" anticipates Ballard's later novels, in which well-to-do characters indulge some taboo pathology as a kind of "entertainment". Those novels tend to be mainstream works set in contemporary times, rather than the science fiction of "Passport to Eternity". Both "Passport to Eternity" and the novels tend to have much about sexual indulgence.
Prima Belladonna. This period also saw "Prima Belladonna" (1956), the first of his Vermilion Sands short story series, set in a future resort town. All of these stories deal with some futuristic art form, and "Prima Belladonna starts this pattern by focusing on singing plants.
Both of the early tales, "Prima Belladonna" and "Passport to Eternity", are comic and intellectual in tone.
The characters in the Vermilion Sands stories show an intense interest in the arts, an interest that is both intellectual and burningly personal. This interest was widespread among intellectuals in the 1956-1970 period: the era in which the tales were first published. One can see this interest in the rapt attention of the people in the art galley in the film L'Avventura ( Michelangelo Antonioni , 1960).
"Prima Belladonna" is set in the Recess, a ten-year period of reduced employment and thus enforced leisure. Many people instead devote their energies to the arts. This is a vision of a society where art is valued more than commerce, making money or economic development. Under its comic surface, this is a Utopian vision of a less materialistic society. The Vermilion Sands stories are how Ballard himself envisions the future, as he points out in the preface to the book. These stories don't preach or explicitly advocate such a less materialistic culture and society: but they show such attitudes in detail.
The Subliminal Man. The anti-materialist attitudes in "Prima Belladonna" can be contrasted with Ballard's nightmare tale of capitalist consumer society pushed to its ultimate in "The Subliminal Man", a tale that depicts work and consumption as evil forces that seize control of people's lives. "Prima Belladonna" and Vermilion Sands show the Utopia that can come about through anti-materialist society; "The Subliminal Man" depicts the Dystopia of materialism and the capitalist consumer good society.
Imagery at the end of "The Subliminal Man" recalls the climax of the film Il Grido ( Michelangelo Antonioni , 1957). SPOILERS. Both have a man climbing up to a height on a structure, then falling to his death. Both have crowds of politically disturbed people below.
The Waiting Grounds. Ballard only published intermittently throughout the 1950's. His prolific period begins in force with "The Waiting Grounds" (1959), his first great work. Everything is immensely still in the early portions of this tale. Eventually, slight movement is introduced. It gradually accelerates, and eventually the landscape begins to revolve. The whole movement is one of the great triumphs of mise-en-scène in Ballard's work. Several later Ballard stories involve the vortex of a storm: the effect like the eye of a hurricane that sweeps through the forest in "The Illuminated Man", the tornado at the end of "The Cloud Sculptors of Coral D".
"The Waiting Grounds" seems to be in the tradition of Arthur C. Clarke:
It describes simple but high-tech human colonization of an alien world: a very Clarke-like subject matter.
"The Waiting Grounds" has plot elements that perhaps recall Clarke's "The Sentinel" (1951). In turn, the megaliths in "The Waiting Grounds" perhaps anticipate the monoliths in Clarke's film 2001, in shape at least, if not in function.
The evolution and "birth" of an evolved cosmic mind in "The Waiting Grounds" recalls Vanamonde in Clarke's Against the Fall of Night (1948-1953). It also anticipates the Star Child at the end of 2001, though the parallels are not exact.
The hemispherical bowls recall Shalmirane in Against the Fall of Night (Chapter 7).
"The Waiting Grounds" does not always seem as personal or "Ballardian" as much of Ballard's work. Its science fictional background is creative, but perhaps more reflects the traditions of Clarke and science fiction as a whole, rather than Ballard himself. This is especially true of the tale's first half.
"The Waiting Grounds" involves a highly geometric construction. Geometry in Ballard:
Such geometric architecture recurs in "The Voices of Time", with its mandala, geodesic dome, parabolic lecture hall and spiralling "folly".
Geometry plays a role in "The Atrocity Exhibition", with its invocation of some real-life geometry: Enneper's models of geometric surfaces.
Geometry in art and architecture is discussed in a key passage of "The Illuminated Man", contrasting rectilinear modern architecture with curvilinear forms in Baroque art.
The geometry of buildings and constructions is a Ballard motif, a place where mathematics enters his writing.
"The Waiting Grounds" is also the first Ballard tale to introduce one of his complex landscapes. These elaborate environments are one of the best features of his work. They are intended to evoke states of mind.
Studio Five, The Stars. The landscape of "The Waiting Grounds" would essentially reappear in the Vermilion Sands series, starting with the second tale, "Studio Five, The Stars" (1961). This tale, with its elaborate description of Vermilion Sands, is in some ways the real start of the series.
"Studio Five, The Stars" deals with the use of computers to write poetry. While now outdated in some slight ways - the use of paper punch tape is now pass�, although it is put to magnificently poetic use in the story - this is an amazingly prescient look at the future of computing. It is still one of the best and most realistic looks at artificial intelligence in science fiction.
The Last World of Mr. Goddard. Ballard wrote several stories in this period, in which the sf events of the tale allegorically depict the mental states of the protagonist. The best of these pieces is "The Last World of Mr. Goddard" (1960). This is a fantasy tale, depicting a man about to be retired.
The Voices of Time. Published the same month (October 1960) as "Goddard" is "The Voices of Time". The climax of Ballard's early fiction, it is Ballard's greatest story. It is exceptionally beautifully written, with a rich collection of imagery.
The way first plants, then the hero can perceive time, is an example of the ideas about time that run through Ballard. The crystallization in "The Illuminated Man" and The Crystal World is based on overlapping time images. Ballard ingeniously describes the same process in reverse in "The Atrocity Exhibition", where real-life images are discussed as if they were examples of the overlapping time photos in a Marey chronogram. Mathematicians frequently invoke both a function and its inverse function; the overlapping-in-time images of The Crystal World, and the reversal of this process in "The Atrocity Exhibition", are rigorous mathematical inverse functions of each other.
"The Voices of Time" has spinal imagery, with sea anemones evolving into developing a notochord: the evolutionary ancestor of the spine in vertebrates. "The Atrocity Exhibition" including the image of a trilobite, a primitive segmented animal from the ancient past, one whose segmentation reflects the segmentation that underlies the body plans of spinal creatures. The trilobite is linked to a photo of balconies on a hotel: likely also involving repeated architectural segments in a row, like the repeated segments of a trilobite.
"The Voices of Time" ends with the hero experiencing a vision involving time in outer space. "The Waiting Grounds" also concludes with a penultimate vision; both stories have epilogues that wrap things up after the vision ends. These visions have something of the feel of a mystic vision: they reveal to the hero cosmic forces shaping the universe. But neither is in fact mystic: both visions use a mechanism based in science rather than mysticism, such as the time perception in "The Voices of Time". And both show a scientific cosmos, rather than a religious revelation.
The vision in "The Voices of Time" is linked to cosmic sources in far outer space. In this it anticipates the sources of the crystallization in similar outer space regions in "The Illuminated Man" and The Crystal World.
"The Voices of Time" is filled with strange plants and animals, evolved from and different from the familiar plants and animals of today's world. These are perhaps linked to the "biomorphic" abstraction in Surrealist painting. Surrealist abstract paintings like Max Ernst's The Eye of Silence (1944) show patterns built up out of forms and shapes that might be found in human or animal bodies. They are "biomorphic", coming from Greek words "bio" meaning "life" and "morph" meaning "form": paintings based on "life forms", the shapes of body parts. Ballard choose The Eye of Silence to be reproduced on the book jacket of Ballard's novel The Crystal World. Ballard is an outspoken admirer ofd Surrealism. "The Voices of Time" explicitly evokes Surrealism in its description of the evolved animals and plants.
The evolved, surreal animals living in their vivariums in "The Voices of Time", recall the evolved, surreal orchids in their vivariums in "Prima Belladonna". All of these organisms have startling new properties, ones that be called "cognitive": they relate to how these beings think, perceive and communicate. However, the tone of "Prima Belladonna" is comic and cheerful, while that of "The Voices of Time" is nightmarish.
The mandala is a well-known symbol in several religious traditions. The one in "The Voices of Time" contains a large cross inside, lines reaching to the circular edge. This anticipates the crucifix that is so prominent in "The Illuminated Man". Christian symbolism runs through Ballard. His point of view seems to be Mainline Protestant: the minister in "The Illuminated Man" is Presbyterian, for example.
The Cloud Sculptors of Coral D. Also very beautiful is "The Cloud Sculptors of Coral D" (1967). This piece has some of Ballard's best allegory, in the scene where the hero and heroine lay down in cracks of a giant mirror. This is allegory worthy of Hawthorne . Ballard is very sensitive to postures: see the Preface to Vermilion Sands, and the finale of "The Atrocity Exhibition" (1966), which concludes when the hero assumes a final posture - a sublimely imagined end. We are used to reading stories whose climax is some colossal event; this tale suggests we should look at the most intimate parts of our personal experience. In all these stories, the posture is "lying down". This is preparatory to sleep, in human life, and reminds one of the onset of sleep at the end of "The Voices of Time".
The Wind From Nowhere. Ballard has all but disowned his first novel, The Wind From Nowhere (1961), often no longer including it in lists of his published books. Written in two weeks of vacation from his job, it is very atypical of his work of the period. Unlike them, it is written in a plain prose style, and has little poetic imagery. I found it impossible to read years ago. However, after reading Empire of the Sun (1984), I went back to it, and found it surprisingly interesting. Like Empire, it has a war, or at least a military logistics background. It shows a side of Ballard that would not emerge into the rest of his work till twenty years later. The novel eventually turns into an absorbing adventure story.
The Drought. The Drought (1964) has the best architecture of Ballard's early novels. The first half shows a journey toward a goal (in this case, the sea); the second half takes place some years later, and shows the journey back. Along the way, the characters and places of the first half return, and their fates are revealed. Ballard used an identical architecture for Empire of the Sun. This later novel draws on the architecture of The Drought, and the subject matter of The Wind From Nowhere.
Clifford D. Simak
Clifford D. Simak's science fiction work, sometimes has a plot structure related to mystery fiction. A novella like "The Trouble with Tycho" (1960) has a hero who goes to the Moon, to investigate a mysterious situation there. As in a conventional mystery, we have a complex set-up full of mysterious, unexplained events, a thinking-man's hero who investigates the situation, and a final explanation of all the mysterious events. The story is far from being any sort of murder mystery however. There is no murder - the mysterious events are purely science fictional: what is going on in remote craters of the Moon? And the solution is science fictional, as well.
"The Trouble with Tycho" shares story elements with the earlier short tale "Mirage" (1950). "Mirage" investigates mysterious life on Mars, and shares some concepts with "The Trouble with Tycho". "The Trouble with Tycho" also reflects "Hermit of Mars" (1939), with the hunters of "Hermit of Mars" anticipating the prospectors on the Moon in "The Trouble with Tycho", similar mysterious creatures around, and a trip to a remote part of the alien landscape. A much poorer story, "Mr. Meek Plays Polo" (1944), also has an ancestral element, with its "radiation moss" gathered on rocks in the Inner Ring of Saturn anticipating the equally health-giving lichen on the Moon in "The Trouble with Tycho".
Rural Wisconsin - and the Stars
Simak's best stories are rich in science fiction concepts. He is a writer who is easy to caricature as a slinger of cornpone fantasies. This ignores the breadth of thinking in his tales. A story like "The Big Front Yard" (1958) is indeed folksy, with its opening among ordinary people in rural Wisconsin. But it develops into a wildly imaginative and detailed science fiction situation. The vistas of alien landscapes seem like something out of a dream. The treatment of the tale's "simple" character anticipates the young woman in Way Station. These characters exhibit the value of the virtue of humility. So does the memorable finale of All Flesh Is Grass (1965).
Way Station is also an impressive look at non-standard sexuality. It forms a plea for tolerance for those who are sexually "different". This centers on the treatment of the Vegan characters.
"The Thing in the Stone" (1970) resembles Way Station, in starring an isolated but educated man, living alone in rural Wisconsin, but who is in touch with aliens. It also has time travel elements, that recall "Project Mastodon".
The Cold War
The short story "Galactic Chest" (1956) and the novel Way Station (1963) deal with the Cold War. Simak views the tensions between East and West as frightening - and insists that mankind look for ways to get through the impasse. Simak has science fictional deus ex machinas solve the problem. This might be a bit of a cop-out. But it also underscores the gravity of the situation.
"Honorable Opponent" (1956) also reflects Cold War tensions. It moves to a comic solution that is a bit of a wish fulfillment, but which is also clever as plotting.
"Project Mastodon" (1955) is unpleasant, when time travel is envisioned as a method for providing weapons for the Cold War. Such militarism is in contrast to the Cold War solutions offered in other Simak.
Instant Transportation
But "Project Mastodon" is inventive when it thinks about the technical issues in time travel itself (such as the use of the helicopter), and why the experimenters chose this particular location for their time travels. Also, in some ways the time travel to the past, anticipates the teleportation to different planets in "The Big Front Yard" (1958). Both take characters instantly to another locale: a locale that is exploited for trade or gain.
"Buckets of Diamonds" (1969) is another tale in the same mode as "The Big Front Yard". Transportation goes to the future in it. It also has some interesting ideas about both technology's role in life, and the possibilities of language. This light-hearted tale has some satire about the Cold War, recalling "Galactic Chest".
Robots
Robots in some Simak stories stand in allegorically for both the exploited working class, and exploited racial minorities, especially African-Americans. "Skirmish" (1950) and "All the Traps of Earth" (1960) show robots and machines taking alternative responses to this exploitation, violent and non-violent. Time and Again (1950) is a novel which similarly deals with androids, rather than robots, standing in for real-life oppressed groups.
"How-2" (1954) is another look at the ideas of "Skirmish", but with non-violent solutions, this time in the courts. "How-2" was published a few months after the landmark US Supreme Court decision "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka" (1954), which ordered the desegregation of US schools. Such legal approaches to integration were highly topical.
While comic, both "How-2" and "Skirmish" have a disturbing edge. One is uncomfortable about the machine imagery, which Simak develops with an uninhibited relish. One suspects that "How-2" might have influenced John Sladek's The Reproductive System (1968).
"Horrible Example" (1961) is a short but delightful tale, that builds on ideas in "All the Traps of Earth".
Mystery Planets
Plot ideas in "Limiting Factor" (1949) are used again in "Construction Shack" (1973). Both involve human teams exploring new, mysterious planets. Both planets are deserted, but filled with technology. "Limiting Factor" is nearly an essay-in-form-of-a-short-story, with the characters little more than mouthpieces to set forth ideas about the planet. The storytelling in "Construction Shack" is much better: it has a lively readability lacking in the earlier tale. The ideas in "Limiting Factor" have dated, and are partly obsolete, whereas those in "Construction Shack" are still a bit more plausible. However, the sf concepts in "Limiting Factor" have more relevance to human life.
Both tales are constructed as science fiction mysteries: what is going on with the mysterious planet? Just as in a regular mystery, there are clues, investigation, and a solution to the mystery at the end of the story. Simak makes this explicit in "Limiting Factor". The characters are discussing the strange planetary system:
"This system," he said, "is like a pulp whodunit. Everywhere you turn, you stumble on a clue, and every clue is haywire. Too many mysteries".
"I have a feeling there's a tie between it all," Griffith said.
By 1949, when "Limiting Factor" appeared, pulp magazines and their mystery fiction had been going on for over forty years. "Limiting Factor" itself appeared in an sf pulp magazine.
A similar mystery planet turns up in "Jackpot" (1956), but this tale is perfunctory.
SF and the Arts
Simak turned his science fictional imagination loose on the act of writing itself. "Shadow Show" (1953) is a strange but too cornball and conventional account. But the impressive "So Bright the Vision" (1956) is a genuine look at a future in which technology might affect the act of writing. It anticipates J. G. Ballard's "Studio Five, The Stars" (1961).
"Worlds Without End" (1956) combines the spy thriller form, with science fiction. It has a bit of mystery, elements which are eventually explained. Simak has fun, coming up with science fictional versions of spy thriller paradigms, such as loyalty to dueling countries, or different teams of supporters (they include robots here). Such science fictional variants of modern day institutions, remind readers that human society is going to change: a key theme of science fiction. Way Station also opens with spy fiction elements, but they play less of a role as the tale progresses.
"Worlds Without End" continues Simak's interest in computer-aided writing. The two story-creators in the tale, George and Herb, echo the zany pair of Hollywood scriptwriters in the 1930's satirical play and film Boy Meets Girl, co-written by Samuel Spewack .
"Earth for Inspiration" (1941) is an early look by Simak, at "science fiction writing within an sf story". It does not deal with computer-aided writing. But it is a lively, inventive tale. It also deals with robots, and Earth's future history, elements that would soon be part of Simak's City. "Earth for Inspiration" was reprinted in Sam Moskowitz's anthology The Coming of the Robots (1963).
A non-science fiction look by Simak at the value of the press is found in his Western short story "Trail City's Hot-Lead Crusaders" (1944). The crusaders of the title, are newspapermen who stand up to corrupt town bosses in the old West. Simak was a newspaperman all his life, and this tale speaks to his convictions on the subject. "Trail City's Hot-Lead Crusaders" is in the anthology Westerns of the 40's: Classics from the Great Pulps (1977), edited by Damon Knight (also reprinted as 7 Westerns of the 40's: Classics from the Great Pulps). I was impressed by "Trail City's Hot-Lead Crusaders" decades ago. but a recent rereading suggests it is a fairly conventional Western tale, less creative than Simak's sf.
Way Station looks at an alien artform: works which blend abstract color images and a film-like experience. Such works recall the real-life "color music" or "abstract" films, long created by experimental animators. Simak's treatment is enthusiastic. It perhaps reflects the intense interest in avant-garde art, literature and film amnion educated people in the 1960's.
By contrast, I didn't like two Simak short stories about painters, "The Spaceman's Van Gogh" (1956), and the award-winning "Grotto of the Dancing Deer" (1980). Both seem static as story-telling, and uninteresting in their treatment of art. Both deal with solitary painters who have lived isolated lives. Both have a hero who tracks down the artist's work. Both have him finding an example of the painting, in a small, somewhat claustrophobic underground cave or burrow.
"The Civilization Game" (1958) returns to a subplot from Ring Around the Sun: humans deliberately leading archaic lifestyles. In "The Civilization Game" this is given more of a meaning and a serious purpose, in an attempt to preserve traditions that otherwise would be lost. It's a interesting idea, but one of which Simak seems to have generally negative feelings. The traditions include the arts, and also various political activities. "The Civilization Game" is one of several Simak works that suggest "bad" human traits, such as swindling and dirty dealing, might have hidden merit or survival value for humanity.
"Ogre" (1944) is a novella about an alien planet where music is composed, among other things. The tale embraces some dreadful moral and political ideas at the end: it seems to be written by Simak's Evil Twin. Probably the worst Simak story ever. Nellie the robot, does show that highly individualized robots were already part of Simak's fiction at this early date. The story appeared in January 1944, shortly before the debut of Simak's City series. Like a number of Simak's early works for John W. Campbell, it shows frighteningly powerful aliens in conflict with humans visiting their planets: see "Masquerade" (1941), "Tools" (1942), "Hunch" (1943), the last of which shares the moral failings of "Ogre". "Masquerade" has aliens on Mercury taking up human music and dancing through mimicry. These tales tend to be grim.
Future Societies
A Utopian story, "Univac: 2200" (1973) depicts what Simak feels would be an ideal future life for humanity, two centuries hence. It includes computer-aided thinking: not writing per se, but a related concept. Like many authors' Utopian works, "Univac: 2200" is more an essay in story form, than any sort of narrative. But it is carefully thought through, and has some substance as an Utopian vision. It stresses ecological ideas, such as designing objects that will last and not become obsolete. "Univac: 2200" is found in the aptly-named anthology Frontiers 1: Tomorrow's Alternatives, edited by Roger Elwood.
Both "Full Cycle" (1955) and "So Bright the Vision" are full scale sociological looks at future human societies. "Full Cycle" draws on sf premises Simak previously explored in City.
The Cosmos
"The Creator" (1935) deals with an alien scientist who created our universe in his laboratory. It was considered religiously daring in its day, and in fact, has not been much reprinted. This central idea of the tale is impressive: it is what Hollywood calls "high concept", a work built around a new, striking idea. But like quite a few "high concept" works, the concept itself is the best part of the tale. Especially dull is the opening ten pages of mumbo-jumbo, depicting the occult research and philosophizing of the heroes.
Simak would go on to look at multiple universes and their interaction in Cosmic Engineers (1939). This too is a pretty mild story, as a reading experience.
Way Station contains an approach that will recur in other Simak tales: the idea that in the future, scientific discoveries might give a factual, scientific basis to specific religious concepts. Such a development might increase spirituality and spiritual practice. But it also might change or transform the way people today view religion. It would thus be a two-edged sword. In science fiction, the future has the potential to transform everything. In Simak stories, the future can affect religion too.
Simak's Reputation
Simak published sf from 1931-1986. He was widely admired as an outstanding sf writer during most of that long period. Simak was admired and endorsed by a especially wide diversity of sf types: pulp magazine readers and editors, Golden Age sf fans of the 1940's, hardback publishers, paperback publishers, sf reviewers of many different schools, teenagers who read sf paperbacks in the 60's and 70's, academics who specialized in sf. He was the darling of the academic sf journal Extrapolation; he also won the field's major awards from the 1950's through the 1980's. Simak's books were widely available for decades, wherever paperback sf books were sold in the U.S. He was also a mainstay of public libraries.
Simak never became a big best-seller, or a household name celebrity. Almost all of Simak's readers were people who were interested in sf as a whole, from pulp fans in the 30's to academic specialists in sf in the 70's. He was rarely described as "transcending the genre". He was never taken up by mainstream literary critics who didn't read much sf. One guesses that he was completely unknown to most people who didn't read sf - and widely admired by those that did.
Simak's work has trenchant, far reaching sf concepts. It also has values that endear it to readers who believe sf should be literary, such as characterization, lyrical writing about nature, and a concern for human beings. Because of this, Simak was endorsed by many different schools of sf fandom, and kinds of literary taste.
Simak wrote a large number of short stories and novellas. The novellas are especially good. The novellas are concentrated in three key collections: So Bright the Vision, Skirmish, and Worlds Without End. These novellas offer much that can enhance Simak's reputation.
Bibliography
A Simak bibliography is at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database .
Favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy Films
These are my personal picks and favorites, films I saw and like.
Please see also the science fiction and fantasy sections of my list of Best TV Shows . And my list of best Science Fiction TV Commercials .
Informative books on Science Fiction films:
John Baxter - Science Fiction in the Cinema (1970).
Gary Westfahl - The Spacesuit Film (2012). On space travel films, especially realistic looks at the Space Program.
"Bookmarks" that will take you right away to sections of the list:
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Name Google's 3D mapping service, launched in the US in 2007?
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Our history in depth – Company – Google
1995-1997
1995
Larry Page and Sergey Brin meet at Stanford. Larry, 22, a U Michigan grad, is considering the school; Sergey, 21, is assigned to show him around.
1996
Larry and Sergey begin collaborating on a search engine called BackRub . BackRub operates on Stanford servers for more than a year—eventually taking up too much bandwidth.
1997
Google.com is registered as a domain on September 15. The name—a play on the word "googol," a mathematical term for the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros—reflects Larry and Sergey's mission to organize a seemingly infinite amount of information on the web.
1998
April
Larry launches a monthly " Google Friends Newsletter " to inform fans about company news. (We've since shut down Google Friends Newsletter in favor of blogs, Google+ and other methods of sharing news .)
August
Sun co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim writes a check for $100,000 to an entity that doesn't exist yet—a company called Google Inc.
Before heading to the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert, Larry and Sergey incorporate the iconic Man into the logo to keep people informed about where the Google crew would be for a few days—our first doodle .
September
On September 4, Google files for incorporation in California. Larry and Sergey open a bank account in the newly-established company's name and deposit Andy Bechtolsheim's check.
Google sets up workspace in Susan Wojcicki's garage on Santa Margarita Ave., Menlo Park, Calif.
Larry and Sergey hire their first employee. Craig Silverstein is a fellow CS grad student at Stanford who works at Google for 10+ years before joining education startup Khan Academy.
December
"PC Magazine" reports that Google "has an uncanny knack for returning extremely relevant results" and recognizes us as the search engine of choice in the Top 100 Web Sites for 1998.
1999
February
We outgrow our garage office and move to new digs at 165 University Avenue in Palo Alto with just eight employees.
April
Yoshka, our first "company" dog, comes to work with our senior vice president of operations, Urs Hölzle.
May
Omid Kordestani joins to run sales—employee #11. Ten years later, Omid steps down from his active role in the company, becoming a senior advisor.
June
Our first press release announces a $25 million round from Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins; John Doerr and Michael Moritz join the board.
August
We move to our first Mountain View location: 2400 Bayshore . Mountain View is a few miles south of Stanford University, and north of the older towns of Silicon Valley: Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Jose.
November
We hire our first chef, Charlie Ayers (his previous claim to fame was catering for the Grateful Dead; he now owns a cafe in Palo Alto). Today Google's food programs focus on providing healthy, sustainably sourced food to fuel Googlers around the world.
2000
April
We announce the MentalPlex : Google's ability to read your mind as you visualize the search results you want. Thus begins our annual foray in the Silicon Valley tradition of April 1 hoaxes.
May
We win our first Webby Awards: Technical Achievement (voted by judges) and Peoples' Voice (voted by users).
We run a series of doodles featuring a little alien—our first doodle series and the first doodle not associated with any particular event.
The first 10 language versions of Google.com are released : French, German, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian and Danish. Today, search is available in 150+ languages.
July
Our first international doodle celebrates Bastille Day in France.
September
Google New York starts in a Starbucks on 86th Street with a one-person sales "team." Today, more than 4,000 Googlers work in our New York office, a former Port Authority building at 111 Eighth Avenue.
We start offering search in Chinese, Japanese and Korean—bringing our total number of supported languages to 15.
October
Google AdWords launches with 350 customers. The self-service ad program promises online activation with a credit card, keyword targeting and performance feedback.
The first doodle by a guest artist, Lorie Loeb , goes live. Since then, many artists have lent their talents to the Google homepage, from Wayne Thiebaud to Christoph Niemann to Eric Carle.
December
Google Toolbar is released—a browser plug-in that makes it possible to search without visiting the Google homepage.
2001
February
In our first public acquisition, we acquire Deja.com's Usenet Discussion Service, an archive of 500 million Usenet discussions dating back to 1995. We add search and browse features and launch it as Google Groups .
March
Eric Schmidt is named chairman of the board of directors.
April
Swedish Chef becomes a language preference in search. We offer several "joke" languages, including Klingon.
July
Google Images launches, initially offering access to 250 million images.
August
We open our first international office, in Tokyo, Japan .
Eric Schmidt becomes our CEO. Larry and Sergey are named presidents of products and technology, respectively.
December
We release our first annual Google Zeitgeist , a visual look at what millions of people searched for over the year just ending. It's a revealing look at the year that was, from "Harry Potter" to "Osama Bin Laden." We continue to release Zeitgeist every year.
2002
February
The first Google product for enterprises is released: the Google Search Appliance is a yellow box that businesses can plug into their computer network to enable search capabilities for their own documents.
We release a major overhaul for AdWords , including new cost-per-click pricing.
April
We release the first set of Google APIs, enabling developers to query more than 2 billion web documents and program in their favorite environment, including Java, Perl and Visual Studio.
May
We release Google Labs, which let people try out beta technologies and was the proving ground for many Google features, such as Google Transit, Google Scholar and Google Trends. Nearly 10 years later, we wind down Google Labs in order to prioritize our product efforts.
September
Google News launches with 4,000 news sources. Today Google News includes 50,000+ news sources, with 70 regional editions in different languages. All told, Google News and other services send publishers 6 billion clicks per month as of 2012.
October
A few months after our first employee in Australia starts selling AdWords from her lounge room, we open our office in Sydney —the second office after Japan in APAC. Our first local AdWords client is eBay Australia.
December
With the launch of Froogle (which became Google Shopping in 2012), people can search for stuff to buy.
2003
February
We acquire Pyra Labs, the creators of Blogger . Nearly as old as Google itself (Blogger started in 1999), today more than 300 million people visit Blogger every month.
March
We announce Google AdSense , a new content-targeted advertising service that enables publishers large and small to access Google's vast network of advertisers. (The following month, we acquire Applied Semantics, whose technology bolsters the service named AdSense.)
April
We launch Google Grants —the nonprofit edition of AdWords, which provides nonprofit organizations with $10,000 per month in in-kind AdWords advertising to promote their iniatives.
October
Registration opens for programmers to compete for cash prizes and recognition at the first ever Code Jam. Today, Google Code Jam attracts tens of thousands of contestants each year, and the finals have traveled to Tokyo, Dublin, London and New York City.
December
We launch Google Print (now known as Google Books ), indexing small excerpts from books to appear in search results. In 2004, the program expands through digital scanning partnerships with libraries. To date, we've scanned more than 20 million books.
We launch Orkut , in its heyday the most important social network in several countries.
March
We move to the new "Googleplex" at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway in Mountain View with 800+ employees.
We introduce Google Local, offering relevant neighborhood business listings, maps, and directions. (Eventually, Local is combined with Google Maps.)
April
We launch Gmail on April Fools' Day. At first invite-only, today it boasts more than 425 million users. Fun fact: our internal code name for Gmail was "Caribou," inspired by a Dilbert cartoon.
The Official Google Blog goes live. Today, we offer a wide variety of ways —including Google+ pages and Twitter accounts—for people to get news from Google, in many different languages.
May
We announce the first winners of the Google Anita Borg Scholarship , awarded to outstanding women studying computer science. Today these scholarships are open to students in Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, India, Middle East, New Zealand, and the United States.
July
We acquire Picasa , which helps people organize and display photos online.
August
Our Initial Public Offering of 19,605,052 shares of Class A common stock takes place on Wall Street. Opening price: $85 per share.
September
Our Hong Kong office is the first Google office to open in the Greater China region.
October
We acquire Keyhole, a digital mapping company whose technology will later become Google Earth .
Google SMS launches. This service enabled users to send text search queries to GOOGL or 466453 on mobile devices.
We formally open our European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland , with 150 multilingual Googlers, a visit from Sergey and Larry, and recognition from the Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland, Mary Harney.
We open our new offices in Bangalore and Hyderabad , India. Googlers in India have worked on products ranging from Map Maker to ads to Chrome.
November
We launch Google Scholar in beta. This free service helps people search scholarly literature such as peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports.
December
We establish Google.org , dedicated to the idea that technology can help make the world a better place.
2005
February
Google Maps goes live. Just two months later, we add satellite views and directions to the product.
April
Google Maps comes to mobile phones in the U.S., offering driving directions and local information to people on the go.
Our first Google Maps release in Europe is geared to U.K. users. France, Germany, Italy and Spain follow in 2006. Today, we offer driving directions in 190+ countries around the world.
The first video goes up on YouTube (not yet part of Google). Today, 100+ hours of video are uploaded every minute and people watch 6 billion hours of video per month!
May
Personalized Homepage (later iGoogle and no longer available as of November 2013) was designed for people to customize their own Google homepage with content modules.
June
Google Mobile Web Search is released, specially formulated for viewing search results on mobile phones.
We unveil Google Earth , a satellite imagery-based mapping service that lets you take a virtual journey to any location in the world. Google Earth has since been downloaded more than 1 billion times.
The Google Maps API is released; developers can embed Google Maps on many kinds of mapping services and sites. Today there are 1 million active websites and apps using the API, reaching 1 billion people every week.
August
We launch Google Talk, a downloadable application that lets Gmail users to talk or instant message with friends quickly and easily; Chat comes to Gmail the following year. In 2013, we announce that Talk will be rolled into Hangouts , Google's new single communications system.
October
Googlers volunteer to produce an author event with Malcolm Gladwell in Mountain View. Since then, the Talks at Google program has hosted 1,500+ authors and other thought leaders in 18 offices.
November
We release Google Analytics for measuring the impact of websites and marketing campaigns. Analytics is based on Urchin, a company we acquired in March 2005.
We announce the opening of our offices in São Paulo and Mexico City —our first in Latin America.
The first Doodle 4 Google contest takes place in the United Kingdom. Since then, we've run Doodle 4 Google contests in countries across six continents, with more than 1 million doodles submitted by students eager for the chance to see their artwork on the Google homepage.
December
Google Transit launches in the Portland, Ore. metro area. Today, Transit has schedules for more than 1 million public transit stops worldwide.
2006
March
Google Finance launches—complete with interactive charts and related headlines from Google News—to help people to find financial information more easily.
April
We launch Google Calendar to help you keep track of events, special occasions and appointments, and to share schedules with others.
Google Translate launches, offering translations between Arabic and English. Today our machine translation service provides translations between 70+ different languages.
May
We release Google Trends , a way to visualize the popularity of searches over time.
Gmail launches in Arabic and Hebrew, bringing the number of interfaces up to 40.
June
We announce Google Checkout, a fast and easy way to pay for online purchases which paved the way for broader payments with Google Wallet .
Picasa Web Albums enables Picasa users to upload and share their photos online.
The Oxford English Dictionary adds the word "Google" (as a verb).
August
Google Apps for Your Domain is released. This suite of applications, including Gmail and Calendar, is the precursor to Google Apps Premier Edition , which launched later in the year and brings cloud computing to businesses. Today, more than 5 million businesses are using Google Apps.
October
We launch Apps for Education ; our first deployment is to Arizona State University. Today Apps for EDU has more than 25 million users, and is being used by 74 of the top 100 universities.
We release web-based applications Docs & Spreadsheets (now called Docs and Sheets ). Docs is a reworking of Writely (acquired in March).
We announce our acquisition of YouTube .
2007
January
"Fortune" announces its annual list of Best Companies to Work For and Google is #1 (we've been on top of the list three other years since). We're proud we've been able to create a company culture where employees are empowered to do cool things that matter.
February
This year’s Valentine's Day doodle causes a stir. Many people think we left out the "l" and linked it to a 17th century poet named Googe; others think it's homage to a band called My Bloody Valentine (the bassist's last name is Googe).
Many of the 2008 Presidential candidates—including then-Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain— visit the Googleplex throughout the campaign.
We add traffic information to Google Maps for 30+ cities around the U.S. Today, live traffic data is available in 50+ countries, covering highways, streets and more in 600+ major cities.
March
The first "gBikes" appear on campus, giving Googlers an efficient, convenient and healthy way to get to and from meetings. Today around 700 bikes are on campus at any given moment—just one sign of Google's cycling-friendly culture.
April
This April Fools' Day is extra busy: not only do we introduce the Gmail Paper Archive and TiSP (Toilet Internet Service Provider) —we lose (and find) a real snake in our New York office!
GOOG-411 enabled people to dial a phone number and speak a search for local information.
May
Street View debuts in Google Maps in five U.S. cities: New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Miami, and Denver. Today, Street View is available in more than 50 countries.
We kick off an effort to help protect people from malicious content on the Internet. Today, approximately 1 billion people use Google Safe Browsing , which extends not only to Google’s search results and ads, but also to popular web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox and Safari, on mobile and desktop.
We expand the YouTube Partnership Program to include some of the most popular and prolific original content creators from the YouTube community. Today more than 1 million channels earn revenue from the program.
We announce new strides taken towards universal search. Now video, news, books, image and local results are all integrated together in one search result.
June
We install solar panels on our Mountain View campus—the largest corporate solar panel installation of its kind at the time. Today the solar panels power 30 percent of the buildings they sit on.
We unveil a new green initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. We later retire the RechargeIT initiative , though we continue to offer electric vehicles as part of our employee car sharing service.
September
AdSense for Mobile is introduced, giving sites optimized for mobile browsers the ability to host the same ads as standard websites.
We add a new application for making slide presentations to Google Docs.
November
We announce Android —the first open platform for mobile devices—and a collaboration with other companies in the Open Handset Alliance.
Renewable Energy Less Than Coal (RE<C) was an initiative designed to create electricity from renewable sources that are cheaper than coal. The program has been retired, but we continue to apply what we learned to other renewable energy projects.
2008
January
The BOLD Internship program launches, providing opportunities to students historically underrepresented in tech. Combined with our other internships , over the years thousands of students have had the chance have an impact at Google, on projects from engineering to sales.
March
We complete the acquisition of DoubleClick , a digital marketing company that provides ad management technology for agencies, marketers and publishers.
May
We host the first Google I/O , our annual developer conference, in San Francisco. I/O has grown since then; in addition to the thousands of developers who join us in person every year, millions of people tune in via live stream to hear the latest news on products.
June
The first GoogleServe—our global week of service—takes place. Every year, Googlers leave their inboxes behind to participate in projects that give back to the community.
Google Map Maker launches, enabling people to directly update geographic information in Google Maps and Google Earth—helping ensure that the map accurately reflects the world. Today Map Maker is available in 200+ countries and territories across the globe.
July
We provide Street View for the entire 2008 Tour de France route—the first launch of Street View imagery in Europe.
Our first downloadable iPhone app, enabling quicker mobile searching , debuts with the launch of the Apple 3G iPhone.
August
We launch a site dedicated to the 2008 U.S. elections. In 2012, we take this effort to the next level with Google.com/elections , providing news and online tools for elections worldwide.
Google Suggest (later called Autocomplete) arrives on Google.com, helping formulate queries, reduce spelling errors and reducing keystrokes.
Street View is available in several cities in Japan and Australia—the first time it's appeared outside of North America or Europe.
September
T-Mobile announces the G1, the first phone built on the Android operating system.
Google Chrome becomes available for download, one day after a comic book announcing our new browser leaks onto the web. Five years later, Chrome boasts more than 750 million users.
November
The updated Google Mobile App for iPhone makes it possible for you to do a Google web search using only your voice.
After we discover a correlation between certain search queries and CDC data on flu symptoms, we release Google Flu Trends , an indicator of flu activity around the U.S. as much as two weeks earlier than traditional flu surveillance systems.
2009
February
Our first message on Twitter gets back to binary: I'm 01100110 01100101 01100101 01101100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101100 01110101 01100011 01101011 01111001 00001010. (Hint: it's a button on our homepage.)
We launch Voice Search on Android . Android users can start searching by voice with the touch of a button, making mobile web surfing easy and fast.
March
We release Google Voice , which improves the way you use your phone, with features like voicemail transcription. In 2013, we announce that Voice will be integrated into Google+ Hangouts.
We announce Google Ventures , a venture capital fund aimed at using our resources to support innovation and encourage promising new technology companies. In 2013, Google Ventures added its 200th portfolio company.
We launch a beta test of interest-based advertising on partner sites and on YouTube. This kind of tailored advertising lets us show ads more closely related to users' interests, and it gives advertisers an efficient way to reach those most likely to be interested in their products or services.
April
Our April Fools' Day prank this year is CADIE, our "Cognitive Autoheuristic Distributed-Intelligence Entity" who spends the day taking over various Google products before self-destructing.
May
To clear brush and reduce fire hazard in the fields near our Mountain View headquarters, we rent some goats from a local company. They help us trim the grass the low-carbon way.
July
We (literally) take the beta label off both the enterprise and consumer versions of Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and Google Talk.
We announce that we're developing Google Chrome OS , an open source, lightweight operating system initially targeted at laptops.
September
We introduce the DoubleClick Ad Exchange , a real-time marketplace that helps large online publishers on one side; and ad networks and agency networks on the other, buy and sell display advertising space.
On the birthday of the "father of science fiction," we unveil the truth behind a mysterious series of doodles in tribute to H.G. Wells.
October
Google Maps Navigation is a turn-by-turn GPS navigation system with 3D views, voice guidance and live traffic data.
November
We release an international series of doodles for the 40th anniversary of "Sesame Street."
December
Just in time for the holidays we roll out Mac and Linux versions of Google Chrome , as well as extensions for Chrome in Windows and Linux (all in beta).
2010
January
We introduce the Nexus One to show what's possible on Android devices. The Nexus line of devices has since grown and now includes tablets as well as phones.
In response to the Haiti earthquake, engineers build Person Finder to connect loved ones in the wake of disasters. We've since launched Person Finder for other crises—including the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan—and formed Google Crisis Response , a team that responds to global disasters.
After detecting a sophisticated cyberattack from China, we announce we are no longer willing to continue censoring our services on Google.cn, our local domain. Today, users in mainland China can access search via Google.com.hk.
February
The first-ever Google Super Bowl ad tells a love story through search terms. This is one of many videos made to celebrate the human side of search.
We announce a plan to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks , delivering Internet speeds up to 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today. More than 1,000 communities submit proposals in response.
March
Bike directions and bike trail data come to Google Maps . Today, there are more than 330,000 miles (530,000 kilometers) of biking trails and paths in Google Maps to help you get around on your two wheels.
April
We change our name to Topeka for April Fools' Day—a tribute to Topeka, Kansas, which changed its name to Google as part of an effort to bring Fiber to that city.
We're the first company to launch a website publishing the number of requests we get from governments to provide information about our users or to remove content from Google products. Later in the year, we add visualizations showing disruptions in visitor traffic to our products, such as a government blocking access or a cable being cut.
May
As part of our efforts to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, we make our first direct investment in a utility-scale renewable energy project.
Google TV is built on Android and Chrome and gives you an easy and fast way to navigate to television channels, websites, apps, shows and movies.
In celebration of PAC-MAN’s 30th birthday, we release our first-ever playable doodle , complete with all 256 levels and Ms. PAC-MAN.
We acquire AdMob , a mobile display advertising company.
July
As part of our long-term goal to power our operations with 100% renewable energy, we announce an agreement to purchase the clean energy from 114 megawatts of wind generation in Iowa.
“Life in a Day” is a cinematic experiment to document one day as seen through the eyes of people around the world—created with thousands of submissions from YouTube users.
August
Priority Inbox helps you handle information overload in Gmail by automatically sorting your email by importance, using a variety of signals.
“The Wilderness Downtown” is a musical experience created by writer/director Chris Milk with the band Arcade Fire and Google, built with Google Chrome in mind using HTML5 and other technologies.
September
Google Instant shows you search results as you type so you can quickly get to the information you’re looking for.
Three years after we first launched Street View in five U.S. cities, you can explore all seven continents at eye level with the addition of Brazil, Ireland and Antarctica imagery.
October
We announce we've developed technology for cars that can drive themselves; we think self-driving cars can help prevent traffic accidents, free up people’s time and reduce carbon emissions. Our automated cars have since logged more than 500,000 miles on the road.
December
YouTube introduces TrueView , a new kind of ad—after 5 seconds, if an ad doesn't seem relevant or interesting to you, you can skip it. TrueView is part of our effort to ensure viewers watch ads that are most relevant to them, and advertisers reach the right audience.
2011
February
The Google Art Project lets you virtually tour some of of the world’s best museums and explore high resolution images of tens of thousands of works of art from 40 countries.
We introduce an advanced opt-in security feature called 2-step verification to help people keep their Google Accounts secure. 2-step verification is now available in 40 languages and 150+ countries.
March
The new +1 button lets you publicly give something a “thumbs up,” helping your friends and contacts find the best stuff online.
April
Larry Page takes over as CEO —10 years after he last held the title. Eric Schmidt becomes executive chairman.
Charlie Chaplin’s 122nd birthday is the occasion for our first-ever live-action doodle .
May
Google Wallet makes it convenient to shop in-store, online or on the go, and helps merchants simplify the checkout experience.
Google Offers kicks off in beta in Portland, Ore.
We announce the first Chromebooks from partners Samsung and Acer. Chromebooks are designed to be fast, simple, secure and easy to keep updated.
June
Our playable doodle in honor of guitar inventor Les Paul becomes the most popular Google doodle of all time. in just 48 hours in the U.S., you recorded 5.1 years worth of music—40 million songs—using our doodle guitar. And those songs were played back 870,000 times!
We install a corporate electric vehicle charging infrastructure . Today it's the largest in the country, with charging at 750+ parking spaces.
We add speech recognition into search on desktop for Chrome users. Simply click the microphone in the Google search box, and you can speak your search.
The Google+ project —real-life sharing, rethought for the web—launches.
All our products start getting a design makeover, beginning with our homepage.
July
Talented young scientists wow the judges at the inaugural Google Science Fair , an online science competition open to students aged 13-18 from around the world.
AdWords Express is a faster and simpler way for small businesses to start advertising online in under five minutes.
August
We bring offline access to Gmail, Calendar and Docs for people using Chrome.
September
We acquire Zagat to help you find the very best places.
October
Android 4.0, a.k.a. Ice Cream Sandwich , is designed to work on both phones and tablets, and to make the power of Android enticing and intuitive.
November
We launch Google+ Pages to connect you with the businesses, organizations and other things you care about. We have a few of our own sharing updates about the company.
Google Maps now helps you to figure out where you are and get directions when you're inside a building like an airport or mall.
December
Android Market exceeds 10 billion app downloads—with a growth rate of one billion app downloads per month.
We open a new office in Paris , a symbol of our commitment to one of Europe’s fastest-growing Internet economies. The new office is also home to the Google Cultural Institute.
2012
January
We join thousands of other sites to encourage users to stand up against two legislative proposals in the U.S. (SOPA and PIPA) which would have censored the Internet and impeded innovation. The next day, the bills are set aside. More than 7 million Internet users sign the petition hosted at google.com/takeaction .
February
Chrome launches on Android, so you can take the same simple, fast and secure web browsing experience with you wherever you go, across devices. Three months later we launch Chrome on iOS.
March
Android Market becomes Google Play , a digital content store offering apps, games, books, movies, music and more.
April
It's our busiest April Fools’ Day ever, launching Google Maps 8-bit for NES , our Canine Staffing Team , NASCAR’s race car of the future (hint: it drives itself) and more.
May
Hangouts On Air become available worldwide. Many public figures and organizations have hosted Hangouts to connect directly with the public, including U.S. President Barack Obama, NASA, David Beckham, Taylor Swift and U.N. Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon.
We introduce the Knowledge Graph in Search, which makes it easier for you to discover information about real-world things—landmarks, celebrities, cities, sports teams, movies, works of art and more. This launch is built on our acquisition in 2010 of Metaweb.
We acquire Motorola Mobility .
Our doodle in honor of Dr. Robert Moog , the inventor of the electronic analog Synthesizer, is an interactive, playable logo that allows you to record, play back and share songs.
We expand our Transparency Report with a new section on copyright , providing information on the number of requests we get from copyright owners to remove Google Search results because they allegedly link to infringing content.
We transition Google Product Search to Google Shopping to help people research products and connect directly with merchants to make purchases.
June
We unveil DoubleClick Digital Marketing , our new platform that enables seamless ad campaign management for agencies and advertisers.
We announce Google Now , which brings you the information you need, before you even ask, like what today’s weather will be like, how much traffic to expect on your way to work or your favorite team's score while they’re playing.
We release the first Nexus 7 —a powerful 7" tablet designed to bring Google Play content to life and bring you the best of Google in the palm of your hand. Later in the year, the Nexus family expands to include a 10" tablet and the Nexus 4 phone.
Trekker is a way to capture Street View imagery of beautiful places that are only accessible by foot (like the Grand Canyon or the Galapagos).
July
The world sees the Olympics live on YouTube for the first time. Viewers watched a total of 230 million video streams, and our partnership with NBC makes it the most live-streamed Olympics to date.
October
We provide an unprecedented look inside our data centers .
The Samsung Chromebook becomes available for just $249.
Google Crisis Response launches Public Alerts —warnings for natural disasters and emergency situations—the same day we publish resources to respond to Superstorm Sandy.
November
We begin installing Google Fiber —ultra-high speed Internet access that is up to 100 times faster than today’s average broadband—for our first customers in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City Missouri. The next year, we announce Fiber in Austin, Texas and Provo, Utah.
December
Lady Ada Lovelace, mathematician and writer known to many people as the world’s first computer programmer, gets a doodle .
2013
January
We commit to invest $200 million in a wind farm in west Texas. This brings our total clean energy commitments to more than $1 billion, which can generate over 2 GW—enough to power all the public elementary schools in New York, Wyoming and Oregon for a year.
February
We introduce enhanced campaigns , which updates AdWords for the multi-screen world.
In 50 words, tomorrow’s Glass Explorers tell us what they would do if they had Glass. The first Explorers get Glass later in the year.
Our newest laptop—the Chromebook Pixel —is designed from the ground up for power users who have embraced the cloud.
April
Get just the information you need right when you need it with the release of Google Now for iPhone and iPad .
Plan your digital afterlife with Inactive Account Manager , which enables you to tell us what to do with your data from Google services if your account becomes inactive for any reason.
May
A video doodle for graphic designer and filmmaker Saul Bass celebrates his classic film credits and posters.
We release imagery of the Earth taken from space over a quarter-century, providing a stunning historical perspective on the changes to the Earth’s surface over time.
Google Play Music All Access , a new monthly music subscription service, lets you listen to millions of songs across your devices.
We introduce a new Google+ Photos experience that helps your photos look their best, as well as Hangouts , which will be Google’s single communications system, replacing Google Talk, Google+ Hangouts and Messenger.
Gmail gets a brand new inbox that helps you see what’s new at a glance and decide which emails you want to read when.
June
We unveil our latest Google[x] project: balloon-powered Internet access. We hope Project Loon can become an option for connecting rural, remote and underserved areas, and for crisis response communications.
We acquire Waze to help you outsmart traffic.
Funded by Google, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory investigates the energy impact of cloud computing. Their research indicates that moving all office workers in the United States to the cloud could reduce the energy used by information technology by up to 87 percent.
July
Just months after we preview the new Maps for desktop at Google I/O, we release the updated Google Maps app for smartphones and tablets —part of our redesign of Maps across devices.
Chromecast is a small and affordable device that makes it easy to use your phone, tablet or laptop to bring your favorite online entertainment to your TV screen.
We team up with Starbucks to bring faster, free WiFi connections to all 7,000 company-operated Starbucks stores in the U.S.
September
Android passes 1 billion device activations —reflecting the work of the entire Android ecosystem and thanks to the enthusiasm of users all around the world.
We announce Calico, a new company that will focus on health and well-being, with Arthur D. Levinson as CEO.
October
KitKat delivers a smarter, more immersive Android experience to even more people. We also introduce the new Nexus 5 .
An update to Google+ Photos makes it easier to find, perfect and share your best life moments.
November
Street View comes to Venice , bringing you panoramic views of one of the world's most beautiful cities.
December
2014
January
We acquire Nest —a company that reinvents unloved products for the home, like thermostats and smoke alarms.
We announce a new Google[x] project focused on using miniaturized electronics in a contact lens to measure glucose levels and help people with diabetes.
February
Working with organization Polar Bears International, we collect Street View imagery of the Canadian tundra , giving you an intimate look at polar bears in their natural habitat.
Chromebox for meetings brings together Google+ Hangouts and Google Apps to make it simpler for any company to have high-definition video meetings.
April
Street View in Google Maps now lets you explore historical imagery dating back to 2007.
May
Our first 3D doodle celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Rubik's Cube .
The next leg in the journey for our self-driving cars is prototypes that are designed to operate safely and autonomously without requiring human intervention.
We publicly share data about the diversity of our workforce.
June
Made with Code is a new initiative aims to inspire girls to code.
At our annual I/O conference, we announce new updates that bring Android to you wherever you are—in your car, on your TV and on your wrist.
July
During the World Cup, we share 100+ real-time search trends showing what people were curious about during the tournament, and create 60+ doodles live from Brazil.
August
Gmail and Calendar now recognize addresses that contain accented or non-Latin characters.
September
We introduce the first family of Android One phones in India.
We reintroduce our Enterprise business as Google for Work .
You can now make voice calls in Hangouts from your phones or desktop computer for free.
October
We launch Android Lollipop , designed for a multi-screen world. New Nexus 6, 9 and Player devices come along for the ride.
Inbox —from the Gmail team—is a different take on email , designed to focus on what really matters.
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Google Street View
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The 'mast' of a beech tree refers to its?
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Our history in depth – Company – Google
1995-1997
1995
Larry Page and Sergey Brin meet at Stanford. Larry, 22, a U Michigan grad, is considering the school; Sergey, 21, is assigned to show him around.
1996
Larry and Sergey begin collaborating on a search engine called BackRub . BackRub operates on Stanford servers for more than a year—eventually taking up too much bandwidth.
1997
Google.com is registered as a domain on September 15. The name—a play on the word "googol," a mathematical term for the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros—reflects Larry and Sergey's mission to organize a seemingly infinite amount of information on the web.
1998
April
Larry launches a monthly " Google Friends Newsletter " to inform fans about company news. (We've since shut down Google Friends Newsletter in favor of blogs, Google+ and other methods of sharing news .)
August
Sun co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim writes a check for $100,000 to an entity that doesn't exist yet—a company called Google Inc.
Before heading to the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert, Larry and Sergey incorporate the iconic Man into the logo to keep people informed about where the Google crew would be for a few days—our first doodle .
September
On September 4, Google files for incorporation in California. Larry and Sergey open a bank account in the newly-established company's name and deposit Andy Bechtolsheim's check.
Google sets up workspace in Susan Wojcicki's garage on Santa Margarita Ave., Menlo Park, Calif.
Larry and Sergey hire their first employee. Craig Silverstein is a fellow CS grad student at Stanford who works at Google for 10+ years before joining education startup Khan Academy.
December
"PC Magazine" reports that Google "has an uncanny knack for returning extremely relevant results" and recognizes us as the search engine of choice in the Top 100 Web Sites for 1998.
1999
February
We outgrow our garage office and move to new digs at 165 University Avenue in Palo Alto with just eight employees.
April
Yoshka, our first "company" dog, comes to work with our senior vice president of operations, Urs Hölzle.
May
Omid Kordestani joins to run sales—employee #11. Ten years later, Omid steps down from his active role in the company, becoming a senior advisor.
June
Our first press release announces a $25 million round from Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins; John Doerr and Michael Moritz join the board.
August
We move to our first Mountain View location: 2400 Bayshore . Mountain View is a few miles south of Stanford University, and north of the older towns of Silicon Valley: Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Jose.
November
We hire our first chef, Charlie Ayers (his previous claim to fame was catering for the Grateful Dead; he now owns a cafe in Palo Alto). Today Google's food programs focus on providing healthy, sustainably sourced food to fuel Googlers around the world.
2000
April
We announce the MentalPlex : Google's ability to read your mind as you visualize the search results you want. Thus begins our annual foray in the Silicon Valley tradition of April 1 hoaxes.
May
We win our first Webby Awards: Technical Achievement (voted by judges) and Peoples' Voice (voted by users).
We run a series of doodles featuring a little alien—our first doodle series and the first doodle not associated with any particular event.
The first 10 language versions of Google.com are released : French, German, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian and Danish. Today, search is available in 150+ languages.
July
Our first international doodle celebrates Bastille Day in France.
September
Google New York starts in a Starbucks on 86th Street with a one-person sales "team." Today, more than 4,000 Googlers work in our New York office, a former Port Authority building at 111 Eighth Avenue.
We start offering search in Chinese, Japanese and Korean—bringing our total number of supported languages to 15.
October
Google AdWords launches with 350 customers. The self-service ad program promises online activation with a credit card, keyword targeting and performance feedback.
The first doodle by a guest artist, Lorie Loeb , goes live. Since then, many artists have lent their talents to the Google homepage, from Wayne Thiebaud to Christoph Niemann to Eric Carle.
December
Google Toolbar is released—a browser plug-in that makes it possible to search without visiting the Google homepage.
2001
February
In our first public acquisition, we acquire Deja.com's Usenet Discussion Service, an archive of 500 million Usenet discussions dating back to 1995. We add search and browse features and launch it as Google Groups .
March
Eric Schmidt is named chairman of the board of directors.
April
Swedish Chef becomes a language preference in search. We offer several "joke" languages, including Klingon.
July
Google Images launches, initially offering access to 250 million images.
August
We open our first international office, in Tokyo, Japan .
Eric Schmidt becomes our CEO. Larry and Sergey are named presidents of products and technology, respectively.
December
We release our first annual Google Zeitgeist , a visual look at what millions of people searched for over the year just ending. It's a revealing look at the year that was, from "Harry Potter" to "Osama Bin Laden." We continue to release Zeitgeist every year.
2002
February
The first Google product for enterprises is released: the Google Search Appliance is a yellow box that businesses can plug into their computer network to enable search capabilities for their own documents.
We release a major overhaul for AdWords , including new cost-per-click pricing.
April
We release the first set of Google APIs, enabling developers to query more than 2 billion web documents and program in their favorite environment, including Java, Perl and Visual Studio.
May
We release Google Labs, which let people try out beta technologies and was the proving ground for many Google features, such as Google Transit, Google Scholar and Google Trends. Nearly 10 years later, we wind down Google Labs in order to prioritize our product efforts.
September
Google News launches with 4,000 news sources. Today Google News includes 50,000+ news sources, with 70 regional editions in different languages. All told, Google News and other services send publishers 6 billion clicks per month as of 2012.
October
A few months after our first employee in Australia starts selling AdWords from her lounge room, we open our office in Sydney —the second office after Japan in APAC. Our first local AdWords client is eBay Australia.
December
With the launch of Froogle (which became Google Shopping in 2012), people can search for stuff to buy.
2003
February
We acquire Pyra Labs, the creators of Blogger . Nearly as old as Google itself (Blogger started in 1999), today more than 300 million people visit Blogger every month.
March
We announce Google AdSense , a new content-targeted advertising service that enables publishers large and small to access Google's vast network of advertisers. (The following month, we acquire Applied Semantics, whose technology bolsters the service named AdSense.)
April
We launch Google Grants —the nonprofit edition of AdWords, which provides nonprofit organizations with $10,000 per month in in-kind AdWords advertising to promote their iniatives.
October
Registration opens for programmers to compete for cash prizes and recognition at the first ever Code Jam. Today, Google Code Jam attracts tens of thousands of contestants each year, and the finals have traveled to Tokyo, Dublin, London and New York City.
December
We launch Google Print (now known as Google Books ), indexing small excerpts from books to appear in search results. In 2004, the program expands through digital scanning partnerships with libraries. To date, we've scanned more than 20 million books.
We launch Orkut , in its heyday the most important social network in several countries.
March
We move to the new "Googleplex" at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway in Mountain View with 800+ employees.
We introduce Google Local, offering relevant neighborhood business listings, maps, and directions. (Eventually, Local is combined with Google Maps.)
April
We launch Gmail on April Fools' Day. At first invite-only, today it boasts more than 425 million users. Fun fact: our internal code name for Gmail was "Caribou," inspired by a Dilbert cartoon.
The Official Google Blog goes live. Today, we offer a wide variety of ways —including Google+ pages and Twitter accounts—for people to get news from Google, in many different languages.
May
We announce the first winners of the Google Anita Borg Scholarship , awarded to outstanding women studying computer science. Today these scholarships are open to students in Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, India, Middle East, New Zealand, and the United States.
July
We acquire Picasa , which helps people organize and display photos online.
August
Our Initial Public Offering of 19,605,052 shares of Class A common stock takes place on Wall Street. Opening price: $85 per share.
September
Our Hong Kong office is the first Google office to open in the Greater China region.
October
We acquire Keyhole, a digital mapping company whose technology will later become Google Earth .
Google SMS launches. This service enabled users to send text search queries to GOOGL or 466453 on mobile devices.
We formally open our European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland , with 150 multilingual Googlers, a visit from Sergey and Larry, and recognition from the Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland, Mary Harney.
We open our new offices in Bangalore and Hyderabad , India. Googlers in India have worked on products ranging from Map Maker to ads to Chrome.
November
We launch Google Scholar in beta. This free service helps people search scholarly literature such as peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports.
December
We establish Google.org , dedicated to the idea that technology can help make the world a better place.
2005
February
Google Maps goes live. Just two months later, we add satellite views and directions to the product.
April
Google Maps comes to mobile phones in the U.S., offering driving directions and local information to people on the go.
Our first Google Maps release in Europe is geared to U.K. users. France, Germany, Italy and Spain follow in 2006. Today, we offer driving directions in 190+ countries around the world.
The first video goes up on YouTube (not yet part of Google). Today, 100+ hours of video are uploaded every minute and people watch 6 billion hours of video per month!
May
Personalized Homepage (later iGoogle and no longer available as of November 2013) was designed for people to customize their own Google homepage with content modules.
June
Google Mobile Web Search is released, specially formulated for viewing search results on mobile phones.
We unveil Google Earth , a satellite imagery-based mapping service that lets you take a virtual journey to any location in the world. Google Earth has since been downloaded more than 1 billion times.
The Google Maps API is released; developers can embed Google Maps on many kinds of mapping services and sites. Today there are 1 million active websites and apps using the API, reaching 1 billion people every week.
August
We launch Google Talk, a downloadable application that lets Gmail users to talk or instant message with friends quickly and easily; Chat comes to Gmail the following year. In 2013, we announce that Talk will be rolled into Hangouts , Google's new single communications system.
October
Googlers volunteer to produce an author event with Malcolm Gladwell in Mountain View. Since then, the Talks at Google program has hosted 1,500+ authors and other thought leaders in 18 offices.
November
We release Google Analytics for measuring the impact of websites and marketing campaigns. Analytics is based on Urchin, a company we acquired in March 2005.
We announce the opening of our offices in São Paulo and Mexico City —our first in Latin America.
The first Doodle 4 Google contest takes place in the United Kingdom. Since then, we've run Doodle 4 Google contests in countries across six continents, with more than 1 million doodles submitted by students eager for the chance to see their artwork on the Google homepage.
December
Google Transit launches in the Portland, Ore. metro area. Today, Transit has schedules for more than 1 million public transit stops worldwide.
2006
March
Google Finance launches—complete with interactive charts and related headlines from Google News—to help people to find financial information more easily.
April
We launch Google Calendar to help you keep track of events, special occasions and appointments, and to share schedules with others.
Google Translate launches, offering translations between Arabic and English. Today our machine translation service provides translations between 70+ different languages.
May
We release Google Trends , a way to visualize the popularity of searches over time.
Gmail launches in Arabic and Hebrew, bringing the number of interfaces up to 40.
June
We announce Google Checkout, a fast and easy way to pay for online purchases which paved the way for broader payments with Google Wallet .
Picasa Web Albums enables Picasa users to upload and share their photos online.
The Oxford English Dictionary adds the word "Google" (as a verb).
August
Google Apps for Your Domain is released. This suite of applications, including Gmail and Calendar, is the precursor to Google Apps Premier Edition , which launched later in the year and brings cloud computing to businesses. Today, more than 5 million businesses are using Google Apps.
October
We launch Apps for Education ; our first deployment is to Arizona State University. Today Apps for EDU has more than 25 million users, and is being used by 74 of the top 100 universities.
We release web-based applications Docs & Spreadsheets (now called Docs and Sheets ). Docs is a reworking of Writely (acquired in March).
We announce our acquisition of YouTube .
2007
January
"Fortune" announces its annual list of Best Companies to Work For and Google is #1 (we've been on top of the list three other years since). We're proud we've been able to create a company culture where employees are empowered to do cool things that matter.
February
This year’s Valentine's Day doodle causes a stir. Many people think we left out the "l" and linked it to a 17th century poet named Googe; others think it's homage to a band called My Bloody Valentine (the bassist's last name is Googe).
Many of the 2008 Presidential candidates—including then-Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain— visit the Googleplex throughout the campaign.
We add traffic information to Google Maps for 30+ cities around the U.S. Today, live traffic data is available in 50+ countries, covering highways, streets and more in 600+ major cities.
March
The first "gBikes" appear on campus, giving Googlers an efficient, convenient and healthy way to get to and from meetings. Today around 700 bikes are on campus at any given moment—just one sign of Google's cycling-friendly culture.
April
This April Fools' Day is extra busy: not only do we introduce the Gmail Paper Archive and TiSP (Toilet Internet Service Provider) —we lose (and find) a real snake in our New York office!
GOOG-411 enabled people to dial a phone number and speak a search for local information.
May
Street View debuts in Google Maps in five U.S. cities: New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Miami, and Denver. Today, Street View is available in more than 50 countries.
We kick off an effort to help protect people from malicious content on the Internet. Today, approximately 1 billion people use Google Safe Browsing , which extends not only to Google’s search results and ads, but also to popular web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox and Safari, on mobile and desktop.
We expand the YouTube Partnership Program to include some of the most popular and prolific original content creators from the YouTube community. Today more than 1 million channels earn revenue from the program.
We announce new strides taken towards universal search. Now video, news, books, image and local results are all integrated together in one search result.
June
We install solar panels on our Mountain View campus—the largest corporate solar panel installation of its kind at the time. Today the solar panels power 30 percent of the buildings they sit on.
We unveil a new green initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. We later retire the RechargeIT initiative , though we continue to offer electric vehicles as part of our employee car sharing service.
September
AdSense for Mobile is introduced, giving sites optimized for mobile browsers the ability to host the same ads as standard websites.
We add a new application for making slide presentations to Google Docs.
November
We announce Android —the first open platform for mobile devices—and a collaboration with other companies in the Open Handset Alliance.
Renewable Energy Less Than Coal (RE<C) was an initiative designed to create electricity from renewable sources that are cheaper than coal. The program has been retired, but we continue to apply what we learned to other renewable energy projects.
2008
January
The BOLD Internship program launches, providing opportunities to students historically underrepresented in tech. Combined with our other internships , over the years thousands of students have had the chance have an impact at Google, on projects from engineering to sales.
March
We complete the acquisition of DoubleClick , a digital marketing company that provides ad management technology for agencies, marketers and publishers.
May
We host the first Google I/O , our annual developer conference, in San Francisco. I/O has grown since then; in addition to the thousands of developers who join us in person every year, millions of people tune in via live stream to hear the latest news on products.
June
The first GoogleServe—our global week of service—takes place. Every year, Googlers leave their inboxes behind to participate in projects that give back to the community.
Google Map Maker launches, enabling people to directly update geographic information in Google Maps and Google Earth—helping ensure that the map accurately reflects the world. Today Map Maker is available in 200+ countries and territories across the globe.
July
We provide Street View for the entire 2008 Tour de France route—the first launch of Street View imagery in Europe.
Our first downloadable iPhone app, enabling quicker mobile searching , debuts with the launch of the Apple 3G iPhone.
August
We launch a site dedicated to the 2008 U.S. elections. In 2012, we take this effort to the next level with Google.com/elections , providing news and online tools for elections worldwide.
Google Suggest (later called Autocomplete) arrives on Google.com, helping formulate queries, reduce spelling errors and reducing keystrokes.
Street View is available in several cities in Japan and Australia—the first time it's appeared outside of North America or Europe.
September
T-Mobile announces the G1, the first phone built on the Android operating system.
Google Chrome becomes available for download, one day after a comic book announcing our new browser leaks onto the web. Five years later, Chrome boasts more than 750 million users.
November
The updated Google Mobile App for iPhone makes it possible for you to do a Google web search using only your voice.
After we discover a correlation between certain search queries and CDC data on flu symptoms, we release Google Flu Trends , an indicator of flu activity around the U.S. as much as two weeks earlier than traditional flu surveillance systems.
2009
February
Our first message on Twitter gets back to binary: I'm 01100110 01100101 01100101 01101100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101100 01110101 01100011 01101011 01111001 00001010. (Hint: it's a button on our homepage.)
We launch Voice Search on Android . Android users can start searching by voice with the touch of a button, making mobile web surfing easy and fast.
March
We release Google Voice , which improves the way you use your phone, with features like voicemail transcription. In 2013, we announce that Voice will be integrated into Google+ Hangouts.
We announce Google Ventures , a venture capital fund aimed at using our resources to support innovation and encourage promising new technology companies. In 2013, Google Ventures added its 200th portfolio company.
We launch a beta test of interest-based advertising on partner sites and on YouTube. This kind of tailored advertising lets us show ads more closely related to users' interests, and it gives advertisers an efficient way to reach those most likely to be interested in their products or services.
April
Our April Fools' Day prank this year is CADIE, our "Cognitive Autoheuristic Distributed-Intelligence Entity" who spends the day taking over various Google products before self-destructing.
May
To clear brush and reduce fire hazard in the fields near our Mountain View headquarters, we rent some goats from a local company. They help us trim the grass the low-carbon way.
July
We (literally) take the beta label off both the enterprise and consumer versions of Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and Google Talk.
We announce that we're developing Google Chrome OS , an open source, lightweight operating system initially targeted at laptops.
September
We introduce the DoubleClick Ad Exchange , a real-time marketplace that helps large online publishers on one side; and ad networks and agency networks on the other, buy and sell display advertising space.
On the birthday of the "father of science fiction," we unveil the truth behind a mysterious series of doodles in tribute to H.G. Wells.
October
Google Maps Navigation is a turn-by-turn GPS navigation system with 3D views, voice guidance and live traffic data.
November
We release an international series of doodles for the 40th anniversary of "Sesame Street."
December
Just in time for the holidays we roll out Mac and Linux versions of Google Chrome , as well as extensions for Chrome in Windows and Linux (all in beta).
2010
January
We introduce the Nexus One to show what's possible on Android devices. The Nexus line of devices has since grown and now includes tablets as well as phones.
In response to the Haiti earthquake, engineers build Person Finder to connect loved ones in the wake of disasters. We've since launched Person Finder for other crises—including the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan—and formed Google Crisis Response , a team that responds to global disasters.
After detecting a sophisticated cyberattack from China, we announce we are no longer willing to continue censoring our services on Google.cn, our local domain. Today, users in mainland China can access search via Google.com.hk.
February
The first-ever Google Super Bowl ad tells a love story through search terms. This is one of many videos made to celebrate the human side of search.
We announce a plan to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks , delivering Internet speeds up to 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today. More than 1,000 communities submit proposals in response.
March
Bike directions and bike trail data come to Google Maps . Today, there are more than 330,000 miles (530,000 kilometers) of biking trails and paths in Google Maps to help you get around on your two wheels.
April
We change our name to Topeka for April Fools' Day—a tribute to Topeka, Kansas, which changed its name to Google as part of an effort to bring Fiber to that city.
We're the first company to launch a website publishing the number of requests we get from governments to provide information about our users or to remove content from Google products. Later in the year, we add visualizations showing disruptions in visitor traffic to our products, such as a government blocking access or a cable being cut.
May
As part of our efforts to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, we make our first direct investment in a utility-scale renewable energy project.
Google TV is built on Android and Chrome and gives you an easy and fast way to navigate to television channels, websites, apps, shows and movies.
In celebration of PAC-MAN’s 30th birthday, we release our first-ever playable doodle , complete with all 256 levels and Ms. PAC-MAN.
We acquire AdMob , a mobile display advertising company.
July
As part of our long-term goal to power our operations with 100% renewable energy, we announce an agreement to purchase the clean energy from 114 megawatts of wind generation in Iowa.
“Life in a Day” is a cinematic experiment to document one day as seen through the eyes of people around the world—created with thousands of submissions from YouTube users.
August
Priority Inbox helps you handle information overload in Gmail by automatically sorting your email by importance, using a variety of signals.
“The Wilderness Downtown” is a musical experience created by writer/director Chris Milk with the band Arcade Fire and Google, built with Google Chrome in mind using HTML5 and other technologies.
September
Google Instant shows you search results as you type so you can quickly get to the information you’re looking for.
Three years after we first launched Street View in five U.S. cities, you can explore all seven continents at eye level with the addition of Brazil, Ireland and Antarctica imagery.
October
We announce we've developed technology for cars that can drive themselves; we think self-driving cars can help prevent traffic accidents, free up people’s time and reduce carbon emissions. Our automated cars have since logged more than 500,000 miles on the road.
December
YouTube introduces TrueView , a new kind of ad—after 5 seconds, if an ad doesn't seem relevant or interesting to you, you can skip it. TrueView is part of our effort to ensure viewers watch ads that are most relevant to them, and advertisers reach the right audience.
2011
February
The Google Art Project lets you virtually tour some of of the world’s best museums and explore high resolution images of tens of thousands of works of art from 40 countries.
We introduce an advanced opt-in security feature called 2-step verification to help people keep their Google Accounts secure. 2-step verification is now available in 40 languages and 150+ countries.
March
The new +1 button lets you publicly give something a “thumbs up,” helping your friends and contacts find the best stuff online.
April
Larry Page takes over as CEO —10 years after he last held the title. Eric Schmidt becomes executive chairman.
Charlie Chaplin’s 122nd birthday is the occasion for our first-ever live-action doodle .
May
Google Wallet makes it convenient to shop in-store, online or on the go, and helps merchants simplify the checkout experience.
Google Offers kicks off in beta in Portland, Ore.
We announce the first Chromebooks from partners Samsung and Acer. Chromebooks are designed to be fast, simple, secure and easy to keep updated.
June
Our playable doodle in honor of guitar inventor Les Paul becomes the most popular Google doodle of all time. in just 48 hours in the U.S., you recorded 5.1 years worth of music—40 million songs—using our doodle guitar. And those songs were played back 870,000 times!
We install a corporate electric vehicle charging infrastructure . Today it's the largest in the country, with charging at 750+ parking spaces.
We add speech recognition into search on desktop for Chrome users. Simply click the microphone in the Google search box, and you can speak your search.
The Google+ project —real-life sharing, rethought for the web—launches.
All our products start getting a design makeover, beginning with our homepage.
July
Talented young scientists wow the judges at the inaugural Google Science Fair , an online science competition open to students aged 13-18 from around the world.
AdWords Express is a faster and simpler way for small businesses to start advertising online in under five minutes.
August
We bring offline access to Gmail, Calendar and Docs for people using Chrome.
September
We acquire Zagat to help you find the very best places.
October
Android 4.0, a.k.a. Ice Cream Sandwich , is designed to work on both phones and tablets, and to make the power of Android enticing and intuitive.
November
We launch Google+ Pages to connect you with the businesses, organizations and other things you care about. We have a few of our own sharing updates about the company.
Google Maps now helps you to figure out where you are and get directions when you're inside a building like an airport or mall.
December
Android Market exceeds 10 billion app downloads—with a growth rate of one billion app downloads per month.
We open a new office in Paris , a symbol of our commitment to one of Europe’s fastest-growing Internet economies. The new office is also home to the Google Cultural Institute.
2012
January
We join thousands of other sites to encourage users to stand up against two legislative proposals in the U.S. (SOPA and PIPA) which would have censored the Internet and impeded innovation. The next day, the bills are set aside. More than 7 million Internet users sign the petition hosted at google.com/takeaction .
February
Chrome launches on Android, so you can take the same simple, fast and secure web browsing experience with you wherever you go, across devices. Three months later we launch Chrome on iOS.
March
Android Market becomes Google Play , a digital content store offering apps, games, books, movies, music and more.
April
It's our busiest April Fools’ Day ever, launching Google Maps 8-bit for NES , our Canine Staffing Team , NASCAR’s race car of the future (hint: it drives itself) and more.
May
Hangouts On Air become available worldwide. Many public figures and organizations have hosted Hangouts to connect directly with the public, including U.S. President Barack Obama, NASA, David Beckham, Taylor Swift and U.N. Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon.
We introduce the Knowledge Graph in Search, which makes it easier for you to discover information about real-world things—landmarks, celebrities, cities, sports teams, movies, works of art and more. This launch is built on our acquisition in 2010 of Metaweb.
We acquire Motorola Mobility .
Our doodle in honor of Dr. Robert Moog , the inventor of the electronic analog Synthesizer, is an interactive, playable logo that allows you to record, play back and share songs.
We expand our Transparency Report with a new section on copyright , providing information on the number of requests we get from copyright owners to remove Google Search results because they allegedly link to infringing content.
We transition Google Product Search to Google Shopping to help people research products and connect directly with merchants to make purchases.
June
We unveil DoubleClick Digital Marketing , our new platform that enables seamless ad campaign management for agencies and advertisers.
We announce Google Now , which brings you the information you need, before you even ask, like what today’s weather will be like, how much traffic to expect on your way to work or your favorite team's score while they’re playing.
We release the first Nexus 7 —a powerful 7" tablet designed to bring Google Play content to life and bring you the best of Google in the palm of your hand. Later in the year, the Nexus family expands to include a 10" tablet and the Nexus 4 phone.
Trekker is a way to capture Street View imagery of beautiful places that are only accessible by foot (like the Grand Canyon or the Galapagos).
July
The world sees the Olympics live on YouTube for the first time. Viewers watched a total of 230 million video streams, and our partnership with NBC makes it the most live-streamed Olympics to date.
October
We provide an unprecedented look inside our data centers .
The Samsung Chromebook becomes available for just $249.
Google Crisis Response launches Public Alerts —warnings for natural disasters and emergency situations—the same day we publish resources to respond to Superstorm Sandy.
November
We begin installing Google Fiber —ultra-high speed Internet access that is up to 100 times faster than today’s average broadband—for our first customers in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City Missouri. The next year, we announce Fiber in Austin, Texas and Provo, Utah.
December
Lady Ada Lovelace, mathematician and writer known to many people as the world’s first computer programmer, gets a doodle .
2013
January
We commit to invest $200 million in a wind farm in west Texas. This brings our total clean energy commitments to more than $1 billion, which can generate over 2 GW—enough to power all the public elementary schools in New York, Wyoming and Oregon for a year.
February
We introduce enhanced campaigns , which updates AdWords for the multi-screen world.
In 50 words, tomorrow’s Glass Explorers tell us what they would do if they had Glass. The first Explorers get Glass later in the year.
Our newest laptop—the Chromebook Pixel —is designed from the ground up for power users who have embraced the cloud.
April
Get just the information you need right when you need it with the release of Google Now for iPhone and iPad .
Plan your digital afterlife with Inactive Account Manager , which enables you to tell us what to do with your data from Google services if your account becomes inactive for any reason.
May
A video doodle for graphic designer and filmmaker Saul Bass celebrates his classic film credits and posters.
We release imagery of the Earth taken from space over a quarter-century, providing a stunning historical perspective on the changes to the Earth’s surface over time.
Google Play Music All Access , a new monthly music subscription service, lets you listen to millions of songs across your devices.
We introduce a new Google+ Photos experience that helps your photos look their best, as well as Hangouts , which will be Google’s single communications system, replacing Google Talk, Google+ Hangouts and Messenger.
Gmail gets a brand new inbox that helps you see what’s new at a glance and decide which emails you want to read when.
June
We unveil our latest Google[x] project: balloon-powered Internet access. We hope Project Loon can become an option for connecting rural, remote and underserved areas, and for crisis response communications.
We acquire Waze to help you outsmart traffic.
Funded by Google, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory investigates the energy impact of cloud computing. Their research indicates that moving all office workers in the United States to the cloud could reduce the energy used by information technology by up to 87 percent.
July
Just months after we preview the new Maps for desktop at Google I/O, we release the updated Google Maps app for smartphones and tablets —part of our redesign of Maps across devices.
Chromecast is a small and affordable device that makes it easy to use your phone, tablet or laptop to bring your favorite online entertainment to your TV screen.
We team up with Starbucks to bring faster, free WiFi connections to all 7,000 company-operated Starbucks stores in the U.S.
September
Android passes 1 billion device activations —reflecting the work of the entire Android ecosystem and thanks to the enthusiasm of users all around the world.
We announce Calico, a new company that will focus on health and well-being, with Arthur D. Levinson as CEO.
October
KitKat delivers a smarter, more immersive Android experience to even more people. We also introduce the new Nexus 5 .
An update to Google+ Photos makes it easier to find, perfect and share your best life moments.
November
Street View comes to Venice , bringing you panoramic views of one of the world's most beautiful cities.
December
2014
January
We acquire Nest —a company that reinvents unloved products for the home, like thermostats and smoke alarms.
We announce a new Google[x] project focused on using miniaturized electronics in a contact lens to measure glucose levels and help people with diabetes.
February
Working with organization Polar Bears International, we collect Street View imagery of the Canadian tundra , giving you an intimate look at polar bears in their natural habitat.
Chromebox for meetings brings together Google+ Hangouts and Google Apps to make it simpler for any company to have high-definition video meetings.
April
Street View in Google Maps now lets you explore historical imagery dating back to 2007.
May
Our first 3D doodle celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Rubik's Cube .
The next leg in the journey for our self-driving cars is prototypes that are designed to operate safely and autonomously without requiring human intervention.
We publicly share data about the diversity of our workforce.
June
Made with Code is a new initiative aims to inspire girls to code.
At our annual I/O conference, we announce new updates that bring Android to you wherever you are—in your car, on your TV and on your wrist.
July
During the World Cup, we share 100+ real-time search trends showing what people were curious about during the tournament, and create 60+ doodles live from Brazil.
August
Gmail and Calendar now recognize addresses that contain accented or non-Latin characters.
September
We introduce the first family of Android One phones in India.
We reintroduce our Enterprise business as Google for Work .
You can now make voice calls in Hangouts from your phones or desktop computer for free.
October
We launch Android Lollipop , designed for a multi-screen world. New Nexus 6, 9 and Player devices come along for the ride.
Inbox —from the Gmail team—is a different take on email , designed to focus on what really matters.
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i don't know
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The popular TV talkshow Satyamev Jayate (Truth Alone Prevails) achieves viewing figures of 400 million in what country (as at 2012)?
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OPEN Magazine 17 February 2014 by Open Media Network - issuu
issuu
How hot is the Indian art scene?
RS 35 17 f e b r u a r y 2 0 14
INSIDE Shakeela: the life of a soft-porn star l i f e
a n d
t i m e s .
e v e r y
w e e k
MY CARE, MY WAY The Mental Health Care Bill, 2013, currently pending in Parliament, puts the patient in charge of his future care. Is that wise?
Open Mail | [email protected] Editor Manu Joseph managing Editors Rajesh Jha, PR Ramesh Deputy Editor Aresh Shirali Features and Sports Editor Akshay
Sawai
Senior Editors Kishore Seram,
Haima Deshpande (Mumbai) Mumbai bureau chief Madhavankutty Pillai associate editors Dhirendra Kumar Jha, Rahul Pandita assistant editors
Anil Budur Lulla (Bangalore), Shahina KK, Aastha Atray Banan, Mihir Srivastava, Chinki Sinha, Sohini Chattopadhyay Special Correspondents Aanchal Bansal, Lhendup Gyatso Bhutia (Mumbai), Gunjeet Sra Assistant Art Directors Tarun Sehgal, Anirban Ghosh SENIOR DESIGNER Anup Banerjee photo editor Ruhani Kaur assistant Photo editor Ritesh Uttamchandani (Mumbai) Staff Photographers Ashish Sharma, Raul Irani Editorial Researcher Shailendra Tyagi asst Editor (web) Arindam Mukherjee staff writer Devika Bakshi Associate publisher Deepa Gopinath Associate general managers (advertisement) Rajeev Marwaha (North
and East), Karl Mistry (West), Krishnanand Nair (South)
Manager—Marketing Raghav
National Head—Distribution and Sales
Ajay Gupta regional heads—circulation D Charles
(South), Melvin George (West), Basab Ghosh (East) Head—production Maneesh Tyagi pre-press manager Sharad Tailang cfo Anil Bisht hEAD—it Hamendra Singh publisher
Kesava Chandra
For the purpose of this essay, ‘The Elusive Tagore’ (27 January 2014), I wish the author had compared Tagore’s translations with those of other Bengali / Indian poets. Are they all bad? Is Nazrul Islam’s—the other great Bengali poet—work as badly translated (if at all)? Or are all Indian poets / Indian poetry simply mired in mediocrity? I think herein lies the key: poets writing in Indian languages are hardly translated into English. Tagore, and to I suspect translating some extent Iqbal, are poetry in Indian the only exceptions to languages into English this rule. Out of the has been rather three millennia of daunting. Either that, Sanskrit poetic tradior the 3,000 years of tion, for instance, I find Indian poetic tradition only Kalidasa being has been an exercise in bestowed with popular mediocrity English translations. Even epic poetry such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata are mostly translated as prose (not the case with, say, the Iliad). I suspect this is because translating poetry in Indian languages into English has been rather daunting. Either that, or the 3,000 years of Indian poetic tradition has been an exercise in mediocrity. letter of the week
R Rajmohan
All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Printed and published by R Rajmohan on behalf of the owner, Open Media Network Pvt Ltd. Printed at Thomson Press India Ltd., 18-35 Milestone, Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad—121007, (Haryana). Published at 4, DDA Commercial Complex, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi-110017. Ph: (011) 30934199; Fax: (011) 30934162 To subscribe, sms ‘openmagazine’ to 56070 or log on to www.openthemagazine.com Or call our Toll Free Number 1800 300 22 000 or email at: [email protected] For corporate sales, email [email protected] For marketing alliances, email [email protected] For advertising, email [email protected]
Volume 6 Issue 6 For the week 11—17 February 2014 Total No. of pages 64 + Covers
cover illustration
Anirban Ghosh
Rahul’s Tactful Move
unlike Arvind Kejriwal and Narendra Modi who cannot take along their parties as team players, Rahul Gandhi has demonstrated that he does things democratically (‘Charge of the Youth Brigade’, 10 February 2014). In spite of opposition in local units, he has ensured that nominees to the Rajya Sabha (who are veterans) are elected. His young team is full of sons and daughters of veterans. This way, the youth has been brought into the [Congress], at the same time with the blessing of elders. This shows Rahul’s tact, long term vision and democratic virtues. Fd souza
Not Sophisticated Enough
this is a very smart article (‘Mrs Sen and I’, 3 February 2014). 2 open
However, I failed to detect any urban sophistication in Suchitra Sen. Incidentally, in Pathe Hold Deri, the colour of her sari didn’t change as she entered and exited taxis. But it did change as she repeatedly turned corners while coming down a steep hilly path in Uttam’s company. The audience raved as it watched that scene. She looked gorgeous, but sophistication? I guess not. Once again, a smart article. Dipankar Dasgupta
Much Ado About the Sari
it seems the writer believes that women should wear the sari as it conjures a more positive reaction in the workplace as opposed to jeans or a corporate suit (‘Pallu, Pleat, Power’, 13 January 2014). Any woman who wants to wear a sari and
enjoys doing so should go ahead and do it. But if we women wear saris expecting better treatment from society, there is something fundamentally wrong there. I am not at all a fan of the sari, because it is one of the most hassle-packed garments created in the history of mankind. To each her own. Shashika Fernando
wonderful article. Wish I could wear my sari to work here in the UK, but as a teacher it would be too much of a distraction. But I make it a point to wear a sari on every possible occasion—formal or informal—and everyone loves it. Gopali Chakrabort y Ghosh
Transaction Theory
this refers to ‘Men, According to Prostitutes’ (13 January 2014). Who is not in a ‘transaction’? The corporate woman with her boss for a promotion; an overly helping gay for a partner; you for readership of your articles selling stories of their miseries. Classes differ, but transaction theory remains. Everyone has a choice of the kind of transaction one can bear and that can maximise one’s returns against limited means. They have made theirs against the means they have, you have made yours against the means you have. To balance this article that is skewed against men, you could also interview young men who are bought by elderly women to fulfill their desires. Ale x
17 february 2014
Chasing Robert De Niro testimony
The police have spent over a month trying to get De Niro to respond in the Tehelka assault case
Since the alleged sexual assault of a colleague by Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal last year, the police have been investigating and questioning a number of people associated with the case. Some have spoken to the police, while many have provided their statements in front of a judicial magistrate. One important individual associated with the case, however, has eluded the police—Robert De Niro. The journalist in question was chaperoning De Niro at the Tehelka Think Fest, where De Niro was a guest, when
mumbai
17 february 2014
the alleged assault by Tejpal took place. Crime Branch Inspector Sunita Sawant, who is the investigating officer on the case, says she has been trying to reach De Niro unsuccessfully for over a month. “De Niro’s version of events is important. We want to build a water-tight case and the investigation will benefit from his response. But we’ve just not been able to get him to answer some questions,” she says. According to Sawant, they were first able to get through to De Niro’s attorney, whom she refuses to
name, on 7 January. “The attorney had then assured us that De Niro will provide all the necessary cooperation and asked us to email questions,” she says. The Crime Branch prepared a questionnaire and sent it via email to the actor’s attorney. However, even after a few weeks passed, the cops did not hear from the actor or his attorney. “I understand he’s a busy individual and residing in a different country. So we sent him a reminder a few weeks later,” Sawant says. Even after the reminder, no response was forth-
coming. In the meantime, De Niro has been seen travelling to different parts of the globe, either promoting his latest film, Grudge Match, or advancing his businesses. If he was in Manila to announce the launch of the Nobu Hotel one day, he was at the Sundance Film Festival promoting a film on his late father the next. Sawant says, “Late last month, we finally heard from the attorney. He told us De Niro was out of town and he will reply the moment he returns. Hopefully, he will.” n Lhendup G Bhutia
open www.openthemagazine.com 3
A thing of evil beauty
ideology
Person of the Week Satyapal Singh
The radical zero-tax proposal
‘Hinduism is misunderstood. I have no Hindu agenda. I am secular’ Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Dr Satyapal Singh has moved back to Meerut and joined the BJP, all ready for a new career in politics haima deshpande
D
r Satyapal Singh gave up his
high-profile job as Mumbai Police Commissioner to join politics. At a time when he was due for promotion to the position of Director General of Police—the highest police job—he called it quits. His decision to join politics, particularly the BJP, came as a shock to many, as he never wore his political leanings on his sleeve. Now that his new career needs a new CV, the former cop has moved back to Meerut to reclaim his rural roots. He says he does not ‘believe’ in Ramjanmabhoomi, that nationbuilding knows no colour and that he is a secular person.
You gave up your uniform for politics. Why? I have been in service for 33 years. As a person in uniform, my sphere of working was very limited. Now, my jurisdiction has increased. It is the whole country, the world. Plato had written long ago that if you want to clean up politics, good people must come in. Good people are needed for the harmonious development of society. I can definitely contribute to that. Otherwise, 4 open
there is no point in complaining that politics is a dirty place.
How can you add value to politics?
I intend and am here to make a difference. My intention is not to seek a post or power. The post of Mumbai Police Commissioner is a prestigious one known internationally. I have been there, so power is not important to me. I am coming with the clear intention that I want to do something for the nation.
What is your focus?
I can make a difference as I come from a rural agricultural background. I want to make a qualitative improvement in the lives of people, involve them in collective efforts for peace and harmony, improve the quality of education, provide employment, encourage them to compete for opportunities, etcetera.The Government has so many schemes the public is not aware of. These must be communicated to the people so that they can get the available benefits. I want to take up employment programmes which will keep the youth away from criminal activities.
Why did you join the BJP?
I come from western Uttar Pradesh where there is no Congress. [Over] the last 25 years, [this party] has gone away from here. I feel that I am
closer to the BJP ideology.
While in uniform, did you nurse a latent Hindu agenda?
I think that Hinduism is misunderstood. I have no Hindu agenda. If someone talks about nation building and saving your heritage, how can it be a Hindu agenda? I am a very secular person.
The BJP wants to build a temple at the Ramjanmabhoomi site. Do you endorse this ideology? Absolutely not. I do not believe in Ramjanmabhoomi. My focus is nation building and that knows no colour. I believe in an ideology which can foster communal harmony.
You joined the BJP at Meerut with much fanfare. Local BJP leaders are not too happy that you will contest the Meerut seat. Do you not begin at a disadvantage? I have not joined the Meerut BJP. I have joined the entire nation. So where is the question of beginning at a disadvantage?
You are used to the discipline of the uniform. How will you fit into the chaos of politics? All these years of disciplining does not go away in a hurry. I will not change, but I can change others and inculcate the value of discipline in them. I cannot be a part of the chaos. I will try to clean up politics, give it direction.
So politics is not a post-retirement fancy? Are you in it forever? I think so. It is a new career for me. n
17 february 2014
■
F o r disrupting a Pakistani
band’s press conference in Mumbai On 4 February, members of the Shiv Sena barged into a press conference addressed by Pakistani Sufi rock band Mekaal Hasan in Mumbai, demanding that the musicians return immediately to their home country. The band was announcing a joint concert with Indian performers at the press
conference. The Sena workers, whose forced outrage was as usual comical to watch, carried placards and saffron flags. The policemen posted outside the venue did nothing to stop the goons, Press Club officials later said. The Shiv Sena has a reputation for troubling Pakistani artistes performing in India. In the 1990s, it managed to stop a concert by ghazal great Ghulam Ali. Sainiks have also dug up the cricket pitch at Wankhede Stadium and protested the inclusion of actor Veena Mallik in the TV reality show Bigg Boss. Of course, in matters of greater relevance to the common man, like running the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the Sena continues to flop. n
Delhi JD-U MLA Shoaib Iqbal threatened to join expelled AAP leader Vinod Binny and bring down Kejriwal’s government, but was placated by a meeting with Delhi’s CM self correction
“We are setting a deadline of 48 hours for the AAP to fulfill our demands. I have asked Kejriwal that assurances given to the people of Delhi... be fulfilled”
“Kejriwalji has agreed to our demands and has promised that he will look into the matter—which includes 50 per cent reduction in bills, more free water and a women’s commando force”
— Shoaib Iqbal, in an interview on IBN-7 2 February 2014
— Iqbal, in a press conference 3 February 2014
turn
on able Pers Unreasotnhe Week of
around
Poverty in India on the Decline 269.3 million poor worldwide, 216.5 million are estimated to be living in rural India. But according to recent findings by India’s Planning Commission, poverty might be on the decline in the country. Rajeev Shukla, minister of state for planning and Parliamentary affairs, stated in the Lok Sabha this week that as per Planning Commission estimates, “The number of persons living below the poverty line in the country has declined
of the
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from [407.4 million] in 2004-05 to [270 million] in 2011-12.” The Planning Commission uses a poverty line based on ‘Monthly Per capita Consumption Expenditure’. In 2005, an expert committee constituted under the late Professor Suresh Tendulkar to review the methodology for poverty estimation recommended an MPCE of Rs 447 for rural areas and Rs 579 for urban areas as the poverty line for 2004-05, later updated to Rs 816 and
Rs 1,000 respectively. The latest data on household spending is from the National Sample Survey Organisation’s 68th round conducted in 2011-12. By the current findings, the states with the highest number of people living below the poverty line are Uttar Pradesh with 59.8 million and Bihar with 35.8 million. Over the past ten years, poverty in India has declined consistently: from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05 to 29.8 per cent in 2009-10. n open www.openthemagazine.com 5
angle
On the Contrary
A Thing of Evil Beauty And yet, lingerie mannequins in Mumbai have a right to life M a d h ava n ku t t y P i l l a i
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Rafiq Maqbool/ap
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t was eight months ago that your correspondent noticed an intriguing social phenomenon in Mumbai and was compelled to comment on it in these pages. At the time, elected corporators of the Brihanmumbai Mumbai Corporation had taken a break from their regular duties of keeping a check on potholes and illegal constructions to turn their acid gaze on an evil unlike any this city had ever known— mannequins clad in lingerie. Many reasons to eliminate them were put forward—they objectified and embarrassed women, aroused lust in men, confused everyone as sex toys—but the overriding one was that they led to rapes. These salient points found favour across party lines and a resolution was passed in the BMC Assembly asking for the extinction of this species. That such a demand should come up might seem strange but it is not inexplicable. The Delhi gangrape had put sexual violence on top of the national consciousness, and by the time it filtered down to Mumbai’s corporators, all the legitimate causes had already been spoken for. These corporators thus had to find new causes and if they chanced on a scantily clad sensuous plastic body, then that was just the mannequin’s luck. The lingerie industry was not pleased, but then everyone has to grin and bear it when called to sacrifice in the larger interest of society. But their travails did not end. It was argued that this was hardly a check: men could still be perverted by the sight of them through the glass front of a shop. At this point, something finally came out in support of mannequins—the law. Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte told MidDay last week that he was helpless: “The BMC allows neon signboards, commercial advertisements or signboards of shops with various terms and conditions, but there is no mention that types of statues or articles or clothes should not be displayed.” Any mannequin that had daily prayed to God for succour must have felt relieved, but when it came to sexual violence, the Maharashtra government was not willing
plastic sensuality If a curvy plastic form can make a man a rapist, how powerful might real flesh be?
to show compassion. A report in DNA on 2 February said that there were plans to insert a clause into the Bombay Shops and Establishments Act, 1948, to deal with mannequins. This, according to Labour Secretary Arvind Kumar, was “to protect the dignity of women, so that they do not feel objectified… Once this is passed, the BMC can implement it effectively.” There might actually be some convoluted merit in the objectification argument. Developed societies seem to have considered it. Last week, AP reported that in many US cities, mannequins are fat and tattooed to make them as representative as possible. Some also have ‘pubic hair peeking through their lingerie’. This is not to turn on men, but so women can identify
The ‘objectification’ logic is the tactic of a bureaucrat forced to implement an idiocy. Objectification is hardly at issue. This is an incarnation of the idea that the female form should be hidden
with the mannequin. It is the direct antithesis of objectification, but you can take a safe bet of any amount on the labour secretary applauding this evolution. The objectification logic is a bureaucrat’s shrewd tactic when forced to implement an idiocy. That women should not be objectified can be a value society encourages, but the corollary that anything that objectifies women should be banned opens up a road to unending absurdities. Why not ban movies with sexy actresses? If a curvy plastic form can make a man a rapist, then how much more powerful an influence is real flesh? Why not do away with industries that claim to protect or enhance beauty, like cosmetics, botox, plastic surgery or lingerie itself? Objectification is hardly at issue here. This silly exercise is just a new incarnation of the most medieval of ideas—that the female form should be hidden because it is responsible for corrupting the morals of men. The irony is that those who want the ban couch it in the language of female emancipation. That is why, even if lingerie mannequins are dumb, those with tongues must speak up for their right to life. n 17 february 2014
india
A Hurried Man’s Guide to Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died in New York after a suspected heroin overdose this week at age 46, was an American actor and director of repute. On Sunday morning, he was found in an unresponsive state lying on his bathroom floor with a needle stuck in his arm. Bags of heroin were also discovered in the apartment, located in the city’s trendy Greenwich Village area. Though aloof, Hoffman lived without the trappings of Hollywood success and was a common sight in the area, dropping his children to school, walking or biking, almost always in rumpled clothes.
It Happens
Loins in Winter The subject was the erotic Indian. And the speaker and his audience were senior citizens O m k a r K h a n d e k a r ritesh uttamchandani
real
Wrestling was Hoffman’s childhood passion. But a neck injury forced him to give up the sport. He completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama in 1989 from New Hoffman’s York University’s Tisch childhood School of the Arts. passion was wrestling; he gave it up due to a neck injury
VICTORIA WILL/INVISION/AP
Hoffman played varied roles in several high profile films. His filmography includes Scent of a Woman (1992), Twister (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), The Big Lebowski (1998), Patch Adams (1998), The Talented Mr Ripley (1999), Almost Famous (2000) and Cold Mountain (2003). Critically-acclaimed films in his later years include Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007), The Savages (2007),
Moneyball (2011) and The Ides of March (2011). In 2010, Hoffman made his feature film directorial debut with Jack Goes Boating. His biggest moment, of course, was when he won an Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of writer Truman Capote in the film Capote in 2005. He was also nominated for the Best Supporting Actor award three times. Hoffman is survived by his long-time partner Mimi O’Donnell and their three children. His battles with drug and alcohol addiction began in his college days. He had undergone rehabilitation, but could never really shake off his deadly drug habit. n
a treatise on desire A projection of Gurcharan Das at the Central Library in Mumbai
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ne evening in the last
week of January, wading against the tide of humans retreating from south Mumbai, about 150 people gathered at the Central Library. The crowd largely comprised those in their twilight years: bespectacled men in loose shirts and women with bob cuts. Joining them was their comrade-in-age, the 70-year-old Gurcharan Das, who delivered a talk on the evolution of desire. Long hailed as a ‘public intellectual’, Das could sense the dissonance between his age and the topic at hand. But he had an explanation ready. “You might say it is an odd time in one’s life to embark on a project that one ought to tackle when one is younger,” he said. “But I reckon that a person at the unlikely age of 70 might also have something to offer as he looks back at his life, or what his life might have been.” And retrospect he did, going all the way back to the Rig Veda and Kama Sutra. Touching upon examples from his adolescence to the contemporary times, he underlined the evolution of human desire. While the talk was deceptively titled ‘Desiring Indians: Going Beyond Tarun Tejpal to Uncover the Nature of Indian Erotic’, Das
admitted that the Tehelka founder accused of rape presented himself only as a news hook. While this might have been a letdown for those hoping for Tejpal to act as the time-telling blade in the sundial of sexuality, Das’ viewpoints found much favour with his audience. “Modern marriage combines three idealistic ideas: love, sex and family, which makes distinctive but unreasonable demands on the couple. In pre-modern times, men satisfied the three needs of marriage via three In pre-modern different individuals: the times, the wife gave birth lover fulfilled to children, a romantic lover fulfilled needs and the one’s romantic prostitute was needs and an accomplished there for sex prostitute was always there for great sex. This division of labour,” he said, taking a pause to accommodate the titters, “served men and the classes well.” Making a liberal case for the difficulty of fidelity, he won himself rousing applause. The pontificator certainly did touch chords. A 75-yearold sitting beside me said between claps, “I wish I were 25 now.” n 17 february 2014
business
ENERGY India’s Government has tweaked its gas allocation policy to reduce prices for consumers who use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a fuel for vehicles and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to fire kitchen stoves. Henceforth, city gas distribution companies would be able to rely entirely on indigenous gas (up from 80 per cent earlier) as a supply source, as declared by Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily. Imported gas is far more expensive, and so the extra allocation of local gas could result in consumer prices falling by an estimated 20-30 per cent. All this while, that quantity of cheap gas had been allotted to industrial users in ‘non-priority’ sectors that will now have to bear higher costs on gas imports. “The intended beneficiary is the common man,” Moily has stated. As with the UPA’s recent scale-up of subsidised LPG cylinders from nine to 12 for each household every year (an added strain on the Centre’s finances), this gas move is also seen as a pre-poll giveaway. “It’s a populist measure,” agrees RS Sharma, chairman of Ficci’s Hydrocarbons Committee. “The popular euphoria over price cuts is going to be short-lived,” says a Delhi-based energy expert. Local gas prices are set to double later this year in accordance with the Rangarajan Committee formula that seeks to align—to an extent—the State-fixed price of Indian gas with a sort of average price that prevails globally. The current price gap has caused plenty of heartburn in India before, and analysts say
Mahesh Kumar A/AP
India’s Gas Economy Gets Hazier Still
gas consumers get priority The Union Petroleum Ministry’s policy shift has cheapened LNG as a vehicle fuel
that even partial market pricing could resolve that problem. In this context, Moily’s latest move “contradicts the very objective the While voters Government wanted to may be pleased, achieve with this the Centre has formula: introducing confused India’s more market forces to gas market India’s energy sector”. reform agenda Lowering consumer prices now only to raise them sharply later may be foolhardy. The gas market in India, analysts sense, may remain distorted by State subsidies
for longer than reformers had hoped. This would generate even more confusion; the lack of policy clarity could complicate cost calculations and investment decisions on gas-fired industries. “Sanity would have lain in using a clear-air argument to promote this cleaner fuel,” says Sharma. The UPA, however, seems too busy with its election campaign to worry about those issues. Even its Aadhaar-based plan to transfer LPG subsidies in cash straight to bank accounts has been shelved, lest implementation failures boomerang electorally. n SHAILENDRA TYAGI
Business Anxiety Means an Investment Freeze Nearly two-thirds of this sample of businesses surveyed by Assocham would like clarity on India’s political direction before they commit themselves to further domestic investments Those who are optimistic about business prospects in India Contemplating Selling Businesses
23%
Christine Lagarde, managing director, IMF, on Indian inequity
2% 8%
Potential Investors with Investment Plans on Hold right now
Source: ASSOCHAM compiled by Shailendra Tyagi
12 open
“In India, the net worth of the billionaire community increased twelvefold in 15 years, enough to eliminate absolute poverty in this country twice over”
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The Centre insists on death for Rajiv Gandhi assassins Argues convicts not traumatised, took part in cultural events
O
n 21 January, the Supreme Court had commuted the death sentences of 15 prisoners, three of whom have been convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. These three had challenged their sentences on the grounds of a delay by the President in disposing of their pleas for mercy, and the mental trauma they had undergone in the course of this prolonged wait. A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that an inordinate delay in the execution of the death sentence is sufficient grounds for commuting the same. However, the Central Government wants the convicts hanged; it has not only filed a review petition, but also raised objections to the petitions filed by the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The Supreme Court has made it very clear that seeking mercy is a constitutional right that cannot be left to the ‘discretion or whims of the executive’. The court has also said that the nature of the case for which the person is convicted should not be a criterion in commuting the sentence. The Government has submitted that this verdict would not be applicable to convicts in the Rajiv assassination case
because they are not suffering trauma in jail. As proof, it has said that the convicts have been educated in jail. They have also been participating in the jail’s cultural activities, which, the Government’s arguments goes, shows that they have not undergone any trauma. The Supreme Court, however, reserved its verdict on the matter on 4 February at the conclusion of arguments on the petitions filed by the three death row convicts, Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan. The prosecution’s interpretation of the court’s observation on the trauma of convicts protractedly awaiting the outcome of mercy petitions, is unconvincing. Proposing that a deathrow prisoner’s routine activities inside jail—such as studying for a course or participating in cultural programmes—reveal that s/he is not suffering trauma, and that therefore this provides sufficient reason to execute him/her, sounds irrational. It is also worth noting that the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case—its investigation, police chargesheet, trial and judgment by the TADA court—has not been free of controversy. Three policemen who were part of the investigation team have already confessed that there have been omissions and discrepancies in the investigation of the case. Recently, the former CBI SP V Thiagarajan, who was part of the investigation, revealed that he had not recorded any piece of evidence against Perarivalan, alias Arivu. The chief investigating officer of the special investigation team, K Raghothaman, made similar disclosures in an interview given to Open in 2012. Police constable
waiting for closure The mother of Perarivalan, a death-row convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case
J Mohanraj, another member of the team, later challenged the contradictions in the investigation before the Madras High Court (which the court refused to entertain for some technical reasons). The Multi Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA), a wing of the CBI constituted to probe an ‘international conspiracy’ in the assassination of the former Prime Minister, has not yet revealed any finding. The MDMA has not even concluded its investigation. Even the judge (Justice KT Thomas) who pronounced the death sentence in the case has made a public appeal not to execute the sentence. Two judicial commission reports—The Jain and Verma Commissions—have raised serious doubts about the involvement of people like Godman Chandraswami and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. None of these findings by the commissions have been investigated so far. In other words, the grand design behind the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi remains an unsolved mystery fourteen years after the incident, leaving the impression that something is rotten in the state of our investigations. The Government has so far made little attempt to address any of these shady questions. Instead, it seems in a hurry to hang three convicts who have already spent more than two decades in jail. n Shahina KK
Raj Thackeray berates Modi for Balasaheb ‘snub’ Criticises Gujaratis for giving nothing to Mumbai
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n May 2009, addressing a rally in
Pune, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had declared that there was no one more capable than Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to lead India. It was a forceful declaration, making many who were seriously thinking of a partnership with the MNS cringe. One week ago, however, Raj’s fondness for Modi fell by several degrees. He was upset that the BJP’s mascot did not acknowledge the late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray in his speech. Modi has addressed two political rallies in Mumbai, both at the Bandra Kurla Complex grounds located behind the Thackeray residence. Though the Shiv Sena has been an alliance partner 17 February 2014
of the BJP for more than two decades, the BJP did not invite the Sena to the rallies. “When a person like Narendra Modi does not acknowledge Balasaheb, it is disrespect,” Raj thundered, addressing the audience at a programme he was invited to speak at. Claiming that it was Balasaheb who gave the BJP its strength in Mumbai by allowing an alliance, Raj berated Modi for ignoring such a ‘towering’ personality. He also criticised the Gujarati community in Mumbai, and warned them that Mumbai is for Marathis and not Gujaratis. This is a deviation from his anti-North Indian stance, which involved issuing similar warnings to migrants from Bihar and UP especially. Raj declared that Gujaratis must respect Maharashtrians. “Gujaratis live in Mumbai but take away all that they earn back to Gujarat and make that state prosperous. So why live here? Go back to Gujarat,” he said. Two years ago, Raj had gone on a nine-day visit to Gujarat to study Modi’s development model and visited the Surat Municipal Corporation. This had been prior to local elections of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). At the time, he had been all praise for Modi as he was keen on gathering Gujarat voters to his side in his battle against his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, president of the Shiv Sena. In fact, Raj has been consistent in his endorsement of Modi’s leadership abilities over the past two years. But then, two years ago, Raj was trying to convert the strong resentment among BJP voters, a huge percentage of whom are Gujaratis, against the lack of leadership within the party to his advantage. Now that a Lok Sabha election is around the corner, Raj has pulled off a complete U-turn. This time, it is Marathi manoos votes that he is keen on netting. During previous years when the MNS unleashed violence against migrants from north India, Modi had invited them all to Gujarat. “This state is open to all, anyone can come here”, was Modi’s reply to the MNS stand. It is unlikely that Gujarati voters will forget Raj’s diatribe against them. The majority of businesses in Mumbai are run by the Gujaratis. Unlike north Indian migrants, local Gujaratis are a well-heeled population; their contribution to Mumbai has been dynamic. Raj is well aware of the fact that Gujaratis stand to lose substantially if a ‘Mumbai for Marathis’ agitation gets going. Raj’s main grouse against Gujaratis is that they employ Marathi speakers to do menial 17 February 2014
work and accord them no respect. This has to change, the MNS leader now says. Raj is, in fact, following in the footsteps of his uncle Bal Thackeray, who launched an agitation against Gujaratis in the 60s and 70s, and gave it up for an agitation against South Indians. n Haima De shpande
The Mumbai Police Flounder in this Murder Probe A month after Esther Anuhya’s body was found by her relatives, there is little headway in the investigation
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sther Anuhya, 23, was one of
several migrants belonging to Mumbai’s flourishing white-collar economy. A worker bee at a leading consultancy firm, Esther went missing after alighting at Kurla terminus in Mumbai on 5 January. Ten days later, her burnt and decomposing body was found by the side of an expressway. A month later, the accused continue to remain at large, and, after their initial reluctance to pursue the case, the police are nowhere close to tracking them down. A native of Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Esther had gone to her hometown to spend Christmas with her family. She boarded the Vijaywada-LTT Express and landed in Mumbai around 5 am. Her last known movements were captured by CCTV cameras at the station that show her speaking on a cellphone as a man dressed in a white shirt, presumably a private taxi driver, walks ahead dragging her luggage. “I rang [her up] around 7 in the morning,” says S Prasad, the father of the victim. “Her cellphone was ringing but she wasn’t answering.” He tried again at 11.30 am, and 3 pm, but there was no response. Towards the evening, he found the cellphone switched off. When Prasad contacted the Kurla police, they refused to register the complaint without proof that Esther had boarded the train. Prasad lodged an FIR at the Vijaywada police stating the same, and arrived in the city on 6 January. In the days that followed, the father and his relatives, who poured in from Hyderabad and even Qatar, ran from pillar to post gathering evidence that might point them in the right direction. They procured Esther’s call records, which
revealed that the phone’s last known location was somewhere in Bhandup, in the northeastern suburbs of Mumbai. All the while, the police dragged their feet on the investigation, thinking Esther might have eloped. “It was like they were trying to avoid the case,” says Prasad. On 15 January, one of the three search parties formed by the relatives found a charred body off the Eastern Express highway. While the body was in a state beyond recognition, they identified it from a gold ring on the middle finger of the corpse. The relatives headed to the Kanjurmarg police station to report the discovery. The family then left for Machilipatnam for the last rites. Soon after, then Police Commissioner Dr Satyapal Singh, who quit the force to join the BJP on 1 February, told a section of the media that the Mumbai Police had found the body. “But we were on our own,” says Prasad. According to reports, the Mumbai Police have since questioned over 1,000 people but have not found any significant leads. While Esther’s travel bag and laptop are still missing, the investigators found a bloodied shawl, slippers and a bag about 200 metres from the spot where the body was discovered. It is yet to be ascertained if these belong to the victim. Experts at the forensic laboratory have reportedly rued the lack of urgency in the investigations that has made analysing the DNA test results more difficult. Amid several protests online and offline, two teams of the Crime Branch and Railway Police Force joined the probe. As the drama unfolded, some informers led the police on many a wild goose chase to serve their own agendas. “Some of the taxi drivers who gave us information had a dispute with other taxi drivers, and they wanted to put them in trouble. Another informer told the property cell of the Crime Branch that a taxi driver had taken a girl from LTT to Churchgate, and he had seen it,” a police officer reportedly told a city daily. The family members went all the way to India’s Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, even AAP ministers in Delhi, to ask for help in hastening the process, but little headway has been made in the investigation. The incident, however, has brought the problem of illegal auto and taxi drivers back under the scanner. According to estimates, only 41,310 of the black-andyellow taxis of the 120,000 plying on city roads are registered. Taxi unions have repeatedly alleged that unauthorised drivers fleece passengers picked up at railway stations. n Omkar Khandekar open www.openthemagazine.com 15
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Daydreamers’ Club Nitish Kumar’s efforts to cobble together a third front will likely go nowhere PR Ramesh newspapers and social media with their instant punditry are on an overdrive, predicting the potential of a ‘third front’ to queer the pitch for the BJP and Congress in the upcoming General Election. What has set off this round of opinion-spewing is Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s assertion that his Janata Dal United (JD-U) is approaching the polls as part of the secular column and that his forces would move in lockstep with Malayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party (SP) and Deve Gowda’s Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S). Some of these over-enthusiastic commentators have
ashish sharma
T h o s e w h o l i tt e r
an impatient man JD-U leader Nitish Kumar and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi (on the other side of the car)
concluded that Nitish Kumar’s move will encourage ‘unattached’ political parties to arm themselves and take up offensive battle positions against the main contenders for the throne in Delhi. Trained eyes, however, are unlikely to be distracted by Nitish Kumar’s hyperventilation over the imminence of this Third Front. For, past experience—from the first experiment in 1967 to the last in 1996—has shown that apart from ambition, an ideological glue and a wide geographical catchment area are critical must-haves in putting together an alternative front. In 1967, it was their
desire to take on a powerful Congress that saw non-Congress players converge on a common platform; in 1977 it was the in-your-face excesses of Indira Gandhi; and in 1996, it was their anxiety to arrest the ascendancy of the BJP that led to the formation of a third alternative called the United Front. The latest attempt-to-be fails in all three departments. The three political leaders who have decided to float the platform are no longer unchallenged leaders in their respective states; they face stiff challenges of political survival on their home turf. Only a day before Nitish
Kumar made his announcement, two retiring Rajya Sabha members declined his offer to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. One of them, Shivanand Tiwari, went to the extent of saying that Nitish Kumar, who has “hubris as his calling card”, had a low approval rating as the CM of his home state. Besides, the resignation this week of his cabinet colleague Parveen Amanullah, daughter of Syed Shahabuddin, as minister and a JD-U member is a big blow to Kumar amid intense competition from Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for Bihar’s Muslim votes. The other two leaders fare no better. The SP, which won a landslide less than two years ago in the Assembly polls of Uttar Pradesh, is under siege in India’s most populous state with one of its main voting blocs—Muslims—distancing itself from the party. Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, has been unable to assure voters of responsible governance; this makes the
party vulnerable to major losses in the polls due this summer.
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here cannot be any quarrel with the assumption that political compatibility will be an important question for the proposed Third Front to move beyond the trio of Nitish, Mulayam and Gowda. Every recent electoral tracker has shown three chief ministers sending sizeable numbers to the next Lok Sabha: Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress from West Bengal, J Jayalalithaa of the AIADMK from Tamil Nadu, and Naveen Patnaik of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) from Odisha. Apart from them, Jagan Mohan Reddy of the YSR Congress is expected to do well in Seemandhra. Of these regional leaders, everyone has cohabited and shared power with one of the two national parties at some point or another, as has Nitish Kumar himself, and so his claim that the unattached “share the same values” stretches credibility.
Although Mamata and Naveen Patnaik have made claims of a ‘federal front’, they do not share the anxiety displayed by Nitish Kumar and Mulayam Singh to retain their political relevance Given that context, it was not surprising of Jayalalithaa to stonewall a query on her national posture after the General Election. After finalising an alliance with the CPM, Jayalalithaa clearly told reporters that the issue of this alliance’s PM candidate—and by extension, her party’s stand on the post-poll scenario— was yet to be decided. “This is not the time for anyone to discuss and decide who the next Prime Minister will be,” she said, “It is pointless for any political party to [address] this question now. It will be arrived at only after the election results are out.” Put simply, she has kept her options open, and her party’s stance will likely be dictated by the numbers that the principal contenders mop up. Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik are in no hurry to bare their cards either. Although they have periodically made claims of envisioning a ‘federal front’, they do not share the anxiety displayed by Nitish Kumar and Mulayam Singh to retain their political relevance. “What Nitish Kumar did was unveil a banner for proclaiming his relevance. His own partymen have begun doubting his ability to achieve much to become a
player on the national stage,” said BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad. One can’t be blamed for assuming that the Front proposed by Nitish Kumar is a group of losers simply because a third front can be relevant only if the four regional parties expected to perform well—the TMC, BJD, AIADMK and YSR Congress—stick together. And that’s not happening. The YSR Congress, which is seen as a major force in Seemandhra, has made it plain that its future course will not be dictated by ideological considerations but by factors that aid the party’s growth. “I am not against Narendra Modi,” Jagan Mohan Reddy has said, “We will back the party that will oppose the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.” For its part, the BJP has begun nuancing its position on Telangana—from its support for this new state’s formation, the party is now talking about ensuring justice for both parts of Andhra.
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olitical observers too discount the possibility of a surge in favour of the so-called Third Front parties, especially with the Left Front appearing so weak in its traditional regions of influence. “There is a discernible anti-Congress mood in the country and this was reflected in the recent state elections,” says Professor Badri Narayan, social historian and cultural anthropologist at Allahabad’s GB Pant Social Science Institute, “The Congress suffered humiliating defeats. This clearly shows that anti-Congress votes can be garnered only by a force arrayed against the grand old party.” With Narendra Modi’s quest for prime ministership gaining traction, the polarisation of votes is sure to get sharper still. While the BJP is attempting to move beyond its core constituency and win over Other Backward Classes and newly-empowered economically weaker sections among them, several regional parties that operate in the field of identity politics are expected to face trouble. Besides, Muslim voters, who are determined to exercise a veto of sorts against Modi, can be expected to back parties that are equipped to defeat the BJP in their respective constituencies. In such a scenario, a new front has no place, even though individual parties could. But then, India’s bigger regional parties have a record of placing their self-interest above issues such as authoritarianism, secularism and economic policy that have served as ideological adhesives in the past. n open www.openthemagazine.com 17
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Restless Pawar The ageing Maratha stalwart has everyone guessing which way he will go Haima Deshpande
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harad Pawar’s facial expressions are not easy to read, especially not since a surgery for mouth cancer left his jaw contorted. But what he has on his mind has always been a subject of conjecture. With a general election upon the country, this game has reached yet another peak. All the more so because, for all his wily manoeuvres of the past that made him the stuff of state folklore and gave him his bargaining chips with Delhi’s power elite, his sway over Maharashtra politics is now seen to be on the decline. Elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha a week ago, Pawar has categorically stated that the Lok Sabha is not his scene anymore. Dogged by illness—he is being treated for cancer—his hold on his party and Delhi’s political arena has been slipping. He may still be the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), as also India’s Minister for Agriculture in the UPA Government at the Centre, and the Marathi media still projects him as the ‘Maratha Strongman’ he once was, but persistent charges of corruption—some levelled by Anna Hazare—have stuck and his credibility has taken a beating. Even so, Pawar retains enough regional clout to count as a significant player for power. It’s just that observers across the political divide feel these polls are Pawar’s last chance of gaining the role he has long dreamt of: India’s Prime 18 open
Ministership. It’s now or never, they say. How he rates his chances could influence his behaviour this electoral season. Though an administrator of some ability with an acumen few others can boast of, his grand ambition has stymied him in the past. In a political career spanning half a century, he has shifted ideologies, moved camps, grown closer to some and distanced himself from others, and struck all manner of backroom deals. In the bargain, he has lost the trust of many. “He has clearly changed his ambition. It is no longer to be the Prime Minister,” says Vinod Tawade, the BJP’s leader of the opposition in Maharashtra’s Legislative
Council. “He probably wants to be President of the country and so the Rajya Sabha is a better route. It gives the impression of being apolitical.” There may be some truth in Tawade’s observation, as many who know him are surprised by his acceptance of a seat in the Upper House. Analysing Pawar’s Rajya Sabha entry, Dr Neelam Gorhe, MLC and Shiv Sena spokesperson, says that this is no indication that the leader will keep out of active politics. “He will now have more time for manipulation and coalition politics,” she says. Some months ago, faced with corruption charges, Pawar felt that staying on with the UPA was a safe option. Whether 17 February 2014
open. He may be in a coalition government with the Congress, but he is already exploring the idea of a third front.” Joshi does not rule out an alignment between Pawar, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee of the Trianmool Congress and Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa of the AIADMK. “Pawar never reveals what is going through his mind, nor does he provide explanations for his moves,” says Mahesh Vijapurkar, former chief of The Hindu’s Mumbai Bureau, who has reported extensively on the leader. Many years ago, when a Marathi TV channel had interviewed the leader’s wife Pratibha, she had joked that she could never tell what went on in his mind. On another occasion, his daughter Supriya Sule had told filmmaker Jabbar Patel that her father was completely unpredictable. All that can be discerned of Pawar’s disposition right now is a certain restlessness.
inscrutable maratha Pawar’s move to the Rajya Sabha has prompted speculation that his gaze has shifted from the PM’s chair to the President’s
Manish Swarup/AP
I
he still feels that way is now in doubt. His disenchantment with the Congress has been apparent for quite some time. Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to No 2 status in the Congress was a blow to him, as he is opposed to any projection of the Gandhi scion as the UPA’s PM candidate. According to author and political commentator Prakash Bal Joshi, Gandhi’s aggressive posturing has alienated Pawar further still. Tawade agrees. “It is like history repeating itself,” he says, “Pawar was forced to work under Sonia Gandhi, who was totally new to politics. Now it seems like his turn to work under Rahul Gandhi.” 17 February 2014
With that as a context, Pawar’s recent demand that questions over Modi’s role in the Gujarat riots of 2002 be put to rest has raised eyebrows and piqued curiosity about his political plans. Notably, Pawar issued his statement soon after Rahul Gandhi took potshots at the BJP’s PM candidate in a TV interview. And Congressmen recall other occasions in the past that Pawar has spoken in praise of Modi’s administrative skills. Does this indicate a warming up to the BJP? Nobody is too sure. Pawar, says Joshi, is one of the most unpredictable politicians he has ever met: “He is a leader who keeps his options
f Pawar is restless, some of it may
stem from a question of the NCP leadership’s succession. “His dilemma is that he has to decide who to hand over the crown to,” says Tawade, “His daughter [Supriya Sule] or his nephew [Ajit Pawar].” Despite being a national-level politician, Pawar has been extremely reluctant to let go of his control of the NCP’s Maharashtra affairs. This has resulted in a clash of wills between the senior leader and his nephew on various issues. The years since Pawar’s surgery have not been kind. Questions over his leadership capacity—his recent loss of weight has been a subject of party gossip—have not been lost on his nephew Ajit, who stayed in his uncle’s shadow for decades before he took to asserting himself in state politics a few years ago. It is an open secret in political circles that Ajit Pawar, as Maharashtra’s Deputy CM, has broken free of his uncle’s authority and tried hard to put his stamp on the NCP. Though other party leaders have kept Pawar in the loop on his nephew’s progress, the uncle has not been able to rein him in. If he lets his nephew lead the party into Maharashtra’s Assembly polls, Pawar may never regain full control of the party he founded along with Tariq Anwar and PA Sangma as a breakaway from the Congress in 1999 on the issue of open www.openthemagazine.com 19
Sonia Gandhi’s so-called ‘foreign origin’. Ajit, as a parallel power centre to his uncle, has already played havoc with the ageing leader’s plans to have his daughter Supriya take over the NCP. Ajit has made it clear that he wants to be the state’s CM and has already begun work in that direction. He has sidelined all those who are his uncle’s loyalists and created his own set. Pawar’s announcement that he will not contest a Lok Sabha seat has only aided his nephew’s cause by sending retirement signals to NCP members. Many of them see no chance of Pawar ever becoming the country’s PM; the cascade effect of that ambition, which had been a rallying point for many, is now more or less lost. “Pawar has exhausted all his non-political [opportunities] for political gains,” says Gorhe, who sees Ajit’s taking over the NCP as highly probable now. Other senior NCP leaders who have sat on the fence between the uncle and nephew now say that they are disappointed with the NCP chief. “Saheb does not look so powerful at the Centre either,” says a senior NCP leader anonymously, “He may not be PM; 2014 is his last chance. The NCP may not be that stronger thereafter.”
M
uch may depend on how voters re-
spond to the NCP on ballots this time round. According to a leader who has known Pawar for decades, his best-case range is 60 Assembly and 10 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, that’s all. Tawade does not think Pawar has much of a chance either. “In the forthcoming elections, the NCP will do much more badly than the Congress,” says the BJP leader, “Their ministers are facing more corruption charges than the Congress. The NCP will find it difficult to win seats. What will then happen to Pawar’s PM dream?” The Maratha leader is accustomed to controversy. Back in 2002-03, a statement by the then Maharashtra CM Sudhakar Naik set tongues wagging about his alleged links with criminals. Naik had alleged that Pawar had asked him to ‘go easy’ on Pappu Kalani, a criminal-turnedpolitician and MLA from Ulhasnagar, and tried to forge an association with Hitendra Thakur, another man with a dubious reputation. Naik’s allegations seemed to echo charges made by the then 20 open
deputy commissioner of the BMC, GR Khairnar, who, while taking on Dawood Ibrahim’s illegal constructions, had accused Pawar of defending dreaded criminals (even though he couldn’t prove his charges). In 2003, Abdul Karim Telgi, the kingpin of the Rs 60 crore Stamp Paper Scam, had reportedly named Pawar during a narco-analysis test as a politician involved; a livid Pawar sought a probe that revealed nothing. Even as a UPA minister, Pawar has faced charge upon charge of graft. In 2007, the BJP sought Pawar’s resignation alleging his involvement in a wheat import scandal. In 2010, the leader’s family was alleged to hold a 16-per cent stake in City Corporation, which had bid for the IPL’s Pune franchise. Though Pawar and his relatives denied the charges, an IPL Board resolution reportedly contradicted his claims. Then came accusations of bending rules to favour Pune district’s
“Pawar never reveals what is [on] his mind,” says Mahesh Vijapurkar. All that can be discerned of his disposition right now is a certain restlessness Lavasa Project, in the developer of which Supriya Sule and her husband Sadanand had a stake of more than 20 per cent (later sold). In 2011, Pawar was accused of declaring assets—of Rs 12 crore—far less than his personal wealth. Nor has the recent 2G Spectrum Scam left Pawar unscathed. When Shahid Usman Balwa, managing director of DB Realty, was arrested along with his partner Vinod Goenka for trying to secure out-of-turn airwaves to sell at a profit, Pawar’s name cropped up for his reported closeness to Balwa and Goenka. Pawar denied the allegations, but his reputation took another big hit. Can Pawar live all these scandals down? It is unclear.
W
hat is clear is Pawar’s increas-
ing isolation from the Congress. Signs of his disaffection were on public display once AK Antony was appointed No 2 in the Union Cabinet after Pranab
Mukherjee’s elevation as the President of India. Pawar had sulked and not attended office for a couple of days—until Sonia Gandhi held a conciliatory meeting with him. However, much has changed since. Pawar does not expect the UPA to win reelection this time, say those in the know, what with its prospects marred by raging inflation and a string of scandals. What stands out in all this is Pawar’s ‘intimacy’ with the UPA’s principal opposition. This is not a new factor. After the Bhuj earthquake in 2001, Pawar was appointed chairman of the national disaster management committee by the BJPled NDA government. This led to increased interactions with the BJP, Gujarat and Modi. Yet, a pre/post-poll alliance with Pawar is not a viable option for the BJP. The saffron party has levelled many charges of corruption against him, says a senior BJP leader, and an alliance with the NCP would erode its own anti-graft credentials. Even the Shiv Sena, the BJP’s alliance partner, is doubtful that Pawar will go with the saffron combine this year. “We feel that he will not come wholeheartedly along with the BJP and Shiv Sena,” says Gorhe, “As a regional party leader, he is dependent on coalitions, but the Shiv Sena may not be a natural choice.” This, despite the fact that Pawar has been asked to plan and oversee the building of a memorial to Bal Thackeray, the late founder of the Shiv Sena. As a close friend of Thackeray and a mentor to his son Uddhav, it surprises none that Pawar was asked to do this. In the 13 years since Pawar’s alliance with the Congress, he has hobnobbed with the grand old party’s ideological opposition, but not dared quit the arrangement. The alliance, he has stated over and over again, is held together by the duo’s political compulsion to keep ‘communal forces’—a reference to the BJP-Sena saffron combine—at bay. Perhaps that logic still holds the NCP in good stead. Perhaps not. Either way, he wants to keep all options open. However, if neither the Congress nor BJP fare too well, and a third or fourth front needs anyone who can get a few odd seats along, Pawar’s career may get another lease of life. That, perhaps, is why he wants to keep everyone guessing. n 17 February 2014
self help
MY CARE, MY WAY
Bill Binzen/CORBIS
The Mental Health Care Bill, 2013, currently pending in Parliament, puts the patient in charge of his future care. Is that wise? Kalpish Ratna
A
s a surgeon I’ve supp’d full of horrors, but I had the air knocked out of me last week. A woman I knew slightly called me, worried about her daughter. She was an acquaintance, not a patient, and it took her a while to disgorge the story. She was worried that her daughter was unhappy, and she couldn’t think of any possible reason. ‘Can I meet her?’ I asked. ‘You’ll have to come home. Sarita doesn’t go out much.’ I didn’t know that was the literal truth till I got there. Sarita hadn’t left the house in fifteen years. She had just turned thirty. ‘We’ve done everything for her, AC, carpet, everything, but it doesn’t seem to be enough,’ her mother sighed outside the barricaded room where Sarita spent her life. ‘She was in tenth standard when the doctor said she had schizophrenia. What else could we do?’ The pity was that Sarita saw psychiatrists, off and on, but her protective family felt this life was the best for her. ‘We have to think of the family,’ Sarita’s mother said.
*** Ironically, I had started the day by reading the new Mental Health Care Bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha in August 2013 and currently pending in Parliament. It contains an interesting clause: the Advance Directive that empowers a patient to decide on therapies. I read it with relief and approval, ignoring the rest of the document. There were other issues, but only this engaged me. I thought about it all day. Now, as I watched Sarita’s mother lock her door again, the ‘advance directive’ seemed as flimsy as the paper it was printed on. Who would explain this reality to me? Pag ghungroo baandh Meera naachi re! Log kahen Meera bhayi bawaree Nyat kahe kul naasi re! Meera ke prabhu giridhar nagar Hari charanan ki daasi re! 17 February 2014
Meera sang that plaint in the 16th century. Five hundred years later, it sums up the tripartite dilemma of mental illness today. Whose reality must we respect? Meera’s? Or her family’s? Or that of society? Meera is a different person in each reality. To society, she is an oddity and a nuisance. To her family, she is an embarrassment. But to Meera, she’s just herself. Anybody who ‘treats’ Meera has to address all three realities. If only her reality mattered, she wouldn’t need a psychiatrist at all. But she would remain the target of her family’s wrath and the crowd’s ridicule. And, in the 16th century that is exactly what Meera did. She stayed true to her own reality, and endured the rest. Posterity would eulogise her as a mystic and a saint. *** What would Meera do today? She would probably see a psychiatrist called in by her family. Whose reality should he address? It won’t do to let her be. He must protect her from her family’s ire and the crowd’s derision, even if he does not wish to engage with her reality. He tries his best to strike a balance between the three. The result, often, is very much like Sarita’s story. In the 16th century, Meera was lucky. Even if she hadn’t been of exalted birth, she would have been endured. Her father may have evicted her from his house, but the crowd would have left her unmolested. A vaid or hakim might have ventured a potion or two. A pujari or faqir might have attempted to exorcise her. That’s about it. Medieval India hadn’t yet woken up to the European treatment of insanity. Both Indian systems of medicine, which in the 16th century were complementary, had more compassionate measures of care for the disturbed mind. The dungeon, open www.openthemagazine.com 23
with ball, chain, shackles was meant for criminals, and insanity was never regarded a crime. But in Europe, lunacy was not endured. It had to be cured or suppressed. The history of mental health in Western medicine is curiously repetitive. The interludes of enquiry have been mostly philosophical excursions. For the rest, it is all coercion and restraint. Even as the submerged mind was being explored by Freud and his pupils, the asylums in Europe and America began exploring the brain as the seat of insanity. Three years ago, confronted with Hieronymus Bosch’s masterpiece The Cure of Folly at the Prado, I found it hard to believe it had been painted in 1480. It was so absolutely early 20th century. The neurosurgeon, so assured and intent in ‘extracting the stone of madness’ could have been António Egas Moniz lobotomising one of his early patients. It had come to that: cut out the brain and madness could be controlled, if not cured. Then, mid-century, chemistry took over. The moon was officially exonerated. Lunacy was chemical. Sanity was now a molecule. Since the introduction of the first antipsychotic drugs in the 1950s, psychiatry has undergone a paradigm shift. Madness is no longer the focus. Coping with it is. Ask most patients and they’ll tell you the shackles, the ball and chain, the dungeon—they’re all alive and present in that new strip of pills. A psychiatrist who agreed with them was Thomas Stephen Szasz. He considered the right to selfhood central to any treatment of mental illness. He dismissed psychiatry as a conspiracy with the State to control and homogenise human behaviour. His fascinating work had one consequence that might change Meera’s life today. The Advance Directive in the new Mental Health Bill introduces Szasz’s idea as necessary protection for Meera’s selfhood. To understand how that works, we have to go back three millennia. *** Reality TV, in Greece 3,000 years ago, was a blind man twanging his lyre in the agora. You could be on your way home with a basket of figs when his song stopped you in midstride. You stayed, rooted to the cobbles, the figs wilting in the strong Ionian summer. You were still there when the sun went down, still there by firelight, and there still by starlight in the long silence after the song was done. You would carry that song in you for the rest of your life. You were meant to do that, because the song was more than the hero’s story. It was your life. We’re still listening to that story. In fact, this bit of the story is something we’re now compelled to scrutinise. The speaker is Ulysses, and you’ll find the story in Book 12 of Homer’s Odyssey. 24 open
Then, being much troubled in mind, I said to my men, ‘My friends, I will tell you about the prophecies, so that whether we live or die we may do so with our eyes open. First we are to keep clear of the Sirens, who sing most beautifully; I might hear them myself so long as no one else did. Therefore, take me and bind me to the crosspiece half way up the mast; bind me as I stand upright, with a bond so fast that I cannot possibly break away. If I beg and pray you to set me free, then bind me more tightly still. When we reached the island of the two Sirens, I stopped the ears of all my men, and they bound me hands and feet to the mast; but they went on rowing themselves. The Sirens began with their singing. I longed to hear them further. I made by frowning to my men that they should set me free; but they quickened their stroke, bound me with still stronger bonds till we had got out of hearing of the Sirens’ voices. Then my men took the wax from their ears and unbound me. It is worthwhile reading that quote before considering the new Mental Health Care Bill, soon to be passed by Parliament. *** In this proposed amendment to the standing statute, the Mental Health Act of 1987, the central thought, the Advance Directive, is meant to protect Meera. It puts her in the place of Ulysses. She has been informed of her ‘condition’. The exact diagnosis is irrelevant, but she is mentally ill. Next, like Ulysses, she receives the prophecy: there will come a time when the illness gets the better of her, and robs her of free will. Therefore, like Ulysses, Meera is offered the opportunity now, while she is still strong of will, to decide on what she would like to do in that eventuality. Ulysses’ prophetess was Circe, a sorceress expert in magical potions and therapies. Circe was, in fact, just as qualified as Meera’s psychiatrists. Ulysses took Circe’s advice. It was an informed choice. He had seen Circe’s drugs turn his men into swine, but he had protected himself with an antidote. Besides, he had known Circe for a year. Meera might be less trusting. Her psychiatrist may tell her the therapies needed if her disease worsens are safe, but she might disagree. She might consider such therapies unsafe or even wrong. She may object to them on the basis that they might distort her sense of self. ‘That’s not me’ is a complete rejection, even when it is based on perception and not experience. So Meera may reject such therapies, and say that she will not want them used on her in any eventuality. If and when the disease has robbed her of free will, this decision of Meera will hold. Conversely, Meera might feel safer with the thought of those therapies awaiting her. She could say that if her disease worsens, she wants these used on her. If and when the disease has robbed her of free will, this decision of Meera will hold. 17 February 2014
The new Mental Health Care Bill gives the patient the right to state this ‘advance directive,’ called, in psychiatric parlance, the Ulysses contract. It is meant, as I said earlier, to protect Meera. But will it? *** The very idea has thrown up a flurry of protest from psychiatrists. They argue that it is premature and jejune. Their arguments are based on the practical realities of treating the mentally ill. These arguments are also influenced by indignation that the State should intervene between the patient and her doctor, as if she needed protection from her doctor, rather than from her disease. Perhaps, the fear is that such legislation presumes that psychiatry ignores the first Hippocratic rule all physicians swear by: Do no harm. How valid are their arguments? Is their indignation justified? Does the law really put doctor and patient on opposite sides of the fence?
Disease, and the knowledge of advancing disease, is deeply coercive. A decision made in the midst of suffering, or the dread of it, is one of expediency, not free will Before we consider that, here’s another question that’s moot: Is Meera’s situation comparable with that of Ulysses? Yes, both of them know of a possible danger. Both have been offered a solution. Ulysses had no other solution at hand. But has Meera? Not just at the present moment, but will she have options, say, ten or twenty years into the future? Again, Ulysses’ directive to his men was for one crisis. He did not expect to go through that repeatedly, and with increasing terror and danger. What about Meera? She may have a mental illness that emerges periodically. There are some illnesses that pop up at intervals. Others manifest when the patient forgets to take her usual medication, or as is common in our country, decides to skip it to cut costs. The cascade of events might be foreseeable, and Meera may have full knowledge of its escalation. 26 open
Will that knowledge be cruel on Meera? Will it panic her into a decision she might not otherwise consider? There is a lot of difference between knowledge and experience when it comes to suffering. That difference can be a manipulative tool. It is, after all, the core principle of torture. Disease, and the knowledge of advancing disease, is deeply coercive. Any decision made in the midst of suffering, or the dread of suffering, is one of expediency, not one of free will. Also, Ulysses could rely on his men. Whom can Meera rely on? Who will validate her wish? Again, Ulysses’ decision was absolute. He did not ask his men for opinion or advice. His decision was also immediate, as the crisis was imminent. Meera’s decisions can never be absolute. Whether she likes it or not, she is enmeshed in family and society, and therefore, she will have to consider their opinions and their advice. Her decision then will depend on how such advice conflicts with her own opinions and desires. It is a tough call to make. And, what the hell, Ulysses was just a guy in a myth. But Meera? She might be me. *** If you return to Homer’s epic, you’ll notice a simple human need: …so that whether we live or die, we might do so with our eyes open. To me this is the most poignant clause, the soul cry of suffering—show me the truth. It is a plea no doctor can ignore, least of all Meera’s psychiatrist. Rather than challenging the bond between patient and doctor, the Ulysses contract can be used by the intelligent psychiatrist to enhance communication. But Ulysses also empowers his men to go against his wishes during the crisis. How wise will it be for Meera to do that? Ulysses was quickly rowed past those Sirens. Meera may have to live out her years bound to the mast hearing the Sirens sing, while her family rows on, deaf and oblivious, consoling themselves that they have carried out the wishes Meera made twenty years ago. The Mental Health Bill has a safety net for all these doubts, but that’s just on paper. How will they translate in life? What if Meera chose an advance directive to undergo Therapy A in case of deterioration? Say that takes 20 years to happen. By this time Therapy A is considered barbaric, and a Therapy B is available at a certain cost. But Meera’s caregivers cannot, or will not, bear that cost, and use the document she signed to impose Therapy A on her? Has the advance directive worked to Meera’s advantage? The Bill has a provision that the directive can be over-turned if it is inimical to the patient’s well-being. True, but that’s supposing someone wants to overturn 17 February 2014
it. Chronic illnesses generally follow the path of least resistance. *** Remote decisions seldom relate to what a person may want in the actual crisis. Meera may have decided against electro-convulsive therapy in her directive a year ago. In a crisis, her inner feeling might be: Any hell is better than this one. But she may not be in a position to verbalise that. If her directive is implemented, will it increase her suffering? To ask someone what will you do when you’re in agony? is either plain stupid or pure rhetoric—which is usually the same thing. The only honest answer possible is: I won’t know till I get there. This answer is not necessarily valid in the other group of patients likely to be offered advance directives— patients who are terminally ill. Such illnesses can have only one outcome, and the patient can anticipate her end-of-life desires in a ‘living will.’ But Meera is not terminally ill. She expects to live productively, and happily, past the crisis. She must not have to pay through all the coming years for a decision she made in the past. So the decision in the crisis must be one that ensures the best outcome, not just in terms of relief, but also in terms of selfhood and quality of life. And who’s the best judge of that? Meera isn’t, not in a crisis. Usually, it is the psychiatrist who makes the decision. What if his decision is different from Meera’s? To disempower the psychiatrist in a crisis is not in the patient’s interest at all. And so the Bill has a proviso of committees and review boards and whatnot, but hello, this is a crisis! You can’t sit out a crisis in a committee. ‘Emergency,’ as noted in the Bill, to the best of my knowledge, relates to life-threatening episodes. Here the emergency may not be a threat to life, but it is an episode of great suffering. And suffering is all about speed, it’s got to be stopped now. We had a demonstration of how courts view medical crises in 2012 when the permission to terminate pregnancy was refused to a mother carrying an anencephalic foetus—a condition where the cerebral lobes and the cerebellum (with the overlying skull) fail to develop, making it incompatible with life. Many psychiatric crises are, for want of a better descriptive, bloody awful. Patients who speak about it in the aftermath are often at a loss for words: they just don’t want to go through it ever again. The mind, so hazy in its location, is all pervasive in anguish. Its suffering outstrips all bodily pain. If the psychiatrist is disempowered to address that anguish, who else can? 17 February 2014
The safety net of family and friends may be close enough to know Meera, but how informed are they about the therapy? Just as informed as the lawmakers. Good, but not good enough. This leaves only one other option, to call in a new set of psychiatrists to review the old one. These worthies, mysteriously above suspicion, may be complete strangers to Meera and her life. How are they likely to act in her best interest? *** Haven’t you ever looked back and wondered how you lived through some moments in your past? Haven’t you felt you couldn’t live through them again? I do, frequently. I know, for instance, I lack the madcap dare I had at twenty. I’m also cool about things that used to terrify me then. My decisions are informed differently now. Ten years on, they’ll be different again. And yet, my values and my dreams haven’t changed much since I was five. But what felt right at twenty feels simply ridiculous now. Why shouldn’t it, to Meera? Will the new Mental Health Care Bill make Meera’s life easier? I don’t think so. It’s too superficial in its understanding of Meera’s tripartite dilemma. Meera needs empathy to keep her life going, she needs nurture and respect. That can only come to her from log and nyat: other people and her own. The Advance Directive doesn’t take this nurturing into account. Instead, it might become an instrument of alienation. It could work as it is supposed to if we were like the West in two respects. First, if our society were structured to support an individual existence. It is not: in India, family is identity. Second, if Meera could claim with dignity the basic human rights of food, income, shelter: for she may be denied all these by her family. At present, even with the best of intentions, there is no way Meera can survive if she does not co-opt log and nyat. If I wanted to give Meera a fair deal, I’d go about it in a very different way. I would use the law to provide an infrastructure that offers her rights, freedom and safety. And that’s about it. That security will be enough for her to seek out and nurture a support system of friends and relations who understand her. Such understanding can only come if the infrastructure provides for a closer communication between psychiatrists and families. This will engender awareness, and, one hopes, prevent rejection, ridicule and hate. Science changes, therapies change. The only constant is compassion. Like trust, compassion cannot be enforced by the law. n Ishrat Syed and Kalpana Swaminathan are surgeons. They write together as Kalpish Ratna open www.openthemagazine.com 27
a x e e f f ec t
The Mindboggling Tax Cut A radical zero-tax proposal that was first mooted in interior Maharashtra is now a national point of debate Madhavankutty Pillai
O
nly death is certain; taxes can
still be eliminated. This is the subject of an interesting debate that India has been witnessing, of late, ever since some leaders of the BJP mooted the idea of replacing all direct and indirect taxes Indians pay with a single tax on every bank transaction. The germ of this radical suggestion goes back to the mid-90s, to the town of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. At an industrial estate there, Anil Bokil, a mechanical engineer running a precision manufacturing unit, began to notice that small vendors like fitters and turners were getting laid off or going out of business. This was the fallout of economic liberalisation and the competition it brought in. These men had skills, but no resources to get back on their feet. A group of over 80 such families found themselves bankrupt and Bokil stepped in to help them. Bokil realised quickly that one of the main obstacles was their lack of access to credit; without documentation or security, banks wouldn’t give them loans. He organised them into a cooperative called Tiny Industries and they successfully set up a unique business model. Their website explains it: ‘Today [Tiny Industries Co-op Industrial Estate] houses 50 units 28 open
with combined monthly revenue of Rs 80 lacs per month…What appears like one workshop is actually a cluster of interdependent machines. Each machine operator is also the owner of that machine. The job moves through the machines as per the operations required. In the larger picture, the job moves through various units within TINY in the same way. The customer does not have to go to multiple vendors and the TINY units get to share the job as well as the resources.’ Meanwhile, the experience had converted Bokil himself. He gave up his business and became a full-time social worker. He had had no interest in economics, but was suddenly curious about the economy. Why was capital scarce? How was it that only those who had capital got capital? Why did an economy have such anomalies? Such questions bothered him. After a few years of study and reflection, he arrived at a five-point solution to what he saw as fundamental problems of India’s economy. He wrote a Marathi paper on it and the first presentation he gave was to a group of close friends in Aurangabad. The next was at a forum in Nashik at the invitation of an economist who had heard of his ideas. Since then, Bokil’s life has revolved
around taking those ideas to people. “I have given more than 2000 presentations,” he says. As more people, especially professionals like engineers and chartered accountants, got interested in his ideas, it led to the formation of an organisation called Arthakranti Pratishthan to disseminate them. In the political establishment, a section of the BJP, which includes Nitin Gadkari and Subramanian Swamy, has shown particularly strong interest in turning the ideas into policy. Arthakranti, though, claims to be apolitical. “We have gone with this to leaders of every political party. We have no political inclinations. The idea was open to everyone. The BJP took it up,” says Bokil.
T
he ideas are now known as the
‘Arthakranti Proposal’ in popular parlance, and its five points of action are as follows: » India’s existing taxation system will be withdrawn completely. This means all direct and indirect taxes like Income Tax, Corporate Tax, Sales, Excise, VAT, etcetera, will cease to exist. The only exceptions are Customs and Import duties because they are needed to protect local trade. 17 February 2014
anirban ghosh
» The axed taxes will be replaced by a tax on all bank transactions, with the receiver having to pay. As an example, imagine its rate at 2 per cent. If someone gives you a cheque of Rs 100 and you deposit it in a bank, Rs 98 will be put into your account and Rs 2 will be deducted. This will be credited to different levels of government automatically. Of the Rs 2, 70 paise will go to the Centre, 60 paise to the state, and 35 paise to the local government within whose jurisdiction the bank account lies. The bank will also get 35 paise as an incentive to be part of the process. Arthakranti says all these rates and ratios are notional. The government of the day will decide them. » Cash transactions won’t be taxed. » High denomination currency notes of above Rs 50—that is, Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000—will be withdrawn. » Single cash transactions will be restricted to an upper limit. If it is fixed at say, Rs 2,000, then transactions above it can be made but will have no legal protection. So, if you buy a phone for Rs 7,000 in Rs 50 notes, then you can’t go to a consumer court if it’s damaged. You can buy a Rs 1 crore house with Rs 50 notes, but the government will not register it. These five points are it. They make up the proposal’s overhaul of India’s taxation system. It is so radical that many dismiss it. Some editorials have called it hare-brained, while one asked the BJP to move on to something serious. Arthakranti says that almost inevitably all those who deride them focus on bits and pieces, and the proposal only makes sense if it is considered in its entirety. “In debates, people are selectively picking one or two points, but we never speak in fragments. We say if all this happens, then it is going to work,” says Narendra Khot, a member of Arthakranti in Mumbai. To understand the proposal, they say you have to first understand why it was necessary. Bokil makes an interesting argument. He asks you to consider how individuals and institutions chalk out their budgets. They look at how much they earn and then decide on their expenses. But the Government does exactly the opposite. “First, there is the expenditure plan, and according to that plan, they chalk out a taxation or revenue plan. The Government can plan for any tax limit. 30 open
So hypothetically no government should be in a deficit. So how has India been in a state of deficit for decades?” he asks. “Something is wrong.” The problem, as he sees it, are leakages—both during tax collection and State expenditure (that is, black money and corrupt money, respectively). There exists a gigantic parallel economy which the Government simply can’t tax. While it is impossible to assess the size of this economy because it is underground, one of the slides in the Arthakranti presentation indicates how huge it could be. It takes the year 2010-11 as an example when the total currency in circulation was Rs 9.5 lakh crore while demand deposits (money held in banks) added up to Rs 7.2 lakh crore. India is among the few large countries in the world where demand deposits are less than the currency in circulation. “The global average [of demand deposits] is four to five times the currency in circula-
A Bank Transaction Tax is only part of the plan, says Arthakranti; drawing people to banks and boosting credit are the proposal’s other aims
tion,” says Khot, “In the UK, it is extraordinary. They have 17 times. Here in India, the ratio is less than 1. It means that a huge amount of money is actually circulating outside the banking system.” The sum of demand deposits and currency in circulation is what Indians use for day-to-day transactions. This is called ‘Narrow Money’, which for that year was Rs 9.5 + Rs 7.2 = Rs 16.7 lakh crore. The proposal, if implemented, hopes to make all that currency part of the banking system. This way, all Narrow Money can be taxed. “Considering a moderate assumption that 20 per cent of this Narrow Money moves only one transaction a day, you collect Rs 15.8 lakh crore for the Centre and State [that year],” he says. That is about Rs 4 lakh crore more than the Government’s total tax revenues of around Rs 11 lakh crore in 2010-11. Khot
says that these are conservative estimates; in reality, he believes, it will be much more. The first two points of the proposal— replacing of all taxes with the BTT—are to simplify the taxation system at a point where taxes can be collected easily: banks. The money collected can be passed on instantly to the Government. And since banks themselves get a share of it, they get abundant capital to lend. The other three points of the proposal are to push everyone into the banking system. The elimination of all currency notes above Rs 50 is essential to the plan so that large cash transactions are not possible anymore—for example, in buying a flat, it is standard practice to pay part of it in black, but it is really difficult to pay Rs 10-20 lakh in Rs 50 notes. Large denominations, goes the logic, facilitate black transactions. Taking away legal security for cash deals above Rs 2,000 (or some such threshold) will also ensure that all payments are routed through banks. This would turn India’s entire economy white. As for public acceptance, the argument goes that people would not mind a BTT of a low rate of 2 per cent or so. Also there is no effort required in paying it, even as the State makes more money than it does under the current system. The BTT also creates a trail for all transactions, and this would help catch criminals and terrorists. Banks, flush with cash, would be able to lend money to industry at lower rates—which would boost investment, economic growth and employment. This would create a virtuous circle. And bad money, which is what ails India, would become good.
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ot everyone is convinced. Most
economists have criticised the proposal. Ajit Ranade is one of them. The Mumbai-based economist recognises that India’s taxation system needs drastic reform, but doesn’t think BTT is the answer. For one, he says, most Indians don’t even have bank accounts. “How can we depend on the BTT when half the population don’t have bank accounts?” he asks. Also, he says, once the BTT is introduced, people will find ways to dodge it, and this might actually keep them from joining the banking system. 17 February 2014
The idea of a BTT also subverts the basic principles of taxation, Ranade adds. Taxes are usually designed to serve a social-leavening purpose by their progressive rates of application. That is, they apply at higher rates to the richer lot who are better able to pay them, at lower rates to the less well-off, and at zero-rates to the poor. Direct taxes paid by people, such as Income Tax, are designed that way. Even indirect taxes on sales of goods and services—which are levied because direct taxation is too inefficient to fill up State coffers—can be imposed heavier on the sale of products and services used mostly by the rich. The BTT, however, does not take the tax burden bearer’s financial status into account. “The BTT taxes inputs,” says Ranade, “which is like an indirect tax.” Only, it is clearly regressive, since the rich and poor alike must bear this tax at the same rate, and losing Rs 2 on every Rs 100 would pinch those who live handto-mouth far more than those who have disposable money. Apart from the poor, according to Ranade, exporters in particular will be harshly affected by BTT. “When you are exporting to global markets, you have a system of getting credits for the tax paid in the country,” he says, “The BTT system has no such provision for getting credit for exports. Our exporters can potentially be handicapped.” The economist believes the BTT’s biggest drawback is that it goes against the spirit of fiscal federalism, by which taxes should be collected at various appropriate levels of government—the Centre, state, municipality or panchayat. So, for example, property taxes are collected at the municipal level to provide services like local roads. “The BTT system is a national system,” says Ranade, “It completely takes away the rights of lower levels of government to tax local communities.” In the future, once everyone has a unique identity like Aadhaar and access to a bank account, and transactions are mostly electronic, Ranade can see India move towards something like the Arthakranti Proposal. “In the current situation,” he says, “it is a bit too radical.” He however welcomes the debate it has sparked. “One must compliment them for bringing this idea of tax reform and unconventional solutions to our mainstream debate. There are lots of profes17 February 2014
sionals working on the details, but there are some conceptual difficulties as well.” There are other criticisms too. In an Economic Times article titled ‘Arthakranti Doesn’t Work’, one of the points that the economist Bibek Debroy raises is that transaction taxes have failed in other countries. Sanjeev Sanyal, global strategist at Deutsche Bank, wrote in Business Standard that ‘most mainstream economists… feel that it is a simplistic and untested proposal that is bound to fail.’ Besides the usual arguments against it, he sees one more flaw. ‘The proposal does not account for the way corporations, individuals and other economic agents would change their behaviour in a BTT world. For instance, businesses would change their supply chains such that they internalise many activities rather than outsource them to external vendors. This would reduce the number of financial transactions.’ With e-money transactions enabled by the internet, a parallel eeconomy may spring up in the deep web that would be hard for the BTT to touch.
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fter Bokil first wrote the paper
in Marathi, someone bought it to Anil Paranjpe in Pune, requesting him to translate it into English. Paranjpe is a US-returned civil engineer who joined the software industry later. He had left his full-time job and was starting a consultancy and had time on his hands. He translated the paper and his interest was piqued. Like Bokil, he too now gives presentations on the proposal and has met a wide variety of politicians, economists and bankers over the past decade. Some years back, they decided to put these ideas in the language of economists. Paranjpe and another Arthakranti member spent two years poring over 2,000 plus papers related to banking and taxation. They then prepared a report on the proposal, with 70 of those papers cited as references. Paranjpe is emphatic that the proposal is not just a tax correction. “That is only one-third of the solution. The other third is to get people into banks. The remaining third is that once [this happens], banks should be in a position to give good credit to everybody. All three need to happen for the full benefits to be realised. Unfortunately, the topic got opened and
is being discussed as a pure tax reform. What you want to see is for healthy money to be available to everybody including the Government.” The premise of why it will work is that people are essentially honest. They avoid tax because it is complicated and irrational. Black money exists because people are forced to be dishonest—simplify it, and they will pay. If the proposal is implemented, it will mean a one-time amnesty for all black money so that it can be pushed into the white economy. Paranjpe says they have cogent responses to the objections raised by economists. For instance, to the argument that BTT is regressive because it levies a flat rate on the rich and poor, their counter argument is that a rich man’s 2 per cent is far greater in rupee terms than a poor man’s. Moreover, the poor would still be able to resort to cash transactions under Rs 2,000 (or so) that attract no tax. To the point that transaction taxes have failed elsewhere, Paranjpe says they were all add-on taxes, and thus added burdens. The Arthakranti BTT would be the only tax to be paid, and at a low rate too, and so no one will grudge it. Companies would welcome it because it eliminates the army of employees they have to maintain for tax compliance. Plus, there won’t be any harassment by tax officials. As a policy, argues Paranjpe, the BTT is eminently doable. “Has taxation been changed before? Hundreds of times. Tax rates reduced? Hundreds of times. Has currency compression been done? Hundreds of times. In India, it was done in 1978. In the US, the Nixon government removed US $1,000 and $10,000 bills [leaving $100 as the country’s highest currency denomination], forcing everyone to go through banks.” The Arthakranti Proposal clubs together several measures to make it consistent and logical, say its advocates. But it would require political courage. Even the BJP has not accepted the idea so far, with leaders like Arun Jaitley and Yashwant Sinha unconvinced of it. Arthakranti says that objections arise mainly from looking at the idea from the existing system’s point of view. The proposal, however, seeks to overhaul it completely and create a new framework. “Can we go there and think in that framework? You will find your answers,” says Khot. n open www.openthemagazine.com 31
india Pictures
awaiting the final journey An artist’s representation of a dakhma, or Zoroastrian funeral well, in India
rites
A Burning Question Mumbai’s Parsis find themselves divided over a crematorium for those who’d rather not opt for the traditional Towers of Silence Lhendup G Bhutia
W
hen Dinshaw Tamboly was
about eight years old, he attended a Parsi funeral for the first time. His grandfather had passed away and his body was taken to Doongerwadi, Mumbai’s Towers of Silence, as the community’s traditional funeral site is known. Tamboly remembers entering this lush green area in Malabar Hills with the funeral entourage for the first time, before the corpse-bearers took the body away to the dakhmas, or wells. He recalls looking at the sky and seeing a ring of vultures flying in gleeful anticipation. Someone told the young Tamboly, pointing at the vultures, “The
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body will be over in half an hour.” Once the flesh was consumed and the bones bleached by the sun, in accordance with tradition, the skeletal remains would be pushed into the well’s central pit. Back then, all this only took a few days. As the years went by, Tamboly says, he never gave much thought to this ancient tradition of disposing of the dead. In this day and age, the thought of feeding the lifeless remains of people to vultures might strike some as macabre, but to Tamboly, like other Parsis, it was their way. Sometime in the late 1990s, when Tamboly became a trustee of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP), the trust that governs Doongerwadi, he learnt that some people living nearby complained of a foul smell from the Towers. “They said they couldn’t bear to keep their windows open,” Tamboly recalls. As a trustee, Tamboly had been given charge of the upkeep of the area, a 54-acre patch of land on the eastern slope of uptown Malabar Hills that is often described as a mini-forest. Despite the rule that no one but corpse-bearers can visit the three wells where cadavers are left for vultures, Tamboly visited them to investigate the matter. “What I saw was horrible,” he says. “There were piles of hundreds of corpses in different stages of decomposition, rotting in the open. When I looked around, there was not a single vulture around,” he says. Asked, the corpse-bearers there told him that rather few vultures ever descended to the wells, leaving corpses uneaten for long periods of time. Other avian visitors such as crows and kites would sometimes fly off with and drop pieces of flesh on the terraces of nearby houses and balconies of buildings. Tamboly asked other trustees to visit the spot to impress upon them the need to find a solution. “But very soon,” he says, “all of us realised that the entire system had collapsed.” As information of rotting corpses became common knowledge, he realised that many Parsis were increasingly turning to cremation. In response, he urged other BPP trustees to build an electric crematorium within Doongerwadi, and if not, at least allow the families of those who had been cremated to pray for their souls in the community’s prayer halls. “But the high priests forbade any of that. They said
cremation was sacrilegious and couldn’t be permitted. Neither was a crematorium allowed nor the prayer halls opened to all,” he says. “They said the soul of the cremated would be lost forever.” The issue has created a deep rift within the community. Zoroastrian high priests have strictly forbidden cremation and burial, branding all those who choose or advocate these as ‘renegades’; fire and earth are holy under the tenets of the faith and are not to be defiled. Those who advise cremation, however, say the traditional method of disposal has failed, and so a pragmatic option is needed. They complain that the high priests have not only prohibited cremation, they have barred priests from performing funeral prayers for those who are cremated. According to Zoroastrianism, four days of prayers must be held after a family member dies. It is believed that this helps the soul reach and cross a mythical chinvat bridge that lies between the two worlds of the living and the dead. Since the high priests would not hear of cremations and the BPP was reluctant to allow them space, about two years ago, Tamboly and some like-minded Parsis started negotiating with Mumbai’s municipal authorities to let them build a prayer hall for cremated Parsis. Last year, Tamboly formed the Prayer Hall Trust, and a few weeks ago, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp allotted them space in a public crematorium complex in Worli to set up a prayer hall for all faiths. This hall is expected to cost about Rs 1.7 crore and will be ready in 15 months. The trust will employ priests to conduct prayers for those who opt for cremation. And while use of the hall will be open to all faiths, Parsis will be given preference at certain hours. The hall will also be open to those Parsis who marry outside the community and for their children, another contentious issue among Parsis, since the high priests do not consider children Zoroastrian unless both parents are by birth. “I don’t think the traditional-minded will be too happy,” says Tamboly.
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ndia once had one of the world’s larg-
est vulture populations. The country has one of the planet’s largest livestock open www.openthemagazine.com 33
populations; cattle slaughter is forbidden in most parts. For a long time, this helped the birds thrive. However, with the painkiller diclofenac being put to extensive use on cattle across the country, vultures began dying in huge numbers of poisoning. The drug, it was found, causes kidney failure among birds that feed on corpses treated with it. The veterinarian use of diclofenac has been banned in India but its use remains widespread. The BPP’s efforts to have doctors not prescribe the drug for Parsi patients, Tamboly says, was not successful either. With a drastic fall in India’s vulture population over the years, the Parsi community has been searching for solutions. At one point, the BPP approved a partherbal, part-chemical substance to hasten the decomposition of bodies. “The composition had to be poured into the orifices of the dead. It also led to sludge within the wells, where corpse-bearers often slipped,” recalls Tamboly, “It wasn’t pleasant at all and we had to stop it.” Later the BPP started using large solar reflectors to dehydrate bodies in the wells, a system which is still in use, before the remains are buried en masse within the area. Since each adult body takes at least about five days to dehydrate, concentrated mixtures of flowers are kept in a number of pots and ozone gas is frequently released to mask the stench. Efforts to retain the classic funeral tradition have seen other forms of innovation, too. The BPP once flew down an expert in birds of prey from the UK, Jemina Perry-Jones, to help establish an aviary for vultures in the Doongerwadi area. The plan was scrapped because the BPP felt the expense of such a project would be too high. Some years ago, the captive-vulture plan was revived and help sought from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) to set up an aviary within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park on the outskirts of the city (and a ‘satellite’ aviary within Doongerwadi). Under the plan, by January 2014, vultures were supposed to be at full strength again, leaving no flesh on corpses placed in the wells. While Homi Khusrokhan, director of the BNHS, claims that the Society is still in talks with the BPP over the project, Muncherji Cama, a BPP trustee, says the idea has been shelved for the time being. 34 open
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arsis who advocate alternate methods of disposing of the dead claim that Zoroastrian high priests ostracise and look down upon them for their beliefs. In 2009, the BPP, supported by the high priests—in a move construed by reformists as an attempt to warn them— banned two reformist priests from entering not just Doongerwadi, but also fire temples. High priests have been held in high esteem down the centuries since Parsis migrated to India’s West coast from Persia. They are involved in such rites of passage as Navjote initiation and marriage ceremonies. Those among the priests who have been welcoming non-Parsis into the community fold—say, by allowing children of mixed couples Navjote ceremonies—and performing prayers for the buried and cremated have been shunned by the traditionalists. Reformist priests,
Zoroastrian high priests have forbidden cremation and burial, branding those who choose or advocate these as renegades, fire and earth being holy under the tenets of their faith
cast out for their alleged sacrilege, took the matter to the High Court, which ruled in their favour, but the BPP has appealed to the Supreme Court. The apex court has appointed a mediator between the two parties but no breakthrough has been achieved yet. The two parties refuse to speak on the matter since the case is still in court. While well-to-do Parsis rarely have difficulty employing priests to perform prayers for their dead, regardless of the method of disposal, the less affluent are in no position to rub the high priests the wrong way. “Many Parsis are willing to go against current beliefs and opt for cremation,” says Homi Dalal, a 69-yearold activist, “But they do not want to risk not having the final prayers done.” Now with a prayer hall that is open even to those cremated, he says, more Parsis will opt for cremation. According to
Tamboly, around 750-800 bodies are brought every year to Doogerwadi. In comparison, some four or five choose cremation. According to a December 2013 survey by Parsiana, a community newspaper, 28 per cent of all respondents said they wanted to be cremated over the traditional method. Dastur Mirza, a Zoroastrian high priest, is furious about that prayer hall. “These people, the priests who work with them, they are all renegades,” he says over the phone, “Have they studied Zoroastrianism? Who are they to start a prayer hall?” With that, he disconnects the call in anger, only to call back later, asking me not to malign the community. Meanwhile, the BPP’s Cama reckons that the current system is efficient enough, if not perfect. “Yes, there are no vultures. But Zoroastrianism never [places emphasis] on those birds, but the sun. And with the help of solar panels, it is working well enough.”
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n 2006, a Parsi woman named Dhan
Baria sneaked into Doongerwadi along with a photographer she refuses to name. A few months earlier, after her mother’s death, her body had been taken there. When she inquired a few days later, a corpse-bearer apparently told her about how bodies end up rotting in the open. The duo—Baria and the photographer— took 108 pictures of corpses rotting in the wells. According to her, she approached the BPP with these pictures, asking them to set up a crematorium or burial space within Doongerwadi. When they refused, she distributed the pictures within the community. The photographs stunned Parsis across the world. Dalal remembers how his wife, who had often rebuked him for his ‘reformist’ views, declared in response that she preferred to be cremated instead. Baria claims that the BPP tried to ignore the outrage by questioning her faith and calling the pictures fake. Since then, Baria has set up the Nargisbanu Darabsha Baria Foundation, named after her mother, to help underprivileged children and HIV patients. “But even after all these years,” she says, “I can’t help but think when I took those pictures [that] my mother’s body was probably lying in that pile of rotting corpses.” n 17 February 2014
CO M P E T E N C E
School for Politicians
A civic leadership incubator programme in Bangalore attempts to teach future political leaders skills of governance. Priyanka Pulla attends a session to find out what it takes to educate a politician
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n a tube-lit classroom filled to burst-
ing point with about 66 adults across age groups, Mukul Asher, professor of public policy at National University of Singapore is explaining the idea of hidden taxes—taxes citizens pay because of the government’s inefficiency or shortsightedness. He argues that bribes paid to government employees are a tax; they are, after all, a payment made to a person who represents the government and are, more or less, compulsory. “Lower income groups are extremely highly taxed,” he says, “but the money they pay doesn’t go into government coffers.” When he throws the floor open to questions, there are several. Predictably, in keeping with the zeitgeist, there is a question about the Aam Aadmi Party. A student asks if AAP can afford to give away free water and subsidised power to the residents of Delhi. Asher’s response is a question. “In the 21st century, what is going to be the commodity that will be the scarcest?” he asks. There is a murmur of responses, then someone gives the right answer: water. “If something is very scarce, would you price it at zero?” Asher then explains that although a free-water policy may appear to benefit households at the outset, it would eventually hurt them. As water becomes scarcer, the cost of supplying it will increase. Therefore the only way the Delhi
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government can afford to give its citizens water free is by finding an alternative source of revenue—it can either take money away from other infrastructure projects, or raise water prices for commercial establishments. The first idea is obviously a nonstarter. And if the government opts for the second, it would increase the cost of doing business in Delhi, forcing commercial establishments to move to other cities. Such an exodus would come back to hurt
An analysis of the Aam Aadmi Party’s free-water policy makes clear to students in the classroom that public policies cannot be viewed in isolation households, because they are customers and employees of these businesses. Further, Asher argues, at zero price, no one would invest in increasing the water supply to Delhi. Also, when something is given away free, there is no incentive not to waste it. Users tend to become profligate. “Look at Punjab,” Asher says, “A huge amount of water is used in farms because water is free.” This analysis of AAP’s free-water poli-
cy makes one thing clear to all students in the classroom—public policies cannot be viewed in isolation. They trigger a complex web of consequences, all of which need to be considered by the legislators who make them. A policy cannot be made by grandstanding and playing to the crowd; it requires painstaking, hardnosed analysis, with inputs from economists, urban planners and other professionals. As Asher tells the class, “It doesn’t create headlines.” The lesson is a crucial one for the students, all of whom are attending a Civic Leadership Incubator Program (BCLIP), created by the Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC) in partnership with the public policy think-tank Takshashila Institution. The programme aims to groom candidates for corporator positions in Bangalore’s 2015 municipal elections. As many as 62 per cent of the students come from political parties, and most of them intend to stand for elections. The rest do not have any experience in politics, but are here because they have a strong desire to improve governance and have already begun doing what they can. The idea of BCLIP was first floated by TV Mohandas Pai, previously a member of the Board of Directors at Infosys and a member of the BPAC. BCLIP was to be an answer to the obvious lack of administraopen www.openthemagazine.com 35
BPAC
back to the blackboard Professor Mukul Asher conducts a session on municipal finance management as part of the Bangalore Civic Leadership Incubation Programme
tive skills among Indian politicians. “Bangalore is performing under its capabilities, economically and on other dimensions, primarily because the government is not playing an enabling role,” says Sridhar Pabbisetty, a member of the BPAC. Pabbisetty who was previously chief operating officer at Bangalore’s Centre for Public Policy, contested the 2013 Karnataka Assembly elections from the Hebbal constituency. The syllabus for BCLIP is eclectic. On one hand, students learn the basics of economics, finance and urban planning so that they can be efficient administrators. On the other, they learn strategies to break into Indian politics and contest against strongly entrenched, dynastic political candidates with deep pockets.
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n a Saturday morning, the day after the session on hidden taxes, the lesson gets even more technical. The 36 open
60-odd students, who come from a wide range of educational and cultural backgrounds, are now grappling with the nuances of accounting. Asher is explaining to them the crucial difference between cash-based accounting and accrual-based accounting. It turns out that most government organisations in India, whether the Indian Railways or the Bangalore Municipal Corporation, still follow the problematic method of cash-based accounting. This means that these organisations have no idea what their assets are, because cashbased accounting does not allow for the preparation of a balance sheet. The problem with such an information gap is that these assets can be potential money-spinners for these organisations. “At the ward level, it is particularly important to know what assets one has,” says Asher. For example, a city like Bangalore could ask commercial establishments to set up shops over bus sta-
tions and earn much-needed revenue from this. Or it could put up eco-friendly lights and generate revenue under the Kyoto Protocol. “All well managed cities do this. And poorly managed cities don’t,” says Asher, talking about such small-scale but effective interventions to improve urban governance. In all, BCLIP is a nine-month course, the first three of which consist of classroom sessions from public policy experts such as Mukul Asher, bureaucrats like retired additional chief secretary to Government of Karnataka K Jairaj, and politicans such as Pabbisetty. Most political leaders who will address students have a strong record of trying to shape public policy. For example, Ashwin Mahesh, a climate-scientist who contested the Karnataka Legislative Assembly polls in 2013, is involved in several urban-development projects for traffic management, lake development, etcetera. Rajeev 17 February 2014
Gowda, a professor of economics at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, and a Congress spokesperson in Karnataka, has helped kick-start a string on civic initiatives such as Bangalore Needs You. But politics cannot be taught in the classroom alone. So, as part of the programme, students have had to walk through their respective municipal wards, meeting residents and officials in charge of public services. Next, they have surveyed the status of these services— roads, water, drainage, garbage management and electricity—to find the biggest pain points. By the end of the first three months, each student must develop a ward action plan to solve these problems. Those with feasible ward action plans will receive Rs 60,000 each from the BPAC to implement them. “It is a very intense endeavour. The budget of it is about a crore, because we want to train 100 people,” says Pabbisetty. A crucial part of the training also involves strategies for campaigning against established political parties. One such strategy is what Pabbisetty calls a ‘guerilla campaign’—a low-cost, unconventional drive to connect with voters, which can give traditional large-scale campaigns a run for their money. “What did AAP manage in Delhi? It was a guerilla campaign. We have a whole range of interventions like this. This is to say politics is out there and not necessarily how your party is imagining it today,” he explains. In 2013, when Pabbisetty contested the Karnataka Assembly polls from Hebbal he managed to snatch away about 5.5 per cent of the votes after a 37day campaign. By spending about Rs 5 lakh, Pabbisetty says he received more votes that the Karnataka Janata Paksha candidate in Hebbal, who had about 200 people walking behind him every day for almost 20 days. “It is about communicating the right issues and touching the voter where [his/her] pain point is.”
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few weeks after the session
with Asher, students receive a lesson on how important good planning is for infrastructure projects. They are on a field trip to the construction site of Bangalore’s CNR Rao underpass. This
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project, which was sanctioned in 2008 to ease traffic congestion, was scheduled for completion in ten months. Today, five years down the line, it is still incomplete. Students learn that things went wrong at the planning stage itself. Planners did not take into account the fact that several public utilities, such as optical fibre cables for internet connectivity to the neighbouring Indian Institute of Science, lay under the construction site. Plus, land had to be acquired from neighbouring institutions, and this wasn’t foreseen by the planners either. Even without all these problems, there were genuine engineering challenges to be surmounted—the CNR Rao underpass is the first of its kind in Bangalore, because it does not have a central beam supporting its broad archway. To tie together the interests of so many stakeholders while solving unprecedent-
The idea is to make politics an attractive option for young and competent people again, says Sridhar Pabbisetty of the Bangalore Political Action Committee ed engineering problems takes political imagination, says Pavan Srinath, a policy researcher from Takshashila Institution and a BCLIP instructor. “It is the task of a politician to provide the right incentives to each of them and pursue the larger public purpose. Our aim is to teach students to think in terms of interests and incentives.” The course has been an eye-opener for the motley mix attending it. Manjesh Jalahalli Cheluvamurthy, a 35-year-old resident of Vidyaranyapura in Bangalore and a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, is one of them. Manjesh, who is an electronics engineer by profession, is bothered by the sharp contrast between the infrastructure and quality of life in India and in developed countries he’s had a chance to visit. “I want to see the infrastructure improve in our city, because that is the first question I get asked whenever I travel to Taiwan or elsewhere. So, I asked myself: can I bring
about some change?” BCLIP has given him an opportunity to tackle this problem systematically. “The syllabus has been outstanding,” he says. As part of the ward walkthrough exercise, he has identified road connectivity as the biggest problem in his ward. “I am working on understanding why we are not able to widen these roads. It is mainly a lack of will and lack of dialogue between elected representatives. Also, there is the issue of who gets credit for the work,” he explains. Manjesh is hoping to run for the 2015 elections as a BJP candidate, but if that doesn’t work out, “I will look at other party options,” he says. Fifty-nine-year-old Gayathri Sen’s ambitions were far less political when she joined BCLIP. “When I went for the interview, I had no intention of standing for elections,” she says. “I thought [that] by getting training from here, I [would] be able to do some type of social work.” Gayathri comes from a family of academics and is herself in charge of libraries at PES Institute of Technology in Bangalore. “Coming from an academic background, we always feel that we should keep away from politics; that it isn’t clean,” she says. But her involvement in civic issues slowly changed her mind. She has been fighting a case, together with other neighbourhood residents, against a neighbour who was attempting an illegal construction.Apart from this, she also works with an NGO that digitises books for blind people. “I have realised in the past few years that unless you get into the system, you cannot change it,” she says. When I ask Pabbisetty how much of a difference such training can make to politics, considering that most governance failures seem to occur not because of a lack of training but of integrity, he says this is only one of several interventions. “But if we don’t even try this, we will lose the opportunity to make any change through this process.” According to him, the idea is to make politics an attractive career option for young and competent people. “You and I should equally aspire to be politicians. If we let go of that, we will be governed by inferiors. There is nothing wrong with being governed by inferiors,” he says, “just that we will be governed inferiorly.” n open www.openthemagazine.com 37
f i r st p e r s o n
second to silk Shakeela was at one time paid more than the leading ladies of regular South Indian cinema
arshad batheri
A Soft Porn Star’s Life
Extracts from the autobiography of Shakeela, South India’s celebrity soft-porn star who wouldn’t go completely nude
To understand how popular Shakeela is down South, you have to read the three-yearold autobiography of Surayya Bhanu. Bhanu, a Chennai-born Commerce graduate, had developed a passion for cinema since childhood. She ended up on the margins of the Tamil film industry as a body double for porn stars unwilling to go completely nude. Like Shakeela. Bhanu filled those ‘gaps’. She exposed her nude body in bedroom and bathroom scenes in almost all Shakeela films. In the book, Bhanu talks about the South Indian porn market’s crush on plump women: Shakeela’s body type. Bhanu was slim when she began her career. Later, on realising the popular demand for well-endowed curves and heavy thighs, she put on weight and shaped herself to ‘industry standards’. It gave her the chance to play Shakeela’s double. Recently, Shakeela put out her own autobiography in Malayalam. Published by Olive Publications and titled Shakeela: Autobiography, its cover line says, ‘I am not guilty but I am sad’. In the book, she talks about exploitation by her family right from childhood and her experience of sexual abuse by male teachers. That pattern changed little after she entered the world of cinema. To Shakeela, acting is a thankless job, as miserable as real life. Extracts from her autobiography:
W
hy should I write my autobi-
ography? Is there anything to learn from me? I said ‘no’ to the publisher who approached me with the idea of a book on my life. I am not Mother Teresa. Mine is an artificial life and so are the films I acted in. Then why do I write such a book? This was the initial thought I had. Later I changed my mind. I am a woman like any other; who wanted to love and be loved and to live a happy and peaceful life. No one knows what I am and what I went through. No one knows how my name has become a synonym for erotic desire. I decided to write this book on myself because people should know how a Shakeela is formed and shaped.
17 February 2014
During an interview, a journalist once told me that I was the woman who embodied the sexual desire of Malayalee youth. When somebody is hungry, we have to give them food. Nothing else will make them happy. My cinema was nothing but the erotic display of my body. No one might have seen the woman in me and the actress in me. There was a time when I used to get remuneration that was much higher than leading actresses. I was flying from one location to another. I worked in films day and night, and there was a time when I hardly got a few hours
I saw that Silk Smitha was a very kind human being... She amazed me with her humility, dedication to work and punctuality to sleep. On several occasions, I fell asleep during bedroom scenes. People watching the movie would never have known that my eyes were closed because I could not control my sleep. They might have thought that I was performing an orgasm on screen. For everyone, I was nothing more than an erotic body. Nobody cared about exploring the actress in me.
M
y entry to this career was through
a film in which Silk Smitha played the leading role. She was an ever inspiring presence to me. I have never met any other actress as charming as Smitha. The beauty of her body was transcended by her deep black eyes. Play Girls was a sex education movie in which I acted the role of Smitha’s sister. It was directed by RD Shekhar and produced by Umashankar, a make-up man with whom I had an acquaintance. Umashankar had promised me a good role in the film, and asked me to go to AVM Studio to meet the director. It was
like a dream come true. There was hardly any screen test. The director looked at me, asked me a few questions and told me to get ready for the shoot next day. Later, I was told by Umashankar that the role that I had to do was that of Silk Smitha’s sister. I could not believe it. I could not sleep that night. I was deeply confused. Do I really deserve this? Am I eligible to act with an actress of her heights? I reached the studio in the morning, next day. I was asked to change my costume. I was given a mini skirt and a pair of stockings. I did not like that costume. I was not feeling comfortable, but I did not want to object as it was the moment of a long cherished dream coming true. It was a pleasant surprise that my first shot was with Smitha. When she comes out of her room, I have to give her a cup of tea and tell her ‘Sister, please have a cup of tea’. Then Smitha would slap my face. The shot was ready and the camera was on. I gave her the tea, and rendered the dialogue politely. As scripted, she slapped me. It was a real heavy slap. I was numb with shock. It was extremely painful. I could not control my tears. That was the only shot taken that day. I was crying and wanted to go back home. Smitha came and tried to hug me. She apologised and told me she had done it for the perfection of the shot. I couldn’t accept her explanation. I thought she did it only because she was a star and I was a beginner. Later, I changed my mind when I saw that Smitha was a very kind human being. The next day she took me to her house for lunch. She amazed me with her humility, dedication to work and punctuality. The news of her suicide was one of the saddest moments in my life. I don’t know what might have prompted her to do it. It remains a mystery.
I
have no good memories of my mother. I never experienced love and care from her. It was my mother who spoiled open www.openthemagazine.com 39
southern siren Shakeela in the Kannada film Paatargithi. She has acted in Malayalee, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Punjabi films
my life. I think my mother did not like me since my childhood. She often ignored me and cursed me. But one day, she appreciated my beauty. This was soon after my sixteenth birthday. Then she informed me that a person would come to pick me up. She asked me to go with him to a place where I have to ‘please’ a rich man who would help rid us of our financial constraints. She asked me to obey him, and do whatever he wanted me to do. I was shocked. I was grown up enough to understand what she was asking for. A stranger came to pick me up, I had no choice. I accompanied him. We reached a hotel room. That ‘rich man’, who was in his forties, was waiting there. I was frozen with fear and sorrow. He undressed me, and raped me. But he could not penetrate me due to my resistance. It was only a beginning. I was forced to sleep with many such ‘rich men’ thereafter. I experienced both pain and pleasure. I am not able to recollect when I lost my virginity.
I
f I want anyone to read this book several times, it is my elder sister Noorjahan. She is the person responsible for my going bankrupt. There was a period when I was the highest paid actress 40 open
in the South Indian film industry, but all my money has been stolen by my sister. She was managing my accounts, and I trusted her completely. I did not expect her to cheat me because she had looked after me since my early childhood. It was too late by the time I realised that I had been cheated. At one point in my life I was fed up with the busy routine of cinema. The life of flying from locations to locations made me dull and unhappy.
We are not doing it in a private place. How is it possible to enjoy sex when you are watched by the whole crew? I wanted to take a break. I informed my mother and Noorjahan that I wanted to get married and have a peaceful family life. Both of them were shocked. They looked at me as if I had done a crime. After a few minutes, Noorjahan started advising me not to take such a foolish decision. I realised that they loved only my money, and had no concern for my future. I was furious. I told Noorjahan that I want all my money back. To my shock, she
said that all the money had been spent on the family.
I
prefer the company of women to
men while drinking alcohol. Men would make sexual advances after a few drinks. They think that I give them company because I want to sleep with them. Poor men! They lack imagination. Their only motivating factor is sex. I have more freedom with women. I can hug and dance with them. If I do the same with men, they would force me to have sex with them.
‘H
ave you been really turned on
while enacting intimate physical encounters?’ This is a question I have often been asked. We are not doing it in a private place. How is it possible to enjoy sex when you are watched by the whole crew? Sex is not a mere physical act as far as a woman is concerned. If there is no emotional bonding, it is difficult to enjoy sex. Whatever I did was nothing but acting. I had never had arousal during a performance. n Translated from Malayalam by Shahina KK 17 February 2014
multiply your money W
ith a bewildering array of products and packages on offer, we might be tempted to simply retreat to the comfort of financial instruments and strategies of the past years. All you need to ask is: how best can my money fulfill my specific requirements? Take time out to map out your current finances against future finances. Look five, ten or even twenty years ahead. Your current needs can be provided for by future earnings, and future contingencies can be covered by tiny fractions of current income. Obtain clarity on what you need now, but can pay for later; and what future circumstances can you prepare for right-away. And, the financial instruments best engineered for you become evident. Invest in productive assets; look at what can be delivered annually without having to sell it off. To be a long-term equity investor, for example, what you need is information on three counts: a company’s broad prospects, what an attractive price for its stock is, and what dividends you can expect. For the first of these, you have to keep yourself aware of how a company is performing in its field of business. For price, see what it costs on the stock-market as a multiple of its earnings-pershare: the price-earnings or P/E ratio. The lower the ratio, the cheaper the stock. For the third, look out for the company’s dividend yield; the higher, the better. So long as the company is growing and the economy is faring well, this formula can serve
Av e n u e s
you well on a ten- or 20-year horizon. Picking your own stocks is a risky enterprise. It is advisable to hold about half your retirement funds in debt instruments. Here, you only need to check that your rate of return is higher than inflation over this period. India being a capitalhungry economy, there are many bonds available that deliver decent returns. There is also the option of letting financial experts do your investment job for you. Mutual funds, if taken for the long-term, can deliver reasonable returns without your having to worry about the finer details. Before you commit your money, check the past few years’ performance of the fund in question. After that, keeping track of it is a must, though shortterm fluctuations in net-asset-value should not be a reason to switch funds. The needs of general investors are also met by several other i n v e s t m e n t schemes. Insurance companies have put together a wide assortment of retirement and other growth plans to suit a variety of risk-return profiles. These are mostly lock-in investments that you cannot switch out of very easily, so research the insurer and the scheme diligently before you invest your money. The key is to have a variety of baskets for your nest egg, plan your investments with a proper timeframe and never over invest in anything.
The Pride of Karnataka K
arnataka Bank, completing 90 years on 18th February 2014, has 562 branches and 612 ATMS in 20 states and 2 Union Territories with a dedicated team of over 6,800 employees ably taking care of over 1.32 lakh shareholders and over 77 lakh clients. Since 2000, its Core Banking Solution provides ‘Anywhere’, ‘Anytime’, ‘24x7’ banking services along with Internet Banking, Mobile Banking, Point of Sales, Debit Cards, MBB SB & Current accounts to its customers. It is a JV partner with Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Limited and the corporate agent for PNB MetLife for life insurance. It has tied up with Times of Money for online money transfer ‘Remit2 India’ to NRIs, and an MoU with Reliance Capital, for co-financing MSMEs. KPMG Advisory Services is implementing ‘Project Tejas’ for high growth with superior quality. On December 2013, Karnataka Bank had a turnover Rs 65,688 crore with deposits of Rs 38,683 crore and advances of Rs 27,005 crore. The net profit for the 9 month period ended 31st December 2013
was Rs 229,82 crore. The CRAR stood at 13.01% and the bank paid 40% dividend for 2012-13. The awards for the current fiscal are IDRBT Banking Technology Excellence Awards (Small Banks) under the Best Bank Award for Managing IT risks and Best Bank Award (IT for business innovation). Sunday Standard FINWIZ 2013 Best Bankers Awards under Best Bank for Customer Friendliness (Midsized Banks); Best Bank for Customer Orientation (Private Sector Banks); Best Bank for HR Practices (Private Sector Banks) and Runner-up, ASSOCHAM Social Banking Excellence Award for 2012 (private sector banks). The latest being the IBA Banking Technology Award for Customer Management Initiative for 2012-2013 (2nd Runner Up). “These awards demonstrate Karnataka Bank’s customer centric initiatives aimed at offering state-of-the-art technology based products to suit the changing requirements of customers and to enhance the levels of customer service and satisfaction,” says Mr P. Jayarama Bhat, MD & CEO. n
Growth Through Trust C
anara Bank was founded by Shri Ammembal Subba Rao Pai, a great visionary and philanthropist, in July 1906, at Mangalore. Post nationalisation in 1969, Canara Bank’s growth was phenomenal, especially in terms of geographical reach and clientele segments. It has an unbroken record of profits and as of 31st December 2013, its global business was Rs.6.97 lakh crore. During 2013-14, it opened 866 branches pan India and the tally of branches stands at 4,594 including 5 overseas branches. The bank has opened 1,441 ATMs during the year, expanding the network to 4,967. It has set up e-lounges across 71 branches with hi-tech banking facilities like ATMs, Cash/ Cheque Acceptor, Passbook printing kiosks, internet banking, online trading and telebanking. As part of its innovative and customer friendly measures, several new products under ‘retail’ and ‘MSME’ advances have been introduced, with an online loan
application and tracking system for retail/ MSME/ Agri loans. It has also introduced online submission of applications for opening SB Accounts and value additions under internet banking, mobile banking and online trading. It has nine subsidiaries/sponsored institutions/joint ventures in diversified areas of housing finance, asset management, and venture capital, mutual funds, insurance and software consultancy. The Bank has taken many CSR initiatives like promoting rural development, enhancing rural self-employment through training institutes, etc. Promoting an inclusive growth strategy is deeply rooted in the bank’s founding principles. By pursuing global benchmarks in profitability, operational efficiency, asset quality, risk management and reach, it is all set to become India’s ‘Preferred Bank’. Accordingly, BCG will help rejuvenate the bank by focusing on energizing branches, customer service, increasing sales from branches, growing a robust asset base and revamping the operating model. n
true life
The India Art Fair: Bigger, Better, Stronger, More
46
Perumal Murugan and One Part Woman How I Write: Vikram Chandra
Books
The Girl in the Well of Death
44 64
ritesh uttamchandani
well of death 20-year-old Pooja Rathod routinely risks her neck performing circus stunts—all for her independence 44
true life
That Girl in the Well of Death Twenty-year-old biker stuntwoman Pooja Rathod talks about riding on a wall and risking her neck for her independence
D
on’t try to be too smart.
That’s the only trick. Keep your pace, concentrate, and by God’s grace, it will be smooth sailing. Once your motorbike has attained the right momentum, you are free to lie back on the seat. Or, take your hands off the handle. Or, salute the audience. When you're a girl, even if you complete two rounds, it’s good enough. After those 10 minutes performing, you are on your own. Just make sure you maintain your balance. They don’t call this a maut ka kuan ('well of death') for nothing. I was 15 when I joined the mela, first
as a dancer, then as a stuntwoman performing in the ‘well of death’. Some people come to work in this well just for kicks. I came just so I could get away from my mother, and her insistence that I get married. I have been providing for my family for about 13 years now. My father passed away when I was seven years old, leaving behind my mum, my twoyear-old brother, and me. I started as a part-time worker before and after school. I woke up at 7 am, and went to work at a steel factory. At times, I moonlighted as service staff at weddings. I dropped out of school after the
ritesh uttamchandani
The action usually starts in the evening. Around 5 pm, Pooja retires to the tent to put on make-up—to line her eyes with kaajal and apply a coat of bright pink lip-gloss to go with her pink-rimmed glasses. She takes her place on top of the platform, ready to plunge into the 'well of death', a carnival sideshow where bikers and car drivers drive along the curved inside walls of a barrel-like structure—like a well. Before the show, it looks like a lit up fortress. The men start revving their bikes, from which silencers have been removed, creating a deafening racket. It works every time; a crowd gathers, asking when the show begins. There is only one answer: “10 minutes”.
riding death Pooja Rathod performs a stunt on a car inside the 'well of death'
fifth standard. That’s when I learnt diamond polishing. For five years, I made a decent living earning about Rs 12,000 per month. But sitting bent over the machine for 12 hours, with a boss who makes sure you get up only for bathroom breaks, took a toll on my back. A distant relative asked me if I would like to be in a song-and-dance routine in a carnival. By then, my mother’s marriage appeals were getting increasingly shrill. They offered me a monthly pay of Rs 15,000. I grabbed it. In a carnival, there is no certainty about anything, not even your next meal. I have often gone days with only endless cups of chai. People have to go without a bath for 10 days straight; I always carry deodorant. I have travelled all over Gujarat, and sometimes around Mumbai doing around 3035 shows like I did last year. After the first one-and-a-half months of stage shows, Seema didi, the manager of our troupe, took me to the well. They were looking for a girl to liven up the show. When people see a girl on stage, they walk straight in. In our meeting, I spotted a bike and asked if I could ride it. I was already familiar with it, having ridden one on the highway back home. There was a time I used to get scared at the very sight of the ‘well of death’. Now I was riding round and round inside one, perfectly comfortably. Those who saw me said, “This girl needs to be here. She will pick it up quickly.” When I joined these artistes, they had only trained me to perform as a co-passenger in a car. Whenever I brought up my desire of being a biker stuntwoman, they waved me off: ‘What if you fall and die?’ The men around here have to prove their dedication to learn these skills. In all my odd jobs, I picked up the needed skills quickly. I studied only till the fifth standard but I taught myself English from what I heard around me. Now, I can send an SMS in English. Just the same way, I can ride a bike at a height of two stories without having had a guru. I had cried and fought, but the bikers refused. If not for 17 February 2014
Zakirbhai, the owner of the well who ordered the other bikers to allow me to use their motorcycles, I wouldn’t have been where I am. It took me about six months to learn to climb only the selembo, the steep incline before the walls get vertical. After that, for the next 18 months, I performed all the stunts easily. Three years ago, at my first show at the Mahim Dargah fair, the back tyre of my
Three years ago, at my f irst show at the
Mahim Dargah fair, the back tyre of my motorbike got punctured
and I crashed and went down... within seconds, my right side hit the beach sand. The bike landed on top of me. The audience
started cheering motorbike got punctured and I crashed and went down. Often, people ask me if what we do is nazarbandi (illusion). I tell them it’s not, but then we do carry out incredible feats. That December day, there were only 3-4 people watching the show and I was the only one performing. After the accident, within seconds, my right side hit the beach sand. The bike landed on top of me. The au-
dience started cheering. It was the first thing they had seen that they could believe. But the show wasn’t over yet. So I tried getting up to salute the audience when a searing pain shot through my right leg. The jeans had torn open where I had fallen and a large part of my torso was bruised. Nothing strikes home as the sight of blood, and the people, on seeing my condition, started calling for help. It was a drop of 20 feet. I felt fine, but the riders made me lie down and called for a doctor. That’s when I got scared. The one thing I was terrified about was that I might just be rendered incapable of performing again. The next day, I took the bike, did another two rounds of the well and made sure the fall hadn’t made me forget what I had so painstakingly learnt all those months. Thankfully, it was a minor fracture. I went back home after everyone insisted I should. After three-and-a-half months, I was back to performing. My fall has since then become my claim to fame. Yesterday, a policeman at the adjoining chowki asked me, “You’re back? Aren’t you the one who fell down here?” I have only seen two other female biker stuntmen in Gujarat. Girls are not too keen on joining the well. I would love to train a girl if she approaches me, but only after I get out of the business. What if popular demand for me declines if one more performer joins? I might quit after a couple of years, but till then, this is the only way I can provide for my family. I am 20 years old; marriage is not in my scheme of things. I want to learn to ride a car, first on the highway, then in the well. I will look for a man only after I see my mother and brother settled. I have no checklist for an ideal partner, only that he shouldn’t be from this profession. If he is, neither of us could continue doing this to earn a living. My brother asked me if he could join the troupe, but I refused. I know the uncertainty in the business. Here, if you survive, you’re lucky. If you die, it’s inevitable. n As told to Omkar Khandekar open www.openthemagazine.com 45
prabakaran
Books
A Hidden Firebrand On the occasion of the publication in English of his novel One Part Woman, Tamil writer Perumal Murugan talks about growing up a reader in a family of farmers and getting into trouble writing about caste nandini krishnan
“M
y wife found it very
hard to deal with what Ponna does. She had to read it four-five times. Many people couldn’t accept the idea of that custom; that a woman could do that.” Perumal Murugan’s grin is triumphant. It may be because he had shocked his readers even in writing about a decades-old village custom. Or it may be an author’s pride in his men and women—that they were real enough to disturb an audience. Murugan’s wife had to deal with several things in his Mathorupagan (2010), whose English translation by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, One Part Woman, has just been released by Penguin. Murugan was taking on a female protagonist for the first time, and had to think like a woman who yearned for children; the father-of-two also had to think like a man who was ridiculed for not producing heirs; and he had to bring to life a world from the 1940s. One Part Woman has the distant romanticism of a gentler, slower, prettier world, but it is infused with a sense of immediacy. It was only towards the end, where there is a reference to British rule and to a ‘new’ Tamil film called Sri Valli (which was made in 1945), that I realised it was a period novel. The book is about Kali and Ponna, a couple who are childless ten years into marriage. We see
confidence and diffidence Murugan takes pride in his unconventional themes, yet he lowers his voice when speaking of his characters’ sexual appetites 17 FEBRUARY 2014
their intense, tender love, their constant craving for each other’s bodies. This, apparently, is not enough to keep a marriage going. Everyone is preoccupied with their ‘failure’ to produce a child. We hear voices of reassurance, voices of accusation, voices of pleading, voices of mockery and voices of comfort. But the voices that linger are the cruel ones. Murugan intricately examines the effect the pressure to have a child has
“On the days the postman came with a book for me, it was like a great calamity had struck. Everyone would walk about slowly and silently, as if they were in mourning. They were mourning— mourning the money I’d wasted on the book” on their relationship. It all comes to a head during a temple festival, where the families of the two conspire to send Ponna ‘alone to the hill’ on the last day, when it is believed ‘the gods go back’. The idols of temple deities, brought downhill for the two-week-long festivity, would be carried back to the hill temple of Lord Ardhanareshwara, the fusion of masculine and feminine. On this day, another fusion of the male-female forms was permissible: it was believed that all men became gods at night, and one
would grant a barren woman a child— the old-fashioned way.
I
n person, the 47-year-old author dis-
plays a strange mix of confidence and diffidence. He has the commanding presence professors tend to acquire. Yet he has a cautious, self-effacing mien. He greets me with an awkward smile, and isn’t quite sure how to react when I feel obliged to tell him my Tamil accent has become sort of awful from years of living away. When he eventually warms up, it turns out that, like most interesting writers, he’s keener to hear about my life than talk about his own. He is aware of his role as a craftsman, and his pride in the unconventional themes of his novels is obvious. However, he involuntarily lowers his voice and searches for delicate words while speaking about the sexual appetites of his characters. Murugan’s air of easy charm is complemented by his expression of permanent amusement—which may have been aided by suspicious hotel staff who kept opening the door to the waiting room where we were speaking, not entirely convinced by my explanation that I needed the door closed because I was recording an interview and the Tamil music they were playing at dangerous decibel levels was not conducive to the purpose. His sense of irony, which characterises his writing, emerges often during the interview. “My biggest advantage when I decided to study Tamil and take up writing was that my family was uneducated, and had no clue what I was open www.openthemagazine.com 47
doing. They knew I was in college, and that was all they cared. That’s a good thing. You know how literature’s seen in this part of the world. People grumble that their children are wasting time on storybooks instead of textbooks. When I was growing up, there were no book fairs like this one”—Murugan has travelled from his home Namakkal to Madras to attend the Chennai Book Fair, where his latest novel Pookkuzhi is being released—“and no book shops in our village. So you had to look out for advertisements for books in newspapers, and order them by VPP (Value Payable Post). On the days the postman came home with a book for me, it would be like a great calamity had struck. Everyone would walk about slowly and silently, as if they were in mourning. They were mourning— mourning the money I’d wasted on the book.” Born into a family of farmers, Murugan isn’t quite sure how and why he found his love for the written word. He muses that he was so introverted he had to create a world for himself. “Until I was 20-25, I couldn’t speak in public; I was terrified of facing strangers, very reserved. I wouldn’t have been able to chat with you like this.” He would listen to the radio, and read whatever he could lay his hands on. As a child, he sent poems to a radio show, which were set to music and played on a children’s programme. Soon, people began to seek him out to write customised cards for weddings. His short stories were published in periodicals, and in 1991, his first novel, Eru Veyil (Rising Heat), created a stir. Drawn from his own life, the novel describes a young man whose ancestral land is being sold to make way for urbanisation. It’s an issue Murugan feels strongly about. In his milieu, land is not just about wealth, but also dignity and social status. Owning a few acres of land is preferable to having crores of rupees in the bank. “Agriculture is the biggest loss-making industry. It has the worst labour-profit ratio.” Formerly a Leftist, he is vocal about the need to make people aware of issues like the Vidarbha farmer suicides. He speaks passionately about the 48 open
way in which American companies have exploited Indian farmers, flooding the market with hybrid seeds. “Our old methods sustained us for centuries—no, for millennia. But ten years of using these hybrid seeds, and the soil is ruined; its fertility is gone. You become dependent on pesticide, on artificial methods.” He’s pragmatic enough to say urbanisation—and modernisation—can’t
We see a couple’s intense love, their craving for each other’s bodies. But everyone is preoccupied with their ‘failure’ to have a child. We hear voices of reassurance, pleading, mockery and comfort. But the voices that linger are the cruel ones be stopped, and his views on farming have less to do with nostalgia than concern for a livelihood that may be permanently lost. “You need to plan things properly. Now, garbage from cities is dumped into villages. Sewage is released into ponds and rivers that supply villages.” But he demurs when I ask whether he intends to write a novel focus-
ing on these issues. He doesn’t see writing as a campaign vehicle. His social commentary is subtle. His 2008 novel Kanganam (Resolve) talks about female foeticide and infanticide—but that’s the undercurrent to a story about a man in his thirties whose family has been searching for a bride for more than a decade. The novel begins with the man’s frustration that an 18-yearold boy from the ‘lower’ Chakkili caste has no trouble finding a bride. In his own Gounder community, the female population has been whittled down, so that there are only three women of marriageable age in a village with forty suitors. “People think it’s poverty that drives the killing of the girl child,” Murugan says, “But, really, it’s the wealthier families who do it. They’re worried that their property will be lost to the girl’s family. They find devious ways to make the deaths look natural— like, they leave a newborn lying on its stomach for a few minutes. The baby will run out of breath, and can’t turn its face. People put the death down to complications at birth.” Kanganam was the first novel that was set outside Murugan’s own experience. “I graduated from writing about my own life to writing about lives I knew, from what I saw to what I observed.” It took him thirty years to venture into writing about the experience of a woman.
M
athorupagan was conceived
when he was doing some research on the temple festivals of his native Thiruchengode and the myths around the hill. “This custom, of women being impregnated by ‘gods’ who were not their husbands, was fascinating. I’ve seen the way people speak about childless couples. I have relatives who have been through this. I know a woman who wouldn’t leave her home for months on end because of the taunts, and the pity, which can be worse. Look at the way fertility clinics have mushroomed across the country. There are five hospitals in Namakkal alone which specialise in in-vitro fertilisation and treatment for sterility. 17 FEBRUARY 2014
People spend lakhs on this. They sell property so that they can afford it. The stigma, the pressure, has remained all these decades. We just have a different solution now.” In the book, Murugan uses an interesting device to nudge his readers into rethinking the idea of progeny—he introduces a charming bachelor called Nallupayyan, a 60-year-old man who counsels Kali, setting out the advantages of not having children. Often, Nallupayyan makes wisecracks about his sexual conquests. When he gets contemplative, he speaks about how silly it is to live frugally in order to provide one’s children with a better lifestyle, and foster a circle of self-denial. Like all of Murugan’s novels, One Part Woman is beautifully rooted in its setting. Murugan delights in description and Aniruddhan translates it ably. What is lyrical in Tamil can get cloying in English, but Aniruddhan circumvents this for the most part. Often, the translation is literal, which brings out the cadence of Tamil to those who know the language. I’m not quite sure whether it would work as well for those who can’t imagine the dialogue in Tamil. I also have a personal quibble with the use of adjectives in English, while Tamil is dependent on them. It’s the translator’s perennial dilemma—whether to be faithful to the word, or to take ownership of the novel. Maureen Freely’s translations of Orhan Pamuk and Philip Gabriel’s translations of Haruki Murakami read so well it’s easy to believe the novels were originally written in English. But then, one wonders how much of the flavour of the original is lost. I asked Murugan what he had made of it. “I don’t know much English, so I only read the parts that corresponded to the ones I found challenging,” he says, “This novel was very hard to write. I usually finish a novel in one or two months. This took much longer. I had writer’s block for a month, just before I reached the crisisand-denouement. I thought that part really flowed in English. You know, I want my novels to be translated so they have a wider reach. It’s tricky, because English sometimes 17 FEBRUARY 2014
has no equivalent for the words I use. Even the title—Mathorupagan— isn’t exactly ‘one-part woman’. We have several words—umaiorubaagan, mangaipangan, ardhanareeshwarar, ardhanari—because the myth exists in our culture. But there isn’t a single word for half-man-half-woman in English. Even so, I’m happy to be translated, because I think all writing contains a humanism that transcends language and culture and comfort zones. My Nizhal Mutram (published in English as Current Show) was recently translated into Polish, and I have had people from Poland tell me that they can relate to
“Sometimes, people ask, ‘How can you write this way about Gounders?’ They say I’m portraying the community in bad light. I have a tactic now—I tell them, ‘There are 60-70 subcastes within Gounders, so assume he doesn’t belong to yours’” this story, about a cinema theatre in the 1970s and 80s, where children sell soda and murukku.”
M
urugan’s new novel Pookkuzhi posed another challenge—it is set partly in a city that he is not familiar with, so he couldn’t rely on his memories and roots. “It’s another step in my growth as a writer,” he says, “This is about an inter-caste marriage set in the 1980s. I myself had an inter-caste marriage, so I have some experience of it. But compatible castes are somewhat acceptable. As soon as someone marries a Dalit, there is immediate ostracism. Look at the DivyaIlavarasan tragedy. Look at how little has changed in 2013.” A court case over the marriage between Ilavarasan, a Dalit, and Divya, of the Vanniyar community, began to make it to newspaper front pages this year—Divya’s father committed sui-
cide in the wake of the wedding, sparking off caste riots that culminated in Ilavarasan’s body being recovered from a set of local railway tracks. A suicide note was found later, but the death remains murky. Caste politics in Tamil Nadu, led by the Dravida parties, has been driven by an anti-Brahmin agenda. Since the mid-twentieth century, Brahmins have represented everything dislikeable, with their claim to Aryan ancestry, their Sanskritised Tamil dialect and well-paying government jobs. But the BC, OBC and MBC communities have strong political ties, and Perumal Murugan is among very few writers who have explored the relationship dynamics between ‘caste Hindus’ and Dalits. “Oh, I got into some trouble over that,” he laughs, “In Eru Veyil, I spoke about caste and mentioned the real names of politicians. I was pretty sure no one would read the book, especially from my village. But a man with some clout in the DMK read it, and there was big trouble. For a couple of years, I had to sneak in and out of my village in secret. I would arrive at night, stay hidden at home throughout the vacation, and then slip off to catch a night train back. I changed the names in the next edition. Sometimes, people ask, ‘How can you write this way about Gounders?’ Like there’s a scene in Kanganam where a man is aroused by the sight of his own mother, in shadow. They say I’m portraying the community in bad light. I have a tactic now— I tell them, ‘There are 60-70 subcastes within Gounders, so assume he doesn’t belong to yours’.” As I prepare to leave, I ask Murugan whether he had any hideouts in the village, like the young men in his novels do—a little patch in the fields, hidden by crops, or a cave dug out of the inner walls of the village well. “I had lots of those,” he laughs, “I inherited some from my uncle. As a youngster, I was a firebrand, and would storm off when I got angry and stay away till they sent out search parties.” Then he deadpans, “Now, of course, I’m confined to the house, and it’s hard to make a secret hideout there.” n open www.openthemagazine.com 49
Books How I Write
raul irani
The Marathoner Vikram Chandra finds solitude annoying when he writes, but admits to not being a collaborative enough person to work on movies. He writes 400 words every day, adamant that writing is about a steady pace, not a stroke of inspiration aastha atray banan
A
fter spinning a magnificent yarn about a police inspector and the dark world of encounter killings in his 2008 tome Sacred Games, Vikram Chandra returns with a new book, this time about his love affair with computer programming. Mirrored Mind: My Life in Letters and Code explains the logic behind computer programming and
a writer in the world “I have always liked writing in places where I can sense the world around me”
how Chandra’s two passions—writing and coding—meet. Chandra tells Open why he doesn’t enjoy the craft of writing and why he insists on writing 400 words every day anyway. Excerpts:
Do you jot down every stray thought that comes to your mind?
I jot down everything. I carry a tablet and a notebook and I write down everything I want in [those]. I may be jotting down stuff I find in an archive library, or taking notes during an interview (even though I record those). The best thing about electronic devices is that when you work on a book for many years, archiving things you may be writing down gets really hard. I worked on Sacred Games for almost a decade and I was used to writing everything down in thick reporter notebooks, and by the end of it, I had 24 of those. If I
“Everyone has a story to write. But the difference between a writer and a non-writer is that a writer writes. You have to treat it like a job. If you sit around waiting for inspiration, nothing will happen” had to fact check anything, I had to go back and search for the information. In a tablet, everything is retrievable, and it recognises your handwriting.
Your mother, Kamna Chandra, wrote Yash Chopra’s Chandni, among other films. Growing up, what did you learn from her as a writer?
My earliest memories are of her sitting on the kitchen table and writing on large pieces of paper. At that time, she used to write plays for Doordarshan. Writing and reading was always present in the house. It was because of that I knew that the stories you read in books are actually produced by real, living people. So you realised you can do that too. That’s why I started writing pretty early on too.
What did you first start writing?
My first published story was a sci-fi [story], when I was around 12. I was in the boarding school Mayo, and my story got published in the student-run magazine. Once it got published, it became attractive to do this, as people were actually reading my stuff. The feedback from people was the kick I loved. Suddenly I wasn’t an anonymous little worm in a big boarding school. All the older guys would talk to me about my stories, and that was great.
What do you think about the notion that a writer writes best in isolation, like maybe on a deserted island? It has never worked for me. I respect that some people need solitude to write but I find solitude annoying. I have a garage at the back my house in Oakland near Berkeley, and when I am there, it is quiet, but I can still hear the kids and the world. Before that I have always liked writing in places where I can sense the world around me, but still be isolated enough to concentrate. I have tried going off to write but it drives me nuts, and I don’t feel like I have enough access to resources I may need. A writer needs to be disciplined. Everyone has a story to write. But the difference between a writer and a non-writer is that a writer writes. You have to treat it like a job. If you sit around waiting for inspiration, nothing will happen.
What’s your method?
When I can do it, I like having a schedule. I like to produce a set amount of words every day. I start as early as I can; I start working right after breakfast. I try writing 400 words every day, which is not much, a little over a page. It takes me a lot of effort to write those, as I knock off stuff too. So if I have done 400 words, I have a holiday for the rest of the day. What happens when you do it like that [is that] you can maintain a steady rhythm. If you write 3,000 words one day, it may happen that you have nothing to say the next few days. So my standard line about this is that ‘writing a novel is like running a marathon’. You just maintain a steady pace. open www.openthemagazine.com 51
There is nothing magical about the 400 words—just set a target, and do it day after day. I work six days a week, and then keep at it, month after month, and miraculously, one day, you have a book ready. It all keeps you away from distraction. The world is very tempting as a freelancer. The fridge is calling, or you want to check the news, and before you know it, the whole day has passed away.
produce a book that would have the same qualities as that.
Do you write differently in different cities?
No, I am lucky like that. I am not attached to places and rituals. I have written in airport lounges and hotels. As long as I have a laptop, I can do it anywhere.
You may not want to seek inspiration, but what about the times you really need it?
Do you like the craft of writing?
What I mean by that is that even when you don’t feel like writing, you write. But I read a lot, I watch movies, I listen to music—sometimes all that mixes together in your conscience. It’s like putting fertiliser in a field. Two days later, you will be in the shower, and something will pop up, and it will be a mixture of all that’s in your head.
Did you ever think about a writer you wanted to be like? I was inspired by my mother. I always had an example of a writer in front of me, but she would be the first one to tell you that you can’t make a living by being a writer. I was always doing it since I was 11, but I didn’t know it was viable. I was just doing it for myself. Luckily the world changed, and I got [the scope to do] it like I do. But I would have always come back to being a writer. I get restless when I don’t write, and get short tempered. It’s an itch. I have to write. There have always been writers I have admired. I discovered [Ernest] Hemingway when I was very young, and I wanted to get that feeling and depth you get when you read him, and that narrative. That’s what I wanted to do, and I did that. My absolute favourite book of the past few years is Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. What she achieves in that book is a richly textured portrayal of an entire world. These people are different from us and see the world differently, but at the same time, she makes that world vividly alive. I love how she encapsulates a very high level of dirty politics. That’s the stuff I admire. You write the stuff you enjoy. What I would like to do is 52 open
is so large that you have to think about what the audience likes, what works and what doesn’t. Who am I selling to, how much I am a budgeting, and who is my customer? It’s all about costing. That whole world seems very foreign to me. Writing a screenplay is very different. It’s not art, it’s a blueprint. It’s a director’s medium. What works in a screenplay is very different from what works in fiction. You have to learn how to think in a different way. I don’t think anyone does, it takes a lot out of you. I always quote a friend of mine, an American poet called Robert Hass: ‘Writing is hell, but not writing is hell. The only satisfactory state is just having written.’
What is the one question about writing you are often asked by your students?
“Writer Donald Barthelme... told people: ‘If you can manage not to write, then you should not be a writer.’ I don’t want to romanticise it, but it’s an urge— even writers don’t understand it”
People often ask, ‘What do I have to do to write?’ I just say, ‘Read a lot. Write a lot.’ One of my major teachers, fiction writer Donald Barthelme, always got this question—‘How do I know I am a writer?’ He always told people bluntly: ‘If you can manage not to write, then you should not be a writer.’ It comes from... compulsion. I don’t want to romanticise it, but it’s an urge—even writers don’t understand it.
What does your desk at home look like?
What do you know about writing that you didn’t know before?
It’s very untidy. It has three very large monitors. It’s like a geek thing. You can have your main document open on one, and your reference document open on the other. It makes you more productive. I have decent a sound system attached, so I listen to music. During Sacred Games, I played a lot of Hindi music from the 1960s and 70s. Nowadays—I don’t know much about Indian classical, but I am trying to listen to that now.
Did you enjoy writing Mission Kashmir?
My experience with film is positive but I am not a collaborative kind of person. As a fiction writer, I am used to having complete control over the content. Film and television both are industrial arts, and the amount of money put in
The more you do it, and the more you critically read other people’s work— and how people read your work is important. That’s why workshopping works—even if it’s just between three friends. Read something you love ten times and you can figure out what is working [for] that book. It helps you in your own writing.
Do you ever write plot points and character sketches before you start writing?
Never. I have images in my head. Like with Sacred Games, I had this image of a cop talking to a gangster in a concrete bunker. Then I started asking these questions—who is here, why is he there? I always start with hazy things and then grind through them to come to the other side. n 17 february 2014
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photos raul irani
arts
Bigger, Better, Stronger, More The India Art Fair 2014 was about art, yes, but no less about money DIVYA GUHA
I
t would seem that the life-affirm-
ing impetus artists in this country have needed has come at last. The India Art Fair held in Delhi was big this year—thanks to gallerists and art collectors, both individual and corporate. One British exhibitor laments that
54 open
some galleries withdrew participation because of poor sales last year, peeved by the damage art works suffered while in transit and on display. Hectic Indian crowds rubbed shoulders with artists and curators, and sometimes their outsized handbags with artworks, inflaming exhibitors.
A very cross Mark Prime of Jhaveri Contemporary in Mumbai complains about this, too; and exactly on cue, before I can cry ‘racist’, he is knocked aside by a large ambling Indian flaneur too careless to apologise. Prime is standing guard over a beautiful sculpture by artist Rana Begum—a work 17 FEBRUARY 2014
aspirational art Housing Dreams by Vivek Vilasini on display at the Indian Art Fair 2014
consisting of diagonally-painted rectangular wooden poles that appear to move as you walk past them. Fear of damage is a real problem at the fair, as the works that have buyers interested in them must remain on display. No sales are made on the premises of the fair, only ‘booked’ with a cash advance or on a well-acquainted collector’s word, and damage could result in a sale falling through. Every inch of space in the 20,000-sqft venue is precious—the first fair was reportedly only 3,000 square feet. An art work comes to be put up at a certain spot after several months of careful planning, not to mention the sweat and tears that probably went into its creation. This is one way to understand why a piece of art is precious and must be guarded jealously, physically. But the lack of orderliness at the fair is a small price to pay if art is to be lifted out of the “intimidating walls of a gallery”, says the Fair’s young founder and director, Neha Kirpal. Sounding unexpectedly relaxed on the phone, she says she is ‘handling a baby’ and would just ‘wrap up’ and call back. She hardly seems like someone who has worked for 360 days to make this mammoth event come to pass. Kirpal emphatically clarifies that she is “not a businesswoman, but someone who is interested in art. My professional degree is in marketing and public relations.” She spent a couple of years in London and it was there that Kirpal saw glimpses of what a real art industry looks like. She then returned to India and started the India Art Fair after taking an initial private loan of Rs 60 lakh. It was as simple or as difficult as that. While exact figures will not be made public, the feedback from galleries has been that 96 per cent reported ‘strong sales’. Organisers expected the Moderns, or the reliable mid-century Progressives—the Husains and the Souzas—to sell more, “but contemporary art also sold very well. 17 FEBRUARY 2014
After all, people relate more to the art of their times,” says a buoyant Kirpal. The quality and turnout of collectors was far greater this year, she says, and works were lapped up in every medium: photography, mixed media, video, sound, you name it. Kolkata-based contemporary gallery Experimenter’s co-proprietor Prateek Raja, an MBA, can barely contain his thrill: “I can’t believe our success. It came too quickly.” He says the gallery sold every piece of art it displayed this year—except one work on video—and though there is no way to check that, there is approval in the form of an art award from business magazine Forbes for ‘most promising contemporary gallery less than 10 years old’. Raja says he would be dismissed as a philistine if he were to display that award at his stall. So while he accepts the compliment—
Mark Prime of Jhaveri Contemporary in Mumbai complains about the crowds; and exactly on cue is knocked aside by a large ambling Indian flaneur too careless to apologise because ‘why not?’—the thrill of being declared a corporate favourite is not really working for Raja. Money clearly has a complex relationship with art. Delhi Art Gallery took the largest chunk of space at the venue this year, displaying 350 works through which it attempted to show a thumbnail of the history of Indian art. “I met a very pleased Ashish Anand,” says Kirpal, referring to DAG’s director, “who said we must let him bring a thousand works next year.” Undoubtedly, the Indian art scene is really quite happening, and this isn’t an idle boast. “The fair has played a really good role in highlighting Indian art,” says Kirpal. “Sales and visitor figures prove there is a lot of curiosity, and foreign visitors, who came in large numbers, felt like they could navigate the Art Fair as a means to access a huge and complex country.”
The number of international collectors and the prices they will pay are soaring. Prajjal Dutta of New Yorkbased Aicon Gallery sold two Souzas and two Husains in the range of Rs 1.6 to Rs 7 crore, critical for bringing in revenue, but also four works by GR Iranna, a contemporary artist, in the range of Rs 10-17 lakh. He says he was pleased with the sales but couldn’t say if this would prove to be a “strong, secular trend” for the future. One impressive bit of feedback came from Bangalore-based Tasveer Gallery, which sold more in the first three hours of its show opening than it has in the last two years. There is a new sense of hope and optimism, and the buyers—though mostly wealthy NRIs and Indians—include international collectors. The buyers were indeed active and one spotted collectors such as the much-talked about Chinese collector Budi Tek, apart from Thomas and Ingrid Jocheim, Sangita Jindal, Poonam Bhagat Shroff, Pinky Reddy, Arjun Sharma, Malvinder and Shivinder Singh, Shalini Passi, Rajiv Savara. A group of Christie’s collectors also made several enthusiastic purchases. First-time buyers are not to be discounted, either. “The trend has been that each year, 40 per cent of the collectors are first-time buyers. I imagine it was the same this year,” says Kirpal. Gallerists reported a spate of ‘emerging’ collectors in their early thirties who are fresh to the market and investing part of their disposable incomes, largely in the affordable range of Rs 2-15 lakh, which includes a lot of contemporary works and few Moderns.
I
n its early avatar, the Fair was called the India Art Summit and portrayed as a platform for discussion of the arts. The ‘summit’ evolved, became more international, and its commercial aspect expanded. The organisers strategically made the event about Indian art rather than a selection of popular or most preferred international works. Their efforts at art education took a new trajectory, as did the event. open www.openthemagazine.com 55
accessible art The India Art Fair is intended to make art accessible, but easy access sometimes leaves art work prone to damage, with children and crowds bustling about; (above) Jitish Kallat’s Circadian Rhyme
Though they do want to keep their exact financial figures secret, Kirpal has a few shiny indicators that show how much the Fair might have grown: “We have had 400,000 visitors over the last five years and just under 100,000 this year alone.” Though return-on-investment was never their focus, Kirpal says gallantly, the Fair did break even in its fourth year and has made “a fair profit” since. Most of this money was made through space sales to galleries: “We have never had any interest in gallery sales, nor commissions,” she says. In a blog for The Independent published the night the Fair closed, John Elliot said one unkind critic had turned up his nose at the show saying many displays by Indian galleries were ‘kitsch’. While dismissing this as a concern, Kirpal says the organisers will soon be in a position to include only those galleries that are ready to “up their standards” for the Fair. Indeed, the Fair is already micromanaged to the extent that even corporate sponsors are cherry-picked. Absolut, with its snob value as patron saint of artists; Panerai Watches, because watchmaking is undoubtedly 56 open
artistic; jeweller Nirav Modi, because his ‘pieces’ are inspired by Mughal miniatures. Modi’s jewellery store took several attendees by surprise, and inspired more up-turned noses. Artist Olivia Dalrymple, who describes herself as an Indian artist, though a freckly Scottish one, says “The jewellery store seemed always packed, so from some perspective, someone got something right.” She is quick to add that her affordable prints sold like the scones at Elma’s. Speaking of which, the food sponsors, too, were the top chichi bunch of Dilli’s urban villages—Elma’s, Chez Nini, Smokehouse Deli—and they helped with ad promotions through radio spots. Yes Bank, which threw the weekend’s worst party at Le Meridien—the closing do—also offered some of its plentiful financial resources. There were media art partners as well—industry magazines and journals that boast high levels of exaggerated selfrespect, read as they mostly are by people who consider their tastes superior to those of others. Their other business model is piecemeal corporate sponsorship. A very
small amount of revenue comes in from things like ticket and catalogue sales. The Fair has deliberately kept entry tickets cheap. “They cost less than cinema tickets,” says Kirpal. The idea, lest we forget, is to reach a large section of the Indian middle-class. One might guess that the Fair has broken even so quickly because of how little is spent each year on putting everything together. “We spent Rs 10-12 crore on it this year. It takes a huge amount of international travel. We need to build our infrastructure; we have no exhibition venues in the country that can hold as many art works as we display,” says Kirpal. So they build the entire venue only to break it down four days later, sort of like hippies at the Burning Man festival. This year, the Fair’s organisers assembled 3,000 works by 1,000 artists. To illustrate the magnitude of the behind-the-scenes work involved, Kirpal says it is like putting together 100 exhibitions simultaneously under one roof and making sure everything works: power, light and floor plans—all of it taken care of in-house. And this is still not all. A considerable amount of effort has to be put into the programming of talks, too. Because it’s 17 FEBRUARY 2014
not all art-art; a large part of the Fair is jaw-jaw. Kirpal has just hired a new artistic director, Girish Shahane, who will devise future programmes of curated walks and talks. Her original staff of four increases to 15 in the run-up to the Fair each year. They are all non-financial professionals and Kirpal insists they keep it kosher: “We have an unbiased way of looking at the art.” They also have institutional partners such as the rather respectable Asia Society and Asia House. “My time is spent marketing the Indian art scene to international art fairs, making connections with galleries and artists, [and] talking at panels all over, from the Netherlands to Rio,” says Kirpal. “We start our marketing in early March, get applications from galleries over the early part of the year, and by September, a final list of exhibitors is prepared.” There were 90 galleries participating this year from 20 countries. There is still more brandbuilding, as if there weren’t enough already, in the form of outreach roadshows leading up to the Fair—in Miami, New York, London, Paris, the lot.
P
hilip Dodd, a successful BBC broadcaster and cultural entrepreneur, brought an “important” group of 20 collectors from China, says Kirpal. Dodd, in 1998, reached a turning point in his life. After a casual cultural visit to China over 17 years ago, when ‘Cool Britannia’ was all the rage, he evolved into a full-blown, unabashed Sinoevangelist, a passion that culminated in the creation of a UK-based company called Made In China. Dodd says our neighbour is complex, huge, and its people “very, very smart”. It is the UK-based company’s mission ‘to bring’—or take, depending on your geo-perspective—‘China to the rest of the world’. This, at a time when China’s government is massively encouraging creative culture, and its contemporary art scene booming. If sales are any indication or validation, three works by two Cultural Revolution-bred Chinese fine art-
17 FEBRUARY 2014
ists feature in the top 10 most expensive art works ever sold by living contemporary artists. These include Sheepshearing by Zhou Chunya, the third most expensive, which sold for $4,799,812, and two works by Zeng Fanzhi in fifth and tenth place— Bloodline for $8,425,608 and Marriage for $6,209,126. Mega New York galleries such as Gagosian and Eli Klein are now proud to boast collections by emerging Chinese artists. “China is building a museum a day,” Christie’s Asia Head Jonathan Stone tells a gathering at the India Art Fair’s Speakers’ Forum, armed as he is with some very bullish figures, such as the Chinese state commissioning 3,500 private museums by 2015. A panel is discussing the Asian (mostly Chinese) art market. Auspiciously, it is the first day of the Chinese Year of the Horse,
India’s lack of museum culture is evident when one finds the National Gallery of Modern Art’s cafeteria closed at lunch time on a sunny afternoon in winter, its pristine premises deserted and it rolls in at a time when the country’s administration is funding museum building—through free land grants, as the government owns all the land—at a good gallop. In 1949, says Stone, there were no museums in China. This is what is hoped for in India, too, but in the mean time, it can aim to lure collectors from museums in China, or even the UAE, that have not started their acquisition cycle yet. Though it cannot be said that India has no museums, its lack of museum culture is evident when one finds the National Gallery of Modern Art’s cafeteria closed for an hour at lunch time on a sunny Thursday afternoon in winter, and the place, though pristine, is deserted of visitors. The nearby National Gallery houses invaluable and ancient Indian artefacts in galler-
ies that become progressively more dusty and neglected through successive staircase ascents. Getting bums on seats for artists, as it were, is no mean feat. And this is a large part of what Kirpal is doing. Alienation of art from its audience is its foremost problem, says Kirpal, and for this, “we have a wider commitment for art not just to be available to collectors.” Contacts made over the course of her unending international travels boost the publicity of the Fair, but there are also targeted publicity programmes to reach non-buyers who may become interested in art. To do this successfully, the Fair concentrates particularly on making art ‘not intimidating’ and widely accessible. Kirpal mentions curated walks through the Fair for lawyers and doctors—those who may buy art from their disposable incomes, but not family or accumulated wealth. School and college groups are granted free entry. One exhausted gallerist said people started traipsing in at 11 am on the opening day of the Fair, as if that were entirely unexpected. Of course, each participant—artist and gallery—contributes to publicity via his/her/its own creative and business agenda. A quick Google search on the appointed PR company reveals that some thought went into picking it, too—the firm has hipster written all over its official website, associating only with galleries, museums, auction houses and other international art fairs. So Rana Begum’s endangered art work aside, everyone gains if more people attend the Art Fair. Shippers, restorers, buyers, sellers—everyone has an interest in working together and making it the India Art Fair the big crowded event full of hope, energy and artistic fervour that it seems to be. Any way you look at it, the Indian art market has come into its own. After all the gloom of past years—“forget London”, as one Berlin gallerist said— the centre of gravity of the art industry is shifting to the east, and despite accusations of a corporate sell-out, no one seems to be complaining. n open www.openthemagazine.com 57
rough cut
Rest in Pieces, Sholay Mayank Shekhar
S
Sascha Sippy, the grandson of Sholay producer GP Sippy, re-released India’s greatest story ever retold in 3D. How come so few went to watch it?
ascha Sippy runs a company called Sholay. The
to court demanding compensation of Rs 6 crore when only product in its inventory was manufactured 25 Reliance recently remade their 1973 blockbuster script. I years before the company was formed in 2000. That don’t know if they got a penny. product is a film written by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar The last American screenwriter I met in LA, Anthony and directed by Ramesh Sippy, all of whom are still alive. Zuiker, owned a private jet, besides Hollywood bungalows. So how did Sascha, grandson of the late producer GP Sippy, He had come up with the idea of the TV show CSI in 2000. and son of a lesser-known Sippy (Vijay) come to own His bank balance has since been swelling every time any Sholay? For the same reason some of us believe in destiny. version or episode of the series plays on any TV set anyDuring the making of the film, when the cost of producwhere in the world. He is also an executive producer. tion was going out of control, director Ramesh apparentNow I have never met or spoken to Sascha Sippy. He lives ly decided to surrender his financial stake in Sholay. He in Dubai, is apparently a British citizen and is a wonderful probably didn’t want to share the losses that seemed immimystery to me. I approached him directly and through his nent. This was a view shared by several others when Sholay lawyer for this piece; he didn’t respond. So much the betopened in theatres on 15 August 1975. Trade Guide, a popter, because I can now retain my vision of him as a handular box-office journal then, famously termed it ‘Chholay’ some Hugh Grant kind of character in his late thirties who, (chick peas)—referring to its likely return on investment. as in the film About a Boy, chills out, chases women and has Enough has been said about how they were all miracuto do no work because he can forever live off the royalties lously proven wrong, and Sholay befrom his father’s song—or, in Sascha’s came inarguably the most memorable case, his grandfather’s film. It’s so Bollywood movie ever and arguably the The running joke in the film much cooler an inheritance to flaunt biggest commercial success in Indian industry is that whenever than factories or real estate. Women cinema, continually generating reveeven dig you for it. GP Sippy’s coffers started to might nues from trademark and copyrights, I don’t know if Sascha has an alterempty, he would re-release nate profession. He has a team that television screenings over the years, Sholay in theatres and make spots and flags references to characters VHS sales, later DVDs, and now video games and mobile apps. During my a new film with the profits or dialogues from Sholay in any movvisits to two countries in the Eastern ie (lately, the Kannada Pawan KalyanHemisphere where you find few starrer Gabbar Singh) or ad (a Renault Indians—Egypt and Iran—locals have inevitably asked commercial currently under litigation) so he can claim the me about Amitabh Bachchan, and then Dharmendra. royalties that rightly accrue to him. I’d like to believe this Though I visited those countries only recently, the obvious affords him a decent lifestyle. The film remains just the connect is Sholay. way it was in the 70s. It continues to top any list of ‘greatest The running joke in the film industry is that whenevIndian movie ever made’ you’re likely to come across. er GP Sippy’s coffers started to empty, he would re-release Its American equivalent on nearly all such lists, Citizen Sholay in theatres and make a new film with the profits. I Kane (1941), was a significant technical advancement for first saw the film on the big screen in 2004 at Gaiety-Galaxy its time. It is a dated, cinematic bore now. This can’t be said in Bandra—a complex comprising seven single screen for Sholay, maybe because the performances in the film cinemas with supercheap seats that also serves as haven’t aged. Bombay’s ultimate barometer for measuring subaltern If the current crop of actors were to play Jai and Veeru tastes. The hall was packed. wearing the same denim jacket and jeans, or Thakur Ramesh, I suppose, saw none of that money. Neither with a shawl covering the lack of his limbs, they would did the writers Salim-Javed. They were employees on the pitch their performances no differently from Bachchan, payroll of Sippys when they originally wrote Sholay. This Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar. This may not be true for wasn’t the case with Zanjeer, which is why they could go Dilip Kumar or Prithviraj Kapoor’s role in Mughal-e-Azam,
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17 february 2014
arindam mukherjee
or Guru Dutt’s in Pyaasa: the other two evergreen hits that make it to Bollywood’s best-ever lists. If anything, the women in Sholay—Basanti (Hema Malini) and Rama (Jaya Bhaduri), who is briefly shown to be happy in a flashback sequence)—seem too imbecilic for contemporary tastes. Several directors—Subhash Ghai (Karma), Rajkumar Santoshi (China Gate), Shekhar Kapur (Joshilay), etcetera— have attempted their versions of Sholay. In 2005, Sascha stalled Ram Gopal Varma’s plans to call his variant Sholay’s official remake. Varma had to call it Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, christening his villain Babban instead of Gabbar (Bachchan played that part in a Halloween dress). My favourite reinterpretation in Varma’s Sholay was his bearded Thakur (Mohanlal). He said this is because a man who has no hands obviously can’t shave. Well. There are a lot of other things he can’t also do, no? The way in which that picture incensed audiences nationally intrigued me, because if that many people had actually seen the film, it couldn’t have bombed so badly. A remake is obviously unnecessary when the original is still around. Even I can claim to have grown up on Sholay, though it was released a few years before I was born. Lines from the film have turned into such popular proverbs that it is hard to assess if we really first heard them in the film—‘Ghoda ghaas se dosti karle toh khaye kya?’ (If a horse befriends grass, what will he eat?); ‘Loha garam hai, maar de hathoda’ (The iron’s hot, strike the hammer); ‘Saala, nautanki’ (Damn clown); ‘Jo darr gaya, samjho marr gaya’ (If you’re scared, you’re already dead). I knew relatives who had seen Sholay 20-30 times in theatres, which might be seen as a waste of precious lifetime. This is from a world right before television. With each 17 february 2014
viewing, they would discover something new, and that is because the massive galaxy of characters in the film appears with their own side stories or short films—whether it’s the Hitler like jailer and his mole Hari Ram, Thakur’s man Friday Ramlal, or Imam sahib and his son Ahmed. Every minor character, even if it’s the postman who appears for a few seconds, has a name you can recall him/her by. This is true of all epics. Reportedly pooling in additional investment of around Rs 25 crore, Sascha decided to digitally restore and re-release Sholay in 3D this January, assuming a whole new generation would be curious about this modern national epic. His uncle, director Ramesh, legally objected. There was no restraining order on the film’s release; the film is the producer’s property. The case is still in court. When I went to watch Sholay in theatres yet again, there were hardly any people in my theatre. What happened? Had the embers died down finally? Did the light go out of our life? I am told Sholay commercially flopped for the first time in 2014. The older audiences couldn’t care less for 3D. I watched most of the film without the glasses on. The post-91 young, with enough entertainment on their plate, could hardly spare half a working day (almost three and a half hours running time) to sit in a dark hall on expensive seats to watch a film from their father’s generation. Like all epics, I think Sholay will live on through its mythological characters, situations and one-liners, dispersed through television, spoofs, commercials and games, where the attention span demanded is much shorter. It’s a phenomenal property. Sascha must continue to monetise it. n Mayank Shekhar runs the pop-culture website TheW14.com open www.openthemagazine.com 59
science
third-hand smoke This is second-hand smoke—exhaled smoke and other substances from a burning cigarette—that gets left on the surfaces of objects and becomes more and more toxic
How Old Is Fairness? Researchers have discovered a skeleton in Europe with blue eyes but dark skin and hair
Deadly Third-hand Smoke
W
hen and how did Europeans
develop fair skin? As the explanation went, when humans migrated out Africa to the higher altitudes of Europe, they started developing lighter skin as a response to low UV radiation. The assumption was that dark skin prevents UV-ray absorption, which is the primary source of vitamin D. It was believed that this change in skin colour occurred soon after humans migrated to Europe some 45,000 years ago. The findings of a new study, however, show that this theory needs revision. In 2006, two ancient skeletons were discovered in a cave in Spain. Using a tooth extracted from one of the skeletons, researchers were able to sequence the genome of the ancient man. Their research has now been published in Nature. They found that the individual, termed La Brana 1, lived only about 7,000 years ago. And strangely enough, while he had blue eyes, his skin and hair were dark. He was found to be genetically related closely to people living in Sweden and Finland. According to the researchers, this mixture of African and European traits implies that long after modern
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humans left Africa, their racial transformation was still in progress. Also, La Brana 1’s age means that he lived in the Mesolithic period that lasted from 10,000 to 5,000 years ago and ended with the advent of agriculture and livestock farming. The researchers argue that lighter skin came about as a result of a dietary change. When Europeans started farming, which occurred about 2,000 years after the demise of La Brana 1, their cereal-rich diet lacked vitamin D, thereby causing Europeans to rapidly lose their dark-skin pigmentation. It was only when they switched to agriculture that they had to synthesise vitamin D from the sun more readily. In a press release, Carles LaluezaFox, one of the researchers says, ‘The biggest surprise was to discover that this individual possessed African versions in the genes that determine the light pigmentation of the current Europeans, which indicates that he had dark skin... Even more surprising was to find that he possessed the genetic variations that produce blue eyes in current Europeans, resulting in a unique phenotype in a genome that is otherwise clearly northern European.’ n
A study of the effects of third-hand smoke conducted on mice found significant damage in the liver and lungs. Wounds in these mice took longer to heal. Further, these mice displayed hyperactivity. The results of the study, published in PLOS ONE, provide a basis for studies on the toxic effects of third-hand smoke on humans. “There is still much to learn about the specific mechanisms by which cigarette smoke residues harm nonsmokers, but that there is such an effect is now clear. Children in environments where smoking is, or has been allowed, are at significant risk [of] suffering from multiple short-term and longer health problems, many of which may not manifest fully until later in life,” says Manuela MartinsGreen, who led the study. n
Caffeine Use Disorder
A recent study published in Journal of Caffeine Research indicates that more people are dependent on caffeine to the point that they suffer withdrawal symptoms and are unable to reduce caffeine consumption even if they have another condition that may be impacted by caffeine—such as a pregnancy or heart condition. Based on this research, the author advises healthy adults to limit caffeine intake to no more than 400 mg per day—the equivalent of about two or three 8-oz cups of coffee. Pregnant women should consume less than 200 mg per day and people with high blood pressure, heart problems or urinary incontinence should also limit caffeine. n
17 february 2014
sony app remote This application safely connects a Sony car stereo and a smartphone with two-way source control. The latest version ensures even safer operability by introducing voice recognition and expanded text-read-out functions
tech&style
Nokia Lumia 1520 With powerful hardware and software, this Windows Phone leads the pack gagandeep Singh Sapra
Ocean Tourbillon w Jumping Hour
Price on request
Rs 46,900
The Harry Winston Ocean Collection introduces, for the first time, a combination of two sophisticated complications in this timepiece. The jumping hour complication, new for the Ocean Collection, adds its dynamic presence to a timepiece that is a showcase for Harry Winston’s calibre HW4401. Its black sapphire dial reveals the hour through an aperture—it jumps once every hour. n
Sony XAV-712BT
T
he Nokia 1520 smartphone weighs 209 gm, but feels great in your hand, thanks to its design and matte surface finish. Its full high definition 6-inch screen is sharp and bright and also features a third column for live tiles, giving you more screen real estate and more information at a glance. The device switches from regular phone mode to an entertainment device easily and is also good as an e-book reader. The phone is fast and its Windows 8 phone operating system is a good upgrade from Microsoft’s earlier operating systems. Having Microsoft Office is a big advantage if you spend a lot of time working on Excel sheets while on the go. The 1520 features a 20.7 megapixel camera with good optical image stabiliser. It can record images in RAW format, and also allows manual focusing. You can also do a full HD video recording and the results are great. The camera also features a lens called 17 february 2014
‘Refocus’, which lets you change the focal point of an image after you have shot it, allowing you to blur some areas while sharpening other spots. The 1520 also introduces the Nokia Beamer app that lets you share content with any HTML5 enabled device. And the Nokia story teller app allows you to integrate pictures and location information into a chronological journey on a map. The 1520 permits wireless charging, though you will need to buy this charger separately. Nokia claims a talk time of up to 25 hours. The battery is designed for video playback of 10.8 hours, so you can manage those transatlantic flights easily. The 1520 has 32 gigabytes of internal storage and you can add a micro SD card of up to 64 GB to increase storage. Its 6-inch screen is supersensitive and works with gloves on, and even with nails just in case you have long ones. The phone comes in yellow, white, black and glossy red. n
Rs 33,990
The XAV-712BT from Sony is a beautiful car stereo system that features a 7-inch touch screen, 4.1 channel stereo sound, a virtual centre speaker, advanced sound engine and an amplifier that can put out 52 watts of power per channel. You can connect your Android phone to this unit and enjoy two-way connectivity—you can see who is calling you, play videos and audio from your phone, or use your favourite phone navigation apps. The 712BT can also read out calendar reminders, text messages and even your tweets. This smart unit also works with Sony’s App Remote Version 2.0. n Gagandeep Singh Sapra is The Big Geek at System3. He can be reached at [email protected]
open www.openthemagazine.com 61
CINEMA
cumberbatch’s atonement Benedict Cumberbatch, the English actor best known for Sherlock, has in the past acknowledged that his ancestors were slave-owners in Barbados, and said that his role in the 2006 film Amazing Grace about the abolition of slavery in the UK was intended as ‘a sort of apology’ for that past. His participation in 12 Years a Slave appears to have a similar rationale
One By Two A decent romcom idea on paper translates into an extraordinarily dull movie on screen ajit duara
current
o n scr een
12 Years a Slave Directors steve mcqueen cast chiwetel ejiofor, michael k williams, michael fassbender Score ★★★★★
ol , preeti desai, Cast abhay de ti agnihotri y, lilette dube ra bhagat a vik r de to Direc
a
mit Sharma is a boring guy with
a boring name who, on a date, predictably and unfailingly, orders Manchow soup, ‘one by two’. It’s one of the reasons his ex dumped him. Writer and Director Devika Bhagat takes this character and designs a script for him, formatting it so that Amit (Abhay Deol) meets the leading lady, Samara (Preeti Desai), only in the last scene. Then the camera tilts up to the moon—“Que sera sera, whatever will be will be. The future’s not ours to see”. Great, it’s a decent movie idea, but the trouble is that this future is ours to see from about a mile away. The graph of the story has several near misses. Amit and Samara are both South Mumbai types living on the most expensive real estate, hanging out in the same bars and rocking to the same terrible music. He fiddles with computers for a living, but composes and sings for his soul. She is a dancer and lives with her sin62 open
gle mother. They are bound to meet at some point and their paths intersect on at least three points in the graph, yet they pass their eventual destinies by like ships in a fog. Meanwhile, they lead their ordinary lives, and this is the dragnet of the movie. All the characterisations, performances and scenarios are extraordinarily dull, and we are left tapping our knees and waiting for the deus ex machina. For an actor who has staked out a career and a reputation for doing offbeat roles and executing them inventively, the decision to do this film must surely have been a moment of madness for Abhay Deol. Just one scene redeems him with his lady fans—when he rocks in his boxer shorts to put off the older generation. The rest of the time, he tries desperately to look like the boy next door, a role which, at age 37, he should know better than to attempt. A very disappointing movie. n
Based on an 1853 account of his horrific experience of being kidnapped into slavery in the American South, 12 Years a Slave recounts the story of Solomon Northup in episodic vignettes of blood and gore. We get the point about the White man’s brutality very early in the film, but director Steve McQueen just doesn’t let up. Armond White, a Black American film and cultural critic, called the movie ‘torture porn’ and said it interpreted the documentation of a holocaust in American history with sadomasochism dressed up as installation art. He wasn’t too far from the truth. The casting and performances, of both Black and White characters, are flawless and the art direction is convincing enough to make you feel you are trapped in a land and time without human rights. Unfortunately, that’s the beginning and the end of the whole polemic. The film evocatively says that slavery is inhuman and effectively rests its case. The cultural dialogue is then taken over by White liberal discussion on how terrible it was to be a Black man in such times. The film itself, as a statement on race and racism, on the twisted working of the human mind, on the social and economic conditions that can create a holocaust, says nothing. Perhaps the film was only meant as an expiation of guilt. n AD 17 february 2014
Not People Like Us
R aj e e v M asa n d
The Pacification of Priyanka
Ranveer Singh and his Gunday co-star Priyanka Chopra may put on smiling faces and insist they’re thick friends as they do the rounds of television studios promoting their new film leading up to its release next Friday. But the pair reportedly got off to a rocky start when they began filming last year. Turns out Ranveer—who describes himself as a method actor—was channelling his inner wolf for a scene that required him to rough up Priyanka on her first day on set. The actor apparently got so caught up in the moment that he didn’t realise he had bruised his leading lady all over her arm while manhandling her for the required scene. A visibly shaken Priyanka, who barely knew Ranveer until then, is believed to have complained about his ‘behaviour’ to the director, and even threatened to leave the film if things were going to continue in this vein. The next morning, unit hands noticed Ranveer was in full ‘damage control’ mode, apologising profusely to Priyanka for his sudden lapse of judgment, and even bringing her a rose and a glass of juice to appease her. Sources from the set say the pair had no further clashes during filming, but that Arjun Kapoor, the second leading man in the film, was also quickly informed of the incident and warned to be at his best behaviour. Arjun, however, having known Priyanka since his days as an assistant director on Salaam-e-Ishq, in which she starred, had no such teething troubles with his leading lady.
Aamir to Travel Time
The buzz doing the rounds in film circles is that Aamir Khan has found his next film project. The actor, who delivered another blockbuster in Dhoom 3 recently, has already begun filming the second season of his television show Satyamev Jayate. He’s also wrapped principal photography on Rajkumar Hirani’s P.K., which is slated to release around Christmas time this year. Those in the know say he’d been meeting writers and directors for the past few months, listening to scripts and weighing offers. After considerable deliberation on 17 february 2014
his part, it seems Aamir has said ‘yes’ to a time-travel drama to be produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment. The film will be directed by first-timer Nithya Anand, and will likely go on the floors later this year. It’s interesting to note that Aamir’s fascination for timetravel themes hasn’t diminished over the years. Few are likely to know that Aamir had signed a sci-fi film in the 1990s titled Time Machine that was shelved soon after the first schedule had been completed. The film starred Raveena Tandon opposite Aamir, and also featured Naseeruddin Shah and Rekha, and was being directed by Shekhar Kapur. Apparently the film’s producers could never get along with Kapur, and were concerned about the inflating budget of the picture, therefore pulled the plug on the movie before it could completely bankrupt them.
Ripe for Gossip
Everyone from the office boys to the big bosses at a reputed production company were a little bit surprised last week by the poor manners of the leading lady of their latest film. The actress, who plays the titular role in this forthcoming movie, had dropped in at the company’s suburban office for a meeting with the marketing department to discuss promotional strategy and marketing plans for the film, which is only a few weeks away from release now. As is protocol, the actress’ staff was asked in advance what she might like to eat or drink while she was at the office. “Fruits,” they’d been told. Dutifully, a variety of fresh fruit had been procured and laid out for the actress in the conference room where the meeting was to take place. Oddly, she seemed uninterested in the fruit and focused specifically on the job at hand when the meeting began, leaving the fruit untouched in the end. When the conference room emptied after the meeting had come to an end, staffers swear that the actress’ spot-boy returned to the now vacant room, gathered all the fruit that had been laid out for her, packed it up, and proceeded to join the actress and the rest of her staff as they made their way out of the building. It was clear he had been acting on her instructions. n Rajeev Masand is entertainment editor and film critic at CNN-IBN open www.openthemagazine.com 63
open space
The Cannon Girl
by a n ou s h k u m a r
Mughal Emperor Akbar donated a cannon to the Ajmer Sharif dargah of Moinuddin Chishti; since the emperor’s time, the cannon has been put to use during the month of Ramzan to mark Sehri (the start of the day’s fast) and Iftaar (the break of the fast). Until 2008, the act of firing the cannon was performed by men. But that year, Fauzia Khan became the first woman to be assigned the task. n
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What is Python for Google, Yahoo, Youtube and many major online corporations?
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OPEN Magazine 17 February 2014 by Open Media Network - issuu
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How hot is the Indian art scene?
RS 35 17 f e b r u a r y 2 0 14
INSIDE Shakeela: the life of a soft-porn star l i f e
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t i m e s .
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w e e k
MY CARE, MY WAY The Mental Health Care Bill, 2013, currently pending in Parliament, puts the patient in charge of his future care. Is that wise?
Open Mail | [email protected] Editor Manu Joseph managing Editors Rajesh Jha, PR Ramesh Deputy Editor Aresh Shirali Features and Sports Editor Akshay
Sawai
Senior Editors Kishore Seram,
Haima Deshpande (Mumbai) Mumbai bureau chief Madhavankutty Pillai associate editors Dhirendra Kumar Jha, Rahul Pandita assistant editors
Anil Budur Lulla (Bangalore), Shahina KK, Aastha Atray Banan, Mihir Srivastava, Chinki Sinha, Sohini Chattopadhyay Special Correspondents Aanchal Bansal, Lhendup Gyatso Bhutia (Mumbai), Gunjeet Sra Assistant Art Directors Tarun Sehgal, Anirban Ghosh SENIOR DESIGNER Anup Banerjee photo editor Ruhani Kaur assistant Photo editor Ritesh Uttamchandani (Mumbai) Staff Photographers Ashish Sharma, Raul Irani Editorial Researcher Shailendra Tyagi asst Editor (web) Arindam Mukherjee staff writer Devika Bakshi Associate publisher Deepa Gopinath Associate general managers (advertisement) Rajeev Marwaha (North
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Kesava Chandra
For the purpose of this essay, ‘The Elusive Tagore’ (27 January 2014), I wish the author had compared Tagore’s translations with those of other Bengali / Indian poets. Are they all bad? Is Nazrul Islam’s—the other great Bengali poet—work as badly translated (if at all)? Or are all Indian poets / Indian poetry simply mired in mediocrity? I think herein lies the key: poets writing in Indian languages are hardly translated into English. Tagore, and to I suspect translating some extent Iqbal, are poetry in Indian the only exceptions to languages into English this rule. Out of the has been rather three millennia of daunting. Either that, Sanskrit poetic tradior the 3,000 years of tion, for instance, I find Indian poetic tradition only Kalidasa being has been an exercise in bestowed with popular mediocrity English translations. Even epic poetry such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata are mostly translated as prose (not the case with, say, the Iliad). I suspect this is because translating poetry in Indian languages into English has been rather daunting. Either that, or the 3,000 years of Indian poetic tradition has been an exercise in mediocrity. letter of the week
R Rajmohan
All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Printed and published by R Rajmohan on behalf of the owner, Open Media Network Pvt Ltd. Printed at Thomson Press India Ltd., 18-35 Milestone, Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad—121007, (Haryana). Published at 4, DDA Commercial Complex, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi-110017. Ph: (011) 30934199; Fax: (011) 30934162 To subscribe, sms ‘openmagazine’ to 56070 or log on to www.openthemagazine.com Or call our Toll Free Number 1800 300 22 000 or email at: [email protected] For corporate sales, email [email protected] For marketing alliances, email [email protected] For advertising, email [email protected]
Volume 6 Issue 6 For the week 11—17 February 2014 Total No. of pages 64 + Covers
cover illustration
Anirban Ghosh
Rahul’s Tactful Move
unlike Arvind Kejriwal and Narendra Modi who cannot take along their parties as team players, Rahul Gandhi has demonstrated that he does things democratically (‘Charge of the Youth Brigade’, 10 February 2014). In spite of opposition in local units, he has ensured that nominees to the Rajya Sabha (who are veterans) are elected. His young team is full of sons and daughters of veterans. This way, the youth has been brought into the [Congress], at the same time with the blessing of elders. This shows Rahul’s tact, long term vision and democratic virtues. Fd souza
Not Sophisticated Enough
this is a very smart article (‘Mrs Sen and I’, 3 February 2014). 2 open
However, I failed to detect any urban sophistication in Suchitra Sen. Incidentally, in Pathe Hold Deri, the colour of her sari didn’t change as she entered and exited taxis. But it did change as she repeatedly turned corners while coming down a steep hilly path in Uttam’s company. The audience raved as it watched that scene. She looked gorgeous, but sophistication? I guess not. Once again, a smart article. Dipankar Dasgupta
Much Ado About the Sari
it seems the writer believes that women should wear the sari as it conjures a more positive reaction in the workplace as opposed to jeans or a corporate suit (‘Pallu, Pleat, Power’, 13 January 2014). Any woman who wants to wear a sari and
enjoys doing so should go ahead and do it. But if we women wear saris expecting better treatment from society, there is something fundamentally wrong there. I am not at all a fan of the sari, because it is one of the most hassle-packed garments created in the history of mankind. To each her own. Shashika Fernando
wonderful article. Wish I could wear my sari to work here in the UK, but as a teacher it would be too much of a distraction. But I make it a point to wear a sari on every possible occasion—formal or informal—and everyone loves it. Gopali Chakrabort y Ghosh
Transaction Theory
this refers to ‘Men, According to Prostitutes’ (13 January 2014). Who is not in a ‘transaction’? The corporate woman with her boss for a promotion; an overly helping gay for a partner; you for readership of your articles selling stories of their miseries. Classes differ, but transaction theory remains. Everyone has a choice of the kind of transaction one can bear and that can maximise one’s returns against limited means. They have made theirs against the means they have, you have made yours against the means you have. To balance this article that is skewed against men, you could also interview young men who are bought by elderly women to fulfill their desires. Ale x
17 february 2014
Chasing Robert De Niro testimony
The police have spent over a month trying to get De Niro to respond in the Tehelka assault case
Since the alleged sexual assault of a colleague by Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal last year, the police have been investigating and questioning a number of people associated with the case. Some have spoken to the police, while many have provided their statements in front of a judicial magistrate. One important individual associated with the case, however, has eluded the police—Robert De Niro. The journalist in question was chaperoning De Niro at the Tehelka Think Fest, where De Niro was a guest, when
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the alleged assault by Tejpal took place. Crime Branch Inspector Sunita Sawant, who is the investigating officer on the case, says she has been trying to reach De Niro unsuccessfully for over a month. “De Niro’s version of events is important. We want to build a water-tight case and the investigation will benefit from his response. But we’ve just not been able to get him to answer some questions,” she says. According to Sawant, they were first able to get through to De Niro’s attorney, whom she refuses to
name, on 7 January. “The attorney had then assured us that De Niro will provide all the necessary cooperation and asked us to email questions,” she says. The Crime Branch prepared a questionnaire and sent it via email to the actor’s attorney. However, even after a few weeks passed, the cops did not hear from the actor or his attorney. “I understand he’s a busy individual and residing in a different country. So we sent him a reminder a few weeks later,” Sawant says. Even after the reminder, no response was forth-
coming. In the meantime, De Niro has been seen travelling to different parts of the globe, either promoting his latest film, Grudge Match, or advancing his businesses. If he was in Manila to announce the launch of the Nobu Hotel one day, he was at the Sundance Film Festival promoting a film on his late father the next. Sawant says, “Late last month, we finally heard from the attorney. He told us De Niro was out of town and he will reply the moment he returns. Hopefully, he will.” n Lhendup G Bhutia
open www.openthemagazine.com 3
A thing of evil beauty
ideology
Person of the Week Satyapal Singh
The radical zero-tax proposal
‘Hinduism is misunderstood. I have no Hindu agenda. I am secular’ Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Dr Satyapal Singh has moved back to Meerut and joined the BJP, all ready for a new career in politics haima deshpande
D
r Satyapal Singh gave up his
high-profile job as Mumbai Police Commissioner to join politics. At a time when he was due for promotion to the position of Director General of Police—the highest police job—he called it quits. His decision to join politics, particularly the BJP, came as a shock to many, as he never wore his political leanings on his sleeve. Now that his new career needs a new CV, the former cop has moved back to Meerut to reclaim his rural roots. He says he does not ‘believe’ in Ramjanmabhoomi, that nationbuilding knows no colour and that he is a secular person.
You gave up your uniform for politics. Why? I have been in service for 33 years. As a person in uniform, my sphere of working was very limited. Now, my jurisdiction has increased. It is the whole country, the world. Plato had written long ago that if you want to clean up politics, good people must come in. Good people are needed for the harmonious development of society. I can definitely contribute to that. Otherwise, 4 open
there is no point in complaining that politics is a dirty place.
How can you add value to politics?
I intend and am here to make a difference. My intention is not to seek a post or power. The post of Mumbai Police Commissioner is a prestigious one known internationally. I have been there, so power is not important to me. I am coming with the clear intention that I want to do something for the nation.
What is your focus?
I can make a difference as I come from a rural agricultural background. I want to make a qualitative improvement in the lives of people, involve them in collective efforts for peace and harmony, improve the quality of education, provide employment, encourage them to compete for opportunities, etcetera.The Government has so many schemes the public is not aware of. These must be communicated to the people so that they can get the available benefits. I want to take up employment programmes which will keep the youth away from criminal activities.
Why did you join the BJP?
I come from western Uttar Pradesh where there is no Congress. [Over] the last 25 years, [this party] has gone away from here. I feel that I am
closer to the BJP ideology.
While in uniform, did you nurse a latent Hindu agenda?
I think that Hinduism is misunderstood. I have no Hindu agenda. If someone talks about nation building and saving your heritage, how can it be a Hindu agenda? I am a very secular person.
The BJP wants to build a temple at the Ramjanmabhoomi site. Do you endorse this ideology? Absolutely not. I do not believe in Ramjanmabhoomi. My focus is nation building and that knows no colour. I believe in an ideology which can foster communal harmony.
You joined the BJP at Meerut with much fanfare. Local BJP leaders are not too happy that you will contest the Meerut seat. Do you not begin at a disadvantage? I have not joined the Meerut BJP. I have joined the entire nation. So where is the question of beginning at a disadvantage?
You are used to the discipline of the uniform. How will you fit into the chaos of politics? All these years of disciplining does not go away in a hurry. I will not change, but I can change others and inculcate the value of discipline in them. I cannot be a part of the chaos. I will try to clean up politics, give it direction.
So politics is not a post-retirement fancy? Are you in it forever? I think so. It is a new career for me. n
17 february 2014
■
F o r disrupting a Pakistani
band’s press conference in Mumbai On 4 February, members of the Shiv Sena barged into a press conference addressed by Pakistani Sufi rock band Mekaal Hasan in Mumbai, demanding that the musicians return immediately to their home country. The band was announcing a joint concert with Indian performers at the press
conference. The Sena workers, whose forced outrage was as usual comical to watch, carried placards and saffron flags. The policemen posted outside the venue did nothing to stop the goons, Press Club officials later said. The Shiv Sena has a reputation for troubling Pakistani artistes performing in India. In the 1990s, it managed to stop a concert by ghazal great Ghulam Ali. Sainiks have also dug up the cricket pitch at Wankhede Stadium and protested the inclusion of actor Veena Mallik in the TV reality show Bigg Boss. Of course, in matters of greater relevance to the common man, like running the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the Sena continues to flop. n
Delhi JD-U MLA Shoaib Iqbal threatened to join expelled AAP leader Vinod Binny and bring down Kejriwal’s government, but was placated by a meeting with Delhi’s CM self correction
“We are setting a deadline of 48 hours for the AAP to fulfill our demands. I have asked Kejriwal that assurances given to the people of Delhi... be fulfilled”
“Kejriwalji has agreed to our demands and has promised that he will look into the matter—which includes 50 per cent reduction in bills, more free water and a women’s commando force”
— Shoaib Iqbal, in an interview on IBN-7 2 February 2014
— Iqbal, in a press conference 3 February 2014
turn
on able Pers Unreasotnhe Week of
around
Poverty in India on the Decline 269.3 million poor worldwide, 216.5 million are estimated to be living in rural India. But according to recent findings by India’s Planning Commission, poverty might be on the decline in the country. Rajeev Shukla, minister of state for planning and Parliamentary affairs, stated in the Lok Sabha this week that as per Planning Commission estimates, “The number of persons living below the poverty line in the country has declined
of the
17 february 2014
from [407.4 million] in 2004-05 to [270 million] in 2011-12.” The Planning Commission uses a poverty line based on ‘Monthly Per capita Consumption Expenditure’. In 2005, an expert committee constituted under the late Professor Suresh Tendulkar to review the methodology for poverty estimation recommended an MPCE of Rs 447 for rural areas and Rs 579 for urban areas as the poverty line for 2004-05, later updated to Rs 816 and
Rs 1,000 respectively. The latest data on household spending is from the National Sample Survey Organisation’s 68th round conducted in 2011-12. By the current findings, the states with the highest number of people living below the poverty line are Uttar Pradesh with 59.8 million and Bihar with 35.8 million. Over the past ten years, poverty in India has declined consistently: from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05 to 29.8 per cent in 2009-10. n open www.openthemagazine.com 5
angle
On the Contrary
A Thing of Evil Beauty And yet, lingerie mannequins in Mumbai have a right to life M a d h ava n ku t t y P i l l a i
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Rafiq Maqbool/ap
I
t was eight months ago that your correspondent noticed an intriguing social phenomenon in Mumbai and was compelled to comment on it in these pages. At the time, elected corporators of the Brihanmumbai Mumbai Corporation had taken a break from their regular duties of keeping a check on potholes and illegal constructions to turn their acid gaze on an evil unlike any this city had ever known— mannequins clad in lingerie. Many reasons to eliminate them were put forward—they objectified and embarrassed women, aroused lust in men, confused everyone as sex toys—but the overriding one was that they led to rapes. These salient points found favour across party lines and a resolution was passed in the BMC Assembly asking for the extinction of this species. That such a demand should come up might seem strange but it is not inexplicable. The Delhi gangrape had put sexual violence on top of the national consciousness, and by the time it filtered down to Mumbai’s corporators, all the legitimate causes had already been spoken for. These corporators thus had to find new causes and if they chanced on a scantily clad sensuous plastic body, then that was just the mannequin’s luck. The lingerie industry was not pleased, but then everyone has to grin and bear it when called to sacrifice in the larger interest of society. But their travails did not end. It was argued that this was hardly a check: men could still be perverted by the sight of them through the glass front of a shop. At this point, something finally came out in support of mannequins—the law. Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte told MidDay last week that he was helpless: “The BMC allows neon signboards, commercial advertisements or signboards of shops with various terms and conditions, but there is no mention that types of statues or articles or clothes should not be displayed.” Any mannequin that had daily prayed to God for succour must have felt relieved, but when it came to sexual violence, the Maharashtra government was not willing
plastic sensuality If a curvy plastic form can make a man a rapist, how powerful might real flesh be?
to show compassion. A report in DNA on 2 February said that there were plans to insert a clause into the Bombay Shops and Establishments Act, 1948, to deal with mannequins. This, according to Labour Secretary Arvind Kumar, was “to protect the dignity of women, so that they do not feel objectified… Once this is passed, the BMC can implement it effectively.” There might actually be some convoluted merit in the objectification argument. Developed societies seem to have considered it. Last week, AP reported that in many US cities, mannequins are fat and tattooed to make them as representative as possible. Some also have ‘pubic hair peeking through their lingerie’. This is not to turn on men, but so women can identify
The ‘objectification’ logic is the tactic of a bureaucrat forced to implement an idiocy. Objectification is hardly at issue. This is an incarnation of the idea that the female form should be hidden
with the mannequin. It is the direct antithesis of objectification, but you can take a safe bet of any amount on the labour secretary applauding this evolution. The objectification logic is a bureaucrat’s shrewd tactic when forced to implement an idiocy. That women should not be objectified can be a value society encourages, but the corollary that anything that objectifies women should be banned opens up a road to unending absurdities. Why not ban movies with sexy actresses? If a curvy plastic form can make a man a rapist, then how much more powerful an influence is real flesh? Why not do away with industries that claim to protect or enhance beauty, like cosmetics, botox, plastic surgery or lingerie itself? Objectification is hardly at issue here. This silly exercise is just a new incarnation of the most medieval of ideas—that the female form should be hidden because it is responsible for corrupting the morals of men. The irony is that those who want the ban couch it in the language of female emancipation. That is why, even if lingerie mannequins are dumb, those with tongues must speak up for their right to life. n 17 february 2014
india
A Hurried Man’s Guide to Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died in New York after a suspected heroin overdose this week at age 46, was an American actor and director of repute. On Sunday morning, he was found in an unresponsive state lying on his bathroom floor with a needle stuck in his arm. Bags of heroin were also discovered in the apartment, located in the city’s trendy Greenwich Village area. Though aloof, Hoffman lived without the trappings of Hollywood success and was a common sight in the area, dropping his children to school, walking or biking, almost always in rumpled clothes.
It Happens
Loins in Winter The subject was the erotic Indian. And the speaker and his audience were senior citizens O m k a r K h a n d e k a r ritesh uttamchandani
real
Wrestling was Hoffman’s childhood passion. But a neck injury forced him to give up the sport. He completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama in 1989 from New Hoffman’s York University’s Tisch childhood School of the Arts. passion was wrestling; he gave it up due to a neck injury
VICTORIA WILL/INVISION/AP
Hoffman played varied roles in several high profile films. His filmography includes Scent of a Woman (1992), Twister (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), The Big Lebowski (1998), Patch Adams (1998), The Talented Mr Ripley (1999), Almost Famous (2000) and Cold Mountain (2003). Critically-acclaimed films in his later years include Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007), The Savages (2007),
Moneyball (2011) and The Ides of March (2011). In 2010, Hoffman made his feature film directorial debut with Jack Goes Boating. His biggest moment, of course, was when he won an Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of writer Truman Capote in the film Capote in 2005. He was also nominated for the Best Supporting Actor award three times. Hoffman is survived by his long-time partner Mimi O’Donnell and their three children. His battles with drug and alcohol addiction began in his college days. He had undergone rehabilitation, but could never really shake off his deadly drug habit. n
a treatise on desire A projection of Gurcharan Das at the Central Library in Mumbai
O
ne evening in the last
week of January, wading against the tide of humans retreating from south Mumbai, about 150 people gathered at the Central Library. The crowd largely comprised those in their twilight years: bespectacled men in loose shirts and women with bob cuts. Joining them was their comrade-in-age, the 70-year-old Gurcharan Das, who delivered a talk on the evolution of desire. Long hailed as a ‘public intellectual’, Das could sense the dissonance between his age and the topic at hand. But he had an explanation ready. “You might say it is an odd time in one’s life to embark on a project that one ought to tackle when one is younger,” he said. “But I reckon that a person at the unlikely age of 70 might also have something to offer as he looks back at his life, or what his life might have been.” And retrospect he did, going all the way back to the Rig Veda and Kama Sutra. Touching upon examples from his adolescence to the contemporary times, he underlined the evolution of human desire. While the talk was deceptively titled ‘Desiring Indians: Going Beyond Tarun Tejpal to Uncover the Nature of Indian Erotic’, Das
admitted that the Tehelka founder accused of rape presented himself only as a news hook. While this might have been a letdown for those hoping for Tejpal to act as the time-telling blade in the sundial of sexuality, Das’ viewpoints found much favour with his audience. “Modern marriage combines three idealistic ideas: love, sex and family, which makes distinctive but unreasonable demands on the couple. In pre-modern times, men satisfied the three needs of marriage via three In pre-modern different individuals: the times, the wife gave birth lover fulfilled to children, a romantic lover fulfilled needs and the one’s romantic prostitute was needs and an accomplished there for sex prostitute was always there for great sex. This division of labour,” he said, taking a pause to accommodate the titters, “served men and the classes well.” Making a liberal case for the difficulty of fidelity, he won himself rousing applause. The pontificator certainly did touch chords. A 75-yearold sitting beside me said between claps, “I wish I were 25 now.” n 17 february 2014
business
ENERGY India’s Government has tweaked its gas allocation policy to reduce prices for consumers who use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a fuel for vehicles and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to fire kitchen stoves. Henceforth, city gas distribution companies would be able to rely entirely on indigenous gas (up from 80 per cent earlier) as a supply source, as declared by Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily. Imported gas is far more expensive, and so the extra allocation of local gas could result in consumer prices falling by an estimated 20-30 per cent. All this while, that quantity of cheap gas had been allotted to industrial users in ‘non-priority’ sectors that will now have to bear higher costs on gas imports. “The intended beneficiary is the common man,” Moily has stated. As with the UPA’s recent scale-up of subsidised LPG cylinders from nine to 12 for each household every year (an added strain on the Centre’s finances), this gas move is also seen as a pre-poll giveaway. “It’s a populist measure,” agrees RS Sharma, chairman of Ficci’s Hydrocarbons Committee. “The popular euphoria over price cuts is going to be short-lived,” says a Delhi-based energy expert. Local gas prices are set to double later this year in accordance with the Rangarajan Committee formula that seeks to align—to an extent—the State-fixed price of Indian gas with a sort of average price that prevails globally. The current price gap has caused plenty of heartburn in India before, and analysts say
Mahesh Kumar A/AP
India’s Gas Economy Gets Hazier Still
gas consumers get priority The Union Petroleum Ministry’s policy shift has cheapened LNG as a vehicle fuel
that even partial market pricing could resolve that problem. In this context, Moily’s latest move “contradicts the very objective the While voters Government wanted to may be pleased, achieve with this the Centre has formula: introducing confused India’s more market forces to gas market India’s energy sector”. reform agenda Lowering consumer prices now only to raise them sharply later may be foolhardy. The gas market in India, analysts sense, may remain distorted by State subsidies
for longer than reformers had hoped. This would generate even more confusion; the lack of policy clarity could complicate cost calculations and investment decisions on gas-fired industries. “Sanity would have lain in using a clear-air argument to promote this cleaner fuel,” says Sharma. The UPA, however, seems too busy with its election campaign to worry about those issues. Even its Aadhaar-based plan to transfer LPG subsidies in cash straight to bank accounts has been shelved, lest implementation failures boomerang electorally. n SHAILENDRA TYAGI
Business Anxiety Means an Investment Freeze Nearly two-thirds of this sample of businesses surveyed by Assocham would like clarity on India’s political direction before they commit themselves to further domestic investments Those who are optimistic about business prospects in India Contemplating Selling Businesses
23%
Christine Lagarde, managing director, IMF, on Indian inequity
2% 8%
Potential Investors with Investment Plans on Hold right now
Source: ASSOCHAM compiled by Shailendra Tyagi
12 open
“In India, the net worth of the billionaire community increased twelvefold in 15 years, enough to eliminate absolute poverty in this country twice over”
news
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The Centre insists on death for Rajiv Gandhi assassins Argues convicts not traumatised, took part in cultural events
O
n 21 January, the Supreme Court had commuted the death sentences of 15 prisoners, three of whom have been convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. These three had challenged their sentences on the grounds of a delay by the President in disposing of their pleas for mercy, and the mental trauma they had undergone in the course of this prolonged wait. A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that an inordinate delay in the execution of the death sentence is sufficient grounds for commuting the same. However, the Central Government wants the convicts hanged; it has not only filed a review petition, but also raised objections to the petitions filed by the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The Supreme Court has made it very clear that seeking mercy is a constitutional right that cannot be left to the ‘discretion or whims of the executive’. The court has also said that the nature of the case for which the person is convicted should not be a criterion in commuting the sentence. The Government has submitted that this verdict would not be applicable to convicts in the Rajiv assassination case
because they are not suffering trauma in jail. As proof, it has said that the convicts have been educated in jail. They have also been participating in the jail’s cultural activities, which, the Government’s arguments goes, shows that they have not undergone any trauma. The Supreme Court, however, reserved its verdict on the matter on 4 February at the conclusion of arguments on the petitions filed by the three death row convicts, Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan. The prosecution’s interpretation of the court’s observation on the trauma of convicts protractedly awaiting the outcome of mercy petitions, is unconvincing. Proposing that a deathrow prisoner’s routine activities inside jail—such as studying for a course or participating in cultural programmes—reveal that s/he is not suffering trauma, and that therefore this provides sufficient reason to execute him/her, sounds irrational. It is also worth noting that the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case—its investigation, police chargesheet, trial and judgment by the TADA court—has not been free of controversy. Three policemen who were part of the investigation team have already confessed that there have been omissions and discrepancies in the investigation of the case. Recently, the former CBI SP V Thiagarajan, who was part of the investigation, revealed that he had not recorded any piece of evidence against Perarivalan, alias Arivu. The chief investigating officer of the special investigation team, K Raghothaman, made similar disclosures in an interview given to Open in 2012. Police constable
waiting for closure The mother of Perarivalan, a death-row convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case
J Mohanraj, another member of the team, later challenged the contradictions in the investigation before the Madras High Court (which the court refused to entertain for some technical reasons). The Multi Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA), a wing of the CBI constituted to probe an ‘international conspiracy’ in the assassination of the former Prime Minister, has not yet revealed any finding. The MDMA has not even concluded its investigation. Even the judge (Justice KT Thomas) who pronounced the death sentence in the case has made a public appeal not to execute the sentence. Two judicial commission reports—The Jain and Verma Commissions—have raised serious doubts about the involvement of people like Godman Chandraswami and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. None of these findings by the commissions have been investigated so far. In other words, the grand design behind the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi remains an unsolved mystery fourteen years after the incident, leaving the impression that something is rotten in the state of our investigations. The Government has so far made little attempt to address any of these shady questions. Instead, it seems in a hurry to hang three convicts who have already spent more than two decades in jail. n Shahina KK
Raj Thackeray berates Modi for Balasaheb ‘snub’ Criticises Gujaratis for giving nothing to Mumbai
I
n May 2009, addressing a rally in
Pune, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had declared that there was no one more capable than Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to lead India. It was a forceful declaration, making many who were seriously thinking of a partnership with the MNS cringe. One week ago, however, Raj’s fondness for Modi fell by several degrees. He was upset that the BJP’s mascot did not acknowledge the late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray in his speech. Modi has addressed two political rallies in Mumbai, both at the Bandra Kurla Complex grounds located behind the Thackeray residence. Though the Shiv Sena has been an alliance partner 17 February 2014
of the BJP for more than two decades, the BJP did not invite the Sena to the rallies. “When a person like Narendra Modi does not acknowledge Balasaheb, it is disrespect,” Raj thundered, addressing the audience at a programme he was invited to speak at. Claiming that it was Balasaheb who gave the BJP its strength in Mumbai by allowing an alliance, Raj berated Modi for ignoring such a ‘towering’ personality. He also criticised the Gujarati community in Mumbai, and warned them that Mumbai is for Marathis and not Gujaratis. This is a deviation from his anti-North Indian stance, which involved issuing similar warnings to migrants from Bihar and UP especially. Raj declared that Gujaratis must respect Maharashtrians. “Gujaratis live in Mumbai but take away all that they earn back to Gujarat and make that state prosperous. So why live here? Go back to Gujarat,” he said. Two years ago, Raj had gone on a nine-day visit to Gujarat to study Modi’s development model and visited the Surat Municipal Corporation. This had been prior to local elections of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). At the time, he had been all praise for Modi as he was keen on gathering Gujarat voters to his side in his battle against his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, president of the Shiv Sena. In fact, Raj has been consistent in his endorsement of Modi’s leadership abilities over the past two years. But then, two years ago, Raj was trying to convert the strong resentment among BJP voters, a huge percentage of whom are Gujaratis, against the lack of leadership within the party to his advantage. Now that a Lok Sabha election is around the corner, Raj has pulled off a complete U-turn. This time, it is Marathi manoos votes that he is keen on netting. During previous years when the MNS unleashed violence against migrants from north India, Modi had invited them all to Gujarat. “This state is open to all, anyone can come here”, was Modi’s reply to the MNS stand. It is unlikely that Gujarati voters will forget Raj’s diatribe against them. The majority of businesses in Mumbai are run by the Gujaratis. Unlike north Indian migrants, local Gujaratis are a well-heeled population; their contribution to Mumbai has been dynamic. Raj is well aware of the fact that Gujaratis stand to lose substantially if a ‘Mumbai for Marathis’ agitation gets going. Raj’s main grouse against Gujaratis is that they employ Marathi speakers to do menial 17 February 2014
work and accord them no respect. This has to change, the MNS leader now says. Raj is, in fact, following in the footsteps of his uncle Bal Thackeray, who launched an agitation against Gujaratis in the 60s and 70s, and gave it up for an agitation against South Indians. n Haima De shpande
The Mumbai Police Flounder in this Murder Probe A month after Esther Anuhya’s body was found by her relatives, there is little headway in the investigation
E
sther Anuhya, 23, was one of
several migrants belonging to Mumbai’s flourishing white-collar economy. A worker bee at a leading consultancy firm, Esther went missing after alighting at Kurla terminus in Mumbai on 5 January. Ten days later, her burnt and decomposing body was found by the side of an expressway. A month later, the accused continue to remain at large, and, after their initial reluctance to pursue the case, the police are nowhere close to tracking them down. A native of Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Esther had gone to her hometown to spend Christmas with her family. She boarded the Vijaywada-LTT Express and landed in Mumbai around 5 am. Her last known movements were captured by CCTV cameras at the station that show her speaking on a cellphone as a man dressed in a white shirt, presumably a private taxi driver, walks ahead dragging her luggage. “I rang [her up] around 7 in the morning,” says S Prasad, the father of the victim. “Her cellphone was ringing but she wasn’t answering.” He tried again at 11.30 am, and 3 pm, but there was no response. Towards the evening, he found the cellphone switched off. When Prasad contacted the Kurla police, they refused to register the complaint without proof that Esther had boarded the train. Prasad lodged an FIR at the Vijaywada police stating the same, and arrived in the city on 6 January. In the days that followed, the father and his relatives, who poured in from Hyderabad and even Qatar, ran from pillar to post gathering evidence that might point them in the right direction. They procured Esther’s call records, which
revealed that the phone’s last known location was somewhere in Bhandup, in the northeastern suburbs of Mumbai. All the while, the police dragged their feet on the investigation, thinking Esther might have eloped. “It was like they were trying to avoid the case,” says Prasad. On 15 January, one of the three search parties formed by the relatives found a charred body off the Eastern Express highway. While the body was in a state beyond recognition, they identified it from a gold ring on the middle finger of the corpse. The relatives headed to the Kanjurmarg police station to report the discovery. The family then left for Machilipatnam for the last rites. Soon after, then Police Commissioner Dr Satyapal Singh, who quit the force to join the BJP on 1 February, told a section of the media that the Mumbai Police had found the body. “But we were on our own,” says Prasad. According to reports, the Mumbai Police have since questioned over 1,000 people but have not found any significant leads. While Esther’s travel bag and laptop are still missing, the investigators found a bloodied shawl, slippers and a bag about 200 metres from the spot where the body was discovered. It is yet to be ascertained if these belong to the victim. Experts at the forensic laboratory have reportedly rued the lack of urgency in the investigations that has made analysing the DNA test results more difficult. Amid several protests online and offline, two teams of the Crime Branch and Railway Police Force joined the probe. As the drama unfolded, some informers led the police on many a wild goose chase to serve their own agendas. “Some of the taxi drivers who gave us information had a dispute with other taxi drivers, and they wanted to put them in trouble. Another informer told the property cell of the Crime Branch that a taxi driver had taken a girl from LTT to Churchgate, and he had seen it,” a police officer reportedly told a city daily. The family members went all the way to India’s Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, even AAP ministers in Delhi, to ask for help in hastening the process, but little headway has been made in the investigation. The incident, however, has brought the problem of illegal auto and taxi drivers back under the scanner. According to estimates, only 41,310 of the black-andyellow taxis of the 120,000 plying on city roads are registered. Taxi unions have repeatedly alleged that unauthorised drivers fleece passengers picked up at railway stations. n Omkar Khandekar open www.openthemagazine.com 15
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feasibility
Daydreamers’ Club Nitish Kumar’s efforts to cobble together a third front will likely go nowhere PR Ramesh newspapers and social media with their instant punditry are on an overdrive, predicting the potential of a ‘third front’ to queer the pitch for the BJP and Congress in the upcoming General Election. What has set off this round of opinion-spewing is Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s assertion that his Janata Dal United (JD-U) is approaching the polls as part of the secular column and that his forces would move in lockstep with Malayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party (SP) and Deve Gowda’s Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S). Some of these over-enthusiastic commentators have
ashish sharma
T h o s e w h o l i tt e r
an impatient man JD-U leader Nitish Kumar and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi (on the other side of the car)
concluded that Nitish Kumar’s move will encourage ‘unattached’ political parties to arm themselves and take up offensive battle positions against the main contenders for the throne in Delhi. Trained eyes, however, are unlikely to be distracted by Nitish Kumar’s hyperventilation over the imminence of this Third Front. For, past experience—from the first experiment in 1967 to the last in 1996—has shown that apart from ambition, an ideological glue and a wide geographical catchment area are critical must-haves in putting together an alternative front. In 1967, it was their
desire to take on a powerful Congress that saw non-Congress players converge on a common platform; in 1977 it was the in-your-face excesses of Indira Gandhi; and in 1996, it was their anxiety to arrest the ascendancy of the BJP that led to the formation of a third alternative called the United Front. The latest attempt-to-be fails in all three departments. The three political leaders who have decided to float the platform are no longer unchallenged leaders in their respective states; they face stiff challenges of political survival on their home turf. Only a day before Nitish
Kumar made his announcement, two retiring Rajya Sabha members declined his offer to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. One of them, Shivanand Tiwari, went to the extent of saying that Nitish Kumar, who has “hubris as his calling card”, had a low approval rating as the CM of his home state. Besides, the resignation this week of his cabinet colleague Parveen Amanullah, daughter of Syed Shahabuddin, as minister and a JD-U member is a big blow to Kumar amid intense competition from Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for Bihar’s Muslim votes. The other two leaders fare no better. The SP, which won a landslide less than two years ago in the Assembly polls of Uttar Pradesh, is under siege in India’s most populous state with one of its main voting blocs—Muslims—distancing itself from the party. Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, has been unable to assure voters of responsible governance; this makes the
party vulnerable to major losses in the polls due this summer.
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here cannot be any quarrel with the assumption that political compatibility will be an important question for the proposed Third Front to move beyond the trio of Nitish, Mulayam and Gowda. Every recent electoral tracker has shown three chief ministers sending sizeable numbers to the next Lok Sabha: Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress from West Bengal, J Jayalalithaa of the AIADMK from Tamil Nadu, and Naveen Patnaik of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) from Odisha. Apart from them, Jagan Mohan Reddy of the YSR Congress is expected to do well in Seemandhra. Of these regional leaders, everyone has cohabited and shared power with one of the two national parties at some point or another, as has Nitish Kumar himself, and so his claim that the unattached “share the same values” stretches credibility.
Although Mamata and Naveen Patnaik have made claims of a ‘federal front’, they do not share the anxiety displayed by Nitish Kumar and Mulayam Singh to retain their political relevance Given that context, it was not surprising of Jayalalithaa to stonewall a query on her national posture after the General Election. After finalising an alliance with the CPM, Jayalalithaa clearly told reporters that the issue of this alliance’s PM candidate—and by extension, her party’s stand on the post-poll scenario— was yet to be decided. “This is not the time for anyone to discuss and decide who the next Prime Minister will be,” she said, “It is pointless for any political party to [address] this question now. It will be arrived at only after the election results are out.” Put simply, she has kept her options open, and her party’s stance will likely be dictated by the numbers that the principal contenders mop up. Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik are in no hurry to bare their cards either. Although they have periodically made claims of envisioning a ‘federal front’, they do not share the anxiety displayed by Nitish Kumar and Mulayam Singh to retain their political relevance. “What Nitish Kumar did was unveil a banner for proclaiming his relevance. His own partymen have begun doubting his ability to achieve much to become a
player on the national stage,” said BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad. One can’t be blamed for assuming that the Front proposed by Nitish Kumar is a group of losers simply because a third front can be relevant only if the four regional parties expected to perform well—the TMC, BJD, AIADMK and YSR Congress—stick together. And that’s not happening. The YSR Congress, which is seen as a major force in Seemandhra, has made it plain that its future course will not be dictated by ideological considerations but by factors that aid the party’s growth. “I am not against Narendra Modi,” Jagan Mohan Reddy has said, “We will back the party that will oppose the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.” For its part, the BJP has begun nuancing its position on Telangana—from its support for this new state’s formation, the party is now talking about ensuring justice for both parts of Andhra.
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olitical observers too discount the possibility of a surge in favour of the so-called Third Front parties, especially with the Left Front appearing so weak in its traditional regions of influence. “There is a discernible anti-Congress mood in the country and this was reflected in the recent state elections,” says Professor Badri Narayan, social historian and cultural anthropologist at Allahabad’s GB Pant Social Science Institute, “The Congress suffered humiliating defeats. This clearly shows that anti-Congress votes can be garnered only by a force arrayed against the grand old party.” With Narendra Modi’s quest for prime ministership gaining traction, the polarisation of votes is sure to get sharper still. While the BJP is attempting to move beyond its core constituency and win over Other Backward Classes and newly-empowered economically weaker sections among them, several regional parties that operate in the field of identity politics are expected to face trouble. Besides, Muslim voters, who are determined to exercise a veto of sorts against Modi, can be expected to back parties that are equipped to defeat the BJP in their respective constituencies. In such a scenario, a new front has no place, even though individual parties could. But then, India’s bigger regional parties have a record of placing their self-interest above issues such as authoritarianism, secularism and economic policy that have served as ideological adhesives in the past. n open www.openthemagazine.com 17
lo o s e c a n n o n
Restless Pawar The ageing Maratha stalwart has everyone guessing which way he will go Haima Deshpande
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harad Pawar’s facial expressions are not easy to read, especially not since a surgery for mouth cancer left his jaw contorted. But what he has on his mind has always been a subject of conjecture. With a general election upon the country, this game has reached yet another peak. All the more so because, for all his wily manoeuvres of the past that made him the stuff of state folklore and gave him his bargaining chips with Delhi’s power elite, his sway over Maharashtra politics is now seen to be on the decline. Elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha a week ago, Pawar has categorically stated that the Lok Sabha is not his scene anymore. Dogged by illness—he is being treated for cancer—his hold on his party and Delhi’s political arena has been slipping. He may still be the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), as also India’s Minister for Agriculture in the UPA Government at the Centre, and the Marathi media still projects him as the ‘Maratha Strongman’ he once was, but persistent charges of corruption—some levelled by Anna Hazare—have stuck and his credibility has taken a beating. Even so, Pawar retains enough regional clout to count as a significant player for power. It’s just that observers across the political divide feel these polls are Pawar’s last chance of gaining the role he has long dreamt of: India’s Prime 18 open
Ministership. It’s now or never, they say. How he rates his chances could influence his behaviour this electoral season. Though an administrator of some ability with an acumen few others can boast of, his grand ambition has stymied him in the past. In a political career spanning half a century, he has shifted ideologies, moved camps, grown closer to some and distanced himself from others, and struck all manner of backroom deals. In the bargain, he has lost the trust of many. “He has clearly changed his ambition. It is no longer to be the Prime Minister,” says Vinod Tawade, the BJP’s leader of the opposition in Maharashtra’s Legislative
Council. “He probably wants to be President of the country and so the Rajya Sabha is a better route. It gives the impression of being apolitical.” There may be some truth in Tawade’s observation, as many who know him are surprised by his acceptance of a seat in the Upper House. Analysing Pawar’s Rajya Sabha entry, Dr Neelam Gorhe, MLC and Shiv Sena spokesperson, says that this is no indication that the leader will keep out of active politics. “He will now have more time for manipulation and coalition politics,” she says. Some months ago, faced with corruption charges, Pawar felt that staying on with the UPA was a safe option. Whether 17 February 2014
open. He may be in a coalition government with the Congress, but he is already exploring the idea of a third front.” Joshi does not rule out an alignment between Pawar, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee of the Trianmool Congress and Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa of the AIADMK. “Pawar never reveals what is going through his mind, nor does he provide explanations for his moves,” says Mahesh Vijapurkar, former chief of The Hindu’s Mumbai Bureau, who has reported extensively on the leader. Many years ago, when a Marathi TV channel had interviewed the leader’s wife Pratibha, she had joked that she could never tell what went on in his mind. On another occasion, his daughter Supriya Sule had told filmmaker Jabbar Patel that her father was completely unpredictable. All that can be discerned of Pawar’s disposition right now is a certain restlessness.
inscrutable maratha Pawar’s move to the Rajya Sabha has prompted speculation that his gaze has shifted from the PM’s chair to the President’s
Manish Swarup/AP
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he still feels that way is now in doubt. His disenchantment with the Congress has been apparent for quite some time. Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to No 2 status in the Congress was a blow to him, as he is opposed to any projection of the Gandhi scion as the UPA’s PM candidate. According to author and political commentator Prakash Bal Joshi, Gandhi’s aggressive posturing has alienated Pawar further still. Tawade agrees. “It is like history repeating itself,” he says, “Pawar was forced to work under Sonia Gandhi, who was totally new to politics. Now it seems like his turn to work under Rahul Gandhi.” 17 February 2014
With that as a context, Pawar’s recent demand that questions over Modi’s role in the Gujarat riots of 2002 be put to rest has raised eyebrows and piqued curiosity about his political plans. Notably, Pawar issued his statement soon after Rahul Gandhi took potshots at the BJP’s PM candidate in a TV interview. And Congressmen recall other occasions in the past that Pawar has spoken in praise of Modi’s administrative skills. Does this indicate a warming up to the BJP? Nobody is too sure. Pawar, says Joshi, is one of the most unpredictable politicians he has ever met: “He is a leader who keeps his options
f Pawar is restless, some of it may
stem from a question of the NCP leadership’s succession. “His dilemma is that he has to decide who to hand over the crown to,” says Tawade, “His daughter [Supriya Sule] or his nephew [Ajit Pawar].” Despite being a national-level politician, Pawar has been extremely reluctant to let go of his control of the NCP’s Maharashtra affairs. This has resulted in a clash of wills between the senior leader and his nephew on various issues. The years since Pawar’s surgery have not been kind. Questions over his leadership capacity—his recent loss of weight has been a subject of party gossip—have not been lost on his nephew Ajit, who stayed in his uncle’s shadow for decades before he took to asserting himself in state politics a few years ago. It is an open secret in political circles that Ajit Pawar, as Maharashtra’s Deputy CM, has broken free of his uncle’s authority and tried hard to put his stamp on the NCP. Though other party leaders have kept Pawar in the loop on his nephew’s progress, the uncle has not been able to rein him in. If he lets his nephew lead the party into Maharashtra’s Assembly polls, Pawar may never regain full control of the party he founded along with Tariq Anwar and PA Sangma as a breakaway from the Congress in 1999 on the issue of open www.openthemagazine.com 19
Sonia Gandhi’s so-called ‘foreign origin’. Ajit, as a parallel power centre to his uncle, has already played havoc with the ageing leader’s plans to have his daughter Supriya take over the NCP. Ajit has made it clear that he wants to be the state’s CM and has already begun work in that direction. He has sidelined all those who are his uncle’s loyalists and created his own set. Pawar’s announcement that he will not contest a Lok Sabha seat has only aided his nephew’s cause by sending retirement signals to NCP members. Many of them see no chance of Pawar ever becoming the country’s PM; the cascade effect of that ambition, which had been a rallying point for many, is now more or less lost. “Pawar has exhausted all his non-political [opportunities] for political gains,” says Gorhe, who sees Ajit’s taking over the NCP as highly probable now. Other senior NCP leaders who have sat on the fence between the uncle and nephew now say that they are disappointed with the NCP chief. “Saheb does not look so powerful at the Centre either,” says a senior NCP leader anonymously, “He may not be PM; 2014 is his last chance. The NCP may not be that stronger thereafter.”
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uch may depend on how voters re-
spond to the NCP on ballots this time round. According to a leader who has known Pawar for decades, his best-case range is 60 Assembly and 10 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, that’s all. Tawade does not think Pawar has much of a chance either. “In the forthcoming elections, the NCP will do much more badly than the Congress,” says the BJP leader, “Their ministers are facing more corruption charges than the Congress. The NCP will find it difficult to win seats. What will then happen to Pawar’s PM dream?” The Maratha leader is accustomed to controversy. Back in 2002-03, a statement by the then Maharashtra CM Sudhakar Naik set tongues wagging about his alleged links with criminals. Naik had alleged that Pawar had asked him to ‘go easy’ on Pappu Kalani, a criminal-turnedpolitician and MLA from Ulhasnagar, and tried to forge an association with Hitendra Thakur, another man with a dubious reputation. Naik’s allegations seemed to echo charges made by the then 20 open
deputy commissioner of the BMC, GR Khairnar, who, while taking on Dawood Ibrahim’s illegal constructions, had accused Pawar of defending dreaded criminals (even though he couldn’t prove his charges). In 2003, Abdul Karim Telgi, the kingpin of the Rs 60 crore Stamp Paper Scam, had reportedly named Pawar during a narco-analysis test as a politician involved; a livid Pawar sought a probe that revealed nothing. Even as a UPA minister, Pawar has faced charge upon charge of graft. In 2007, the BJP sought Pawar’s resignation alleging his involvement in a wheat import scandal. In 2010, the leader’s family was alleged to hold a 16-per cent stake in City Corporation, which had bid for the IPL’s Pune franchise. Though Pawar and his relatives denied the charges, an IPL Board resolution reportedly contradicted his claims. Then came accusations of bending rules to favour Pune district’s
“Pawar never reveals what is [on] his mind,” says Mahesh Vijapurkar. All that can be discerned of his disposition right now is a certain restlessness Lavasa Project, in the developer of which Supriya Sule and her husband Sadanand had a stake of more than 20 per cent (later sold). In 2011, Pawar was accused of declaring assets—of Rs 12 crore—far less than his personal wealth. Nor has the recent 2G Spectrum Scam left Pawar unscathed. When Shahid Usman Balwa, managing director of DB Realty, was arrested along with his partner Vinod Goenka for trying to secure out-of-turn airwaves to sell at a profit, Pawar’s name cropped up for his reported closeness to Balwa and Goenka. Pawar denied the allegations, but his reputation took another big hit. Can Pawar live all these scandals down? It is unclear.
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hat is clear is Pawar’s increas-
ing isolation from the Congress. Signs of his disaffection were on public display once AK Antony was appointed No 2 in the Union Cabinet after Pranab
Mukherjee’s elevation as the President of India. Pawar had sulked and not attended office for a couple of days—until Sonia Gandhi held a conciliatory meeting with him. However, much has changed since. Pawar does not expect the UPA to win reelection this time, say those in the know, what with its prospects marred by raging inflation and a string of scandals. What stands out in all this is Pawar’s ‘intimacy’ with the UPA’s principal opposition. This is not a new factor. After the Bhuj earthquake in 2001, Pawar was appointed chairman of the national disaster management committee by the BJPled NDA government. This led to increased interactions with the BJP, Gujarat and Modi. Yet, a pre/post-poll alliance with Pawar is not a viable option for the BJP. The saffron party has levelled many charges of corruption against him, says a senior BJP leader, and an alliance with the NCP would erode its own anti-graft credentials. Even the Shiv Sena, the BJP’s alliance partner, is doubtful that Pawar will go with the saffron combine this year. “We feel that he will not come wholeheartedly along with the BJP and Shiv Sena,” says Gorhe, “As a regional party leader, he is dependent on coalitions, but the Shiv Sena may not be a natural choice.” This, despite the fact that Pawar has been asked to plan and oversee the building of a memorial to Bal Thackeray, the late founder of the Shiv Sena. As a close friend of Thackeray and a mentor to his son Uddhav, it surprises none that Pawar was asked to do this. In the 13 years since Pawar’s alliance with the Congress, he has hobnobbed with the grand old party’s ideological opposition, but not dared quit the arrangement. The alliance, he has stated over and over again, is held together by the duo’s political compulsion to keep ‘communal forces’—a reference to the BJP-Sena saffron combine—at bay. Perhaps that logic still holds the NCP in good stead. Perhaps not. Either way, he wants to keep all options open. However, if neither the Congress nor BJP fare too well, and a third or fourth front needs anyone who can get a few odd seats along, Pawar’s career may get another lease of life. That, perhaps, is why he wants to keep everyone guessing. n 17 February 2014
self help
MY CARE, MY WAY
Bill Binzen/CORBIS
The Mental Health Care Bill, 2013, currently pending in Parliament, puts the patient in charge of his future care. Is that wise? Kalpish Ratna
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s a surgeon I’ve supp’d full of horrors, but I had the air knocked out of me last week. A woman I knew slightly called me, worried about her daughter. She was an acquaintance, not a patient, and it took her a while to disgorge the story. She was worried that her daughter was unhappy, and she couldn’t think of any possible reason. ‘Can I meet her?’ I asked. ‘You’ll have to come home. Sarita doesn’t go out much.’ I didn’t know that was the literal truth till I got there. Sarita hadn’t left the house in fifteen years. She had just turned thirty. ‘We’ve done everything for her, AC, carpet, everything, but it doesn’t seem to be enough,’ her mother sighed outside the barricaded room where Sarita spent her life. ‘She was in tenth standard when the doctor said she had schizophrenia. What else could we do?’ The pity was that Sarita saw psychiatrists, off and on, but her protective family felt this life was the best for her. ‘We have to think of the family,’ Sarita’s mother said.
*** Ironically, I had started the day by reading the new Mental Health Care Bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha in August 2013 and currently pending in Parliament. It contains an interesting clause: the Advance Directive that empowers a patient to decide on therapies. I read it with relief and approval, ignoring the rest of the document. There were other issues, but only this engaged me. I thought about it all day. Now, as I watched Sarita’s mother lock her door again, the ‘advance directive’ seemed as flimsy as the paper it was printed on. Who would explain this reality to me? Pag ghungroo baandh Meera naachi re! Log kahen Meera bhayi bawaree Nyat kahe kul naasi re! Meera ke prabhu giridhar nagar Hari charanan ki daasi re! 17 February 2014
Meera sang that plaint in the 16th century. Five hundred years later, it sums up the tripartite dilemma of mental illness today. Whose reality must we respect? Meera’s? Or her family’s? Or that of society? Meera is a different person in each reality. To society, she is an oddity and a nuisance. To her family, she is an embarrassment. But to Meera, she’s just herself. Anybody who ‘treats’ Meera has to address all three realities. If only her reality mattered, she wouldn’t need a psychiatrist at all. But she would remain the target of her family’s wrath and the crowd’s ridicule. And, in the 16th century that is exactly what Meera did. She stayed true to her own reality, and endured the rest. Posterity would eulogise her as a mystic and a saint. *** What would Meera do today? She would probably see a psychiatrist called in by her family. Whose reality should he address? It won’t do to let her be. He must protect her from her family’s ire and the crowd’s derision, even if he does not wish to engage with her reality. He tries his best to strike a balance between the three. The result, often, is very much like Sarita’s story. In the 16th century, Meera was lucky. Even if she hadn’t been of exalted birth, she would have been endured. Her father may have evicted her from his house, but the crowd would have left her unmolested. A vaid or hakim might have ventured a potion or two. A pujari or faqir might have attempted to exorcise her. That’s about it. Medieval India hadn’t yet woken up to the European treatment of insanity. Both Indian systems of medicine, which in the 16th century were complementary, had more compassionate measures of care for the disturbed mind. The dungeon, open www.openthemagazine.com 23
with ball, chain, shackles was meant for criminals, and insanity was never regarded a crime. But in Europe, lunacy was not endured. It had to be cured or suppressed. The history of mental health in Western medicine is curiously repetitive. The interludes of enquiry have been mostly philosophical excursions. For the rest, it is all coercion and restraint. Even as the submerged mind was being explored by Freud and his pupils, the asylums in Europe and America began exploring the brain as the seat of insanity. Three years ago, confronted with Hieronymus Bosch’s masterpiece The Cure of Folly at the Prado, I found it hard to believe it had been painted in 1480. It was so absolutely early 20th century. The neurosurgeon, so assured and intent in ‘extracting the stone of madness’ could have been António Egas Moniz lobotomising one of his early patients. It had come to that: cut out the brain and madness could be controlled, if not cured. Then, mid-century, chemistry took over. The moon was officially exonerated. Lunacy was chemical. Sanity was now a molecule. Since the introduction of the first antipsychotic drugs in the 1950s, psychiatry has undergone a paradigm shift. Madness is no longer the focus. Coping with it is. Ask most patients and they’ll tell you the shackles, the ball and chain, the dungeon—they’re all alive and present in that new strip of pills. A psychiatrist who agreed with them was Thomas Stephen Szasz. He considered the right to selfhood central to any treatment of mental illness. He dismissed psychiatry as a conspiracy with the State to control and homogenise human behaviour. His fascinating work had one consequence that might change Meera’s life today. The Advance Directive in the new Mental Health Bill introduces Szasz’s idea as necessary protection for Meera’s selfhood. To understand how that works, we have to go back three millennia. *** Reality TV, in Greece 3,000 years ago, was a blind man twanging his lyre in the agora. You could be on your way home with a basket of figs when his song stopped you in midstride. You stayed, rooted to the cobbles, the figs wilting in the strong Ionian summer. You were still there when the sun went down, still there by firelight, and there still by starlight in the long silence after the song was done. You would carry that song in you for the rest of your life. You were meant to do that, because the song was more than the hero’s story. It was your life. We’re still listening to that story. In fact, this bit of the story is something we’re now compelled to scrutinise. The speaker is Ulysses, and you’ll find the story in Book 12 of Homer’s Odyssey. 24 open
Then, being much troubled in mind, I said to my men, ‘My friends, I will tell you about the prophecies, so that whether we live or die we may do so with our eyes open. First we are to keep clear of the Sirens, who sing most beautifully; I might hear them myself so long as no one else did. Therefore, take me and bind me to the crosspiece half way up the mast; bind me as I stand upright, with a bond so fast that I cannot possibly break away. If I beg and pray you to set me free, then bind me more tightly still. When we reached the island of the two Sirens, I stopped the ears of all my men, and they bound me hands and feet to the mast; but they went on rowing themselves. The Sirens began with their singing. I longed to hear them further. I made by frowning to my men that they should set me free; but they quickened their stroke, bound me with still stronger bonds till we had got out of hearing of the Sirens’ voices. Then my men took the wax from their ears and unbound me. It is worthwhile reading that quote before considering the new Mental Health Care Bill, soon to be passed by Parliament. *** In this proposed amendment to the standing statute, the Mental Health Act of 1987, the central thought, the Advance Directive, is meant to protect Meera. It puts her in the place of Ulysses. She has been informed of her ‘condition’. The exact diagnosis is irrelevant, but she is mentally ill. Next, like Ulysses, she receives the prophecy: there will come a time when the illness gets the better of her, and robs her of free will. Therefore, like Ulysses, Meera is offered the opportunity now, while she is still strong of will, to decide on what she would like to do in that eventuality. Ulysses’ prophetess was Circe, a sorceress expert in magical potions and therapies. Circe was, in fact, just as qualified as Meera’s psychiatrists. Ulysses took Circe’s advice. It was an informed choice. He had seen Circe’s drugs turn his men into swine, but he had protected himself with an antidote. Besides, he had known Circe for a year. Meera might be less trusting. Her psychiatrist may tell her the therapies needed if her disease worsens are safe, but she might disagree. She might consider such therapies unsafe or even wrong. She may object to them on the basis that they might distort her sense of self. ‘That’s not me’ is a complete rejection, even when it is based on perception and not experience. So Meera may reject such therapies, and say that she will not want them used on her in any eventuality. If and when the disease has robbed her of free will, this decision of Meera will hold. Conversely, Meera might feel safer with the thought of those therapies awaiting her. She could say that if her disease worsens, she wants these used on her. If and when the disease has robbed her of free will, this decision of Meera will hold. 17 February 2014
The new Mental Health Care Bill gives the patient the right to state this ‘advance directive,’ called, in psychiatric parlance, the Ulysses contract. It is meant, as I said earlier, to protect Meera. But will it? *** The very idea has thrown up a flurry of protest from psychiatrists. They argue that it is premature and jejune. Their arguments are based on the practical realities of treating the mentally ill. These arguments are also influenced by indignation that the State should intervene between the patient and her doctor, as if she needed protection from her doctor, rather than from her disease. Perhaps, the fear is that such legislation presumes that psychiatry ignores the first Hippocratic rule all physicians swear by: Do no harm. How valid are their arguments? Is their indignation justified? Does the law really put doctor and patient on opposite sides of the fence?
Disease, and the knowledge of advancing disease, is deeply coercive. A decision made in the midst of suffering, or the dread of it, is one of expediency, not free will Before we consider that, here’s another question that’s moot: Is Meera’s situation comparable with that of Ulysses? Yes, both of them know of a possible danger. Both have been offered a solution. Ulysses had no other solution at hand. But has Meera? Not just at the present moment, but will she have options, say, ten or twenty years into the future? Again, Ulysses’ directive to his men was for one crisis. He did not expect to go through that repeatedly, and with increasing terror and danger. What about Meera? She may have a mental illness that emerges periodically. There are some illnesses that pop up at intervals. Others manifest when the patient forgets to take her usual medication, or as is common in our country, decides to skip it to cut costs. The cascade of events might be foreseeable, and Meera may have full knowledge of its escalation. 26 open
Will that knowledge be cruel on Meera? Will it panic her into a decision she might not otherwise consider? There is a lot of difference between knowledge and experience when it comes to suffering. That difference can be a manipulative tool. It is, after all, the core principle of torture. Disease, and the knowledge of advancing disease, is deeply coercive. Any decision made in the midst of suffering, or the dread of suffering, is one of expediency, not one of free will. Also, Ulysses could rely on his men. Whom can Meera rely on? Who will validate her wish? Again, Ulysses’ decision was absolute. He did not ask his men for opinion or advice. His decision was also immediate, as the crisis was imminent. Meera’s decisions can never be absolute. Whether she likes it or not, she is enmeshed in family and society, and therefore, she will have to consider their opinions and their advice. Her decision then will depend on how such advice conflicts with her own opinions and desires. It is a tough call to make. And, what the hell, Ulysses was just a guy in a myth. But Meera? She might be me. *** If you return to Homer’s epic, you’ll notice a simple human need: …so that whether we live or die, we might do so with our eyes open. To me this is the most poignant clause, the soul cry of suffering—show me the truth. It is a plea no doctor can ignore, least of all Meera’s psychiatrist. Rather than challenging the bond between patient and doctor, the Ulysses contract can be used by the intelligent psychiatrist to enhance communication. But Ulysses also empowers his men to go against his wishes during the crisis. How wise will it be for Meera to do that? Ulysses was quickly rowed past those Sirens. Meera may have to live out her years bound to the mast hearing the Sirens sing, while her family rows on, deaf and oblivious, consoling themselves that they have carried out the wishes Meera made twenty years ago. The Mental Health Bill has a safety net for all these doubts, but that’s just on paper. How will they translate in life? What if Meera chose an advance directive to undergo Therapy A in case of deterioration? Say that takes 20 years to happen. By this time Therapy A is considered barbaric, and a Therapy B is available at a certain cost. But Meera’s caregivers cannot, or will not, bear that cost, and use the document she signed to impose Therapy A on her? Has the advance directive worked to Meera’s advantage? The Bill has a provision that the directive can be over-turned if it is inimical to the patient’s well-being. True, but that’s supposing someone wants to overturn 17 February 2014
it. Chronic illnesses generally follow the path of least resistance. *** Remote decisions seldom relate to what a person may want in the actual crisis. Meera may have decided against electro-convulsive therapy in her directive a year ago. In a crisis, her inner feeling might be: Any hell is better than this one. But she may not be in a position to verbalise that. If her directive is implemented, will it increase her suffering? To ask someone what will you do when you’re in agony? is either plain stupid or pure rhetoric—which is usually the same thing. The only honest answer possible is: I won’t know till I get there. This answer is not necessarily valid in the other group of patients likely to be offered advance directives— patients who are terminally ill. Such illnesses can have only one outcome, and the patient can anticipate her end-of-life desires in a ‘living will.’ But Meera is not terminally ill. She expects to live productively, and happily, past the crisis. She must not have to pay through all the coming years for a decision she made in the past. So the decision in the crisis must be one that ensures the best outcome, not just in terms of relief, but also in terms of selfhood and quality of life. And who’s the best judge of that? Meera isn’t, not in a crisis. Usually, it is the psychiatrist who makes the decision. What if his decision is different from Meera’s? To disempower the psychiatrist in a crisis is not in the patient’s interest at all. And so the Bill has a proviso of committees and review boards and whatnot, but hello, this is a crisis! You can’t sit out a crisis in a committee. ‘Emergency,’ as noted in the Bill, to the best of my knowledge, relates to life-threatening episodes. Here the emergency may not be a threat to life, but it is an episode of great suffering. And suffering is all about speed, it’s got to be stopped now. We had a demonstration of how courts view medical crises in 2012 when the permission to terminate pregnancy was refused to a mother carrying an anencephalic foetus—a condition where the cerebral lobes and the cerebellum (with the overlying skull) fail to develop, making it incompatible with life. Many psychiatric crises are, for want of a better descriptive, bloody awful. Patients who speak about it in the aftermath are often at a loss for words: they just don’t want to go through it ever again. The mind, so hazy in its location, is all pervasive in anguish. Its suffering outstrips all bodily pain. If the psychiatrist is disempowered to address that anguish, who else can? 17 February 2014
The safety net of family and friends may be close enough to know Meera, but how informed are they about the therapy? Just as informed as the lawmakers. Good, but not good enough. This leaves only one other option, to call in a new set of psychiatrists to review the old one. These worthies, mysteriously above suspicion, may be complete strangers to Meera and her life. How are they likely to act in her best interest? *** Haven’t you ever looked back and wondered how you lived through some moments in your past? Haven’t you felt you couldn’t live through them again? I do, frequently. I know, for instance, I lack the madcap dare I had at twenty. I’m also cool about things that used to terrify me then. My decisions are informed differently now. Ten years on, they’ll be different again. And yet, my values and my dreams haven’t changed much since I was five. But what felt right at twenty feels simply ridiculous now. Why shouldn’t it, to Meera? Will the new Mental Health Care Bill make Meera’s life easier? I don’t think so. It’s too superficial in its understanding of Meera’s tripartite dilemma. Meera needs empathy to keep her life going, she needs nurture and respect. That can only come to her from log and nyat: other people and her own. The Advance Directive doesn’t take this nurturing into account. Instead, it might become an instrument of alienation. It could work as it is supposed to if we were like the West in two respects. First, if our society were structured to support an individual existence. It is not: in India, family is identity. Second, if Meera could claim with dignity the basic human rights of food, income, shelter: for she may be denied all these by her family. At present, even with the best of intentions, there is no way Meera can survive if she does not co-opt log and nyat. If I wanted to give Meera a fair deal, I’d go about it in a very different way. I would use the law to provide an infrastructure that offers her rights, freedom and safety. And that’s about it. That security will be enough for her to seek out and nurture a support system of friends and relations who understand her. Such understanding can only come if the infrastructure provides for a closer communication between psychiatrists and families. This will engender awareness, and, one hopes, prevent rejection, ridicule and hate. Science changes, therapies change. The only constant is compassion. Like trust, compassion cannot be enforced by the law. n Ishrat Syed and Kalpana Swaminathan are surgeons. They write together as Kalpish Ratna open www.openthemagazine.com 27
a x e e f f ec t
The Mindboggling Tax Cut A radical zero-tax proposal that was first mooted in interior Maharashtra is now a national point of debate Madhavankutty Pillai
O
nly death is certain; taxes can
still be eliminated. This is the subject of an interesting debate that India has been witnessing, of late, ever since some leaders of the BJP mooted the idea of replacing all direct and indirect taxes Indians pay with a single tax on every bank transaction. The germ of this radical suggestion goes back to the mid-90s, to the town of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. At an industrial estate there, Anil Bokil, a mechanical engineer running a precision manufacturing unit, began to notice that small vendors like fitters and turners were getting laid off or going out of business. This was the fallout of economic liberalisation and the competition it brought in. These men had skills, but no resources to get back on their feet. A group of over 80 such families found themselves bankrupt and Bokil stepped in to help them. Bokil realised quickly that one of the main obstacles was their lack of access to credit; without documentation or security, banks wouldn’t give them loans. He organised them into a cooperative called Tiny Industries and they successfully set up a unique business model. Their website explains it: ‘Today [Tiny Industries Co-op Industrial Estate] houses 50 units 28 open
with combined monthly revenue of Rs 80 lacs per month…What appears like one workshop is actually a cluster of interdependent machines. Each machine operator is also the owner of that machine. The job moves through the machines as per the operations required. In the larger picture, the job moves through various units within TINY in the same way. The customer does not have to go to multiple vendors and the TINY units get to share the job as well as the resources.’ Meanwhile, the experience had converted Bokil himself. He gave up his business and became a full-time social worker. He had had no interest in economics, but was suddenly curious about the economy. Why was capital scarce? How was it that only those who had capital got capital? Why did an economy have such anomalies? Such questions bothered him. After a few years of study and reflection, he arrived at a five-point solution to what he saw as fundamental problems of India’s economy. He wrote a Marathi paper on it and the first presentation he gave was to a group of close friends in Aurangabad. The next was at a forum in Nashik at the invitation of an economist who had heard of his ideas. Since then, Bokil’s life has revolved
around taking those ideas to people. “I have given more than 2000 presentations,” he says. As more people, especially professionals like engineers and chartered accountants, got interested in his ideas, it led to the formation of an organisation called Arthakranti Pratishthan to disseminate them. In the political establishment, a section of the BJP, which includes Nitin Gadkari and Subramanian Swamy, has shown particularly strong interest in turning the ideas into policy. Arthakranti, though, claims to be apolitical. “We have gone with this to leaders of every political party. We have no political inclinations. The idea was open to everyone. The BJP took it up,” says Bokil.
T
he ideas are now known as the
‘Arthakranti Proposal’ in popular parlance, and its five points of action are as follows: » India’s existing taxation system will be withdrawn completely. This means all direct and indirect taxes like Income Tax, Corporate Tax, Sales, Excise, VAT, etcetera, will cease to exist. The only exceptions are Customs and Import duties because they are needed to protect local trade. 17 February 2014
anirban ghosh
» The axed taxes will be replaced by a tax on all bank transactions, with the receiver having to pay. As an example, imagine its rate at 2 per cent. If someone gives you a cheque of Rs 100 and you deposit it in a bank, Rs 98 will be put into your account and Rs 2 will be deducted. This will be credited to different levels of government automatically. Of the Rs 2, 70 paise will go to the Centre, 60 paise to the state, and 35 paise to the local government within whose jurisdiction the bank account lies. The bank will also get 35 paise as an incentive to be part of the process. Arthakranti says all these rates and ratios are notional. The government of the day will decide them. » Cash transactions won’t be taxed. » High denomination currency notes of above Rs 50—that is, Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000—will be withdrawn. » Single cash transactions will be restricted to an upper limit. If it is fixed at say, Rs 2,000, then transactions above it can be made but will have no legal protection. So, if you buy a phone for Rs 7,000 in Rs 50 notes, then you can’t go to a consumer court if it’s damaged. You can buy a Rs 1 crore house with Rs 50 notes, but the government will not register it. These five points are it. They make up the proposal’s overhaul of India’s taxation system. It is so radical that many dismiss it. Some editorials have called it hare-brained, while one asked the BJP to move on to something serious. Arthakranti says that almost inevitably all those who deride them focus on bits and pieces, and the proposal only makes sense if it is considered in its entirety. “In debates, people are selectively picking one or two points, but we never speak in fragments. We say if all this happens, then it is going to work,” says Narendra Khot, a member of Arthakranti in Mumbai. To understand the proposal, they say you have to first understand why it was necessary. Bokil makes an interesting argument. He asks you to consider how individuals and institutions chalk out their budgets. They look at how much they earn and then decide on their expenses. But the Government does exactly the opposite. “First, there is the expenditure plan, and according to that plan, they chalk out a taxation or revenue plan. The Government can plan for any tax limit. 30 open
So hypothetically no government should be in a deficit. So how has India been in a state of deficit for decades?” he asks. “Something is wrong.” The problem, as he sees it, are leakages—both during tax collection and State expenditure (that is, black money and corrupt money, respectively). There exists a gigantic parallel economy which the Government simply can’t tax. While it is impossible to assess the size of this economy because it is underground, one of the slides in the Arthakranti presentation indicates how huge it could be. It takes the year 2010-11 as an example when the total currency in circulation was Rs 9.5 lakh crore while demand deposits (money held in banks) added up to Rs 7.2 lakh crore. India is among the few large countries in the world where demand deposits are less than the currency in circulation. “The global average [of demand deposits] is four to five times the currency in circula-
A Bank Transaction Tax is only part of the plan, says Arthakranti; drawing people to banks and boosting credit are the proposal’s other aims
tion,” says Khot, “In the UK, it is extraordinary. They have 17 times. Here in India, the ratio is less than 1. It means that a huge amount of money is actually circulating outside the banking system.” The sum of demand deposits and currency in circulation is what Indians use for day-to-day transactions. This is called ‘Narrow Money’, which for that year was Rs 9.5 + Rs 7.2 = Rs 16.7 lakh crore. The proposal, if implemented, hopes to make all that currency part of the banking system. This way, all Narrow Money can be taxed. “Considering a moderate assumption that 20 per cent of this Narrow Money moves only one transaction a day, you collect Rs 15.8 lakh crore for the Centre and State [that year],” he says. That is about Rs 4 lakh crore more than the Government’s total tax revenues of around Rs 11 lakh crore in 2010-11. Khot
says that these are conservative estimates; in reality, he believes, it will be much more. The first two points of the proposal— replacing of all taxes with the BTT—are to simplify the taxation system at a point where taxes can be collected easily: banks. The money collected can be passed on instantly to the Government. And since banks themselves get a share of it, they get abundant capital to lend. The other three points of the proposal are to push everyone into the banking system. The elimination of all currency notes above Rs 50 is essential to the plan so that large cash transactions are not possible anymore—for example, in buying a flat, it is standard practice to pay part of it in black, but it is really difficult to pay Rs 10-20 lakh in Rs 50 notes. Large denominations, goes the logic, facilitate black transactions. Taking away legal security for cash deals above Rs 2,000 (or some such threshold) will also ensure that all payments are routed through banks. This would turn India’s entire economy white. As for public acceptance, the argument goes that people would not mind a BTT of a low rate of 2 per cent or so. Also there is no effort required in paying it, even as the State makes more money than it does under the current system. The BTT also creates a trail for all transactions, and this would help catch criminals and terrorists. Banks, flush with cash, would be able to lend money to industry at lower rates—which would boost investment, economic growth and employment. This would create a virtuous circle. And bad money, which is what ails India, would become good.
N
ot everyone is convinced. Most
economists have criticised the proposal. Ajit Ranade is one of them. The Mumbai-based economist recognises that India’s taxation system needs drastic reform, but doesn’t think BTT is the answer. For one, he says, most Indians don’t even have bank accounts. “How can we depend on the BTT when half the population don’t have bank accounts?” he asks. Also, he says, once the BTT is introduced, people will find ways to dodge it, and this might actually keep them from joining the banking system. 17 February 2014
The idea of a BTT also subverts the basic principles of taxation, Ranade adds. Taxes are usually designed to serve a social-leavening purpose by their progressive rates of application. That is, they apply at higher rates to the richer lot who are better able to pay them, at lower rates to the less well-off, and at zero-rates to the poor. Direct taxes paid by people, such as Income Tax, are designed that way. Even indirect taxes on sales of goods and services—which are levied because direct taxation is too inefficient to fill up State coffers—can be imposed heavier on the sale of products and services used mostly by the rich. The BTT, however, does not take the tax burden bearer’s financial status into account. “The BTT taxes inputs,” says Ranade, “which is like an indirect tax.” Only, it is clearly regressive, since the rich and poor alike must bear this tax at the same rate, and losing Rs 2 on every Rs 100 would pinch those who live handto-mouth far more than those who have disposable money. Apart from the poor, according to Ranade, exporters in particular will be harshly affected by BTT. “When you are exporting to global markets, you have a system of getting credits for the tax paid in the country,” he says, “The BTT system has no such provision for getting credit for exports. Our exporters can potentially be handicapped.” The economist believes the BTT’s biggest drawback is that it goes against the spirit of fiscal federalism, by which taxes should be collected at various appropriate levels of government—the Centre, state, municipality or panchayat. So, for example, property taxes are collected at the municipal level to provide services like local roads. “The BTT system is a national system,” says Ranade, “It completely takes away the rights of lower levels of government to tax local communities.” In the future, once everyone has a unique identity like Aadhaar and access to a bank account, and transactions are mostly electronic, Ranade can see India move towards something like the Arthakranti Proposal. “In the current situation,” he says, “it is a bit too radical.” He however welcomes the debate it has sparked. “One must compliment them for bringing this idea of tax reform and unconventional solutions to our mainstream debate. There are lots of profes17 February 2014
sionals working on the details, but there are some conceptual difficulties as well.” There are other criticisms too. In an Economic Times article titled ‘Arthakranti Doesn’t Work’, one of the points that the economist Bibek Debroy raises is that transaction taxes have failed in other countries. Sanjeev Sanyal, global strategist at Deutsche Bank, wrote in Business Standard that ‘most mainstream economists… feel that it is a simplistic and untested proposal that is bound to fail.’ Besides the usual arguments against it, he sees one more flaw. ‘The proposal does not account for the way corporations, individuals and other economic agents would change their behaviour in a BTT world. For instance, businesses would change their supply chains such that they internalise many activities rather than outsource them to external vendors. This would reduce the number of financial transactions.’ With e-money transactions enabled by the internet, a parallel eeconomy may spring up in the deep web that would be hard for the BTT to touch.
A
fter Bokil first wrote the paper
in Marathi, someone bought it to Anil Paranjpe in Pune, requesting him to translate it into English. Paranjpe is a US-returned civil engineer who joined the software industry later. He had left his full-time job and was starting a consultancy and had time on his hands. He translated the paper and his interest was piqued. Like Bokil, he too now gives presentations on the proposal and has met a wide variety of politicians, economists and bankers over the past decade. Some years back, they decided to put these ideas in the language of economists. Paranjpe and another Arthakranti member spent two years poring over 2,000 plus papers related to banking and taxation. They then prepared a report on the proposal, with 70 of those papers cited as references. Paranjpe is emphatic that the proposal is not just a tax correction. “That is only one-third of the solution. The other third is to get people into banks. The remaining third is that once [this happens], banks should be in a position to give good credit to everybody. All three need to happen for the full benefits to be realised. Unfortunately, the topic got opened and
is being discussed as a pure tax reform. What you want to see is for healthy money to be available to everybody including the Government.” The premise of why it will work is that people are essentially honest. They avoid tax because it is complicated and irrational. Black money exists because people are forced to be dishonest—simplify it, and they will pay. If the proposal is implemented, it will mean a one-time amnesty for all black money so that it can be pushed into the white economy. Paranjpe says they have cogent responses to the objections raised by economists. For instance, to the argument that BTT is regressive because it levies a flat rate on the rich and poor, their counter argument is that a rich man’s 2 per cent is far greater in rupee terms than a poor man’s. Moreover, the poor would still be able to resort to cash transactions under Rs 2,000 (or so) that attract no tax. To the point that transaction taxes have failed elsewhere, Paranjpe says they were all add-on taxes, and thus added burdens. The Arthakranti BTT would be the only tax to be paid, and at a low rate too, and so no one will grudge it. Companies would welcome it because it eliminates the army of employees they have to maintain for tax compliance. Plus, there won’t be any harassment by tax officials. As a policy, argues Paranjpe, the BTT is eminently doable. “Has taxation been changed before? Hundreds of times. Tax rates reduced? Hundreds of times. Has currency compression been done? Hundreds of times. In India, it was done in 1978. In the US, the Nixon government removed US $1,000 and $10,000 bills [leaving $100 as the country’s highest currency denomination], forcing everyone to go through banks.” The Arthakranti Proposal clubs together several measures to make it consistent and logical, say its advocates. But it would require political courage. Even the BJP has not accepted the idea so far, with leaders like Arun Jaitley and Yashwant Sinha unconvinced of it. Arthakranti says that objections arise mainly from looking at the idea from the existing system’s point of view. The proposal, however, seeks to overhaul it completely and create a new framework. “Can we go there and think in that framework? You will find your answers,” says Khot. n open www.openthemagazine.com 31
india Pictures
awaiting the final journey An artist’s representation of a dakhma, or Zoroastrian funeral well, in India
rites
A Burning Question Mumbai’s Parsis find themselves divided over a crematorium for those who’d rather not opt for the traditional Towers of Silence Lhendup G Bhutia
W
hen Dinshaw Tamboly was
about eight years old, he attended a Parsi funeral for the first time. His grandfather had passed away and his body was taken to Doongerwadi, Mumbai’s Towers of Silence, as the community’s traditional funeral site is known. Tamboly remembers entering this lush green area in Malabar Hills with the funeral entourage for the first time, before the corpse-bearers took the body away to the dakhmas, or wells. He recalls looking at the sky and seeing a ring of vultures flying in gleeful anticipation. Someone told the young Tamboly, pointing at the vultures, “The
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body will be over in half an hour.” Once the flesh was consumed and the bones bleached by the sun, in accordance with tradition, the skeletal remains would be pushed into the well’s central pit. Back then, all this only took a few days. As the years went by, Tamboly says, he never gave much thought to this ancient tradition of disposing of the dead. In this day and age, the thought of feeding the lifeless remains of people to vultures might strike some as macabre, but to Tamboly, like other Parsis, it was their way. Sometime in the late 1990s, when Tamboly became a trustee of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP), the trust that governs Doongerwadi, he learnt that some people living nearby complained of a foul smell from the Towers. “They said they couldn’t bear to keep their windows open,” Tamboly recalls. As a trustee, Tamboly had been given charge of the upkeep of the area, a 54-acre patch of land on the eastern slope of uptown Malabar Hills that is often described as a mini-forest. Despite the rule that no one but corpse-bearers can visit the three wells where cadavers are left for vultures, Tamboly visited them to investigate the matter. “What I saw was horrible,” he says. “There were piles of hundreds of corpses in different stages of decomposition, rotting in the open. When I looked around, there was not a single vulture around,” he says. Asked, the corpse-bearers there told him that rather few vultures ever descended to the wells, leaving corpses uneaten for long periods of time. Other avian visitors such as crows and kites would sometimes fly off with and drop pieces of flesh on the terraces of nearby houses and balconies of buildings. Tamboly asked other trustees to visit the spot to impress upon them the need to find a solution. “But very soon,” he says, “all of us realised that the entire system had collapsed.” As information of rotting corpses became common knowledge, he realised that many Parsis were increasingly turning to cremation. In response, he urged other BPP trustees to build an electric crematorium within Doongerwadi, and if not, at least allow the families of those who had been cremated to pray for their souls in the community’s prayer halls. “But the high priests forbade any of that. They said
cremation was sacrilegious and couldn’t be permitted. Neither was a crematorium allowed nor the prayer halls opened to all,” he says. “They said the soul of the cremated would be lost forever.” The issue has created a deep rift within the community. Zoroastrian high priests have strictly forbidden cremation and burial, branding all those who choose or advocate these as ‘renegades’; fire and earth are holy under the tenets of the faith and are not to be defiled. Those who advise cremation, however, say the traditional method of disposal has failed, and so a pragmatic option is needed. They complain that the high priests have not only prohibited cremation, they have barred priests from performing funeral prayers for those who are cremated. According to Zoroastrianism, four days of prayers must be held after a family member dies. It is believed that this helps the soul reach and cross a mythical chinvat bridge that lies between the two worlds of the living and the dead. Since the high priests would not hear of cremations and the BPP was reluctant to allow them space, about two years ago, Tamboly and some like-minded Parsis started negotiating with Mumbai’s municipal authorities to let them build a prayer hall for cremated Parsis. Last year, Tamboly formed the Prayer Hall Trust, and a few weeks ago, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp allotted them space in a public crematorium complex in Worli to set up a prayer hall for all faiths. This hall is expected to cost about Rs 1.7 crore and will be ready in 15 months. The trust will employ priests to conduct prayers for those who opt for cremation. And while use of the hall will be open to all faiths, Parsis will be given preference at certain hours. The hall will also be open to those Parsis who marry outside the community and for their children, another contentious issue among Parsis, since the high priests do not consider children Zoroastrian unless both parents are by birth. “I don’t think the traditional-minded will be too happy,” says Tamboly.
I
ndia once had one of the world’s larg-
est vulture populations. The country has one of the planet’s largest livestock open www.openthemagazine.com 33
populations; cattle slaughter is forbidden in most parts. For a long time, this helped the birds thrive. However, with the painkiller diclofenac being put to extensive use on cattle across the country, vultures began dying in huge numbers of poisoning. The drug, it was found, causes kidney failure among birds that feed on corpses treated with it. The veterinarian use of diclofenac has been banned in India but its use remains widespread. The BPP’s efforts to have doctors not prescribe the drug for Parsi patients, Tamboly says, was not successful either. With a drastic fall in India’s vulture population over the years, the Parsi community has been searching for solutions. At one point, the BPP approved a partherbal, part-chemical substance to hasten the decomposition of bodies. “The composition had to be poured into the orifices of the dead. It also led to sludge within the wells, where corpse-bearers often slipped,” recalls Tamboly, “It wasn’t pleasant at all and we had to stop it.” Later the BPP started using large solar reflectors to dehydrate bodies in the wells, a system which is still in use, before the remains are buried en masse within the area. Since each adult body takes at least about five days to dehydrate, concentrated mixtures of flowers are kept in a number of pots and ozone gas is frequently released to mask the stench. Efforts to retain the classic funeral tradition have seen other forms of innovation, too. The BPP once flew down an expert in birds of prey from the UK, Jemina Perry-Jones, to help establish an aviary for vultures in the Doongerwadi area. The plan was scrapped because the BPP felt the expense of such a project would be too high. Some years ago, the captive-vulture plan was revived and help sought from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) to set up an aviary within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park on the outskirts of the city (and a ‘satellite’ aviary within Doongerwadi). Under the plan, by January 2014, vultures were supposed to be at full strength again, leaving no flesh on corpses placed in the wells. While Homi Khusrokhan, director of the BNHS, claims that the Society is still in talks with the BPP over the project, Muncherji Cama, a BPP trustee, says the idea has been shelved for the time being. 34 open
P
arsis who advocate alternate methods of disposing of the dead claim that Zoroastrian high priests ostracise and look down upon them for their beliefs. In 2009, the BPP, supported by the high priests—in a move construed by reformists as an attempt to warn them— banned two reformist priests from entering not just Doongerwadi, but also fire temples. High priests have been held in high esteem down the centuries since Parsis migrated to India’s West coast from Persia. They are involved in such rites of passage as Navjote initiation and marriage ceremonies. Those among the priests who have been welcoming non-Parsis into the community fold—say, by allowing children of mixed couples Navjote ceremonies—and performing prayers for the buried and cremated have been shunned by the traditionalists. Reformist priests,
Zoroastrian high priests have forbidden cremation and burial, branding those who choose or advocate these as renegades, fire and earth being holy under the tenets of their faith
cast out for their alleged sacrilege, took the matter to the High Court, which ruled in their favour, but the BPP has appealed to the Supreme Court. The apex court has appointed a mediator between the two parties but no breakthrough has been achieved yet. The two parties refuse to speak on the matter since the case is still in court. While well-to-do Parsis rarely have difficulty employing priests to perform prayers for their dead, regardless of the method of disposal, the less affluent are in no position to rub the high priests the wrong way. “Many Parsis are willing to go against current beliefs and opt for cremation,” says Homi Dalal, a 69-yearold activist, “But they do not want to risk not having the final prayers done.” Now with a prayer hall that is open even to those cremated, he says, more Parsis will opt for cremation. According to
Tamboly, around 750-800 bodies are brought every year to Doogerwadi. In comparison, some four or five choose cremation. According to a December 2013 survey by Parsiana, a community newspaper, 28 per cent of all respondents said they wanted to be cremated over the traditional method. Dastur Mirza, a Zoroastrian high priest, is furious about that prayer hall. “These people, the priests who work with them, they are all renegades,” he says over the phone, “Have they studied Zoroastrianism? Who are they to start a prayer hall?” With that, he disconnects the call in anger, only to call back later, asking me not to malign the community. Meanwhile, the BPP’s Cama reckons that the current system is efficient enough, if not perfect. “Yes, there are no vultures. But Zoroastrianism never [places emphasis] on those birds, but the sun. And with the help of solar panels, it is working well enough.”
I
n 2006, a Parsi woman named Dhan
Baria sneaked into Doongerwadi along with a photographer she refuses to name. A few months earlier, after her mother’s death, her body had been taken there. When she inquired a few days later, a corpse-bearer apparently told her about how bodies end up rotting in the open. The duo—Baria and the photographer— took 108 pictures of corpses rotting in the wells. According to her, she approached the BPP with these pictures, asking them to set up a crematorium or burial space within Doongerwadi. When they refused, she distributed the pictures within the community. The photographs stunned Parsis across the world. Dalal remembers how his wife, who had often rebuked him for his ‘reformist’ views, declared in response that she preferred to be cremated instead. Baria claims that the BPP tried to ignore the outrage by questioning her faith and calling the pictures fake. Since then, Baria has set up the Nargisbanu Darabsha Baria Foundation, named after her mother, to help underprivileged children and HIV patients. “But even after all these years,” she says, “I can’t help but think when I took those pictures [that] my mother’s body was probably lying in that pile of rotting corpses.” n 17 February 2014
CO M P E T E N C E
School for Politicians
A civic leadership incubator programme in Bangalore attempts to teach future political leaders skills of governance. Priyanka Pulla attends a session to find out what it takes to educate a politician
I
n a tube-lit classroom filled to burst-
ing point with about 66 adults across age groups, Mukul Asher, professor of public policy at National University of Singapore is explaining the idea of hidden taxes—taxes citizens pay because of the government’s inefficiency or shortsightedness. He argues that bribes paid to government employees are a tax; they are, after all, a payment made to a person who represents the government and are, more or less, compulsory. “Lower income groups are extremely highly taxed,” he says, “but the money they pay doesn’t go into government coffers.” When he throws the floor open to questions, there are several. Predictably, in keeping with the zeitgeist, there is a question about the Aam Aadmi Party. A student asks if AAP can afford to give away free water and subsidised power to the residents of Delhi. Asher’s response is a question. “In the 21st century, what is going to be the commodity that will be the scarcest?” he asks. There is a murmur of responses, then someone gives the right answer: water. “If something is very scarce, would you price it at zero?” Asher then explains that although a free-water policy may appear to benefit households at the outset, it would eventually hurt them. As water becomes scarcer, the cost of supplying it will increase. Therefore the only way the Delhi
17 February 2014
government can afford to give its citizens water free is by finding an alternative source of revenue—it can either take money away from other infrastructure projects, or raise water prices for commercial establishments. The first idea is obviously a nonstarter. And if the government opts for the second, it would increase the cost of doing business in Delhi, forcing commercial establishments to move to other cities. Such an exodus would come back to hurt
An analysis of the Aam Aadmi Party’s free-water policy makes clear to students in the classroom that public policies cannot be viewed in isolation households, because they are customers and employees of these businesses. Further, Asher argues, at zero price, no one would invest in increasing the water supply to Delhi. Also, when something is given away free, there is no incentive not to waste it. Users tend to become profligate. “Look at Punjab,” Asher says, “A huge amount of water is used in farms because water is free.” This analysis of AAP’s free-water poli-
cy makes one thing clear to all students in the classroom—public policies cannot be viewed in isolation. They trigger a complex web of consequences, all of which need to be considered by the legislators who make them. A policy cannot be made by grandstanding and playing to the crowd; it requires painstaking, hardnosed analysis, with inputs from economists, urban planners and other professionals. As Asher tells the class, “It doesn’t create headlines.” The lesson is a crucial one for the students, all of whom are attending a Civic Leadership Incubator Program (BCLIP), created by the Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC) in partnership with the public policy think-tank Takshashila Institution. The programme aims to groom candidates for corporator positions in Bangalore’s 2015 municipal elections. As many as 62 per cent of the students come from political parties, and most of them intend to stand for elections. The rest do not have any experience in politics, but are here because they have a strong desire to improve governance and have already begun doing what they can. The idea of BCLIP was first floated by TV Mohandas Pai, previously a member of the Board of Directors at Infosys and a member of the BPAC. BCLIP was to be an answer to the obvious lack of administraopen www.openthemagazine.com 35
BPAC
back to the blackboard Professor Mukul Asher conducts a session on municipal finance management as part of the Bangalore Civic Leadership Incubation Programme
tive skills among Indian politicians. “Bangalore is performing under its capabilities, economically and on other dimensions, primarily because the government is not playing an enabling role,” says Sridhar Pabbisetty, a member of the BPAC. Pabbisetty who was previously chief operating officer at Bangalore’s Centre for Public Policy, contested the 2013 Karnataka Assembly elections from the Hebbal constituency. The syllabus for BCLIP is eclectic. On one hand, students learn the basics of economics, finance and urban planning so that they can be efficient administrators. On the other, they learn strategies to break into Indian politics and contest against strongly entrenched, dynastic political candidates with deep pockets.
O
n a Saturday morning, the day after the session on hidden taxes, the lesson gets even more technical. The 36 open
60-odd students, who come from a wide range of educational and cultural backgrounds, are now grappling with the nuances of accounting. Asher is explaining to them the crucial difference between cash-based accounting and accrual-based accounting. It turns out that most government organisations in India, whether the Indian Railways or the Bangalore Municipal Corporation, still follow the problematic method of cash-based accounting. This means that these organisations have no idea what their assets are, because cashbased accounting does not allow for the preparation of a balance sheet. The problem with such an information gap is that these assets can be potential money-spinners for these organisations. “At the ward level, it is particularly important to know what assets one has,” says Asher. For example, a city like Bangalore could ask commercial establishments to set up shops over bus sta-
tions and earn much-needed revenue from this. Or it could put up eco-friendly lights and generate revenue under the Kyoto Protocol. “All well managed cities do this. And poorly managed cities don’t,” says Asher, talking about such small-scale but effective interventions to improve urban governance. In all, BCLIP is a nine-month course, the first three of which consist of classroom sessions from public policy experts such as Mukul Asher, bureaucrats like retired additional chief secretary to Government of Karnataka K Jairaj, and politicans such as Pabbisetty. Most political leaders who will address students have a strong record of trying to shape public policy. For example, Ashwin Mahesh, a climate-scientist who contested the Karnataka Legislative Assembly polls in 2013, is involved in several urban-development projects for traffic management, lake development, etcetera. Rajeev 17 February 2014
Gowda, a professor of economics at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, and a Congress spokesperson in Karnataka, has helped kick-start a string on civic initiatives such as Bangalore Needs You. But politics cannot be taught in the classroom alone. So, as part of the programme, students have had to walk through their respective municipal wards, meeting residents and officials in charge of public services. Next, they have surveyed the status of these services— roads, water, drainage, garbage management and electricity—to find the biggest pain points. By the end of the first three months, each student must develop a ward action plan to solve these problems. Those with feasible ward action plans will receive Rs 60,000 each from the BPAC to implement them. “It is a very intense endeavour. The budget of it is about a crore, because we want to train 100 people,” says Pabbisetty. A crucial part of the training also involves strategies for campaigning against established political parties. One such strategy is what Pabbisetty calls a ‘guerilla campaign’—a low-cost, unconventional drive to connect with voters, which can give traditional large-scale campaigns a run for their money. “What did AAP manage in Delhi? It was a guerilla campaign. We have a whole range of interventions like this. This is to say politics is out there and not necessarily how your party is imagining it today,” he explains. In 2013, when Pabbisetty contested the Karnataka Assembly polls from Hebbal he managed to snatch away about 5.5 per cent of the votes after a 37day campaign. By spending about Rs 5 lakh, Pabbisetty says he received more votes that the Karnataka Janata Paksha candidate in Hebbal, who had about 200 people walking behind him every day for almost 20 days. “It is about communicating the right issues and touching the voter where [his/her] pain point is.”
A
few weeks after the session
with Asher, students receive a lesson on how important good planning is for infrastructure projects. They are on a field trip to the construction site of Bangalore’s CNR Rao underpass. This
17 February 2014
project, which was sanctioned in 2008 to ease traffic congestion, was scheduled for completion in ten months. Today, five years down the line, it is still incomplete. Students learn that things went wrong at the planning stage itself. Planners did not take into account the fact that several public utilities, such as optical fibre cables for internet connectivity to the neighbouring Indian Institute of Science, lay under the construction site. Plus, land had to be acquired from neighbouring institutions, and this wasn’t foreseen by the planners either. Even without all these problems, there were genuine engineering challenges to be surmounted—the CNR Rao underpass is the first of its kind in Bangalore, because it does not have a central beam supporting its broad archway. To tie together the interests of so many stakeholders while solving unprecedent-
The idea is to make politics an attractive option for young and competent people again, says Sridhar Pabbisetty of the Bangalore Political Action Committee ed engineering problems takes political imagination, says Pavan Srinath, a policy researcher from Takshashila Institution and a BCLIP instructor. “It is the task of a politician to provide the right incentives to each of them and pursue the larger public purpose. Our aim is to teach students to think in terms of interests and incentives.” The course has been an eye-opener for the motley mix attending it. Manjesh Jalahalli Cheluvamurthy, a 35-year-old resident of Vidyaranyapura in Bangalore and a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, is one of them. Manjesh, who is an electronics engineer by profession, is bothered by the sharp contrast between the infrastructure and quality of life in India and in developed countries he’s had a chance to visit. “I want to see the infrastructure improve in our city, because that is the first question I get asked whenever I travel to Taiwan or elsewhere. So, I asked myself: can I bring
about some change?” BCLIP has given him an opportunity to tackle this problem systematically. “The syllabus has been outstanding,” he says. As part of the ward walkthrough exercise, he has identified road connectivity as the biggest problem in his ward. “I am working on understanding why we are not able to widen these roads. It is mainly a lack of will and lack of dialogue between elected representatives. Also, there is the issue of who gets credit for the work,” he explains. Manjesh is hoping to run for the 2015 elections as a BJP candidate, but if that doesn’t work out, “I will look at other party options,” he says. Fifty-nine-year-old Gayathri Sen’s ambitions were far less political when she joined BCLIP. “When I went for the interview, I had no intention of standing for elections,” she says. “I thought [that] by getting training from here, I [would] be able to do some type of social work.” Gayathri comes from a family of academics and is herself in charge of libraries at PES Institute of Technology in Bangalore. “Coming from an academic background, we always feel that we should keep away from politics; that it isn’t clean,” she says. But her involvement in civic issues slowly changed her mind. She has been fighting a case, together with other neighbourhood residents, against a neighbour who was attempting an illegal construction.Apart from this, she also works with an NGO that digitises books for blind people. “I have realised in the past few years that unless you get into the system, you cannot change it,” she says. When I ask Pabbisetty how much of a difference such training can make to politics, considering that most governance failures seem to occur not because of a lack of training but of integrity, he says this is only one of several interventions. “But if we don’t even try this, we will lose the opportunity to make any change through this process.” According to him, the idea is to make politics an attractive career option for young and competent people. “You and I should equally aspire to be politicians. If we let go of that, we will be governed by inferiors. There is nothing wrong with being governed by inferiors,” he says, “just that we will be governed inferiorly.” n open www.openthemagazine.com 37
f i r st p e r s o n
second to silk Shakeela was at one time paid more than the leading ladies of regular South Indian cinema
arshad batheri
A Soft Porn Star’s Life
Extracts from the autobiography of Shakeela, South India’s celebrity soft-porn star who wouldn’t go completely nude
To understand how popular Shakeela is down South, you have to read the three-yearold autobiography of Surayya Bhanu. Bhanu, a Chennai-born Commerce graduate, had developed a passion for cinema since childhood. She ended up on the margins of the Tamil film industry as a body double for porn stars unwilling to go completely nude. Like Shakeela. Bhanu filled those ‘gaps’. She exposed her nude body in bedroom and bathroom scenes in almost all Shakeela films. In the book, Bhanu talks about the South Indian porn market’s crush on plump women: Shakeela’s body type. Bhanu was slim when she began her career. Later, on realising the popular demand for well-endowed curves and heavy thighs, she put on weight and shaped herself to ‘industry standards’. It gave her the chance to play Shakeela’s double. Recently, Shakeela put out her own autobiography in Malayalam. Published by Olive Publications and titled Shakeela: Autobiography, its cover line says, ‘I am not guilty but I am sad’. In the book, she talks about exploitation by her family right from childhood and her experience of sexual abuse by male teachers. That pattern changed little after she entered the world of cinema. To Shakeela, acting is a thankless job, as miserable as real life. Extracts from her autobiography:
W
hy should I write my autobi-
ography? Is there anything to learn from me? I said ‘no’ to the publisher who approached me with the idea of a book on my life. I am not Mother Teresa. Mine is an artificial life and so are the films I acted in. Then why do I write such a book? This was the initial thought I had. Later I changed my mind. I am a woman like any other; who wanted to love and be loved and to live a happy and peaceful life. No one knows what I am and what I went through. No one knows how my name has become a synonym for erotic desire. I decided to write this book on myself because people should know how a Shakeela is formed and shaped.
17 February 2014
During an interview, a journalist once told me that I was the woman who embodied the sexual desire of Malayalee youth. When somebody is hungry, we have to give them food. Nothing else will make them happy. My cinema was nothing but the erotic display of my body. No one might have seen the woman in me and the actress in me. There was a time when I used to get remuneration that was much higher than leading actresses. I was flying from one location to another. I worked in films day and night, and there was a time when I hardly got a few hours
I saw that Silk Smitha was a very kind human being... She amazed me with her humility, dedication to work and punctuality to sleep. On several occasions, I fell asleep during bedroom scenes. People watching the movie would never have known that my eyes were closed because I could not control my sleep. They might have thought that I was performing an orgasm on screen. For everyone, I was nothing more than an erotic body. Nobody cared about exploring the actress in me.
M
y entry to this career was through
a film in which Silk Smitha played the leading role. She was an ever inspiring presence to me. I have never met any other actress as charming as Smitha. The beauty of her body was transcended by her deep black eyes. Play Girls was a sex education movie in which I acted the role of Smitha’s sister. It was directed by RD Shekhar and produced by Umashankar, a make-up man with whom I had an acquaintance. Umashankar had promised me a good role in the film, and asked me to go to AVM Studio to meet the director. It was
like a dream come true. There was hardly any screen test. The director looked at me, asked me a few questions and told me to get ready for the shoot next day. Later, I was told by Umashankar that the role that I had to do was that of Silk Smitha’s sister. I could not believe it. I could not sleep that night. I was deeply confused. Do I really deserve this? Am I eligible to act with an actress of her heights? I reached the studio in the morning, next day. I was asked to change my costume. I was given a mini skirt and a pair of stockings. I did not like that costume. I was not feeling comfortable, but I did not want to object as it was the moment of a long cherished dream coming true. It was a pleasant surprise that my first shot was with Smitha. When she comes out of her room, I have to give her a cup of tea and tell her ‘Sister, please have a cup of tea’. Then Smitha would slap my face. The shot was ready and the camera was on. I gave her the tea, and rendered the dialogue politely. As scripted, she slapped me. It was a real heavy slap. I was numb with shock. It was extremely painful. I could not control my tears. That was the only shot taken that day. I was crying and wanted to go back home. Smitha came and tried to hug me. She apologised and told me she had done it for the perfection of the shot. I couldn’t accept her explanation. I thought she did it only because she was a star and I was a beginner. Later, I changed my mind when I saw that Smitha was a very kind human being. The next day she took me to her house for lunch. She amazed me with her humility, dedication to work and punctuality. The news of her suicide was one of the saddest moments in my life. I don’t know what might have prompted her to do it. It remains a mystery.
I
have no good memories of my mother. I never experienced love and care from her. It was my mother who spoiled open www.openthemagazine.com 39
southern siren Shakeela in the Kannada film Paatargithi. She has acted in Malayalee, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Punjabi films
my life. I think my mother did not like me since my childhood. She often ignored me and cursed me. But one day, she appreciated my beauty. This was soon after my sixteenth birthday. Then she informed me that a person would come to pick me up. She asked me to go with him to a place where I have to ‘please’ a rich man who would help rid us of our financial constraints. She asked me to obey him, and do whatever he wanted me to do. I was shocked. I was grown up enough to understand what she was asking for. A stranger came to pick me up, I had no choice. I accompanied him. We reached a hotel room. That ‘rich man’, who was in his forties, was waiting there. I was frozen with fear and sorrow. He undressed me, and raped me. But he could not penetrate me due to my resistance. It was only a beginning. I was forced to sleep with many such ‘rich men’ thereafter. I experienced both pain and pleasure. I am not able to recollect when I lost my virginity.
I
f I want anyone to read this book several times, it is my elder sister Noorjahan. She is the person responsible for my going bankrupt. There was a period when I was the highest paid actress 40 open
in the South Indian film industry, but all my money has been stolen by my sister. She was managing my accounts, and I trusted her completely. I did not expect her to cheat me because she had looked after me since my early childhood. It was too late by the time I realised that I had been cheated. At one point in my life I was fed up with the busy routine of cinema. The life of flying from locations to locations made me dull and unhappy.
We are not doing it in a private place. How is it possible to enjoy sex when you are watched by the whole crew? I wanted to take a break. I informed my mother and Noorjahan that I wanted to get married and have a peaceful family life. Both of them were shocked. They looked at me as if I had done a crime. After a few minutes, Noorjahan started advising me not to take such a foolish decision. I realised that they loved only my money, and had no concern for my future. I was furious. I told Noorjahan that I want all my money back. To my shock, she
said that all the money had been spent on the family.
I
prefer the company of women to
men while drinking alcohol. Men would make sexual advances after a few drinks. They think that I give them company because I want to sleep with them. Poor men! They lack imagination. Their only motivating factor is sex. I have more freedom with women. I can hug and dance with them. If I do the same with men, they would force me to have sex with them.
‘H
ave you been really turned on
while enacting intimate physical encounters?’ This is a question I have often been asked. We are not doing it in a private place. How is it possible to enjoy sex when you are watched by the whole crew? Sex is not a mere physical act as far as a woman is concerned. If there is no emotional bonding, it is difficult to enjoy sex. Whatever I did was nothing but acting. I had never had arousal during a performance. n Translated from Malayalam by Shahina KK 17 February 2014
multiply your money W
ith a bewildering array of products and packages on offer, we might be tempted to simply retreat to the comfort of financial instruments and strategies of the past years. All you need to ask is: how best can my money fulfill my specific requirements? Take time out to map out your current finances against future finances. Look five, ten or even twenty years ahead. Your current needs can be provided for by future earnings, and future contingencies can be covered by tiny fractions of current income. Obtain clarity on what you need now, but can pay for later; and what future circumstances can you prepare for right-away. And, the financial instruments best engineered for you become evident. Invest in productive assets; look at what can be delivered annually without having to sell it off. To be a long-term equity investor, for example, what you need is information on three counts: a company’s broad prospects, what an attractive price for its stock is, and what dividends you can expect. For the first of these, you have to keep yourself aware of how a company is performing in its field of business. For price, see what it costs on the stock-market as a multiple of its earnings-pershare: the price-earnings or P/E ratio. The lower the ratio, the cheaper the stock. For the third, look out for the company’s dividend yield; the higher, the better. So long as the company is growing and the economy is faring well, this formula can serve
Av e n u e s
you well on a ten- or 20-year horizon. Picking your own stocks is a risky enterprise. It is advisable to hold about half your retirement funds in debt instruments. Here, you only need to check that your rate of return is higher than inflation over this period. India being a capitalhungry economy, there are many bonds available that deliver decent returns. There is also the option of letting financial experts do your investment job for you. Mutual funds, if taken for the long-term, can deliver reasonable returns without your having to worry about the finer details. Before you commit your money, check the past few years’ performance of the fund in question. After that, keeping track of it is a must, though shortterm fluctuations in net-asset-value should not be a reason to switch funds. The needs of general investors are also met by several other i n v e s t m e n t schemes. Insurance companies have put together a wide assortment of retirement and other growth plans to suit a variety of risk-return profiles. These are mostly lock-in investments that you cannot switch out of very easily, so research the insurer and the scheme diligently before you invest your money. The key is to have a variety of baskets for your nest egg, plan your investments with a proper timeframe and never over invest in anything.
The Pride of Karnataka K
arnataka Bank, completing 90 years on 18th February 2014, has 562 branches and 612 ATMS in 20 states and 2 Union Territories with a dedicated team of over 6,800 employees ably taking care of over 1.32 lakh shareholders and over 77 lakh clients. Since 2000, its Core Banking Solution provides ‘Anywhere’, ‘Anytime’, ‘24x7’ banking services along with Internet Banking, Mobile Banking, Point of Sales, Debit Cards, MBB SB & Current accounts to its customers. It is a JV partner with Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Limited and the corporate agent for PNB MetLife for life insurance. It has tied up with Times of Money for online money transfer ‘Remit2 India’ to NRIs, and an MoU with Reliance Capital, for co-financing MSMEs. KPMG Advisory Services is implementing ‘Project Tejas’ for high growth with superior quality. On December 2013, Karnataka Bank had a turnover Rs 65,688 crore with deposits of Rs 38,683 crore and advances of Rs 27,005 crore. The net profit for the 9 month period ended 31st December 2013
was Rs 229,82 crore. The CRAR stood at 13.01% and the bank paid 40% dividend for 2012-13. The awards for the current fiscal are IDRBT Banking Technology Excellence Awards (Small Banks) under the Best Bank Award for Managing IT risks and Best Bank Award (IT for business innovation). Sunday Standard FINWIZ 2013 Best Bankers Awards under Best Bank for Customer Friendliness (Midsized Banks); Best Bank for Customer Orientation (Private Sector Banks); Best Bank for HR Practices (Private Sector Banks) and Runner-up, ASSOCHAM Social Banking Excellence Award for 2012 (private sector banks). The latest being the IBA Banking Technology Award for Customer Management Initiative for 2012-2013 (2nd Runner Up). “These awards demonstrate Karnataka Bank’s customer centric initiatives aimed at offering state-of-the-art technology based products to suit the changing requirements of customers and to enhance the levels of customer service and satisfaction,” says Mr P. Jayarama Bhat, MD & CEO. n
Growth Through Trust C
anara Bank was founded by Shri Ammembal Subba Rao Pai, a great visionary and philanthropist, in July 1906, at Mangalore. Post nationalisation in 1969, Canara Bank’s growth was phenomenal, especially in terms of geographical reach and clientele segments. It has an unbroken record of profits and as of 31st December 2013, its global business was Rs.6.97 lakh crore. During 2013-14, it opened 866 branches pan India and the tally of branches stands at 4,594 including 5 overseas branches. The bank has opened 1,441 ATMs during the year, expanding the network to 4,967. It has set up e-lounges across 71 branches with hi-tech banking facilities like ATMs, Cash/ Cheque Acceptor, Passbook printing kiosks, internet banking, online trading and telebanking. As part of its innovative and customer friendly measures, several new products under ‘retail’ and ‘MSME’ advances have been introduced, with an online loan
application and tracking system for retail/ MSME/ Agri loans. It has also introduced online submission of applications for opening SB Accounts and value additions under internet banking, mobile banking and online trading. It has nine subsidiaries/sponsored institutions/joint ventures in diversified areas of housing finance, asset management, and venture capital, mutual funds, insurance and software consultancy. The Bank has taken many CSR initiatives like promoting rural development, enhancing rural self-employment through training institutes, etc. Promoting an inclusive growth strategy is deeply rooted in the bank’s founding principles. By pursuing global benchmarks in profitability, operational efficiency, asset quality, risk management and reach, it is all set to become India’s ‘Preferred Bank’. Accordingly, BCG will help rejuvenate the bank by focusing on energizing branches, customer service, increasing sales from branches, growing a robust asset base and revamping the operating model. n
true life
The India Art Fair: Bigger, Better, Stronger, More
46
Perumal Murugan and One Part Woman How I Write: Vikram Chandra
Books
The Girl in the Well of Death
44 64
ritesh uttamchandani
well of death 20-year-old Pooja Rathod routinely risks her neck performing circus stunts—all for her independence 44
true life
That Girl in the Well of Death Twenty-year-old biker stuntwoman Pooja Rathod talks about riding on a wall and risking her neck for her independence
D
on’t try to be too smart.
That’s the only trick. Keep your pace, concentrate, and by God’s grace, it will be smooth sailing. Once your motorbike has attained the right momentum, you are free to lie back on the seat. Or, take your hands off the handle. Or, salute the audience. When you're a girl, even if you complete two rounds, it’s good enough. After those 10 minutes performing, you are on your own. Just make sure you maintain your balance. They don’t call this a maut ka kuan ('well of death') for nothing. I was 15 when I joined the mela, first
as a dancer, then as a stuntwoman performing in the ‘well of death’. Some people come to work in this well just for kicks. I came just so I could get away from my mother, and her insistence that I get married. I have been providing for my family for about 13 years now. My father passed away when I was seven years old, leaving behind my mum, my twoyear-old brother, and me. I started as a part-time worker before and after school. I woke up at 7 am, and went to work at a steel factory. At times, I moonlighted as service staff at weddings. I dropped out of school after the
ritesh uttamchandani
The action usually starts in the evening. Around 5 pm, Pooja retires to the tent to put on make-up—to line her eyes with kaajal and apply a coat of bright pink lip-gloss to go with her pink-rimmed glasses. She takes her place on top of the platform, ready to plunge into the 'well of death', a carnival sideshow where bikers and car drivers drive along the curved inside walls of a barrel-like structure—like a well. Before the show, it looks like a lit up fortress. The men start revving their bikes, from which silencers have been removed, creating a deafening racket. It works every time; a crowd gathers, asking when the show begins. There is only one answer: “10 minutes”.
riding death Pooja Rathod performs a stunt on a car inside the 'well of death'
fifth standard. That’s when I learnt diamond polishing. For five years, I made a decent living earning about Rs 12,000 per month. But sitting bent over the machine for 12 hours, with a boss who makes sure you get up only for bathroom breaks, took a toll on my back. A distant relative asked me if I would like to be in a song-and-dance routine in a carnival. By then, my mother’s marriage appeals were getting increasingly shrill. They offered me a monthly pay of Rs 15,000. I grabbed it. In a carnival, there is no certainty about anything, not even your next meal. I have often gone days with only endless cups of chai. People have to go without a bath for 10 days straight; I always carry deodorant. I have travelled all over Gujarat, and sometimes around Mumbai doing around 3035 shows like I did last year. After the first one-and-a-half months of stage shows, Seema didi, the manager of our troupe, took me to the well. They were looking for a girl to liven up the show. When people see a girl on stage, they walk straight in. In our meeting, I spotted a bike and asked if I could ride it. I was already familiar with it, having ridden one on the highway back home. There was a time I used to get scared at the very sight of the ‘well of death’. Now I was riding round and round inside one, perfectly comfortably. Those who saw me said, “This girl needs to be here. She will pick it up quickly.” When I joined these artistes, they had only trained me to perform as a co-passenger in a car. Whenever I brought up my desire of being a biker stuntwoman, they waved me off: ‘What if you fall and die?’ The men around here have to prove their dedication to learn these skills. In all my odd jobs, I picked up the needed skills quickly. I studied only till the fifth standard but I taught myself English from what I heard around me. Now, I can send an SMS in English. Just the same way, I can ride a bike at a height of two stories without having had a guru. I had cried and fought, but the bikers refused. If not for 17 February 2014
Zakirbhai, the owner of the well who ordered the other bikers to allow me to use their motorcycles, I wouldn’t have been where I am. It took me about six months to learn to climb only the selembo, the steep incline before the walls get vertical. After that, for the next 18 months, I performed all the stunts easily. Three years ago, at my first show at the Mahim Dargah fair, the back tyre of my
Three years ago, at my f irst show at the
Mahim Dargah fair, the back tyre of my motorbike got punctured
and I crashed and went down... within seconds, my right side hit the beach sand. The bike landed on top of me. The audience
started cheering motorbike got punctured and I crashed and went down. Often, people ask me if what we do is nazarbandi (illusion). I tell them it’s not, but then we do carry out incredible feats. That December day, there were only 3-4 people watching the show and I was the only one performing. After the accident, within seconds, my right side hit the beach sand. The bike landed on top of me. The au-
dience started cheering. It was the first thing they had seen that they could believe. But the show wasn’t over yet. So I tried getting up to salute the audience when a searing pain shot through my right leg. The jeans had torn open where I had fallen and a large part of my torso was bruised. Nothing strikes home as the sight of blood, and the people, on seeing my condition, started calling for help. It was a drop of 20 feet. I felt fine, but the riders made me lie down and called for a doctor. That’s when I got scared. The one thing I was terrified about was that I might just be rendered incapable of performing again. The next day, I took the bike, did another two rounds of the well and made sure the fall hadn’t made me forget what I had so painstakingly learnt all those months. Thankfully, it was a minor fracture. I went back home after everyone insisted I should. After three-and-a-half months, I was back to performing. My fall has since then become my claim to fame. Yesterday, a policeman at the adjoining chowki asked me, “You’re back? Aren’t you the one who fell down here?” I have only seen two other female biker stuntmen in Gujarat. Girls are not too keen on joining the well. I would love to train a girl if she approaches me, but only after I get out of the business. What if popular demand for me declines if one more performer joins? I might quit after a couple of years, but till then, this is the only way I can provide for my family. I am 20 years old; marriage is not in my scheme of things. I want to learn to ride a car, first on the highway, then in the well. I will look for a man only after I see my mother and brother settled. I have no checklist for an ideal partner, only that he shouldn’t be from this profession. If he is, neither of us could continue doing this to earn a living. My brother asked me if he could join the troupe, but I refused. I know the uncertainty in the business. Here, if you survive, you’re lucky. If you die, it’s inevitable. n As told to Omkar Khandekar open www.openthemagazine.com 45
prabakaran
Books
A Hidden Firebrand On the occasion of the publication in English of his novel One Part Woman, Tamil writer Perumal Murugan talks about growing up a reader in a family of farmers and getting into trouble writing about caste nandini krishnan
“M
y wife found it very
hard to deal with what Ponna does. She had to read it four-five times. Many people couldn’t accept the idea of that custom; that a woman could do that.” Perumal Murugan’s grin is triumphant. It may be because he had shocked his readers even in writing about a decades-old village custom. Or it may be an author’s pride in his men and women—that they were real enough to disturb an audience. Murugan’s wife had to deal with several things in his Mathorupagan (2010), whose English translation by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, One Part Woman, has just been released by Penguin. Murugan was taking on a female protagonist for the first time, and had to think like a woman who yearned for children; the father-of-two also had to think like a man who was ridiculed for not producing heirs; and he had to bring to life a world from the 1940s. One Part Woman has the distant romanticism of a gentler, slower, prettier world, but it is infused with a sense of immediacy. It was only towards the end, where there is a reference to British rule and to a ‘new’ Tamil film called Sri Valli (which was made in 1945), that I realised it was a period novel. The book is about Kali and Ponna, a couple who are childless ten years into marriage. We see
confidence and diffidence Murugan takes pride in his unconventional themes, yet he lowers his voice when speaking of his characters’ sexual appetites 17 FEBRUARY 2014
their intense, tender love, their constant craving for each other’s bodies. This, apparently, is not enough to keep a marriage going. Everyone is preoccupied with their ‘failure’ to produce a child. We hear voices of reassurance, voices of accusation, voices of pleading, voices of mockery and voices of comfort. But the voices that linger are the cruel ones. Murugan intricately examines the effect the pressure to have a child has
“On the days the postman came with a book for me, it was like a great calamity had struck. Everyone would walk about slowly and silently, as if they were in mourning. They were mourning— mourning the money I’d wasted on the book” on their relationship. It all comes to a head during a temple festival, where the families of the two conspire to send Ponna ‘alone to the hill’ on the last day, when it is believed ‘the gods go back’. The idols of temple deities, brought downhill for the two-week-long festivity, would be carried back to the hill temple of Lord Ardhanareshwara, the fusion of masculine and feminine. On this day, another fusion of the male-female forms was permissible: it was believed that all men became gods at night, and one
would grant a barren woman a child— the old-fashioned way.
I
n person, the 47-year-old author dis-
plays a strange mix of confidence and diffidence. He has the commanding presence professors tend to acquire. Yet he has a cautious, self-effacing mien. He greets me with an awkward smile, and isn’t quite sure how to react when I feel obliged to tell him my Tamil accent has become sort of awful from years of living away. When he eventually warms up, it turns out that, like most interesting writers, he’s keener to hear about my life than talk about his own. He is aware of his role as a craftsman, and his pride in the unconventional themes of his novels is obvious. However, he involuntarily lowers his voice and searches for delicate words while speaking about the sexual appetites of his characters. Murugan’s air of easy charm is complemented by his expression of permanent amusement—which may have been aided by suspicious hotel staff who kept opening the door to the waiting room where we were speaking, not entirely convinced by my explanation that I needed the door closed because I was recording an interview and the Tamil music they were playing at dangerous decibel levels was not conducive to the purpose. His sense of irony, which characterises his writing, emerges often during the interview. “My biggest advantage when I decided to study Tamil and take up writing was that my family was uneducated, and had no clue what I was open www.openthemagazine.com 47
doing. They knew I was in college, and that was all they cared. That’s a good thing. You know how literature’s seen in this part of the world. People grumble that their children are wasting time on storybooks instead of textbooks. When I was growing up, there were no book fairs like this one”—Murugan has travelled from his home Namakkal to Madras to attend the Chennai Book Fair, where his latest novel Pookkuzhi is being released—“and no book shops in our village. So you had to look out for advertisements for books in newspapers, and order them by VPP (Value Payable Post). On the days the postman came home with a book for me, it would be like a great calamity had struck. Everyone would walk about slowly and silently, as if they were in mourning. They were mourning— mourning the money I’d wasted on the book.” Born into a family of farmers, Murugan isn’t quite sure how and why he found his love for the written word. He muses that he was so introverted he had to create a world for himself. “Until I was 20-25, I couldn’t speak in public; I was terrified of facing strangers, very reserved. I wouldn’t have been able to chat with you like this.” He would listen to the radio, and read whatever he could lay his hands on. As a child, he sent poems to a radio show, which were set to music and played on a children’s programme. Soon, people began to seek him out to write customised cards for weddings. His short stories were published in periodicals, and in 1991, his first novel, Eru Veyil (Rising Heat), created a stir. Drawn from his own life, the novel describes a young man whose ancestral land is being sold to make way for urbanisation. It’s an issue Murugan feels strongly about. In his milieu, land is not just about wealth, but also dignity and social status. Owning a few acres of land is preferable to having crores of rupees in the bank. “Agriculture is the biggest loss-making industry. It has the worst labour-profit ratio.” Formerly a Leftist, he is vocal about the need to make people aware of issues like the Vidarbha farmer suicides. He speaks passionately about the 48 open
way in which American companies have exploited Indian farmers, flooding the market with hybrid seeds. “Our old methods sustained us for centuries—no, for millennia. But ten years of using these hybrid seeds, and the soil is ruined; its fertility is gone. You become dependent on pesticide, on artificial methods.” He’s pragmatic enough to say urbanisation—and modernisation—can’t
We see a couple’s intense love, their craving for each other’s bodies. But everyone is preoccupied with their ‘failure’ to have a child. We hear voices of reassurance, pleading, mockery and comfort. But the voices that linger are the cruel ones be stopped, and his views on farming have less to do with nostalgia than concern for a livelihood that may be permanently lost. “You need to plan things properly. Now, garbage from cities is dumped into villages. Sewage is released into ponds and rivers that supply villages.” But he demurs when I ask whether he intends to write a novel focus-
ing on these issues. He doesn’t see writing as a campaign vehicle. His social commentary is subtle. His 2008 novel Kanganam (Resolve) talks about female foeticide and infanticide—but that’s the undercurrent to a story about a man in his thirties whose family has been searching for a bride for more than a decade. The novel begins with the man’s frustration that an 18-yearold boy from the ‘lower’ Chakkili caste has no trouble finding a bride. In his own Gounder community, the female population has been whittled down, so that there are only three women of marriageable age in a village with forty suitors. “People think it’s poverty that drives the killing of the girl child,” Murugan says, “But, really, it’s the wealthier families who do it. They’re worried that their property will be lost to the girl’s family. They find devious ways to make the deaths look natural— like, they leave a newborn lying on its stomach for a few minutes. The baby will run out of breath, and can’t turn its face. People put the death down to complications at birth.” Kanganam was the first novel that was set outside Murugan’s own experience. “I graduated from writing about my own life to writing about lives I knew, from what I saw to what I observed.” It took him thirty years to venture into writing about the experience of a woman.
M
athorupagan was conceived
when he was doing some research on the temple festivals of his native Thiruchengode and the myths around the hill. “This custom, of women being impregnated by ‘gods’ who were not their husbands, was fascinating. I’ve seen the way people speak about childless couples. I have relatives who have been through this. I know a woman who wouldn’t leave her home for months on end because of the taunts, and the pity, which can be worse. Look at the way fertility clinics have mushroomed across the country. There are five hospitals in Namakkal alone which specialise in in-vitro fertilisation and treatment for sterility. 17 FEBRUARY 2014
People spend lakhs on this. They sell property so that they can afford it. The stigma, the pressure, has remained all these decades. We just have a different solution now.” In the book, Murugan uses an interesting device to nudge his readers into rethinking the idea of progeny—he introduces a charming bachelor called Nallupayyan, a 60-year-old man who counsels Kali, setting out the advantages of not having children. Often, Nallupayyan makes wisecracks about his sexual conquests. When he gets contemplative, he speaks about how silly it is to live frugally in order to provide one’s children with a better lifestyle, and foster a circle of self-denial. Like all of Murugan’s novels, One Part Woman is beautifully rooted in its setting. Murugan delights in description and Aniruddhan translates it ably. What is lyrical in Tamil can get cloying in English, but Aniruddhan circumvents this for the most part. Often, the translation is literal, which brings out the cadence of Tamil to those who know the language. I’m not quite sure whether it would work as well for those who can’t imagine the dialogue in Tamil. I also have a personal quibble with the use of adjectives in English, while Tamil is dependent on them. It’s the translator’s perennial dilemma—whether to be faithful to the word, or to take ownership of the novel. Maureen Freely’s translations of Orhan Pamuk and Philip Gabriel’s translations of Haruki Murakami read so well it’s easy to believe the novels were originally written in English. But then, one wonders how much of the flavour of the original is lost. I asked Murugan what he had made of it. “I don’t know much English, so I only read the parts that corresponded to the ones I found challenging,” he says, “This novel was very hard to write. I usually finish a novel in one or two months. This took much longer. I had writer’s block for a month, just before I reached the crisisand-denouement. I thought that part really flowed in English. You know, I want my novels to be translated so they have a wider reach. It’s tricky, because English sometimes 17 FEBRUARY 2014
has no equivalent for the words I use. Even the title—Mathorupagan— isn’t exactly ‘one-part woman’. We have several words—umaiorubaagan, mangaipangan, ardhanareeshwarar, ardhanari—because the myth exists in our culture. But there isn’t a single word for half-man-half-woman in English. Even so, I’m happy to be translated, because I think all writing contains a humanism that transcends language and culture and comfort zones. My Nizhal Mutram (published in English as Current Show) was recently translated into Polish, and I have had people from Poland tell me that they can relate to
“Sometimes, people ask, ‘How can you write this way about Gounders?’ They say I’m portraying the community in bad light. I have a tactic now—I tell them, ‘There are 60-70 subcastes within Gounders, so assume he doesn’t belong to yours’” this story, about a cinema theatre in the 1970s and 80s, where children sell soda and murukku.”
M
urugan’s new novel Pookkuzhi posed another challenge—it is set partly in a city that he is not familiar with, so he couldn’t rely on his memories and roots. “It’s another step in my growth as a writer,” he says, “This is about an inter-caste marriage set in the 1980s. I myself had an inter-caste marriage, so I have some experience of it. But compatible castes are somewhat acceptable. As soon as someone marries a Dalit, there is immediate ostracism. Look at the DivyaIlavarasan tragedy. Look at how little has changed in 2013.” A court case over the marriage between Ilavarasan, a Dalit, and Divya, of the Vanniyar community, began to make it to newspaper front pages this year—Divya’s father committed sui-
cide in the wake of the wedding, sparking off caste riots that culminated in Ilavarasan’s body being recovered from a set of local railway tracks. A suicide note was found later, but the death remains murky. Caste politics in Tamil Nadu, led by the Dravida parties, has been driven by an anti-Brahmin agenda. Since the mid-twentieth century, Brahmins have represented everything dislikeable, with their claim to Aryan ancestry, their Sanskritised Tamil dialect and well-paying government jobs. But the BC, OBC and MBC communities have strong political ties, and Perumal Murugan is among very few writers who have explored the relationship dynamics between ‘caste Hindus’ and Dalits. “Oh, I got into some trouble over that,” he laughs, “In Eru Veyil, I spoke about caste and mentioned the real names of politicians. I was pretty sure no one would read the book, especially from my village. But a man with some clout in the DMK read it, and there was big trouble. For a couple of years, I had to sneak in and out of my village in secret. I would arrive at night, stay hidden at home throughout the vacation, and then slip off to catch a night train back. I changed the names in the next edition. Sometimes, people ask, ‘How can you write this way about Gounders?’ Like there’s a scene in Kanganam where a man is aroused by the sight of his own mother, in shadow. They say I’m portraying the community in bad light. I have a tactic now— I tell them, ‘There are 60-70 subcastes within Gounders, so assume he doesn’t belong to yours’.” As I prepare to leave, I ask Murugan whether he had any hideouts in the village, like the young men in his novels do—a little patch in the fields, hidden by crops, or a cave dug out of the inner walls of the village well. “I had lots of those,” he laughs, “I inherited some from my uncle. As a youngster, I was a firebrand, and would storm off when I got angry and stay away till they sent out search parties.” Then he deadpans, “Now, of course, I’m confined to the house, and it’s hard to make a secret hideout there.” n open www.openthemagazine.com 49
Books How I Write
raul irani
The Marathoner Vikram Chandra finds solitude annoying when he writes, but admits to not being a collaborative enough person to work on movies. He writes 400 words every day, adamant that writing is about a steady pace, not a stroke of inspiration aastha atray banan
A
fter spinning a magnificent yarn about a police inspector and the dark world of encounter killings in his 2008 tome Sacred Games, Vikram Chandra returns with a new book, this time about his love affair with computer programming. Mirrored Mind: My Life in Letters and Code explains the logic behind computer programming and
a writer in the world “I have always liked writing in places where I can sense the world around me”
how Chandra’s two passions—writing and coding—meet. Chandra tells Open why he doesn’t enjoy the craft of writing and why he insists on writing 400 words every day anyway. Excerpts:
Do you jot down every stray thought that comes to your mind?
I jot down everything. I carry a tablet and a notebook and I write down everything I want in [those]. I may be jotting down stuff I find in an archive library, or taking notes during an interview (even though I record those). The best thing about electronic devices is that when you work on a book for many years, archiving things you may be writing down gets really hard. I worked on Sacred Games for almost a decade and I was used to writing everything down in thick reporter notebooks, and by the end of it, I had 24 of those. If I
“Everyone has a story to write. But the difference between a writer and a non-writer is that a writer writes. You have to treat it like a job. If you sit around waiting for inspiration, nothing will happen” had to fact check anything, I had to go back and search for the information. In a tablet, everything is retrievable, and it recognises your handwriting.
Your mother, Kamna Chandra, wrote Yash Chopra’s Chandni, among other films. Growing up, what did you learn from her as a writer?
My earliest memories are of her sitting on the kitchen table and writing on large pieces of paper. At that time, she used to write plays for Doordarshan. Writing and reading was always present in the house. It was because of that I knew that the stories you read in books are actually produced by real, living people. So you realised you can do that too. That’s why I started writing pretty early on too.
What did you first start writing?
My first published story was a sci-fi [story], when I was around 12. I was in the boarding school Mayo, and my story got published in the student-run magazine. Once it got published, it became attractive to do this, as people were actually reading my stuff. The feedback from people was the kick I loved. Suddenly I wasn’t an anonymous little worm in a big boarding school. All the older guys would talk to me about my stories, and that was great.
What do you think about the notion that a writer writes best in isolation, like maybe on a deserted island? It has never worked for me. I respect that some people need solitude to write but I find solitude annoying. I have a garage at the back my house in Oakland near Berkeley, and when I am there, it is quiet, but I can still hear the kids and the world. Before that I have always liked writing in places where I can sense the world around me, but still be isolated enough to concentrate. I have tried going off to write but it drives me nuts, and I don’t feel like I have enough access to resources I may need. A writer needs to be disciplined. Everyone has a story to write. But the difference between a writer and a non-writer is that a writer writes. You have to treat it like a job. If you sit around waiting for inspiration, nothing will happen.
What’s your method?
When I can do it, I like having a schedule. I like to produce a set amount of words every day. I start as early as I can; I start working right after breakfast. I try writing 400 words every day, which is not much, a little over a page. It takes me a lot of effort to write those, as I knock off stuff too. So if I have done 400 words, I have a holiday for the rest of the day. What happens when you do it like that [is that] you can maintain a steady rhythm. If you write 3,000 words one day, it may happen that you have nothing to say the next few days. So my standard line about this is that ‘writing a novel is like running a marathon’. You just maintain a steady pace. open www.openthemagazine.com 51
There is nothing magical about the 400 words—just set a target, and do it day after day. I work six days a week, and then keep at it, month after month, and miraculously, one day, you have a book ready. It all keeps you away from distraction. The world is very tempting as a freelancer. The fridge is calling, or you want to check the news, and before you know it, the whole day has passed away.
produce a book that would have the same qualities as that.
Do you write differently in different cities?
No, I am lucky like that. I am not attached to places and rituals. I have written in airport lounges and hotels. As long as I have a laptop, I can do it anywhere.
You may not want to seek inspiration, but what about the times you really need it?
Do you like the craft of writing?
What I mean by that is that even when you don’t feel like writing, you write. But I read a lot, I watch movies, I listen to music—sometimes all that mixes together in your conscience. It’s like putting fertiliser in a field. Two days later, you will be in the shower, and something will pop up, and it will be a mixture of all that’s in your head.
Did you ever think about a writer you wanted to be like? I was inspired by my mother. I always had an example of a writer in front of me, but she would be the first one to tell you that you can’t make a living by being a writer. I was always doing it since I was 11, but I didn’t know it was viable. I was just doing it for myself. Luckily the world changed, and I got [the scope to do] it like I do. But I would have always come back to being a writer. I get restless when I don’t write, and get short tempered. It’s an itch. I have to write. There have always been writers I have admired. I discovered [Ernest] Hemingway when I was very young, and I wanted to get that feeling and depth you get when you read him, and that narrative. That’s what I wanted to do, and I did that. My absolute favourite book of the past few years is Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. What she achieves in that book is a richly textured portrayal of an entire world. These people are different from us and see the world differently, but at the same time, she makes that world vividly alive. I love how she encapsulates a very high level of dirty politics. That’s the stuff I admire. You write the stuff you enjoy. What I would like to do is 52 open
is so large that you have to think about what the audience likes, what works and what doesn’t. Who am I selling to, how much I am a budgeting, and who is my customer? It’s all about costing. That whole world seems very foreign to me. Writing a screenplay is very different. It’s not art, it’s a blueprint. It’s a director’s medium. What works in a screenplay is very different from what works in fiction. You have to learn how to think in a different way. I don’t think anyone does, it takes a lot out of you. I always quote a friend of mine, an American poet called Robert Hass: ‘Writing is hell, but not writing is hell. The only satisfactory state is just having written.’
What is the one question about writing you are often asked by your students?
“Writer Donald Barthelme... told people: ‘If you can manage not to write, then you should not be a writer.’ I don’t want to romanticise it, but it’s an urge— even writers don’t understand it”
People often ask, ‘What do I have to do to write?’ I just say, ‘Read a lot. Write a lot.’ One of my major teachers, fiction writer Donald Barthelme, always got this question—‘How do I know I am a writer?’ He always told people bluntly: ‘If you can manage not to write, then you should not be a writer.’ It comes from... compulsion. I don’t want to romanticise it, but it’s an urge—even writers don’t understand it.
What does your desk at home look like?
What do you know about writing that you didn’t know before?
It’s very untidy. It has three very large monitors. It’s like a geek thing. You can have your main document open on one, and your reference document open on the other. It makes you more productive. I have decent a sound system attached, so I listen to music. During Sacred Games, I played a lot of Hindi music from the 1960s and 70s. Nowadays—I don’t know much about Indian classical, but I am trying to listen to that now.
Did you enjoy writing Mission Kashmir?
My experience with film is positive but I am not a collaborative kind of person. As a fiction writer, I am used to having complete control over the content. Film and television both are industrial arts, and the amount of money put in
The more you do it, and the more you critically read other people’s work— and how people read your work is important. That’s why workshopping works—even if it’s just between three friends. Read something you love ten times and you can figure out what is working [for] that book. It helps you in your own writing.
Do you ever write plot points and character sketches before you start writing?
Never. I have images in my head. Like with Sacred Games, I had this image of a cop talking to a gangster in a concrete bunker. Then I started asking these questions—who is here, why is he there? I always start with hazy things and then grind through them to come to the other side. n 17 february 2014
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photos raul irani
arts
Bigger, Better, Stronger, More The India Art Fair 2014 was about art, yes, but no less about money DIVYA GUHA
I
t would seem that the life-affirm-
ing impetus artists in this country have needed has come at last. The India Art Fair held in Delhi was big this year—thanks to gallerists and art collectors, both individual and corporate. One British exhibitor laments that
54 open
some galleries withdrew participation because of poor sales last year, peeved by the damage art works suffered while in transit and on display. Hectic Indian crowds rubbed shoulders with artists and curators, and sometimes their outsized handbags with artworks, inflaming exhibitors.
A very cross Mark Prime of Jhaveri Contemporary in Mumbai complains about this, too; and exactly on cue, before I can cry ‘racist’, he is knocked aside by a large ambling Indian flaneur too careless to apologise. Prime is standing guard over a beautiful sculpture by artist Rana Begum—a work 17 FEBRUARY 2014
aspirational art Housing Dreams by Vivek Vilasini on display at the Indian Art Fair 2014
consisting of diagonally-painted rectangular wooden poles that appear to move as you walk past them. Fear of damage is a real problem at the fair, as the works that have buyers interested in them must remain on display. No sales are made on the premises of the fair, only ‘booked’ with a cash advance or on a well-acquainted collector’s word, and damage could result in a sale falling through. Every inch of space in the 20,000-sqft venue is precious—the first fair was reportedly only 3,000 square feet. An art work comes to be put up at a certain spot after several months of careful planning, not to mention the sweat and tears that probably went into its creation. This is one way to understand why a piece of art is precious and must be guarded jealously, physically. But the lack of orderliness at the fair is a small price to pay if art is to be lifted out of the “intimidating walls of a gallery”, says the Fair’s young founder and director, Neha Kirpal. Sounding unexpectedly relaxed on the phone, she says she is ‘handling a baby’ and would just ‘wrap up’ and call back. She hardly seems like someone who has worked for 360 days to make this mammoth event come to pass. Kirpal emphatically clarifies that she is “not a businesswoman, but someone who is interested in art. My professional degree is in marketing and public relations.” She spent a couple of years in London and it was there that Kirpal saw glimpses of what a real art industry looks like. She then returned to India and started the India Art Fair after taking an initial private loan of Rs 60 lakh. It was as simple or as difficult as that. While exact figures will not be made public, the feedback from galleries has been that 96 per cent reported ‘strong sales’. Organisers expected the Moderns, or the reliable mid-century Progressives—the Husains and the Souzas—to sell more, “but contemporary art also sold very well. 17 FEBRUARY 2014
After all, people relate more to the art of their times,” says a buoyant Kirpal. The quality and turnout of collectors was far greater this year, she says, and works were lapped up in every medium: photography, mixed media, video, sound, you name it. Kolkata-based contemporary gallery Experimenter’s co-proprietor Prateek Raja, an MBA, can barely contain his thrill: “I can’t believe our success. It came too quickly.” He says the gallery sold every piece of art it displayed this year—except one work on video—and though there is no way to check that, there is approval in the form of an art award from business magazine Forbes for ‘most promising contemporary gallery less than 10 years old’. Raja says he would be dismissed as a philistine if he were to display that award at his stall. So while he accepts the compliment—
Mark Prime of Jhaveri Contemporary in Mumbai complains about the crowds; and exactly on cue is knocked aside by a large ambling Indian flaneur too careless to apologise because ‘why not?’—the thrill of being declared a corporate favourite is not really working for Raja. Money clearly has a complex relationship with art. Delhi Art Gallery took the largest chunk of space at the venue this year, displaying 350 works through which it attempted to show a thumbnail of the history of Indian art. “I met a very pleased Ashish Anand,” says Kirpal, referring to DAG’s director, “who said we must let him bring a thousand works next year.” Undoubtedly, the Indian art scene is really quite happening, and this isn’t an idle boast. “The fair has played a really good role in highlighting Indian art,” says Kirpal. “Sales and visitor figures prove there is a lot of curiosity, and foreign visitors, who came in large numbers, felt like they could navigate the Art Fair as a means to access a huge and complex country.”
The number of international collectors and the prices they will pay are soaring. Prajjal Dutta of New Yorkbased Aicon Gallery sold two Souzas and two Husains in the range of Rs 1.6 to Rs 7 crore, critical for bringing in revenue, but also four works by GR Iranna, a contemporary artist, in the range of Rs 10-17 lakh. He says he was pleased with the sales but couldn’t say if this would prove to be a “strong, secular trend” for the future. One impressive bit of feedback came from Bangalore-based Tasveer Gallery, which sold more in the first three hours of its show opening than it has in the last two years. There is a new sense of hope and optimism, and the buyers—though mostly wealthy NRIs and Indians—include international collectors. The buyers were indeed active and one spotted collectors such as the much-talked about Chinese collector Budi Tek, apart from Thomas and Ingrid Jocheim, Sangita Jindal, Poonam Bhagat Shroff, Pinky Reddy, Arjun Sharma, Malvinder and Shivinder Singh, Shalini Passi, Rajiv Savara. A group of Christie’s collectors also made several enthusiastic purchases. First-time buyers are not to be discounted, either. “The trend has been that each year, 40 per cent of the collectors are first-time buyers. I imagine it was the same this year,” says Kirpal. Gallerists reported a spate of ‘emerging’ collectors in their early thirties who are fresh to the market and investing part of their disposable incomes, largely in the affordable range of Rs 2-15 lakh, which includes a lot of contemporary works and few Moderns.
I
n its early avatar, the Fair was called the India Art Summit and portrayed as a platform for discussion of the arts. The ‘summit’ evolved, became more international, and its commercial aspect expanded. The organisers strategically made the event about Indian art rather than a selection of popular or most preferred international works. Their efforts at art education took a new trajectory, as did the event. open www.openthemagazine.com 55
accessible art The India Art Fair is intended to make art accessible, but easy access sometimes leaves art work prone to damage, with children and crowds bustling about; (above) Jitish Kallat’s Circadian Rhyme
Though they do want to keep their exact financial figures secret, Kirpal has a few shiny indicators that show how much the Fair might have grown: “We have had 400,000 visitors over the last five years and just under 100,000 this year alone.” Though return-on-investment was never their focus, Kirpal says gallantly, the Fair did break even in its fourth year and has made “a fair profit” since. Most of this money was made through space sales to galleries: “We have never had any interest in gallery sales, nor commissions,” she says. In a blog for The Independent published the night the Fair closed, John Elliot said one unkind critic had turned up his nose at the show saying many displays by Indian galleries were ‘kitsch’. While dismissing this as a concern, Kirpal says the organisers will soon be in a position to include only those galleries that are ready to “up their standards” for the Fair. Indeed, the Fair is already micromanaged to the extent that even corporate sponsors are cherry-picked. Absolut, with its snob value as patron saint of artists; Panerai Watches, because watchmaking is undoubtedly 56 open
artistic; jeweller Nirav Modi, because his ‘pieces’ are inspired by Mughal miniatures. Modi’s jewellery store took several attendees by surprise, and inspired more up-turned noses. Artist Olivia Dalrymple, who describes herself as an Indian artist, though a freckly Scottish one, says “The jewellery store seemed always packed, so from some perspective, someone got something right.” She is quick to add that her affordable prints sold like the scones at Elma’s. Speaking of which, the food sponsors, too, were the top chichi bunch of Dilli’s urban villages—Elma’s, Chez Nini, Smokehouse Deli—and they helped with ad promotions through radio spots. Yes Bank, which threw the weekend’s worst party at Le Meridien—the closing do—also offered some of its plentiful financial resources. There were media art partners as well—industry magazines and journals that boast high levels of exaggerated selfrespect, read as they mostly are by people who consider their tastes superior to those of others. Their other business model is piecemeal corporate sponsorship. A very
small amount of revenue comes in from things like ticket and catalogue sales. The Fair has deliberately kept entry tickets cheap. “They cost less than cinema tickets,” says Kirpal. The idea, lest we forget, is to reach a large section of the Indian middle-class. One might guess that the Fair has broken even so quickly because of how little is spent each year on putting everything together. “We spent Rs 10-12 crore on it this year. It takes a huge amount of international travel. We need to build our infrastructure; we have no exhibition venues in the country that can hold as many art works as we display,” says Kirpal. So they build the entire venue only to break it down four days later, sort of like hippies at the Burning Man festival. This year, the Fair’s organisers assembled 3,000 works by 1,000 artists. To illustrate the magnitude of the behind-the-scenes work involved, Kirpal says it is like putting together 100 exhibitions simultaneously under one roof and making sure everything works: power, light and floor plans—all of it taken care of in-house. And this is still not all. A considerable amount of effort has to be put into the programming of talks, too. Because it’s 17 FEBRUARY 2014
not all art-art; a large part of the Fair is jaw-jaw. Kirpal has just hired a new artistic director, Girish Shahane, who will devise future programmes of curated walks and talks. Her original staff of four increases to 15 in the run-up to the Fair each year. They are all non-financial professionals and Kirpal insists they keep it kosher: “We have an unbiased way of looking at the art.” They also have institutional partners such as the rather respectable Asia Society and Asia House. “My time is spent marketing the Indian art scene to international art fairs, making connections with galleries and artists, [and] talking at panels all over, from the Netherlands to Rio,” says Kirpal. “We start our marketing in early March, get applications from galleries over the early part of the year, and by September, a final list of exhibitors is prepared.” There were 90 galleries participating this year from 20 countries. There is still more brandbuilding, as if there weren’t enough already, in the form of outreach roadshows leading up to the Fair—in Miami, New York, London, Paris, the lot.
P
hilip Dodd, a successful BBC broadcaster and cultural entrepreneur, brought an “important” group of 20 collectors from China, says Kirpal. Dodd, in 1998, reached a turning point in his life. After a casual cultural visit to China over 17 years ago, when ‘Cool Britannia’ was all the rage, he evolved into a full-blown, unabashed Sinoevangelist, a passion that culminated in the creation of a UK-based company called Made In China. Dodd says our neighbour is complex, huge, and its people “very, very smart”. It is the UK-based company’s mission ‘to bring’—or take, depending on your geo-perspective—‘China to the rest of the world’. This, at a time when China’s government is massively encouraging creative culture, and its contemporary art scene booming. If sales are any indication or validation, three works by two Cultural Revolution-bred Chinese fine art-
17 FEBRUARY 2014
ists feature in the top 10 most expensive art works ever sold by living contemporary artists. These include Sheepshearing by Zhou Chunya, the third most expensive, which sold for $4,799,812, and two works by Zeng Fanzhi in fifth and tenth place— Bloodline for $8,425,608 and Marriage for $6,209,126. Mega New York galleries such as Gagosian and Eli Klein are now proud to boast collections by emerging Chinese artists. “China is building a museum a day,” Christie’s Asia Head Jonathan Stone tells a gathering at the India Art Fair’s Speakers’ Forum, armed as he is with some very bullish figures, such as the Chinese state commissioning 3,500 private museums by 2015. A panel is discussing the Asian (mostly Chinese) art market. Auspiciously, it is the first day of the Chinese Year of the Horse,
India’s lack of museum culture is evident when one finds the National Gallery of Modern Art’s cafeteria closed at lunch time on a sunny afternoon in winter, its pristine premises deserted and it rolls in at a time when the country’s administration is funding museum building—through free land grants, as the government owns all the land—at a good gallop. In 1949, says Stone, there were no museums in China. This is what is hoped for in India, too, but in the mean time, it can aim to lure collectors from museums in China, or even the UAE, that have not started their acquisition cycle yet. Though it cannot be said that India has no museums, its lack of museum culture is evident when one finds the National Gallery of Modern Art’s cafeteria closed for an hour at lunch time on a sunny Thursday afternoon in winter, and the place, though pristine, is deserted of visitors. The nearby National Gallery houses invaluable and ancient Indian artefacts in galler-
ies that become progressively more dusty and neglected through successive staircase ascents. Getting bums on seats for artists, as it were, is no mean feat. And this is a large part of what Kirpal is doing. Alienation of art from its audience is its foremost problem, says Kirpal, and for this, “we have a wider commitment for art not just to be available to collectors.” Contacts made over the course of her unending international travels boost the publicity of the Fair, but there are also targeted publicity programmes to reach non-buyers who may become interested in art. To do this successfully, the Fair concentrates particularly on making art ‘not intimidating’ and widely accessible. Kirpal mentions curated walks through the Fair for lawyers and doctors—those who may buy art from their disposable incomes, but not family or accumulated wealth. School and college groups are granted free entry. One exhausted gallerist said people started traipsing in at 11 am on the opening day of the Fair, as if that were entirely unexpected. Of course, each participant—artist and gallery—contributes to publicity via his/her/its own creative and business agenda. A quick Google search on the appointed PR company reveals that some thought went into picking it, too—the firm has hipster written all over its official website, associating only with galleries, museums, auction houses and other international art fairs. So Rana Begum’s endangered art work aside, everyone gains if more people attend the Art Fair. Shippers, restorers, buyers, sellers—everyone has an interest in working together and making it the India Art Fair the big crowded event full of hope, energy and artistic fervour that it seems to be. Any way you look at it, the Indian art market has come into its own. After all the gloom of past years—“forget London”, as one Berlin gallerist said— the centre of gravity of the art industry is shifting to the east, and despite accusations of a corporate sell-out, no one seems to be complaining. n open www.openthemagazine.com 57
rough cut
Rest in Pieces, Sholay Mayank Shekhar
S
Sascha Sippy, the grandson of Sholay producer GP Sippy, re-released India’s greatest story ever retold in 3D. How come so few went to watch it?
ascha Sippy runs a company called Sholay. The
to court demanding compensation of Rs 6 crore when only product in its inventory was manufactured 25 Reliance recently remade their 1973 blockbuster script. I years before the company was formed in 2000. That don’t know if they got a penny. product is a film written by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar The last American screenwriter I met in LA, Anthony and directed by Ramesh Sippy, all of whom are still alive. Zuiker, owned a private jet, besides Hollywood bungalows. So how did Sascha, grandson of the late producer GP Sippy, He had come up with the idea of the TV show CSI in 2000. and son of a lesser-known Sippy (Vijay) come to own His bank balance has since been swelling every time any Sholay? For the same reason some of us believe in destiny. version or episode of the series plays on any TV set anyDuring the making of the film, when the cost of producwhere in the world. He is also an executive producer. tion was going out of control, director Ramesh apparentNow I have never met or spoken to Sascha Sippy. He lives ly decided to surrender his financial stake in Sholay. He in Dubai, is apparently a British citizen and is a wonderful probably didn’t want to share the losses that seemed immimystery to me. I approached him directly and through his nent. This was a view shared by several others when Sholay lawyer for this piece; he didn’t respond. So much the betopened in theatres on 15 August 1975. Trade Guide, a popter, because I can now retain my vision of him as a handular box-office journal then, famously termed it ‘Chholay’ some Hugh Grant kind of character in his late thirties who, (chick peas)—referring to its likely return on investment. as in the film About a Boy, chills out, chases women and has Enough has been said about how they were all miracuto do no work because he can forever live off the royalties lously proven wrong, and Sholay befrom his father’s song—or, in Sascha’s came inarguably the most memorable case, his grandfather’s film. It’s so Bollywood movie ever and arguably the The running joke in the film much cooler an inheritance to flaunt biggest commercial success in Indian industry is that whenever than factories or real estate. Women cinema, continually generating reveeven dig you for it. GP Sippy’s coffers started to might nues from trademark and copyrights, I don’t know if Sascha has an alterempty, he would re-release nate profession. He has a team that television screenings over the years, Sholay in theatres and make spots and flags references to characters VHS sales, later DVDs, and now video games and mobile apps. During my a new film with the profits or dialogues from Sholay in any movvisits to two countries in the Eastern ie (lately, the Kannada Pawan KalyanHemisphere where you find few starrer Gabbar Singh) or ad (a Renault Indians—Egypt and Iran—locals have inevitably asked commercial currently under litigation) so he can claim the me about Amitabh Bachchan, and then Dharmendra. royalties that rightly accrue to him. I’d like to believe this Though I visited those countries only recently, the obvious affords him a decent lifestyle. The film remains just the connect is Sholay. way it was in the 70s. It continues to top any list of ‘greatest The running joke in the film industry is that whenevIndian movie ever made’ you’re likely to come across. er GP Sippy’s coffers started to empty, he would re-release Its American equivalent on nearly all such lists, Citizen Sholay in theatres and make a new film with the profits. I Kane (1941), was a significant technical advancement for first saw the film on the big screen in 2004 at Gaiety-Galaxy its time. It is a dated, cinematic bore now. This can’t be said in Bandra—a complex comprising seven single screen for Sholay, maybe because the performances in the film cinemas with supercheap seats that also serves as haven’t aged. Bombay’s ultimate barometer for measuring subaltern If the current crop of actors were to play Jai and Veeru tastes. The hall was packed. wearing the same denim jacket and jeans, or Thakur Ramesh, I suppose, saw none of that money. Neither with a shawl covering the lack of his limbs, they would did the writers Salim-Javed. They were employees on the pitch their performances no differently from Bachchan, payroll of Sippys when they originally wrote Sholay. This Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar. This may not be true for wasn’t the case with Zanjeer, which is why they could go Dilip Kumar or Prithviraj Kapoor’s role in Mughal-e-Azam,
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arindam mukherjee
or Guru Dutt’s in Pyaasa: the other two evergreen hits that make it to Bollywood’s best-ever lists. If anything, the women in Sholay—Basanti (Hema Malini) and Rama (Jaya Bhaduri), who is briefly shown to be happy in a flashback sequence)—seem too imbecilic for contemporary tastes. Several directors—Subhash Ghai (Karma), Rajkumar Santoshi (China Gate), Shekhar Kapur (Joshilay), etcetera— have attempted their versions of Sholay. In 2005, Sascha stalled Ram Gopal Varma’s plans to call his variant Sholay’s official remake. Varma had to call it Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, christening his villain Babban instead of Gabbar (Bachchan played that part in a Halloween dress). My favourite reinterpretation in Varma’s Sholay was his bearded Thakur (Mohanlal). He said this is because a man who has no hands obviously can’t shave. Well. There are a lot of other things he can’t also do, no? The way in which that picture incensed audiences nationally intrigued me, because if that many people had actually seen the film, it couldn’t have bombed so badly. A remake is obviously unnecessary when the original is still around. Even I can claim to have grown up on Sholay, though it was released a few years before I was born. Lines from the film have turned into such popular proverbs that it is hard to assess if we really first heard them in the film—‘Ghoda ghaas se dosti karle toh khaye kya?’ (If a horse befriends grass, what will he eat?); ‘Loha garam hai, maar de hathoda’ (The iron’s hot, strike the hammer); ‘Saala, nautanki’ (Damn clown); ‘Jo darr gaya, samjho marr gaya’ (If you’re scared, you’re already dead). I knew relatives who had seen Sholay 20-30 times in theatres, which might be seen as a waste of precious lifetime. This is from a world right before television. With each 17 february 2014
viewing, they would discover something new, and that is because the massive galaxy of characters in the film appears with their own side stories or short films—whether it’s the Hitler like jailer and his mole Hari Ram, Thakur’s man Friday Ramlal, or Imam sahib and his son Ahmed. Every minor character, even if it’s the postman who appears for a few seconds, has a name you can recall him/her by. This is true of all epics. Reportedly pooling in additional investment of around Rs 25 crore, Sascha decided to digitally restore and re-release Sholay in 3D this January, assuming a whole new generation would be curious about this modern national epic. His uncle, director Ramesh, legally objected. There was no restraining order on the film’s release; the film is the producer’s property. The case is still in court. When I went to watch Sholay in theatres yet again, there were hardly any people in my theatre. What happened? Had the embers died down finally? Did the light go out of our life? I am told Sholay commercially flopped for the first time in 2014. The older audiences couldn’t care less for 3D. I watched most of the film without the glasses on. The post-91 young, with enough entertainment on their plate, could hardly spare half a working day (almost three and a half hours running time) to sit in a dark hall on expensive seats to watch a film from their father’s generation. Like all epics, I think Sholay will live on through its mythological characters, situations and one-liners, dispersed through television, spoofs, commercials and games, where the attention span demanded is much shorter. It’s a phenomenal property. Sascha must continue to monetise it. n Mayank Shekhar runs the pop-culture website TheW14.com open www.openthemagazine.com 59
science
third-hand smoke This is second-hand smoke—exhaled smoke and other substances from a burning cigarette—that gets left on the surfaces of objects and becomes more and more toxic
How Old Is Fairness? Researchers have discovered a skeleton in Europe with blue eyes but dark skin and hair
Deadly Third-hand Smoke
W
hen and how did Europeans
develop fair skin? As the explanation went, when humans migrated out Africa to the higher altitudes of Europe, they started developing lighter skin as a response to low UV radiation. The assumption was that dark skin prevents UV-ray absorption, which is the primary source of vitamin D. It was believed that this change in skin colour occurred soon after humans migrated to Europe some 45,000 years ago. The findings of a new study, however, show that this theory needs revision. In 2006, two ancient skeletons were discovered in a cave in Spain. Using a tooth extracted from one of the skeletons, researchers were able to sequence the genome of the ancient man. Their research has now been published in Nature. They found that the individual, termed La Brana 1, lived only about 7,000 years ago. And strangely enough, while he had blue eyes, his skin and hair were dark. He was found to be genetically related closely to people living in Sweden and Finland. According to the researchers, this mixture of African and European traits implies that long after modern
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humans left Africa, their racial transformation was still in progress. Also, La Brana 1’s age means that he lived in the Mesolithic period that lasted from 10,000 to 5,000 years ago and ended with the advent of agriculture and livestock farming. The researchers argue that lighter skin came about as a result of a dietary change. When Europeans started farming, which occurred about 2,000 years after the demise of La Brana 1, their cereal-rich diet lacked vitamin D, thereby causing Europeans to rapidly lose their dark-skin pigmentation. It was only when they switched to agriculture that they had to synthesise vitamin D from the sun more readily. In a press release, Carles LaluezaFox, one of the researchers says, ‘The biggest surprise was to discover that this individual possessed African versions in the genes that determine the light pigmentation of the current Europeans, which indicates that he had dark skin... Even more surprising was to find that he possessed the genetic variations that produce blue eyes in current Europeans, resulting in a unique phenotype in a genome that is otherwise clearly northern European.’ n
A study of the effects of third-hand smoke conducted on mice found significant damage in the liver and lungs. Wounds in these mice took longer to heal. Further, these mice displayed hyperactivity. The results of the study, published in PLOS ONE, provide a basis for studies on the toxic effects of third-hand smoke on humans. “There is still much to learn about the specific mechanisms by which cigarette smoke residues harm nonsmokers, but that there is such an effect is now clear. Children in environments where smoking is, or has been allowed, are at significant risk [of] suffering from multiple short-term and longer health problems, many of which may not manifest fully until later in life,” says Manuela MartinsGreen, who led the study. n
Caffeine Use Disorder
A recent study published in Journal of Caffeine Research indicates that more people are dependent on caffeine to the point that they suffer withdrawal symptoms and are unable to reduce caffeine consumption even if they have another condition that may be impacted by caffeine—such as a pregnancy or heart condition. Based on this research, the author advises healthy adults to limit caffeine intake to no more than 400 mg per day—the equivalent of about two or three 8-oz cups of coffee. Pregnant women should consume less than 200 mg per day and people with high blood pressure, heart problems or urinary incontinence should also limit caffeine. n
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sony app remote This application safely connects a Sony car stereo and a smartphone with two-way source control. The latest version ensures even safer operability by introducing voice recognition and expanded text-read-out functions
tech&style
Nokia Lumia 1520 With powerful hardware and software, this Windows Phone leads the pack gagandeep Singh Sapra
Ocean Tourbillon w Jumping Hour
Price on request
Rs 46,900
The Harry Winston Ocean Collection introduces, for the first time, a combination of two sophisticated complications in this timepiece. The jumping hour complication, new for the Ocean Collection, adds its dynamic presence to a timepiece that is a showcase for Harry Winston’s calibre HW4401. Its black sapphire dial reveals the hour through an aperture—it jumps once every hour. n
Sony XAV-712BT
T
he Nokia 1520 smartphone weighs 209 gm, but feels great in your hand, thanks to its design and matte surface finish. Its full high definition 6-inch screen is sharp and bright and also features a third column for live tiles, giving you more screen real estate and more information at a glance. The device switches from regular phone mode to an entertainment device easily and is also good as an e-book reader. The phone is fast and its Windows 8 phone operating system is a good upgrade from Microsoft’s earlier operating systems. Having Microsoft Office is a big advantage if you spend a lot of time working on Excel sheets while on the go. The 1520 features a 20.7 megapixel camera with good optical image stabiliser. It can record images in RAW format, and also allows manual focusing. You can also do a full HD video recording and the results are great. The camera also features a lens called 17 february 2014
‘Refocus’, which lets you change the focal point of an image after you have shot it, allowing you to blur some areas while sharpening other spots. The 1520 also introduces the Nokia Beamer app that lets you share content with any HTML5 enabled device. And the Nokia story teller app allows you to integrate pictures and location information into a chronological journey on a map. The 1520 permits wireless charging, though you will need to buy this charger separately. Nokia claims a talk time of up to 25 hours. The battery is designed for video playback of 10.8 hours, so you can manage those transatlantic flights easily. The 1520 has 32 gigabytes of internal storage and you can add a micro SD card of up to 64 GB to increase storage. Its 6-inch screen is supersensitive and works with gloves on, and even with nails just in case you have long ones. The phone comes in yellow, white, black and glossy red. n
Rs 33,990
The XAV-712BT from Sony is a beautiful car stereo system that features a 7-inch touch screen, 4.1 channel stereo sound, a virtual centre speaker, advanced sound engine and an amplifier that can put out 52 watts of power per channel. You can connect your Android phone to this unit and enjoy two-way connectivity—you can see who is calling you, play videos and audio from your phone, or use your favourite phone navigation apps. The 712BT can also read out calendar reminders, text messages and even your tweets. This smart unit also works with Sony’s App Remote Version 2.0. n Gagandeep Singh Sapra is The Big Geek at System3. He can be reached at [email protected]
open www.openthemagazine.com 61
CINEMA
cumberbatch’s atonement Benedict Cumberbatch, the English actor best known for Sherlock, has in the past acknowledged that his ancestors were slave-owners in Barbados, and said that his role in the 2006 film Amazing Grace about the abolition of slavery in the UK was intended as ‘a sort of apology’ for that past. His participation in 12 Years a Slave appears to have a similar rationale
One By Two A decent romcom idea on paper translates into an extraordinarily dull movie on screen ajit duara
current
o n scr een
12 Years a Slave Directors steve mcqueen cast chiwetel ejiofor, michael k williams, michael fassbender Score ★★★★★
ol , preeti desai, Cast abhay de ti agnihotri y, lilette dube ra bhagat a vik r de to Direc
a
mit Sharma is a boring guy with
a boring name who, on a date, predictably and unfailingly, orders Manchow soup, ‘one by two’. It’s one of the reasons his ex dumped him. Writer and Director Devika Bhagat takes this character and designs a script for him, formatting it so that Amit (Abhay Deol) meets the leading lady, Samara (Preeti Desai), only in the last scene. Then the camera tilts up to the moon—“Que sera sera, whatever will be will be. The future’s not ours to see”. Great, it’s a decent movie idea, but the trouble is that this future is ours to see from about a mile away. The graph of the story has several near misses. Amit and Samara are both South Mumbai types living on the most expensive real estate, hanging out in the same bars and rocking to the same terrible music. He fiddles with computers for a living, but composes and sings for his soul. She is a dancer and lives with her sin62 open
gle mother. They are bound to meet at some point and their paths intersect on at least three points in the graph, yet they pass their eventual destinies by like ships in a fog. Meanwhile, they lead their ordinary lives, and this is the dragnet of the movie. All the characterisations, performances and scenarios are extraordinarily dull, and we are left tapping our knees and waiting for the deus ex machina. For an actor who has staked out a career and a reputation for doing offbeat roles and executing them inventively, the decision to do this film must surely have been a moment of madness for Abhay Deol. Just one scene redeems him with his lady fans—when he rocks in his boxer shorts to put off the older generation. The rest of the time, he tries desperately to look like the boy next door, a role which, at age 37, he should know better than to attempt. A very disappointing movie. n
Based on an 1853 account of his horrific experience of being kidnapped into slavery in the American South, 12 Years a Slave recounts the story of Solomon Northup in episodic vignettes of blood and gore. We get the point about the White man’s brutality very early in the film, but director Steve McQueen just doesn’t let up. Armond White, a Black American film and cultural critic, called the movie ‘torture porn’ and said it interpreted the documentation of a holocaust in American history with sadomasochism dressed up as installation art. He wasn’t too far from the truth. The casting and performances, of both Black and White characters, are flawless and the art direction is convincing enough to make you feel you are trapped in a land and time without human rights. Unfortunately, that’s the beginning and the end of the whole polemic. The film evocatively says that slavery is inhuman and effectively rests its case. The cultural dialogue is then taken over by White liberal discussion on how terrible it was to be a Black man in such times. The film itself, as a statement on race and racism, on the twisted working of the human mind, on the social and economic conditions that can create a holocaust, says nothing. Perhaps the film was only meant as an expiation of guilt. n AD 17 february 2014
Not People Like Us
R aj e e v M asa n d
The Pacification of Priyanka
Ranveer Singh and his Gunday co-star Priyanka Chopra may put on smiling faces and insist they’re thick friends as they do the rounds of television studios promoting their new film leading up to its release next Friday. But the pair reportedly got off to a rocky start when they began filming last year. Turns out Ranveer—who describes himself as a method actor—was channelling his inner wolf for a scene that required him to rough up Priyanka on her first day on set. The actor apparently got so caught up in the moment that he didn’t realise he had bruised his leading lady all over her arm while manhandling her for the required scene. A visibly shaken Priyanka, who barely knew Ranveer until then, is believed to have complained about his ‘behaviour’ to the director, and even threatened to leave the film if things were going to continue in this vein. The next morning, unit hands noticed Ranveer was in full ‘damage control’ mode, apologising profusely to Priyanka for his sudden lapse of judgment, and even bringing her a rose and a glass of juice to appease her. Sources from the set say the pair had no further clashes during filming, but that Arjun Kapoor, the second leading man in the film, was also quickly informed of the incident and warned to be at his best behaviour. Arjun, however, having known Priyanka since his days as an assistant director on Salaam-e-Ishq, in which she starred, had no such teething troubles with his leading lady.
Aamir to Travel Time
The buzz doing the rounds in film circles is that Aamir Khan has found his next film project. The actor, who delivered another blockbuster in Dhoom 3 recently, has already begun filming the second season of his television show Satyamev Jayate. He’s also wrapped principal photography on Rajkumar Hirani’s P.K., which is slated to release around Christmas time this year. Those in the know say he’d been meeting writers and directors for the past few months, listening to scripts and weighing offers. After considerable deliberation on 17 february 2014
his part, it seems Aamir has said ‘yes’ to a time-travel drama to be produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment. The film will be directed by first-timer Nithya Anand, and will likely go on the floors later this year. It’s interesting to note that Aamir’s fascination for timetravel themes hasn’t diminished over the years. Few are likely to know that Aamir had signed a sci-fi film in the 1990s titled Time Machine that was shelved soon after the first schedule had been completed. The film starred Raveena Tandon opposite Aamir, and also featured Naseeruddin Shah and Rekha, and was being directed by Shekhar Kapur. Apparently the film’s producers could never get along with Kapur, and were concerned about the inflating budget of the picture, therefore pulled the plug on the movie before it could completely bankrupt them.
Ripe for Gossip
Everyone from the office boys to the big bosses at a reputed production company were a little bit surprised last week by the poor manners of the leading lady of their latest film. The actress, who plays the titular role in this forthcoming movie, had dropped in at the company’s suburban office for a meeting with the marketing department to discuss promotional strategy and marketing plans for the film, which is only a few weeks away from release now. As is protocol, the actress’ staff was asked in advance what she might like to eat or drink while she was at the office. “Fruits,” they’d been told. Dutifully, a variety of fresh fruit had been procured and laid out for the actress in the conference room where the meeting was to take place. Oddly, she seemed uninterested in the fruit and focused specifically on the job at hand when the meeting began, leaving the fruit untouched in the end. When the conference room emptied after the meeting had come to an end, staffers swear that the actress’ spot-boy returned to the now vacant room, gathered all the fruit that had been laid out for her, packed it up, and proceeded to join the actress and the rest of her staff as they made their way out of the building. It was clear he had been acting on her instructions. n Rajeev Masand is entertainment editor and film critic at CNN-IBN open www.openthemagazine.com 63
open space
The Cannon Girl
by a n ou s h k u m a r
Mughal Emperor Akbar donated a cannon to the Ajmer Sharif dargah of Moinuddin Chishti; since the emperor’s time, the cannon has been put to use during the month of Ramzan to mark Sehri (the start of the day’s fast) and Iftaar (the break of the fast). Until 2008, the act of firing the cannon was performed by men. But that year, Fauzia Khan became the first woman to be assigned the task. n
64 open
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i don't know
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Which vast UK banking corporation suffered major computer failure during June 2012, impacting the cashflow of millions of customers and businesses, and exposing the company to tens of millions of pounds compensation liabilities?
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Accounting & Business (UK edition)_January 2012 by ACCA - issuu
issuu
uk.ab accounting and businesS 01/2012
AB
accounting and business UK 01/2012
mending capitalism
getting business and society back in tune
tony fernandes
the asian entrepreneur living a british sporting dream shell inside the energy giant interview guoman hotels audit facing an eu overhaul
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Editor’s choice
Will this be the year when a serious effort is made to repair the damaging schism between business and society opened up by the financial crisis? We explore what some are calling a crisis of capitalism in our cover feature, starting on page 22
HARD TIMES The coming year is one where true grit will be required. I write this in the run-up to Christmas, just days after tens of thousands of public sector workers marched through London in protest at proposed cuts to their pensions, their route taking them past ACCA’s headquarters. It was a civilised affair – teachers, librarians, civil servants, healthcare workers – but there was no mistaking their anger, fuelled even further by the chancellor’s Autumn Statement, which capped public sector pay rises at 1%. When inflation and existing pay freezes are taken into account, this means that millions of UK wage-earners are being given an effective salary cut of some 15% over the lifetime of this parliament. Huge ranks of public sector workers with less money in their pockets will make things even more difficult for the private sector, where many staff are also finding that their salaries are declining in real terms. Finance professionals around the country will be grappling with the challenges presented by these difficult conundrums. Determination, thoughtfulness and perseverance will be required. But all this doesn’t mean that there aren’t still examples of business success and growth – we look at two of them in this issue. Our interview on page 14 with Tara Ridgeway FCCA, FD of Guoman, which has deluxe hotels in iconic locations across London, illustrates that there is still a market for luxury in these straitened times. Meanwhile, Asian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes FCCA (page 18), tells us about his new no-frills hotel chain and the growth of his budget airline, AirAsia, along with his experiences in the Lord Sugar role of the Asian version of The Apprentice. ‘Believe the unbelievable, dream the impossible and never take no for an answer,’ he advises those setting out on their careers. In 2012, more than ever, they will be in need of such hope and inspiration. Happy new year. I hope you find the hope, inspiration and grit you will need to survive it. Chris Quick, [email protected]
BABEL BUSTER With more than 100 countries having adopted IFRS and the US tiptoeing closer, the cost-benefit tipping point for adopters has now been reached. Page 26
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2012’s ALPHABET From A is for Asia – or anywhere but Europe – right up to the Z generation, we list the 26 themes that will help to define this year. Page 33
TECHNICAL WEBINARS Automating internal reporting processes www2.accaglobal.com/automate Integrated reporting www2.accaglobal.com/integrated
NEW YEAR NEW JOB Check out thousands of jobs and expert careers advice at www. accacareers.com
08/12/2011 10:48
AB UK EDITION CONTENTS JANUARY 2012 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 Editor-in-chief Chris Quick [email protected] +44 (0)20 7059 5966 Asia editor Colette Steckel [email protected] +44 (0)20 7059 5965 International editor Lesley Bolton [email protected] +44 (0)20 7059 5965 Sub-editors Peter Kernan, Eva Peaty, Vivienne Riddoch Design manager Jackie Dollar [email protected] +44 (0)20 7059 5620 Designers Robert Mills, Jane C Reid Production manager Anthony Kay [email protected] Advertising James Fraser [email protected] +44 (0)20 7902 1224 Head of publishing Adam Williams [email protected] +44 (0)20 7059 5601 Printing Wyndeham Group Pictures Corbis ACCA President Dean Westcott FCCA Deputy president Barry Cooper FCCA Vice president Martin Turner FCCA Chief executive Helen Brand
Features
ACCA Connect Tel +44 (0)141 582 2000 Fax +44 (0)141 582 2222 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Accounting and Business is published by ACCA 10 times per year. All views expressed within the title are those of the contributors. The Council of ACCA and the publishers do not guarantee the accuracy of statements by contributors or advertisers, or accept responsibility for any statement that they may express in this publication. The publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement by ACCA of a product or service. Copyright ACCA 2012 Accounting and Business. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or distributed without the express written permission of ACCA.
Accounting and Business is published by Certified Accountant (Publications) Ltd, a subsidiary of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
18 Tony Fernandes FCCA The business success story enjoys virtual rock star status in South-East Asia 22 System breakdown Companies can no longer ignore the schism between business and society 26 Going global The number of countries adopting IFRS has hit the 100 mark 30 E-learning As a training tool, e-learning is set to expand even further
ISSN No: 1460-406X 29 Lincoln’s Inn Fields London, WC2A 3EE, UK +44 (0) 20 7059 5000 www.accaglobal.com
33 An A-Z of 2012 Who knows what the year holds? We have some ideas...
Audit period July 2009 to June 2010 138,255
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14 Five-star career We talk to Tara Ridgeway FCCA, FD of Guoman Hotels
37 Barnier’s grand audit plan We examine the European Commission’s proposals for the future of the audit market
08/12/2011 10:53
Worldwide
There are six different versions of Accounting and Business: China, Ireland, International, Malaysia, Singapore and UK. See them all at www.accaglobal.com/ab
Regulars
06 News in pictures A different view of recent headlines
45 The view from Sandra McAlister FCCA of McAlister & Co, plus news in brief
08 News in graphics We show a story as well as tell it using innovative graphs
46 Self-assessment Our tips for coping with the annual sprint to the deadline
49 CORPORATE
10 News round-up A digest of all the latest news and developments
49 The view from Adnan Majid FCCA of Hitachi Data Systems, plus news in brief
12 Politics ACCA hosts the EC’s first public discussion on audit market proposals
50 Inside Shell A look at what it’s like to work at the energy multinational 54 Going private Why companies choose to delist
VIEWPOINT
59 PUBLIC SECTOR
39 John Davies Europe’s audit proposals are too interventionist
59 The view from Andrew Cozens, adviser to the Local Government Association, plus news in brief
40 Robert Bruce Plans for ‘pure’ audit firms could prove disastrous
60 Hammer blow The government’s deficit reduction plan means even more bad news for the public sector
63 FINANCIAL SERVICES
42 Jane Fuller Are the Big Four headed for an annus horribilis in 2012? 43 Peter Williams Individuals and corporates must learn to pay the right amount of tax – not the least 44 Dean Westcott Embrace technology to control our destiny, urges the ACCA president
TECHNICAL 66 CPD: IAS 36 Understanding the implications of an amendment on the size of cash-generating units
63 The view from Faraz Jan Muhammad of UBS, plus news in brief 64 Wealth health The implications of the FSA’s retail distribution review
69 Update The latest on financial reporting, auditing, tax and law
CAREERS
CPD
Accounting and Business is a rich source of CPD. If you read it to keep yourself up to date, it will contribute to your non-verifiable CPD. If you read an article, learn something new and apply that learning in some way, it will contribute to your verifiable CPD. Each month, we also publish an article or two with related questions to answer. If they are relevant to your development needs, they can also contribute to your verifiable CPD. One hour of learning equates to one unit of CPD. For more, go to www.accaglobal.com/members/cpd
UK_B_contents.indd 5
74 Salary survey ACCA’s first global salary and career survey shows high levels of career satisfaction among members
ACCA NEWS 77 Take five Hints to help you plan your CPD for 2012 78 Paddling to victory Meet Ed McKeever: champion kayaker and ACCA student
79 British Accountancy Awards ACCA members enjoy a night of success 80 International Assembly Senior members gathered in London to discuss the challenges that lie ahead 82 Student service Exam registration and results fully online
08/12/2011 10:54
News in pictures
01
Administrators from Ernst & Young were poised to take control of Battersea Power Station, after backers of a £5.5bn redevelopment plan called in their loans
02
The UK is set for a shot in the arm from Starbucks, which plans to open 300 new outlets over five years, mainly in the North
03
As 2012 dawns, three new PMs are getting to grips with the eurozone’s problems: Spain’s Mariano Rajoy (right), Greece’s Lucas Papademos and Italy’s Mario Monti
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04
Camera-maker Olympus went into meltdown after admitting losses going back more than 20 years. Former auditor Ernst & Young has come under fire
05
Scottish tennis star Andy Murray, currently ranked fourth in the world, is set to launch another attempt to land a maiden grand slam crown at the Australian Open in Melbourne
06
Transport for London was at the centre of Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone’s battle for City Hall. Livingstone has pledged to cut tube fares by 7% if he wins the mayoral election on 3 May
07
Thousands of new toys will go on show at Toy Fair at London’s Olympia, the UK’s only dedicated toy, game and hobby exhibition. Visitors to previous shows have included Darth Vader and stormtroopers from Star Wars
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News in graphics RISKY BUSINESS
SMEs who expect accountants to process all their documents in a digital format within two years, according to CCH.
Nearly three-quarters of companies combine the risk function with internal audit, according to research by Deloitte and Hedley May. The myth and reality of the corporate CRO: an individual or a set of capabilities? found that over half the companies surveyed did not employ a chief risk officer (CRO) or equivalent.
54%
Businesses globally that are not ready for lease accounting changes, says Grant Thornton.
73% 58%
INVEST UDI A5 MENT B ANKER
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF MECHANIC
HAIRDRESSER
PEUGEOT 307 NURSE
Accountants and investment bankers favour Audis, while nurses plump for Peugeots, according to a survey by car insurance comparison website Tiger.co.uk. In terms of absolute numbers, the survey found that the most popular cars were the Vauxhall Corsa, the Ford Fiesta and the Renault Clio respectively.
REPUTATION OR BRAND 67% ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 58% EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION 44% INNOVATION AND LEARNING 44% RISK MANAGEMENT OR RISK REDUCTION 35% ACCESS TO CAPITAL/MORE SHAREHOLDER VALUE 32% ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS 32% STRENGTHENED SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS 22% MARKET POSITION (MARKET SHARE) IMPROVEMENT 22% IMPROVED RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENT 18% COST SAVINGS 10%
38%
REPUTATION IS EVERYTHING
Reputational or brand considerations are the biggest business drivers in corporate responsibility reporting among Global Fortune 250 companies, overtaking ethical concerns. The KPMG International survey of corporate responsibility reporting 2011 also found that economic considerations had dropped from 68% – second position in 2008 – to 32%.
07/12/2011 17:46
9 HEAVY-HANDED TAXATION MAKES WAY FOR THE LIGHTER TOUCH According to KPMG International’s annual Corporate and Indirect Tax Survey, corporate tax rates have been steadily falling for a decade, while goods and services tax (GST) and value added tax (VAT) systems have been introduced, rising to higher rates and applying to more items as indirect tax systems mature.
1 ASIA: DOWN FROM 24% 2 LATIN AMERICA: DOWN FROM 25.3% 3 EUROPE: UP FROM 20% 4 OCEANIA: DOWN FROM 24.2% 5 NORTH AMERICA: DOWN FROM 23.7% 6 AFRICA: SAME AS 2010
28.3%
News round-up
PROFITS UP, TAXES DOWN
The effective tax rate paid by FTSE 100 companies has fallen by a third in two years, according to UHY Hacker Young. The average rate paid now is 26%, against 35.8% two years ago, despite profits rising in the intervening period. The cut reflects a reduction in headline corporation tax rates and some companies transferring their headquarters overseas. FTSE 100 companies are generating a rising percentage of revenues overseas and taking advantage of lower tax rates in overseas jurisdictions, says the firm.
REPORTS ‘TOO COMPLEX’
More than three-quarters of businesses believe that their financial reports could be simplified without any loss of value to users. A third of companies surveyed by Baker Tilly said that they would welcome not having an
annual audit at all. FRS 17, Retirement Benefits, was particularly criticised for making accounts ‘meaningless’ and ‘impossible to understand’. Almost 60% of respondents opposed an additional auditor commentary to assist users’ understanding of accounts, particularly if it increased costs. Companies were also wary of auditors making subjective judgments.
CFOs WANT AUDIT ROTATION
The vast majority of UK CFOs support the frequent rotation of auditors, according to a survey by recruitment adviser Robert Half. Some 87% of CFOs favour rotation, with 80% wanting rotation at least once every three years. Large and listed company CFOs were most in favour of frequent rotation. However, the CFOs rejected the suggestion that the Big Four had too much of a hold in the audit market.
VAT LOOPHOLE CLOSED
Low-value goods purchased from the Channel Islands will in future be subject to VAT. Low-value consignment relief (LVCR) will be abolished from April 2012, following complaints from UK stores that they were losing trade to offshore online retailers. The relief was costing the Treasury about £140m a year in lost VAT, said officials. A new £15 LVCR threshold will apply to other non-EU jurisdictions.
GUIDANCE ON GREEK DEBT
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has issued guidance to issuers and auditors on how International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and legislation should be interpreted when deciding on the accounting treatment of Greek and other at risk sovereign debt. Issuers are encouraged to provide information on exposures to sovereign debt on a country-by-country basis in their financial statements. The ESMA aims to achieve a consistent interpretation of IFRS on sovereign debt.
GT REVENUES DOWN
EU finance ministers try to thrash out a solution to the debt crisis in the eurozone
INFORMATION SECRECY INFLICTS SOVEREIGN DEBT PRICE
The failure of governments to release key financial information to finance institutions, credit rating agencies and the public undermines confidence in sovereign debt, says an Ernst & Young study. ‘This has potential ramifications for the global economy if those audiences making critical investment, regulatory and political decisions do not have the most relevant and reliable information,’ said Philippe Peuch-Lestrade, global government and public sector leader at Ernst & Young. ‘Governments should be motivated following the financial crisis to put in place the conditions for modern management and to reform their accounting methodologies, but more progress is still needed to address concerns about transparency, accountability and sustainability.’ The report found most countries surveyed use their own accounting and financial reporting systems, making financial comparisons difficult.
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Grant Thornton’s UK revenues dropped by £2.7m – 0.7% – to £377m in the year ending June 2011. Pre-tax profits were £75.2m and average profit per partner rose to £342,000. Assurance revenue grew by 2.8%, tax revenue fell by 1.4% and corporate finance went down by 13.9%. CEO Scott Barnes said: ‘Given the continuing difficult economic conditions, Grant Thornton’s performance has been very strong.’ The firm expects to win more public sector audit and service delivery deals.
BDO REVENUES UP
BDO’s revenues rose in the year ended September for its global network, including its US and Spanish members. The increase was 4.41% measured in euro, or 7.36% measured in the dollar. Turnover was US$5.672bn. Fee income in the Middle East, the fastest-growing region, rose 31%, with new member firms recruited in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Revenues rose 21% in Asia Pacific, assisted by the Hong Kong
08/12/2011 10:40
11
Analysis EUROPEAN BULL ENTERS AUDIT’S CHINA SHOP
The European Commission’s proposals on audit reform seek to tear up the status quo, with mandatory rotation and tendering, and much more in the same vein. We investigate the grand plans – and reaction to them
merger with Grant Thornton. Revenues rose 16% in sub-Saharan Africa and 1.1% in Europe.
MAZARS BUYS PwC PRACTICE
Mazars has bought PwC’s volume personal insolvency practice, with 27 PwC staff transferring to Mazars. The Gloucester-based operation is to be integrated with Mazars’ National Bankruptcy Centre, which is split between Milton Keynes and London and has 23 staff. Mazars partner Martin Pickard, who leads the new practice, said: ‘Our business is now in a position to become the lead practice in its market and we are excited by the opportunity it gives us to further enhance services.’ PwC said it would now concentrate on complex and contentious personal insolvency cases.
P37
TAX INQUIRIES NET £255M
HMRC has raised £255m in the last year from personal tax investigations, a rise of 7% from the 2008–09 year. According to UHY Hacker Young, which analysed the figures, HMRC has begun more investigations into lower rate taxpayers. Tax partner Roy Maugham said: ‘Those who are going to be at particular risk of investigations over the next year are doctors, dentists, plumbers, tutors, residential property
RSM TENON GROWS
RSM Tenon grew its audit, tax and advisory business by 35%, from £89.5m to £121.3m, for the year ended June 2011. Total turnover grew by 31%, from £190.4m in 2010 to £249.1m in 2011. However, specialist tax revenues fell from £19.1m to £15.1m. Turnover in the financial management practice rose from £17.1m to £30.1m, in the turnaround and corporate recovery business from £51m to £52m, and in the risk management practice from £13.7m to £30.6m. Operating profits increased from £26.3m in 2010 to £30.1m.
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Accountants typically earn much less than the public assumes, according to research from Bloomsbury Professional. While the median earnings for an accountant are slightly under £35,000, a mere 16% of people surveyed correctly thought average incomes would be between £30,000 and £40,000. More than a fifth assumed accountants earned over £60,000 on average.
GOING CONCERN ‘NEEDS REFORM’
BDO INVESTIGATED
BDO is under investigation by the Accountancy and Actuarial Discipline Board (AADB) for its audit of Healthcare Locums. The investigation relates to the preparation and approval of the company’s accounts for the six months ending June 2010, the company’s use of a discounting facility with Barclays in that period and the company’s compliance with the terms and conditions of an NHS framework agreement. Healthcare Locums had to restate its past accounts and refinance the group in early 2011. BDO said it would be fully assisting the AADB with its investigation.
MYTH OF ‘RICH’ ACCOUNTANTS
Tough trading conditions
landlords and anyone in sectors that HMRC sees as a bit too entrepreneurial.’ HMRC has just announced a new task force to investigate landlords in Wales and North Wales.
AIR PARTNER SWITCHES AUDITOR Deloitte has won the Air Partner audit from Mazars. Air Partner said the change followed a competitive tendering process. Mazars’ final audit report statement said no circumstances needed to be brought to the attention of shareholders. Air Partner provides private jets and passenger and freight planes for charter.
Liquidity and solvency risks should be taken into account in going concern assessments, the Sharman Inquiry has reported. The inquiry also concluded that auditors should identify risks to the business model or capital adequacy that could threaten an organisation’s survival. The Financial Reporting Council, which initiated the inquiry, was advised to establish protocols with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills that would let it take a more systematic approach to learning lessons from corporate failures. Sharman recommended that audit reports should explicitly state that they have nothing to add to directors’ disclosures. The inquiry suggested that agreed new criteria for the going concern assessment should be disclosed in accounting standards and the corporate governance code.
GT LEADS ON AIM
Grant Thornton remains the largest auditor for AIM-listed companies, according to the latest Morningstar quarterly professional services rankings guide. BDO is the second largest firm and gained 24 AIM clients in the last quarter, giving it 144. The fastest-growing firm is Crowe Clark Whitehill, now the ninth largest AIM auditor after expanding client numbers for six successive quarters. In the all-market analysis, KPMG remains the largest firm, with PwC five clients behind after winning seven new mandates in the last quarter.
08/12/2011 10:41
Politics
BIG FOUR FACE BREAK-UP
PETROS FASSOULAS EXPLAINS WHAT HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME THE EC DISCUSSED ITS AUDIT REFORMS IN PUBLIC
ACCA organised a roundtable on 6 December in Brussels to discuss the European Commission’s proposals on audit reform. The event was the first time the EC had discussed its proposals in public since publishing them on 30 November. There were speeches from EC members, two Euro MPs charged with scrutinising the proposals, and industry stakeholders including ACCA director of technical Sue Almond. Participants explored how the value and quality of audit might be enhanced and society’s confidence in the ability of audit to add value restored. Participants also exchanged good practices and recommendations on the role of audit committees and proportionate audit for SMEs. There was broad support for many of the ideas put forward by the EC aimed at improving audit quality and independence, but different views also emerged on some of the market structure proposals. (See page 37 for more on the EU’s reform proposals.) Petros Fassoulas is head of policy, Europe and Americas at ACCA
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The Big Four would be unable to operate as both auditors and consultants under the European Commission’s revised reform plans. Nor would auditors be allowed to provide consultancy services to clients. The mandatory rotation of audit firms is also proposed. In another move designed to challenge the dominance of the major firms, lenders and other counterparties would be banned from stipulating that audits must be conducted by a Big Four firm. However, there will be no move towards mandatory joint audits. Internal market and services commissioner Michel Barnier said: ‘It is now high time for the situation [of Big Four market dominance] to change and for auditors to respond to the societal role that they are entrusted with.’ The creation of a European ‘passport’ for auditors has also been proposed, to increase mobility across the single market. For more, see page 37.
GAAR COMES CLOSER
The independent review of the Treasury’s proposed General AntiAvoidance Rule (GAAR), conducted by Graham Aaronson, has been published. Aaronson has suggested that a narrowly focused GAAR could deter abusive tax avoidance schemes, contribute towards a more level playing field for business, reduce legal uncertainty around tax avoidance schemes, improve trust between taxpayers and HMRC, and provide opportunities to simplify the tax system. The report warned against a broad GAAR. Aaronson said a GAAR should initially apply only to the main taxes: income tax, national insurance, capital gains tax, corporation tax and petroleum revenue tax.
PFI REPLACEMENT SOUGHT
The government is seeking to replace the heavily criticised Private Finance Initiative (PFI) with other delivery
models to improve UK infrastructure, the Treasury has announced. A review is to consider alternatives, drawing on private sector expertise, that will be cheaper than PFI. The intention is to develop a model that shares risk better between the private and public sectors. The government hopes the reform will lead to much higher levels of investment – possibly an additional £20bn – from pension funds. The aim is to devise a model with greater flexibility, allowing public sector clients to vary their requirements over time.
HMRC CRITICISM CRITICISED
Criticism of HMRC for negotiating supposedly favourable deals with Goldman Sachs and other major businesses may undermine confidence in the tax authority and lead to worse settlements in future, warns the CBI. HMRC’s capacity to negotiate deals rather than go through costly and slow legal action is essential to help make the UK a more attractive place to do business, said the CBI. Will Morris, chair of the CBI tax committee, said: ‘Whatever the procedural defects in certain cases, the settlement programme is greatly to the advantage of both government and taxpayers.’
FRC TO NARROW ITS FOCUS
Accountants’ professional bodies may handle all misconduct cases affecting their members in future, under plans put out for consultation by the Financial Reporting Council. The FRC’s Accountancy and Actuarial Discipline Board would consider only cases about reports prepared and audited for the capital markets. Under the proposals, which have been made by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the FRC itself would concentrate on setting standards of governance, accounting, audit and actuarial work, and on monitoring and enforcement activity in publicly traded and the largest private companies.
07/12/2011 18:58
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15
FIVE STAR CAREER
In appointing Tara Ridgeway FCCA its first finance director, Guoman Hotels has put a woman in post whose ambition matches that of this fast-growing business
W
alk into the swanky lobby of The Cumberland Hotel and the first thing you notice is a sculpture of a casually dressed man lying on his side, seemingly supported by just his elbow. The second thing you notice is the sheer size of the place. With its 1,019 bedrooms and Gary Rhodes’ Michelin-starred W1 restaurant, The Cumberland is part of the Guoman chain and one of the largest hotels in London. It’s part of a deluxe set of five of the luxury hotels in the 40-strong Guoman Thistle group. All Guoman hotels are in iconic London locations. The Cumberland overlooks London’s Marble Arch and the other four are The Tower, The Charing Cross, The Royal Horseguards and The Grosvenor at London Victoria station, currently undergoing a multimillionpound refurbishment and due to reopen as a Guoman hotel this January. Each hotel has a theme based on its architecture and location. The Cumberland’s is ‘creativity’. Hence the modern art scattered across its vast lobby. Had we visited a month earlier we’d have seen a few Banksys. The chain represents a huge investment by Guocoleisure, the Singapore-listed owner of Guoman Hotels, itself owned by Hong Leong, the Malaysian based banking to manufacturing conglomerate. And there are big plans for the brand for the future. An ambitious business needs an ambitious FD, hence Guoman’s decision to hire Tara Ridgeway FCCA, who took up the newly created role in
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August 2011. ‘I had a goal of wanting to be a finance director by the age of 40,’ she says of her career strategy. In fact, she ticked off that particular box when she became FD of Fitness First’s Benelux operations in 2008 at the tender age of 34. Talking in the luxurious surroundings of one of The Cumberland’s three bars, Ridgeway describes her new role: ‘It was created to enhance the finance function and drive the commerciality of the business. I need to provide commercial decision support to the MD and the hotel general managers. I need to be a business partner to the hotels. Rather than being seen as a finance person, it’s really about how can we work together to drive the business forward and add value.’ She reports direct to the CFO of Guoman & Thistle Hotels and has a dotted line to the UK MD of Guoman & Thistle Hotels. Expansion is the name of the game. The group makes no secret of its ambitious growth plans, with the Guoman Hotels website indicating it is looking to ramp up its hotel portfolio both in the UK and globally. ‘We will consider all opportunities,’ it says. With the economy faltering, is this really the best time to expand a hotel chain? Ridgeway points to Guocoleisure’s annual report for the year ended 30 June 2011, which shows that revenue from the Guoman and Thistle Hotels combined grew almost 14% year on year and the profit before financing cost improved 31% to US$61m. RevPAR, (revenue per available room) for Guoman and Thistle in London grew by 15% year on year.
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Growth for the rest of the UK was 8% year on year. And since then? ‘Year-to-date revenue exceeds that of last year and I would expect that trend to continue,’ says Ridgeway. The reason why profits and revenues are soaring while others in the sector are struggling, she explains, is that the business keeps good control over margins. ‘We will be looking at operational efficiencies, but it’s not “let’s just cut costs”. That’s not what this business is about. It’s about customer satisfaction. We need to provide a certain level of service.’ A big focus, says Ridgeway, is on turnover. ‘Driving revenue forward is something we are doing very actively by promoting our business through different channels, looking at repeat business, customer retention – that sort of thing,’ says Ridgeway. She does concede that the downturn has had some effect. ‘Business is challenging for everyone at the moment.’ Guoman can compare how it performs against its competitor set, which varies per hotel location, on a daily basis on the basis of key KPIs such as occupancy and room rates, thanks to statistics produced and shared by the hotel industry through benchmarking company STR. ‘Compared to our competitor set, we’re generally outperforming. The Guoman brand is quite new. We’re getting a lot of repeat business, which helps us to keep the revenues up, and the investment we are making in the hotels is starting to pay back.’ The luxurious ease of the hotels is a contrasting backdrop to Ridgeway’s own schedule – 12-hour days are frequent, although she avoids working at weekends unless something critical crops up. She likes to travel, entertain, cook and make jam with the fruit from her garden. Currently she commutes to Belgium on the Eurostar at weekends, back to the family home. She is looking for a feline-friendly house with a large
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Appointed FD of Guoman Hotels
2010
Promoted to European financial controller of Fitness First
2008
FD post, with Fitness First, Benelux
2005
Business assurance manager at Centrica, rising to be financial controller – projects at Luminus
1999
Became a member of ACCA
1996
Started at Queens Moat Houses and worked her way up to become head of risk management services
garden – and ideally fruit trees – in southern Hertfordshire. ‘My diary tends to be full every day. Every other Wednesday morning is completely blocked out for reviewing capital expenditure proposals. I check if the return on investment makes sense, and look at the basis for estimates of revenue increases.’ Her biggest initiative since becoming FD has been restructuring the 40odd staff in the finance team. She has decentralised the credit control department, moving it to the hotels to promote collaboration and efficiencies. But isn’t centralisation more the trend these days? ‘You need to be based in the hotels – you add much more value.’ You can help management rather than being in a remote office somewhere else. I have a financial controller in every hotel and various levels of people supporting them. It’s been about ensuring that every hotel has the right number of people in the finance team and that they’re the right people to drive the business forward, both from a standard finance perspective but also from a value-
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adding perspective. But we still have a central approach to everything we do.’ Part of her restructuring has focused on people management and succession planning. She wants to improve skills and knowledge to support multi-tasking. The changes to the structure, she says, allow people to move into different roles more easily as the roles are more closely aligned across the hotels. The week before the interview she hosted a two-day conference for the whole function. There were teambuilding activities – building towers out of marshmallow spaghetti seems particularly apt for a hotel chain – but there was also much discussion about commercial acumen. ‘It’s about looking at revenue opportunities, increasing market share, driving the business forward.’ Ridgeway says what she likes best about the job is the ability to make improvements, working together with the hotels to fine-tune the existing good-quality base, coming up with ideas that add value and develop the business. Challenging the business in the ‘right way’, she says, is important. ‘It’s all about how you phrase it.’ Her role encourages idea sharing. ‘Sometimes one hotel will have carried out a really good piece of analysis on, for example, food and beverage margins, and we can adopt this across the other hotels, with a view to improving profitability.’ Next on the people development front will be working with HR to include ACCA accreditation for the finance graduate scheme. ‘For me it’s a qualification to be proud of as it means I’m part of the largest global accountancy body,’ says Ridgeway. ‘It’s also the premium industry qualification as it represents strategy and ethics, with good business and commercial knowledge.’ So does any of the glamour of the environment rub off on her and do the perks include celebrity chef-style fine dining? ‘I normally eat in the staff
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The tips * *
Have a goal in mind of where you want to be and by when. You will get there if you strive for it. As a leader you can make a difference, but your success will depend on your colleagues. Show a genuine concern for people. Encouraging and enabling others to develop will always bring out the best in people.
‘WE WILL BE LOOKING AT OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES, BUT IT’S NOT “LET’S JUST CUT COSTS”. THAT’S NOT WHAT THIS BUSINESS IS ABOUT’
* *
Challenge the way things are done, but with tact and respect. Learn about the different areas of the business as a way to support them better. Don’t be afraid to say you don’t understand.
*
If someone asks you a question and you are not certain of the answer, say you’ll get back to them. That way people learn they can rely on you and will trust what you say.
canteen, it’s pretty good,’ she says. ‘It’s nice walking into the hotels and seeing them full of customers, but I wouldn’t say it’s glamorous.’ And what of the future? Does videoconferencing threaten the longterm viability of reliance on business customers? ‘It’s certainly a risk. Years ago it became very fashionable, but companies have since thought that actually it’s not very effective.’ Having achieved her first big career goal with time to spare, Ridgeway, who has a degree in international marketing and languages, has set herself another: ‘By the time I’m 45 I’d like to be CFO of a large company.’ Whatever the role, we’re likely to be hearing more from her in the future.
The basics
Number of Guoman-branded five-star luxury hotels in UK
2,686
Total number of bedrooms in the five hotels
15%
Growth in revenue per available room for Guoman and Thistle hotels based in London in the year to 30 June 2011
US$61M
Total profit before financing cost for Guoman and Thistle hotels in the UK in the year to 30 June 2011, a rise of 31% on the previous financial year
Chris Quick, editor
CEO interview
THE MAN WHO IS LIVING THE DREAM
Having turned a loss-making airline into a runaway success and flourished in a wide range of ventures, Tony Fernandes FCCA is as big a celebrity businessman as they come
T
ony Fernandes is a force of nature. He is the man behind Malaysian entertainment and leisure conglomerate Tune Group, which is the parent business of AirAsia, the owner of English Premiership football team Queens Park Rangers and principal of the Caterham (formerly Lotus) Formula 1 racing team, for starters. His success hasn’t gone unnoticed. In South-East Asia he commands virtual rock star status, but despite being held in such lofty regard he remains approachable and unaffected. He sits at a simple, standard-sized desk in an open plan office alongside his staff at AirAsia. But life would have been very different if Fernandes had followed his father’s wishes and opted for a career in medicine as he himself had done, rather than train with ACCA. ‘My father wanted me to follow in his footsteps and become a doctor. But I decided to do accountancy instead,’ he says. Fernandes is perhaps best known for buying AirAsia in 2001 for a token sum – the day after the 9/11 disaster. Back then it was a loss-making airline company complete with debts of £8m, but Fernandes has turned it into one of the world’s most successful budget airlines. In doing so, he has revolutionised the aviation industry in South-East Asia by making flying affordable for everyone. He remains group CEO of AirAsia.
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The idea behind the acquisition was hatched at an early age, through his own experiences of travelling back and forth to his native Malaysia. He explains: ‘I was sent away to study in London [Epsom College and the London School of Economics] at a very young age and it was very expensive to travel home then. I thought to myself, why should air travel be so expensive? Everyone should be able to fly home to their loved ones any time they want.
a two-aircraft outfit plying six routes in Malaysia to a business covering 80 destinations in 24 countries, with more than 10,000 staff and a market capitalisation of over £1.4bn [as of December 2011].’ The turnaround and expansion of the company aside, there are plenty of big challenges to keep him on his toes. ‘The main challenge is always to keep costs low, as nothing is certain in terms of fuel prices, rising costs and the global economic uncertainty. But
‘I WAS SENT TO STUDY IN LONDON WHEN IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE TO TRAVEL HOME. I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WHY SHOULD AIR TRAVEL BE SO EXPENSIVE?’ ‘Then along came an opportunity to live my dream of democratising air travel. Together with my partners Dato’ Pahamin Ab. Rajab, Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun and Dato’ Aziz Bakar [none of whom had any real aviation industry experience], we bought out AirAsia from Hicom Holdings (now DRB-Hicom) for the token sum of one Malaysian ringgit.’ Despite the tough climate and fears surrounding aviation travel after the Twin Towers attack in 2001, the AirAsia debt was paid back inside two years. ‘People did not believe it was something that was achievable,’ says Fernandes. ‘But it feels good that since we took over we have successfully turned the airline from
AirAsia will continue to stay focused on our strategy of containing or driving down costs, raising yields and further expanding network reach.’ For now the outlook remains good for AirAsia, especially with the launch of AirAsia Philippines, AirAsia Japan and its recent firm order for 200 Airbus A320neos. The Airbus deal is seen by a number of analysts as key to securing the company’s future by vastly improving its ability to meet the potential growth in the market. ‘The decision to be one of the first launch customers for the A320neo will ensure we remain ahead of the pack, with one of the world’s youngest and most modern fleet. The A320neo is expected to deliver approximately a
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Senior financial analyst, Warner Music International, London
1987–1989
Financial controller, Virgin Records, London
15% reduction in fuel consumption per aircraft, which will help us to focus on maintaining or even lowering our already leading cost per available seat kilometre [CASK].’ Results to date for 2011 show a 20% year-on-year increase in revenue for Q1 and 15% for Q2. Affiliates in Indonesia and Thailand performed well in both quarters, with AirAsia Thailand posting a growth of 44% year on year and AirAsia Indonesia a 37% rise in yearon-year revenue. Meanwhile, AirAsia Indonesia will be operating a 100% Airbus fleet for 2012. This will help improve operating costs and contribute to further growth. ‘We are trying to maintain tight control of costs even as we grow revenues,’ he says. ‘Fuel prices are volatile and beyond our control, so our response is to continue to innovate in the way we operate. Based on the results of both quarters, we are well
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‘IT’S A THRILL TO BE AT THE APPRENTICE ASIA HELM AND SEE PROMISING BUSINESS TALENTS BATTLE IT OUT FROM THE STREET TO THE BOARDROOM’ on track to achieve our goal – building on our already strong foundation to enhance growth.’ At the nub of that strategy is a ‘load active, yield passive’ outlook, which is paying off through lower average fares. That attracts more passengers, who in turn contribute to a higher takeup rate of ancillary services such as baggage supersize, pick-a-seat, cargo and courier, in-flight merchandise and meals and refreshments. ‘Instead of raising fares for higher yields – and running the risk of dampening air travel – we’d rather keep fares at reasonable levels to attract higher passenger loads and boost revenue through ancillary services.’
Despite his clear love of AirAsia, it was never going to be enough for a man who is constantly on the lookout for new opportunities. Fernandes has also turned his hand to another business venture in the form of Tune Hotels, a no-frills low-cost hotel chain. Tune offers ‘five-star bedding at onestar prices’, with room rates from 20p. It currently operates eight hotels and is working to develop dozens of hotels across AirAsia destinations. And there’s more, including an opportunity with Caterham in Formula 1. Having already brought AirAsia into F1 with AT&T Williams as a team partner, Fernandes was approached about sponsoring a new team. A
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The tips * *
Believe the unbelievable, dream the impossible and never take no for an answer. Go with your gut and give it your best shot – you may fail, but don’t give up.
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motorsport fan since childhood, he saw the chance to bring the much loved Lotus name back into F1, and with a consortium of Malaysian business interests he led the creation and launch of the team in 2009 and its entry into the 2010 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. During 2011, Fernandes also pulled off two more eye-catching sportsrelated deals in the UK. First he purchased British sports car company Caterham. The acquisition is an opportunity for Fernandes to enter the automotive industry but was a move made more difficult at the time by an ongoing row with the Lotusbranded Renault F1 team over the use of the rights to the Lotus brand name. Team Lotus won the case, so Fernandes and his team are the rightful owners of the Team Lotus name. If he had lost, he would probably have lost the use of the Team Lotus name.
Caterham was born out of Lotus, initially as a dealer of the iconic Lotus Seven and subsequently as the purchaser of the rights to continue manufacturing the Seven when Lotus ceased production in 1973. Caterham’s only car at present is the Caterham 7, an evolution of the Lotus. Later in 2011, he snapped up newly promoted Premier League side QPR, following talks with the club’s previous owners, F1 moguls Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore. ‘Negotiations were not that long,’ he says. ‘The opportunity to get involved in QPR came up via the previous owners and I jumped at it. Now that I am part of it, I hope to make this raw diamond shine as much as it can. I want the fans to be proud of what we are doing as they are stakeholders.’ There is speculation that Fernandes would like to relocate the club to a bigger stadium with the possibility of increasing revenues. ‘Let’s focus on staying up and building a good structure and a solid foundation to grow for the future at the moment,’ he responds. ‘Let’s see how the season goes and we will plan from there.’ And as if he hasn’t enough on his plate, he has also found the time to front the Asian edition of TV series The Apprentice. ‘It’s a thrill to be at the helm of The Apprentice Asia and to see some of the most promising business talents in the region battle it out from the street to the boardroom,’ he says. ‘It’s great to be able to throw some really interesting challenges their way, so they can show the world what the new generation of Asian business executives are made of.’ If they turn out anything like Fernandes, there will be plenty to admire. In the meantime, 2012 looks like being another formidable year for one ACCA’s highest-profile members. Alex Miller, journalist
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As protestors continue to the attack the UK’s economic system, will 2012 be the year when the damaging schism between the interests of business and society starts to get fixed?
T
he coming year has more than its fair share of apocalyptic predictions, most based on the theory that the calendar of the ancient Mayan civilisation ends in 2012, presaging some kind of cataclysmic event. In recent years New Agers have applied a more positive spin, saying 2012 will mark a spiritual and physical transformation heralding a new era. Even those of us confident of surviving the next 12 months without a spiritual reawakening or seeing the Earth demolished by a giant asteroid would agree that 2012 has something of a doomsday feel to it, at least in economic terms. And many would agree that some kind of transformation is required for our economy to work better. The Occupy London protesters, who at the time of writing remain in
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their encampment around St Paul’s Cathedral, have a wide focus, but it is clear that most of their ire is directed towards the banks. Their website includes the statement: ‘We demand an end to global tax injustice and our democracy representing corporations instead of the people.’ Although they would hesitate to identify themselves with the protesters, there are many business figures – including some in the financial services industry – who would agree with the basic principle that our current problems are due in part at least to the fact that business and society have somehow diverged from each other. The result is that both have suffered. Most of us have become poorer, some significantly. The value of savings is going down. Public services are being cut. Meanwhile the corporate world
struggles to maintain turnover and profitability as society – its customer base – tightens its purse strings. There might not be an instant cure for this malaise, but any remedy will necessarily involve bringing the business world back into closer harmony with the society it serves. How far this will happen in 2012 depends largely on the financial services industry, under fire for what is seen as a greed-driven short-termist outlook out of kilter with one of society’s main requirements of it – to protect and nurture individuals’ long-term savings, pensions in particular. Steve Waygood, head of sustainability research and engagement at Aviva Investors, which has over US$400bn of assets under management, says that although the protests could be viewed as anachronistic and short of practical
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23 ‘BANKERS IN PARTICULAR SHOULD BEHAVE LIKE CITIZENS AGAIN, WORKING COLLECTIVELY FOR THE LONG-TERM GOOD OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE’ suggestions, they illustrate how the financial system is being increasingly drawn into question by the society it is supposed to serve. ‘The extent to which the protesters are a bellwether for society more widely may be being overlooked by City professionals,’ he says. ‘The financial system gets its licence to operate from society, and if society no longer trusts it to do so, and thinks it is only delivering for the few who are in positions of power, influence and wealth, the system’s licence to operate can be questioned.’ Jeffrey Unerman, professor of accounting and corporate accountability at Royal Holloway, University of London, agrees. ‘Economic sustainability is in many ways a prerequisite for social sustainability,’ he says. ‘The interests of society and business therefore do not diverge where businesses behave in an economically and socially responsible manner. Many businesses in the real economy behave in this way. ‘However, senior executives of many businesses in the financial sector appear to be increasingly oblivious of their company’s responsibility towards, and long-term interest in, a stable society by seeking to maximise personal economic gain, no matter how much this damages the real business sector and broader social cohesion.’ So is Unerman optimistic about 2012? He says that an increasing number of businesses recognise the need to behave in a way that meets the social values of those with economic power – customers, employees and regulators. ‘The interests of business should not diverge further from the interests of society in 2012 – quite
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the opposite,’ he says. He adds that companies that ignore this issue are likely to arouse even greater hostility, damaging both their interests and those of society more widely.
Parallel lines The need for the financial services industry to realign its interests more closely with that of wider society is admitted inside the financial services sector. In November 2010 financial services membership body TheCityUK launched the Next Generation Vision. The initiative involved a group of twenty- and thirtysomething employees of big-name City
System breakdown: the proliferation of anti-capitalist demonstrations illustrate how business and society have diverged institutions – including two from Big Four firms – setting out their thoughts on the future of financial services. ‘To be a part of society, not apart from society,’ is their most used catchphrase. ‘Today the industry is often seen as disconnected from society and defined by self-interest,’ says TheCityUK’s chairman Stuart Popham, a board member of both Legal & General and Citigroup, in his introduction.
James Allan, a young Barclays banker and one of the participants, says: ‘Bankers in particular should behave like citizens again, working collectively for the long-term good of society as a whole, and not for shortterm personal gain.’ The vision of the group largely focuses on changing the behaviour of the financial services sector itself. It calls for a standardised, formalised ‘moral code’ and highlights the need to ally the interests of the financial services industry with those of society, with an emphasis on mutual, sustainable long-term value. But Aviva’s Waygood sounds a note of caution about the ability of individuals to bring about the sort of behavioural change required: ‘People are under extreme short-term pressure to deliver, whether it’s on returns or on client needs beyond that.’ The issue of shorttermism is likely to hit the headlines in the coming months with the publication of the Kay Review of UK equity markets and long-term decisionmaking, commissioned by business secretary Vince Cable last June. ‘It is especially urgent that we work out how the equity investment regime can be recalibrated to support the long-term interests of companies as well as underlying beneficiaries, such as pension fund members,’ Cable said at its launch. Economist John Kay’s interim report is scheduled for early spring, and the full report for summer. At the time of going to press, the enquiry had received just under 100 submissions from groups as diverse as the Quakers and the Institute of Directors. The former’s response suggests that boards reintroduce
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some of the values that served businesses such as Cadbury, Barclays and Lloyds so well in the 19th century when they still had strong Quaker connections. The latter’s submission highlights the short-termist pressures the equity market piles on directors of quoted companies – from fluctuations in share prices to lobbying by sell-side analysts or activist investors such as hedge funds. It also highlights the short-term investment horizons of many institutions, driven by the short-term performance measures of fund managers, which lead them to concentrate their efforts on stock-picking and equity capital rather than long-term engagement, and suggests that the boards of companies should try and attract investors that share their strategic time horizon.
Retirement view Another body submitting evidence to the review, UK Sustainable Investment and Finance, says that companies should take a more direct interest in how their pension schemes are managed. It points out that even companies that focus on longer-term business activities neglect this issue. ACCA’s response to the Kay Review points to research indicating that executive directors interpret their duty as being to maximise the short-term share price, and that shareholders’ actions do not discourage this interpretation. ‘This can encourage all sorts of dysfunctional behaviour, including decisions of questionable morality which can adversely affect other stakeholders as well as shareholders. It means that corporate actions can be amoral and even sociopathic,’ says Paul Moxey, ACCA head of corporate governance and risk management. He adds: ‘The interests of institutional shareholders and fund
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* ‘WE ARE THE 99%’:
PROTESTS SPREAD TO 82 COUNTRIES Originating in Canada with Adbusters, the Occupy protest movement – ‘a global network of artists, activists, writers, pranksters, students, educators and entrepreneurs’ – is a campaign against economic and social inequality. In September 2011 Adbusters called for a peaceful occupation of Zuccotti Park in New York’s Wall Street financial district. Its aim was to protest against the influence of corporates on democracy, the growing disparity in wealth, and the absence of legal repercussions following the global financial crisis. Often seen as anti-capitalist, the movement had spread to 82 countries at the last count, in November, including Australia, France, Germany and Hong Kong. In Britain, Occupy London, which is backed by anti-tax avoidance group UK Uncut, set up a camp at St Paul’s Cathedral, among other places, after its attempt to occupy Paternoster Square, the address of the London Stock Exchange, was thwarted by police. To date, Occupy camps have been set up in around a dozen UK locations, including Belfast, Brighton, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds and Newcastle.
managers are not the same as those of the people to whom they have fiduciary responsibility, such as individual savers.’ Savers, he says, want their savings to increase over time whereas the most important driver for fund managers is not to underperform compared to the market. ‘They are not too concerned if the market as a whole declines provided they do not lose more than others.’ Changing fund managers’ targets so that they focus on absolute rather than comparative return could, Moxey suggests, help change this. Fund managers themselves, however, deny that they are overly short-termist in their approach. The Investment Management Association, for example, has submitted data to the Kay Review which it says ‘refutes the myth’ that fund managers are guilty of excessively short holding periods. ‘Initial analysis of a number of UK equity funds’ continuous holdings of companies finds little to support the notion of endemic short-termism,’ says the association’s head of research Jonathan Lipkin. ‘On the contrary, 42% of holdings by value have been held for at least five years.’ In fact, it may be the fund management industry itself that is leading the way in encouraging companies to take a long-termist approach. Aviva’s Waygood points out that issues of long-term sustainability are increasingly built into company valuations and therefore influencing investment decisions. He emphasises that he is talking about sustainability in all its meanings, including both basic business strategy and the risk that external factors such as climate change represent to a business’s future cashflows and profitability. Aviva Investors is leading a coalition of institutions, including ACCA, calling on the United Nations to develop a
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global policy framework that requires listed and large private companies to integrate sustainability information throughout their annual report and accounts – or explain why they are unable to do so. They will be pressing their case for a UN convention on corporate sustainability reporting at the Earth Summit in Rio, Brazil, in June.
Vote-winning decisions So what does all this mean for 2012? ‘Politicians are under increasing pressure to be seen to be doing something, and they can see there are votes to be won and lost,’ says Waygood. He points not just to the Kay Review and the UN initiative, but also to a range of other consultations and legislative initiatives such as EU moves to require financial institutions
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to say more about their own ethics and the recent Department for Business, Innovation and Skills consultation on making narrative reporting simpler, clearer and more focused. ‘When they originally designed the stock exchanges they assumed that the people who managed their money would be individuals, and therefore the conscience of the individual would play through in the way they invested their money,’ explains Waygood. But, he says, the evolution of the industry has led to a greater number of intermediaries, which has distanced the conscience of the individual from investment decisions. Current developments, he says, could be couched as the return of capitalism with a conscience. ACCA’s Moxey says: ‘It could go one of two ways. If nothing is done we could
end up with a risk of fragmentation of society, with part of society increasingly feeling alienated and angry with what they see as capitalists – and they wouldn’t distinguish between “good” and “bad” capitalists.’ If this were to happen, he says, and the economy continues to suffer, we could find ourselves heading towards the sort of social unrest that has characterised Greece. But Moxey finishes on an upbeat note: ‘There are a lot of signs in the City and elsewhere of better recognition of societal requirements. If businesses can come together and present how they can be part of something better, then I think we can be quite optimistic.’ Chris Quick, editor
07/12/2011 16:42
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ALL TALKING THE S With an increasing number of countries adopting the same set of international accounting rules in the form of IFRS, the costbenefit tipping point has been passed
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W
ith more than 100 countries now having adopted International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the benefits of the global system are becoming clearer. Consistency in how companies prepare their accounts around the world has made it easier for investors to evaluate how they allocate capital, while companies themselves have found it easier to attract investment and manage their own global groups. This view is backed up by a recent ACCA survey, Towards greater convergence: assessing CFO and investor
perspectives on global reporting standards, which reveals that nearly 40% of CFOs around the world found that the benefits of switching to the international system outweighed the costs of such a switch. Only one in five (18%) said that costs generally outweighed the benefits. It is a similar picture for investors. The same survey shows that nearly a third of investors feel that the costs of conversion are outweighed by the benefits, and less than one in 10 (7%) believe the opposite to be true. ‘One of the greatest benefits has been a single set of rules which underpin a single set of numbers by which the
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27 GET THE REPORT AT: www2.accaglobal.com/af/reporting
E SAME LANGUAGE group is run,’ says Russell Picot, chief accounting officer for the UK business of global banking group HSBC, in the ACCA study. ‘It’s done away with the Tower of Babel of different reporting and accounting languages that we had before.��� It is this consistency between countries, for CFOs and investors alike, that drives the perceived benefits of a single set of standards. IFRS might not be necessary if your organisation is based in one country and its investors are also based in that one country, but in today’s globalised business world, such isolationism is increasingly rare.
cannot have a localised crisis. So the only way you can deal with a global crisis is through global regulation, and you can’t have global regulation unless you have global accounting in place.’ So as well as the economic advantages of the reduced cost of capital for individual entities, there is the macroeconomic advantage of transparency in the marketplace with one accounting language, Poole argues. It is against this backdrop that the costs of converting to IFRS should be measured. ‘We’re all very good at being able to identify costs and put a price tag on conversion,’ says
‘THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN DEAL WITH A GLOBAL CRISIS IS THROUGH GLOBAL REGULATION, AND YOU CAN’T HAVE GLOBAL REGULATION UNLESS YOU HAVE GLOBAL ACCOUNTING IN PLACE’ As Hans Hoogervorst, chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), told a conference in Australia recently: ‘Ten years ago few countries used international accounting standards. Everyone did their own thing, which made international comparability very difficult.’ But perhaps more importantly, twothirds of investors and more than half of CFOs in the survey say their view of IFRS has become more positive in the wake of the global financial crisis. ‘The move towards global accounting standards is seen as an essential element of the global financial reform agenda, providing the bedrock on which to build a better, more resilient global infrastructure,’ Hoogervorst said. Veronica Poole, global head of IFRS at Deloitte, backs this view. ‘What we have seen with this financial crisis is that the world is a very small place, everything is interconnected, and you
UK_INT_F_IFRS.indd 27
Anne Simpson, head of corporate governance at CalPERS, the California Public Employees pension fund, in the ACCA report. ‘But should we be visited by horrors like the financial crisis and realise we’ve not invested sufficiently in quality accounting and auditing, then the cost runs to billions. Billions were wiped from the CalPERS portfolio. Those are the sort of numbers we should be looking at when people complain about costs.’ Poole says Europe is the key example of the benefits of IFRS accounting harmonisation: ‘The European regulators and the European Commission have said it is quite clear that there is no way back to different accounting for Europe. They have said that they have seen tangible evidence of the reduced costs of capital in European countries. And this is very much what we are hearing from our clients as well.’
There is of course an elephant in the room when the real benefits and costs of IFRS and related international standards for auditing are considered. That elephant is the US, which has been following a convergence path with the IASB but retains its own generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The US financial regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); the US standard-setter, the Financial Accounting Standards Board; and the IFRS-setter, the IASB, have been working closely, moving towards a point where both IFRS and US GAAP are much better aligned, but differences still exist. And this creates an unsustainable situation, as Hoogervorst explains: ‘In the long run, a dual decision-making process is a very unstable way to work. It can lead to diverged solutions or sub-optimal outcomes at the very end.’
IFRS for the US a must Harvey Goldschmid, an IFRS Foundation trustee and former SEC general counsel, says that the adoption of IFRS by the US is a ‘national imperative’. He recently argued that it would reduce regulatory arbitrage opportunities, increase US company attractiveness to foreign investors by lowering capital costs, and reduce analytical costs and opportunities for fraud. ‘Both IFRS and US GAAP now have strengths and weaknesses… but only IFRS has the prospect of global acceptance,’ Goldschmid recently said. He conceded there would be transition costs, but said the strength of the US oversight system, combined with highquality auditing standards, had in the past reassured investors to help create a 15% premium in value for foreign issuers that had listed in the US. Poole has been encouraged by recent progress reports from the SEC, which
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HANS HOOGERVORST ‘IN THE LONG RUN, A DUAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IS A VERY UNSTABLE WAY TO WORK. IN PRACTICE, IT CAN LEAD TO DIVERGED SOLUTIONS OR SUB-OPTIMAL OUTCOMES AT THE VERY END’ she sees as having taken a very evenhanded approach. ‘If you were holding a crystal ball, I think sooner or later you would see a move closer to IFRS. Whether that is going to be IFRS in its entirety, I do not know,’ she says. As Poole observes, most jurisdictions have an endorsement mechanism and process in place, so the SEC staff paper proposal on ‘condorsement’ (a hybrid between convergence and endorsement) is not so far-fetched. ‘Condorsement just means we will move there slowly,’ she says.
create new burdens. But he believes that a date of 2016 or 2017 would give US corporations ample time to put new processes in place alongside the necessary planning, education and training. More to the point, he says: ‘The IASB and the FASB have already done much to reduce transition difficulties and costs by narrowing differences between the two systems in their convergence projects.’ Of course, it is not just the US that is considering adoption of IFRS – there are other significant economies that
Varying interpretations
*THE 2012 AGENDA
However, the current endorsement processes do mean that local variations in the application and interpretation of IFRS remain, a point highlighted by the recent SEC reports. And for CFOs, keeping up with the local variances, or carve-outs, within different jurisdictions that implement IFRS is the sort of operational hurdle that acts as a disincentive to conversion by adding costs and complexity. As James Singh, CFO at Nestlé, the Switzerland-based food group, said in the ACCA study: ‘In terms of subsidiaries, some of ours are quite large and material to the group. So as a multinational company, we can’t afford to have different accounting standards in different locations.’ One of the major concerns, particularly in the US as it considers adoption of IFRS, has been and will be the transition costs involved in moving from set of standards to another, and it has been argued that the current point in the economic cycle may not be the best time for such a transition. As Goldschmid noted, changes caused by the financial crisis, such as the Dodd-Frank Act in the US, and the current economic downturn have made some organisations feel that 2011 and 2012 are the wrong years to
UK_INT_F_IFRS.indd 28
are debating the merits of joining the single set of standards club. Notably, IFRS is on the agenda for Japan, China and India. Were these economic blocs to come on board then it could be said that a common global financial language had been established. ‘Chinese standards are very close, it’s happening,’ says Poole, adding that in Japan, many multinationals are already implementing IFRS. ‘Once you have that, then the rest will follow,’ she says. Philip Smith, journalist
This year, the IASB aims to put in place a single set of high-quality accounting standards. Its revised work plan, as published in October 2011, runs as follows. Financial instruments Effective date of IFRS 9 – finalisation was expected by end of 2011. Impairment – confirmation of re-exposure, now due in first half of 2012 (deferred from possible issue in Q4 2011). Hedge accounting – an exposure draft on macro hedge accounting now due in first half of 2012 (deferred from possible issue in Q4 2011); finalisation of general hedge accounting project remains first half of 2012. Offsetting – finalised amendments to IFRS 7 and IAS 32 were expected by end of 2011.
* * * *
Other core projects (no changes to expected timing) Leases – re-exposure in first half of 2012, finalised IFRS in second half of 2012. Revenue recognition – re-exposure in 2011, finalised IFRS in second half of 2012. Insurance contracts – review draft or re-exposure in the first half of 2012, no target date set for a finalised IFRS.
* * *
Post-implementation reviews (indicative timings) IFRS 8, Operating Segments – review initiated in 2011, target completion in 2012. IFRS 3, Business Combinations – review to be initiated in 2012.
* *
Agenda consultation Decisions on the agenda expected to be made in 2012.
*
Other projects No updates in relation to annual improvements (although the 2009 annual improvements are expected to be finalised in the first half of 2012), IFRS 1 amendments for government loans, or the exemption from consolidation for investment entities.
*
software
30
THE NEW LEARNING As more of us get to grips with online training, e-learning looks set to become the norm. But while the tool is becoming ever more exciting, it brings challenges, too
W
hile e-learning is no longer a novelty, the unrelenting pace of IT progress means that modern online training is expected to become ever more exciting, challenging and rewarding. Technology is now an integral part of our work and personal lives. Only 20 years ago, schoolchildren would be hunched over library books researching the secrets of the pyramids or how the atom came to be split. Now, the stock answer to any request for information from an overworked parent is surely: ‘Let’s Google it when we get home.’ And it’s not just children who can benefit from the educational properties of the digital world. Professionals – both ‘digital natives’ and those old enough to remember life before email – have also come to take it for granted. ACCA recently commissioned a report exploring the world of the e-professional and how online learning affects development, the impact of technology on finance professionals and their clients, and what the future of online learning may look like. Digital advances are something that everyone with an interest in educating the finance professionals of the future are embracing, including ACCA. Clare Minchington, ACCA executive director – learning and products, says: ‘In June 2011, we announced that ACCA would be working towards delivering all its examinations online through an innovative and forwardfacing programme of e-assessment. This will lead to a new generation of professional examinations that maintain the rigour and quality
UK_INT_F_eprof.indd 30
Number of internet users worldwide
5 BILLION
Number of mobile phone users worldwide Source: The e-professional (see below)
35% Proportion of US smartphone users who use an app before they get out of bed Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab
associated with the ACCA brand and appeal to the coming generation of e-professionals, employing technologies they will increasingly be using in their social lives.’
Attitude shift There are two key reasons for a change in attitude towards e-learning. The first is the growing sophistication of the options, with everything from Skype to iPhone apps to webinars; the second is the flexibility that e-learning offers both to learners and trainers. Learning programmes now often fit around work, rather than work being accommodated around study leave. Any suspicions that professional standards are being compromised by insufficiently robust online learning and assessment programmes are quickly challenged by those on the front line. Martin Taylor, CEO of BPP
Business School, argues that online learning is actually more demanding than traditional forms. ‘E-learning can be incredibly demanding, because learners are doing a lot of the learning and the research themselves, which is incredibly beneficial to deep understanding,’ he points out. These issues are increasingly important in the aftermath of the global economic crisis, when employers are forced to prioritise efficiency, with customers typically wanting more for less. Laura Overton, managing director at Towards Maturity, an organisation that works with employers to implement and benchmark e-learning capability, says: ‘This raises questions not only about how employees learn on the job in a formal programme, but what informal learning opportunities employees have access to.’
Blended is best Greg Owens, director of technical training and student qualification at BDO, says: ‘There has to be a way professionals can get that initial knowledge and then apply it to a real client experience. It’s how you make it all real that’s the hardest bit.’ This is where blended learning – the combination of e-learning with on-thejob and classroom training – comes into play. The blended approach reflects the 70/20/10 theory of learning: 70% of learning happens informally and is available on demand, 20% comes from ‘social learning’ such as networking and coaching, and 10% from courses and reading. The 70/20/10 approach recognises
07/12/2011 15:08
31
‘GAMING IS ALLOWING LEARNING DESIGNERS TO INTRODUCE SCENARIOS AND THROW IN SURPRISES TO REPLICATE THE REAL WORLD MORE CLOSELY’ and exploits the less regimented learning structure that is characteristic of modern digital students. As Damian Day, head of education and quality assurance at the General Pharmaceutical Council, says: ‘They don’t start at A and end up at Z; they learn in a much less structured way.’ Globalisation is another driver, says Richard Pollard, global development leader of PwC: ‘We currently have 170,000 people in our organisation and can see that growing to a quarter of a million and more over the next five years. Given general levels of attrition, keeping up this volume of professionals is a huge, huge effort.’ The importance of global consistency means organisations need to be sensitive to regional preferences. May Chan, learning designer at Standard Chartered Bank, says: ‘People in Asia will not ask so many questions, and they may prefer to type in questions rather than ask them in a live webinar or masterclass.’ This links back to one of the biggest
UK_INT_F_eprof.indd 31
benefits of digital learning: flexibility. Kristin Watson, director of the UK national exam training team at Ernst & Young, says: ‘Where students are doing some form of blended or distance learning, they are not tied to a particular course or date. This allows businesses to give their students study leave on a convenient date.’
Advance on three fronts Given what may be possible with technology over the next five years, there are three main growth areas in e-learning: mobile devices, social networking and gamification. Mobile devices may be able to access more information in easier-toread formats, and share information with other devices while on the move. Social media is increasingly appearing in e-learning. Jim Robertson, vice president for tax, Eastern hemisphere and global tax practices at Shell, says: ‘If you are in well engineering at Shell, there will be a global expert in how to drill in a
Fast forward: visitors to the Time Tunnel exhibit at the fifth Electronics and Information Fair in Hangzhou, China, in 2011 particular geology such as sand, and that person will receive lots of requests for help by email, instant messaging and blog facilities. It is a form of e-learning, but it is very task-specific. I expect we will see a lot more of that in the future.’ And gamification aims to reproduce the simulation capabilities of gaming environments in e-learning. Taylor says: ‘Gaming is gaining real traction in the learning environment. Threedimensional, even four-dimensional, capabilities allow learning designers to introduce different scenarios and throw in surprises to replicate the real world more closely.’ Beth Holmes, journalist
*CLICK TO VIEW
To read The e-professional: embracing learning technologies, and to see the video interviews, visit: www.accaglobal.com/eprofessional
07/12/2011 15:08
A good MBA is like a prescription for career progression “I know that senior management value an MBA and I wanted that competitive edge to progress my career. The fact that the Oxford Brookes University MBA was online and distance learning meant I could fit it in to my own time.�
Brian Elliott MBA FCCA
deputy chief accountant, World Health Organization
2011 was certainly unforgettable – from the deepening eurozone crisis and the Arab Spring to our own homegrown riots. So what can we expect in the year to come?
AN A-Z OF
UK_F_AZ.indd 33
A
sia, Africa, South America – anywhere, in fact, apart from Europe and the eurozone if you are looking for growth.
B
arnier Having set a bonfire under the Big Four in 2011, the European commissioner for internal markets Michel Barnier will fight to the bitter end to push through his auditor reform agenda in 2012.
C
ondorsement If in doubt, invent a new word and a new direction in the convergence of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) with US generally accepted accounting standards (GAAP). Condorsement, a hybrid approach that combines endorsement with convergence, will hopefully
thought energy prices were bad in 2011, this year will be even worse. And a cutback in subsidies for alternative energy could prove disastrous for the fledgling industry.
F
acebook Set to come to the market in 2012, the flotation of the mega social network will be one of the most keenly anticipated of the year. bring the world a step closer to a single set of highquality standards in 2012.
D
emocracy in the Middle East After the 2011 uprisings, will we see real democratic progress in 2012? The end of 2011 saw violent demonstrations in Egypt amid growing dissatisfaction with the pace of reform. Will an Arab Summer prove the acid test year for the prodemocracy movement?
E
nergy Who’s got it, who needs it, who’ll pay for it? If you
G
AAR A general anti-avoidance rule could help in the crackdown on tax avoidance, as the revenue-raising bodies around the world face pressure in 2012 to maximise their tax take.
H
edge accounting The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) is targeting the first half of the year to produce a standard for general hedge accounting, part of the IFRS 9 project.
08/12/2011 11:06
I
K
nvestment companies A proposed new standard would exempt investment entities from the requirement to consolidate their investments under IFRS 10.
ay Review Due to report in 2012, John Kay’s review of UK equity markets will address short-termism in the City. But will it provide any longterm solutions?
J
L
une 20, 2012 The start of the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, otherwise known as the Earth Summit. British prime minister David Cameron will miss the event as he will be attending HRH The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee instead (see N).
ondon 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games A shining example of how to organise a global party or a city in gridlock chaos, London will either top the gold medal board or go down as a heroic failure in truly British style.
M
ulti-sourcing As the outsourcing
have enough to cope with this summer, The Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee. Bunting and flag waving will help take minds off the other sovereign issue: debt.
this year or will Barack Obama win a second term in the Oval Office? The French may also vote in a new president as Nicolas Sarkozy takes on the socialist François Hollande.
DUE TO REPORT IN 2012, JOHN KAY’S REVIEW OF UK EQUITY MARKETS WILL ADDRESS SHORT-TERMISM IN THE CITY. BUT WILL IT PROVIDE ANY LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS? industry continues to mature, it will become clear that the answer to organisational success lies in many directions: onshore, offshore, nearshore, outsourced, insourced, shared service centres, captives...
N
ot another Jubilee As if London didn’t
UK_F_AZ.indd 34
O
versight The Due Process Oversight Committee, set up by the IFRS Foundation to keep an eye on how IFRSs are formulated, will publish a final draft of its operating protocol in 2012.
P
resident of the US Will we get a new one
Q
uantitative easing The money printing presses will roll in 2012 as economic growth in many economies fails to materialise.
R
obin Hood or rather his tax on financial transactions, also known as the Tobin tax. Will
08/12/2011 11:06
there be global agreement in 2012 or will it remain an issue in Europe alone?
S
kyfall No, not another Mayan prophecy of impending doom, but the title of the latest James Bond blockbuster, set to hit our screens in the autumn.
T
argeting Technology will be such that you will be able to pinpoint your customer and their buying habits.
Y
oung paying for the old If pension provision is not reformed to everyone’s satisfaction, who will pick up the bill for an aging population? As if the young didn’t have problems enough finding a job in 2012.
Z
Generation Born in the early 1990s, a generation of internetsavvy, digitally connected adults will be hitting the jobs market this year. Philip Smith, journalist
U
nintended consequences Attempts to reform banks, auditors, investors et al could have unintended consequences. Banks may stop lending, auditors could stop auditing, investors won’t want to invest. That would beat any Mayan prophecy.
V
isibility How far ahead can you see? And do you like what you see? 2012 will be distinctly foggy, with poor visibility all round.
W
orld, End of Much has been made of Mayan predictions that the world will bow out on 21 December 2012. Fact or fiction, breathe a sigh of relief on 22 December – at least there will only be nine days left of the year. How is 2013 looking?
X
BRL No, really, this will definitely be the year for eXtensible Business Reporting Language. Get those IT systems ready...
UK_F_AZ.indd 35
The Hertfordshire MBA
The MBA is the leading management qualification, designed to give you the critical knowledge and enhanced skills required to meet future business challenges. The Hertfordshire MBA: • is underpinned by cutting edge research • is delivered on a platform of active business integration • enables students to work with leading businesses • collaborates on international consultancy projects with partner universities in the US, Germany, Canada and India. To discover more: • Visit: go.herts.ac.uk/mba • Come to one of our MBA events • Contact the Programme Director [email protected]
08/12/2011 11:06
Global support at times convenient for you Contact us by phone or email 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days of the year
ACCA – The global body for professional accountants +44 (0)141 582 2000 [email protected] www.accaglobal.com
37
BARNIER’S GRAND PLAN In the first of four articles on the European Commission’s newly published proposals on the future of audit, ACCA’s Ian Welch discovers where the cracks lie
T
he long-awaited, much-leaked and even more lobbied-against proposals from the European Commission on the future of audit were finally published on 30 November. They proved to be like the proverbial curate’s egg – in parts good, bad and indigestible. The EC’s proposals have been at the centre of heated debate ever since the initial green paper of October 2010. Given the intensity of the lobbying and the radical nature of some of the proposals, it is perhaps surprising that they have stayed largely intact. But the press statement from internal markets commissioner Michel Barnier, which accompanied the proposals, made clear his views on the importance of his mission: ‘The 2008 financial crisis highlighted considerable shortcomings in the European audit system. Audits of some large financial institutions just before, during and since the crisis resulted in “clean” audit reports despite the serious intrinsic weaknesses in the financial health of the institutions concerned.’
UK_INT_F_Welchaudit.indd 33
He continued: ‘Investor confidence in audit has been shaken by the crisis and I believe changes in this sector are necessary: we need to restore confidence in the financial statements of companies. Today’s proposals address the current weaknesses in the EU [European Union] audit market, by eliminating conflicts of interest, ensuring independence and robust supervision and by facilitating more diversity in what is an overly concentrated market, especially at the top end.’ So Barnier’s determination to change the status quo was never in doubt. But even he had to make some concessions. His biggest perceived ‘climbdown’ was on joint audits. On several occasions Barnier praised the French practice as a good principle and was clearly keen to implement this as mandatory for the largest companies to create more opportunities for the next-tier audit firms to step up. This was a centre-piece of his measures to break the Big Four oligopoly, as he sees it. But last-minute internal lobbying seems to have won the day and joint audit is now merely ‘encouraged’.
However, companies opting for joint audits will only have to rotate their audits every nine years rather than the six introduced as a maximum tenure for firms on other large audits. This is a radical move which did remain largely untouched from all the lobbying.
Cost burden ACCA cannot support this. A legal requirement for companies to change auditors every six years could amount to a heavy cost burden ultimately borne by businesses. Given that it typically takes an audit firm two or three years to get up to full speed on complex audits, it seems unnecessary and unreasonable for them to have to leave again relatively shortly afterwards. There is no demand for this in the investment community and while it is hard to defend large companies remaining with the same auditors for 48 years – as was revealed as typical by the UK House of Lords audit inquiry in March 2011 – this seems to move from one extreme to the other. The other eye-catching change to remain, despite all the opposition, is
08/12/2011 16:29
38
WE ARE NOT CONVINCED THAT BANNING THE PROVISION OF NON-AUDIT SERVICES WILL IMPROVE AUDIT QUALITY OR INDEPENDENCE a major crackdown on the provision of non-audit services to audit clients. This has been effectively banned, except for some specific ‘related financial audit services’ which include audit or review of interims, assurance of corporate governance and corporate social responsbility statements, and tax compliance – and even these must only form 10% of the audit fee. Large audit firms, said the commission, ‘will be obliged to separate audit activities from non-audit activities’. While all the details were not immediately clear, it seems that firms deemed too big will have to set up separate, legal ‘pure audit’ firms. The Big Four immediately criticised this move as likely to damage rather than enhance audit quality by denying them access to their advisory arms. ACCA, too, is worried that the prospect of pure audit firms will do little to encourage talented people from joining the profession. We are not convinced that banning non-audit services will improve audit quality or independence, and do not consider that the suggested benefits outweigh the costs and disruption. Once again there is no evidence that shareholders want this; often an incumbent auditor has built a good knowledge of the entity which leaves them best-placed to provide cost-effective services. It should surely be the audit committee’s role to make this judgment. The existing ethical rules warn against providing additional services which could impede their independence. ACCA believes legal reforms should be the last resort.
Some good news So is there anything we do like? Yes. ACCA is pleased that the EU executive is willing to facilitate the crossborder mutual recognition of audit firms and
UK_INT_F_Welchaudit.indd 34
Ian Welch
*KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL
The proposals regarding the statutory audit of public-interest entities, such as banks, insurance companies and listed companies, aim to enhance auditor independence. Mandatory rotation of audit firms Audit firms will be required to rotate after a maximum engagement period of six years (with some exceptions). A cooling-off period of four years is applicable before the firm can be engaged again by the same client. The period before which rotation is obligatory can be extended to nine years if joint audits are performed; this is a way of encouraging, but not mandating, joint audits. Mandatory tendering Public-interest entities will be obliged to have an open and transparent tender procedure when selecting a new auditor. The audit committee (of the audited entity) should be closely involved in the selection procedure. Non-audit services Audit firms will be prohibited from providing non-audit services to audit clients. In addition, large audit firms will be obliged to separate audit from non-audit activities in order to avoid all risks of conflict of interest. European supervision The European Commission believes that it is important that oversight of audit networks takes place at EU level as well as internationally. It wants this coordination of the auditor supervision activities to take place within the framework of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). Enabling auditors to exercise their profession across Europe The EC proposes the creation of a single market for statutory audits by introducing a European passport for the audit profession. The proposals will allow audit firms to provide services across the EU and to require all firms to comply with international standards of auditing (ISAs) when carrying out statutory audits. Making smaller audits ‘proportionate’ The proposals also allow for a proportionate application of the standards in the case of small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs).
statutory auditors. We also welcome the proposal to harmonise audit standards through the introduction of International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). ACCA supports the proposal to allow member states to adapt standards to the size of the audited entity through a proportionate and simplified audit for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It is important, though, that common standards are applied consistently. It will be interesting to see
how other, non-EU regulators respond. The US Public Company Accounting Oversight Board is moving in a similar direction but there is little sign of Asia doing so. How global audits can be carried out with myriad different regional rules is a key question for the profession should Barnier’s plans survive their next hurdle – the response of the EU member states. Ian Welch is head of policy at ACCA
07/12/2011 18:54
EU targets the big firms
[
Heavy-handed on corporates and skimpy on SMEs, the EU’s audit proposals face serious scrutiny, says ACCA’s John Davies
As expected, the European Commission’s draft regulation on audit concentrates on the audit of public interest entities (PIEs – mainly listed companies) and amounts to a concerted attempt to legislate for greater visible independence and competition in the audit market in this sector. These are highly interventionist measures and some appear to have been framed without conclusive evidence that they are needed to pre-empt future audit failures. In particular, it is not clear how the act of enshrining many aspects of current professional and technical standards in legislation – for example, the requirement to conduct audits in accordance with professional scepticism – will serve to improve audit quality. While the EC is entitled to stress the public interest dimension of audit at this level, we also need to ensure that the eventual legislation takes into account the needs and wishes of companies and investors. The strong focus on PIEs means that comparatively little attention is given by the EC to the audit of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). That is not to say, though, that what attention is given to that area is insignificant. For the first time it is being proposed that small entities should be formally excluded from the scope of European Union law requiring accounts to be audited. This recognises the reality that the great majority of EU countries have by now taken advantage of the existing provisions in the Fourth Directive, which allow small entities to be made exempt from national laws requiring audit. The draft directive makes clear, though, that where a member state chooses to require small company accounts to be audited, those audits are to be deemed ‘statutory audits’ and will thus have to meet the various criteria set out in the directive, including in respect of eligibility to act. Similarly, if any small company chooses to have a ‘voluntary’ audit, the draft directive provides for that to be treated as a ‘statutory audit’, too. These provisions are positive in that they will help to provide certainty as to what an audit amounts to at this level. The draft directive confirms that all statutory audits, including ‘voluntary’ ones, are to be carried out in accordance with International Standards on Accounting (ISAs). However, the most significant provision as regards SME audits appears in articles 43a and b, which provide that member states are to be required to ensure that the application of audit standards to SMEs is ‘proportionate to the scale and complexity’ of the companies
UK_INT_COM_Davies_audit.indd 35
concerned. Thus the EC is envisaging some sort of modification of the existing requirements of ISAs as they are applied to SMEs. If this proposal helps to maintain the long-term relevance of audit in the SME sector, then it can only be a good thing. Scaling back the requirements of ISAs is, however, an area fraught with technical difficulty, given that the extensive procedures set out in ISAs are currently seen as integral to the achievement of the key benchmark of reasonable assurance. The other aspect, which will need to be considered carefully, concerns the delegation of authority to the individual member states to decide what proportionality means in respect of SME audit standards in their jurisdictions. Apart from the question of whether member states are the right people to decide on audit standards, the danger is that we could end up with 27 different forms of SME audit requirements. If we are trying to maintain confidence in the credibility of published accounting information, including at the SME level, the last thing we want to do is to create any new cause for confusion. So while some rationalisation of the application of ISAs at the SME level is an attractive one, at least in principle, we should at least be aiming for a harmonised solution and one which does not create any new expectations gaps. John Davies is head of technical at ACCA
07/12/2011 18:52
Comment
Rotten prospect for Big Four [
Europe’s audit proposals have been attacked from all quarters, says Robert Bruce – not least the plan for ‘pure’ audit firms, which could, say critics, damage the sector’s attractiveness as a training ground
The final version of the Barnier proposals, which aim to shake up the auditing profession across Europe, have had the most remarkable reception. Predictably, the large audit firms are against them. ‘They are completely at odds with good auditing,’ says John Griffith-Jones, chairman of KPMG Europe. But the investment community is also resistant. ‘The bottom line is that it still doesn’t do anything for the issue of choice,’ says Guy Jubb, head of governance and stewardship at Standard Life Investments, ‘and that is what investors wanted to encourage.’ The corporate community, particularly through their CFOs, are also furious. Andy Halford, CFO of Vodafone and chairman of the Hundred Group of finance directors, says that ‘taken together the reform package will have the effect, both directly and indirectly, of reducing audit quality, particularly during the
UK_INT_COM_bruce.indd 36
period of transition, increasing cost and diminishing the value of the audit opinion to investors, without any compensating tangible benefits’. Small wonder that an astonished John Cridland, director general of employers’ organisation the CBI, had this to say: ‘The European Commission has pulled off some feat with its proposals for audit market reform. It has united businesses, investors, the Big Four and, even on some points, emerging and mid-sized auditors, in their criticism of the proposals.’ That unprecedented unity was ‘proof of a bad idea with dreadful timing’. The proposals, after much leaking and behind-the-scenes manoeuvring,
call for much change. Internal markets commissioner Michel Barnier wants the largest accountancy firms to be broken up into separate entities for pure audit and for all other services. He has almost completely dropped his previous proposals for compulsory joint audits, but has compensated by reducing the mandatory rotation of auditors from every nine years to every six. He also wants much change which no one would really disagree with: expanded information in the audit report, a greater and more public role for audit committees in, for example, the appointment of auditors, and so on. But it is the splitting up of the audit firms into separate business streams and the insistence on short-term rotation of auditors which have raised the most hackles.
Pure daft Making firms break themselves up into ‘pure’ audit firms and ones that provide complementary services was described by one senior partner as ‘daft’. Others agreed. ‘In order to do a high-quality audit you need to have access to specialist skills,’ says Richard Sexton, head of reputation and policy at PwC. ‘You can’t do audits to the standard required as an audit-only firm,’ says KPMG’s Griffith-Jones. ‘The work from, for example, the risk experts, the tax experts, the actuarial experts and so on is invaluable.’ ‘There are a lot of peripheral things to the audit that the firms are best able to provide,’ says Halford. And the market, says Sexton, ‘will not accept an auditonly model. They will press the firms to recreate those services.’ We are back in the world of unintended consequences. There is also the question of the role of audit firms as trainers of future generations of people in the UK business world who traditionally
07/12/2011 18:42
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train with the audit firms. ‘We are concerned,’ says Halford. ‘If firms become audit-only a lot of the attractiveness of those firms as a training ground will diminish, and the quality of the people coming though to us in business would diminish.’ Auditor rotation across only six years is seen as a nightmare of compromise, falling quality and rising inefficiency. In Italy, where auditor rotation has been tried, all that happened was that companies seeking continuity in their audit process simply ensured that the partners and team who dealt with their audit moved to another firm, which was then awarded the audit. Quality was retained and the legislation complied with. It was another unintended consequence. ‘The people who are by far the best placed to decide who should be auditors are the audit committee,’ says Griffith-Jones. ‘It is one for the audit committees, not for legislation.’ ‘Investors,’ says Jubb, ‘would like to see “comply or explain” adopted rather than mandatory rotation.’ ‘It is not clear that rotating auditors would help,’ says Halford from his CFO standpoint. ‘CFOs do shop around and change suppliers if they see a reason to do so.’ Ultimately, the whole Barnier package faces a tough time both within the politics of the EC and outside from all the interested parties. He expected opposition from those he refers to as ‘the Anglo-Saxons’. But it seems he was unprepared for the furious opposition that came from many of the most recent entrants to the EU. Smaller countries with fledgling, but
UK_INT_COM_bruce.indd 37
successful, capital markets were angry that such changes might endanger or hamper their efforts. The original joint audit proposals came under withering fire from them and were dropped. And now the rest of the proposals face a lengthy period of argument, political squabbling and compromise. The proposals for pure audit firms are expected to fall at some point. But it is going to be a long, long, bureaucratic and political process. No wonder Steve Maslin, head of external professional
affairs at Grant Thornton, asks: ‘Do you end up with something which might have started as a coherent whole but ends up as unconnected measures and doesn’t achieve the goal of audit market restructuring?’ And the answer is probably: ‘Yes, Steve.’ It is no longer about audit, or the firms. It is about the conflicting ambitions of politicians in the European sphere. Robert Bruce is an accountancy commentator and journalist
*THE ARGUMENT CHANGES: DEMAND, NOT SUPPLY Perhaps the most significant element in the Barnier proposals is that it has changed the underlying debate. Until now, the argument has been about supply – having only a Big Four of major accountancy firms was not considered enough. The UK’s Financial Reporting Council has always pursued this supply argument – how to expand the Big Four to five or more. But the Barnier proposals have turned that on its head. They, perhaps unwittingly, have turned it into a demand argument: who wants more firms and how could you create that demand? As David Maxwell, a member of Grant Thornton’s National Leadership Board, points out: ‘It is not about our ability or resources, it is about the buying behaviour.’ In the view of Jonathan Hayward, partner at consultant Independent Audit, ‘it treats it as a demand, not a supply, problem. The mid-tier firms are perfectly capable of doing a lot of the top-level work, but nobody wants to buy it.’ The only way to increase competition is, he says, to change the nature of audit: ‘Most audit work is services to management and it is a valuable service. The audit is part of management’s “get it right first time” process and companies see the Big Four as being better placed to do it than the mid-tier firms.’ Hayward thinks that should continue, but as a service rather than the audit. ‘For shareholders, firms could just audit the consolidated accounts, and not the group,’ he suggests. ‘It would be perfectly feasible to have an investor audit and it wouldn’t need the resources of the largest firms.’ This is why looking at the demand question is important. ‘If you change the demand side,’ says Hayward, ‘you ask what are you buying audits for. Firms like Grant Thornton would be perfectly capable of auditing the consolidated accounts of a large multinational and they wouldn’t have to do the worldwide work and all the trouble-shooting that the big firms do.’
08/12/2011 14:32
Comment
Annus horribilis or rehabilitis? [
The Big Four may well be bracing themselves for a regulatory drubbing in the audit market, but, as Jane Fuller explains, they have as much to gain as to lose in the inevitable shake-up this year
The Big Four accounting firms are a bit like royalty, so they might well borrow the Queen’s ‘annus horribilis’ comment about 1992 for their view of 2012. After all, the European Commission’s proposals for the audit market – mandatory rotation, strict limits on non-audit work and a shove towards joint audits – come on top of a referral to the Competition Commission in the UK, all of which would hit the Big Four while opening up opportunities for the rest. As it happens, the royal family has revitalised its image since those dark days. Can auditors do the same? Let’s hope so. As the European Commission says: ‘Robust audit is key to re-establishing trust and market confidence.’ The Big Four certainly have the resources to revive their image as protectors of investors’ interests. But trust and confidence are about perception, and all auditors start with a perceived conflict because they are paid by the companies they monitor. The Audit Inspection Unit has repeated concerns about professional scepticism and the potential for nonaudit work to compromise auditors’ independence, while the AIU’s parent body, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), has admitted that it does not have ‘the necessary independence from the audit profession’. For the Big Four, it looks worse because of their dominance of the FTSE 350 market and tenures that last for decades. Whatever they may say about the supposedly fierce competition between themselves and the virtues of the multi-disciplinary firm, things are going to change. So which changes should they embrace? The first is audit rotation. At a stroke this breaks up cosy relationships and creates more opportunities for firms to compete.
UK_COM_fuller.indd 42
When I was arguing for this after the Enron scandal, I was pointed to a study by Bocconi University, which suggested that audit quality in Italy suffered in the first year of auditor rotation. Not very convincing, and we know that audit failures also happen when tenure is long. Research quoted by the European Commission suggested that lengthy incumbents were ‘more susceptible to forces that motivate management to manage earnings’.
Changing an auditor does entail extra cost. So be it. The new firm should go through the books with maximum rigour, and price competition is not what investors are looking for. If the Big Four pare back consultancy work, which has grown shamelessly since Enron, then (with the possible exception of market leader PwC) they have little to fear from audit rotation. If they really are the best, they will continue to do the most difficult and most lucrative audits. If they are worried about the talent getting bored with audit, then here are a few suggestions. First, the range of work remains fascinating. It includes due diligence, valuing assets and liabilities, and investigating accounting problems. Second, it might be more stimulating for staff to switch sectors more often. This would also counter groupthink with the clients. A veteran of telecoms or media audits after the dotcom bust would have known more about balance sheet stress than a bank auditor who had only known the Great Moderation. Third, regulators are dreaming up more for auditors to do. How about going to the Bank of England to discuss the risk-weighting of assets? Or facing a group of ‘active’ shareholders? Or writing a frank account of the issues debated with management? If they are still bored, then they can clear off to do some straightforward client-pleasing. Accountancy firms have had to spin off their consultancy arms before. They can do it again and their image will improve overnight. If they do not, then the mid-tier will, at last, have a genuine opportunity to join the big league. Jane Fuller is former financial editor of the Financial Times and co-director of the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation think-tank
07/12/2011 13:38
43
My gain, your pain? [
Too assiduous a devotion to tax minimisation may enrich the individual or corporate but impoverish the society and economy in which they operate, warns Peter Williams
It’s a safe bet that the average Greek taxpayer hasn’t heard of 20th century English high court judge Lord Tomlin. Indeed, few Britons have either. But it seems a cast-iron certainty that Brits and Greek alike would line up behind his pronouncement that every man is entitled to order his affairs ‘so that the tax attaching under the appropriate Acts is less than it otherwise would be.’ Which is one reason why 2012 looks set to be a tough one for Greece: its structural reforms include tax hikes, especially for those who, according to the European Commission, ‘have not traditionally paid their fair share’. But before we shake our heads at Greek doctors who claim to earn less than the tax threshold, or wonder just how Athenians go about camouflaging their swimming pools from tax inspectors, it is worth noting that the Greeks are merely average when it comes to over-aggressive tax planning. Research collated by the Association of Italian Taxpayers (hold the jokes, please) from crime statistics supplied by EU police forces found that in the league table of income under-reporting Italy is top, followed by Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia and Slovakia. Those who see a north/south European divide on these issues will be gratified to learn that Swedes were the good guys, with the least underreporting, followed by Belgium and the UK. Non-payment is greatly exacerbated by a multiplier effect. Research in 2010 published under the auspices of the London School of Economics suggested that Greece’s 10% estimated under-reporting led to an astonishing 26% shortfall in taxes. The response of governments around the world to the problem of tax evasion has been led by the OECD improving the exchange of information between countries in order to catch cheats.
UK_COM_pw.indd 43
But while tougher laws may go some way to reducing levels of tax fraud, on their own they are not enough. Something else is needed to change the behaviour of recalcitrant taxpayers. The tipping point between legally avoiding and illegally evading tax is, according to former chancellor Denis Healey, the thickness of a prison wall. People and corporates break the tax code for two reasons. First, they think they can get away with it, or if caught the punishment will not be severe. The second reason is because it is socially acceptable to do so. The Greeks covering up their swimming pool are no different from the
Londoners who pay cash in hand. People justify such behaviour on the grounds that everyone does it, that they already pay enough tax compared to others (an argument fuelled by stories of multimillionaires who pay less tax than their secretaries) or that paying tax is a waste because the public sector is bloated or its spending choices are wrong. Charity Christian Aid has a campaign to make the payment of tax in developing countries a matter of corporate responsibility. You may think it has an uphill struggle on its hands. But until the vast majority think that tax is about paying the right amount rather than the least amount, then Tomlin’s 80-year-old judicial blessing of tax avoidance remains a dangerous curse on civil society. Peter Williams, accountant and journalist
07/12/2011 13:38
Perfectly e-positioned
[
By embracing the best that technology has to offer, we are ensuring the profession controls its destiny, says ACCA president Dean Westcott
Writing at the start of 2012, I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy year ahead. As this is a time to look forward, it also seems fitting to give you a sense of the work ACCA is engaged in. This looks ahead not just to the coming year, but to the generations to come. At the end of last year, ACCA’s Council and its International Assembly discussed the advent of the e-professional, looking at how technology developments over the next three to four years might affect the working lives of accountants and the skills that they will need. The challenges are highlighted by the changing role of the CFO. Finance leaders increasingly need to interpret data provided by outsourced or shared service centres. Similarly, with audit manuals and working papers now online, there is a greater focus on the synthesis and analysis of information within public practice. Technological advances will not change the core skills and capabilities which accountants will need. In fact, the skills of interpretation, critical thinking and judgment for which accountants are so particularly valued will become even more important. However, accountants are now expected to understand the whole business and not just the numbers. This means that, if we do not embrace digital advances, we may get left behind and displaced by other professionals. Within three years mobile technologies will enable finance professionals to work anywhere at any time. Yet the core skills and capabilities we need to demonstrate will not fundamentally change. Accountants will always need to be skilled communicators, whether online or face to face, and this will present different challenges for different generations. ACCA has moved to meet such challenges with an innovative new e-assessment programme. The move to online delivery of ACCA examinations, announced last year, will bring greater choice and access for employers and students around the world, and will let us test students’ knowledge and skills in a way that better reflects real-life workplace scenarios and activities. In this way we can ensure that those with the ACCA Qualification will continue to be in demand among businesses for many years to come. Dean Westcott FCCA is finance director of Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire, England
UK_COM_pres.indd 44
Practice
IFAC UPDATES ADVICE TO SMPs
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has updated its guidance to small and medium practitioners (SMPs) on using International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) in SME audits. The guide aims to help practitioners to understand and to apply efficiently the clarified ISAs, and the update refines both technical content and presentation. An implementation guide provides practical advice on how to conduct risk-based audits of SMEs. ‘Practitioners in many jurisdictions have begun using the clarified ISAs, and effective implementation of these standards is key to audit quality,’ said SMP committee chair Sylvie Voghel. ‘The guide should help practitioners conduct high-quality, cost-effective audits, thereby contributing to the quality of the profession.’ For more, see www.ifac.org
The view from: South Wales: Sandra McAlister FCCA, director and insolvency practitioner, McAlister & Co Q How do you juggle your McAlister career, chairing the ACCA Swansea and West Wales Network Panel, and your personal life? A The ACCA panel commitments are not terribly onerous; in fact, they are quite enjoyable. Of course, running my own practice is hard work and sometimes means long hours, but I have the flexibility to take time out when I want to be with my family. Q What would you like to see happen in the accountancy world this year? A More professional accountants giving the high-quality advice that their clients need in this difficult climate, and HMRC clamping down on unqualified accountants and providing protection to our profession.
BEGBIES SELLS TAX DIVISION
Begbies Traynor has sold its BTG Tax division to Smith & Williamson. The transfer will involve 12 partners and another 43 staff. Smith & Williamson expects the acquisition to increase the turnover of its tax operation to £40m and all its business operations to around £180m. The transferred team includes specialisms in tax investigations and in the sports, media and entertainment sectors. Kevin Stopps, MD of tax and business services at Smith & Williamson, said: ‘There is an excellent strategic fit between the new team and Smith & Williamson, both in terms of geography and service provision.’
UK_YPRAC_intro.indd 45
45
Q What made you decide to start up your own accountancy practice? A I like things done my way, which makes me a bit of a handful for an employer. I also prefer having control over my own future. Q Your practice deals with businesses that are in financial trouble. Has your work increased since the economic downturn and do you expect this to be the case for the upcoming months? A Although our workload has increased, this appears to be bucking the trend of the industry. Assets are worth less and can be difficult to move on, so we need to be cautious as we could easily be busy fools in today’s economic climate.
FIRM FACTS
Staff: a total of 13 employees spread across two different offices – in Swansea in South Wales, which is the firm’s headquarters, and in Caerphilly, which is just outside Cardiff
45 Practice The view from Sandra McAlister of McAlister & Co; dealing with the self-assessment tax return rush 49 Corporate The view from Adnan Majid of HDS; inside Royal Dutch Shell; why more companies are considering delisting 59 Public sector The view from strategic adviser for adult social care to the Local Government Association, Andrew Cozens; the cuts to come 63 Financial services The view from Faraz Jan Muhammad of UBS; the far-reaching effects of the FSA’s retail distribution review
08/12/2011 11:04
46
Practice
’Tis the season… Christmas may be over but one of the busiest periods of the tax accountant’s year is now in full swing – the self-assessment tax return rush. We take a look at this year’s challenges For most practitioners, the month of January only ever means one thing: the start of the self-assessment tax return submission season. It involves long working days – and even some long working weekends – and a mad scramble to get hundreds, if not thousands, of clients’ tax returns prepared and submitted by the end of the month, not to mention advising the same clients to pay their tax liabilities before the magical 31 January deadline. While most of the issues that tax accountants will face will be the same as every year, it is important to remember that this season takes place against a slightly different backdrop. HMRC has been cracking down harder in recent years, and the number of amnesties that have sprung up, not to mention the number of investigations that have been ordered into businesses’ tax affairs, make crystal-clear the need to take particular care in the preparation of tax returns this year.
The most pertinent issue at hand for practitioners is the new penalty regime. Richard Mannion, national tax director at Smith & Williamson, says: ‘Previously, if your client had paid their tax liability by 31 January, but the tax return had been submitted a day or so late, there was no penalty to pay; the late filing penalty due was the lower of £100 or the amount of tax outstanding. This year, you will get a £100 late filing penalty whether the tax has been paid or not.’ Chas Roy-Chowdhury, head of taxation at ACCA, says practitioners must make this change clear to their clients. ‘It is necessary both to file the tax return online and to make sure your client pays the tax due by 31 January, otherwise they may end up with a fine,’ he says. The penalties for late filing of returns become steadily more severe the longer you leave it. If a return is three months late, then, as well as the flat £100 penalty due as above, a £10 penalty will be levied for each day the tax return continues to be late, up to a 90-day maximum of £900. If a tax return is six months late, then, as well as the penalties already outlined, a further penalty of either £300 or 5% of the tax due (whichever is higher) will be levied. And if a return is 12 months late, then, in addition to the previous penalties, a further penalty of either £300 or 5% of the tax due (whichever is the higher) will be levied again. In serious cases a client may be asked to pay up to 100% of the tax due instead. So, for example, if a client’s tax return is due on 31 January 2012 but is not submitted until 5 August 2012, then, whether they have paid their tax liability or not, they will have to pay a penalty of £1,000 (the £100 fixed penalty plus £900 for each day between 1 May and 29 July), plus whichever is the higher, £300 or 5% of the tax due.
Motivating force Mannion says this new harsher penalty regime should be an incentive for practitioners to ensure they get all the relevant information from their clients in order to complete and submit their tax returns in a timely manner. ‘While it is a funny thing about human nature that many people will leave things to the last minute, including tax returns, it is important that you do not leave notifying your clients of the new penalty regime – and therefore impressing on them the importance of getting their information to you in good time – to the last minute,’ he says. ‘There is no substitute for personal contact. The best way to get the information is to contact clients, either face to face or by phone.
47
‘If a tax return has not been filed by now, it must be done electronically – paper returns should have all been filed by 31 October. The good news is that electronic filing is not so difficult. I filed my tax return myself for the first time recently and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was.’ Roy-Chowdhury says there are some very simple things practitioners must remember if they are going to file online. ‘The most basic thing – so basic it often goes unmentioned – is that you cannot file online without a password,’ he points out. ‘HMRC sends you this password by post, so send off early for it so that you can file your tax returns, or your clients’ tax returns, by 31 January without any problems. ‘The other basic things to remember are, of course, to make sure you’ve got all your client’s invoices and bank statements in order to complete their returns, and make sure you pro rata capital allowances correctly. If there are lots of cash receipts, you will have to be cautious that the information you’re getting from your clients is reasonable – use your judgment.’ The rise in tax investigation and amnesties is unlikely to impact the preparation or submission of tax returns, but it is worth noting that this is the climate now – meaning it is more important than ever to take care over tax returns. ‘While the new penalty regime is only coming in for the
UK_YPrac_Self.indd 47
first time, all the investigations and amnesties that have arisen in the past year or so – or will arise in the future – send out a clear message that clients and practitioners alike cannot afford to be sloppy about their tax returns,’ Mannion says. Roy-Chowdhury agrees. ‘The number of investigations going on has increased – a large number of areas are now being put under a microscope by HMRC,’ he warns. ‘Clearly, an ACCA member who hasn’t had a sector where their own clients have been investigated by HMRC yet must consider the possibility of it happening – and be far more careful as a result. HMRC is trawling through businesses, trade by trade, profession by profession. Don’t think that it will never happen to you or your clients if it hasn’t already; you must be prepared for that eventuality.’ Another thing to bear in mind, says Mannion, is the extension of HMRC’s business records checks programme, which it piloted earlier this year. ‘Regardless of how controversial it is for HMRC to have the power to penalise businesses for poor record-keeping, these checks are yet another reminder to clients of the importance of getting tax information right in the current climate,’ he says. Santhie Goundar, journalist
07/12/2011 19:11
Page 1
DATA PAGE Bank Base Rates
Date 7.8.97 6.11.97 4.6.98 8.10.98 5.11.98 10.12.98 7.1.99 4.2.99 8.4.99 10.6.99 8.9.99 4.11.99 13.1.00 10.2.00 8.2.01 5.4.01 10.5.01 2.8.01 18.9.01 4.10.01 8.11.01 6.2.03
Rate 7.00% 7.25% 7.50% 7.25% 6.75% 6.25% 6.00% 5.50% 5.25% 5.00% 5.25% 5.50% 5.75% 6.00% 5.75% 5.50% 5.25% 5.00% 4.75% 4.50% 4.00% 3.75%
Retail Prices Index
Date 10.7.03 6.11.03 5.2.04 6.5.04 10.6.04 5.8.04 4.8.05 3.8.06 9.11.06 11.1.07 10.5.07 5.7.07 6.12.07 7.2.08 10.4.08 8.10.08 6.11.08 4.12.08 8.1.09 5.2.09 5.3.09
Rate 3.50% 3.75% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 4.75% 4.50% 4.75% 5.00% 5.25% 5.50% 5.75% 5.50% 5.25% 5.00% 4.50% 3.00% 2.00% 1.50% 1.00% 0.50%
Source: Barclays
Mortgage Rates Date 1.6.01 1.9.01 1.10.01 1.11.01 1.12.01 1.3.03 1.8.03 1.12.03 1.3.04 1.6.04 1.7.04 1.9.04 1.9.05 1.9.06
Rate 7.00% 6.75% 6.50% 6.25% 5.75% 5.65% 5.50% 5.75% 6.00% 6.25% 6.50% 6.75% 6.50% 6.75%
January 2012
Figures compiled on 28 November 2011
Date 1.12.06 1.2.07 1.6.07 1.8.07 1.1.08 1.3.08 1.5.08 1.11.08 1.12.08 1.1.09 1.2.09 1.3.09 1.4.09 4.1.11
Rate 7.00% 7.25% 7.50% 7.75% 7.50% 7.25% 7.00% 6.50% 5.00% 4.75% 4.50% 4.00% 3.50% 3.99%
Existing Borrowers - Source: Halifax
January February March April May June July August September October November December
1996 150.2 150.9 151.5 152.6 152.9 153.0 152.4 153.1 153.8 153.8 153.9 154.4
1997 154.4 155.0 155.4 156.3 156.9 157.5 157.5 158.5 159.3 159.5 159.6 160.0
13th January 1987 = 100
1998 159.5 160.3 160.8 162.6 163.5 163.4 163.0 163.7 164.4 164.5 164.4 164.4
1999 163.4 163.7 164.1 165.2 165.6 165.6 165.1 165.5 166.2 166.5 166.7 167.3
2000 166.6 167.5 168.4 170.1 170.7 171.1 170.5 170.5 171.7 171.6 172.1 172.2
2001 171.1 172.0 172.2 173.1 174.2 174.4 173.3 174.0 174.6 174.3 173.6 173.4
2002 173.3 173.8 174.5 175.7 176.2 176.2 175.9 176.4 177.6 177.9 178.2 178.5
2003 178.4 179.3 179.9 181.2 181.5 181.3 181.3 181.6 182.5 182.6 182.7 183.5
2006 2.4% 2.4% 2.4% 2.6% 3.0% 3.3% 3.3% 3.4% 3.6% 3.7% 3.9% 4.4%
2007 4.2% 4.6% 4.8% 4.5% 4.3% 4.4% 3.8% 4.1% 3.9% 4.2% 4.3% 4.0%
2008 4.1% 4.1% 3.8% 4.2% 4.3% 4.6% 5.0% 4.8% 5.0% 4.2% 3.0% 0.9%
2009 0.1% 0.0% -0.4% -1.2% -1.1% -1.6% -1.4% -1.3% -1.4% -0.8% 0.3% 2.4%
2010 3.7% 3.7% 4.4% 5.3% 5.1% 5.0% 4.8% 4.7% 4.6% 4.5% 4.7% 4.8%
2011 5.1% 5.5% 5.3% 5.2% 5.2% 5.0% 5.0% 5.2% 5.6% 5.4% Source: ONS
HM Revenue & Customs Rates “OFFICIAL RATE”*
Effective Date 6.3.99 6.1.02 6.4.07 1.3.09 6.4.10
Rate 6.25% 5.00% 6.25% 4.75% 4.00%
*Benefits in Kind: Loans to employees earning £8,500+ - official rate of interest. Official rate for loans in foreign currencies: Yen: 3.9% w.e.f. 6.6.94; Swiss F: 5.5% w.e.f. 6.7.94 (previously 5.7% w.e.f. 6.6.94).
INTEREST ON UNPAID / OVERPAID INHERITANCE TAX
Effective Date 27.1.09 24.3.09 29.9.09
Rate 1.00%/1.00% 0.00%/0.00% 3.00%/0.50%
INTEREST ON LATE PAID INCOME TAX, CGT, STAMP DUTY AND STAMP DUTY RESERVE
Effective Date 6.12.08 6.1.09 27.1.09 24.3.09 29.9.09
Rate 5.50% 4.50% 3.50% 2.50% 3.00%
INTEREST ON OVERPAID INCOME TAX, CGT, STAMP DUTY AND STAMP DUTY RESERVE
Effective Date 6.11.08 6.12.08 6.1.09 27.1.09 29.9.09
Rate 2.25% 1.50% 0.75% 0.00% 0.50%
w.e.f. 6.3.09 0.00% (0.00%) 0.00% (0.00%) 0.75% (0.00%) 0.75% (0.00%) 0.75% (0.00%) 0.75% (0.00%)
w.e.f. 6.2.09 0.00% (0.00%) 0.00% (0.00%) 1.00% (0.50%) 1.00% (0.50%) 1.00% (0.50%) 0.75% (0.25%)
w.e.f. 9.1.09 0.00% (0.00%) 0.00% (0.00%) 1.50% (0.75%) 1.25% (0.50%) 1.25% (0.50%) 1.25% (0.50%)
Encashment rates shown in brackets. Above rates are paid gross but are liable to tax.
Late Payment of Commercial Debts From 1.1.10 1.7.10
To 30.6.10 31.12.10
To 30.6.11 31.12.11
Rate 8.50% 8.50%
The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 For contracts from 1.11.98 to 6.8.02 the rate applying is the Bank of England Base Rate that was in place on the day the debt came overdue plus 8%. The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Regulations 2002 For contracts from 7.8.02 the rate is set for a six month period by taking the Bank of England Base Rate on 30 June and 31 December and adding 8%.
LIBOR January February March April May June July August September October November December
2008 5.58% 5.74% 6.01% 5.84% 5.87% 5.95% 5.78% 5.75% 6.30% 5.84% 3.91% 2.77%
2009 2.17% 2.05% 1.65% 1.45% 1.28% 1.19% 0.89% 0.69% 0.54% 0.59% 0.61% 0.61%
2010 0.62% 0.64% 0.65% 0.68% 0.71% 0.73% 0.75% 0.73% 0.74% 0.74% 0.74% 0.76%
2011 0.77% 0.80% 0.82% 0.82% 0.83% 0.83% 0.83% 0.89% 0.95% 0.99%
3 MONTH INTERBANK - closing rate on last day of month
2006 193.4 194.2 195.0 196.5 197.7 198.5 198.5 199.2 200.1 200.4 201.1 202.7
2007 201.6 203.1 204.4 205.4 206.2 207.3 206.1 207.3 208.0 208.9 209.7 210.9
Courts ENGLISH COURTS
2007 6.3% 7.7% 4.6% 4.2% 4.6% 4.2% 4.5% 5.0% 5.5% 4.2% 5.1% 3.4%
January February March April May June July August September October November December
2008 209.8 211.4 212.1 214.0 215.1 216.8 216.5 217.2 218.4 217.7 216.0 212.9
Whole GB economy unadjusted *Provisional
2008 3.6% 4.6% 4.8% 4.8% 4.2% 3.4% 3.2% 3.2% 2.8% 3.6% 2.3% 2.5%
2009 210.1 211.4 211.3 211.5 212.8 213.4 213.4 214.4 215.3 216.0 216.6 218.0
2010 217.9 219.2 220.7 222.8 223.6 224.1 223.6 224.5 225.3 225.8 226.8 228.4
2011 229.0 231.3 232.5 234.4 235.2 235.2 234.7 236.1 237.9 238.0
Source: ONS
2009 -1.7% -5.7% -1.1% 1.7% 0.9% 1.1% 0.3% 0.3% 0.9% 0.7% 0.8% 0.7%
2010 0.6% 5.2% 6.6% 0.4% 1.1% 1.1% 1.8% 2.1% 2.3% 2.1% 2.1% 1.3%
2011 3.5% 1.0% 2.1% 2.5% 2.4% 3.3% 2.8% 3.0% 2.1% 1.8%*
2009 517.2 515.3 508.3 508.6 520.7 514.0 520.1 524.1 533.5 535.4 536.0 541.3
2010 535.7 537.2 543.1 552.7 547.6 538.5 544.8 546.6 529.6 534.9 528.4 522.7
2011 522.6 523.3 524.8 525.3 525.4 529.6 533.1 524.6 525.5 531.8
Figures include bonuses and arrears Source: ONS
House Price Index 2007 595.7 612.3 625.2 641.5 644.9 645.5 649.2 650.8 647.8 640.2 628.7 632.2
January February March April May June July August September October November December
2008 619.1 626.1 616.9 618.0 603.5 588.3 577.5 567.7 561.0 544.2 527.1 512.8
All Houses (January 1983 = 100)
Exchange Rates
Certificates of Tax Deposit up to £100K £100K+ 0-1 mth £100K+ 1-3 mth £100K+ 3-6 mth £100K+ 6-9 mth £100K+ 9-12 mth
2005 188.9 189.6 190.5 191.6 192.0 192.2 192.2 192.6 193.1 193.3 193.6 194.1
% Change Average Weekly Earnings
% Annual Inflation January February March April May June July August September October November December
2004 183.1 183.8 184.6 185.7 186.5 186.8 186.8 187.4 188.1 188.6 189.0 189.9
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
YEN 202 205 233 198 142 142 133
MARCH US$ SFr 1.89 2.25 1.74 2.27 1.97 2.39 1.99 1.97 1.43 1.63 1.52 1.60 1.60 1.47
Source: Halifax on last working day
€ 1.45 1.43 1.47 1.25 1.08 1.12 1.13
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
DECEMBER YEN US$ SFr 203 1.72 2.27 233 1.96 2.39 222 1.99 2.25 130 1.44 1.53 150 1.61 1.67 127 1.57 1.46
€ 1.46 1.48 1.36 1.04 1.13 1.17
Income Support Mortgage Rate Effective Date Rate
Effective Date Rate
7.33% 7.08% 6.83%
6.58% 6.08% 3.63%
From 1.10.10 the standard interest rate will be the BoE published monthly avge mortgage interest rate. Can claim mortgage interest on, up to £200,000 of the motgage. Waiting period 13 weeks.
SCOTTISH COURTS
Judgment Debts: High Court (& w.e.f. 1.7.91 County Courts) 8% w.e.f. Decrees: Court of Session & Sheriff Courts 8% w.e.f. 1.4.93 (previously 15% w.e.f. 16.8.85). 1.4.93 (previously 15% w.e.f. 16.4.85). Funds in Court: Special Rate (persons under disability) 0.5% w.e.f. NORTHERN IRISH COURTS 1.7.09 (previously 1.5% w.e.f. 1.6.09). Basic Rate (payment into court) Judgment Debts: High Court: 8% w.e.f. 19.4.93 (previously 15% w.e.f. 0.3% w.e.f. 1.7.09 (previously 1% w.e.f. 1.6.09). 2.9.85). County Court 8% w.e.f. 19.4.93 (previously 15% w.e.f. 19.5.85). Interest in Personal Injury cases: Future Earnings - none. Pain & Interest on amounts awarded in Magistrate Courts 7% w.e.f. 3.9.84. Suffering - 2%. Special Damages: same as “Special Rate” - see Funds ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES in Court above (½ Special Rate payable from date of accident to date of judgment). England & Wales: Interest on General Legacies: 0.3% w.e.f. 1.7.09 Interest Rate on Confiscation Orders in Crown & Magistrates Courts: (previously 1% 1.6.09). Interest on Statutory Legacies: 6% w.e.f. 1.10.83 (previously 7% w.e.f. 15.9.77). same rate as applies to High Court Judgment Debts.
All rates and terms are subject to change without notice and should be checked before finalising any arrangement. No liability can be accepted for any direct or consequential loss arising from the use of, or reliance upon, this information. Readers who are not financial professionals should seek expert advice.
Data specially compiled for
The UK’s largest provider of savings and mortgage data
Tel: 01603 476 476
Corporate
OLYMPUS INQUIRY LAUNCHED
The UK’s Serious Fraud Office is investigating allegations of illegal payments made by Japanese cameramaker Olympus during acquisitions. A spokeswoman for the SFO said: ‘We can confirm we have opened an inquiry into Olympus and are liaising with other organisations and international colleagues following information given to us by the former Olympus CEO.’ Michael Woodford briefly became Olympus CEO and president in 2011, but quit after he was allegedly stonewalled over inquiries into suspicious payments to enable acquisitions to take place. Three board members resigned over allegations of incomplete accounting related to the payments. The company has admitted it had ‘discovered it had been engaging in activities such as deferring the posting of losses on investment securities’, and apologised to investors, employees and customers.
The view from: Computing: Adnan Majid FCCA, financial controller and commercial manager, Hitachi Data Systems Q Can you describe your role at Hitachi Data Systems (HDS)? A My role is diverse and challenging. I make sure that the company’s policies and processes are followed. I own the profit and loss and balance sheet for my particular regions, with full reporting duties. Besides all this, I structure deals, provide pricing support, and add commercial sense as well as balance the forecast to deliver a reliable and consistent estimate of performance. Q Has your finance background benefited your position? A Most definitely. Having studied a qualification that is very broad, combined with the varied experience I have acquired throughout my professional career, has really helped me adapt quickly to changes here and take on more duties as my career develops. Q HDS has obtained global accreditation from ACCA for its finance team. What does this mean to the business? A It means that we are compliant and it helps advertise to any potential students or graduates at career fairs and exhibitions that HDS is certified globally and takes its commitment to professional development seriously.
ACTUARIAL CHANGES ‘TOO SLOW’ FTSE 350 companies are failing to use realistic life expectancy assumptions when measuring pensions liabilities, according to a study by Club Vita, which advises clients on life expectancy predictions. According to its analysis, nearly half of the 118 FTSE 350 companies whose accounts it analysed have made no change to scheme members’ longevity expectations. This is despite male life expectancy at age 65 rising by three months every year. The other companies had increased male longevity expectations by nearly half a year on average, adding £700m to their disclosed liabilities.
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Q What is your number one career ambition? A I would like to be in a respected general management position with a leading-edge company, where I would be driving strategy, instigating change, motivating and creating a platform for all those around me to push to be number one.
FAST FACTS
Location: Middle East, Africa, UK and Ireland Favourite hobbies: fast cars, martial arts, theatre and charity work Favourite book: The Firm by John Grisham
49 Corporate The view from Adnan Majid of HDS; inside Royal Dutch Shell; why more companies are considering delisting 45 Practice The view from Sandra McAlister of McAlister & Co; dealing with the self-assessment tax return rush 59 Public sector The view from strategic adviser for adult social care to the Local Government Association, Andrew Cozens; the cuts to come 63 Financial services The view from Faraz Jan Muhammad of UBS; the farreaching effects of the FSA’s retail distribution review
08/12/2011 10:42
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Inside Shell
Harnessing the energy In the fourth article of our series on ACCA members’ experiences at big-name businesses, we meet Augustas Daugela and Linzi McGarva of multinational Royal Dutch Shell In the world of big business, they don’t come much bigger than Royal Dutch Shell. Ranked second only to Walmart in Fortune magazine’s Global 500 of the world’s biggest companies, its vital statistics are breathtaking. Around 93,000 employees in more than 90 countries; stock market listings in London, New York and Amsterdam; and profits of more than $20bn last year on revenues approaching $400bn. So what’s it like to work for a global behemoth? ACCA members Linzi McGarva and Augustas Daugela work at Shell’s business service centre in Glasgow, one of five finance operations hubs around the world that handle shared processes including management information, data management, expenditure and revenue. ‘I guess because Shell is a large, successful energy company and quite a big employer in Scotland, it’s exciting to work here and to be part of a recognised brand that people can relate to,’ McGarva says. ‘They’re a good employer, they care about their employees. You are rewarded for hard work and delivery. They offer flexible working to accommodate business needs and individual lifestyles.’ Daugela adds: ‘Getting to meet different people from various countries around the world is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the job. My finance manager and control are based in the Netherlands but other people could be based in Belgium, the US, India or Singapore. It’s a truly global environment so it’s very exciting having these opportunities to deal with people from various backgrounds.’ McGarva is part of Shell’s management information team and provides finance support to the group’s downstream functions (which include refining and shipping crude worldwide and producing petrochemicals for industrial customers). ‘My particular
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Inside the behemoth: Augustas Daugela and Linzi McGarva
05/12/2011 17:24
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The CV
AUGUSTAS DAUGELA role is ops manager for finance, and I and my team of seven provide management information and analytical support on finance functional spend. The key to that really is around building relationships with stakeholders and providing stakeholder satisfaction through credible analysis and data integrity.’ Daugela is a reporting accountant for a global lubricants company within Shell, responsible for submitting management accounts and quarterly group finance accounts. ‘We also operate a number of controls for quarter-end processes and report intra-group balances,’ he says. ‘Working on ad hoc projects is another aspect of the job. We’re currently involved in a dual-currency project which will result in us having a different functional currency but reporting for fiscal reasons in the local currency.’ Daugela finds the scale of the business remarkable. ‘There are so many various materials and different types of fuels and lubricants that we work with – literally thousands,’ he says. ‘My company’s activities mainly consist of supplying base oils and waxes, additives and finished lubricants to Shell group or third-party companies operating in the lubricants sector, so it’s business to business rather than business to consumer.’ McGarva studied for a degree in accountancy at Napier University in Edinburgh and qualified with ACCA during an 11-year spell at Lucas, the auto and aerospace engineer, where she was latterly finance manager. She then spent six years with General Electric in Prestwick before joining Shell in 2008 as an analyst for downstream finance. There’s no ‘typical day’ in her job. ‘Sometimes I am caught up all day in meetings, other days I do my numbers,’ she explains. ‘We have
UK_YCORP_insideShell.indd 51
Completed HND in accountancy at Stow College in Glasgow
2007
Shell, UK: Global systems administrator; financial reporting analyst, financial reporting accountant
2011
The CV LINZI MCGARVA
1990
Lucas UK: joined as a graduate trainee; various roles including internal audit, management accounting, financial accounting, systems implementation and management and finance manager
1994
Qualified with ACCA while at Lucas
2001
GE, Prestwick: financial controller; financial planning and analysis manager
2008
Shell, UK: analyst for downstream finance; management information manager for downstream finance
‘BECAUSE SHELL IS A LARGE, SUCCESSFUL COMPANY AND A BIG EMPLOYER IN SCOTLAND, IT’S EXCITING TO WORK HERE AND TO BE PART OF A BRAND THAT PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO’ traditional cycles of monthly reporting, planning and forecasting. We can’t start our reporting until the ledger’s closed and data has been submitted to our management information system. We get a lot of ad hoc queries and as a team we discuss and share a lot of information. That’s the beauty of having a centralised team. We support and work off each other.’ Daugela was born in Lithuania but
came to Scotland after school. After an HND in accountancy at Stow College in Glasgow, he started at Shell as a global systems administrator in 2007. He qualified with ACCA in June 2011. ‘We need to submit our results quarterly on day seven, so we pretty much have seven working days to prepare everything and liaise with the business people to review and analyse the results and make sure the financial
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Inside Shell
‘SOMETIMES I AM CAUGHT UP ALL DAY IN MEETINGS, OTHER DAYS I DO MY NUMBERS’ results we’re reporting are correct,’ Daugela explains. ‘We spend a lot of time communicating with various stakeholders in all the businesses and there are also intra-group discussions to align our reporting positions.’ Both highlight the wealth of training and career development opportunities at Shell. ‘Shell supports and encourages professional development and sponsors training through a number of professional bodies including ACCA as one of the main ones,’ says Daugela. ‘We also have the Shell Open University with a number of virtual or face-to-face courses that employees can attend. There are other tools to learn softer skills like leadership or negotiation. I’m also involved in the
UK_YCORP_insideShell.indd 52
Shell mentoring scheme for ACCA students, which is designed to support students through their studies. That’s about sharing my experience with mentees: how I went about studying; what we do in various departments; the kind of skills you need; and career progression opportunities.’
Diversity and opportunity McGarva adds: ‘There’s great diversity in the different processes in Glasgow and the number of roles within that – and quite a big span of job grades – which allows for a number of opportunities within itself.’ Health and safety is a particularly high-profile aspect of life in the energy industry. ‘It’s top of every agenda and is reinforced all the time – it’s part of
our culture,’ McGarva continues. ‘We have an annual safety day and it’s mandatory that everyone takes part.’ ‘We tend to have different themes,’ adds Daugela. ‘There are things like the 12 life-saving rules: don’t use your mobile while driving, wear your seatbelt and so on. Any time you hear a senior leader from Shell talking, safety is top of their list.’ McGarva feels ‘finance is finance’ pretty well wherever you go but that the oil industry is interesting and exciting: ‘There are stories on the oil industry in the media every day. Energy affects us all, in our day-to-day lives. It affects the economy and the environment and with the increase in demand and the changing needs of consumers and changing sources of energy it’s always going to be topical and relevant. It’s good to be able to relate who you work for to the wider world.’ Victoria Masterson, journalist
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*TEAM TACTICS: THE SECRET OF SHELL’S SHARED SERVICE SUCCESS Connectivity is the key to a winning approach, says Shell’s George Connell
Shell’s business service centre in Glasgow is one of five finance operations hubs around the world that operates shared processes including expenditure, revenue, data management, management information and various record-toreport activities. The other four centres are in Manila, Chennai, Kuala Lumpur and Krakow. Between them the five sites employ more than 5,000 people. George Connell, vice president of strategy finance operations at Shell, joined the company in 1998 at the start of its shared services journey and has a wealth of knowledge on strategies for success. ‘Many blue-chip companies tend to operate some form of finance shared services model as an integral part of their finance agenda,’ he explains. ‘It’s important to be clear on the objectives of the shared service organisation from the outset. For a transformation of this size, you absolutely must have board-level sponsorship and management commitment at all levels, supported by a robust change management programme with dedicated resources, project plans and so on. It can be useful to start with easy wins to build credibility and momentum.’ Connell’s top tips include ensuring that there’s a compelling rationale for the changes being made, putting in place a structured methodology for migrating work and controls, and using strong and consistent metrics to embed accountability and to measure and benchmark progress. Shell has a three-tier model of metrics – strategic, managerial and operational – for each process and associated targets to achieve topquartile performance delivery. A regular review of effectiveness, efficiency and compliance helps to realise economies of scale and increase standardisation of processes. This is enabled by a continuous
UK_YCORP_insideShell.indd 53
improvement programme using lean techniques and training and accreditation for finance staff to ‘master black belt’, ‘black belt’, ‘yellow belt’ and ‘green belt’ levels. ‘By the end of 2010, around 20% of our staff in finance operations had been trained and accredited to minimum green belt standard,’ Connell says. The theme of ‘connected finance’ has been developed to describe how Shell’s finance function partners and interfaces with others in the rest of the organisation and externally. ‘Our colleagues – known as business partners – are encouraged to visit the centres when they can and our employees regularly engage with them. There’s very much a feeling of one connected team based in multiple locations,’ Connell says. ‘Using video-conferencing technology as a key enabler of this connectivity is becoming more widely used in the centres.’ Connell reflects that employee turnover rates in shared service centres tend to be higher than in traditional finance organisations. He says that higher staff churn is inherent in the operating model and something that is constantly monitored and managed. Employees receive regular training and there are also personal development opportunities available. Achievements are regularly rewarded and celebrated, while the annual Shell ‘people survey’ allows the group to assess and improve its performance where required. When compared to locations in the East, Scotland compares well in terms of social and geopolitical stability, and benefits from its proximity to Shell’s businesses and main corporate offices. In terms of trends, Connell has seen an evolution from simply and solely focusing on costs to capturing added
value by means of grouping skillsets together – for example, enhanced opportunities for continuous improvement in areas of critical mass. ‘I’m really proud to be part of an organisation that has evolved from a peripheral influence to a key enabler for finance to deliver top-quartile performance in one of the largest corporations in the world,’ Connell concludes. ‘I enjoy working with my colleagues from many different organisations, countries and cultures as we continue our exciting journey.’
05/12/2011 17:25
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Corporate
Going private Continuing our series on flotations, we look at why more companies are considering delisting Individual Restaurant Company, which operates 33 outlets, including the Piccolino and Bar + Grill brands, floated on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market in December 2006. But last year, the company’s majority owners, who include Malcolm Walker, founder of the Iceland supermarket chain, decided to take the company private. They formed a new company called W2D2 which made a successful bid for IRC. In recent years, they have not been alone. There has been a steady stream of companies turning their backs on the public markets. Three years ago, research conducted by BDO Stoy Hayward found that around one-third of public companies would consider a public-toprivate transaction in ‘the next few years’. The research also revealed that half of institutional shareholders would be receptive to a public-toprivate arrangement. BDO Stoy Hayward’s John Stephan says: ‘I think we would get a similar picture today with a little more optimism about being on the market.’ Many companies battered by three years of recession, and faced by unforgiving shareholders looking for decent returns, are concluding that life would not only be simpler, but possibly more successful, if they weren’t always having to look over
their shoulders at what reaction the markets take to their every move. It was certainly the view of Walker, who believed that taking the company private, in an offer which valued it at £5.67m, would help IRC tackle the tough trading conditions produced by the economic downturn. In its last reported financial year (to 31 December 2010) IRC’s sales had slipped 3.4% to £51.3m and EBITDA had fallen 14% to £4.3m. At the time of the take-private, Walker noted: ‘We feel that the best option for the business is to take the company private in order to help take IRC back to growth.’ IRC is typical of companies with small capitalisations that find the supposed benefits of being a public company, such as easier access to capital and higher profile, are not always borne out in reality. Directors also become frustrated that markets under-value smaller companies. In Stephan’s research only 16% of companies with a market cap below £15m felt that they were fairly valued by the market. That rose to just 38% for companies with a market cap of between £30m and £99m. ‘Below £100m, it seems to be less viable to be on the market,’ says Stephan. ‘With small caps in particular, liquidity seems to have gone out of the market.’ The problem is that analysts and fund managers don’t tend to focus their attention on smaller companies, especially when, as in IRC’s case, the ‘free float’ of shares is below 50%.
Growth market Public-to-privates among smaller quoted companies are a growing trend, agrees Richard Weaver, a partner in the capital markets group at PwC. ‘They are finding that the negatives of a listing outweigh the benefits.’
UK_YCORP_private.indd 54
05/12/2011 17:26
55
One of those negatives is the cost of listing, even on the more lightly regulated AIM market. There are costs associated with meeting corporate governance requirements, such as appointing non-executive directors, investor relations advisers and submitting accounts that meet the requirements of a public market. These vary depending on company size, but even at a lower level on the AIM market there is unlikely to be much change out of £250,000 each year. ‘As a private company, you can typically be more agile and flexible,’ says
directors that the take-private is in the interests of shareholders. In the case of IRC, chairman Robert Breare said that the board wasn’t able to give a firm recommendation for W2D2’s offer of 9.5 pence a share. But he warned minority shareholders: ‘Given the controlling stake already held by the [W2D2] consortium, such a liquidity event might not be available in the future on similar terms.’ Stephan points out that a take-private decision involves the board asking some fundamental questions about the future of the business. ‘You need to be
MANY COMPANIES ARE CONCLUDING THAT LIFE WOULD NOT ONLY BE SIMPLER, BUT POSSIBLY MORE SUCCESSFUL, IF THEY WEREN’T ALWAYS HAVING TO LOOK OVER THEIR SHOULDERS AT WHAT REACTION THE MARKETS TAKE TO THEIR EVERY MOVE Weaver. ‘You can make certain decisions more quickly than a public company.’ So, after having gone through all the effort and expense of floating on a stock exchange, how does a company reverse the process? In some cases, it will make the public-to-private transition as a result of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity – where a public company is acquired by or merges with a private firm. Examples in the past 12 months include Romag, a supplier of photovoltaic glass whose assets were sold as part of a pre-pack administration to Gentoo Group, and Wellstream, a specialist in flexible pipelines for the energy industry which was bought by the US’s General Electric for £800m. But when an existing management team is taking an independent company private, it will need to gain agreement from the non-executive
UK_YCORP_private.indd 55
asking: what’s in the best interests of shareholders and how can we best create shareholder value?’ he says.
Time to talk He advises directors to talk to shareholders early in the process. ‘If shareholders are looking for an exit, they need to explore the options open to them.’ It shouldn’t take up too much valuable management time to gauge the views of shareholders – especially in the case of small-cap companies, where there may be only a small number of major ones. But he warns that, when a private-topublic transaction kicks off, it can prove time-consuming for the senior management team, especially the chief executive and CFO. ‘A take-private can be disruptive for management and obviously you’ve got to be running the company at the same time,’ he says.
If you’re going to run a successful public-to-private transaction, you’ve got to have a good growth story, advises Weaver. ‘You need to be able to see the case for it in terms of faster decisionmaking – for example, by not being encumbered with the class one rule.’ (Class one transactions, as defined by the UK Listing Authority, are decisions that require shareholder approval.) Stephan agrees that a good growth story is important in gaining shareholder acceptance of a public-toprivate. ‘You must have a robust plan to begin with – a strategy to deliver value,’ he says. ‘It’s pretty unlikely that you’d get one of these transactions done just by saying that you’ve got a steady earnings stream and you can pay down debt. ‘Then you’ve got to have a price that works for shareholders. On the one hand, you’ve got to have a price you can put a funding structure to. On the other, it has to be a price that the independent directors on the board could recommend to shareholders. It is a meeting in the middle of what is fundable but is also fair and reasonable for shareholders.’ Given the steady traffic of companies from public to private, shouldn’t more boards have had second thoughts about their original flotation before they went ahead? ‘I think there are undoubtedly some companies where there is some management or owner hubris and reputation involved,’ says Weaver. ‘They want the status of having a big share in a listed company but have not fully evaluated the consequential effects. Maybe they’re a little dazzled by the prospect of being the part owner of a listed company without recognising that it’s got its downsides.’ Peter Bartram, journalist
05/12/2011 17:26
Corporate
*CASE STUDY: GSH GROUP
GSH Group, a £250m-turnover technical facilities and energy management company, delisted from the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market in 2009. It had been quoted on the market for just four years. So why the reversion to private ownership so soon after the original high hopes of the flotation? ‘From very early on we felt a disproportionate amount of resources, both financial and in terms of senior management time, was spent on meeting the needs of the City when this could have been better spent on meeting the needs of clients,’ says Ian Davidson, who is now GSH Group’s chairman as well as holding the CFO post. ‘Of course, we were listed during a time when there was considerable volatility on the stock markets and the fluctuation in GSH shares bore little relevance to the company’s actual performance, which continued to be strong and profitable.’ During its period on AIM, GSH’s share price oscillated from a high of around £5 to a low of £1. ‘When the market is looking good, you go over the top but when the market starts to shrink, you over-shoot the other way,’ Davidson says. GSH had hoped to benefit from what Davidson calls ‘a general perception of scale’ by being listed. The firm felt this would be especially helpful when it was dealing with overseas clients. It accepted that it would need a corporate governance regime, complete with non-executive directors and board committees, such as a remuneration committee, appropriate to a public company. But although the firm gained some benefits, Davidson complains: ‘We also experienced an increasing concentration on short-term performance in order to meet the City’s expectations.’ This, the board felt, didn’t suit GSH’s business model which focused on incremental growth. ‘Our business focuses on long-term client contracts with an assessment of profit and cash generation over the whole contract period,’ explains Davidson. ‘Needing to make the numbers add up each year can be at the expense of long-term investments in, for example, training, IT or developing client relationships.’ Davidson cites the fact that the company runs one of the UK’s largest apprentice schemes. ‘We have always placed great emphasis on training and developing our young starters – the dedicated long-service employees of the future.’ So what was the reaction of minority shareholders when the board announced that it was planning to delist? ‘In truth, it was pretty negative,’ Davidson admits. ‘They felt they’d bought into a vision of growth but they’d seen their shares go down.’ A key bone of contention was that there was no offer to shareholders to buy out their shares at the time of the
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Ian Davidson: no regrets
delisting. The minority shareholders would be left with no active market to trade their shares. Subsequently, the board made an offer to shareholders of £1.90 a share. ‘The board wanted to be fair and made the offer at an independently verified fair price,’ says Davidson. In the three years since it happened, has the delisting proved the right decision? Davidson has no regrets. Turnover has grown from £220m at the time of delisting to around £260m now. Davidson says that the take-private has enabled the company to jettison some of the corporate governance bureaucracy which had slowed down decision-making without lowering standards. There are now no non-executive directors or board committees. Instead, there is a streamlined structure based around two group directors and a managing director for each of the company’s three main markets – Britain, Europe and the US. ‘As a public company, decision-making was not as fast as we would have liked it to be,’ he says. ‘Now, we can make fast decisions because there are no separate committees to sit there and debate things.’ And the cost of the delisting process? Davidson ‘wouldn’t argue’ with an estimate of £200,000 to £300,000 excluding management time.
*JUNE 2011
FLOTATION FACTORS THAT COMPANIES SHOULD CONSIDER
05/12/2011 17:26
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Public sector
GOVERNMENT FRAUD ‘RISING’
Fraud against public bodies cost the taxpayer an estimated £21bn in 2011, according to a report from the National Fraud Authority. Total fraud against all organisations and individuals cost about £765 per UK adult. An Audit Commission study, Protecting the Public Purse 2011, found that local authorities had detected over £185m of fraud – some 121,000 instances – a rise of 37% over the previous year. Successes included recovering nearly 1,800 homes – with a replacement value of over £266m – from tenancy fraudsters. Housing tenancy fraud alone costs the public purse around £900m a year. Fraudulent claims for student and single person council tax discounts cost another £22m and procurement fraud £15m. The commission warned that abuse of personal social care budgets is an increasing fraud risk for councils.
The view from: Adult social care: Andrew Cozens CBE, strategic adviser for adult social care to the Local Government Association Q Government grant to local authorities has been cut back. What has been the impact on adult social services? A Councils have sought to protect adult social care from the overall cuts. A recent Association of Directors of Adult Social Services study showed that councils have taken out about £1bn from adult social care in the current year. This has mainly been achieved in three ways: making efficiency savings in back offices, assessments and other procedures; raising the eligibility criteria and reviewing packages in line with that; and reviewing contracts and grants and their continued relevance. Q What impact has this had on the NHS? A A detailed study has shown that where there has been an increase in admissions or a delay in discharge it relates to NHS referrals. Councils have been very focused in ensuring their actions do not have this effect. This has also been the result of additional investment by primary care trusts.
IFAC AND IASB UNITE
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the International Accounting Standards Board have agreed to increase cooperation on the production of public and private sector accounting standards. IFAC supports the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB), responsible for developing International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs). IPSASs are used by an increasing number of public bodies around the world and many draw on International Financial Reporting Standards. The two bodies will work on greater consistency between the sets of standards.
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Q What is your advice to local authorities? A We have developed programmes of support to assess what efficiencies are possible. There are wide variations in the costs of processes and in the unit costs of care. The second main area of support is with the development of service, providing alternatives to emergency and unplanned admissions to hospitals. There is evidence that this is working. The third area is with anticipating demand from those using their own money at the moment, so they can be supported to make decisions to avoid coming prematurely or unexpectedly into the care system. Q How do you relax? A I am a football and horse racing fan.
FAST FACTS
English local authority spend on adult social care 2011–12: £39.5bn Proportion of councils’ total spend: 34%
FOR MORE ABOUT XXXXXX XXX
59 Public sector The view from strategic adviser for adult social care to the Local Government Association, Andrew Cozens; the cuts to come 45 Practice The view from Sandra McAlister of McAlister & Co; dealing with the self-assessment tax return rush 49 Corporate The view from Adnan Majid of HDS; inside Royal Dutch Shell; why more companies are considering delisting 63 Financial services The view from Faraz Jan Muhammad of UBS; the far-reaching effects of the FSA’s retail distribution review
08/12/2011 10:43
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Public sector
You ain’t seen nothing yet… Further huge job losses and service reductions look on the cards for the public sector in 2012 as the government looks for more cuts to salvage its deficit reduction plan The chancellor’s Autumn Statement has heaped pain upon suffering as far as the public sector is concerned – especially for staff. Announced the day before the biggest public sector strike in modern times – taken in protest against proposed pension reforms – George Osborne’s update on the government’s plans based on the latest forecasts for the UK economy made clear that there would be no turning back on the coalition government’s austerity programme. Public sector staff had expected a 2% pay rise once the current two-year pay freeze ends (in April 2012 for some workers, 2013 for others). Instead, the rise will be just 1%. With inflation currently running at about 5%, there will therefore be an effective public sector pay cut of 15% over the term of this parliament. Worse still in some poorer regions, an inquiry is being set up into the localisation of public sector pay – possibly benchmarked against private sector rates – that could usher in significant pay cuts or pay standstills for long into the future. ‘The public sector recession is now in full swing,’ was the reaction of Paul Cleal, PwC partner and head of government and public sector, to the Autumn Statement. Cleal suggested that as well as further pay restraint and job cuts, the government might need to accelerate its programme of outsourcing and mutualising services if it is to meet savings targets. PwC’s recent analysis of the impact of the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review reported a cut of 240,000 public sector jobs in the first year. The government’s hope that this fall would be offset by recruitment in the private sector has been disappointed. The result is further damage to the weakest regional economies.
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PwC’s chief economist, John Hawksworth, explains: ‘The biggest job losses were in the North East, quite predictably, and also the South West. In general, we found the biggest public sector job cuts in the English regions, particularly in local authorities. Scotland was around the average, while Northern Ireland and Wales were not hit so hard.’ This variation between the home nations reflects the way that power has been exercised by the devolved governments, which have so far delayed the most painful decisions on job losses. By contrast, says Hawksworth,
of public sector job losses will be needed to balance the books. The latest Ernst & Young ITEM Club report suggests this could mean another 100,000 positions disappearing. Andrew Goodwin, senior economic adviser to the EY ITEM Club, says: ‘The UK’s unemployment rate is already at 8.3%, but there’s worse still to come. As the public sector spending cuts start to feed through towards the end of this parliament, the axe is inevitably going to fall on the labour market.’ This impression of continuing pain is confirmed by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development. Its
ON TOP OF THE 400,000 JOB LOSSES PREVIOUSLY PROJECTED, THE OBR SAYS THAT A FURTHER 310,000 STAFF CUTS WILL BE REQUIRED ‘it seems that local authorities are getting ahead of the game’. He adds: ‘It’s leaving the weaker regions quite vulnerable, because they lack the private sector job dynamics that apply in some other places. Our survey suggested some more pain to come, because public spending is going to remain tight [for several years] – and that also applies to the devolved regions.’ PwC’s analysis revealed that 145,000 of the 240,000 job losses were in local government – a scale of employment reduction that was faster and deeper than predicted by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Central government lost 66,000 staff and public corporations – including the Post Office and the BBC – reported 29,000 fewer employees. But with the economy still deteriorating, the government’s deficit reduction plan is now veering off-track. The implication is that a further round
latest Labour Market Outlook (which preceded the grim Autumn Statement) found 48% of public sector employers intended to make redundancies, a fall from 56% earlier in the year but a much higher figure than in the private or voluntary sectors. Given the economy is labouring, the OBR has revised upwards the number of public sector job losses needed even to meet the government’s slowed-down deficit reduction programme. On top of the 400,000 job losses previously projected, the OBR says that a further 310,000 staff cuts will be required. With public sector cuts contributing to already high unemployment levels, the loss of consumer confidence is gathering pace. The Nationwide Consumer Confidence Index has hit an all-time low and is rapidly falling further, with knock-on effects for the property market and retailing. Begbies Traynor Red Flag Alert Report for the third quarter of last year
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** NHS CUTS * * * * * *
For the chop: unions have protested against projected public sector pension reforms for cutting the value of their pensions
Birmingham and Solihull NHS cluster plans to decommission Birmingham Own Health, a healthcare service for people with long-term conditions. Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust’s proposed redesign of inpatient adult mental health services in Hampshire would mean the closure of two hospitals – the Meadows and Woodhaven – with a loss of 48 beds. West London Mental Health Trust has closed the families service at Cassel Hospital due to lack of funding. Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has lost 280 staff in 2010/11 and is slated to lose 533 more up to 2014 as part of the organisation’s ‘transformation’ – a cut of a quarter on its 2010 staffing levels. Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is set to lose 1,916 staff between 2011 and 2016. That represents 22.87% of the total 2010 workforce. Kingston Hospital NHS Trust plans to reduce staff numbers by 486 between 2011 and 2016 – 19.16% of its total 2010 workforce. ‘Copious examples’ of cuts to preventative, community and mental health services.
Source: Royal College of Nursing
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specifically warned about the effect of the public sector’s problems on the wider economy, especially in the weakest regions. Ric Traynor, executive chairman of Begbies Traynor Group, explains: ‘As the threat of public sector job cuts became a reality in the past few months, a north-south divide has begun to emerge, with the South East and London showing much greater economic resilience than the rest of England and Wales. ‘Many of the regions worst affected – such as the North East and the North – are heavily dependent on the public sector, so it is telling that these areas are witnessing increased levels of financial distress. The UK is seeing widely varying regional distress levels as a variety of sectors see polarised levels of hardship. It is not surprising, then, that we will end up with different areas seeing tougher economic times than others, especially where the public sector has historically been most important.’ Inevitably, the public sector unions are furious about the impact of the Autumn Statement on their members. Jonathan Baume, general secretary of the senior civil servants’ First Division Association, says: ‘Public sector workers are being asked to pay a very high price for a crisis they played no part in creating. The imposition of a 1% cap on public sector pay for two years following the pay freeze will not only exacerbate the real fall in living standards for public sector workers, but will once again unfairly penalise the civil service compared to the rest of the public sector as a result of the lack of automatic pay progression. ‘The chancellor has asked the pay review bodies to look at comparability of pay levels in local labour markets,
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Public sector
‘AS PUBLIC SECTOR SPENDING CUTS FEED THROUGH TOWARDS THE END OF THIS PARLIAMENT, THE AXE WILL INEVITABLY FALL ON THE LABOUR MARKET’ but once again is saying nothing about how far pay has fallen behind the market for essential jobs that FDA members undertake across the UK.’ But while it is easy to record the actual job loss figures and the indirect impact on the wider economy, it is more difficult to be objective about the effect on public services themselves, particularly in the NHS. John Appleby, chief economist at the King’s Fund, says there are some signs of job reductions in the NHS, but that it is not possible to conclude whether that has any impact on the quality of service or health outcomes. ‘Looking at the compulsory redundancy figures in the NHS, they have increased,’ he says. ‘But these are still very small in terms of the whole NHS workforce. For the NHS the issue has mainly been about productivity gains. One aspect of this has been to reduce agency staff rather than salaried staff.’ The Royal College of Nursing is much clearer, and more critical, in its analysis. It has been closely tracking NHS job cuts and service closures, and says that 56,058 positions are going across the UK (see box on previous
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page). Its chief executive, Peter Carter, says that despite promises that efficiency savings would be reinvested in the service there was no evidence to show this was happening. He adds that RCN research shows NHS trusts are merely making short-term decisions to meet the required £20bn efficiency savings targets. Carter says: ‘There is clear evidence that the quality of care and patient safety is improved when you have the right numbers and skills in place on wards. Staffing levels should be based on rigorous clinical evidence and not arbitrarily lowered in a short-sighted effort to save money.’ Other services at risk are likely to be those for the elderly, families and children. But, as Action for Children points out, it is very hard to track what is happening to funding and services delivered in communities. ‘Within a much reduced total pool of funding, decision-making over where to prioritise has been devolved to local government to a far greater degree than before,’ says an Action for Children research paper. ‘This makes it harder to review whether or not the coalition
government’s intention to protect the most vulnerable is translating into decisions on the ground.’ The answer is likely to vary across the country significantly, according to local priorities and circumstances. In one of the Conservatives’ favourite local authorities – Wandsworth in London, which consistently levies one of the lowest council tax rates in the country – £55m of cuts will be required if the tax charge is not to rise substantially, following cuts to its grant from central government. A recent report on children’s services put forward suggestions to achieve over £2m of Wandsworth’s required savings. The ideas included cuts to fostering, adoption and social work budgets because of reduced demand, the termination of children’s services posts, and a £60,000 cut to a service seeking to reduce teenage pregnancies. ‘Traded services’ will be set up to exploit spare capacity. These are tough times – and it looks as if very tough options indeed are now under serious consideration. Paul Gosling, journalist
07/12/2011 14:31
Financial services
CREDIT SUISSE FINED £6M
Credit Suisse UK has been fined £5.95m by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for systems and controls failings in its private bank’s sales of structured capital at risk products (SCARPs). SCARPs provide income to customers, who may lose all or part of their initial capital. Over £1bn was invested in SCARPs between 2007 and 2009 by Credit Suisse UK customers. The FSA, which announced the fine in October, found the bank had weaknesses in assessing customers’ attitude to risk, failed to take reasonable care to ensure the suitability of SCARPs for customers, and did not monitor sales staff effectively. The FSA said that Credit Suisse UK had now improved its systems and controls. The firm is to conduct a past business review, with compensation to be paid to customers advised to buy an unsuitable product.
COUTTS FINED £6M
Coutts has been fined £6.3m by the FSA for failings related to the sale of the AIG Enhanced Variable Rate Fund. Coutts has agreed to conduct a past business review, overseen by an independent third party, of the sales to all customers who remained invested at 15 September 2008, with customers to be compensated where they made losses as a result. Coutts sold the fund to 427 of its high net worth customers, with investments totalling £1.45bn. The FSA, which announced the fine in November, found that Coutts had misdescribed the fund as low risk, exposing investors to substantial losses when AIG subsequently collapsed.
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The view from: Banking: Faraz Jan Muhammad ACCA, associate director, accounting control, UBS Q What is your role? A Accounting control is responsible for the business’s financial reporting, its presentation and its disclosure. This includes financial analysis of the month-end and quarterend results, verification of the application of accounting policies, management of the month-end close process, support for various financial statement disclosures, and ad hoc financial reporting requirements. Q What potential risks do you foresee in the financial services industry for the next year? A The financial services industry is still feeling the aftershock of the recession. Key pressures are the sovereign debt crisis, fiscal deadlock in the US, risk-averseness of investors, loss of confidence, and fears of a double-dip recession, which have all put considerable strain on the bottom line. It is important to remember that a healthy, dynamic and vibrant financial services industry is imperative for the prosperity of any economy. Q Why did you get involved as an observer with the Financial Services Members’ Network Panel? A With a substantial presence of ACCA members in the financial services industry in the City and worldwide, I believe ACCA has a responsibility to influence the profession. Q What piece of advice would you pass on to those starting their career in accountancy? A The business environment is more challenging than ever. Stakeholders expect accountants to be more than just technical experts. Modern accountants are expected to be conversant with the challenges faced by the business, and act as financial and business advisers at the forefront of business decisions, providing pertinent solutions to business challenges.
FAST FACTS
Short CV: Technical accountant, Standard Bank; manager, banking and securities, Deloitte Headquarters’ location: Zurich
FOR MORE ABOUT XXXXXX XXX
63 Financial services The view from Faraz Jan Muhammad of UBS; the far-reaching effects of the FSA’s retail distribution review 45 Practice The view from Sandra McAlister of McAlister & Co; dealing with the self-assessment tax return rush 49 Corporate The view from Adnan Majid of HDS; inside Royal Dutch Shell; why more companies are considering delisting 59 Public sector The view from strategic adviser for adult social care to the Local Government Association, Andrew Cozens; the cuts to come
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Financial services
HOW TO MANAGE IT The second of our articles on wealth management considers the far-reaching effects of the FSA’s retail distribution review for the providers of financial advice
T
he Financial Services Authority’s retail distribution review is shaking up the wealth management sector. From the end of this year, all financial advisers will have to charge clients fees for their services and will no longer be able to receive commission from product providers. They must also achieve certain levels of qualification. These two changes create a ‘double whammy of lower revenues and higher expenses’ for advisers, says Danny Cox, head of advice at retail investment broker Hargreaves Lansdown. While some banks are committed to continue providing widespread financial advice, Co-operative Financial Services is ending its field-based advisory service and Barclays is closing its branch-based retail financial planning arm. Others may follow suit. With lower fees being earned, Cox notes: ‘The obvious choice for wealth
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managers is to work with wealthier clients to maintain revenues and profit margins. Those with insufficient funds to afford a wealth manager’s fees will need to source financial products and planning themselves.’ This prediction already appears current practice for many people. Aviva found that only 21% of the 2,000 adults it surveyed for its Value of Financial Advice report last June turned to an independent financial adviser (IFA) when making key decisions about their finances; 40% used the internet, with 52% of those aged 18 to 24 looking online.
Going it alone Fortunately, there is a growing range of online information, tools and services that can help investors make their own investment decisions and then manage their investments efficiently. The long established websites of Hargreaves
Lansdown and Hemscott, for example, provide extensive information on investment options, and shares and fund performance. ‘In reality, it is my firm belief that most people can do most of their financial planning without the need for advice,’ says Cox. ‘Investing in a pension or ISA, finding the most competitive mortgage, buying life insurance… It’s easy to do online and saves the advisory fees.’ Hargreaves Lansdown estimates it has saved clients £180m in charges (including advice fees) in the past 12 months. Around 366,000 of the firm’s clients use its Vantage wrap service’ to view all their investments on one platform, and most of them do so without expert advice. Other wrap-platform providers include Ascentric, AXA Wealth and Standard Life. IFAs are increasingly using wrap platforms. An Investec Bank survey of
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investment-focused IFAs found 70% are now using them to manage clients’ funds. Apart from making it easier to review a range of investments, wraps have another attraction – providing a relatively cheap way for retail investors to make investment transactions. ‘Cost has a significant impact on investments, so it is always a good idea to reduce costs where you can, especially if we are in an environment with lower overall annual returns,’ says Stuart Davies, a director at independent investment advisory firm LJ Athene. ‘Paying half a per cent less every year can make a big difference to your long-term returns.’ But cost should not be the only factor driving investment decisions. ‘If somebody is adding value, you don’t mind paying a little bit for that,’ Davies says. The debate about the wisdom, or otherwise, of paying for active fund management (rather than going for a ‘passive’ investment approach, as with tracker funds) is a long-standing one. Cox says: ‘The right active management pays.’ He gives the example of £10,000 invested 10 years ago to 30 June 2011, with income reinvested. If invested in HSBC’s All Share Tracker, that £10,000 would have risen to £14,723; if invested in Invesco Perpetual’s income fund, it would have grown to £23,119. Supporters of passive investing argue that 80–90% of active managers do not add value that exceeds their fees or the market benchmark, Cox notes. ‘We agree. But that still leaves 240 or so good managers to invest with.’ For an individual, identifying those good managers then choosing between them can be challenging. ‘The first thing you have to do is decide what you are trying to achieve,’ advises Davies. ‘Are you trying to achieve performance in line with a market or set of markets, or a return above inflation? What currency do you want to achieve it in? Once you know what you are trying to achieve you can try to identify managers with a track record of doing that.’
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Diversification drives down risk There is general agreement that effective wealth management requires portfolio diversification. ‘By making the portfolio as diversified as possible, you are taking out as much general market risk as you can,’ says Adrian Douglas, associate in Moore Stephens’ wealth management team. ‘In order to be diversified, you need to have wide asset allocations. You don’t avoid sectors you think are doing poorly at the moment, because all markets are cyclical.’ If you avoid an underperforming market now, you miss out when it suddenly starts doing well. ‘Diversification has always been considered the first line of defence in reducing investment risk,’ agrees Tom Stevenson, investment director
months, but ends up achieving a better return over the long term.’ The key is to try to understand the reasons for any underperformance against peers or the market. Davies gives an example of fund managers who were underweight in equities, and specifically financial institutions or banks, in late 2010 or early 2011. Their performance would have looked poor, compared with their peer group. However, their caution would have paid off the following July and August when bank shares fell. ‘The worst thing you could have done would have been to sell that fund in June,’ Davies says. ‘If you understand why a fund is underperforming, you can make an informed decision as to whether or not to keep hold of it.’
FROM THE END OF THIS YEAR ALL FINANCIAL ADVISERS WILL HAVE TO CHARGE CLIENTS FEES FOR THEIR SERVICES AND WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO RECEIVE COMMISSION FROM PRODUCT PROVIDERS at Fidelity International. Fidelity’s research shows the main asset classes perform differently at different times in the economic cycle. Stocks and bonds often move in opposite directions, while commodities sometimes move with stocks, sometimes against. ‘Each time a bull run in one asset class comes to a halt, leadership passes to another,’ says Stevenson. ‘A welldiversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, commodities and cash would have performed well over the past 30 years with a low level of volatility.’
Underperformance issues One of the challenges of investing is knowing how to respond to fluctuating investment performance. ‘At what point does a period of underperformance become a concern?’ says Davies. ‘I don’t think there’s any definite time period. It could be that a fund manager underperforms for a number of
In general, research shows that longterm investment pays off. The 2011 edition of Barclays Capital’s Equity Gilt Study, an annual study of equity and bond returns, shows that since 1899 if a UK investor held equities for just one year, their inflation-adjusted return might have been as good as 100%, or as bad as –60%. However, since 1899 there has not been one 23-year period where equities have lost money. ‘Two important things can be understood from this about long-term investing,’ says Stevenson. ‘First, that the longer an investment is held, the narrower the likely dispersion of returns. Second, the chances of a positive return increase the longer that an investment is held. Both points support the argument to maintain a long-term discipline when investing in growth assets.’ Sarah Perrin, journalist
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Impairment of goodwill and CGUs An amendment to IAS 36 has clarified that a cash-generating unit cannot be larger than an operating segment before aggregation. Graham Holt explains
The basic principle of impairment is that an asset may not be carried on the statement of financial position above its recoverable amount, which is the higher of the asset’s fair value less costs to sell and its value in use. An asset’s carrying value is compared with its recoverable amount and the asset is impaired when the former exceeds the latter. Any impairment is then allocated to the asset, with the impairment loss recognised in profit or loss. All assets subject to the impairment review are tested for impairment where there is an indication that the asset may be impaired, although certain
independent of the cash inflows from other assets or groups of assets. Goodwill acquired in a business combination is allocated to the acquirer’s CGUs that are expected to benefit from the business combination. However, the largest group of CGUs permitted for goodwill impairment testing is the lowest level of operating segment. Under IAS 36, Impairment of Assets, impairment testing of goodwill must be performed at a level no larger than an operating segment as defined in IFRS 8, Operating Segments. However, complexity is created because IFRS 8 allows operating segments to be aggregated into a
AN ENTITY THAT ACQUIRES A PARTIAL INTEREST IN A SUBSIDIARY CAN CHOOSE HOW TO MEASURE THE NON-CONTROLLING INTEREST assets such as goodwill and indefinitelived intangible assets are tested for impairment annually even if there is no impairment indicator. The recoverable amount is calculated at the individual asset level. However, an asset seldom generates cashflows independently of other assets, and most assets are tested for impairment in groups of assets described as cash-generating units (CGUs). A cash-generating unit is the smallest identifiable group of assets that generates cash inflows that are largely
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higher-level reportable operating segment if certain criteria are met. IAS 36 was not clear as to whether the highest level of aggregation of CGUs for goodwill allocation and impairment testing purposes was to be no larger than an operating segment before or after this aggregation. To deal with this lack of clarity, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has issued an amendment to IAS 36 to clarify that a CGU cannot be larger than an operating segment before aggregation.
Entities should ensure their CGUs are aligned with their operating segments. The recoverable amount of a CGU is the same as for an individual asset. The carrying amount of a CGU consists of assets directly and exclusively attributable to the CGU and an allocation of assets that are indirectly attributable on a reasonable and consistent basis to the CGU, including corporate assets and goodwill. Where goodwill has been allocated to a CGU and the entity disposes of an operation within that CGU, the goodwill attributable to the operation disposed of is included in the carrying amount of the operation when calculating the profit or loss on disposal. Similarly, an entity might reorganise its business and change the composition of one or more CGUs to which goodwill has been allocated. In such situations, the goodwill attributable to operations that are moved between CGUs is calculated on the basis of the relative fair values of those operations and the remainder of the CGUs from which the operations are transferred. Liabilities that relate to the financing of the CGU are not allocated to determine the carrying amount of the CGU as the related cashflows will be excluded from the impairment calculations. An impairment charge calculated for a CGU should be allocated to the CGU’s individual assets – first of all to goodwill allocated to the CGU, and then
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to the other assets of the CGU on a pro rata basis according to the carrying amount of each asset in the CGU. In allocating the impairment loss to a CGU the carrying amount of each asset within the CGU should not be reduced below the highest of: a) fair value less costs to sell; b) value in use; c) zero. Any unallocated impairment should be reallocated to the CGU’s other assets, subject to the same limits. This could result in a process that continues until the impairment loss is fully allocated or until each of the CGU’s assets have been reduced to the highest of each asset’s fair value less costs to sell, value in use and zero. The recognition of impairment loss should not, however, result in recognition of a liability, unless it meets the definition of a liability under another IFRS. IFRS 3, Business Combinations, brings in new requirements for the allocation of impairment losses when dealing with goodwill. An entity that acquires a partial interest in a subsidiary can choose on an acquisition-by-acquisition basis how to measure the non-controlling interest (NCI). It can be measured at the NCI’s proportionate share of the fair value of the subsidiary’s identifiable net assets at the date of acquisition or at the fair value of the NCI at the acquisition date. An entity’s choice of method will affect the amount of goodwill that will
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be recognised in the consolidated financial statements. Under the partial goodwill method, only the holding company’s share of the goodwill is recognised; under the full goodwill method, goodwill includes both the holding company’s and the NCI’s share of the goodwill in the subsidiary. Management should consider the measurement method’s impact on their impairment test when choosing how to measure an NCI under IFRS 3. Entities will need to keep records of each component of their goodwill balances. Any CGU containing goodwill is tested for impairment annually. However, the way that entities choose to measure their goodwill and NCI affects the nature of the test and the amount of impairment loss recognised. Under the partial method, a notional gross-up of the entity’s goodwill balance is required to ensure the carrying value of the CGU includes any goodwill attributable to the NCI. The grossed up amount is compared to the recoverable amount of the CGU and an impairment loss calculated. Only the holding company’s share of the impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss. This requirement is not new and entities will already be grossing up goodwill from partial business combinations in impairment tests. Under the full goodwill method, there is no grossing up required because the goodwill figure already captures the goodwill that is attributable to the NCI.
Example An entity acquires 60% of a subsidiary, which is a CGU. At the year-end, the carrying amount of the subsidiary’s identifiable net assets is $30m; the recoverable amount of the CGU is $43m. Goodwill is $12m using the partial method or $18m under the full goodwill method. The first table below (this page) shows the impairment test under the partial goodwill method; the second table (on the following page) shows the impairment test under the full goodwill method. Under the partial goodwill method only the holding company’s share of the impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss because only the holding company’s goodwill share is recognised. This is 60% of $7m, or $4.2m. Using the full goodwill method, the impairment loss charged to profit or loss is higher for an entity that elects to adopt the fair value method. There will almost always be a difference in
Partial goodwill method Identifiable net assets
$30m
Goodwill grossed up ($12m x 100/60)
$20m
Total carrying amount of CGU
$50m
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the impairment figure calculated under the two methods. Under the full goodwill method, the impairment loss is recognised in full. There are requirements for allocating goodwill impairment losses between the holding company and the NCI. Where the subsidiary with the NCI represents a CGU for goodwill impairment-testing purposes, the allocation of the loss is done on the same basis as the allocation of profit. Under the full goodwill method, the full impairment loss of $5m is charged against the goodwill/the net assets and in profit or loss, 40% is allocated to the NCI ($2m) and 60% ($3m) to the holding company. The allocation of impairment losses between the holding company and the NCI can become more complex if the subsidiary is not a CGU itself but part of a larger CGU for impairment testing purposes. The full goodwill method introduces some complexities in impairment testing in this scenario and
Full goodwill method Identifiable net assets
$30m
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$5m
management should consider the impact on impairment tests when choosing goodwill method. Difficulties may well occur where entities have a CGU that has goodwill from several sources. Examples will be subsidiaries acquired before IFRS 3 was revised that apply the partial goodwill method, subsidiaries acquired after IFRS 3 was revised that apply the full goodwill method, and entities that have goodwill from 100%-owned subsidiaries.
Example In the above example let’s assume that the subsidiary (A) that has been acquired is part of a larger CGU that includes another subsidiary (B) that is 100%-owned by the holding company. Assume that goodwill of $27m arose on the acquisition of the wholly owned subsidiary. The carrying amount of the identifiable net assets of the combined CGU (A plus B) is $50m and the recoverable amount of the combined CGU is $80m. If the full goodwill method is used, the results are as shown in the Impairment Problems table on this page. Under IAS 36, impairment losses are allocated first to goodwill and then to the identifiable assets on a pro rata basis. All the impairment loss in the example relates to goodwill and is allocated to the two subsidiaries that form the CGU. The loss will be allocated based on their relative carrying amounts of goodwill. The loss will be allocated
40/60, based on the goodwill values of $18m and $27m respectively. Thus the goodwill of wholly owned subsidiary B will be charged with a $9m impairment loss and that of partially owned subsidiary A with a $6m impairment loss. B’s impairment loss will be charged entirely to the profit or loss of the holding company whereas A’s will be split on the profit-sharing basis (60/40) between the holding company and the NCI – $3.6m and $2.4m respectively. This example does not reflect all of the complexities that might well occur in practice. Under IFRS 3, impairment losses have to be allocated between each component of the goodwill in the CGU, which will mean detailed tracking of each component of goodwill. Graham Holt is an examiner for ACCA and associate dean of the accounting and finance division at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School
Impairment problems Identifiable net assets
$50m
Technical update
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A round-up of the latest developments in financial reporting, auditing, tax and law FINANCIAL REPORTING THE FUTURE OF UK GAAP The UK Accounting Standards Board (ASB) has tentatively decided to defer the effective date of the proposed Financial Reporting Standard for Medium-sized Entities (FRSME) until 1 January 2015. In making its decision, the ASB considered the effective dates of recently published IFRSs, and concluded that the interaction with IFRS 9 in particular would result in practical difficulties if the FRSME had an earlier effective date. SHARMAN PANEL The Sharman Panel of Inquiry, established at the invitation of the Financial Reporting Council to consider the lessons for companies and auditors arising from going concern and liquidity risks, has published its preliminary report and recommendations. The panel has largely focused on issues relevant for listed companies and large financial institutions. However, some of the panel’s recommendations would, if adopted, affect all UK audits. For example, the panel has recommended that auditors’ reports should contain an explicit statement that the auditor is satisfied that, having considered the assessment process, they have nothing to add to the disclosures made by the directors about the robustness of their going
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concern assessment and its outcome. REVENUE RECOGNITION In 2010, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued an exposure draft (ED) proposing a new framework for revenue recognition. The core principle set out in that ED was that an entity should recognise revenue to reflect the transfer of promised goods or services to a customer. The revenue would be measured at an amount representing the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled, in exchange for those goods and services. The ED proposed five steps to apply the principle: Identify the contract or contracts. Identify the separate performance obligations in the contract. Determine the transaction price. Allocate the transaction price. Recognise revenue when a performance obligation is satisfied. While feedback from the ED showed broad support for the overriding principle and the steps needed to achieve it, a number of areas were considered to require either further clarification or simplification. Accordingly, the IASB has made a number of changes from the original ED, but, recognising the importance of revenue to financial statements, has chosen to re-expose its proposed standard, Revenue From
Contracts With Customers. While the broad principles of the standard remain the same, there have been a number of changes from the 2010 exposure draft, which include the following: Amending the principle for identifying separate performance obligations in a contract. Adding criteria to determine when a performance obligation is satisfied over time and, therefore, when revenue is recognised over time. Simplifying the measurement of the transaction price. Aligning the accounting for product warranties more closely with existing requirements. Limiting the scope of the test in the previous version to identify onerous performance obligations. Adding practical expedients for retrospective application of the proposals. Any impairment losses relating to contracts with customers being presented as a separate line immediately after revenue. Specifying the disclosures required for interim financial reports. The comment period closes on 13 March 2012 with a final standard planned for the second half of 2012, but with an effective date of at least 1 January 2015.
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IFRIC INTERPRETATION 20 The IFRS Interpretations Committee has issued IFRIC
Interpretation 20, Stripping Costs in the Production Phase of a Surface Mine, which applies for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013. Interpretation 20 clarifies when production stripping should result in the recognition of an asset and how that asset should be measured, both initially and in subsequent periods. IFRS 1 AMENDMENT The IASB has also issued for comment a proposed amendment to IFRS 1, Firsttime Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, dealing with how a first-time adopter would account for a government loan with a below-market rate interest rate. The amendment would provide the same relief as is granted to existing IFRS preparers when applying IAS 20, Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance.
AUDIT REVIEW OF ISAS The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) has announced its intention to undertake a postimplementation review of clarified International Standards on Auditing. Responses are requested by 31 October 2012. ETHICAL STANDARDS The Auditing Practices Board (APB) has published a consultation document covering two amendments to the Ethical Standards for
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*AUTUMN STATEMENT
ACCA gives its view on George Osborne’s policies to boost enterprise The Autumn Statement saw George Osborne return to some tried and tested, but not entirely successful tools, according to ACCA’s technical and research teams. The chancellor focused on boosting enterprise, but some of the policies announced may not bring the benefits he hopes for. ‘Some of the measures should be viewed in the context of what has been seen to work so far, says Manos Schizas, ACCA’s senior policy adviser. ‘For instance, the plans for credit easing look like a cross between 2008’s
failed Working Capital Guarantee and the European Investment Bank guarantees, which have experienced very low uptake in the UK by European standards – and with a single bank accounting for two-thirds of activity.’ The chancellor also announced plans to encourage private investment in public infrastructure projects. Gillian Fawcett, ACCA’s head of public sector, says: ‘To be successful, [this proposal] it would need to be very different from previous experiments with private finance initiatives. Too often
these have not been value for money for taxpayers.’ ACCA takes a more positive view of some of the chancellor’s other policies, including the extension of the Small Business Rate Relief scheme, the income tax and capital gains relief for those investing in start-ups, and the angel investment matching plans. Elsewhere, ACCA believes the research and development credits reform couldn’t come soon enough but it needs to be implemented after consultation with its users to make sure the online option works for them. Meanwhile,
the 100% capital allowances in Enterprise Zones would ideally be extended to all SMEs.
Auditors. These involve: Extending until 31 December 2014 the transitional arrangement for tax services provided on a contingent fee basis where contracts were entered into prior to 31 December 2010. Amending Appendix 1 to ES 1 to provide a simplified illustrative template for communicating information on audit and non-audit services.
Authority. The FSA has revised its guidance and rules in relation to audits of client money and other assets held by FSA regulated firms on the behalf of clients. The new bulletin provides guidance on the responsibilities of auditors under these revised rules, required to be followed for periods ended 30 September 2011 onwards.
consultation concerns two separate proposals: 1) A change in the audit exemptions to reduce the number of UK companies that require an audit. In particular, the government is proposing that qualifying subsidiaries of EU-registered parents would not require a statutory audit provided that the parent company signs a declaration guaranteeing the debts of the subsidiary. 2) A change in the law to allow companies which have chosen to prepare accounts under IFRS more flexibility to change to UK GAAP.
BUSINESS PLANNING
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CLIENT ASSET AUDITS The APB has published Bulletin 2011/2, Providing assurance on Client Assets to the Financial Services
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CONSULTATIONS The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has issued a consultation paper entitled Consultation on Audit Exemptions and Change of Accounting Framework. The
Key points
Capital gains tax annual * exemption frozen at
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£10,600 for 2012–13. Some Enterprise zones given 100% capital allowances. New zones. Extension to research and development tax credit to benefit larger companies. National loan guarantee scheme. Bank levy made permanent, and raised to 0.088%.
GOOD PRACTICE GUIDANCE The Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has issued new International Good Practice Guidance, Predictive Business Analytics: Improving Business Performance with ForwardLooking Measures. The guidance is designed to help accountants and their organisations embrace predictive business analytics. The report can be found at www2.accaglobal.com/ predictive
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Yvonne Lang, director, and Kern Roberts. associate director, Smith & Williamson, www. smithwilliamson.co.uk
TAX: SELFASSESSMENT PROFESSIONAL FEESS A deduction for fees and subscriptions paid to professional bodies or learned societies under Section 344 ITEPA 2003 (formerly Section 201 ICTA 1988) is allowable where: A statutory fee or contribution shown in the list (see below) is allowable where employees pay this out of their earnings from an employment, and are required to pay this as a statutory condition of following their employment. An annual subscription to a body shown in the list as approved by HMRC is allowable where employees pay this out of their earnings from an employment and the activities of the body are directly relevant to the employment. The activities of a body are directly relevant to an employment where the performance of the duties of that employment is directly affected by the knowledge concerned or involves the exercise of the profession concerned. The list, (www.hmrc.gov. uk/list3/list3.pdf), shows professional bodies and learned societies, approved
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by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for the purposes of Section 344 ITEPA 2003 (formerly S201 ICTA 1988). SHARES OF NEGLIGIBLE VALUE HMRC provides a list of shares or securities formerly quoted on the London Stock Exchange, which have been officially declared of negligible value for the purposes of a claim under S24(2) Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act (TCGA) 1992 by the Shares and Assets Valuation Office. The negligible value list gives a tax year or a specific date at which the office has accepted that the share or security is of negligible value. You can find the list at www.hmrc.gov.uk/cgt/ negvalist.htm CURRENT TAX TREATIES You can find links to tax treaties currently in force at www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxtreaties/ in-force/index.htm IT AND CLASS 4 NIC It is often overlooked that, when trading losses are relieved against sources of income other than trading income, or indeed capital gains, this will cause a mismatch between the amount of losses carried forward for income tax and class 4 national insurance contribution (NIC) purposes. Where losses are claimed under the Income Tax Act 2007, section 64 or 74 and/ or extended by a claim under the TCGA 1992, section 261B, separate memoranda should be kept of the unutilised losses for income
tax and class 4 NIC purposes as the amount of losses available for income tax relief under ITA 2007, section 83 and for Class 4 NIC under SSBCA 1992, schedule 2, para 3(3)(4) will differ. Worked examples can be found at www2.accaglobal. com/trading_losses
TAX: OTHER EMPLOYMENT MANUAL Technical guidance on the Finance Act 2011 rules on employment income provided through third parties has been updated in EIM45025 – Employment income provided through third parties: the Section554A gateway. DISGUISED REMUNERATION Amounts chargeable to income tax under the Disguised Remuneration legislation now carry an income charge. The regulations came into force on 6 December 2011 and HMRC has stated that employers will need to account for class 1 primary (employee) and secondary (employer) NIC on amounts which count as employment income under chapter 2 of part 7A on or after that date, except where the part 7A charge arises on 6 April 2012 in relation to an ‘early step’ which took place between 9 December 2010 and 5 April 2011. FINANCE BILL 2012 The draft bill was published on 6 December and will be open for comment until February 2012.
TOOLKITS HMRC has produced a presentation designed to show how to use the toolkits to help reduce errors. The video can be found at www. hmrc.gov.uk/agents/lttraining.htm The toolkit on VAT input tax has been updated. The full suite of toolkits can be found at www.hmrc. gov.uk/agents/prereturnsupport-agents.htm LATEST UPDATES Guidance on IR35, associated company rules, tax and NIC are available at www2.accaglobal.com/tax INTRASTAT REVISED DUE DATE The due date for submission of intrastat declarations will be brought forward. The due date will change from the last day to the 21st day of the month following the reference period to which the reported trade relates. This change was due to take place in January and would have impacted on the January declaration, but has been postponed because of concerns over the change. It is now planned to apply from 1 April. HMRC states that this measure will take effect on 1 April 2012. Intrastat declarations for the period 1 to 31 March will be due on 21 April; all subsequent declarations will be due on the 21st of the month. It will impact on businesses that are required to submit declarations of their trade with other EU member states using an intrastat declaration, ie those with intra-EU trade in excess
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*TRIBUNALS ACCEPT REALITY OF BUSINESS LIFE The First-tier Tribunal has recently made a number of decisions showing an appreciation of the reality of business life. It has also shown a balanced view where the taxpayer had ‘legitimate expectation’ of an outcome. Appeals can be made against assessments, refusals to postpone tax that is subject to an appeal, penalty determinations and refusal to suspend a penalty. One such case was Thomas Hardy v Commissioners for HMRC [2011] UKFTT 592 (TC). Thomas Hardy appealed against a penalty assessment for £31,971 and a decision not to suspend the penalty imposed. He had submitted his tax return for the year ended 5 April 2009 in October 2009 – well within the time limit of 31 January 2010. He had an impeccable record for filing returns and paying tax due. He always followed the same procedure. He adopted a similar procedure for 2008– 09. Hardy’s redundancy had come as a shock to him, as he had been part of a successful team, earning about £1m each year. The redundancy procedure had been complex and Hardy
had been personally involved in the negotiations. He also felt under financial pressure to find alternative employment following his redundancy and did so. Unfortunately, he became concerned about the new employer’s governance and left after a short period. The combination of these events left Hardy in a very anxious state. In October and November 2008, in accordance with the negotiations, Hardy received cash payments of £1m, from which his employer, RBS, deducted tax at 20%. He had not received any paperwork from RBS. Neither of the payments was disclosed on his 2008–09 tax return, the return was submitted electronically, having been approved by Hardy. HMRC launched an inquiry into Hardy’s return. Hardy did not receive a statement of income and tax deducted until 12 May 2010. On eventual receipt, he forwarded the statement to HMRC. HMRC imposed a penalty of 15% of the tax due, which is the standard penalty for a careless error where the adjustment is prompted by an investigation. Hardy’s accountant appealed and
the appeal was rejected. An appeal was made to the tribunal. It was not disputed that Hardy had made a ‘prompted disclosure’ but schedule 24 of the Finance Act 2007 provides (at paragraph 11) for a special reduction where there are special circumstances. On an appeal against a decision that a penalty is payable, the tribunal may affirm or cancel HMRC’s decision and on an appeal against the amount of the penalty the tribunal may affirm HMRC’s decision or substitute another decision that HMRC had power to make. The tribunal agreed that Hardy had been careless and dismissed the appeal against the penalty. It did not consider that the decision not to suspend the penalty was flawed. However, it accepted that there were special circumstances, Hardy had been confused and that the decision not to reduce the penalty was flawed. It ordered that the penalty be reduced to 2.5%. More on Thomas Hardy v Commissioners for HMRC and other tribunal cases can be found at www2. accaglobal.com/tax
of £600,000 per annum for arrivals (EU imports) and/ or £250,000 per annum for dispatches (EU exports).
earlier this year, HMRC has announced the second of its targeted campaigns aimed specifically at tradespeople. The Electricians’ Tax Safe Plan will start in February. For more details, go to www2.accaglobal.com/tax
VAT
CAMPAIGNS Following on from the Plumbers’ Tax Safe Plan
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There have been a large number of changes to existing notices, while some of the changes are minimal, others require consideration. You can find further details at www2.accaglobal.com/tax
A selection are shown below, but others include Notice 701/57, Health Professionals and Pharmaceutical Products; 701/31, Health Institutions; 701/40, Food Processing; 700/50, Default Surcharge; and 700/65, Business Entertainment. 701/38, SEEDS AND PLANTS The notice is effective now and replaces the November 2003 edition of Notice 701/38, Seeds and Plants. This notice provides guidance on the VAT Act 1994, schedule 8, group 1, explaining that zero-rating is dependent on how plants, seeds and seeds used directly as foods are held out for sale. Its main changes are to improve readability and to make minor amendments to paragraph 4.3. This paragraph considers plants that do not have a culinary use but which, as long as certain conditions are fulfilled, can still be zero-rated. For example, the guidance states, ‘in the case of bay plants, they do not exceed 50cm in height, nor have they been clipped, shaped or topiarised in such a way as to specialise them as ornamentals.’ It also says that they should meet the conditions required by the Food and Environment Protection Act, are held for sale for a culinary use and are supplied in individual pots of less than 2 litres. 706/2, CAPITAL GOODS SCHEME The notice is effective now
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73 FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES, VISIT OUR WEBSITE www2.accaglobal.com/uk/members/technical
and has been revised to improve readability and incorporates changes to the Capital Goods Scheme (CGS) which took effect from 1 January 2011. This notice provides guidance as to how the scheme works and which items are covered by the scheme. The scheme applies to: Capital expenditure on land and buildings with a value of £250,000 or more (exclusive of VAT) which was subject to VAT at the standard or reduced rate. Any computer with a VAT exclusive value of £50,000 or more. Capital expenditure on aircraft, ships, boats and other vessels with a VAT exclusive value of £50,000 or more. HMRC states in the guidance that ‘you should read this notice if you acquire, create or construct capital items for use in your business and you incur VAT on those items. The aim of this scheme is to provide a fair and reasonable attribution of VAT to taxable supplies and other supplies with the right to recover VAT.’ The notice also highlights the importance of recordkeeping and includes the comment that ‘you are not required to keep VAT records for longer than six years. However, the CGS requires you to make adjustments up to 10 years later. We would recommend that you keep records long enough to show us how you calculated each adjustment.’
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*RED TAPE CHALLENGE The Cabinet Office has a website that lists and asks for comments on the usefulness of certain business regulations. It highlights which affect all business sectors, but also publishes regulations that apply to specific businesses or industries. In both cases it is your view on where red tape can be removed that the government needs The regulatory areas common to all businesses that are being reviewed are health and safety, environment, equalities, pensions, company law and employment. The current areas for review are company and commercial law.
The company and commercial law section lists 128 regulations and these are broken down into accounts and returns, disclosing information about your business, business names and the workings of companies and partnerships. Additionally, until the end of January you have a chance to comment on the Disruptive Business Models theme. The section of the Red Tape Challenge website promoting this initiative highlights that where a business is ‘doing things differently [it] may fall foul of regulations that were intended for another age, or for another purpose entirely’. It offers the chance to comment on business
regulations that do not reflect the way certain business models work. There is a clear commitment that the government will act on disruptive business regulations with the promise that ‘any specific regulations that are highlighted will be immediately put on probation, and will be scrapped unless the responsible department can justify or satisfactorily modify the regulation in question’. The message from the government is: ‘You tell us what’s working and what’s not, what can be simplified and what can be scrapped.’ For more, go to www. redtapechallenge. cabinetoffice.gov.uk/home/ index
700/64, MOTORING EXPENSES The notice is effective now and replaces the May 2007 edition of Notice 700/64, Motoring Expenses. The notice is guidance on the VAT (Input Tax) Order 1992, (SI 1992 No 3222), article 2, defining what a car is, the VAT Act 1994, sections 56 and 57 covering scale charges and the VAT (Input Tax) (Reimbursement by Employers of Employees’ Business Use of Road Fuel) Regulations 2005, (SI 2005 No 3290). HMRC recommends that all businesses review the notice and state that the aim of the notice is to provide guidance on: What a car is for VAT purposes. The VAT treatment of motoring expenses
incurred by your business. What vehicles qualify and whether you can claim back all or some of the VAT charged (this is because the reclaiming of some input tax on motoring expenses is not allowed or ‘blocked’). When you must account for VAT. How to work out your output tax. The records you must keep. What you can and cannot treat as input tax. The guidance also contains a number of frequently asked questions, for example: Can I recover the VAT incurred when a car is bought primarily for taxi, self-drive hire or driving instruction?
Yes, but only if the car is a qualifying car and you intend to use it primarily for: Hire with the services of a driver for the purpose of carrying passengers. Self-drive hire or providing driving instruction. Earlier the guidance answers the question about the definition of a qualifying car, giving the answer, ‘a qualifying car is a car, which has not been subject to the full input tax block. This means that your business or any previous owner has recovered the input tax on the purchase in full. Such cars will be sold on a normal tax invoice with VAT charged on the full selling price.’
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Glenn Collins, head of technical advisory, ACCA UK
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Careers
A unique passport [
The findings of the first worldwide salary and career survey from ACCA powerfully demonstrate the benefits of possessing a global accountancy qualification – from increased remuneration to wider experience
Increasing levels of satisfaction – not only with their salaries but also with their career opportunities and work-life balance – is the outstanding message from ACCA’s recently released report on the salaries and benefits, bonuses and working conditions of members around the world, as well as their career plans and priorities. Probably uppermost in accountants’ minds is remuneration, and many members have enjoyed positive salary experiences and are upbeat about their future expectations. The report, ACCA Members’ Global Salary and Career Survey 2011, found that members can expect their salary to increase strongly during their career and earn significantly more than the national average. Indeed, in 2010, 61% of
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members surveyed had received a hike. Members in financial services and public practice employees received the highest increases, and those in larger organisations. Employees of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were the most likely to experience a freeze. Money, of course, is by no means the be all and end all – bonuses, benefits and conditions are high priorities. Of members receiving a bonus, 59% received a higher one in 2010 than in 2009. And 46% anticipate an increase in bonus again in 2011. Those most confident were younger members and those working in financial services. The most common benefits were pensions (59%), payment of professional subscriptions (59%) and healthcare (53%). But flexible working hours were a popular benefit, with older and female members more likely to record shorter working weeks. Employees in the corporate sector typically work the longest hours, while those in not-for-profit organisations work the shortest. ACCA members make the most of the portability of the qualification, taking the opportunity to work in different sectors and gaining varied work experience. Of those surveyed, 60% of members have worked in a different sector in the past. Most members (58%) are keen to experience a varied career with different roles in business and finance, rather than
following a single specialised route. The survey demonstrated ACCA members’ high aspirations: 82% plan to work in a more senior position in the same area and 63% want to head up a finance team; 42% have that entrepreneurial spirit, aiming to start their own business at some point. Foreign postings are also desirable; 36% would like to work in another country.
Country variations In some markets the positive trend in salaries has been particularly strong. In Singapore 73% of members have received a pay rise compared with the 61% global average. This is likely to be down to Singapore’s economy expanding at a record level (over 14% in 2010). Working weeks are longer in South-East Asia (48 hours in Singapore and Malaysia compared with the global average of 44) and Pakistan (49), but shorter in the UK (42), Republic of Ireland (43), Canada (43) and Australia (44). The percentage of members with multiple-sector experience is particularly high in Africa (Zambia: 81%; Uganda: 73%; Ghana: 73%), Jamaica (72%), Malta (76%), Pakistan (71%), Canada (70%) and the Czech Republic (69%). Setting up their own business is a particularly popular ambition among members in Canada, the Czech Republic, Ghana, Greece, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritius, Pakistan, Poland, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, UAE and Zambia. Lesley Bolton, international editor, Accounting and Business To download the survey, visit www2. accaglobal.com/documents/salary_ survey.pdf
08/12/2011 11:45
72%
Total
*Annual Salaries table excludes top and bottom quartiles *Annual Bonuses table based on members receiving a bonus. Excludes top and bottom quartiles
08/12/2011 11:45
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thinking about a job move in the new year or want a spot oF careers advice? ACCA Careers allows you to browse and apply for thousands of accountancy and finance jobs worldwide.
Features Careers Clinic – advice to help you make your next move, wherever you are in your career and whatever your level of experience.
Register with ACCA Careers now to take full advantage of this exclusive member benefit.
Working Internationally – view our country profiles and details of business culture and the job market for finance professionals in your chosen destination.
ACCA Careers hosts 4,500+ vacancies with over 200 job providers all on one platform.
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Register at www.accacareers.com today!
UK Page 76 (left).indd 40
Find us on Twitter via @ACCACareers
07/12/2011 18:34
ACCA
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Five ways to plan your CPD The easiest – and the most satisfying – way to fulfil your CPD requirements is to make sure you’re on top of the process by following the five golden rules listed here 1 Reflect on last year’s CPD
Before considering the year ahead, it’s worth looking back at the development you undertook last year. What activities or approaches to your learning and development went particularly well? Is there anything you would do differently in the future? Are there any specific areas you need to revisit in 2012?
2 Be practical with your planning
By planning your CPD at the start of the year, you can ensure you think not only about your learning needs but also about when, where and how you will do your development. When planning your CPD, particular areas you will need to consider are relevance and verifiability. Relevance should be at the centre of your CPD planning. CPD is not solely about updating your technical accounting knowledge. If you’re no longer in an accounting or finance role, then you should identify your CPD needs in relation to the latest developments both in your profession and in the business world in general. Verifiability of learning is also key. If you are following the unit route, you need to complete 40 units of CPD, 21 of which must be verifiable. Nonverifiable CPD can be general relevant learning activity such as keeping abreast of business developments through reading or informal networking. For CPD to be verifiable, however, you need to be able to answer ‘yes’ to the following three questions: Can you explain how a learning activity is relevant to your career? Can you explain how you have applied what you have learned or how you will apply it? Can you provide evidence that you undertook the learning activity?
have been designed specifically for ACCA members. The first, ACCA Compass, enables you to assess your level of experience and skill and compare it to a recommended market average for a total of 20 different finance and accounting job titles. The second, the Professional Development Matrix, is designed to help you identify your preferred learning style and the knowledge, skills and expertise you may need in either your current role, or in roles which you are interested in for the future – whatever your chosen career.
4 Try something new for 2011
Our innovative approach to development means we have a comprehensive range of services and tools to support you in planning, sourcing and achieving CPD – and the list is growing. From networking on the ACCA LinkedIn members’ group to mentoring or coaching a colleague, there is something for everyone. If you’re looking for a source of low-cost online CPD, ACCA has a new, improved virtual learning centre. We are working with a number of top e-learning providers to bring you flexible, interactive and affordable CPD opportunities. Go to our e-learning gateway and get started.
Direct link: http://virtuallearn. accaglobal.com/pages/ To read more about CPD learning opportunities, please visit www. accaglobal.com/members/cpd/ cpd_learning
5 Put some dates in the diary
It’s good to plan your CPD now, but to ensure you keep the momentum up, try introducing regular checkpoints during the year to ensure you are on track to meet the requirement. How about setting a reminder for June/July in your online diary to see how you are placed and how much CPD you still have to do? Visit www.accaglobal.com/members/ cpd for more.
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3 Use ACCA’s planning tools
ACCA has two planning resources that
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ACCA
Paddling to victory [
Winning a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics would be the crowning achievement for many sportsmen, but a subsequent successful career in accountancy is also on Ed McKeever’s to-do list
Kayaking sprint champion Ed McKeever is the world silver medallist and European bronze medallist in his sport, and the winner of two World Cup races in 2011. Like many others, he is on a quest for the ultimate podium position at the London 2012 Olympics. Rather more unusually, he is pursuing his sporting career in tandem with studying for the ACCA Qualification. At 28, he has put in years of sacrifice and dedication to get to the top of his game. He’s a strong contender to win a gold medal at the Olympics, and the pressure is undoubtedly mounting. How did you get into kayaking? A schoolfriend introduced me to it as something to do after school 16 years ago. As I gradually became more successful, it started taking up more and more of my time. How do you combine training and study? With the ACCA Qualification there are two times each year when you can sit exams, June and December. Generally,
I am busy with World Cup races and European Championships in June, so I sit exams out of the racing season in December. The difference between the physicality of training and the mental fatigue of studying makes it quite nice to have a balance between the two. What made you decide to take up an accountancy qualification? I got good A-level results in maths and business studies, so I followed that up by studying accountancy at Kingston University, which was coincidentally where the British kayak team was training at the time. What are you hoping to do once you finish the ACCA Qualification? After the Olympic Games next summer I hope to be able to take a small break from the sport that will let me get most of my studies done, as well as some more work experience. Once I have finished my ACCA Qualification I’m looking forward to getting involved in a regular job.
Do you have any spare time? I generally train six days a week, so that leaves one day, which I spend with my girlfriend, my dog and, strangely enough, watching other sports (I’m a Bath rugby fan). Have you always been a high achiever? I have always done well at sport and academically. Unfortunately, neither comes without hard work. Are you as competitive with your studies as with your sport? Not quite, but I look forward to a career at the end of my sport that I can put the same enthusiasm into. What’s more exhausting, studying for an exam or racing? There is definitely a lot more pressure with racing, with everything decided in just over 34 seconds, and at the World Championships I raced in front of 20,000 people. But in terms of preparation, you taper down, so you’re fresh for a race, whereas for an exam I find myself trying to cram everything in up until the last minute. Has the dedication and discipline you put into sport helped with studies? Ultimately, I would have to say sport has been the biggest distraction for my studies and future career. After a hard day training the last thing you have the energy for is studying. But I’m very happy I’ve kept up with my studies. The set of skills McKeever has acquired while competing at an elite level will undoubtedly prove very desirable to many organisations. We wish him the best at the 2012 Olympics and with his studies. Keep track of his progress at www2.accaglobal.com/blogs Eneritz Corral, ACCA
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ACCA news
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ACCA SUCCESS AT BRITISH ACCOUNTANCY AWARDS ACCA’s firms and members were recognised at the 2011 British Accountancy Awards, with six out of the 21 awards going to those with ACCA connections. Peterborough accountants GreenStones had more reasons to smile than most, picking up a brace of awards: Employer of the Year and Independent Firm of the Year, South East and East of England. Other ACCA winners included Nottingham accountants Coalesco (Independent Firm of the Year, Midlands), Bangor accountants Hart Parry (Independent Firm of the Year, Wales), Stirling accountants Macfarlane Gray (Independent Firm of the Year, Scotland) and Maria Millner of SJD Accountancy (New Accountant of the Year).
The awards – organised by Accountancy Age in partnership with ACCA, and hosted by Gyles Brandreth – were relaunched this year, with additional categories to recognise the excellence of independent firms from across the UK. Winners were announced at the awards ceremony at Old Billingsgate Market, London on 30 November. Andrew Leck, head of ACCA UK said: ‘There are so many high-quality accountancy practices in the UK, all of them working hard to give the highest-quality service to their clients. It is right that we celebrate the skill and dedication of qualified accountants across the UK and these awards are the perfect way to do just that.’
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Firm favourites (left to right): Hart Parry, GreenStones, Macfarlane Gray and Coalesco
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The tops: Michael Walby (training manager), Maria Millner (new accountant) and GreenStones (employer)
WALES CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY IN STYLE
2011 marked 10 years since ACCA opened its office in Wales and to celebrate the occasion ACCA Cymru Wales held high-profile events throughout the year. Carwyn Jones, first minister in the Welsh Assembly, addressed 320 guests at a St David’s Day breakfast in the National Museum of Wales in March. Key business representatives welcomed speaker Helen Brand to a drinks reception in Cardiff on 7 September. And the celebrations culminated with a sell-out national conference in Cardiff on 30 November, attended by 130 delegates. Keynote speaker PwC regional chairman Rob Lewis took as his theme the changing face of accountancy and professional services, and professor Brian Morgan of the Cardiff School of Management (UWIC) addressed the economic forces shaping 21st century business. The conference was followed by a black-tie gala dinner where 140 guests enjoyed dinner and entertainment from Jonathan Davies and music from a Beatles tribute band.
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Jonathan Davies, Welsh rugby legend and broadcaster, and after-dinner speaker at the 10-year anniversary dinner
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ACCA
International Assembly An imposing turnout of senior members for the International Assembly discussed ACCA’s strategy, changes in corporating reporting, the rise of the e-professional and much more Some 56 senior members from 40 different countries gathered in London in November for ACCA’s annual International Assembly. They debated ACCA’s strategy, future trends in ACCA’s policy development, and discussed how it should deal with issues such as the advent of the e-professional. ACCA president Dean Westcott, deputy president Barry Cooper and vice president Martin Turner took part in the Q&A session on how the profession should move forward. The event culminated in a discussion on the future of reporting, introduced with a scene-setter from the president. ‘Is reporting still valuable, or has it become marginalised?’ he asked. ‘When we look at issues such as complexity and relevance, it is clear that reporting has a case to answer in terms of its value as a business tool.’ And what, he asked, was the role of reporting in the ‘financial ecosystem’? Westcott touched on non-financial reporting issues, such as the concept of integrated reporting. He also highlighted ACCA’s backing of a call by Aviva Investors for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, to be held in Rio this June, to pass a resolution that disclosure on sustainability should be made mandatory on a comply or explain basis. Sustainability reporting was tackled in depth by guest speaker Steve Waygood, Aviva Investors’ head of sustainability research and engagement. He outlined how fund managers were increasingly working sustainability issues into their valuations of companies and investment decisions. Describing this as a ‘silent revolution’, Waygood said: ‘The point is that a lot of sustainability issues have an impact of financial performance.’ He said that not enough companies were publishing sustainability data,
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and gave some examples of companies whose revenues and performance were being affected by issues relating to climate change, societal and environmental factors. Another guest speaker, Nik Hasyudeen, chair of the Audit Oversight Board in Malaysia, highlighted the importance of the human factor in reporting. Describing the various groups and organisations involved in a successful reporting system, from the reporting company itself, through to auditors, regulators and others, Hasyudeen said: ‘Underlying all this is the quality of
human resource we need to have, so underneath it’s all about education. There is a fundamental need to nurture young accountants.’ He stressed that education was not just about talent and skill sets, but also about ensuring that accountants had a strong sense of ethics. The final speaker, Tracy Gordon, senior manager for Deloitte’s UK national accounting and audit team, focused on the relevance and usefulness of annual reports. Currently their content, she said, was about 50% narrative and 50% financial statements, with the balance just in
02/12/2011 18:10
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favour of narrative. She questioned how far annual reports worked, saying they had become ‘tremendously complex’ and weren’t forward-looking enough. ‘There is a blurred purpose. Are they for shareholders, regulators, a marketing document, or for other stakeholders? Is anyone actually using them?’ Challenges for the future, Gordon said, were how reporting could deal with the increasing demand for immediate information, especially in an assurance environment, how to get values and culture across, and how to deal with the many different types of business model that are emerging.
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Clockwise from top right: this was Solomon Kebede’s sixth and last assembly appearance; vice president Martin Turner listens to the debate; Nisreen Rehmanjee makes a point as Michael Michaelides looks on; ACCA deputy president Barry Cooper (left) and president Dean Westcott share a joke; William Mak (front), Kaka Singh and Edmund Mndolwa (back) ponder the issues; Chama Kamukwamba (centre) accompanies ACCA executive director Clare Minchington (right), Mubashir Dagia (left) and other delegates in to dinner; Anthony Tyen (far left), Saad Siddiqui (left), Michael Scicluna (right) and Kathy Grimshaw, ACCA director – markets, take part in a discussion; and chief executive Helen Brand gives an update on ACCA’s strategic aims
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ACCA news Students go online ACCA rolls out web-based system for exam results and other student services
Inside ACCA 80 International Assembly Senior members discuss ACCA strategy and the rise of the e-professional 79 Awarding excellence ACCA members applauded at British Accountancy Awards 78 Making waves ACCA student and champion kayaker Ed McKeever is hoping for Olympic success 77 CPD Five ways to make the ongoing training requirement straightforward as well as satisfying
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To increase choice, processing speed and reliability, ACCA is launching a fully online service for examination registration, entry, dockets and results. From early 2012, these services will be available exclusively online and will no longer be issued as paper documents in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland and Ukraine. The online service will be made available to other countries in the coming months. Most students are currently interacting with ACCA online and this initiative reflects student demand for, and positive feedback on, online services. ACCA is also introducing improvements to its exam results service, including reducing the length of time between the end of an exam session and the release of the results. The December 2011 exam results will be made available for students to view online and sent by email or SMS in the week beginning 13 February 2012. ACCA has also introduced a service that lets students print out their results via myACCA. Students in the countries listed above can print an official notification of their results via myACCA. Paper copies of exam results will not be issued to students in these locations.
RULEBOOK CHANGES
The ACCA Rulebook 2012 has now been published, with various changes taking effect from 1 January 2012. The changes have resulted from policy decisions over the past year, implementation of existing Council policy or legislative/lead regulator requirements, or the necessary clarification of existing regulations. The changes affect ACCA’s bye-laws, regulations and code of ethics. The ACCA Rulebook is usually updated every year. However, during 2011, interim changes were made to the regulatory board and committee regulations and the membership regulations. These took effect on 1 June 2011, and were reflected in the online version at that time. The February edition of Accounting and Business will carry a detailed account of the changes, including the interim changes that were made. The ACCA Rulebook is available at: www2.accaglobal. com/members/professional_standards/rules_ standards
RACING AHEAD
ACCA members discovered the secrets of success in Formula 1: great leadership, continuous innovation and unambiguous lines of communication. Addressing an ACCA event, Steve Nevey, relationship manager – technical partnerships, Red Bull Racing, gave attendees an insight into the glamorous world of Formula 1 and delivered a perfect translation of what the team owner did from a business perspective to become the best. The event was held by the ACCA Bedford, Luton and Northampton Members’ Network and the Institute of Directors in Milton Keynes, and sponsored by Findlay Cameron Recruitment Professionals. In addition, £300 was raised for the Red Bull Wings for Life charity.
08/12/2011 10:39
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In the Christian Church of England, the title 'The Very Reverend' usually suggests what job title, also called a 'cathedral provost'?
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Accounting & Business (UK edition)_January 2012 by ACCA - issuu
issuu
uk.ab accounting and businesS 01/2012
AB
accounting and business UK 01/2012
mending capitalism
getting business and society back in tune
tony fernandes
the asian entrepreneur living a british sporting dream shell inside the energy giant interview guoman hotels audit facing an eu overhaul
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Editor’s choice
Will this be the year when a serious effort is made to repair the damaging schism between business and society opened up by the financial crisis? We explore what some are calling a crisis of capitalism in our cover feature, starting on page 22
HARD TIMES The coming year is one where true grit will be required. I write this in the run-up to Christmas, just days after tens of thousands of public sector workers marched through London in protest at proposed cuts to their pensions, their route taking them past ACCA’s headquarters. It was a civilised affair – teachers, librarians, civil servants, healthcare workers – but there was no mistaking their anger, fuelled even further by the chancellor’s Autumn Statement, which capped public sector pay rises at 1%. When inflation and existing pay freezes are taken into account, this means that millions of UK wage-earners are being given an effective salary cut of some 15% over the lifetime of this parliament. Huge ranks of public sector workers with less money in their pockets will make things even more difficult for the private sector, where many staff are also finding that their salaries are declining in real terms. Finance professionals around the country will be grappling with the challenges presented by these difficult conundrums. Determination, thoughtfulness and perseverance will be required. But all this doesn’t mean that there aren’t still examples of business success and growth – we look at two of them in this issue. Our interview on page 14 with Tara Ridgeway FCCA, FD of Guoman, which has deluxe hotels in iconic locations across London, illustrates that there is still a market for luxury in these straitened times. Meanwhile, Asian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes FCCA (page 18), tells us about his new no-frills hotel chain and the growth of his budget airline, AirAsia, along with his experiences in the Lord Sugar role of the Asian version of The Apprentice. ‘Believe the unbelievable, dream the impossible and never take no for an answer,’ he advises those setting out on their careers. In 2012, more than ever, they will be in need of such hope and inspiration. Happy new year. I hope you find the hope, inspiration and grit you will need to survive it. Chris Quick, [email protected]
BABEL BUSTER With more than 100 countries having adopted IFRS and the US tiptoeing closer, the cost-benefit tipping point for adopters has now been reached. Page 26
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2012’s ALPHABET From A is for Asia – or anywhere but Europe – right up to the Z generation, we list the 26 themes that will help to define this year. Page 33
TECHNICAL WEBINARS Automating internal reporting processes www2.accaglobal.com/automate Integrated reporting www2.accaglobal.com/integrated
NEW YEAR NEW JOB Check out thousands of jobs and expert careers advice at www. accacareers.com
08/12/2011 10:48
AB UK EDITION CONTENTS JANUARY 2012 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 Editor-in-chief Chris Quick [email protected] +44 (0)20 7059 5966 Asia editor Colette Steckel [email protected] +44 (0)20 7059 5965 International editor Lesley Bolton [email protected] +44 (0)20 7059 5965 Sub-editors Peter Kernan, Eva Peaty, Vivienne Riddoch Design manager Jackie Dollar [email protected] +44 (0)20 7059 5620 Designers Robert Mills, Jane C Reid Production manager Anthony Kay [email protected] Advertising James Fraser [email protected] +44 (0)20 7902 1224 Head of publishing Adam Williams [email protected] +44 (0)20 7059 5601 Printing Wyndeham Group Pictures Corbis ACCA President Dean Westcott FCCA Deputy president Barry Cooper FCCA Vice president Martin Turner FCCA Chief executive Helen Brand
Features
ACCA Connect Tel +44 (0)141 582 2000 Fax +44 (0)141 582 2222 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Accounting and Business is published by ACCA 10 times per year. All views expressed within the title are those of the contributors. The Council of ACCA and the publishers do not guarantee the accuracy of statements by contributors or advertisers, or accept responsibility for any statement that they may express in this publication. The publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement by ACCA of a product or service. Copyright ACCA 2012 Accounting and Business. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or distributed without the express written permission of ACCA.
Accounting and Business is published by Certified Accountant (Publications) Ltd, a subsidiary of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
18 Tony Fernandes FCCA The business success story enjoys virtual rock star status in South-East Asia 22 System breakdown Companies can no longer ignore the schism between business and society 26 Going global The number of countries adopting IFRS has hit the 100 mark 30 E-learning As a training tool, e-learning is set to expand even further
ISSN No: 1460-406X 29 Lincoln’s Inn Fields London, WC2A 3EE, UK +44 (0) 20 7059 5000 www.accaglobal.com
33 An A-Z of 2012 Who knows what the year holds? We have some ideas...
Audit period July 2009 to June 2010 138,255
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14 Five-star career We talk to Tara Ridgeway FCCA, FD of Guoman Hotels
37 Barnier’s grand audit plan We examine the European Commission’s proposals for the future of the audit market
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Worldwide
There are six different versions of Accounting and Business: China, Ireland, International, Malaysia, Singapore and UK. See them all at www.accaglobal.com/ab
Regulars
06 News in pictures A different view of recent headlines
45 The view from Sandra McAlister FCCA of McAlister & Co, plus news in brief
08 News in graphics We show a story as well as tell it using innovative graphs
46 Self-assessment Our tips for coping with the annual sprint to the deadline
49 CORPORATE
10 News round-up A digest of all the latest news and developments
49 The view from Adnan Majid FCCA of Hitachi Data Systems, plus news in brief
12 Politics ACCA hosts the EC’s first public discussion on audit market proposals
50 Inside Shell A look at what it’s like to work at the energy multinational 54 Going private Why companies choose to delist
VIEWPOINT
59 PUBLIC SECTOR
39 John Davies Europe’s audit proposals are too interventionist
59 The view from Andrew Cozens, adviser to the Local Government Association, plus news in brief
40 Robert Bruce Plans for ‘pure’ audit firms could prove disastrous
60 Hammer blow The government’s deficit reduction plan means even more bad news for the public sector
63 FINANCIAL SERVICES
42 Jane Fuller Are the Big Four headed for an annus horribilis in 2012? 43 Peter Williams Individuals and corporates must learn to pay the right amount of tax – not the least 44 Dean Westcott Embrace technology to control our destiny, urges the ACCA president
TECHNICAL 66 CPD: IAS 36 Understanding the implications of an amendment on the size of cash-generating units
63 The view from Faraz Jan Muhammad of UBS, plus news in brief 64 Wealth health The implications of the FSA’s retail distribution review
69 Update The latest on financial reporting, auditing, tax and law
CAREERS
CPD
Accounting and Business is a rich source of CPD. If you read it to keep yourself up to date, it will contribute to your non-verifiable CPD. If you read an article, learn something new and apply that learning in some way, it will contribute to your verifiable CPD. Each month, we also publish an article or two with related questions to answer. If they are relevant to your development needs, they can also contribute to your verifiable CPD. One hour of learning equates to one unit of CPD. For more, go to www.accaglobal.com/members/cpd
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74 Salary survey ACCA’s first global salary and career survey shows high levels of career satisfaction among members
ACCA NEWS 77 Take five Hints to help you plan your CPD for 2012 78 Paddling to victory Meet Ed McKeever: champion kayaker and ACCA student
79 British Accountancy Awards ACCA members enjoy a night of success 80 International Assembly Senior members gathered in London to discuss the challenges that lie ahead 82 Student service Exam registration and results fully online
08/12/2011 10:54
News in pictures
01
Administrators from Ernst & Young were poised to take control of Battersea Power Station, after backers of a £5.5bn redevelopment plan called in their loans
02
The UK is set for a shot in the arm from Starbucks, which plans to open 300 new outlets over five years, mainly in the North
03
As 2012 dawns, three new PMs are getting to grips with the eurozone’s problems: Spain’s Mariano Rajoy (right), Greece’s Lucas Papademos and Italy’s Mario Monti
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04
Camera-maker Olympus went into meltdown after admitting losses going back more than 20 years. Former auditor Ernst & Young has come under fire
05
Scottish tennis star Andy Murray, currently ranked fourth in the world, is set to launch another attempt to land a maiden grand slam crown at the Australian Open in Melbourne
06
Transport for London was at the centre of Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone’s battle for City Hall. Livingstone has pledged to cut tube fares by 7% if he wins the mayoral election on 3 May
07
Thousands of new toys will go on show at Toy Fair at London’s Olympia, the UK’s only dedicated toy, game and hobby exhibition. Visitors to previous shows have included Darth Vader and stormtroopers from Star Wars
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News in graphics RISKY BUSINESS
SMEs who expect accountants to process all their documents in a digital format within two years, according to CCH.
Nearly three-quarters of companies combine the risk function with internal audit, according to research by Deloitte and Hedley May. The myth and reality of the corporate CRO: an individual or a set of capabilities? found that over half the companies surveyed did not employ a chief risk officer (CRO) or equivalent.
54%
Businesses globally that are not ready for lease accounting changes, says Grant Thornton.
73% 58%
INVEST UDI A5 MENT B ANKER
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF MECHANIC
HAIRDRESSER
PEUGEOT 307 NURSE
Accountants and investment bankers favour Audis, while nurses plump for Peugeots, according to a survey by car insurance comparison website Tiger.co.uk. In terms of absolute numbers, the survey found that the most popular cars were the Vauxhall Corsa, the Ford Fiesta and the Renault Clio respectively.
REPUTATION OR BRAND 67% ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 58% EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION 44% INNOVATION AND LEARNING 44% RISK MANAGEMENT OR RISK REDUCTION 35% ACCESS TO CAPITAL/MORE SHAREHOLDER VALUE 32% ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS 32% STRENGTHENED SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS 22% MARKET POSITION (MARKET SHARE) IMPROVEMENT 22% IMPROVED RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENT 18% COST SAVINGS 10%
38%
REPUTATION IS EVERYTHING
Reputational or brand considerations are the biggest business drivers in corporate responsibility reporting among Global Fortune 250 companies, overtaking ethical concerns. The KPMG International survey of corporate responsibility reporting 2011 also found that economic considerations had dropped from 68% – second position in 2008 – to 32%.
07/12/2011 17:46
9 HEAVY-HANDED TAXATION MAKES WAY FOR THE LIGHTER TOUCH According to KPMG International’s annual Corporate and Indirect Tax Survey, corporate tax rates have been steadily falling for a decade, while goods and services tax (GST) and value added tax (VAT) systems have been introduced, rising to higher rates and applying to more items as indirect tax systems mature.
1 ASIA: DOWN FROM 24% 2 LATIN AMERICA: DOWN FROM 25.3% 3 EUROPE: UP FROM 20% 4 OCEANIA: DOWN FROM 24.2% 5 NORTH AMERICA: DOWN FROM 23.7% 6 AFRICA: SAME AS 2010
28.3%
News round-up
PROFITS UP, TAXES DOWN
The effective tax rate paid by FTSE 100 companies has fallen by a third in two years, according to UHY Hacker Young. The average rate paid now is 26%, against 35.8% two years ago, despite profits rising in the intervening period. The cut reflects a reduction in headline corporation tax rates and some companies transferring their headquarters overseas. FTSE 100 companies are generating a rising percentage of revenues overseas and taking advantage of lower tax rates in overseas jurisdictions, says the firm.
REPORTS ‘TOO COMPLEX’
More than three-quarters of businesses believe that their financial reports could be simplified without any loss of value to users. A third of companies surveyed by Baker Tilly said that they would welcome not having an
annual audit at all. FRS 17, Retirement Benefits, was particularly criticised for making accounts ‘meaningless’ and ‘impossible to understand’. Almost 60% of respondents opposed an additional auditor commentary to assist users’ understanding of accounts, particularly if it increased costs. Companies were also wary of auditors making subjective judgments.
CFOs WANT AUDIT ROTATION
The vast majority of UK CFOs support the frequent rotation of auditors, according to a survey by recruitment adviser Robert Half. Some 87% of CFOs favour rotation, with 80% wanting rotation at least once every three years. Large and listed company CFOs were most in favour of frequent rotation. However, the CFOs rejected the suggestion that the Big Four had too much of a hold in the audit market.
VAT LOOPHOLE CLOSED
Low-value goods purchased from the Channel Islands will in future be subject to VAT. Low-value consignment relief (LVCR) will be abolished from April 2012, following complaints from UK stores that they were losing trade to offshore online retailers. The relief was costing the Treasury about £140m a year in lost VAT, said officials. A new £15 LVCR threshold will apply to other non-EU jurisdictions.
GUIDANCE ON GREEK DEBT
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has issued guidance to issuers and auditors on how International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and legislation should be interpreted when deciding on the accounting treatment of Greek and other at risk sovereign debt. Issuers are encouraged to provide information on exposures to sovereign debt on a country-by-country basis in their financial statements. The ESMA aims to achieve a consistent interpretation of IFRS on sovereign debt.
GT REVENUES DOWN
EU finance ministers try to thrash out a solution to the debt crisis in the eurozone
INFORMATION SECRECY INFLICTS SOVEREIGN DEBT PRICE
The failure of governments to release key financial information to finance institutions, credit rating agencies and the public undermines confidence in sovereign debt, says an Ernst & Young study. ‘This has potential ramifications for the global economy if those audiences making critical investment, regulatory and political decisions do not have the most relevant and reliable information,’ said Philippe Peuch-Lestrade, global government and public sector leader at Ernst & Young. ‘Governments should be motivated following the financial crisis to put in place the conditions for modern management and to reform their accounting methodologies, but more progress is still needed to address concerns about transparency, accountability and sustainability.’ The report found most countries surveyed use their own accounting and financial reporting systems, making financial comparisons difficult.
UK_B_newsroundup.indd 10
Grant Thornton’s UK revenues dropped by £2.7m – 0.7% – to £377m in the year ending June 2011. Pre-tax profits were £75.2m and average profit per partner rose to £342,000. Assurance revenue grew by 2.8%, tax revenue fell by 1.4% and corporate finance went down by 13.9%. CEO Scott Barnes said: ‘Given the continuing difficult economic conditions, Grant Thornton’s performance has been very strong.’ The firm expects to win more public sector audit and service delivery deals.
BDO REVENUES UP
BDO’s revenues rose in the year ended September for its global network, including its US and Spanish members. The increase was 4.41% measured in euro, or 7.36% measured in the dollar. Turnover was US$5.672bn. Fee income in the Middle East, the fastest-growing region, rose 31%, with new member firms recruited in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Revenues rose 21% in Asia Pacific, assisted by the Hong Kong
08/12/2011 10:40
11
Analysis EUROPEAN BULL ENTERS AUDIT’S CHINA SHOP
The European Commission’s proposals on audit reform seek to tear up the status quo, with mandatory rotation and tendering, and much more in the same vein. We investigate the grand plans – and reaction to them
merger with Grant Thornton. Revenues rose 16% in sub-Saharan Africa and 1.1% in Europe.
MAZARS BUYS PwC PRACTICE
Mazars has bought PwC’s volume personal insolvency practice, with 27 PwC staff transferring to Mazars. The Gloucester-based operation is to be integrated with Mazars’ National Bankruptcy Centre, which is split between Milton Keynes and London and has 23 staff. Mazars partner Martin Pickard, who leads the new practice, said: ‘Our business is now in a position to become the lead practice in its market and we are excited by the opportunity it gives us to further enhance services.’ PwC said it would now concentrate on complex and contentious personal insolvency cases.
P37
TAX INQUIRIES NET £255M
HMRC has raised £255m in the last year from personal tax investigations, a rise of 7% from the 2008–09 year. According to UHY Hacker Young, which analysed the figures, HMRC has begun more investigations into lower rate taxpayers. Tax partner Roy Maugham said: ‘Those who are going to be at particular risk of investigations over the next year are doctors, dentists, plumbers, tutors, residential property
RSM TENON GROWS
RSM Tenon grew its audit, tax and advisory business by 35%, from £89.5m to £121.3m, for the year ended June 2011. Total turnover grew by 31%, from £190.4m in 2010 to £249.1m in 2011. However, specialist tax revenues fell from £19.1m to £15.1m. Turnover in the financial management practice rose from £17.1m to £30.1m, in the turnaround and corporate recovery business from £51m to £52m, and in the risk management practice from £13.7m to £30.6m. Operating profits increased from £26.3m in 2010 to £30.1m.
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Accountants typically earn much less than the public assumes, according to research from Bloomsbury Professional. While the median earnings for an accountant are slightly under £35,000, a mere 16% of people surveyed correctly thought average incomes would be between £30,000 and £40,000. More than a fifth assumed accountants earned over £60,000 on average.
GOING CONCERN ‘NEEDS REFORM’
BDO INVESTIGATED
BDO is under investigation by the Accountancy and Actuarial Discipline Board (AADB) for its audit of Healthcare Locums. The investigation relates to the preparation and approval of the company’s accounts for the six months ending June 2010, the company’s use of a discounting facility with Barclays in that period and the company’s compliance with the terms and conditions of an NHS framework agreement. Healthcare Locums had to restate its past accounts and refinance the group in early 2011. BDO said it would be fully assisting the AADB with its investigation.
MYTH OF ‘RICH’ ACCOUNTANTS
Tough trading conditions
landlords and anyone in sectors that HMRC sees as a bit too entrepreneurial.’ HMRC has just announced a new task force to investigate landlords in Wales and North Wales.
AIR PARTNER SWITCHES AUDITOR Deloitte has won the Air Partner audit from Mazars. Air Partner said the change followed a competitive tendering process. Mazars’ final audit report statement said no circumstances needed to be brought to the attention of shareholders. Air Partner provides private jets and passenger and freight planes for charter.
Liquidity and solvency risks should be taken into account in going concern assessments, the Sharman Inquiry has reported. The inquiry also concluded that auditors should identify risks to the business model or capital adequacy that could threaten an organisation’s survival. The Financial Reporting Council, which initiated the inquiry, was advised to establish protocols with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills that would let it take a more systematic approach to learning lessons from corporate failures. Sharman recommended that audit reports should explicitly state that they have nothing to add to directors’ disclosures. The inquiry suggested that agreed new criteria for the going concern assessment should be disclosed in accounting standards and the corporate governance code.
GT LEADS ON AIM
Grant Thornton remains the largest auditor for AIM-listed companies, according to the latest Morningstar quarterly professional services rankings guide. BDO is the second largest firm and gained 24 AIM clients in the last quarter, giving it 144. The fastest-growing firm is Crowe Clark Whitehill, now the ninth largest AIM auditor after expanding client numbers for six successive quarters. In the all-market analysis, KPMG remains the largest firm, with PwC five clients behind after winning seven new mandates in the last quarter.
08/12/2011 10:41
Politics
BIG FOUR FACE BREAK-UP
PETROS FASSOULAS EXPLAINS WHAT HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME THE EC DISCUSSED ITS AUDIT REFORMS IN PUBLIC
ACCA organised a roundtable on 6 December in Brussels to discuss the European Commission’s proposals on audit reform. The event was the first time the EC had discussed its proposals in public since publishing them on 30 November. There were speeches from EC members, two Euro MPs charged with scrutinising the proposals, and industry stakeholders including ACCA director of technical Sue Almond. Participants explored how the value and quality of audit might be enhanced and society’s confidence in the ability of audit to add value restored. Participants also exchanged good practices and recommendations on the role of audit committees and proportionate audit for SMEs. There was broad support for many of the ideas put forward by the EC aimed at improving audit quality and independence, but different views also emerged on some of the market structure proposals. (See page 37 for more on the EU’s reform proposals.) Petros Fassoulas is head of policy, Europe and Americas at ACCA
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The Big Four would be unable to operate as both auditors and consultants under the European Commission’s revised reform plans. Nor would auditors be allowed to provide consultancy services to clients. The mandatory rotation of audit firms is also proposed. In another move designed to challenge the dominance of the major firms, lenders and other counterparties would be banned from stipulating that audits must be conducted by a Big Four firm. However, there will be no move towards mandatory joint audits. Internal market and services commissioner Michel Barnier said: ‘It is now high time for the situation [of Big Four market dominance] to change and for auditors to respond to the societal role that they are entrusted with.’ The creation of a European ‘passport’ for auditors has also been proposed, to increase mobility across the single market. For more, see page 37.
GAAR COMES CLOSER
The independent review of the Treasury’s proposed General AntiAvoidance Rule (GAAR), conducted by Graham Aaronson, has been published. Aaronson has suggested that a narrowly focused GAAR could deter abusive tax avoidance schemes, contribute towards a more level playing field for business, reduce legal uncertainty around tax avoidance schemes, improve trust between taxpayers and HMRC, and provide opportunities to simplify the tax system. The report warned against a broad GAAR. Aaronson said a GAAR should initially apply only to the main taxes: income tax, national insurance, capital gains tax, corporation tax and petroleum revenue tax.
PFI REPLACEMENT SOUGHT
The government is seeking to replace the heavily criticised Private Finance Initiative (PFI) with other delivery
models to improve UK infrastructure, the Treasury has announced. A review is to consider alternatives, drawing on private sector expertise, that will be cheaper than PFI. The intention is to develop a model that shares risk better between the private and public sectors. The government hopes the reform will lead to much higher levels of investment – possibly an additional £20bn – from pension funds. The aim is to devise a model with greater flexibility, allowing public sector clients to vary their requirements over time.
HMRC CRITICISM CRITICISED
Criticism of HMRC for negotiating supposedly favourable deals with Goldman Sachs and other major businesses may undermine confidence in the tax authority and lead to worse settlements in future, warns the CBI. HMRC’s capacity to negotiate deals rather than go through costly and slow legal action is essential to help make the UK a more attractive place to do business, said the CBI. Will Morris, chair of the CBI tax committee, said: ‘Whatever the procedural defects in certain cases, the settlement programme is greatly to the advantage of both government and taxpayers.’
FRC TO NARROW ITS FOCUS
Accountants’ professional bodies may handle all misconduct cases affecting their members in future, under plans put out for consultation by the Financial Reporting Council. The FRC’s Accountancy and Actuarial Discipline Board would consider only cases about reports prepared and audited for the capital markets. Under the proposals, which have been made by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the FRC itself would concentrate on setting standards of governance, accounting, audit and actuarial work, and on monitoring and enforcement activity in publicly traded and the largest private companies.
07/12/2011 18:58
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FIVE STAR CAREER
In appointing Tara Ridgeway FCCA its first finance director, Guoman Hotels has put a woman in post whose ambition matches that of this fast-growing business
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alk into the swanky lobby of The Cumberland Hotel and the first thing you notice is a sculpture of a casually dressed man lying on his side, seemingly supported by just his elbow. The second thing you notice is the sheer size of the place. With its 1,019 bedrooms and Gary Rhodes’ Michelin-starred W1 restaurant, The Cumberland is part of the Guoman chain and one of the largest hotels in London. It’s part of a deluxe set of five of the luxury hotels in the 40-strong Guoman Thistle group. All Guoman hotels are in iconic London locations. The Cumberland overlooks London’s Marble Arch and the other four are The Tower, The Charing Cross, The Royal Horseguards and The Grosvenor at London Victoria station, currently undergoing a multimillionpound refurbishment and due to reopen as a Guoman hotel this January. Each hotel has a theme based on its architecture and location. The Cumberland’s is ‘creativity’. Hence the modern art scattered across its vast lobby. Had we visited a month earlier we’d have seen a few Banksys. The chain represents a huge investment by Guocoleisure, the Singapore-listed owner of Guoman Hotels, itself owned by Hong Leong, the Malaysian based banking to manufacturing conglomerate. And there are big plans for the brand for the future. An ambitious business needs an ambitious FD, hence Guoman’s decision to hire Tara Ridgeway FCCA, who took up the newly created role in
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August 2011. ‘I had a goal of wanting to be a finance director by the age of 40,’ she says of her career strategy. In fact, she ticked off that particular box when she became FD of Fitness First’s Benelux operations in 2008 at the tender age of 34. Talking in the luxurious surroundings of one of The Cumberland’s three bars, Ridgeway describes her new role: ‘It was created to enhance the finance function and drive the commerciality of the business. I need to provide commercial decision support to the MD and the hotel general managers. I need to be a business partner to the hotels. Rather than being seen as a finance person, it’s really about how can we work together to drive the business forward and add value.’ She reports direct to the CFO of Guoman & Thistle Hotels and has a dotted line to the UK MD of Guoman & Thistle Hotels. Expansion is the name of the game. The group makes no secret of its ambitious growth plans, with the Guoman Hotels website indicating it is looking to ramp up its hotel portfolio both in the UK and globally. ‘We will consider all opportunities,’ it says. With the economy faltering, is this really the best time to expand a hotel chain? Ridgeway points to Guocoleisure’s annual report for the year ended 30 June 2011, which shows that revenue from the Guoman and Thistle Hotels combined grew almost 14% year on year and the profit before financing cost improved 31% to US$61m. RevPAR, (revenue per available room) for Guoman and Thistle in London grew by 15% year on year.
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Growth for the rest of the UK was 8% year on year. And since then? ‘Year-to-date revenue exceeds that of last year and I would expect that trend to continue,’ says Ridgeway. The reason why profits and revenues are soaring while others in the sector are struggling, she explains, is that the business keeps good control over margins. ‘We will be looking at operational efficiencies, but it’s not “let’s just cut costs”. That’s not what this business is about. It’s about customer satisfaction. We need to provide a certain level of service.’ A big focus, says Ridgeway, is on turnover. ‘Driving revenue forward is something we are doing very actively by promoting our business through different channels, looking at repeat business, customer retention – that sort of thing,’ says Ridgeway. She does concede that the downturn has had some effect. ‘Business is challenging for everyone at the moment.’ Guoman can compare how it performs against its competitor set, which varies per hotel location, on a daily basis on the basis of key KPIs such as occupancy and room rates, thanks to statistics produced and shared by the hotel industry through benchmarking company STR. ‘Compared to our competitor set, we’re generally outperforming. The Guoman brand is quite new. We’re getting a lot of repeat business, which helps us to keep the revenues up, and the investment we are making in the hotels is starting to pay back.’ The luxurious ease of the hotels is a contrasting backdrop to Ridgeway’s own schedule – 12-hour days are frequent, although she avoids working at weekends unless something critical crops up. She likes to travel, entertain, cook and make jam with the fruit from her garden. Currently she commutes to Belgium on the Eurostar at weekends, back to the family home. She is looking for a feline-friendly house with a large
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Appointed FD of Guoman Hotels
2010
Promoted to European financial controller of Fitness First
2008
FD post, with Fitness First, Benelux
2005
Business assurance manager at Centrica, rising to be financial controller – projects at Luminus
1999
Became a member of ACCA
1996
Started at Queens Moat Houses and worked her way up to become head of risk management services
garden – and ideally fruit trees – in southern Hertfordshire. ‘My diary tends to be full every day. Every other Wednesday morning is completely blocked out for reviewing capital expenditure proposals. I check if the return on investment makes sense, and look at the basis for estimates of revenue increases.’ Her biggest initiative since becoming FD has been restructuring the 40odd staff in the finance team. She has decentralised the credit control department, moving it to the hotels to promote collaboration and efficiencies. But isn’t centralisation more the trend these days? ‘You need to be based in the hotels – you add much more value.’ You can help management rather than being in a remote office somewhere else. I have a financial controller in every hotel and various levels of people supporting them. It’s been about ensuring that every hotel has the right number of people in the finance team and that they’re the right people to drive the business forward, both from a standard finance perspective but also from a value-
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adding perspective. But we still have a central approach to everything we do.’ Part of her restructuring has focused on people management and succession planning. She wants to improve skills and knowledge to support multi-tasking. The changes to the structure, she says, allow people to move into different roles more easily as the roles are more closely aligned across the hotels. The week before the interview she hosted a two-day conference for the whole function. There were teambuilding activities – building towers out of marshmallow spaghetti seems particularly apt for a hotel chain – but there was also much discussion about commercial acumen. ‘It’s about looking at revenue opportunities, increasing market share, driving the business forward.’ Ridgeway says what she likes best about the job is the ability to make improvements, working together with the hotels to fine-tune the existing good-quality base, coming up with ideas that add value and develop the business. Challenging the business in the ‘right way’, she says, is important. ‘It’s all about how you phrase it.’ Her role encourages idea sharing. ‘Sometimes one hotel will have carried out a really good piece of analysis on, for example, food and beverage margins, and we can adopt this across the other hotels, with a view to improving profitability.’ Next on the people development front will be working with HR to include ACCA accreditation for the finance graduate scheme. ‘For me it’s a qualification to be proud of as it means I’m part of the largest global accountancy body,’ says Ridgeway. ‘It’s also the premium industry qualification as it represents strategy and ethics, with good business and commercial knowledge.’ So does any of the glamour of the environment rub off on her and do the perks include celebrity chef-style fine dining? ‘I normally eat in the staff
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The tips * *
Have a goal in mind of where you want to be and by when. You will get there if you strive for it. As a leader you can make a difference, but your success will depend on your colleagues. Show a genuine concern for people. Encouraging and enabling others to develop will always bring out the best in people.
‘WE WILL BE LOOKING AT OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES, BUT IT’S NOT “LET’S JUST CUT COSTS”. THAT’S NOT WHAT THIS BUSINESS IS ABOUT’
* *
Challenge the way things are done, but with tact and respect. Learn about the different areas of the business as a way to support them better. Don’t be afraid to say you don’t understand.
*
If someone asks you a question and you are not certain of the answer, say you’ll get back to them. That way people learn they can rely on you and will trust what you say.
canteen, it’s pretty good,’ she says. ‘It’s nice walking into the hotels and seeing them full of customers, but I wouldn’t say it’s glamorous.’ And what of the future? Does videoconferencing threaten the longterm viability of reliance on business customers? ‘It’s certainly a risk. Years ago it became very fashionable, but companies have since thought that actually it’s not very effective.’ Having achieved her first big career goal with time to spare, Ridgeway, who has a degree in international marketing and languages, has set herself another: ‘By the time I’m 45 I’d like to be CFO of a large company.’ Whatever the role, we’re likely to be hearing more from her in the future.
The basics
Number of Guoman-branded five-star luxury hotels in UK
2,686
Total number of bedrooms in the five hotels
15%
Growth in revenue per available room for Guoman and Thistle hotels based in London in the year to 30 June 2011
US$61M
Total profit before financing cost for Guoman and Thistle hotels in the UK in the year to 30 June 2011, a rise of 31% on the previous financial year
Chris Quick, editor
CEO interview
THE MAN WHO IS LIVING THE DREAM
Having turned a loss-making airline into a runaway success and flourished in a wide range of ventures, Tony Fernandes FCCA is as big a celebrity businessman as they come
T
ony Fernandes is a force of nature. He is the man behind Malaysian entertainment and leisure conglomerate Tune Group, which is the parent business of AirAsia, the owner of English Premiership football team Queens Park Rangers and principal of the Caterham (formerly Lotus) Formula 1 racing team, for starters. His success hasn’t gone unnoticed. In South-East Asia he commands virtual rock star status, but despite being held in such lofty regard he remains approachable and unaffected. He sits at a simple, standard-sized desk in an open plan office alongside his staff at AirAsia. But life would have been very different if Fernandes had followed his father’s wishes and opted for a career in medicine as he himself had done, rather than train with ACCA. ‘My father wanted me to follow in his footsteps and become a doctor. But I decided to do accountancy instead,’ he says. Fernandes is perhaps best known for buying AirAsia in 2001 for a token sum – the day after the 9/11 disaster. Back then it was a loss-making airline company complete with debts of £8m, but Fernandes has turned it into one of the world’s most successful budget airlines. In doing so, he has revolutionised the aviation industry in South-East Asia by making flying affordable for everyone. He remains group CEO of AirAsia.
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The idea behind the acquisition was hatched at an early age, through his own experiences of travelling back and forth to his native Malaysia. He explains: ‘I was sent away to study in London [Epsom College and the London School of Economics] at a very young age and it was very expensive to travel home then. I thought to myself, why should air travel be so expensive? Everyone should be able to fly home to their loved ones any time they want.
a two-aircraft outfit plying six routes in Malaysia to a business covering 80 destinations in 24 countries, with more than 10,000 staff and a market capitalisation of over £1.4bn [as of December 2011].’ The turnaround and expansion of the company aside, there are plenty of big challenges to keep him on his toes. ‘The main challenge is always to keep costs low, as nothing is certain in terms of fuel prices, rising costs and the global economic uncertainty. But
‘I WAS SENT TO STUDY IN LONDON WHEN IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE TO TRAVEL HOME. I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WHY SHOULD AIR TRAVEL BE SO EXPENSIVE?’ ‘Then along came an opportunity to live my dream of democratising air travel. Together with my partners Dato’ Pahamin Ab. Rajab, Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun and Dato’ Aziz Bakar [none of whom had any real aviation industry experience], we bought out AirAsia from Hicom Holdings (now DRB-Hicom) for the token sum of one Malaysian ringgit.’ Despite the tough climate and fears surrounding aviation travel after the Twin Towers attack in 2001, the AirAsia debt was paid back inside two years. ‘People did not believe it was something that was achievable,’ says Fernandes. ‘But it feels good that since we took over we have successfully turned the airline from
AirAsia will continue to stay focused on our strategy of containing or driving down costs, raising yields and further expanding network reach.’ For now the outlook remains good for AirAsia, especially with the launch of AirAsia Philippines, AirAsia Japan and its recent firm order for 200 Airbus A320neos. The Airbus deal is seen by a number of analysts as key to securing the company’s future by vastly improving its ability to meet the potential growth in the market. ‘The decision to be one of the first launch customers for the A320neo will ensure we remain ahead of the pack, with one of the world’s youngest and most modern fleet. The A320neo is expected to deliver approximately a
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Senior financial analyst, Warner Music International, London
1987–1989
Financial controller, Virgin Records, London
15% reduction in fuel consumption per aircraft, which will help us to focus on maintaining or even lowering our already leading cost per available seat kilometre [CASK].’ Results to date for 2011 show a 20% year-on-year increase in revenue for Q1 and 15% for Q2. Affiliates in Indonesia and Thailand performed well in both quarters, with AirAsia Thailand posting a growth of 44% year on year and AirAsia Indonesia a 37% rise in yearon-year revenue. Meanwhile, AirAsia Indonesia will be operating a 100% Airbus fleet for 2012. This will help improve operating costs and contribute to further growth. ‘We are trying to maintain tight control of costs even as we grow revenues,’ he says. ‘Fuel prices are volatile and beyond our control, so our response is to continue to innovate in the way we operate. Based on the results of both quarters, we are well
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‘IT’S A THRILL TO BE AT THE APPRENTICE ASIA HELM AND SEE PROMISING BUSINESS TALENTS BATTLE IT OUT FROM THE STREET TO THE BOARDROOM’ on track to achieve our goal – building on our already strong foundation to enhance growth.’ At the nub of that strategy is a ‘load active, yield passive’ outlook, which is paying off through lower average fares. That attracts more passengers, who in turn contribute to a higher takeup rate of ancillary services such as baggage supersize, pick-a-seat, cargo and courier, in-flight merchandise and meals and refreshments. ‘Instead of raising fares for higher yields – and running the risk of dampening air travel – we’d rather keep fares at reasonable levels to attract higher passenger loads and boost revenue through ancillary services.’
Despite his clear love of AirAsia, it was never going to be enough for a man who is constantly on the lookout for new opportunities. Fernandes has also turned his hand to another business venture in the form of Tune Hotels, a no-frills low-cost hotel chain. Tune offers ‘five-star bedding at onestar prices’, with room rates from 20p. It currently operates eight hotels and is working to develop dozens of hotels across AirAsia destinations. And there’s more, including an opportunity with Caterham in Formula 1. Having already brought AirAsia into F1 with AT&T Williams as a team partner, Fernandes was approached about sponsoring a new team. A
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The tips * *
Believe the unbelievable, dream the impossible and never take no for an answer. Go with your gut and give it your best shot – you may fail, but don’t give up.
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motorsport fan since childhood, he saw the chance to bring the much loved Lotus name back into F1, and with a consortium of Malaysian business interests he led the creation and launch of the team in 2009 and its entry into the 2010 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. During 2011, Fernandes also pulled off two more eye-catching sportsrelated deals in the UK. First he purchased British sports car company Caterham. The acquisition is an opportunity for Fernandes to enter the automotive industry but was a move made more difficult at the time by an ongoing row with the Lotusbranded Renault F1 team over the use of the rights to the Lotus brand name. Team Lotus won the case, so Fernandes and his team are the rightful owners of the Team Lotus name. If he had lost, he would probably have lost the use of the Team Lotus name.
Caterham was born out of Lotus, initially as a dealer of the iconic Lotus Seven and subsequently as the purchaser of the rights to continue manufacturing the Seven when Lotus ceased production in 1973. Caterham’s only car at present is the Caterham 7, an evolution of the Lotus. Later in 2011, he snapped up newly promoted Premier League side QPR, following talks with the club’s previous owners, F1 moguls Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore. ‘Negotiations were not that long,’ he says. ‘The opportunity to get involved in QPR came up via the previous owners and I jumped at it. Now that I am part of it, I hope to make this raw diamond shine as much as it can. I want the fans to be proud of what we are doing as they are stakeholders.’ There is speculation that Fernandes would like to relocate the club to a bigger stadium with the possibility of increasing revenues. ‘Let’s focus on staying up and building a good structure and a solid foundation to grow for the future at the moment,’ he responds. ‘Let’s see how the season goes and we will plan from there.’ And as if he hasn’t enough on his plate, he has also found the time to front the Asian edition of TV series The Apprentice. ‘It’s a thrill to be at the helm of The Apprentice Asia and to see some of the most promising business talents in the region battle it out from the street to the boardroom,’ he says. ‘It’s great to be able to throw some really interesting challenges their way, so they can show the world what the new generation of Asian business executives are made of.’ If they turn out anything like Fernandes, there will be plenty to admire. In the meantime, 2012 looks like being another formidable year for one ACCA’s highest-profile members. Alex Miller, journalist
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As protestors continue to the attack the UK’s economic system, will 2012 be the year when the damaging schism between the interests of business and society starts to get fixed?
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he coming year has more than its fair share of apocalyptic predictions, most based on the theory that the calendar of the ancient Mayan civilisation ends in 2012, presaging some kind of cataclysmic event. In recent years New Agers have applied a more positive spin, saying 2012 will mark a spiritual and physical transformation heralding a new era. Even those of us confident of surviving the next 12 months without a spiritual reawakening or seeing the Earth demolished by a giant asteroid would agree that 2012 has something of a doomsday feel to it, at least in economic terms. And many would agree that some kind of transformation is required for our economy to work better. The Occupy London protesters, who at the time of writing remain in
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their encampment around St Paul’s Cathedral, have a wide focus, but it is clear that most of their ire is directed towards the banks. Their website includes the statement: ‘We demand an end to global tax injustice and our democracy representing corporations instead of the people.’ Although they would hesitate to identify themselves with the protesters, there are many business figures – including some in the financial services industry – who would agree with the basic principle that our current problems are due in part at least to the fact that business and society have somehow diverged from each other. The result is that both have suffered. Most of us have become poorer, some significantly. The value of savings is going down. Public services are being cut. Meanwhile the corporate world
struggles to maintain turnover and profitability as society – its customer base – tightens its purse strings. There might not be an instant cure for this malaise, but any remedy will necessarily involve bringing the business world back into closer harmony with the society it serves. How far this will happen in 2012 depends largely on the financial services industry, under fire for what is seen as a greed-driven short-termist outlook out of kilter with one of society’s main requirements of it – to protect and nurture individuals’ long-term savings, pensions in particular. Steve Waygood, head of sustainability research and engagement at Aviva Investors, which has over US$400bn of assets under management, says that although the protests could be viewed as anachronistic and short of practical
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23 ‘BANKERS IN PARTICULAR SHOULD BEHAVE LIKE CITIZENS AGAIN, WORKING COLLECTIVELY FOR THE LONG-TERM GOOD OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE’ suggestions, they illustrate how the financial system is being increasingly drawn into question by the society it is supposed to serve. ‘The extent to which the protesters are a bellwether for society more widely may be being overlooked by City professionals,’ he says. ‘The financial system gets its licence to operate from society, and if society no longer trusts it to do so, and thinks it is only delivering for the few who are in positions of power, influence and wealth, the system’s licence to operate can be questioned.’ Jeffrey Unerman, professor of accounting and corporate accountability at Royal Holloway, University of London, agrees. ‘Economic sustainability is in many ways a prerequisite for social sustainability,’ he says. ‘The interests of society and business therefore do not diverge where businesses behave in an economically and socially responsible manner. Many businesses in the real economy behave in this way. ‘However, senior executives of many businesses in the financial sector appear to be increasingly oblivious of their company’s responsibility towards, and long-term interest in, a stable society by seeking to maximise personal economic gain, no matter how much this damages the real business sector and broader social cohesion.’ So is Unerman optimistic about 2012? He says that an increasing number of businesses recognise the need to behave in a way that meets the social values of those with economic power – customers, employees and regulators. ‘The interests of business should not diverge further from the interests of society in 2012 – quite
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the opposite,’ he says. He adds that companies that ignore this issue are likely to arouse even greater hostility, damaging both their interests and those of society more widely.
Parallel lines The need for the financial services industry to realign its interests more closely with that of wider society is admitted inside the financial services sector. In November 2010 financial services membership body TheCityUK launched the Next Generation Vision. The initiative involved a group of twenty- and thirtysomething employees of big-name City
System breakdown: the proliferation of anti-capitalist demonstrations illustrate how business and society have diverged institutions – including two from Big Four firms – setting out their thoughts on the future of financial services. ‘To be a part of society, not apart from society,’ is their most used catchphrase. ‘Today the industry is often seen as disconnected from society and defined by self-interest,’ says TheCityUK’s chairman Stuart Popham, a board member of both Legal & General and Citigroup, in his introduction.
James Allan, a young Barclays banker and one of the participants, says: ‘Bankers in particular should behave like citizens again, working collectively for the long-term good of society as a whole, and not for shortterm personal gain.’ The vision of the group largely focuses on changing the behaviour of the financial services sector itself. It calls for a standardised, formalised ‘moral code’ and highlights the need to ally the interests of the financial services industry with those of society, with an emphasis on mutual, sustainable long-term value. But Aviva’s Waygood sounds a note of caution about the ability of individuals to bring about the sort of behavioural change required: ‘People are under extreme short-term pressure to deliver, whether it’s on returns or on client needs beyond that.’ The issue of shorttermism is likely to hit the headlines in the coming months with the publication of the Kay Review of UK equity markets and long-term decisionmaking, commissioned by business secretary Vince Cable last June. ‘It is especially urgent that we work out how the equity investment regime can be recalibrated to support the long-term interests of companies as well as underlying beneficiaries, such as pension fund members,’ Cable said at its launch. Economist John Kay’s interim report is scheduled for early spring, and the full report for summer. At the time of going to press, the enquiry had received just under 100 submissions from groups as diverse as the Quakers and the Institute of Directors. The former’s response suggests that boards reintroduce
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some of the values that served businesses such as Cadbury, Barclays and Lloyds so well in the 19th century when they still had strong Quaker connections. The latter’s submission highlights the short-termist pressures the equity market piles on directors of quoted companies – from fluctuations in share prices to lobbying by sell-side analysts or activist investors such as hedge funds. It also highlights the short-term investment horizons of many institutions, driven by the short-term performance measures of fund managers, which lead them to concentrate their efforts on stock-picking and equity capital rather than long-term engagement, and suggests that the boards of companies should try and attract investors that share their strategic time horizon.
Retirement view Another body submitting evidence to the review, UK Sustainable Investment and Finance, says that companies should take a more direct interest in how their pension schemes are managed. It points out that even companies that focus on longer-term business activities neglect this issue. ACCA’s response to the Kay Review points to research indicating that executive directors interpret their duty as being to maximise the short-term share price, and that shareholders’ actions do not discourage this interpretation. ‘This can encourage all sorts of dysfunctional behaviour, including decisions of questionable morality which can adversely affect other stakeholders as well as shareholders. It means that corporate actions can be amoral and even sociopathic,’ says Paul Moxey, ACCA head of corporate governance and risk management. He adds: ‘The interests of institutional shareholders and fund
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* ‘WE ARE THE 99%’:
PROTESTS SPREAD TO 82 COUNTRIES Originating in Canada with Adbusters, the Occupy protest movement – ‘a global network of artists, activists, writers, pranksters, students, educators and entrepreneurs’ – is a campaign against economic and social inequality. In September 2011 Adbusters called for a peaceful occupation of Zuccotti Park in New York’s Wall Street financial district. Its aim was to protest against the influence of corporates on democracy, the growing disparity in wealth, and the absence of legal repercussions following the global financial crisis. Often seen as anti-capitalist, the movement had spread to 82 countries at the last count, in November, including Australia, France, Germany and Hong Kong. In Britain, Occupy London, which is backed by anti-tax avoidance group UK Uncut, set up a camp at St Paul’s Cathedral, among other places, after its attempt to occupy Paternoster Square, the address of the London Stock Exchange, was thwarted by police. To date, Occupy camps have been set up in around a dozen UK locations, including Belfast, Brighton, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds and Newcastle.
managers are not the same as those of the people to whom they have fiduciary responsibility, such as individual savers.’ Savers, he says, want their savings to increase over time whereas the most important driver for fund managers is not to underperform compared to the market. ‘They are not too concerned if the market as a whole declines provided they do not lose more than others.’ Changing fund managers’ targets so that they focus on absolute rather than comparative return could, Moxey suggests, help change this. Fund managers themselves, however, deny that they are overly short-termist in their approach. The Investment Management Association, for example, has submitted data to the Kay Review which it says ‘refutes the myth’ that fund managers are guilty of excessively short holding periods. ‘Initial analysis of a number of UK equity funds’ continuous holdings of companies finds little to support the notion of endemic short-termism,’ says the association’s head of research Jonathan Lipkin. ‘On the contrary, 42% of holdings by value have been held for at least five years.’ In fact, it may be the fund management industry itself that is leading the way in encouraging companies to take a long-termist approach. Aviva’s Waygood points out that issues of long-term sustainability are increasingly built into company valuations and therefore influencing investment decisions. He emphasises that he is talking about sustainability in all its meanings, including both basic business strategy and the risk that external factors such as climate change represent to a business’s future cashflows and profitability. Aviva Investors is leading a coalition of institutions, including ACCA, calling on the United Nations to develop a
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global policy framework that requires listed and large private companies to integrate sustainability information throughout their annual report and accounts – or explain why they are unable to do so. They will be pressing their case for a UN convention on corporate sustainability reporting at the Earth Summit in Rio, Brazil, in June.
Vote-winning decisions So what does all this mean for 2012? ‘Politicians are under increasing pressure to be seen to be doing something, and they can see there are votes to be won and lost,’ says Waygood. He points not just to the Kay Review and the UN initiative, but also to a range of other consultations and legislative initiatives such as EU moves to require financial institutions
UK_F_capitalism.indd 25
to say more about their own ethics and the recent Department for Business, Innovation and Skills consultation on making narrative reporting simpler, clearer and more focused. ‘When they originally designed the stock exchanges they assumed that the people who managed their money would be individuals, and therefore the conscience of the individual would play through in the way they invested their money,’ explains Waygood. But, he says, the evolution of the industry has led to a greater number of intermediaries, which has distanced the conscience of the individual from investment decisions. Current developments, he says, could be couched as the return of capitalism with a conscience. ACCA’s Moxey says: ‘It could go one of two ways. If nothing is done we could
end up with a risk of fragmentation of society, with part of society increasingly feeling alienated and angry with what they see as capitalists – and they wouldn’t distinguish between “good” and “bad” capitalists.’ If this were to happen, he says, and the economy continues to suffer, we could find ourselves heading towards the sort of social unrest that has characterised Greece. But Moxey finishes on an upbeat note: ‘There are a lot of signs in the City and elsewhere of better recognition of societal requirements. If businesses can come together and present how they can be part of something better, then I think we can be quite optimistic.’ Chris Quick, editor
07/12/2011 16:42
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ALL TALKING THE S With an increasing number of countries adopting the same set of international accounting rules in the form of IFRS, the costbenefit tipping point has been passed
UK_INT_F_IFRS.indd 26
W
ith more than 100 countries now having adopted International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the benefits of the global system are becoming clearer. Consistency in how companies prepare their accounts around the world has made it easier for investors to evaluate how they allocate capital, while companies themselves have found it easier to attract investment and manage their own global groups. This view is backed up by a recent ACCA survey, Towards greater convergence: assessing CFO and investor
perspectives on global reporting standards, which reveals that nearly 40% of CFOs around the world found that the benefits of switching to the international system outweighed the costs of such a switch. Only one in five (18%) said that costs generally outweighed the benefits. It is a similar picture for investors. The same survey shows that nearly a third of investors feel that the costs of conversion are outweighed by the benefits, and less than one in 10 (7%) believe the opposite to be true. ‘One of the greatest benefits has been a single set of rules which underpin a single set of numbers by which the
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27 GET THE REPORT AT: www2.accaglobal.com/af/reporting
E SAME LANGUAGE group is run,’ says Russell Picot, chief accounting officer for the UK business of global banking group HSBC, in the ACCA study. ‘It’s done away with the Tower of Babel of different reporting and accounting languages that we had before.��� It is this consistency between countries, for CFOs and investors alike, that drives the perceived benefits of a single set of standards. IFRS might not be necessary if your organisation is based in one country and its investors are also based in that one country, but in today’s globalised business world, such isolationism is increasingly rare.
cannot have a localised crisis. So the only way you can deal with a global crisis is through global regulation, and you can’t have global regulation unless you have global accounting in place.’ So as well as the economic advantages of the reduced cost of capital for individual entities, there is the macroeconomic advantage of transparency in the marketplace with one accounting language, Poole argues. It is against this backdrop that the costs of converting to IFRS should be measured. ‘We’re all very good at being able to identify costs and put a price tag on conversion,’ says
‘THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN DEAL WITH A GLOBAL CRISIS IS THROUGH GLOBAL REGULATION, AND YOU CAN’T HAVE GLOBAL REGULATION UNLESS YOU HAVE GLOBAL ACCOUNTING IN PLACE’ As Hans Hoogervorst, chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), told a conference in Australia recently: ‘Ten years ago few countries used international accounting standards. Everyone did their own thing, which made international comparability very difficult.’ But perhaps more importantly, twothirds of investors and more than half of CFOs in the survey say their view of IFRS has become more positive in the wake of the global financial crisis. ‘The move towards global accounting standards is seen as an essential element of the global financial reform agenda, providing the bedrock on which to build a better, more resilient global infrastructure,’ Hoogervorst said. Veronica Poole, global head of IFRS at Deloitte, backs this view. ‘What we have seen with this financial crisis is that the world is a very small place, everything is interconnected, and you
UK_INT_F_IFRS.indd 27
Anne Simpson, head of corporate governance at CalPERS, the California Public Employees pension fund, in the ACCA report. ‘But should we be visited by horrors like the financial crisis and realise we’ve not invested sufficiently in quality accounting and auditing, then the cost runs to billions. Billions were wiped from the CalPERS portfolio. Those are the sort of numbers we should be looking at when people complain about costs.’ Poole says Europe is the key example of the benefits of IFRS accounting harmonisation: ‘The European regulators and the European Commission have said it is quite clear that there is no way back to different accounting for Europe. They have said that they have seen tangible evidence of the reduced costs of capital in European countries. And this is very much what we are hearing from our clients as well.’
There is of course an elephant in the room when the real benefits and costs of IFRS and related international standards for auditing are considered. That elephant is the US, which has been following a convergence path with the IASB but retains its own generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The US financial regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); the US standard-setter, the Financial Accounting Standards Board; and the IFRS-setter, the IASB, have been working closely, moving towards a point where both IFRS and US GAAP are much better aligned, but differences still exist. And this creates an unsustainable situation, as Hoogervorst explains: ‘In the long run, a dual decision-making process is a very unstable way to work. It can lead to diverged solutions or sub-optimal outcomes at the very end.’
IFRS for the US a must Harvey Goldschmid, an IFRS Foundation trustee and former SEC general counsel, says that the adoption of IFRS by the US is a ‘national imperative’. He recently argued that it would reduce regulatory arbitrage opportunities, increase US company attractiveness to foreign investors by lowering capital costs, and reduce analytical costs and opportunities for fraud. ‘Both IFRS and US GAAP now have strengths and weaknesses… but only IFRS has the prospect of global acceptance,’ Goldschmid recently said. He conceded there would be transition costs, but said the strength of the US oversight system, combined with highquality auditing standards, had in the past reassured investors to help create a 15% premium in value for foreign issuers that had listed in the US. Poole has been encouraged by recent progress reports from the SEC, which
02/12/2011 16:32
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HANS HOOGERVORST ‘IN THE LONG RUN, A DUAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IS A VERY UNSTABLE WAY TO WORK. IN PRACTICE, IT CAN LEAD TO DIVERGED SOLUTIONS OR SUB-OPTIMAL OUTCOMES AT THE VERY END’ she sees as having taken a very evenhanded approach. ‘If you were holding a crystal ball, I think sooner or later you would see a move closer to IFRS. Whether that is going to be IFRS in its entirety, I do not know,’ she says. As Poole observes, most jurisdictions have an endorsement mechanism and process in place, so the SEC staff paper proposal on ‘condorsement’ (a hybrid between convergence and endorsement) is not so far-fetched. ‘Condorsement just means we will move there slowly,’ she says.
create new burdens. But he believes that a date of 2016 or 2017 would give US corporations ample time to put new processes in place alongside the necessary planning, education and training. More to the point, he says: ‘The IASB and the FASB have already done much to reduce transition difficulties and costs by narrowing differences between the two systems in their convergence projects.’ Of course, it is not just the US that is considering adoption of IFRS – there are other significant economies that
Varying interpretations
*THE 2012 AGENDA
However, the current endorsement processes do mean that local variations in the application and interpretation of IFRS remain, a point highlighted by the recent SEC reports. And for CFOs, keeping up with the local variances, or carve-outs, within different jurisdictions that implement IFRS is the sort of operational hurdle that acts as a disincentive to conversion by adding costs and complexity. As James Singh, CFO at Nestlé, the Switzerland-based food group, said in the ACCA study: ‘In terms of subsidiaries, some of ours are quite large and material to the group. So as a multinational company, we can’t afford to have different accounting standards in different locations.’ One of the major concerns, particularly in the US as it considers adoption of IFRS, has been and will be the transition costs involved in moving from set of standards to another, and it has been argued that the current point in the economic cycle may not be the best time for such a transition. As Goldschmid noted, changes caused by the financial crisis, such as the Dodd-Frank Act in the US, and the current economic downturn have made some organisations feel that 2011 and 2012 are the wrong years to
UK_INT_F_IFRS.indd 28
are debating the merits of joining the single set of standards club. Notably, IFRS is on the agenda for Japan, China and India. Were these economic blocs to come on board then it could be said that a common global financial language had been established. ‘Chinese standards are very close, it’s happening,’ says Poole, adding that in Japan, many multinationals are already implementing IFRS. ‘Once you have that, then the rest will follow,’ she says. Philip Smith, journalist
This year, the IASB aims to put in place a single set of high-quality accounting standards. Its revised work plan, as published in October 2011, runs as follows. Financial instruments Effective date of IFRS 9 – finalisation was expected by end of 2011. Impairment – confirmation of re-exposure, now due in first half of 2012 (deferred from possible issue in Q4 2011). Hedge accounting – an exposure draft on macro hedge accounting now due in first half of 2012 (deferred from possible issue in Q4 2011); finalisation of general hedge accounting project remains first half of 2012. Offsetting – finalised amendments to IFRS 7 and IAS 32 were expected by end of 2011.
* * * *
Other core projects (no changes to expected timing) Leases – re-exposure in first half of 2012, finalised IFRS in second half of 2012. Revenue recognition – re-exposure in 2011, finalised IFRS in second half of 2012. Insurance contracts – review draft or re-exposure in the first half of 2012, no target date set for a finalised IFRS.
* * *
Post-implementation reviews (indicative timings) IFRS 8, Operating Segments – review initiated in 2011, target completion in 2012. IFRS 3, Business Combinations – review to be initiated in 2012.
* *
Agenda consultation Decisions on the agenda expected to be made in 2012.
*
Other projects No updates in relation to annual improvements (although the 2009 annual improvements are expected to be finalised in the first half of 2012), IFRS 1 amendments for government loans, or the exemption from consolidation for investment entities.
*
software
30
THE NEW LEARNING As more of us get to grips with online training, e-learning looks set to become the norm. But while the tool is becoming ever more exciting, it brings challenges, too
W
hile e-learning is no longer a novelty, the unrelenting pace of IT progress means that modern online training is expected to become ever more exciting, challenging and rewarding. Technology is now an integral part of our work and personal lives. Only 20 years ago, schoolchildren would be hunched over library books researching the secrets of the pyramids or how the atom came to be split. Now, the stock answer to any request for information from an overworked parent is surely: ‘Let’s Google it when we get home.’ And it’s not just children who can benefit from the educational properties of the digital world. Professionals – both ‘digital natives’ and those old enough to remember life before email – have also come to take it for granted. ACCA recently commissioned a report exploring the world of the e-professional and how online learning affects development, the impact of technology on finance professionals and their clients, and what the future of online learning may look like. Digital advances are something that everyone with an interest in educating the finance professionals of the future are embracing, including ACCA. Clare Minchington, ACCA executive director – learning and products, says: ‘In June 2011, we announced that ACCA would be working towards delivering all its examinations online through an innovative and forwardfacing programme of e-assessment. This will lead to a new generation of professional examinations that maintain the rigour and quality
UK_INT_F_eprof.indd 30
Number of internet users worldwide
5 BILLION
Number of mobile phone users worldwide Source: The e-professional (see below)
35% Proportion of US smartphone users who use an app before they get out of bed Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab
associated with the ACCA brand and appeal to the coming generation of e-professionals, employing technologies they will increasingly be using in their social lives.’
Attitude shift There are two key reasons for a change in attitude towards e-learning. The first is the growing sophistication of the options, with everything from Skype to iPhone apps to webinars; the second is the flexibility that e-learning offers both to learners and trainers. Learning programmes now often fit around work, rather than work being accommodated around study leave. Any suspicions that professional standards are being compromised by insufficiently robust online learning and assessment programmes are quickly challenged by those on the front line. Martin Taylor, CEO of BPP
Business School, argues that online learning is actually more demanding than traditional forms. ‘E-learning can be incredibly demanding, because learners are doing a lot of the learning and the research themselves, which is incredibly beneficial to deep understanding,’ he points out. These issues are increasingly important in the aftermath of the global economic crisis, when employers are forced to prioritise efficiency, with customers typically wanting more for less. Laura Overton, managing director at Towards Maturity, an organisation that works with employers to implement and benchmark e-learning capability, says: ‘This raises questions not only about how employees learn on the job in a formal programme, but what informal learning opportunities employees have access to.’
Blended is best Greg Owens, director of technical training and student qualification at BDO, says: ‘There has to be a way professionals can get that initial knowledge and then apply it to a real client experience. It’s how you make it all real that’s the hardest bit.’ This is where blended learning – the combination of e-learning with on-thejob and classroom training – comes into play. The blended approach reflects the 70/20/10 theory of learning: 70% of learning happens informally and is available on demand, 20% comes from ‘social learning’ such as networking and coaching, and 10% from courses and reading. The 70/20/10 approach recognises
07/12/2011 15:08
31
‘GAMING IS ALLOWING LEARNING DESIGNERS TO INTRODUCE SCENARIOS AND THROW IN SURPRISES TO REPLICATE THE REAL WORLD MORE CLOSELY’ and exploits the less regimented learning structure that is characteristic of modern digital students. As Damian Day, head of education and quality assurance at the General Pharmaceutical Council, says: ‘They don’t start at A and end up at Z; they learn in a much less structured way.’ Globalisation is another driver, says Richard Pollard, global development leader of PwC: ‘We currently have 170,000 people in our organisation and can see that growing to a quarter of a million and more over the next five years. Given general levels of attrition, keeping up this volume of professionals is a huge, huge effort.’ The importance of global consistency means organisations need to be sensitive to regional preferences. May Chan, learning designer at Standard Chartered Bank, says: ‘People in Asia will not ask so many questions, and they may prefer to type in questions rather than ask them in a live webinar or masterclass.’ This links back to one of the biggest
UK_INT_F_eprof.indd 31
benefits of digital learning: flexibility. Kristin Watson, director of the UK national exam training team at Ernst & Young, says: ‘Where students are doing some form of blended or distance learning, they are not tied to a particular course or date. This allows businesses to give their students study leave on a convenient date.’
Advance on three fronts Given what may be possible with technology over the next five years, there are three main growth areas in e-learning: mobile devices, social networking and gamification. Mobile devices may be able to access more information in easier-toread formats, and share information with other devices while on the move. Social media is increasingly appearing in e-learning. Jim Robertson, vice president for tax, Eastern hemisphere and global tax practices at Shell, says: ‘If you are in well engineering at Shell, there will be a global expert in how to drill in a
Fast forward: visitors to the Time Tunnel exhibit at the fifth Electronics and Information Fair in Hangzhou, China, in 2011 particular geology such as sand, and that person will receive lots of requests for help by email, instant messaging and blog facilities. It is a form of e-learning, but it is very task-specific. I expect we will see a lot more of that in the future.’ And gamification aims to reproduce the simulation capabilities of gaming environments in e-learning. Taylor says: ‘Gaming is gaining real traction in the learning environment. Threedimensional, even four-dimensional, capabilities allow learning designers to introduce different scenarios and throw in surprises to replicate the real world more closely.’ Beth Holmes, journalist
*CLICK TO VIEW
To read The e-professional: embracing learning technologies, and to see the video interviews, visit: www.accaglobal.com/eprofessional
07/12/2011 15:08
A good MBA is like a prescription for career progression “I know that senior management value an MBA and I wanted that competitive edge to progress my career. The fact that the Oxford Brookes University MBA was online and distance learning meant I could fit it in to my own time.�
Brian Elliott MBA FCCA
deputy chief accountant, World Health Organization
2011 was certainly unforgettable – from the deepening eurozone crisis and the Arab Spring to our own homegrown riots. So what can we expect in the year to come?
AN A-Z OF
UK_F_AZ.indd 33
A
sia, Africa, South America – anywhere, in fact, apart from Europe and the eurozone if you are looking for growth.
B
arnier Having set a bonfire under the Big Four in 2011, the European commissioner for internal markets Michel Barnier will fight to the bitter end to push through his auditor reform agenda in 2012.
C
ondorsement If in doubt, invent a new word and a new direction in the convergence of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) with US generally accepted accounting standards (GAAP). Condorsement, a hybrid approach that combines endorsement with convergence, will hopefully
thought energy prices were bad in 2011, this year will be even worse. And a cutback in subsidies for alternative energy could prove disastrous for the fledgling industry.
F
acebook Set to come to the market in 2012, the flotation of the mega social network will be one of the most keenly anticipated of the year. bring the world a step closer to a single set of highquality standards in 2012.
D
emocracy in the Middle East After the 2011 uprisings, will we see real democratic progress in 2012? The end of 2011 saw violent demonstrations in Egypt amid growing dissatisfaction with the pace of reform. Will an Arab Summer prove the acid test year for the prodemocracy movement?
E
nergy Who’s got it, who needs it, who’ll pay for it? If you
G
AAR A general anti-avoidance rule could help in the crackdown on tax avoidance, as the revenue-raising bodies around the world face pressure in 2012 to maximise their tax take.
H
edge accounting The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) is targeting the first half of the year to produce a standard for general hedge accounting, part of the IFRS 9 project.
08/12/2011 11:06
I
K
nvestment companies A proposed new standard would exempt investment entities from the requirement to consolidate their investments under IFRS 10.
ay Review Due to report in 2012, John Kay’s review of UK equity markets will address short-termism in the City. But will it provide any longterm solutions?
J
L
une 20, 2012 The start of the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, otherwise known as the Earth Summit. British prime minister David Cameron will miss the event as he will be attending HRH The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee instead (see N).
ondon 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games A shining example of how to organise a global party or a city in gridlock chaos, London will either top the gold medal board or go down as a heroic failure in truly British style.
M
ulti-sourcing As the outsourcing
have enough to cope with this summer, The Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee. Bunting and flag waving will help take minds off the other sovereign issue: debt.
this year or will Barack Obama win a second term in the Oval Office? The French may also vote in a new president as Nicolas Sarkozy takes on the socialist François Hollande.
DUE TO REPORT IN 2012, JOHN KAY’S REVIEW OF UK EQUITY MARKETS WILL ADDRESS SHORT-TERMISM IN THE CITY. BUT WILL IT PROVIDE ANY LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS? industry continues to mature, it will become clear that the answer to organisational success lies in many directions: onshore, offshore, nearshore, outsourced, insourced, shared service centres, captives...
N
ot another Jubilee As if London didn’t
UK_F_AZ.indd 34
O
versight The Due Process Oversight Committee, set up by the IFRS Foundation to keep an eye on how IFRSs are formulated, will publish a final draft of its operating protocol in 2012.
P
resident of the US Will we get a new one
Q
uantitative easing The money printing presses will roll in 2012 as economic growth in many economies fails to materialise.
R
obin Hood or rather his tax on financial transactions, also known as the Tobin tax. Will
08/12/2011 11:06
there be global agreement in 2012 or will it remain an issue in Europe alone?
S
kyfall No, not another Mayan prophecy of impending doom, but the title of the latest James Bond blockbuster, set to hit our screens in the autumn.
T
argeting Technology will be such that you will be able to pinpoint your customer and their buying habits.
Y
oung paying for the old If pension provision is not reformed to everyone’s satisfaction, who will pick up the bill for an aging population? As if the young didn’t have problems enough finding a job in 2012.
Z
Generation Born in the early 1990s, a generation of internetsavvy, digitally connected adults will be hitting the jobs market this year. Philip Smith, journalist
U
nintended consequences Attempts to reform banks, auditors, investors et al could have unintended consequences. Banks may stop lending, auditors could stop auditing, investors won’t want to invest. That would beat any Mayan prophecy.
V
isibility How far ahead can you see? And do you like what you see? 2012 will be distinctly foggy, with poor visibility all round.
W
orld, End of Much has been made of Mayan predictions that the world will bow out on 21 December 2012. Fact or fiction, breathe a sigh of relief on 22 December – at least there will only be nine days left of the year. How is 2013 looking?
X
BRL No, really, this will definitely be the year for eXtensible Business Reporting Language. Get those IT systems ready...
UK_F_AZ.indd 35
The Hertfordshire MBA
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08/12/2011 11:06
Global support at times convenient for you Contact us by phone or email 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days of the year
ACCA – The global body for professional accountants +44 (0)141 582 2000 [email protected] www.accaglobal.com
37
BARNIER’S GRAND PLAN In the first of four articles on the European Commission’s newly published proposals on the future of audit, ACCA’s Ian Welch discovers where the cracks lie
T
he long-awaited, much-leaked and even more lobbied-against proposals from the European Commission on the future of audit were finally published on 30 November. They proved to be like the proverbial curate’s egg – in parts good, bad and indigestible. The EC’s proposals have been at the centre of heated debate ever since the initial green paper of October 2010. Given the intensity of the lobbying and the radical nature of some of the proposals, it is perhaps surprising that they have stayed largely intact. But the press statement from internal markets commissioner Michel Barnier, which accompanied the proposals, made clear his views on the importance of his mission: ‘The 2008 financial crisis highlighted considerable shortcomings in the European audit system. Audits of some large financial institutions just before, during and since the crisis resulted in “clean” audit reports despite the serious intrinsic weaknesses in the financial health of the institutions concerned.’
UK_INT_F_Welchaudit.indd 33
He continued: ‘Investor confidence in audit has been shaken by the crisis and I believe changes in this sector are necessary: we need to restore confidence in the financial statements of companies. Today’s proposals address the current weaknesses in the EU [European Union] audit market, by eliminating conflicts of interest, ensuring independence and robust supervision and by facilitating more diversity in what is an overly concentrated market, especially at the top end.’ So Barnier’s determination to change the status quo was never in doubt. But even he had to make some concessions. His biggest perceived ‘climbdown’ was on joint audits. On several occasions Barnier praised the French practice as a good principle and was clearly keen to implement this as mandatory for the largest companies to create more opportunities for the next-tier audit firms to step up. This was a centre-piece of his measures to break the Big Four oligopoly, as he sees it. But last-minute internal lobbying seems to have won the day and joint audit is now merely ‘encouraged’.
However, companies opting for joint audits will only have to rotate their audits every nine years rather than the six introduced as a maximum tenure for firms on other large audits. This is a radical move which did remain largely untouched from all the lobbying.
Cost burden ACCA cannot support this. A legal requirement for companies to change auditors every six years could amount to a heavy cost burden ultimately borne by businesses. Given that it typically takes an audit firm two or three years to get up to full speed on complex audits, it seems unnecessary and unreasonable for them to have to leave again relatively shortly afterwards. There is no demand for this in the investment community and while it is hard to defend large companies remaining with the same auditors for 48 years – as was revealed as typical by the UK House of Lords audit inquiry in March 2011 – this seems to move from one extreme to the other. The other eye-catching change to remain, despite all the opposition, is
08/12/2011 16:29
38
WE ARE NOT CONVINCED THAT BANNING THE PROVISION OF NON-AUDIT SERVICES WILL IMPROVE AUDIT QUALITY OR INDEPENDENCE a major crackdown on the provision of non-audit services to audit clients. This has been effectively banned, except for some specific ‘related financial audit services’ which include audit or review of interims, assurance of corporate governance and corporate social responsbility statements, and tax compliance – and even these must only form 10% of the audit fee. Large audit firms, said the commission, ‘will be obliged to separate audit activities from non-audit activities’. While all the details were not immediately clear, it seems that firms deemed too big will have to set up separate, legal ‘pure audit’ firms. The Big Four immediately criticised this move as likely to damage rather than enhance audit quality by denying them access to their advisory arms. ACCA, too, is worried that the prospect of pure audit firms will do little to encourage talented people from joining the profession. We are not convinced that banning non-audit services will improve audit quality or independence, and do not consider that the suggested benefits outweigh the costs and disruption. Once again there is no evidence that shareholders want this; often an incumbent auditor has built a good knowledge of the entity which leaves them best-placed to provide cost-effective services. It should surely be the audit committee’s role to make this judgment. The existing ethical rules warn against providing additional services which could impede their independence. ACCA believes legal reforms should be the last resort.
Some good news So is there anything we do like? Yes. ACCA is pleased that the EU executive is willing to facilitate the crossborder mutual recognition of audit firms and
UK_INT_F_Welchaudit.indd 34
Ian Welch
*KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL
The proposals regarding the statutory audit of public-interest entities, such as banks, insurance companies and listed companies, aim to enhance auditor independence. Mandatory rotation of audit firms Audit firms will be required to rotate after a maximum engagement period of six years (with some exceptions). A cooling-off period of four years is applicable before the firm can be engaged again by the same client. The period before which rotation is obligatory can be extended to nine years if joint audits are performed; this is a way of encouraging, but not mandating, joint audits. Mandatory tendering Public-interest entities will be obliged to have an open and transparent tender procedure when selecting a new auditor. The audit committee (of the audited entity) should be closely involved in the selection procedure. Non-audit services Audit firms will be prohibited from providing non-audit services to audit clients. In addition, large audit firms will be obliged to separate audit from non-audit activities in order to avoid all risks of conflict of interest. European supervision The European Commission believes that it is important that oversight of audit networks takes place at EU level as well as internationally. It wants this coordination of the auditor supervision activities to take place within the framework of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). Enabling auditors to exercise their profession across Europe The EC proposes the creation of a single market for statutory audits by introducing a European passport for the audit profession. The proposals will allow audit firms to provide services across the EU and to require all firms to comply with international standards of auditing (ISAs) when carrying out statutory audits. Making smaller audits ‘proportionate’ The proposals also allow for a proportionate application of the standards in the case of small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs).
statutory auditors. We also welcome the proposal to harmonise audit standards through the introduction of International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). ACCA supports the proposal to allow member states to adapt standards to the size of the audited entity through a proportionate and simplified audit for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It is important, though, that common standards are applied consistently. It will be interesting to see
how other, non-EU regulators respond. The US Public Company Accounting Oversight Board is moving in a similar direction but there is little sign of Asia doing so. How global audits can be carried out with myriad different regional rules is a key question for the profession should Barnier’s plans survive their next hurdle – the response of the EU member states. Ian Welch is head of policy at ACCA
07/12/2011 18:54
EU targets the big firms
[
Heavy-handed on corporates and skimpy on SMEs, the EU’s audit proposals face serious scrutiny, says ACCA’s John Davies
As expected, the European Commission’s draft regulation on audit concentrates on the audit of public interest entities (PIEs – mainly listed companies) and amounts to a concerted attempt to legislate for greater visible independence and competition in the audit market in this sector. These are highly interventionist measures and some appear to have been framed without conclusive evidence that they are needed to pre-empt future audit failures. In particular, it is not clear how the act of enshrining many aspects of current professional and technical standards in legislation – for example, the requirement to conduct audits in accordance with professional scepticism – will serve to improve audit quality. While the EC is entitled to stress the public interest dimension of audit at this level, we also need to ensure that the eventual legislation takes into account the needs and wishes of companies and investors. The strong focus on PIEs means that comparatively little attention is given by the EC to the audit of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). That is not to say, though, that what attention is given to that area is insignificant. For the first time it is being proposed that small entities should be formally excluded from the scope of European Union law requiring accounts to be audited. This recognises the reality that the great majority of EU countries have by now taken advantage of the existing provisions in the Fourth Directive, which allow small entities to be made exempt from national laws requiring audit. The draft directive makes clear, though, that where a member state chooses to require small company accounts to be audited, those audits are to be deemed ‘statutory audits’ and will thus have to meet the various criteria set out in the directive, including in respect of eligibility to act. Similarly, if any small company chooses to have a ‘voluntary’ audit, the draft directive provides for that to be treated as a ‘statutory audit’, too. These provisions are positive in that they will help to provide certainty as to what an audit amounts to at this level. The draft directive confirms that all statutory audits, including ‘voluntary’ ones, are to be carried out in accordance with International Standards on Accounting (ISAs). However, the most significant provision as regards SME audits appears in articles 43a and b, which provide that member states are to be required to ensure that the application of audit standards to SMEs is ‘proportionate to the scale and complexity’ of the companies
UK_INT_COM_Davies_audit.indd 35
concerned. Thus the EC is envisaging some sort of modification of the existing requirements of ISAs as they are applied to SMEs. If this proposal helps to maintain the long-term relevance of audit in the SME sector, then it can only be a good thing. Scaling back the requirements of ISAs is, however, an area fraught with technical difficulty, given that the extensive procedures set out in ISAs are currently seen as integral to the achievement of the key benchmark of reasonable assurance. The other aspect, which will need to be considered carefully, concerns the delegation of authority to the individual member states to decide what proportionality means in respect of SME audit standards in their jurisdictions. Apart from the question of whether member states are the right people to decide on audit standards, the danger is that we could end up with 27 different forms of SME audit requirements. If we are trying to maintain confidence in the credibility of published accounting information, including at the SME level, the last thing we want to do is to create any new cause for confusion. So while some rationalisation of the application of ISAs at the SME level is an attractive one, at least in principle, we should at least be aiming for a harmonised solution and one which does not create any new expectations gaps. John Davies is head of technical at ACCA
07/12/2011 18:52
Comment
Rotten prospect for Big Four [
Europe’s audit proposals have been attacked from all quarters, says Robert Bruce – not least the plan for ‘pure’ audit firms, which could, say critics, damage the sector’s attractiveness as a training ground
The final version of the Barnier proposals, which aim to shake up the auditing profession across Europe, have had the most remarkable reception. Predictably, the large audit firms are against them. ‘They are completely at odds with good auditing,’ says John Griffith-Jones, chairman of KPMG Europe. But the investment community is also resistant. ‘The bottom line is that it still doesn’t do anything for the issue of choice,’ says Guy Jubb, head of governance and stewardship at Standard Life Investments, ‘and that is what investors wanted to encourage.’ The corporate community, particularly through their CFOs, are also furious. Andy Halford, CFO of Vodafone and chairman of the Hundred Group of finance directors, says that ‘taken together the reform package will have the effect, both directly and indirectly, of reducing audit quality, particularly during the
UK_INT_COM_bruce.indd 36
period of transition, increasing cost and diminishing the value of the audit opinion to investors, without any compensating tangible benefits’. Small wonder that an astonished John Cridland, director general of employers’ organisation the CBI, had this to say: ‘The European Commission has pulled off some feat with its proposals for audit market reform. It has united businesses, investors, the Big Four and, even on some points, emerging and mid-sized auditors, in their criticism of the proposals.’ That unprecedented unity was ‘proof of a bad idea with dreadful timing’. The proposals, after much leaking and behind-the-scenes manoeuvring,
call for much change. Internal markets commissioner Michel Barnier wants the largest accountancy firms to be broken up into separate entities for pure audit and for all other services. He has almost completely dropped his previous proposals for compulsory joint audits, but has compensated by reducing the mandatory rotation of auditors from every nine years to every six. He also wants much change which no one would really disagree with: expanded information in the audit report, a greater and more public role for audit committees in, for example, the appointment of auditors, and so on. But it is the splitting up of the audit firms into separate business streams and the insistence on short-term rotation of auditors which have raised the most hackles.
Pure daft Making firms break themselves up into ‘pure’ audit firms and ones that provide complementary services was described by one senior partner as ‘daft’. Others agreed. ‘In order to do a high-quality audit you need to have access to specialist skills,’ says Richard Sexton, head of reputation and policy at PwC. ‘You can’t do audits to the standard required as an audit-only firm,’ says KPMG’s Griffith-Jones. ‘The work from, for example, the risk experts, the tax experts, the actuarial experts and so on is invaluable.’ ‘There are a lot of peripheral things to the audit that the firms are best able to provide,’ says Halford. And the market, says Sexton, ‘will not accept an auditonly model. They will press the firms to recreate those services.’ We are back in the world of unintended consequences. There is also the question of the role of audit firms as trainers of future generations of people in the UK business world who traditionally
07/12/2011 18:42
41
train with the audit firms. ‘We are concerned,’ says Halford. ‘If firms become audit-only a lot of the attractiveness of those firms as a training ground will diminish, and the quality of the people coming though to us in business would diminish.’ Auditor rotation across only six years is seen as a nightmare of compromise, falling quality and rising inefficiency. In Italy, where auditor rotation has been tried, all that happened was that companies seeking continuity in their audit process simply ensured that the partners and team who dealt with their audit moved to another firm, which was then awarded the audit. Quality was retained and the legislation complied with. It was another unintended consequence. ‘The people who are by far the best placed to decide who should be auditors are the audit committee,’ says Griffith-Jones. ‘It is one for the audit committees, not for legislation.’ ‘Investors,’ says Jubb, ‘would like to see “comply or explain” adopted rather than mandatory rotation.’ ‘It is not clear that rotating auditors would help,’ says Halford from his CFO standpoint. ‘CFOs do shop around and change suppliers if they see a reason to do so.’ Ultimately, the whole Barnier package faces a tough time both within the politics of the EC and outside from all the interested parties. He expected opposition from those he refers to as ‘the Anglo-Saxons’. But it seems he was unprepared for the furious opposition that came from many of the most recent entrants to the EU. Smaller countries with fledgling, but
UK_INT_COM_bruce.indd 37
successful, capital markets were angry that such changes might endanger or hamper their efforts. The original joint audit proposals came under withering fire from them and were dropped. And now the rest of the proposals face a lengthy period of argument, political squabbling and compromise. The proposals for pure audit firms are expected to fall at some point. But it is going to be a long, long, bureaucratic and political process. No wonder Steve Maslin, head of external professional
affairs at Grant Thornton, asks: ‘Do you end up with something which might have started as a coherent whole but ends up as unconnected measures and doesn’t achieve the goal of audit market restructuring?’ And the answer is probably: ‘Yes, Steve.’ It is no longer about audit, or the firms. It is about the conflicting ambitions of politicians in the European sphere. Robert Bruce is an accountancy commentator and journalist
*THE ARGUMENT CHANGES: DEMAND, NOT SUPPLY Perhaps the most significant element in the Barnier proposals is that it has changed the underlying debate. Until now, the argument has been about supply – having only a Big Four of major accountancy firms was not considered enough. The UK’s Financial Reporting Council has always pursued this supply argument – how to expand the Big Four to five or more. But the Barnier proposals have turned that on its head. They, perhaps unwittingly, have turned it into a demand argument: who wants more firms and how could you create that demand? As David Maxwell, a member of Grant Thornton’s National Leadership Board, points out: ‘It is not about our ability or resources, it is about the buying behaviour.’ In the view of Jonathan Hayward, partner at consultant Independent Audit, ‘it treats it as a demand, not a supply, problem. The mid-tier firms are perfectly capable of doing a lot of the top-level work, but nobody wants to buy it.’ The only way to increase competition is, he says, to change the nature of audit: ‘Most audit work is services to management and it is a valuable service. The audit is part of management’s “get it right first time” process and companies see the Big Four as being better placed to do it than the mid-tier firms.’ Hayward thinks that should continue, but as a service rather than the audit. ‘For shareholders, firms could just audit the consolidated accounts, and not the group,’ he suggests. ‘It would be perfectly feasible to have an investor audit and it wouldn’t need the resources of the largest firms.’ This is why looking at the demand question is important. ‘If you change the demand side,’ says Hayward, ‘you ask what are you buying audits for. Firms like Grant Thornton would be perfectly capable of auditing the consolidated accounts of a large multinational and they wouldn’t have to do the worldwide work and all the trouble-shooting that the big firms do.’
08/12/2011 14:32
Comment
Annus horribilis or rehabilitis? [
The Big Four may well be bracing themselves for a regulatory drubbing in the audit market, but, as Jane Fuller explains, they have as much to gain as to lose in the inevitable shake-up this year
The Big Four accounting firms are a bit like royalty, so they might well borrow the Queen’s ‘annus horribilis’ comment about 1992 for their view of 2012. After all, the European Commission’s proposals for the audit market – mandatory rotation, strict limits on non-audit work and a shove towards joint audits – come on top of a referral to the Competition Commission in the UK, all of which would hit the Big Four while opening up opportunities for the rest. As it happens, the royal family has revitalised its image since those dark days. Can auditors do the same? Let’s hope so. As the European Commission says: ‘Robust audit is key to re-establishing trust and market confidence.’ The Big Four certainly have the resources to revive their image as protectors of investors’ interests. But trust and confidence are about perception, and all auditors start with a perceived conflict because they are paid by the companies they monitor. The Audit Inspection Unit has repeated concerns about professional scepticism and the potential for nonaudit work to compromise auditors’ independence, while the AIU’s parent body, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), has admitted that it does not have ‘the necessary independence from the audit profession’. For the Big Four, it looks worse because of their dominance of the FTSE 350 market and tenures that last for decades. Whatever they may say about the supposedly fierce competition between themselves and the virtues of the multi-disciplinary firm, things are going to change. So which changes should they embrace? The first is audit rotation. At a stroke this breaks up cosy relationships and creates more opportunities for firms to compete.
UK_COM_fuller.indd 42
When I was arguing for this after the Enron scandal, I was pointed to a study by Bocconi University, which suggested that audit quality in Italy suffered in the first year of auditor rotation. Not very convincing, and we know that audit failures also happen when tenure is long. Research quoted by the European Commission suggested that lengthy incumbents were ‘more susceptible to forces that motivate management to manage earnings’.
Changing an auditor does entail extra cost. So be it. The new firm should go through the books with maximum rigour, and price competition is not what investors are looking for. If the Big Four pare back consultancy work, which has grown shamelessly since Enron, then (with the possible exception of market leader PwC) they have little to fear from audit rotation. If they really are the best, they will continue to do the most difficult and most lucrative audits. If they are worried about the talent getting bored with audit, then here are a few suggestions. First, the range of work remains fascinating. It includes due diligence, valuing assets and liabilities, and investigating accounting problems. Second, it might be more stimulating for staff to switch sectors more often. This would also counter groupthink with the clients. A veteran of telecoms or media audits after the dotcom bust would have known more about balance sheet stress than a bank auditor who had only known the Great Moderation. Third, regulators are dreaming up more for auditors to do. How about going to the Bank of England to discuss the risk-weighting of assets? Or facing a group of ‘active’ shareholders? Or writing a frank account of the issues debated with management? If they are still bored, then they can clear off to do some straightforward client-pleasing. Accountancy firms have had to spin off their consultancy arms before. They can do it again and their image will improve overnight. If they do not, then the mid-tier will, at last, have a genuine opportunity to join the big league. Jane Fuller is former financial editor of the Financial Times and co-director of the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation think-tank
07/12/2011 13:38
43
My gain, your pain? [
Too assiduous a devotion to tax minimisation may enrich the individual or corporate but impoverish the society and economy in which they operate, warns Peter Williams
It’s a safe bet that the average Greek taxpayer hasn’t heard of 20th century English high court judge Lord Tomlin. Indeed, few Britons have either. But it seems a cast-iron certainty that Brits and Greek alike would line up behind his pronouncement that every man is entitled to order his affairs ‘so that the tax attaching under the appropriate Acts is less than it otherwise would be.’ Which is one reason why 2012 looks set to be a tough one for Greece: its structural reforms include tax hikes, especially for those who, according to the European Commission, ‘have not traditionally paid their fair share’. But before we shake our heads at Greek doctors who claim to earn less than the tax threshold, or wonder just how Athenians go about camouflaging their swimming pools from tax inspectors, it is worth noting that the Greeks are merely average when it comes to over-aggressive tax planning. Research collated by the Association of Italian Taxpayers (hold the jokes, please) from crime statistics supplied by EU police forces found that in the league table of income under-reporting Italy is top, followed by Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia and Slovakia. Those who see a north/south European divide on these issues will be gratified to learn that Swedes were the good guys, with the least underreporting, followed by Belgium and the UK. Non-payment is greatly exacerbated by a multiplier effect. Research in 2010 published under the auspices of the London School of Economics suggested that Greece’s 10% estimated under-reporting led to an astonishing 26% shortfall in taxes. The response of governments around the world to the problem of tax evasion has been led by the OECD improving the exchange of information between countries in order to catch cheats.
UK_COM_pw.indd 43
But while tougher laws may go some way to reducing levels of tax fraud, on their own they are not enough. Something else is needed to change the behaviour of recalcitrant taxpayers. The tipping point between legally avoiding and illegally evading tax is, according to former chancellor Denis Healey, the thickness of a prison wall. People and corporates break the tax code for two reasons. First, they think they can get away with it, or if caught the punishment will not be severe. The second reason is because it is socially acceptable to do so. The Greeks covering up their swimming pool are no different from the
Londoners who pay cash in hand. People justify such behaviour on the grounds that everyone does it, that they already pay enough tax compared to others (an argument fuelled by stories of multimillionaires who pay less tax than their secretaries) or that paying tax is a waste because the public sector is bloated or its spending choices are wrong. Charity Christian Aid has a campaign to make the payment of tax in developing countries a matter of corporate responsibility. You may think it has an uphill struggle on its hands. But until the vast majority think that tax is about paying the right amount rather than the least amount, then Tomlin’s 80-year-old judicial blessing of tax avoidance remains a dangerous curse on civil society. Peter Williams, accountant and journalist
07/12/2011 13:38
Perfectly e-positioned
[
By embracing the best that technology has to offer, we are ensuring the profession controls its destiny, says ACCA president Dean Westcott
Writing at the start of 2012, I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy year ahead. As this is a time to look forward, it also seems fitting to give you a sense of the work ACCA is engaged in. This looks ahead not just to the coming year, but to the generations to come. At the end of last year, ACCA’s Council and its International Assembly discussed the advent of the e-professional, looking at how technology developments over the next three to four years might affect the working lives of accountants and the skills that they will need. The challenges are highlighted by the changing role of the CFO. Finance leaders increasingly need to interpret data provided by outsourced or shared service centres. Similarly, with audit manuals and working papers now online, there is a greater focus on the synthesis and analysis of information within public practice. Technological advances will not change the core skills and capabilities which accountants will need. In fact, the skills of interpretation, critical thinking and judgment for which accountants are so particularly valued will become even more important. However, accountants are now expected to understand the whole business and not just the numbers. This means that, if we do not embrace digital advances, we may get left behind and displaced by other professionals. Within three years mobile technologies will enable finance professionals to work anywhere at any time. Yet the core skills and capabilities we need to demonstrate will not fundamentally change. Accountants will always need to be skilled communicators, whether online or face to face, and this will present different challenges for different generations. ACCA has moved to meet such challenges with an innovative new e-assessment programme. The move to online delivery of ACCA examinations, announced last year, will bring greater choice and access for employers and students around the world, and will let us test students’ knowledge and skills in a way that better reflects real-life workplace scenarios and activities. In this way we can ensure that those with the ACCA Qualification will continue to be in demand among businesses for many years to come. Dean Westcott FCCA is finance director of Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire, England
UK_COM_pres.indd 44
Practice
IFAC UPDATES ADVICE TO SMPs
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has updated its guidance to small and medium practitioners (SMPs) on using International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) in SME audits. The guide aims to help practitioners to understand and to apply efficiently the clarified ISAs, and the update refines both technical content and presentation. An implementation guide provides practical advice on how to conduct risk-based audits of SMEs. ‘Practitioners in many jurisdictions have begun using the clarified ISAs, and effective implementation of these standards is key to audit quality,’ said SMP committee chair Sylvie Voghel. ‘The guide should help practitioners conduct high-quality, cost-effective audits, thereby contributing to the quality of the profession.’ For more, see www.ifac.org
The view from: South Wales: Sandra McAlister FCCA, director and insolvency practitioner, McAlister & Co Q How do you juggle your McAlister career, chairing the ACCA Swansea and West Wales Network Panel, and your personal life? A The ACCA panel commitments are not terribly onerous; in fact, they are quite enjoyable. Of course, running my own practice is hard work and sometimes means long hours, but I have the flexibility to take time out when I want to be with my family. Q What would you like to see happen in the accountancy world this year? A More professional accountants giving the high-quality advice that their clients need in this difficult climate, and HMRC clamping down on unqualified accountants and providing protection to our profession.
BEGBIES SELLS TAX DIVISION
Begbies Traynor has sold its BTG Tax division to Smith & Williamson. The transfer will involve 12 partners and another 43 staff. Smith & Williamson expects the acquisition to increase the turnover of its tax operation to £40m and all its business operations to around £180m. The transferred team includes specialisms in tax investigations and in the sports, media and entertainment sectors. Kevin Stopps, MD of tax and business services at Smith & Williamson, said: ‘There is an excellent strategic fit between the new team and Smith & Williamson, both in terms of geography and service provision.’
UK_YPRAC_intro.indd 45
45
Q What made you decide to start up your own accountancy practice? A I like things done my way, which makes me a bit of a handful for an employer. I also prefer having control over my own future. Q Your practice deals with businesses that are in financial trouble. Has your work increased since the economic downturn and do you expect this to be the case for the upcoming months? A Although our workload has increased, this appears to be bucking the trend of the industry. Assets are worth less and can be difficult to move on, so we need to be cautious as we could easily be busy fools in today’s economic climate.
FIRM FACTS
Staff: a total of 13 employees spread across two different offices – in Swansea in South Wales, which is the firm’s headquarters, and in Caerphilly, which is just outside Cardiff
45 Practice The view from Sandra McAlister of McAlister & Co; dealing with the self-assessment tax return rush 49 Corporate The view from Adnan Majid of HDS; inside Royal Dutch Shell; why more companies are considering delisting 59 Public sector The view from strategic adviser for adult social care to the Local Government Association, Andrew Cozens; the cuts to come 63 Financial services The view from Faraz Jan Muhammad of UBS; the far-reaching effects of the FSA’s retail distribution review
08/12/2011 11:04
46
Practice
’Tis the season… Christmas may be over but one of the busiest periods of the tax accountant’s year is now in full swing – the self-assessment tax return rush. We take a look at this year’s challenges For most practitioners, the month of January only ever means one thing: the start of the self-assessment tax return submission season. It involves long working days – and even some long working weekends – and a mad scramble to get hundreds, if not thousands, of clients’ tax returns prepared and submitted by the end of the month, not to mention advising the same clients to pay their tax liabilities before the magical 31 January deadline. While most of the issues that tax accountants will face will be the same as every year, it is important to remember that this season takes place against a slightly different backdrop. HMRC has been cracking down harder in recent years, and the number of amnesties that have sprung up, not to mention the number of investigations that have been ordered into businesses’ tax affairs, make crystal-clear the need to take particular care in the preparation of tax returns this year.
The most pertinent issue at hand for practitioners is the new penalty regime. Richard Mannion, national tax director at Smith & Williamson, says: ‘Previously, if your client had paid their tax liability by 31 January, but the tax return had been submitted a day or so late, there was no penalty to pay; the late filing penalty due was the lower of £100 or the amount of tax outstanding. This year, you will get a £100 late filing penalty whether the tax has been paid or not.’ Chas Roy-Chowdhury, head of taxation at ACCA, says practitioners must make this change clear to their clients. ‘It is necessary both to file the tax return online and to make sure your client pays the tax due by 31 January, otherwise they may end up with a fine,’ he says. The penalties for late filing of returns become steadily more severe the longer you leave it. If a return is three months late, then, as well as the flat £100 penalty due as above, a £10 penalty will be levied for each day the tax return continues to be late, up to a 90-day maximum of £900. If a tax return is six months late, then, as well as the penalties already outlined, a further penalty of either £300 or 5% of the tax due (whichever is higher) will be levied. And if a return is 12 months late, then, in addition to the previous penalties, a further penalty of either £300 or 5% of the tax due (whichever is the higher) will be levied again. In serious cases a client may be asked to pay up to 100% of the tax due instead. So, for example, if a client’s tax return is due on 31 January 2012 but is not submitted until 5 August 2012, then, whether they have paid their tax liability or not, they will have to pay a penalty of £1,000 (the £100 fixed penalty plus £900 for each day between 1 May and 29 July), plus whichever is the higher, £300 or 5% of the tax due.
Motivating force Mannion says this new harsher penalty regime should be an incentive for practitioners to ensure they get all the relevant information from their clients in order to complete and submit their tax returns in a timely manner. ‘While it is a funny thing about human nature that many people will leave things to the last minute, including tax returns, it is important that you do not leave notifying your clients of the new penalty regime – and therefore impressing on them the importance of getting their information to you in good time – to the last minute,’ he says. ‘There is no substitute for personal contact. The best way to get the information is to contact clients, either face to face or by phone.
47
‘If a tax return has not been filed by now, it must be done electronically – paper returns should have all been filed by 31 October. The good news is that electronic filing is not so difficult. I filed my tax return myself for the first time recently and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was.’ Roy-Chowdhury says there are some very simple things practitioners must remember if they are going to file online. ‘The most basic thing – so basic it often goes unmentioned – is that you cannot file online without a password,’ he points out. ‘HMRC sends you this password by post, so send off early for it so that you can file your tax returns, or your clients’ tax returns, by 31 January without any problems. ‘The other basic things to remember are, of course, to make sure you’ve got all your client’s invoices and bank statements in order to complete their returns, and make sure you pro rata capital allowances correctly. If there are lots of cash receipts, you will have to be cautious that the information you’re getting from your clients is reasonable – use your judgment.’ The rise in tax investigation and amnesties is unlikely to impact the preparation or submission of tax returns, but it is worth noting that this is the climate now – meaning it is more important than ever to take care over tax returns. ‘While the new penalty regime is only coming in for the
UK_YPrac_Self.indd 47
first time, all the investigations and amnesties that have arisen in the past year or so – or will arise in the future – send out a clear message that clients and practitioners alike cannot afford to be sloppy about their tax returns,’ Mannion says. Roy-Chowdhury agrees. ‘The number of investigations going on has increased – a large number of areas are now being put under a microscope by HMRC,’ he warns. ‘Clearly, an ACCA member who hasn’t had a sector where their own clients have been investigated by HMRC yet must consider the possibility of it happening – and be far more careful as a result. HMRC is trawling through businesses, trade by trade, profession by profession. Don’t think that it will never happen to you or your clients if it hasn’t already; you must be prepared for that eventuality.’ Another thing to bear in mind, says Mannion, is the extension of HMRC’s business records checks programme, which it piloted earlier this year. ‘Regardless of how controversial it is for HMRC to have the power to penalise businesses for poor record-keeping, these checks are yet another reminder to clients of the importance of getting tax information right in the current climate,’ he says. Santhie Goundar, journalist
07/12/2011 19:11
Page 1
DATA PAGE Bank Base Rates
Date 7.8.97 6.11.97 4.6.98 8.10.98 5.11.98 10.12.98 7.1.99 4.2.99 8.4.99 10.6.99 8.9.99 4.11.99 13.1.00 10.2.00 8.2.01 5.4.01 10.5.01 2.8.01 18.9.01 4.10.01 8.11.01 6.2.03
Rate 7.00% 7.25% 7.50% 7.25% 6.75% 6.25% 6.00% 5.50% 5.25% 5.00% 5.25% 5.50% 5.75% 6.00% 5.75% 5.50% 5.25% 5.00% 4.75% 4.50% 4.00% 3.75%
Retail Prices Index
Date 10.7.03 6.11.03 5.2.04 6.5.04 10.6.04 5.8.04 4.8.05 3.8.06 9.11.06 11.1.07 10.5.07 5.7.07 6.12.07 7.2.08 10.4.08 8.10.08 6.11.08 4.12.08 8.1.09 5.2.09 5.3.09
Rate 3.50% 3.75% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 4.75% 4.50% 4.75% 5.00% 5.25% 5.50% 5.75% 5.50% 5.25% 5.00% 4.50% 3.00% 2.00% 1.50% 1.00% 0.50%
Source: Barclays
Mortgage Rates Date 1.6.01 1.9.01 1.10.01 1.11.01 1.12.01 1.3.03 1.8.03 1.12.03 1.3.04 1.6.04 1.7.04 1.9.04 1.9.05 1.9.06
Rate 7.00% 6.75% 6.50% 6.25% 5.75% 5.65% 5.50% 5.75% 6.00% 6.25% 6.50% 6.75% 6.50% 6.75%
January 2012
Figures compiled on 28 November 2011
Date 1.12.06 1.2.07 1.6.07 1.8.07 1.1.08 1.3.08 1.5.08 1.11.08 1.12.08 1.1.09 1.2.09 1.3.09 1.4.09 4.1.11
Rate 7.00% 7.25% 7.50% 7.75% 7.50% 7.25% 7.00% 6.50% 5.00% 4.75% 4.50% 4.00% 3.50% 3.99%
Existing Borrowers - Source: Halifax
January February March April May June July August September October November December
1996 150.2 150.9 151.5 152.6 152.9 153.0 152.4 153.1 153.8 153.8 153.9 154.4
1997 154.4 155.0 155.4 156.3 156.9 157.5 157.5 158.5 159.3 159.5 159.6 160.0
13th January 1987 = 100
1998 159.5 160.3 160.8 162.6 163.5 163.4 163.0 163.7 164.4 164.5 164.4 164.4
1999 163.4 163.7 164.1 165.2 165.6 165.6 165.1 165.5 166.2 166.5 166.7 167.3
2000 166.6 167.5 168.4 170.1 170.7 171.1 170.5 170.5 171.7 171.6 172.1 172.2
2001 171.1 172.0 172.2 173.1 174.2 174.4 173.3 174.0 174.6 174.3 173.6 173.4
2002 173.3 173.8 174.5 175.7 176.2 176.2 175.9 176.4 177.6 177.9 178.2 178.5
2003 178.4 179.3 179.9 181.2 181.5 181.3 181.3 181.6 182.5 182.6 182.7 183.5
2006 2.4% 2.4% 2.4% 2.6% 3.0% 3.3% 3.3% 3.4% 3.6% 3.7% 3.9% 4.4%
2007 4.2% 4.6% 4.8% 4.5% 4.3% 4.4% 3.8% 4.1% 3.9% 4.2% 4.3% 4.0%
2008 4.1% 4.1% 3.8% 4.2% 4.3% 4.6% 5.0% 4.8% 5.0% 4.2% 3.0% 0.9%
2009 0.1% 0.0% -0.4% -1.2% -1.1% -1.6% -1.4% -1.3% -1.4% -0.8% 0.3% 2.4%
2010 3.7% 3.7% 4.4% 5.3% 5.1% 5.0% 4.8% 4.7% 4.6% 4.5% 4.7% 4.8%
2011 5.1% 5.5% 5.3% 5.2% 5.2% 5.0% 5.0% 5.2% 5.6% 5.4% Source: ONS
HM Revenue & Customs Rates “OFFICIAL RATE”*
Effective Date 6.3.99 6.1.02 6.4.07 1.3.09 6.4.10
Rate 6.25% 5.00% 6.25% 4.75% 4.00%
*Benefits in Kind: Loans to employees earning £8,500+ - official rate of interest. Official rate for loans in foreign currencies: Yen: 3.9% w.e.f. 6.6.94; Swiss F: 5.5% w.e.f. 6.7.94 (previously 5.7% w.e.f. 6.6.94).
INTEREST ON UNPAID / OVERPAID INHERITANCE TAX
Effective Date 27.1.09 24.3.09 29.9.09
Rate 1.00%/1.00% 0.00%/0.00% 3.00%/0.50%
INTEREST ON LATE PAID INCOME TAX, CGT, STAMP DUTY AND STAMP DUTY RESERVE
Effective Date 6.12.08 6.1.09 27.1.09 24.3.09 29.9.09
Rate 5.50% 4.50% 3.50% 2.50% 3.00%
INTEREST ON OVERPAID INCOME TAX, CGT, STAMP DUTY AND STAMP DUTY RESERVE
Effective Date 6.11.08 6.12.08 6.1.09 27.1.09 29.9.09
Rate 2.25% 1.50% 0.75% 0.00% 0.50%
w.e.f. 6.3.09 0.00% (0.00%) 0.00% (0.00%) 0.75% (0.00%) 0.75% (0.00%) 0.75% (0.00%) 0.75% (0.00%)
w.e.f. 6.2.09 0.00% (0.00%) 0.00% (0.00%) 1.00% (0.50%) 1.00% (0.50%) 1.00% (0.50%) 0.75% (0.25%)
w.e.f. 9.1.09 0.00% (0.00%) 0.00% (0.00%) 1.50% (0.75%) 1.25% (0.50%) 1.25% (0.50%) 1.25% (0.50%)
Encashment rates shown in brackets. Above rates are paid gross but are liable to tax.
Late Payment of Commercial Debts From 1.1.10 1.7.10
To 30.6.10 31.12.10
To 30.6.11 31.12.11
Rate 8.50% 8.50%
The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 For contracts from 1.11.98 to 6.8.02 the rate applying is the Bank of England Base Rate that was in place on the day the debt came overdue plus 8%. The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Regulations 2002 For contracts from 7.8.02 the rate is set for a six month period by taking the Bank of England Base Rate on 30 June and 31 December and adding 8%.
LIBOR January February March April May June July August September October November December
2008 5.58% 5.74% 6.01% 5.84% 5.87% 5.95% 5.78% 5.75% 6.30% 5.84% 3.91% 2.77%
2009 2.17% 2.05% 1.65% 1.45% 1.28% 1.19% 0.89% 0.69% 0.54% 0.59% 0.61% 0.61%
2010 0.62% 0.64% 0.65% 0.68% 0.71% 0.73% 0.75% 0.73% 0.74% 0.74% 0.74% 0.76%
2011 0.77% 0.80% 0.82% 0.82% 0.83% 0.83% 0.83% 0.89% 0.95% 0.99%
3 MONTH INTERBANK - closing rate on last day of month
2006 193.4 194.2 195.0 196.5 197.7 198.5 198.5 199.2 200.1 200.4 201.1 202.7
2007 201.6 203.1 204.4 205.4 206.2 207.3 206.1 207.3 208.0 208.9 209.7 210.9
Courts ENGLISH COURTS
2007 6.3% 7.7% 4.6% 4.2% 4.6% 4.2% 4.5% 5.0% 5.5% 4.2% 5.1% 3.4%
January February March April May June July August September October November December
2008 209.8 211.4 212.1 214.0 215.1 216.8 216.5 217.2 218.4 217.7 216.0 212.9
Whole GB economy unadjusted *Provisional
2008 3.6% 4.6% 4.8% 4.8% 4.2% 3.4% 3.2% 3.2% 2.8% 3.6% 2.3% 2.5%
2009 210.1 211.4 211.3 211.5 212.8 213.4 213.4 214.4 215.3 216.0 216.6 218.0
2010 217.9 219.2 220.7 222.8 223.6 224.1 223.6 224.5 225.3 225.8 226.8 228.4
2011 229.0 231.3 232.5 234.4 235.2 235.2 234.7 236.1 237.9 238.0
Source: ONS
2009 -1.7% -5.7% -1.1% 1.7% 0.9% 1.1% 0.3% 0.3% 0.9% 0.7% 0.8% 0.7%
2010 0.6% 5.2% 6.6% 0.4% 1.1% 1.1% 1.8% 2.1% 2.3% 2.1% 2.1% 1.3%
2011 3.5% 1.0% 2.1% 2.5% 2.4% 3.3% 2.8% 3.0% 2.1% 1.8%*
2009 517.2 515.3 508.3 508.6 520.7 514.0 520.1 524.1 533.5 535.4 536.0 541.3
2010 535.7 537.2 543.1 552.7 547.6 538.5 544.8 546.6 529.6 534.9 528.4 522.7
2011 522.6 523.3 524.8 525.3 525.4 529.6 533.1 524.6 525.5 531.8
Figures include bonuses and arrears Source: ONS
House Price Index 2007 595.7 612.3 625.2 641.5 644.9 645.5 649.2 650.8 647.8 640.2 628.7 632.2
January February March April May June July August September October November December
2008 619.1 626.1 616.9 618.0 603.5 588.3 577.5 567.7 561.0 544.2 527.1 512.8
All Houses (January 1983 = 100)
Exchange Rates
Certificates of Tax Deposit up to £100K £100K+ 0-1 mth £100K+ 1-3 mth £100K+ 3-6 mth £100K+ 6-9 mth £100K+ 9-12 mth
2005 188.9 189.6 190.5 191.6 192.0 192.2 192.2 192.6 193.1 193.3 193.6 194.1
% Change Average Weekly Earnings
% Annual Inflation January February March April May June July August September October November December
2004 183.1 183.8 184.6 185.7 186.5 186.8 186.8 187.4 188.1 188.6 189.0 189.9
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
YEN 202 205 233 198 142 142 133
MARCH US$ SFr 1.89 2.25 1.74 2.27 1.97 2.39 1.99 1.97 1.43 1.63 1.52 1.60 1.60 1.47
Source: Halifax on last working day
€ 1.45 1.43 1.47 1.25 1.08 1.12 1.13
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
DECEMBER YEN US$ SFr 203 1.72 2.27 233 1.96 2.39 222 1.99 2.25 130 1.44 1.53 150 1.61 1.67 127 1.57 1.46
€ 1.46 1.48 1.36 1.04 1.13 1.17
Income Support Mortgage Rate Effective Date Rate
Effective Date Rate
7.33% 7.08% 6.83%
6.58% 6.08% 3.63%
From 1.10.10 the standard interest rate will be the BoE published monthly avge mortgage interest rate. Can claim mortgage interest on, up to £200,000 of the motgage. Waiting period 13 weeks.
SCOTTISH COURTS
Judgment Debts: High Court (& w.e.f. 1.7.91 County Courts) 8% w.e.f. Decrees: Court of Session & Sheriff Courts 8% w.e.f. 1.4.93 (previously 15% w.e.f. 16.8.85). 1.4.93 (previously 15% w.e.f. 16.4.85). Funds in Court: Special Rate (persons under disability) 0.5% w.e.f. NORTHERN IRISH COURTS 1.7.09 (previously 1.5% w.e.f. 1.6.09). Basic Rate (payment into court) Judgment Debts: High Court: 8% w.e.f. 19.4.93 (previously 15% w.e.f. 0.3% w.e.f. 1.7.09 (previously 1% w.e.f. 1.6.09). 2.9.85). County Court 8% w.e.f. 19.4.93 (previously 15% w.e.f. 19.5.85). Interest in Personal Injury cases: Future Earnings - none. Pain & Interest on amounts awarded in Magistrate Courts 7% w.e.f. 3.9.84. Suffering - 2%. Special Damages: same as “Special Rate” - see Funds ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES in Court above (½ Special Rate payable from date of accident to date of judgment). England & Wales: Interest on General Legacies: 0.3% w.e.f. 1.7.09 Interest Rate on Confiscation Orders in Crown & Magistrates Courts: (previously 1% 1.6.09). Interest on Statutory Legacies: 6% w.e.f. 1.10.83 (previously 7% w.e.f. 15.9.77). same rate as applies to High Court Judgment Debts.
All rates and terms are subject to change without notice and should be checked before finalising any arrangement. No liability can be accepted for any direct or consequential loss arising from the use of, or reliance upon, this information. Readers who are not financial professionals should seek expert advice.
Data specially compiled for
The UK’s largest provider of savings and mortgage data
Tel: 01603 476 476
Corporate
OLYMPUS INQUIRY LAUNCHED
The UK’s Serious Fraud Office is investigating allegations of illegal payments made by Japanese cameramaker Olympus during acquisitions. A spokeswoman for the SFO said: ‘We can confirm we have opened an inquiry into Olympus and are liaising with other organisations and international colleagues following information given to us by the former Olympus CEO.’ Michael Woodford briefly became Olympus CEO and president in 2011, but quit after he was allegedly stonewalled over inquiries into suspicious payments to enable acquisitions to take place. Three board members resigned over allegations of incomplete accounting related to the payments. The company has admitted it had ‘discovered it had been engaging in activities such as deferring the posting of losses on investment securities’, and apologised to investors, employees and customers.
The view from: Computing: Adnan Majid FCCA, financial controller and commercial manager, Hitachi Data Systems Q Can you describe your role at Hitachi Data Systems (HDS)? A My role is diverse and challenging. I make sure that the company’s policies and processes are followed. I own the profit and loss and balance sheet for my particular regions, with full reporting duties. Besides all this, I structure deals, provide pricing support, and add commercial sense as well as balance the forecast to deliver a reliable and consistent estimate of performance. Q Has your finance background benefited your position? A Most definitely. Having studied a qualification that is very broad, combined with the varied experience I have acquired throughout my professional career, has really helped me adapt quickly to changes here and take on more duties as my career develops. Q HDS has obtained global accreditation from ACCA for its finance team. What does this mean to the business? A It means that we are compliant and it helps advertise to any potential students or graduates at career fairs and exhibitions that HDS is certified globally and takes its commitment to professional development seriously.
ACTUARIAL CHANGES ‘TOO SLOW’ FTSE 350 companies are failing to use realistic life expectancy assumptions when measuring pensions liabilities, according to a study by Club Vita, which advises clients on life expectancy predictions. According to its analysis, nearly half of the 118 FTSE 350 companies whose accounts it analysed have made no change to scheme members’ longevity expectations. This is despite male life expectancy at age 65 rising by three months every year. The other companies had increased male longevity expectations by nearly half a year on average, adding £700m to their disclosed liabilities.
UK_YCORP_intro.indd 49
49
Q What is your number one career ambition? A I would like to be in a respected general management position with a leading-edge company, where I would be driving strategy, instigating change, motivating and creating a platform for all those around me to push to be number one.
FAST FACTS
Location: Middle East, Africa, UK and Ireland Favourite hobbies: fast cars, martial arts, theatre and charity work Favourite book: The Firm by John Grisham
49 Corporate The view from Adnan Majid of HDS; inside Royal Dutch Shell; why more companies are considering delisting 45 Practice The view from Sandra McAlister of McAlister & Co; dealing with the self-assessment tax return rush 59 Public sector The view from strategic adviser for adult social care to the Local Government Association, Andrew Cozens; the cuts to come 63 Financial services The view from Faraz Jan Muhammad of UBS; the farreaching effects of the FSA’s retail distribution review
08/12/2011 10:42
50
Inside Shell
Harnessing the energy In the fourth article of our series on ACCA members’ experiences at big-name businesses, we meet Augustas Daugela and Linzi McGarva of multinational Royal Dutch Shell In the world of big business, they don’t come much bigger than Royal Dutch Shell. Ranked second only to Walmart in Fortune magazine’s Global 500 of the world’s biggest companies, its vital statistics are breathtaking. Around 93,000 employees in more than 90 countries; stock market listings in London, New York and Amsterdam; and profits of more than $20bn last year on revenues approaching $400bn. So what’s it like to work for a global behemoth? ACCA members Linzi McGarva and Augustas Daugela work at Shell’s business service centre in Glasgow, one of five finance operations hubs around the world that handle shared processes including management information, data management, expenditure and revenue. ‘I guess because Shell is a large, successful energy company and quite a big employer in Scotland, it’s exciting to work here and to be part of a recognised brand that people can relate to,’ McGarva says. ‘They’re a good employer, they care about their employees. You are rewarded for hard work and delivery. They offer flexible working to accommodate business needs and individual lifestyles.’ Daugela adds: ‘Getting to meet different people from various countries around the world is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the job. My finance manager and control are based in the Netherlands but other people could be based in Belgium, the US, India or Singapore. It’s a truly global environment so it’s very exciting having these opportunities to deal with people from various backgrounds.’ McGarva is part of Shell’s management information team and provides finance support to the group’s downstream functions (which include refining and shipping crude worldwide and producing petrochemicals for industrial customers). ‘My particular
UK_YCORP_insideShell.indd 50
Inside the behemoth: Augustas Daugela and Linzi McGarva
05/12/2011 17:24
51
The CV
AUGUSTAS DAUGELA role is ops manager for finance, and I and my team of seven provide management information and analytical support on finance functional spend. The key to that really is around building relationships with stakeholders and providing stakeholder satisfaction through credible analysis and data integrity.’ Daugela is a reporting accountant for a global lubricants company within Shell, responsible for submitting management accounts and quarterly group finance accounts. ‘We also operate a number of controls for quarter-end processes and report intra-group balances,’ he says. ‘Working on ad hoc projects is another aspect of the job. We’re currently involved in a dual-currency project which will result in us having a different functional currency but reporting for fiscal reasons in the local currency.’ Daugela finds the scale of the business remarkable. ‘There are so many various materials and different types of fuels and lubricants that we work with – literally thousands,’ he says. ‘My company’s activities mainly consist of supplying base oils and waxes, additives and finished lubricants to Shell group or third-party companies operating in the lubricants sector, so it’s business to business rather than business to consumer.’ McGarva studied for a degree in accountancy at Napier University in Edinburgh and qualified with ACCA during an 11-year spell at Lucas, the auto and aerospace engineer, where she was latterly finance manager. She then spent six years with General Electric in Prestwick before joining Shell in 2008 as an analyst for downstream finance. There’s no ‘typical day’ in her job. ‘Sometimes I am caught up all day in meetings, other days I do my numbers,’ she explains. ‘We have
UK_YCORP_insideShell.indd 51
Completed HND in accountancy at Stow College in Glasgow
2007
Shell, UK: Global systems administrator; financial reporting analyst, financial reporting accountant
2011
The CV LINZI MCGARVA
1990
Lucas UK: joined as a graduate trainee; various roles including internal audit, management accounting, financial accounting, systems implementation and management and finance manager
1994
Qualified with ACCA while at Lucas
2001
GE, Prestwick: financial controller; financial planning and analysis manager
2008
Shell, UK: analyst for downstream finance; management information manager for downstream finance
‘BECAUSE SHELL IS A LARGE, SUCCESSFUL COMPANY AND A BIG EMPLOYER IN SCOTLAND, IT’S EXCITING TO WORK HERE AND TO BE PART OF A BRAND THAT PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO’ traditional cycles of monthly reporting, planning and forecasting. We can’t start our reporting until the ledger’s closed and data has been submitted to our management information system. We get a lot of ad hoc queries and as a team we discuss and share a lot of information. That’s the beauty of having a centralised team. We support and work off each other.’ Daugela was born in Lithuania but
came to Scotland after school. After an HND in accountancy at Stow College in Glasgow, he started at Shell as a global systems administrator in 2007. He qualified with ACCA in June 2011. ‘We need to submit our results quarterly on day seven, so we pretty much have seven working days to prepare everything and liaise with the business people to review and analyse the results and make sure the financial
05/12/2011 17:24
52
Inside Shell
‘SOMETIMES I AM CAUGHT UP ALL DAY IN MEETINGS, OTHER DAYS I DO MY NUMBERS’ results we’re reporting are correct,’ Daugela explains. ‘We spend a lot of time communicating with various stakeholders in all the businesses and there are also intra-group discussions to align our reporting positions.’ Both highlight the wealth of training and career development opportunities at Shell. ‘Shell supports and encourages professional development and sponsors training through a number of professional bodies including ACCA as one of the main ones,’ says Daugela. ‘We also have the Shell Open University with a number of virtual or face-to-face courses that employees can attend. There are other tools to learn softer skills like leadership or negotiation. I’m also involved in the
UK_YCORP_insideShell.indd 52
Shell mentoring scheme for ACCA students, which is designed to support students through their studies. That’s about sharing my experience with mentees: how I went about studying; what we do in various departments; the kind of skills you need; and career progression opportunities.’
Diversity and opportunity McGarva adds: ‘There’s great diversity in the different processes in Glasgow and the number of roles within that – and quite a big span of job grades – which allows for a number of opportunities within itself.’ Health and safety is a particularly high-profile aspect of life in the energy industry. ‘It’s top of every agenda and is reinforced all the time – it’s part of
our culture,’ McGarva continues. ‘We have an annual safety day and it’s mandatory that everyone takes part.’ ‘We tend to have different themes,’ adds Daugela. ‘There are things like the 12 life-saving rules: don’t use your mobile while driving, wear your seatbelt and so on. Any time you hear a senior leader from Shell talking, safety is top of their list.’ McGarva feels ‘finance is finance’ pretty well wherever you go but that the oil industry is interesting and exciting: ‘There are stories on the oil industry in the media every day. Energy affects us all, in our day-to-day lives. It affects the economy and the environment and with the increase in demand and the changing needs of consumers and changing sources of energy it’s always going to be topical and relevant. It’s good to be able to relate who you work for to the wider world.’ Victoria Masterson, journalist
05/12/2011 17:24
53
*TEAM TACTICS: THE SECRET OF SHELL’S SHARED SERVICE SUCCESS Connectivity is the key to a winning approach, says Shell’s George Connell
Shell’s business service centre in Glasgow is one of five finance operations hubs around the world that operates shared processes including expenditure, revenue, data management, management information and various record-toreport activities. The other four centres are in Manila, Chennai, Kuala Lumpur and Krakow. Between them the five sites employ more than 5,000 people. George Connell, vice president of strategy finance operations at Shell, joined the company in 1998 at the start of its shared services journey and has a wealth of knowledge on strategies for success. ‘Many blue-chip companies tend to operate some form of finance shared services model as an integral part of their finance agenda,’ he explains. ‘It’s important to be clear on the objectives of the shared service organisation from the outset. For a transformation of this size, you absolutely must have board-level sponsorship and management commitment at all levels, supported by a robust change management programme with dedicated resources, project plans and so on. It can be useful to start with easy wins to build credibility and momentum.’ Connell’s top tips include ensuring that there’s a compelling rationale for the changes being made, putting in place a structured methodology for migrating work and controls, and using strong and consistent metrics to embed accountability and to measure and benchmark progress. Shell has a three-tier model of metrics – strategic, managerial and operational – for each process and associated targets to achieve topquartile performance delivery. A regular review of effectiveness, efficiency and compliance helps to realise economies of scale and increase standardisation of processes. This is enabled by a continuous
UK_YCORP_insideShell.indd 53
improvement programme using lean techniques and training and accreditation for finance staff to ‘master black belt’, ‘black belt’, ‘yellow belt’ and ‘green belt’ levels. ‘By the end of 2010, around 20% of our staff in finance operations had been trained and accredited to minimum green belt standard,’ Connell says. The theme of ‘connected finance’ has been developed to describe how Shell’s finance function partners and interfaces with others in the rest of the organisation and externally. ‘Our colleagues – known as business partners – are encouraged to visit the centres when they can and our employees regularly engage with them. There’s very much a feeling of one connected team based in multiple locations,’ Connell says. ‘Using video-conferencing technology as a key enabler of this connectivity is becoming more widely used in the centres.’ Connell reflects that employee turnover rates in shared service centres tend to be higher than in traditional finance organisations. He says that higher staff churn is inherent in the operating model and something that is constantly monitored and managed. Employees receive regular training and there are also personal development opportunities available. Achievements are regularly rewarded and celebrated, while the annual Shell ‘people survey’ allows the group to assess and improve its performance where required. When compared to locations in the East, Scotland compares well in terms of social and geopolitical stability, and benefits from its proximity to Shell’s businesses and main corporate offices. In terms of trends, Connell has seen an evolution from simply and solely focusing on costs to capturing added
value by means of grouping skillsets together – for example, enhanced opportunities for continuous improvement in areas of critical mass. ‘I’m really proud to be part of an organisation that has evolved from a peripheral influence to a key enabler for finance to deliver top-quartile performance in one of the largest corporations in the world,’ Connell concludes. ‘I enjoy working with my colleagues from many different organisations, countries and cultures as we continue our exciting journey.’
05/12/2011 17:25
54
Corporate
Going private Continuing our series on flotations, we look at why more companies are considering delisting Individual Restaurant Company, which operates 33 outlets, including the Piccolino and Bar + Grill brands, floated on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market in December 2006. But last year, the company’s majority owners, who include Malcolm Walker, founder of the Iceland supermarket chain, decided to take the company private. They formed a new company called W2D2 which made a successful bid for IRC. In recent years, they have not been alone. There has been a steady stream of companies turning their backs on the public markets. Three years ago, research conducted by BDO Stoy Hayward found that around one-third of public companies would consider a public-toprivate transaction in ‘the next few years’. The research also revealed that half of institutional shareholders would be receptive to a public-toprivate arrangement. BDO Stoy Hayward’s John Stephan says: ‘I think we would get a similar picture today with a little more optimism about being on the market.’ Many companies battered by three years of recession, and faced by unforgiving shareholders looking for decent returns, are concluding that life would not only be simpler, but possibly more successful, if they weren’t always having to look over
their shoulders at what reaction the markets take to their every move. It was certainly the view of Walker, who believed that taking the company private, in an offer which valued it at £5.67m, would help IRC tackle the tough trading conditions produced by the economic downturn. In its last reported financial year (to 31 December 2010) IRC’s sales had slipped 3.4% to £51.3m and EBITDA had fallen 14% to £4.3m. At the time of the take-private, Walker noted: ‘We feel that the best option for the business is to take the company private in order to help take IRC back to growth.’ IRC is typical of companies with small capitalisations that find the supposed benefits of being a public company, such as easier access to capital and higher profile, are not always borne out in reality. Directors also become frustrated that markets under-value smaller companies. In Stephan’s research only 16% of companies with a market cap below £15m felt that they were fairly valued by the market. That rose to just 38% for companies with a market cap of between £30m and £99m. ‘Below £100m, it seems to be less viable to be on the market,’ says Stephan. ‘With small caps in particular, liquidity seems to have gone out of the market.’ The problem is that analysts and fund managers don’t tend to focus their attention on smaller companies, especially when, as in IRC’s case, the ‘free float’ of shares is below 50%.
Growth market Public-to-privates among smaller quoted companies are a growing trend, agrees Richard Weaver, a partner in the capital markets group at PwC. ‘They are finding that the negatives of a listing outweigh the benefits.’
UK_YCORP_private.indd 54
05/12/2011 17:26
55
One of those negatives is the cost of listing, even on the more lightly regulated AIM market. There are costs associated with meeting corporate governance requirements, such as appointing non-executive directors, investor relations advisers and submitting accounts that meet the requirements of a public market. These vary depending on company size, but even at a lower level on the AIM market there is unlikely to be much change out of £250,000 each year. ‘As a private company, you can typically be more agile and flexible,’ says
directors that the take-private is in the interests of shareholders. In the case of IRC, chairman Robert Breare said that the board wasn’t able to give a firm recommendation for W2D2’s offer of 9.5 pence a share. But he warned minority shareholders: ‘Given the controlling stake already held by the [W2D2] consortium, such a liquidity event might not be available in the future on similar terms.’ Stephan points out that a take-private decision involves the board asking some fundamental questions about the future of the business. ‘You need to be
MANY COMPANIES ARE CONCLUDING THAT LIFE WOULD NOT ONLY BE SIMPLER, BUT POSSIBLY MORE SUCCESSFUL, IF THEY WEREN’T ALWAYS HAVING TO LOOK OVER THEIR SHOULDERS AT WHAT REACTION THE MARKETS TAKE TO THEIR EVERY MOVE Weaver. ‘You can make certain decisions more quickly than a public company.’ So, after having gone through all the effort and expense of floating on a stock exchange, how does a company reverse the process? In some cases, it will make the public-to-private transition as a result of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity – where a public company is acquired by or merges with a private firm. Examples in the past 12 months include Romag, a supplier of photovoltaic glass whose assets were sold as part of a pre-pack administration to Gentoo Group, and Wellstream, a specialist in flexible pipelines for the energy industry which was bought by the US’s General Electric for £800m. But when an existing management team is taking an independent company private, it will need to gain agreement from the non-executive
UK_YCORP_private.indd 55
asking: what’s in the best interests of shareholders and how can we best create shareholder value?’ he says.
Time to talk He advises directors to talk to shareholders early in the process. ‘If shareholders are looking for an exit, they need to explore the options open to them.’ It shouldn’t take up too much valuable management time to gauge the views of shareholders – especially in the case of small-cap companies, where there may be only a small number of major ones. But he warns that, when a private-topublic transaction kicks off, it can prove time-consuming for the senior management team, especially the chief executive and CFO. ‘A take-private can be disruptive for management and obviously you’ve got to be running the company at the same time,’ he says.
If you’re going to run a successful public-to-private transaction, you’ve got to have a good growth story, advises Weaver. ‘You need to be able to see the case for it in terms of faster decisionmaking – for example, by not being encumbered with the class one rule.’ (Class one transactions, as defined by the UK Listing Authority, are decisions that require shareholder approval.) Stephan agrees that a good growth story is important in gaining shareholder acceptance of a public-toprivate. ‘You must have a robust plan to begin with – a strategy to deliver value,’ he says. ‘It’s pretty unlikely that you’d get one of these transactions done just by saying that you’ve got a steady earnings stream and you can pay down debt. ‘Then you’ve got to have a price that works for shareholders. On the one hand, you’ve got to have a price you can put a funding structure to. On the other, it has to be a price that the independent directors on the board could recommend to shareholders. It is a meeting in the middle of what is fundable but is also fair and reasonable for shareholders.’ Given the steady traffic of companies from public to private, shouldn’t more boards have had second thoughts about their original flotation before they went ahead? ‘I think there are undoubtedly some companies where there is some management or owner hubris and reputation involved,’ says Weaver. ‘They want the status of having a big share in a listed company but have not fully evaluated the consequential effects. Maybe they’re a little dazzled by the prospect of being the part owner of a listed company without recognising that it’s got its downsides.’ Peter Bartram, journalist
05/12/2011 17:26
Corporate
*CASE STUDY: GSH GROUP
GSH Group, a £250m-turnover technical facilities and energy management company, delisted from the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market in 2009. It had been quoted on the market for just four years. So why the reversion to private ownership so soon after the original high hopes of the flotation? ‘From very early on we felt a disproportionate amount of resources, both financial and in terms of senior management time, was spent on meeting the needs of the City when this could have been better spent on meeting the needs of clients,’ says Ian Davidson, who is now GSH Group’s chairman as well as holding the CFO post. ‘Of course, we were listed during a time when there was considerable volatility on the stock markets and the fluctuation in GSH shares bore little relevance to the company’s actual performance, which continued to be strong and profitable.’ During its period on AIM, GSH’s share price oscillated from a high of around £5 to a low of £1. ‘When the market is looking good, you go over the top but when the market starts to shrink, you over-shoot the other way,’ Davidson says. GSH had hoped to benefit from what Davidson calls ‘a general perception of scale’ by being listed. The firm felt this would be especially helpful when it was dealing with overseas clients. It accepted that it would need a corporate governance regime, complete with non-executive directors and board committees, such as a remuneration committee, appropriate to a public company. But although the firm gained some benefits, Davidson complains: ‘We also experienced an increasing concentration on short-term performance in order to meet the City’s expectations.’ This, the board felt, didn’t suit GSH’s business model which focused on incremental growth. ‘Our business focuses on long-term client contracts with an assessment of profit and cash generation over the whole contract period,’ explains Davidson. ‘Needing to make the numbers add up each year can be at the expense of long-term investments in, for example, training, IT or developing client relationships.’ Davidson cites the fact that the company runs one of the UK’s largest apprentice schemes. ‘We have always placed great emphasis on training and developing our young starters – the dedicated long-service employees of the future.’ So what was the reaction of minority shareholders when the board announced that it was planning to delist? ‘In truth, it was pretty negative,’ Davidson admits. ‘They felt they’d bought into a vision of growth but they’d seen their shares go down.’ A key bone of contention was that there was no offer to shareholders to buy out their shares at the time of the
UK_YCORP_private.indd 56
Ian Davidson: no regrets
delisting. The minority shareholders would be left with no active market to trade their shares. Subsequently, the board made an offer to shareholders of £1.90 a share. ‘The board wanted to be fair and made the offer at an independently verified fair price,’ says Davidson. In the three years since it happened, has the delisting proved the right decision? Davidson has no regrets. Turnover has grown from £220m at the time of delisting to around £260m now. Davidson says that the take-private has enabled the company to jettison some of the corporate governance bureaucracy which had slowed down decision-making without lowering standards. There are now no non-executive directors or board committees. Instead, there is a streamlined structure based around two group directors and a managing director for each of the company’s three main markets – Britain, Europe and the US. ‘As a public company, decision-making was not as fast as we would have liked it to be,’ he says. ‘Now, we can make fast decisions because there are no separate committees to sit there and debate things.’ And the cost of the delisting process? Davidson ‘wouldn’t argue’ with an estimate of £200,000 to £300,000 excluding management time.
*JUNE 2011
FLOTATION FACTORS THAT COMPANIES SHOULD CONSIDER
05/12/2011 17:26
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Public sector
GOVERNMENT FRAUD ‘RISING’
Fraud against public bodies cost the taxpayer an estimated £21bn in 2011, according to a report from the National Fraud Authority. Total fraud against all organisations and individuals cost about £765 per UK adult. An Audit Commission study, Protecting the Public Purse 2011, found that local authorities had detected over £185m of fraud – some 121,000 instances – a rise of 37% over the previous year. Successes included recovering nearly 1,800 homes – with a replacement value of over £266m – from tenancy fraudsters. Housing tenancy fraud alone costs the public purse around £900m a year. Fraudulent claims for student and single person council tax discounts cost another £22m and procurement fraud £15m. The commission warned that abuse of personal social care budgets is an increasing fraud risk for councils.
The view from: Adult social care: Andrew Cozens CBE, strategic adviser for adult social care to the Local Government Association Q Government grant to local authorities has been cut back. What has been the impact on adult social services? A Councils have sought to protect adult social care from the overall cuts. A recent Association of Directors of Adult Social Services study showed that councils have taken out about £1bn from adult social care in the current year. This has mainly been achieved in three ways: making efficiency savings in back offices, assessments and other procedures; raising the eligibility criteria and reviewing packages in line with that; and reviewing contracts and grants and their continued relevance. Q What impact has this had on the NHS? A A detailed study has shown that where there has been an increase in admissions or a delay in discharge it relates to NHS referrals. Councils have been very focused in ensuring their actions do not have this effect. This has also been the result of additional investment by primary care trusts.
IFAC AND IASB UNITE
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the International Accounting Standards Board have agreed to increase cooperation on the production of public and private sector accounting standards. IFAC supports the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB), responsible for developing International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs). IPSASs are used by an increasing number of public bodies around the world and many draw on International Financial Reporting Standards. The two bodies will work on greater consistency between the sets of standards.
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Q What is your advice to local authorities? A We have developed programmes of support to assess what efficiencies are possible. There are wide variations in the costs of processes and in the unit costs of care. The second main area of support is with the development of service, providing alternatives to emergency and unplanned admissions to hospitals. There is evidence that this is working. The third area is with anticipating demand from those using their own money at the moment, so they can be supported to make decisions to avoid coming prematurely or unexpectedly into the care system. Q How do you relax? A I am a football and horse racing fan.
FAST FACTS
English local authority spend on adult social care 2011–12: £39.5bn Proportion of councils’ total spend: 34%
FOR MORE ABOUT XXXXXX XXX
59 Public sector The view from strategic adviser for adult social care to the Local Government Association, Andrew Cozens; the cuts to come 45 Practice The view from Sandra McAlister of McAlister & Co; dealing with the self-assessment tax return rush 49 Corporate The view from Adnan Majid of HDS; inside Royal Dutch Shell; why more companies are considering delisting 63 Financial services The view from Faraz Jan Muhammad of UBS; the far-reaching effects of the FSA’s retail distribution review
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Public sector
You ain’t seen nothing yet… Further huge job losses and service reductions look on the cards for the public sector in 2012 as the government looks for more cuts to salvage its deficit reduction plan The chancellor’s Autumn Statement has heaped pain upon suffering as far as the public sector is concerned – especially for staff. Announced the day before the biggest public sector strike in modern times – taken in protest against proposed pension reforms – George Osborne’s update on the government’s plans based on the latest forecasts for the UK economy made clear that there would be no turning back on the coalition government’s austerity programme. Public sector staff had expected a 2% pay rise once the current two-year pay freeze ends (in April 2012 for some workers, 2013 for others). Instead, the rise will be just 1%. With inflation currently running at about 5%, there will therefore be an effective public sector pay cut of 15% over the term of this parliament. Worse still in some poorer regions, an inquiry is being set up into the localisation of public sector pay – possibly benchmarked against private sector rates – that could usher in significant pay cuts or pay standstills for long into the future. ‘The public sector recession is now in full swing,’ was the reaction of Paul Cleal, PwC partner and head of government and public sector, to the Autumn Statement. Cleal suggested that as well as further pay restraint and job cuts, the government might need to accelerate its programme of outsourcing and mutualising services if it is to meet savings targets. PwC’s recent analysis of the impact of the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review reported a cut of 240,000 public sector jobs in the first year. The government’s hope that this fall would be offset by recruitment in the private sector has been disappointed. The result is further damage to the weakest regional economies.
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PwC’s chief economist, John Hawksworth, explains: ‘The biggest job losses were in the North East, quite predictably, and also the South West. In general, we found the biggest public sector job cuts in the English regions, particularly in local authorities. Scotland was around the average, while Northern Ireland and Wales were not hit so hard.’ This variation between the home nations reflects the way that power has been exercised by the devolved governments, which have so far delayed the most painful decisions on job losses. By contrast, says Hawksworth,
of public sector job losses will be needed to balance the books. The latest Ernst & Young ITEM Club report suggests this could mean another 100,000 positions disappearing. Andrew Goodwin, senior economic adviser to the EY ITEM Club, says: ‘The UK’s unemployment rate is already at 8.3%, but there’s worse still to come. As the public sector spending cuts start to feed through towards the end of this parliament, the axe is inevitably going to fall on the labour market.’ This impression of continuing pain is confirmed by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development. Its
ON TOP OF THE 400,000 JOB LOSSES PREVIOUSLY PROJECTED, THE OBR SAYS THAT A FURTHER 310,000 STAFF CUTS WILL BE REQUIRED ‘it seems that local authorities are getting ahead of the game’. He adds: ‘It’s leaving the weaker regions quite vulnerable, because they lack the private sector job dynamics that apply in some other places. Our survey suggested some more pain to come, because public spending is going to remain tight [for several years] – and that also applies to the devolved regions.’ PwC’s analysis revealed that 145,000 of the 240,000 job losses were in local government – a scale of employment reduction that was faster and deeper than predicted by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Central government lost 66,000 staff and public corporations – including the Post Office and the BBC – reported 29,000 fewer employees. But with the economy still deteriorating, the government’s deficit reduction plan is now veering off-track. The implication is that a further round
latest Labour Market Outlook (which preceded the grim Autumn Statement) found 48% of public sector employers intended to make redundancies, a fall from 56% earlier in the year but a much higher figure than in the private or voluntary sectors. Given the economy is labouring, the OBR has revised upwards the number of public sector job losses needed even to meet the government’s slowed-down deficit reduction programme. On top of the 400,000 job losses previously projected, the OBR says that a further 310,000 staff cuts will be required. With public sector cuts contributing to already high unemployment levels, the loss of consumer confidence is gathering pace. The Nationwide Consumer Confidence Index has hit an all-time low and is rapidly falling further, with knock-on effects for the property market and retailing. Begbies Traynor Red Flag Alert Report for the third quarter of last year
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** NHS CUTS * * * * * *
For the chop: unions have protested against projected public sector pension reforms for cutting the value of their pensions
Birmingham and Solihull NHS cluster plans to decommission Birmingham Own Health, a healthcare service for people with long-term conditions. Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust’s proposed redesign of inpatient adult mental health services in Hampshire would mean the closure of two hospitals – the Meadows and Woodhaven – with a loss of 48 beds. West London Mental Health Trust has closed the families service at Cassel Hospital due to lack of funding. Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has lost 280 staff in 2010/11 and is slated to lose 533 more up to 2014 as part of the organisation’s ‘transformation’ – a cut of a quarter on its 2010 staffing levels. Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is set to lose 1,916 staff between 2011 and 2016. That represents 22.87% of the total 2010 workforce. Kingston Hospital NHS Trust plans to reduce staff numbers by 486 between 2011 and 2016 – 19.16% of its total 2010 workforce. ‘Copious examples’ of cuts to preventative, community and mental health services.
Source: Royal College of Nursing
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specifically warned about the effect of the public sector’s problems on the wider economy, especially in the weakest regions. Ric Traynor, executive chairman of Begbies Traynor Group, explains: ‘As the threat of public sector job cuts became a reality in the past few months, a north-south divide has begun to emerge, with the South East and London showing much greater economic resilience than the rest of England and Wales. ‘Many of the regions worst affected – such as the North East and the North – are heavily dependent on the public sector, so it is telling that these areas are witnessing increased levels of financial distress. The UK is seeing widely varying regional distress levels as a variety of sectors see polarised levels of hardship. It is not surprising, then, that we will end up with different areas seeing tougher economic times than others, especially where the public sector has historically been most important.’ Inevitably, the public sector unions are furious about the impact of the Autumn Statement on their members. Jonathan Baume, general secretary of the senior civil servants’ First Division Association, says: ‘Public sector workers are being asked to pay a very high price for a crisis they played no part in creating. The imposition of a 1% cap on public sector pay for two years following the pay freeze will not only exacerbate the real fall in living standards for public sector workers, but will once again unfairly penalise the civil service compared to the rest of the public sector as a result of the lack of automatic pay progression. ‘The chancellor has asked the pay review bodies to look at comparability of pay levels in local labour markets,
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‘AS PUBLIC SECTOR SPENDING CUTS FEED THROUGH TOWARDS THE END OF THIS PARLIAMENT, THE AXE WILL INEVITABLY FALL ON THE LABOUR MARKET’ but once again is saying nothing about how far pay has fallen behind the market for essential jobs that FDA members undertake across the UK.’ But while it is easy to record the actual job loss figures and the indirect impact on the wider economy, it is more difficult to be objective about the effect on public services themselves, particularly in the NHS. John Appleby, chief economist at the King’s Fund, says there are some signs of job reductions in the NHS, but that it is not possible to conclude whether that has any impact on the quality of service or health outcomes. ‘Looking at the compulsory redundancy figures in the NHS, they have increased,’ he says. ‘But these are still very small in terms of the whole NHS workforce. For the NHS the issue has mainly been about productivity gains. One aspect of this has been to reduce agency staff rather than salaried staff.’ The Royal College of Nursing is much clearer, and more critical, in its analysis. It has been closely tracking NHS job cuts and service closures, and says that 56,058 positions are going across the UK (see box on previous
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page). Its chief executive, Peter Carter, says that despite promises that efficiency savings would be reinvested in the service there was no evidence to show this was happening. He adds that RCN research shows NHS trusts are merely making short-term decisions to meet the required £20bn efficiency savings targets. Carter says: ‘There is clear evidence that the quality of care and patient safety is improved when you have the right numbers and skills in place on wards. Staffing levels should be based on rigorous clinical evidence and not arbitrarily lowered in a short-sighted effort to save money.’ Other services at risk are likely to be those for the elderly, families and children. But, as Action for Children points out, it is very hard to track what is happening to funding and services delivered in communities. ‘Within a much reduced total pool of funding, decision-making over where to prioritise has been devolved to local government to a far greater degree than before,’ says an Action for Children research paper. ‘This makes it harder to review whether or not the coalition
government’s intention to protect the most vulnerable is translating into decisions on the ground.’ The answer is likely to vary across the country significantly, according to local priorities and circumstances. In one of the Conservatives’ favourite local authorities – Wandsworth in London, which consistently levies one of the lowest council tax rates in the country – £55m of cuts will be required if the tax charge is not to rise substantially, following cuts to its grant from central government. A recent report on children’s services put forward suggestions to achieve over £2m of Wandsworth’s required savings. The ideas included cuts to fostering, adoption and social work budgets because of reduced demand, the termination of children’s services posts, and a £60,000 cut to a service seeking to reduce teenage pregnancies. ‘Traded services’ will be set up to exploit spare capacity. These are tough times – and it looks as if very tough options indeed are now under serious consideration. Paul Gosling, journalist
07/12/2011 14:31
Financial services
CREDIT SUISSE FINED £6M
Credit Suisse UK has been fined £5.95m by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for systems and controls failings in its private bank’s sales of structured capital at risk products (SCARPs). SCARPs provide income to customers, who may lose all or part of their initial capital. Over £1bn was invested in SCARPs between 2007 and 2009 by Credit Suisse UK customers. The FSA, which announced the fine in October, found the bank had weaknesses in assessing customers’ attitude to risk, failed to take reasonable care to ensure the suitability of SCARPs for customers, and did not monitor sales staff effectively. The FSA said that Credit Suisse UK had now improved its systems and controls. The firm is to conduct a past business review, with compensation to be paid to customers advised to buy an unsuitable product.
COUTTS FINED £6M
Coutts has been fined £6.3m by the FSA for failings related to the sale of the AIG Enhanced Variable Rate Fund. Coutts has agreed to conduct a past business review, overseen by an independent third party, of the sales to all customers who remained invested at 15 September 2008, with customers to be compensated where they made losses as a result. Coutts sold the fund to 427 of its high net worth customers, with investments totalling £1.45bn. The FSA, which announced the fine in November, found that Coutts had misdescribed the fund as low risk, exposing investors to substantial losses when AIG subsequently collapsed.
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The view from: Banking: Faraz Jan Muhammad ACCA, associate director, accounting control, UBS Q What is your role? A Accounting control is responsible for the business’s financial reporting, its presentation and its disclosure. This includes financial analysis of the month-end and quarterend results, verification of the application of accounting policies, management of the month-end close process, support for various financial statement disclosures, and ad hoc financial reporting requirements. Q What potential risks do you foresee in the financial services industry for the next year? A The financial services industry is still feeling the aftershock of the recession. Key pressures are the sovereign debt crisis, fiscal deadlock in the US, risk-averseness of investors, loss of confidence, and fears of a double-dip recession, which have all put considerable strain on the bottom line. It is important to remember that a healthy, dynamic and vibrant financial services industry is imperative for the prosperity of any economy. Q Why did you get involved as an observer with the Financial Services Members’ Network Panel? A With a substantial presence of ACCA members in the financial services industry in the City and worldwide, I believe ACCA has a responsibility to influence the profession. Q What piece of advice would you pass on to those starting their career in accountancy? A The business environment is more challenging than ever. Stakeholders expect accountants to be more than just technical experts. Modern accountants are expected to be conversant with the challenges faced by the business, and act as financial and business advisers at the forefront of business decisions, providing pertinent solutions to business challenges.
FAST FACTS
Short CV: Technical accountant, Standard Bank; manager, banking and securities, Deloitte Headquarters’ location: Zurich
FOR MORE ABOUT XXXXXX XXX
63 Financial services The view from Faraz Jan Muhammad of UBS; the far-reaching effects of the FSA’s retail distribution review 45 Practice The view from Sandra McAlister of McAlister & Co; dealing with the self-assessment tax return rush 49 Corporate The view from Adnan Majid of HDS; inside Royal Dutch Shell; why more companies are considering delisting 59 Public sector The view from strategic adviser for adult social care to the Local Government Association, Andrew Cozens; the cuts to come
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Financial services
HOW TO MANAGE IT The second of our articles on wealth management considers the far-reaching effects of the FSA’s retail distribution review for the providers of financial advice
T
he Financial Services Authority’s retail distribution review is shaking up the wealth management sector. From the end of this year, all financial advisers will have to charge clients fees for their services and will no longer be able to receive commission from product providers. They must also achieve certain levels of qualification. These two changes create a ‘double whammy of lower revenues and higher expenses’ for advisers, says Danny Cox, head of advice at retail investment broker Hargreaves Lansdown. While some banks are committed to continue providing widespread financial advice, Co-operative Financial Services is ending its field-based advisory service and Barclays is closing its branch-based retail financial planning arm. Others may follow suit. With lower fees being earned, Cox notes: ‘The obvious choice for wealth
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managers is to work with wealthier clients to maintain revenues and profit margins. Those with insufficient funds to afford a wealth manager’s fees will need to source financial products and planning themselves.’ This prediction already appears current practice for many people. Aviva found that only 21% of the 2,000 adults it surveyed for its Value of Financial Advice report last June turned to an independent financial adviser (IFA) when making key decisions about their finances; 40% used the internet, with 52% of those aged 18 to 24 looking online.
Going it alone Fortunately, there is a growing range of online information, tools and services that can help investors make their own investment decisions and then manage their investments efficiently. The long established websites of Hargreaves
Lansdown and Hemscott, for example, provide extensive information on investment options, and shares and fund performance. ‘In reality, it is my firm belief that most people can do most of their financial planning without the need for advice,’ says Cox. ‘Investing in a pension or ISA, finding the most competitive mortgage, buying life insurance… It’s easy to do online and saves the advisory fees.’ Hargreaves Lansdown estimates it has saved clients £180m in charges (including advice fees) in the past 12 months. Around 366,000 of the firm’s clients use its Vantage wrap service’ to view all their investments on one platform, and most of them do so without expert advice. Other wrap-platform providers include Ascentric, AXA Wealth and Standard Life. IFAs are increasingly using wrap platforms. An Investec Bank survey of
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investment-focused IFAs found 70% are now using them to manage clients’ funds. Apart from making it easier to review a range of investments, wraps have another attraction – providing a relatively cheap way for retail investors to make investment transactions. ‘Cost has a significant impact on investments, so it is always a good idea to reduce costs where you can, especially if we are in an environment with lower overall annual returns,’ says Stuart Davies, a director at independent investment advisory firm LJ Athene. ‘Paying half a per cent less every year can make a big difference to your long-term returns.’ But cost should not be the only factor driving investment decisions. ‘If somebody is adding value, you don’t mind paying a little bit for that,’ Davies says. The debate about the wisdom, or otherwise, of paying for active fund management (rather than going for a ‘passive’ investment approach, as with tracker funds) is a long-standing one. Cox says: ‘The right active management pays.’ He gives the example of £10,000 invested 10 years ago to 30 June 2011, with income reinvested. If invested in HSBC’s All Share Tracker, that £10,000 would have risen to £14,723; if invested in Invesco Perpetual’s income fund, it would have grown to £23,119. Supporters of passive investing argue that 80–90% of active managers do not add value that exceeds their fees or the market benchmark, Cox notes. ‘We agree. But that still leaves 240 or so good managers to invest with.’ For an individual, identifying those good managers then choosing between them can be challenging. ‘The first thing you have to do is decide what you are trying to achieve,’ advises Davies. ‘Are you trying to achieve performance in line with a market or set of markets, or a return above inflation? What currency do you want to achieve it in? Once you know what you are trying to achieve you can try to identify managers with a track record of doing that.’
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Diversification drives down risk There is general agreement that effective wealth management requires portfolio diversification. ‘By making the portfolio as diversified as possible, you are taking out as much general market risk as you can,’ says Adrian Douglas, associate in Moore Stephens’ wealth management team. ‘In order to be diversified, you need to have wide asset allocations. You don’t avoid sectors you think are doing poorly at the moment, because all markets are cyclical.’ If you avoid an underperforming market now, you miss out when it suddenly starts doing well. ‘Diversification has always been considered the first line of defence in reducing investment risk,’ agrees Tom Stevenson, investment director
months, but ends up achieving a better return over the long term.’ The key is to try to understand the reasons for any underperformance against peers or the market. Davies gives an example of fund managers who were underweight in equities, and specifically financial institutions or banks, in late 2010 or early 2011. Their performance would have looked poor, compared with their peer group. However, their caution would have paid off the following July and August when bank shares fell. ‘The worst thing you could have done would have been to sell that fund in June,’ Davies says. ‘If you understand why a fund is underperforming, you can make an informed decision as to whether or not to keep hold of it.’
FROM THE END OF THIS YEAR ALL FINANCIAL ADVISERS WILL HAVE TO CHARGE CLIENTS FEES FOR THEIR SERVICES AND WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO RECEIVE COMMISSION FROM PRODUCT PROVIDERS at Fidelity International. Fidelity’s research shows the main asset classes perform differently at different times in the economic cycle. Stocks and bonds often move in opposite directions, while commodities sometimes move with stocks, sometimes against. ‘Each time a bull run in one asset class comes to a halt, leadership passes to another,’ says Stevenson. ‘A welldiversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, commodities and cash would have performed well over the past 30 years with a low level of volatility.’
Underperformance issues One of the challenges of investing is knowing how to respond to fluctuating investment performance. ‘At what point does a period of underperformance become a concern?’ says Davies. ‘I don’t think there’s any definite time period. It could be that a fund manager underperforms for a number of
In general, research shows that longterm investment pays off. The 2011 edition of Barclays Capital’s Equity Gilt Study, an annual study of equity and bond returns, shows that since 1899 if a UK investor held equities for just one year, their inflation-adjusted return might have been as good as 100%, or as bad as –60%. However, since 1899 there has not been one 23-year period where equities have lost money. ‘Two important things can be understood from this about long-term investing,’ says Stevenson. ‘First, that the longer an investment is held, the narrower the likely dispersion of returns. Second, the chances of a positive return increase the longer that an investment is held. Both points support the argument to maintain a long-term discipline when investing in growth assets.’ Sarah Perrin, journalist
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Impairment of goodwill and CGUs An amendment to IAS 36 has clarified that a cash-generating unit cannot be larger than an operating segment before aggregation. Graham Holt explains
The basic principle of impairment is that an asset may not be carried on the statement of financial position above its recoverable amount, which is the higher of the asset’s fair value less costs to sell and its value in use. An asset’s carrying value is compared with its recoverable amount and the asset is impaired when the former exceeds the latter. Any impairment is then allocated to the asset, with the impairment loss recognised in profit or loss. All assets subject to the impairment review are tested for impairment where there is an indication that the asset may be impaired, although certain
independent of the cash inflows from other assets or groups of assets. Goodwill acquired in a business combination is allocated to the acquirer’s CGUs that are expected to benefit from the business combination. However, the largest group of CGUs permitted for goodwill impairment testing is the lowest level of operating segment. Under IAS 36, Impairment of Assets, impairment testing of goodwill must be performed at a level no larger than an operating segment as defined in IFRS 8, Operating Segments. However, complexity is created because IFRS 8 allows operating segments to be aggregated into a
AN ENTITY THAT ACQUIRES A PARTIAL INTEREST IN A SUBSIDIARY CAN CHOOSE HOW TO MEASURE THE NON-CONTROLLING INTEREST assets such as goodwill and indefinitelived intangible assets are tested for impairment annually even if there is no impairment indicator. The recoverable amount is calculated at the individual asset level. However, an asset seldom generates cashflows independently of other assets, and most assets are tested for impairment in groups of assets described as cash-generating units (CGUs). A cash-generating unit is the smallest identifiable group of assets that generates cash inflows that are largely
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higher-level reportable operating segment if certain criteria are met. IAS 36 was not clear as to whether the highest level of aggregation of CGUs for goodwill allocation and impairment testing purposes was to be no larger than an operating segment before or after this aggregation. To deal with this lack of clarity, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has issued an amendment to IAS 36 to clarify that a CGU cannot be larger than an operating segment before aggregation.
Entities should ensure their CGUs are aligned with their operating segments. The recoverable amount of a CGU is the same as for an individual asset. The carrying amount of a CGU consists of assets directly and exclusively attributable to the CGU and an allocation of assets that are indirectly attributable on a reasonable and consistent basis to the CGU, including corporate assets and goodwill. Where goodwill has been allocated to a CGU and the entity disposes of an operation within that CGU, the goodwill attributable to the operation disposed of is included in the carrying amount of the operation when calculating the profit or loss on disposal. Similarly, an entity might reorganise its business and change the composition of one or more CGUs to which goodwill has been allocated. In such situations, the goodwill attributable to operations that are moved between CGUs is calculated on the basis of the relative fair values of those operations and the remainder of the CGUs from which the operations are transferred. Liabilities that relate to the financing of the CGU are not allocated to determine the carrying amount of the CGU as the related cashflows will be excluded from the impairment calculations. An impairment charge calculated for a CGU should be allocated to the CGU’s individual assets – first of all to goodwill allocated to the CGU, and then
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to the other assets of the CGU on a pro rata basis according to the carrying amount of each asset in the CGU. In allocating the impairment loss to a CGU the carrying amount of each asset within the CGU should not be reduced below the highest of: a) fair value less costs to sell; b) value in use; c) zero. Any unallocated impairment should be reallocated to the CGU’s other assets, subject to the same limits. This could result in a process that continues until the impairment loss is fully allocated or until each of the CGU’s assets have been reduced to the highest of each asset’s fair value less costs to sell, value in use and zero. The recognition of impairment loss should not, however, result in recognition of a liability, unless it meets the definition of a liability under another IFRS. IFRS 3, Business Combinations, brings in new requirements for the allocation of impairment losses when dealing with goodwill. An entity that acquires a partial interest in a subsidiary can choose on an acquisition-by-acquisition basis how to measure the non-controlling interest (NCI). It can be measured at the NCI’s proportionate share of the fair value of the subsidiary’s identifiable net assets at the date of acquisition or at the fair value of the NCI at the acquisition date. An entity’s choice of method will affect the amount of goodwill that will
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be recognised in the consolidated financial statements. Under the partial goodwill method, only the holding company’s share of the goodwill is recognised; under the full goodwill method, goodwill includes both the holding company’s and the NCI’s share of the goodwill in the subsidiary. Management should consider the measurement method’s impact on their impairment test when choosing how to measure an NCI under IFRS 3. Entities will need to keep records of each component of their goodwill balances. Any CGU containing goodwill is tested for impairment annually. However, the way that entities choose to measure their goodwill and NCI affects the nature of the test and the amount of impairment loss recognised. Under the partial method, a notional gross-up of the entity’s goodwill balance is required to ensure the carrying value of the CGU includes any goodwill attributable to the NCI. The grossed up amount is compared to the recoverable amount of the CGU and an impairment loss calculated. Only the holding company’s share of the impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss. This requirement is not new and entities will already be grossing up goodwill from partial business combinations in impairment tests. Under the full goodwill method, there is no grossing up required because the goodwill figure already captures the goodwill that is attributable to the NCI.
Example An entity acquires 60% of a subsidiary, which is a CGU. At the year-end, the carrying amount of the subsidiary’s identifiable net assets is $30m; the recoverable amount of the CGU is $43m. Goodwill is $12m using the partial method or $18m under the full goodwill method. The first table below (this page) shows the impairment test under the partial goodwill method; the second table (on the following page) shows the impairment test under the full goodwill method. Under the partial goodwill method only the holding company’s share of the impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss because only the holding company’s goodwill share is recognised. This is 60% of $7m, or $4.2m. Using the full goodwill method, the impairment loss charged to profit or loss is higher for an entity that elects to adopt the fair value method. There will almost always be a difference in
Partial goodwill method Identifiable net assets
$30m
Goodwill grossed up ($12m x 100/60)
$20m
Total carrying amount of CGU
$50m
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the impairment figure calculated under the two methods. Under the full goodwill method, the impairment loss is recognised in full. There are requirements for allocating goodwill impairment losses between the holding company and the NCI. Where the subsidiary with the NCI represents a CGU for goodwill impairment-testing purposes, the allocation of the loss is done on the same basis as the allocation of profit. Under the full goodwill method, the full impairment loss of $5m is charged against the goodwill/the net assets and in profit or loss, 40% is allocated to the NCI ($2m) and 60% ($3m) to the holding company. The allocation of impairment losses between the holding company and the NCI can become more complex if the subsidiary is not a CGU itself but part of a larger CGU for impairment testing purposes. The full goodwill method introduces some complexities in impairment testing in this scenario and
Full goodwill method Identifiable net assets
$30m
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$5m
management should consider the impact on impairment tests when choosing goodwill method. Difficulties may well occur where entities have a CGU that has goodwill from several sources. Examples will be subsidiaries acquired before IFRS 3 was revised that apply the partial goodwill method, subsidiaries acquired after IFRS 3 was revised that apply the full goodwill method, and entities that have goodwill from 100%-owned subsidiaries.
Example In the above example let’s assume that the subsidiary (A) that has been acquired is part of a larger CGU that includes another subsidiary (B) that is 100%-owned by the holding company. Assume that goodwill of $27m arose on the acquisition of the wholly owned subsidiary. The carrying amount of the identifiable net assets of the combined CGU (A plus B) is $50m and the recoverable amount of the combined CGU is $80m. If the full goodwill method is used, the results are as shown in the Impairment Problems table on this page. Under IAS 36, impairment losses are allocated first to goodwill and then to the identifiable assets on a pro rata basis. All the impairment loss in the example relates to goodwill and is allocated to the two subsidiaries that form the CGU. The loss will be allocated based on their relative carrying amounts of goodwill. The loss will be allocated
40/60, based on the goodwill values of $18m and $27m respectively. Thus the goodwill of wholly owned subsidiary B will be charged with a $9m impairment loss and that of partially owned subsidiary A with a $6m impairment loss. B’s impairment loss will be charged entirely to the profit or loss of the holding company whereas A’s will be split on the profit-sharing basis (60/40) between the holding company and the NCI – $3.6m and $2.4m respectively. This example does not reflect all of the complexities that might well occur in practice. Under IFRS 3, impairment losses have to be allocated between each component of the goodwill in the CGU, which will mean detailed tracking of each component of goodwill. Graham Holt is an examiner for ACCA and associate dean of the accounting and finance division at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School
Impairment problems Identifiable net assets
$50m
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A round-up of the latest developments in financial reporting, auditing, tax and law FINANCIAL REPORTING THE FUTURE OF UK GAAP The UK Accounting Standards Board (ASB) has tentatively decided to defer the effective date of the proposed Financial Reporting Standard for Medium-sized Entities (FRSME) until 1 January 2015. In making its decision, the ASB considered the effective dates of recently published IFRSs, and concluded that the interaction with IFRS 9 in particular would result in practical difficulties if the FRSME had an earlier effective date. SHARMAN PANEL The Sharman Panel of Inquiry, established at the invitation of the Financial Reporting Council to consider the lessons for companies and auditors arising from going concern and liquidity risks, has published its preliminary report and recommendations. The panel has largely focused on issues relevant for listed companies and large financial institutions. However, some of the panel’s recommendations would, if adopted, affect all UK audits. For example, the panel has recommended that auditors’ reports should contain an explicit statement that the auditor is satisfied that, having considered the assessment process, they have nothing to add to the disclosures made by the directors about the robustness of their going
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concern assessment and its outcome. REVENUE RECOGNITION In 2010, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued an exposure draft (ED) proposing a new framework for revenue recognition. The core principle set out in that ED was that an entity should recognise revenue to reflect the transfer of promised goods or services to a customer. The revenue would be measured at an amount representing the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled, in exchange for those goods and services. The ED proposed five steps to apply the principle: Identify the contract or contracts. Identify the separate performance obligations in the contract. Determine the transaction price. Allocate the transaction price. Recognise revenue when a performance obligation is satisfied. While feedback from the ED showed broad support for the overriding principle and the steps needed to achieve it, a number of areas were considered to require either further clarification or simplification. Accordingly, the IASB has made a number of changes from the original ED, but, recognising the importance of revenue to financial statements, has chosen to re-expose its proposed standard, Revenue From
Contracts With Customers. While the broad principles of the standard remain the same, there have been a number of changes from the 2010 exposure draft, which include the following: Amending the principle for identifying separate performance obligations in a contract. Adding criteria to determine when a performance obligation is satisfied over time and, therefore, when revenue is recognised over time. Simplifying the measurement of the transaction price. Aligning the accounting for product warranties more closely with existing requirements. Limiting the scope of the test in the previous version to identify onerous performance obligations. Adding practical expedients for retrospective application of the proposals. Any impairment losses relating to contracts with customers being presented as a separate line immediately after revenue. Specifying the disclosures required for interim financial reports. The comment period closes on 13 March 2012 with a final standard planned for the second half of 2012, but with an effective date of at least 1 January 2015.
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IFRIC INTERPRETATION 20 The IFRS Interpretations Committee has issued IFRIC
Interpretation 20, Stripping Costs in the Production Phase of a Surface Mine, which applies for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013. Interpretation 20 clarifies when production stripping should result in the recognition of an asset and how that asset should be measured, both initially and in subsequent periods. IFRS 1 AMENDMENT The IASB has also issued for comment a proposed amendment to IFRS 1, Firsttime Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, dealing with how a first-time adopter would account for a government loan with a below-market rate interest rate. The amendment would provide the same relief as is granted to existing IFRS preparers when applying IAS 20, Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance.
AUDIT REVIEW OF ISAS The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) has announced its intention to undertake a postimplementation review of clarified International Standards on Auditing. Responses are requested by 31 October 2012. ETHICAL STANDARDS The Auditing Practices Board (APB) has published a consultation document covering two amendments to the Ethical Standards for
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*AUTUMN STATEMENT
ACCA gives its view on George Osborne’s policies to boost enterprise The Autumn Statement saw George Osborne return to some tried and tested, but not entirely successful tools, according to ACCA’s technical and research teams. The chancellor focused on boosting enterprise, but some of the policies announced may not bring the benefits he hopes for. ‘Some of the measures should be viewed in the context of what has been seen to work so far, says Manos Schizas, ACCA’s senior policy adviser. ‘For instance, the plans for credit easing look like a cross between 2008’s
failed Working Capital Guarantee and the European Investment Bank guarantees, which have experienced very low uptake in the UK by European standards – and with a single bank accounting for two-thirds of activity.’ The chancellor also announced plans to encourage private investment in public infrastructure projects. Gillian Fawcett, ACCA’s head of public sector, says: ‘To be successful, [this proposal] it would need to be very different from previous experiments with private finance initiatives. Too often
these have not been value for money for taxpayers.’ ACCA takes a more positive view of some of the chancellor’s other policies, including the extension of the Small Business Rate Relief scheme, the income tax and capital gains relief for those investing in start-ups, and the angel investment matching plans. Elsewhere, ACCA believes the research and development credits reform couldn’t come soon enough but it needs to be implemented after consultation with its users to make sure the online option works for them. Meanwhile,
the 100% capital allowances in Enterprise Zones would ideally be extended to all SMEs.
Auditors. These involve: Extending until 31 December 2014 the transitional arrangement for tax services provided on a contingent fee basis where contracts were entered into prior to 31 December 2010. Amending Appendix 1 to ES 1 to provide a simplified illustrative template for communicating information on audit and non-audit services.
Authority. The FSA has revised its guidance and rules in relation to audits of client money and other assets held by FSA regulated firms on the behalf of clients. The new bulletin provides guidance on the responsibilities of auditors under these revised rules, required to be followed for periods ended 30 September 2011 onwards.
consultation concerns two separate proposals: 1) A change in the audit exemptions to reduce the number of UK companies that require an audit. In particular, the government is proposing that qualifying subsidiaries of EU-registered parents would not require a statutory audit provided that the parent company signs a declaration guaranteeing the debts of the subsidiary. 2) A change in the law to allow companies which have chosen to prepare accounts under IFRS more flexibility to change to UK GAAP.
BUSINESS PLANNING
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CLIENT ASSET AUDITS The APB has published Bulletin 2011/2, Providing assurance on Client Assets to the Financial Services
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CONSULTATIONS The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has issued a consultation paper entitled Consultation on Audit Exemptions and Change of Accounting Framework. The
Key points
Capital gains tax annual * exemption frozen at
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£10,600 for 2012–13. Some Enterprise zones given 100% capital allowances. New zones. Extension to research and development tax credit to benefit larger companies. National loan guarantee scheme. Bank levy made permanent, and raised to 0.088%.
GOOD PRACTICE GUIDANCE The Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has issued new International Good Practice Guidance, Predictive Business Analytics: Improving Business Performance with ForwardLooking Measures. The guidance is designed to help accountants and their organisations embrace predictive business analytics. The report can be found at www2.accaglobal.com/ predictive
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Yvonne Lang, director, and Kern Roberts. associate director, Smith & Williamson, www. smithwilliamson.co.uk
TAX: SELFASSESSMENT PROFESSIONAL FEESS A deduction for fees and subscriptions paid to professional bodies or learned societies under Section 344 ITEPA 2003 (formerly Section 201 ICTA 1988) is allowable where: A statutory fee or contribution shown in the list (see below) is allowable where employees pay this out of their earnings from an employment, and are required to pay this as a statutory condition of following their employment. An annual subscription to a body shown in the list as approved by HMRC is allowable where employees pay this out of their earnings from an employment and the activities of the body are directly relevant to the employment. The activities of a body are directly relevant to an employment where the performance of the duties of that employment is directly affected by the knowledge concerned or involves the exercise of the profession concerned. The list, (www.hmrc.gov. uk/list3/list3.pdf), shows professional bodies and learned societies, approved
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by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for the purposes of Section 344 ITEPA 2003 (formerly S201 ICTA 1988). SHARES OF NEGLIGIBLE VALUE HMRC provides a list of shares or securities formerly quoted on the London Stock Exchange, which have been officially declared of negligible value for the purposes of a claim under S24(2) Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act (TCGA) 1992 by the Shares and Assets Valuation Office. The negligible value list gives a tax year or a specific date at which the office has accepted that the share or security is of negligible value. You can find the list at www.hmrc.gov.uk/cgt/ negvalist.htm CURRENT TAX TREATIES You can find links to tax treaties currently in force at www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxtreaties/ in-force/index.htm IT AND CLASS 4 NIC It is often overlooked that, when trading losses are relieved against sources of income other than trading income, or indeed capital gains, this will cause a mismatch between the amount of losses carried forward for income tax and class 4 national insurance contribution (NIC) purposes. Where losses are claimed under the Income Tax Act 2007, section 64 or 74 and/ or extended by a claim under the TCGA 1992, section 261B, separate memoranda should be kept of the unutilised losses for income
tax and class 4 NIC purposes as the amount of losses available for income tax relief under ITA 2007, section 83 and for Class 4 NIC under SSBCA 1992, schedule 2, para 3(3)(4) will differ. Worked examples can be found at www2.accaglobal. com/trading_losses
TAX: OTHER EMPLOYMENT MANUAL Technical guidance on the Finance Act 2011 rules on employment income provided through third parties has been updated in EIM45025 – Employment income provided through third parties: the Section554A gateway. DISGUISED REMUNERATION Amounts chargeable to income tax under the Disguised Remuneration legislation now carry an income charge. The regulations came into force on 6 December 2011 and HMRC has stated that employers will need to account for class 1 primary (employee) and secondary (employer) NIC on amounts which count as employment income under chapter 2 of part 7A on or after that date, except where the part 7A charge arises on 6 April 2012 in relation to an ‘early step’ which took place between 9 December 2010 and 5 April 2011. FINANCE BILL 2012 The draft bill was published on 6 December and will be open for comment until February 2012.
TOOLKITS HMRC has produced a presentation designed to show how to use the toolkits to help reduce errors. The video can be found at www. hmrc.gov.uk/agents/lttraining.htm The toolkit on VAT input tax has been updated. The full suite of toolkits can be found at www.hmrc. gov.uk/agents/prereturnsupport-agents.htm LATEST UPDATES Guidance on IR35, associated company rules, tax and NIC are available at www2.accaglobal.com/tax INTRASTAT REVISED DUE DATE The due date for submission of intrastat declarations will be brought forward. The due date will change from the last day to the 21st day of the month following the reference period to which the reported trade relates. This change was due to take place in January and would have impacted on the January declaration, but has been postponed because of concerns over the change. It is now planned to apply from 1 April. HMRC states that this measure will take effect on 1 April 2012. Intrastat declarations for the period 1 to 31 March will be due on 21 April; all subsequent declarations will be due on the 21st of the month. It will impact on businesses that are required to submit declarations of their trade with other EU member states using an intrastat declaration, ie those with intra-EU trade in excess
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*TRIBUNALS ACCEPT REALITY OF BUSINESS LIFE The First-tier Tribunal has recently made a number of decisions showing an appreciation of the reality of business life. It has also shown a balanced view where the taxpayer had ‘legitimate expectation’ of an outcome. Appeals can be made against assessments, refusals to postpone tax that is subject to an appeal, penalty determinations and refusal to suspend a penalty. One such case was Thomas Hardy v Commissioners for HMRC [2011] UKFTT 592 (TC). Thomas Hardy appealed against a penalty assessment for £31,971 and a decision not to suspend the penalty imposed. He had submitted his tax return for the year ended 5 April 2009 in October 2009 – well within the time limit of 31 January 2010. He had an impeccable record for filing returns and paying tax due. He always followed the same procedure. He adopted a similar procedure for 2008– 09. Hardy’s redundancy had come as a shock to him, as he had been part of a successful team, earning about £1m each year. The redundancy procedure had been complex and Hardy
had been personally involved in the negotiations. He also felt under financial pressure to find alternative employment following his redundancy and did so. Unfortunately, he became concerned about the new employer’s governance and left after a short period. The combination of these events left Hardy in a very anxious state. In October and November 2008, in accordance with the negotiations, Hardy received cash payments of £1m, from which his employer, RBS, deducted tax at 20%. He had not received any paperwork from RBS. Neither of the payments was disclosed on his 2008–09 tax return, the return was submitted electronically, having been approved by Hardy. HMRC launched an inquiry into Hardy’s return. Hardy did not receive a statement of income and tax deducted until 12 May 2010. On eventual receipt, he forwarded the statement to HMRC. HMRC imposed a penalty of 15% of the tax due, which is the standard penalty for a careless error where the adjustment is prompted by an investigation. Hardy’s accountant appealed and
the appeal was rejected. An appeal was made to the tribunal. It was not disputed that Hardy had made a ‘prompted disclosure’ but schedule 24 of the Finance Act 2007 provides (at paragraph 11) for a special reduction where there are special circumstances. On an appeal against a decision that a penalty is payable, the tribunal may affirm or cancel HMRC’s decision and on an appeal against the amount of the penalty the tribunal may affirm HMRC’s decision or substitute another decision that HMRC had power to make. The tribunal agreed that Hardy had been careless and dismissed the appeal against the penalty. It did not consider that the decision not to suspend the penalty was flawed. However, it accepted that there were special circumstances, Hardy had been confused and that the decision not to reduce the penalty was flawed. It ordered that the penalty be reduced to 2.5%. More on Thomas Hardy v Commissioners for HMRC and other tribunal cases can be found at www2. accaglobal.com/tax
of £600,000 per annum for arrivals (EU imports) and/ or £250,000 per annum for dispatches (EU exports).
earlier this year, HMRC has announced the second of its targeted campaigns aimed specifically at tradespeople. The Electricians’ Tax Safe Plan will start in February. For more details, go to www2.accaglobal.com/tax
VAT
CAMPAIGNS Following on from the Plumbers’ Tax Safe Plan
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There have been a large number of changes to existing notices, while some of the changes are minimal, others require consideration. You can find further details at www2.accaglobal.com/tax
A selection are shown below, but others include Notice 701/57, Health Professionals and Pharmaceutical Products; 701/31, Health Institutions; 701/40, Food Processing; 700/50, Default Surcharge; and 700/65, Business Entertainment. 701/38, SEEDS AND PLANTS The notice is effective now and replaces the November 2003 edition of Notice 701/38, Seeds and Plants. This notice provides guidance on the VAT Act 1994, schedule 8, group 1, explaining that zero-rating is dependent on how plants, seeds and seeds used directly as foods are held out for sale. Its main changes are to improve readability and to make minor amendments to paragraph 4.3. This paragraph considers plants that do not have a culinary use but which, as long as certain conditions are fulfilled, can still be zero-rated. For example, the guidance states, ‘in the case of bay plants, they do not exceed 50cm in height, nor have they been clipped, shaped or topiarised in such a way as to specialise them as ornamentals.’ It also says that they should meet the conditions required by the Food and Environment Protection Act, are held for sale for a culinary use and are supplied in individual pots of less than 2 litres. 706/2, CAPITAL GOODS SCHEME The notice is effective now
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73 FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES, VISIT OUR WEBSITE www2.accaglobal.com/uk/members/technical
and has been revised to improve readability and incorporates changes to the Capital Goods Scheme (CGS) which took effect from 1 January 2011. This notice provides guidance as to how the scheme works and which items are covered by the scheme. The scheme applies to: Capital expenditure on land and buildings with a value of £250,000 or more (exclusive of VAT) which was subject to VAT at the standard or reduced rate. Any computer with a VAT exclusive value of £50,000 or more. Capital expenditure on aircraft, ships, boats and other vessels with a VAT exclusive value of £50,000 or more. HMRC states in the guidance that ‘you should read this notice if you acquire, create or construct capital items for use in your business and you incur VAT on those items. The aim of this scheme is to provide a fair and reasonable attribution of VAT to taxable supplies and other supplies with the right to recover VAT.’ The notice also highlights the importance of recordkeeping and includes the comment that ‘you are not required to keep VAT records for longer than six years. However, the CGS requires you to make adjustments up to 10 years later. We would recommend that you keep records long enough to show us how you calculated each adjustment.’
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*RED TAPE CHALLENGE The Cabinet Office has a website that lists and asks for comments on the usefulness of certain business regulations. It highlights which affect all business sectors, but also publishes regulations that apply to specific businesses or industries. In both cases it is your view on where red tape can be removed that the government needs The regulatory areas common to all businesses that are being reviewed are health and safety, environment, equalities, pensions, company law and employment. The current areas for review are company and commercial law.
The company and commercial law section lists 128 regulations and these are broken down into accounts and returns, disclosing information about your business, business names and the workings of companies and partnerships. Additionally, until the end of January you have a chance to comment on the Disruptive Business Models theme. The section of the Red Tape Challenge website promoting this initiative highlights that where a business is ‘doing things differently [it] may fall foul of regulations that were intended for another age, or for another purpose entirely’. It offers the chance to comment on business
regulations that do not reflect the way certain business models work. There is a clear commitment that the government will act on disruptive business regulations with the promise that ‘any specific regulations that are highlighted will be immediately put on probation, and will be scrapped unless the responsible department can justify or satisfactorily modify the regulation in question’. The message from the government is: ‘You tell us what’s working and what’s not, what can be simplified and what can be scrapped.’ For more, go to www. redtapechallenge. cabinetoffice.gov.uk/home/ index
700/64, MOTORING EXPENSES The notice is effective now and replaces the May 2007 edition of Notice 700/64, Motoring Expenses. The notice is guidance on the VAT (Input Tax) Order 1992, (SI 1992 No 3222), article 2, defining what a car is, the VAT Act 1994, sections 56 and 57 covering scale charges and the VAT (Input Tax) (Reimbursement by Employers of Employees’ Business Use of Road Fuel) Regulations 2005, (SI 2005 No 3290). HMRC recommends that all businesses review the notice and state that the aim of the notice is to provide guidance on: What a car is for VAT purposes. The VAT treatment of motoring expenses
incurred by your business. What vehicles qualify and whether you can claim back all or some of the VAT charged (this is because the reclaiming of some input tax on motoring expenses is not allowed or ‘blocked’). When you must account for VAT. How to work out your output tax. The records you must keep. What you can and cannot treat as input tax. The guidance also contains a number of frequently asked questions, for example: Can I recover the VAT incurred when a car is bought primarily for taxi, self-drive hire or driving instruction?
Yes, but only if the car is a qualifying car and you intend to use it primarily for: Hire with the services of a driver for the purpose of carrying passengers. Self-drive hire or providing driving instruction. Earlier the guidance answers the question about the definition of a qualifying car, giving the answer, ‘a qualifying car is a car, which has not been subject to the full input tax block. This means that your business or any previous owner has recovered the input tax on the purchase in full. Such cars will be sold on a normal tax invoice with VAT charged on the full selling price.’
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Glenn Collins, head of technical advisory, ACCA UK
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Careers
A unique passport [
The findings of the first worldwide salary and career survey from ACCA powerfully demonstrate the benefits of possessing a global accountancy qualification – from increased remuneration to wider experience
Increasing levels of satisfaction – not only with their salaries but also with their career opportunities and work-life balance – is the outstanding message from ACCA’s recently released report on the salaries and benefits, bonuses and working conditions of members around the world, as well as their career plans and priorities. Probably uppermost in accountants’ minds is remuneration, and many members have enjoyed positive salary experiences and are upbeat about their future expectations. The report, ACCA Members’ Global Salary and Career Survey 2011, found that members can expect their salary to increase strongly during their career and earn significantly more than the national average. Indeed, in 2010, 61% of
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members surveyed had received a hike. Members in financial services and public practice employees received the highest increases, and those in larger organisations. Employees of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were the most likely to experience a freeze. Money, of course, is by no means the be all and end all – bonuses, benefits and conditions are high priorities. Of members receiving a bonus, 59% received a higher one in 2010 than in 2009. And 46% anticipate an increase in bonus again in 2011. Those most confident were younger members and those working in financial services. The most common benefits were pensions (59%), payment of professional subscriptions (59%) and healthcare (53%). But flexible working hours were a popular benefit, with older and female members more likely to record shorter working weeks. Employees in the corporate sector typically work the longest hours, while those in not-for-profit organisations work the shortest. ACCA members make the most of the portability of the qualification, taking the opportunity to work in different sectors and gaining varied work experience. Of those surveyed, 60% of members have worked in a different sector in the past. Most members (58%) are keen to experience a varied career with different roles in business and finance, rather than
following a single specialised route. The survey demonstrated ACCA members’ high aspirations: 82% plan to work in a more senior position in the same area and 63% want to head up a finance team; 42% have that entrepreneurial spirit, aiming to start their own business at some point. Foreign postings are also desirable; 36% would like to work in another country.
Country variations In some markets the positive trend in salaries has been particularly strong. In Singapore 73% of members have received a pay rise compared with the 61% global average. This is likely to be down to Singapore’s economy expanding at a record level (over 14% in 2010). Working weeks are longer in South-East Asia (48 hours in Singapore and Malaysia compared with the global average of 44) and Pakistan (49), but shorter in the UK (42), Republic of Ireland (43), Canada (43) and Australia (44). The percentage of members with multiple-sector experience is particularly high in Africa (Zambia: 81%; Uganda: 73%; Ghana: 73%), Jamaica (72%), Malta (76%), Pakistan (71%), Canada (70%) and the Czech Republic (69%). Setting up their own business is a particularly popular ambition among members in Canada, the Czech Republic, Ghana, Greece, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritius, Pakistan, Poland, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, UAE and Zambia. Lesley Bolton, international editor, Accounting and Business To download the survey, visit www2. accaglobal.com/documents/salary_ survey.pdf
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72%
Total
*Annual Salaries table excludes top and bottom quartiles *Annual Bonuses table based on members receiving a bonus. Excludes top and bottom quartiles
08/12/2011 11:45
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thinking about a job move in the new year or want a spot oF careers advice? ACCA Careers allows you to browse and apply for thousands of accountancy and finance jobs worldwide.
Features Careers Clinic – advice to help you make your next move, wherever you are in your career and whatever your level of experience.
Register with ACCA Careers now to take full advantage of this exclusive member benefit.
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07/12/2011 18:34
ACCA
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Five ways to plan your CPD The easiest – and the most satisfying – way to fulfil your CPD requirements is to make sure you’re on top of the process by following the five golden rules listed here 1 Reflect on last year’s CPD
Before considering the year ahead, it’s worth looking back at the development you undertook last year. What activities or approaches to your learning and development went particularly well? Is there anything you would do differently in the future? Are there any specific areas you need to revisit in 2012?
2 Be practical with your planning
By planning your CPD at the start of the year, you can ensure you think not only about your learning needs but also about when, where and how you will do your development. When planning your CPD, particular areas you will need to consider are relevance and verifiability. Relevance should be at the centre of your CPD planning. CPD is not solely about updating your technical accounting knowledge. If you’re no longer in an accounting or finance role, then you should identify your CPD needs in relation to the latest developments both in your profession and in the business world in general. Verifiability of learning is also key. If you are following the unit route, you need to complete 40 units of CPD, 21 of which must be verifiable. Nonverifiable CPD can be general relevant learning activity such as keeping abreast of business developments through reading or informal networking. For CPD to be verifiable, however, you need to be able to answer ‘yes’ to the following three questions: Can you explain how a learning activity is relevant to your career? Can you explain how you have applied what you have learned or how you will apply it? Can you provide evidence that you undertook the learning activity?
have been designed specifically for ACCA members. The first, ACCA Compass, enables you to assess your level of experience and skill and compare it to a recommended market average for a total of 20 different finance and accounting job titles. The second, the Professional Development Matrix, is designed to help you identify your preferred learning style and the knowledge, skills and expertise you may need in either your current role, or in roles which you are interested in for the future – whatever your chosen career.
4 Try something new for 2011
Our innovative approach to development means we have a comprehensive range of services and tools to support you in planning, sourcing and achieving CPD – and the list is growing. From networking on the ACCA LinkedIn members’ group to mentoring or coaching a colleague, there is something for everyone. If you’re looking for a source of low-cost online CPD, ACCA has a new, improved virtual learning centre. We are working with a number of top e-learning providers to bring you flexible, interactive and affordable CPD opportunities. Go to our e-learning gateway and get started.
Direct link: http://virtuallearn. accaglobal.com/pages/ To read more about CPD learning opportunities, please visit www. accaglobal.com/members/cpd/ cpd_learning
5 Put some dates in the diary
It’s good to plan your CPD now, but to ensure you keep the momentum up, try introducing regular checkpoints during the year to ensure you are on track to meet the requirement. How about setting a reminder for June/July in your online diary to see how you are placed and how much CPD you still have to do? Visit www.accaglobal.com/members/ cpd for more.
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3 Use ACCA’s planning tools
ACCA has two planning resources that
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ACCA
Paddling to victory [
Winning a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics would be the crowning achievement for many sportsmen, but a subsequent successful career in accountancy is also on Ed McKeever’s to-do list
Kayaking sprint champion Ed McKeever is the world silver medallist and European bronze medallist in his sport, and the winner of two World Cup races in 2011. Like many others, he is on a quest for the ultimate podium position at the London 2012 Olympics. Rather more unusually, he is pursuing his sporting career in tandem with studying for the ACCA Qualification. At 28, he has put in years of sacrifice and dedication to get to the top of his game. He’s a strong contender to win a gold medal at the Olympics, and the pressure is undoubtedly mounting. How did you get into kayaking? A schoolfriend introduced me to it as something to do after school 16 years ago. As I gradually became more successful, it started taking up more and more of my time. How do you combine training and study? With the ACCA Qualification there are two times each year when you can sit exams, June and December. Generally,
I am busy with World Cup races and European Championships in June, so I sit exams out of the racing season in December. The difference between the physicality of training and the mental fatigue of studying makes it quite nice to have a balance between the two. What made you decide to take up an accountancy qualification? I got good A-level results in maths and business studies, so I followed that up by studying accountancy at Kingston University, which was coincidentally where the British kayak team was training at the time. What are you hoping to do once you finish the ACCA Qualification? After the Olympic Games next summer I hope to be able to take a small break from the sport that will let me get most of my studies done, as well as some more work experience. Once I have finished my ACCA Qualification I’m looking forward to getting involved in a regular job.
Do you have any spare time? I generally train six days a week, so that leaves one day, which I spend with my girlfriend, my dog and, strangely enough, watching other sports (I’m a Bath rugby fan). Have you always been a high achiever? I have always done well at sport and academically. Unfortunately, neither comes without hard work. Are you as competitive with your studies as with your sport? Not quite, but I look forward to a career at the end of my sport that I can put the same enthusiasm into. What’s more exhausting, studying for an exam or racing? There is definitely a lot more pressure with racing, with everything decided in just over 34 seconds, and at the World Championships I raced in front of 20,000 people. But in terms of preparation, you taper down, so you’re fresh for a race, whereas for an exam I find myself trying to cram everything in up until the last minute. Has the dedication and discipline you put into sport helped with studies? Ultimately, I would have to say sport has been the biggest distraction for my studies and future career. After a hard day training the last thing you have the energy for is studying. But I’m very happy I’ve kept up with my studies. The set of skills McKeever has acquired while competing at an elite level will undoubtedly prove very desirable to many organisations. We wish him the best at the 2012 Olympics and with his studies. Keep track of his progress at www2.accaglobal.com/blogs Eneritz Corral, ACCA
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ACCA news
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ACCA SUCCESS AT BRITISH ACCOUNTANCY AWARDS ACCA’s firms and members were recognised at the 2011 British Accountancy Awards, with six out of the 21 awards going to those with ACCA connections. Peterborough accountants GreenStones had more reasons to smile than most, picking up a brace of awards: Employer of the Year and Independent Firm of the Year, South East and East of England. Other ACCA winners included Nottingham accountants Coalesco (Independent Firm of the Year, Midlands), Bangor accountants Hart Parry (Independent Firm of the Year, Wales), Stirling accountants Macfarlane Gray (Independent Firm of the Year, Scotland) and Maria Millner of SJD Accountancy (New Accountant of the Year).
The awards – organised by Accountancy Age in partnership with ACCA, and hosted by Gyles Brandreth – were relaunched this year, with additional categories to recognise the excellence of independent firms from across the UK. Winners were announced at the awards ceremony at Old Billingsgate Market, London on 30 November. Andrew Leck, head of ACCA UK said: ‘There are so many high-quality accountancy practices in the UK, all of them working hard to give the highest-quality service to their clients. It is right that we celebrate the skill and dedication of qualified accountants across the UK and these awards are the perfect way to do just that.’
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Firm favourites (left to right): Hart Parry, GreenStones, Macfarlane Gray and Coalesco
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The tops: Michael Walby (training manager), Maria Millner (new accountant) and GreenStones (employer)
WALES CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY IN STYLE
2011 marked 10 years since ACCA opened its office in Wales and to celebrate the occasion ACCA Cymru Wales held high-profile events throughout the year. Carwyn Jones, first minister in the Welsh Assembly, addressed 320 guests at a St David’s Day breakfast in the National Museum of Wales in March. Key business representatives welcomed speaker Helen Brand to a drinks reception in Cardiff on 7 September. And the celebrations culminated with a sell-out national conference in Cardiff on 30 November, attended by 130 delegates. Keynote speaker PwC regional chairman Rob Lewis took as his theme the changing face of accountancy and professional services, and professor Brian Morgan of the Cardiff School of Management (UWIC) addressed the economic forces shaping 21st century business. The conference was followed by a black-tie gala dinner where 140 guests enjoyed dinner and entertainment from Jonathan Davies and music from a Beatles tribute band.
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Jonathan Davies, Welsh rugby legend and broadcaster, and after-dinner speaker at the 10-year anniversary dinner
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ACCA
International Assembly An imposing turnout of senior members for the International Assembly discussed ACCA’s strategy, changes in corporating reporting, the rise of the e-professional and much more Some 56 senior members from 40 different countries gathered in London in November for ACCA’s annual International Assembly. They debated ACCA’s strategy, future trends in ACCA’s policy development, and discussed how it should deal with issues such as the advent of the e-professional. ACCA president Dean Westcott, deputy president Barry Cooper and vice president Martin Turner took part in the Q&A session on how the profession should move forward. The event culminated in a discussion on the future of reporting, introduced with a scene-setter from the president. ‘Is reporting still valuable, or has it become marginalised?’ he asked. ‘When we look at issues such as complexity and relevance, it is clear that reporting has a case to answer in terms of its value as a business tool.’ And what, he asked, was the role of reporting in the ‘financial ecosystem’? Westcott touched on non-financial reporting issues, such as the concept of integrated reporting. He also highlighted ACCA’s backing of a call by Aviva Investors for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, to be held in Rio this June, to pass a resolution that disclosure on sustainability should be made mandatory on a comply or explain basis. Sustainability reporting was tackled in depth by guest speaker Steve Waygood, Aviva Investors’ head of sustainability research and engagement. He outlined how fund managers were increasingly working sustainability issues into their valuations of companies and investment decisions. Describing this as a ‘silent revolution’, Waygood said: ‘The point is that a lot of sustainability issues have an impact of financial performance.’ He said that not enough companies were publishing sustainability data,
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and gave some examples of companies whose revenues and performance were being affected by issues relating to climate change, societal and environmental factors. Another guest speaker, Nik Hasyudeen, chair of the Audit Oversight Board in Malaysia, highlighted the importance of the human factor in reporting. Describing the various groups and organisations involved in a successful reporting system, from the reporting company itself, through to auditors, regulators and others, Hasyudeen said: ‘Underlying all this is the quality of
human resource we need to have, so underneath it’s all about education. There is a fundamental need to nurture young accountants.’ He stressed that education was not just about talent and skill sets, but also about ensuring that accountants had a strong sense of ethics. The final speaker, Tracy Gordon, senior manager for Deloitte’s UK national accounting and audit team, focused on the relevance and usefulness of annual reports. Currently their content, she said, was about 50% narrative and 50% financial statements, with the balance just in
02/12/2011 18:10
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favour of narrative. She questioned how far annual reports worked, saying they had become ‘tremendously complex’ and weren’t forward-looking enough. ‘There is a blurred purpose. Are they for shareholders, regulators, a marketing document, or for other stakeholders? Is anyone actually using them?’ Challenges for the future, Gordon said, were how reporting could deal with the increasing demand for immediate information, especially in an assurance environment, how to get values and culture across, and how to deal with the many different types of business model that are emerging.
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Clockwise from top right: this was Solomon Kebede’s sixth and last assembly appearance; vice president Martin Turner listens to the debate; Nisreen Rehmanjee makes a point as Michael Michaelides looks on; ACCA deputy president Barry Cooper (left) and president Dean Westcott share a joke; William Mak (front), Kaka Singh and Edmund Mndolwa (back) ponder the issues; Chama Kamukwamba (centre) accompanies ACCA executive director Clare Minchington (right), Mubashir Dagia (left) and other delegates in to dinner; Anthony Tyen (far left), Saad Siddiqui (left), Michael Scicluna (right) and Kathy Grimshaw, ACCA director – markets, take part in a discussion; and chief executive Helen Brand gives an update on ACCA’s strategic aims
02/12/2011 18:11
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ACCA news Students go online ACCA rolls out web-based system for exam results and other student services
Inside ACCA 80 International Assembly Senior members discuss ACCA strategy and the rise of the e-professional 79 Awarding excellence ACCA members applauded at British Accountancy Awards 78 Making waves ACCA student and champion kayaker Ed McKeever is hoping for Olympic success 77 CPD Five ways to make the ongoing training requirement straightforward as well as satisfying
UK_A_backpage.indd 82
To increase choice, processing speed and reliability, ACCA is launching a fully online service for examination registration, entry, dockets and results. From early 2012, these services will be available exclusively online and will no longer be issued as paper documents in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland and Ukraine. The online service will be made available to other countries in the coming months. Most students are currently interacting with ACCA online and this initiative reflects student demand for, and positive feedback on, online services. ACCA is also introducing improvements to its exam results service, including reducing the length of time between the end of an exam session and the release of the results. The December 2011 exam results will be made available for students to view online and sent by email or SMS in the week beginning 13 February 2012. ACCA has also introduced a service that lets students print out their results via myACCA. Students in the countries listed above can print an official notification of their results via myACCA. Paper copies of exam results will not be issued to students in these locations.
RULEBOOK CHANGES
The ACCA Rulebook 2012 has now been published, with various changes taking effect from 1 January 2012. The changes have resulted from policy decisions over the past year, implementation of existing Council policy or legislative/lead regulator requirements, or the necessary clarification of existing regulations. The changes affect ACCA’s bye-laws, regulations and code of ethics. The ACCA Rulebook is usually updated every year. However, during 2011, interim changes were made to the regulatory board and committee regulations and the membership regulations. These took effect on 1 June 2011, and were reflected in the online version at that time. The February edition of Accounting and Business will carry a detailed account of the changes, including the interim changes that were made. The ACCA Rulebook is available at: www2.accaglobal. com/members/professional_standards/rules_ standards
RACING AHEAD
ACCA members discovered the secrets of success in Formula 1: great leadership, continuous innovation and unambiguous lines of communication. Addressing an ACCA event, Steve Nevey, relationship manager – technical partnerships, Red Bull Racing, gave attendees an insight into the glamorous world of Formula 1 and delivered a perfect translation of what the team owner did from a business perspective to become the best. The event was held by the ACCA Bedford, Luton and Northampton Members’ Network and the Institute of Directors in Milton Keynes, and sponsored by Findlay Cameron Recruitment Professionals. In addition, £300 was raised for the Red Bull Wings for Life charity.
08/12/2011 10:39
PwC Manual of accounting series 2012 Financial reporting guidance from the experts at PwC
Fully up-to-date with the latest standards and packed full of practical worked and best practice examples, PwC’s 2012 Manual of accounting series provides you with comprehensive and reliable financial reporting guidance from one of the world’s most respected names in accounting. For those reporting under UK GAAP
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Go to www.bloomsburyprofessional.com/pwc to order your pack today and make sure that your financial reporting guidance is up-to-date with the latest standards.
• ISBN: 9781847669155 • List Price: £165
UK-RW Ads.indd 5
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i don't know
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The Millau Viaduct over the river Tarn valley near Millau in southern France holds what global bridge record (at 2012) ?
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World's Tallest Suspension Bridge Opens in South France on Schedule, within Budget - Site Selection Online
Multinational Design, Engineering Roots
Much of the bridge, though, actually has multinational roots.
The design of the slender white viaduct - which Chirac called "a miracle of equilibrium" - was conceived by London-based Foster and Partners ( www.fosterandpartners.com ), headed by noted British architect Sir Norman Foster. The UK company worked with Dutch engineering firm Arcadis ( www.arcadis-us.com ), which was tapped for the bridge's technical design.
The bridge's engineering work was done by SETEC Engineering ( www.setec.at ), the arm of the of Germany's Gauff Group that played a major role in building the EuroTunnel. SETEC's team was led by acclaimed French engineer Michel Virlogeux, who devised the bridge's original concept.
But despite its rapid construction pace and on-budget performance, the French project came to life only after many decades of deliberation.
Clearly, the area around the city of Millau needed a drastic
Each of the Millau Bridge's seven massive piers (pictured) is composed of 16 sections. Each section weighs 2,453 tons.
Photo: PERI GmbH
realignment of its surface infrastructure. Peak-season summer traffic to the Cote d'Azur and Spain was creating tremendous bottlenecks in Millau, a city of some 22,000 residents. Traffic was routed down into the valley and through Millau, where it slowed to a crawl.
Solution Didn't Come Quickly
The answer, though, wasn't so clear. The time-consuming rub lay in coming up with a structural solution that didn't detract from an area highly prized for its natural beauty.
Franco planners considered four different bridge types, including one option requiring four separate spans. They also looked into burrowing a tunnel beneath the Tarn Gorge. In 1989, the French at last decided to build a single bridge across the middle of the gorge just east of Millau. Not until 1996, though, did national officials approve the cable-stayed design.
The towering viaduct that's finally materialized only takes motorists a little more than a minute to cross. But its distinctive design and engineering are drawing raves from the global community centered on the business of building.
Guardian architectural critic Jonathan Glancey, for example, called it "an epic work of art. . . . Of course, it is possible to design far more mundane bridges . . . But, just as our medieval cathedrals or greatest skyscrapers have an ambition far beyond utility, so do the finest bridges."
That was what designers were aiming for, Foster explained at the dedication.
"In our civilization, infrastructure is fundamental," he said. "Public spaces, avenues, bridges over rivers - these are what bring men together and condition our quality of life. But there are also needs which one cannot measure, which are more spiritual."
Huge Structure Seemingly 'Vanishes'
One of the Millau Viaduct's most striking aspects is its unique fusion of size and strength with a sense of slightness.
"The bridge could not look as if it had been tacked onto the scenery," said designer Norman Foster (pictured). "It had to rise out of the landscape with the delicacy of a butterfly."
"From some angles, the structure is quite ethereal, almost vanishing in the bright light of this high and immense country," Glancey observed.
But the Millau Bridge is immense as well. The roadway alone weighs some 39,600 tons (36,000 metric tons). The total structure's weight is about 266,000 tons (242,000 metric tons) - 226,000 tons (206,000 metric tons) of concrete and 40,000 tons (36,000 metric tons) of steel.
Much of that steel went into the 154 stays attached to the bridge's seven massive concrete piers. The tallest of the pillars is 807 feet (245 meters). The top of the largest pier is big enough to hold a regulation tennis court.
Those dimensions underscore the difficulty in fusing minimalism and immensity.
Each pier, for example, is composed of 16 sections. Each section weighs 2,453 tons (2,230 metric tons) and measures 56 feet (17 meters) by 13 feet (four meters). The pillars' sectors were assembled at the construction site from 60-ton (54-metric-ton) deck units that Eiffage manufactured at two of its French factories.
The piers "had to look almost organic, like they had grown from the earth," said Foster. "The bridge could not look as if it had been tacked onto the scenery. It had to rise out of the landscape with the delicacy of a butterfly."
Delicacy was also a prerequisite in positioning the bridge decks atop the piers. For that task, the Millau project team used a hydraulic system built by the USA's Enerpac ( www.enerpac.com ). The decks were eased out across the gorge very carefully by satellite-guided hydraulic arms. The sections moved forward by only 23.6 inches (59.9 centimeters) every four minutes.
Advances in computer-aided design also facilitated precise calculations for stress tolerances.
And with the span suspended over the Tarn River Gorge, it faces lots of stress. The high-flying bridge will be starkly exposed to crackling summer sun and winter winds of nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour. Accordingly, the Viaduc de Millau is designed to adjust to the weather's
The Millau project team used a hydraulic system to position the bridge decks atop the piers. Satellite-guided hydraulic arms moved the sections forward by only 23.6 inches (59.9 centimeters) every four minutes. Photo: Enerpac
extremes by allow the highway to expand or contract by about 10 feet
(three meters).
Taking Flight by Car
Vehicles are shielded from the area's high winds by transparent screens standing 10 feet (three meters) tall along the bridge's sides. Those see-through sections accentuate the Viaduc de Millau's sensual aspect. The structure is built with a slight curve to enrich the view for drivers. The highway also has a three-degree slope that descends from its south end to the north.
Foster, who's also a private pilot, says that the bridge is designed so traversing it feels like flying in a car. The extremely short crossing time also promotes a sensation that strikes some as resembling a fleeting dream.
"Ideally, passing over the bridge should allow one to 'elevate oneself,' " Foster explained. "We were attracted by the elegance and logic of a structure that would march across the heroic landscape, and in the most minimal way connect one plateau to the other. We were driven by the scale of the idea and a shared a passion for the poetic dimension of engineering and its sculptural potential."
Longer than the Champs Elysees, the Millau Viaduct is the final link in the 210-mile (338-kilometer) A75 highway. The roadway opens a much faster
Standing 1,132 feet (343 meters) tall, the Millau Bridge easily outstrips the previous world record-holder for the world's tallest cable-stayed bridge: Japan's Akashi Kaikyo, which has towers that stand 944 feet (283 meters) tall.
alternative route from north Europe to south France and Spain, and it directly connects Paris and Barcelona.
Taking the Tolls:
Eiffage Has Rights for 75 Years
Eiffage will now reap the fruits of its complex labors through a much simpler process: collecting bridge tolls. Project construction included a $20-million toll booth, which is located about 3.7 miles (six kilometers) north of the span.
The French construction consortium holds toll-collection rights for 75 years as part of its agreement to finance and build the span. (That contract, however, includes an option for the French government to take over bridge tolls in 2044 if it decides that the levies are producing unexpectedly sizable profits.)
Government officials are projecting that bridge volume will range between 10,000 to 25,000 cars a day. Tolls for autos will run about $6.70 per trip, rising to about $9 in the peak months of July and August. Large vehicles ferrying heavy goods will pay about $27 per trip.
Standing 1,132 feet (343 meters) tall, the Viaduc de Millau easily overshadows the previous world record-holder for the world's tallest cable-stayed bridge: Japan's Akashi Kaikyo, built in 1998 to connect the city of Kobe on the mainland with Awaji on Awaji Island. Akashi Kaikyo's highest points are towers that reach 944 feet (283 meters).
The Millau Bridge, though, seems to be the kind of project that evokes feelings that stretch well beyond statistics.
"Looking at it should provoke an emotion," Foster said of the new crossing. "Its purpose is to allow people to cross the valley without damaging the town of Millau. But it goes far beyond that."
©2005 Conway Data, Inc. All rights reserved. Data is from many sources and is not warranted to be accurate or current.
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Tall
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The Latin term meaning 'among other things' is?
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Yli tuhat ideaa: Viaduc De Millau Pinterestissä | Le Viaduc De Millau,Millau ja Viaduc
Lisätietoja: crazy-world-aint-it.tumblr.com
The World’s Tallest Bridge, Southern France. Millau Viaduct in France. As high as 1125 feet above the Tarn Valley. Milau has a total length of 8071 feet with the longest single span of 1122 feet. Bridge deck is supported by 7 pillars and weighs 36,000 tons. 7 towers, each 292 feet tall and weighing 700 tons, fitted to supporting pillars.
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i don't know
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What prestigious learning institution is in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US?
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Cambridge Universities and Colleges | Cambridge.net
Cambridge.net
Cambridge Universities and Colleges
The city of Cambridge in Massachusetts is best known for being one of the world’s leading intellectual hubs. In fact, over 100 of the world’s 780 Nobel Prize Winners have had some sort of affiliation with Cambridge during their careers. While Cambridge is best known for being home to two of the world’s most prestigious universities – Harvard and MIT – there are numerous other Cambridge universities and colleges that also have a great reputation.
Harvard University
Harvard University is certainly the best known of the Cambridge universities and colleges. The university is part of the Ivy League and is a very prestigious, private university. It was founded in 1636 and is the oldest higher learning institution in the United States.
As well as being the oldest university in the USA, it also has one of the best reputations. Considered to be one of the best (if not the best) universities in the world, Harvard University attracts some of the world’s brightest minds.
The university is large with over 21,000 students – most of which live on campus in Cambridge. The main campus stretches across over 200 acres of land, and the Allston campus is set on 359 acres.
A wide range of courses are offered at Harvard University, however there is a focus on the arts and sciences. The business and law schools are particularly renowned, with many of the USA’s top businessmen and women graduating from these schools.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology – best known simply as MIT – is also one of the most recognizable universities in the world. The university is made up of five different schools and the majority of courses there have a very strong scientific and technological emphasis.
MIT dates back to 1861, and was originally located in the Massachusetts capital of Boston. It later moved to Cambridge in 1916 and has stayed there ever since. The university is relatively small in comparison to its neighbor – Harvard University. There are approximately 4,200 students enrolled as undergraduates and 6,150 as postgraduates. Entry into any of MIT’s courses is incredibly competitive.
Lesley University
A less-known Cambridge university, but still a very good one is Lesley University. The university is largely aimed towards postgraduate students – with over 9,000 currently enrolled compared to just over 1,000 undergraduates.
There are two Lesley University campuses – one in Boston and the other in Cambridge. Founded in 1909, the university was originally a ladies college specializing in early childhood education. While it still has an emphasis on education and teaching, there are currently over 20 undergraduate majors and 90 postgraduate majors to choose from.
As well as on-campus courses, there are also a range of off-campus and online classes available for adult learners. They offer a very flexible approach to learning.
Hult International Business School
Another one of the best Cambridge universities and colleges is the Hult International Business School. The school has several campuses around the world including one in San Francisco, London, Dubai and Shanghai.
Hult International Business School is ranked as one of the best business schools in the world, and many of the world’s highest earners have attended the school.
The college is situated approximately one mile away from MIT and has been there since 2003. They offer a wide range of business-related courses including the Master of International Business, Master of Finance and the MBA.
Longy School of Music
The Longy School of Music is a prestigious Cambridge university and conservatory situated close to the central Harvard Square. The school was founded in 1915 by a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra; it was originally located in Boston but moved over to Cambridge in 1930.
The school had a strong relationship with both Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, with many of the most talented musicians from these colleges studying at Longy’s music facilities.
The Longy School of Music has world-class facilities for its students and is constantly expanding. The primary performance space at the school is the Edward M. Pickman Concert Hall, that was built in 1970.
Other Cambridge Universities and Colleges
As well as the Cambridge universities and colleges we have just looked at, there are several other educational institutions in the city. These include: Cambridge School of Culinary Arts; Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and Episcopal Divinity School.
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Harvard University
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The conium plant genus is better known as what poison?
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The World's Most Prestigious Universities | The Huffington Post
The World's Most Prestigious Universities
03/25/2011 01:32 pm ET | Updated May 25, 2011
1.2k
According to Times Higher Education's first-ever World Reputation Rankings , Harvard, MIT and the University of Cambridge are the most globally well-regarded universities.
Also in the top ten are the University of Oxford and the University of Tokyo -- the remaining five are American institutions.
To compile these rankings, Ipsos Media CT conducted an Academic Reputation Survey of 13,388 academics in 131 countries for THE, using 2010 data from Thomson Reuters . Responses to this survey are regularly considered in THE's world rankings, but the reputation rankings mark the first time these measures are used exclusively.
On average, the scholars questioned had spent at least 16 years working at a university and published at least 50 research papers. They were instructed to select the universities they believe to be the best in teaching and research, according to their own expertise. Rankings were then determined according to an overall reputation score, which was compiled according to which school got the most votes for "best" and weighed research over teaching at a rate of 2 to 1.
Below, see the 25 universities with the best reputations in the world, and check out THE for the full list.
Do you agree with THE's list? Let us know in the comments section.
The Most Prestigious Schools In The World
The Most Prestigious Schools In The World
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i don't know
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Tuber aestivum is better known as a type of what foodstuff delicacy?
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Truffles: history, biology, books, species
Truffles: everything you need to know
Introduction
A truffle is a fungal fruiting body that develops underground. It relies on mycophagy for spore dispersal. Almost all truffles are usually found in close proximity with trees. There are hundreds of species of truffles, but the genus Tuber specie is the most highly prized as foodstuff. Edible truffles are held in high esteem in French and northern Italian cooking, as well as in the international haute cuisine.
The mycelia of truffles form symbiotic relationships with the roots of several tree species, including beech, poplar, oak, birch, hornbeam, hazel, and pine. They prefer argillaceous or calcareous soils which are well drained and neutral or alkaline. Truffles fruit throughout the year, depending on the species, and can be found buried between leaf litter and soil.
The origin of the word truffle appears to be the Latin word tuber, meaning "lump", which later became tufer and gave rise to the various European terms: French truffe, Spanish trufa, German Trüffel, Dutch truffel and in piedmontese "Le Trifole". In Portuguese, the words trufa and túbera are synonyms — the latter closer to the Latin term. The German word Kartoffel ("potato") is derived from the Italian tartufo (truffle) due to superficial similarities.
Truffle History
Antiquity:
Even if the first mentions of truffles appears in the inscriptions of the Neo-Sumerian regarding their Amorite enemy's eating habits and later in writings of Theophrastus in the fourth century BC. From scientific studies we know that truffles were on the earth much earlier than humans, probably between 360 and 280 million years ago.
During the Paleozoic period, thanks to the beetles, spores started to spread all over the world. Some fossils (Tuber Spinoreticolatum) have been found in Northern America and one very special has also been found in Italy (Piedmont region): it was dormant since 300 million years!
In classical times truffle origins was a mystery which challenged many. In 3000 BC Babylonians already used to search for truffles on beaches and in the sands of desert. Truffles were loved by Aphrodite, Love Goddess (Philoxenus of Lefkas was among the first who spoke about its aphrodisiac powers). Plutarch thought truffles were the result of lightning, warmth and water in the soil, while Juvenal thought thunder and rain to be instrumental in their origin. Cicero deemed them as children of the earth, while Dioscorides thought they were tuberous' roots. A legend says that truffles are born in the point where thunderbolts thrown by Zeus meet the earth.
During the Classical Period in Italy two kinds of truffles were produced: the Tuber Melanosporum and the Tuber Magnatum.
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Middle Age:
During the Middle Age peasant used truffles to give taste to different dishes. It was appreciated by Savoia family and it was a well-established custom of Acaja princes to give it as present to the Bourbons. Traces of truffles in medieval cooking can also be found at the court of the Avignon Papacy. The popes discovered them after they relocated to Avignon, near the producing regions of upper Provence, and they became very fond of them. Truffle hunting is also mentioned by Bartolomeo Platina, the papal historian, in 1481, when he recorded that some sows were without equal in hunting truffles, however they should be muzzled to prevent them from eating the prize.
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Renaissance:
During the Renaissance truffles regained popularity in Europe and were honoured at the court of King Francis I of France. However, it was only during the 17th century that Western (and in particular French) cuisine abandoned "heavy" oriental spices, and rediscovered the natural flavour of foodstuffs. Truffles were very popular in Parisian markets in the 1780s. They were imported seasonally from truffle grounds, where peasants had long enjoyed their secret. Brillat-Savarin (1825) noted characteristically that they were so expensive they appeared only at the dinner tables of great nobles and kept women. A great delicacy was a truffled turkey. "I have wept three times in my life," Rossini admitted. "Once when my first opera failed. Once again, the first time I heard Paganini play the violin. And once when a truffled turkey fell overboard at a boating picnic."
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1700 - Today:
In this period truffles' history starts to be more scientifically coherent, but obviously this didn't change their taste. In Versailles royal palace they are always present and many people tried to study them but only in 1699, an English researcher, John Ray found some micro-structures in truffles, later known as spore.
In 1711 the French botanist Etienne François Geoffroy has been among the first to identify truffle as a kind of mushroom and in 1729 the Florentine Giovanni Bernardo Vigo will correctly identify two kinds of black truffle: Tuber Melanosporum and Tuber Aestivum.
In 1780, the Polish Michel-Jean de Borch, in “Lettres sur les truffles du Piemont” described very precisely the morphological and organoleptic characteristics. The sublime quality of Italian truffle was mentioned also by Urbain Dubois that in his two books “La Cuisine de touts les pays” and “Cuisine Classique” wrote many suggestions about how to use truffles: “Truffes Blanches du Piemont” and “Fondue aux truffes de Piémont”.
At the end of 19th century at Turin's University, professor Giuseppe Gibelli, thanks to the discovery of mycorrhizae, started to think about truffles cultivation. During the following years a farmer had a very good idea: sow acorns produced by symbiont oaks for Melanosporun Truffle, and in this way he obtained good black truffles.
During the 20th century, white truffles had become more and more widely known and Piemonte has become very famous for its Alba Truffles. After WW2, during the 70s, white truffles' collection had become widespread in Monferrato, Roero, Monregalese, Valli Curone, Grue and Ossona regions and now this Tuber has a very good placement in both national and international fiers.
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Truffle
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Nexus is a brandname for a tablet computer belonging to which corporation?
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Wild About Mushrooms: Truffles
Truffles
Tuber aestivum, T. gibbosum, T. magnatum, T. melanosporum, T. texensis
Truffles have been found in Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America, but only three species are commercially important. They live in close mycorrhizal association with the roots of specific trees. Their fruiting bodies grow underground.
The term "truffle" as commonly used refers to members of the genera Tuber and Terfezia. There are many other kinds of subterranean fungi, "false truffles," which outwardly resemble the ones we eat. They are far more common than the ones that are collected for food, and some are poisonous.
Truffles are round, warty, and irregular in shape and vary from the size of a walnut to that of a man's fist. The season for most truffles falls between September and May.
The mention of truffles conjures up images of the expensive French black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) from the Périgord region of southwest France, used in making p�t� de foie gras, or the renowned odorous white truffle (Tuber magnatum) of Alba, in the Piedmont district of Italy.
Since the times of the Greeks and Romans these fungi have been used in Europe as delicacies, as aphrodisiacs, and as medicines. They are among the most expensive of the world's natural foods, often commanding as much as $250 to $450 per pound.
Truffles are harvested in Europe with the aid of female pigs or truffle dogs, which are able to detect the strong smell of mature truffles underneath the surface of the ground. The female pig becomes excited when she sniffs a chemical that is similar to the male swine sex attractant. The use of pigs is risky, though, because of their natural tendency to eat any remotely edible thing. For this reason, dogs have been trained to dig into the ground wherever they find these odors, and they willingly exchange their truffle for a piece of bread and a pat on the head. Not a bad trade for the truffle hunter! Some truffle merchants dig for their prizes themselves when they see truffle flies hovering around the base of a tree. Once discovered, truffles can be collected in subsequent years at the same site.
The flavor of the truffle is directly related to its aroma. The chemicals necessary for the odor to develop are created only after the spores are mature enough for release, so they must be collected at the proper time or they will have little taste. This is the only sure indication that the mushrooms are ready to be harvested. That is why animals have proven to be the best means of assuring that the fungi collected will be flavorful.
Although commercial truffles are more plentiful in Europe than in America, fewer are found there now than in the past. A harvest of 2,200 tons was reported in l890. Three hundred tons were harvested in l914, but lately only 25 to 150 tons per year have been found. Truffles appear to have predictable life cycles. To ensure future production, appropriate tree seedlings are inoculated with truffle spores, and when the sapling tree is established, it is transplanted to the proper environment, usually a barren, rock-strewn calcific soil. It takes about seven years before the first truffle begins to grow. A bearing tree will produce for about fifteen to thirty years. For the European market to survive it is necessary to regularly replenish the population of truffle-bearing trees. Inoculated trees have been brought to North America, but it is too early to predict how successful these experiments will be.
Truffles are also found in North Africa, in the Middle East, and in North America. On the desert after rainfall, knowledgeable Middle Eastern people collect the "black kame," Terfezia bouderi, and the "brown kame," Terfezia claveryi. They prefer the darker ones. In Texas, Tuber texensis is collected, and in Oregon, the white Tuber gibbosum.
Gaining in popularity and comparing favorably with the Italian truffle, the Oregon truffle is harvested in sufficient quantity to support commercial sales. Although the Oregon truffle industry is in its infancy, it commands as much as $150 per pound for its truffles. James Beard claimed that the mature Oregon white truffle could be substituted for European varieties.
Originally found in California, the Oregon truffle grows in association with Douglas fir trees and is a major food source for many small rodents and other mammals. These underground fungi depend on animals to remove them from below the surface of the earth and to disperse the spores that result in the continuation of their species. Here is an example of complex ecology in which the tree, the fungus, and the animal depend on each other.
Collecting truffles requires training and experience. A small hand rake or cultivator is used to gently uncover the soil near the base of suspected host plants. As a rule, in the Northwest, these hosts are various kinds of conifer trees. Small freshly made holes at the bases of trees, which are not part of animal tunnels, are excellent indicators that animals have been digging for fungi.
To enjoy the wonderfulness of the variously described pleasure of dining on truffles, you must eat fresh, uncooked specimens shortly after they have been harvested. The strength of the truffle flavor decreases rapidly with time, and much of it is lost before some truffles reach the market. However, lovers of these earthly gems advise us that freshly harvested truffles can be purchased in advance from some local specialty stores. Wholesalers cover them with rice on restaurant serving trays in a refrigerated room as soon as they arrive via overnight air freight. The next day they are delivered to the store where your order was placed. When you spend as much money as will be needed for such culinary experiments, try to assure that you get truly fresh truffles.
The Italian white truffle is considered to be superior in smell and taste to the French black truffle. What does a truffle smell like? "A combination of musk, nuts, and ozone," was one observer's description. T. aestivum, a black summer truffle found in Germany, smelled to one observer like "a freshly opened can of creamed corn." This black variety is not considered as choice as the other two European truffles. In Italy one Ping-Pong ball-sized Italian truffle has been said to have perfumed an entire apartment. The powerful pungency of this small tuber was such that some of the inhabitants were forced to flee!
Cleaning
Remove any soil from truffles just before eating. They must be washed with water and brushed. The outside must be immaculate since they will be used unpeeled. Dry with a paper towel.
Cooking
The fungus is scraped or grated onto food and into sauces and soups just before eating. Truffle slicers have been especially designed for this purpose. Experts recommend that veal, chicken, fish, souffl�s, omelettes, pasta, and rice can be glorified with thinly sliced truffles. Cream and cheese sauces avidly take up their flavor.
Insert thin wedges of truffle under the skin of a chicken and store it overnight in the refrigerator before roasting.
A well-known chef prepares a high-quality p�t� de foie gras baked with a stainless steel tube running through the center. As soon as the p�t� is cooked, he fills the tube with diced uncooked truffles and then removes the tube.
T. magnatum, the most aromatic of the truffles, is crushed in olive oil in Italy, filtered, and dispensed in 3-ounce medicine bottles with eye droppers. Some suspect that the crushed truffles are then packed in cans for sale in foreign markets. Call local cooking schools or specialty shops to locate this juice. Only a few drops are needed to strengthen the flavor of prepared truffles.
Preserving
The pungent odor of a truffle will penetrate the shells of eggs and flavor kernels of rice when stored with them in a closed glass jar placed in a refrigerator. Once the prize truffle has been consumed, the eggs may be enjoyed in an omelette and the rice in pilaf.
Truffles can be frozen for two weeks in a freezer-proof glass jar. Another recommendation is to store them whole in bland oil.
Truffle Butter
The aroma and flavor of truffles are heat sensitive. Truffle butter is a good way to get the most from your aromatic gem since it is not heated.
Finely grate a fresh truffle and add to softened unsalted butter in proportions to suit your taste. Use enough butter so that the mixture is spreadable and not crumbly. Let stand at room temperature for an hour. Spread on crackers, French bread, or baked potatoes. Truffle butter freezes well.
--Anne B. Marin
Truffled Eggs
Henry and Wanda are members of the North American Truffling Society in Oregon that is devoted to the collection and study of truffles. Members have made generous contributions to this book.
Cut an egg carton in half crosswise. Place 1 or 2 (preferably 2) medium truffles in each carton in the middle of the eggs. Enclose the cartons in a plastic bag and seal. Place in the refrigerator. The eggs will be ready for use after 3 days. (Do not keep the eggs in the refrigerator longer than 1 week, as their odor and flavor may become too strong, and the lack of fresh air may cause them to spoil.) The eggs may be used to prepare scrambled eggs, omelettes, or your favorite deviled egg recipe.
--Henry J. and Wanda A. Pavelek
Truffle Pâté
This recipe was developed for the Oregon white truffle, but other truffles can be substituted.
1 to 2 ounces truffles
1 cup beef broth
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 tablespoons shallots or green onions, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup cold water
2 envelopes (2 tablespoons) plain gelatin
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons Triple Sec
Dash of dry mustard
Ground pepper to taste
Clean the truffles with a soft brush. Dice large specimens to 1/4 inch and split small truffles to release the flavor. In a saucepan, bring the beef broth to a boil, then simmer the truffles for 20 seconds. Pour the broth through a sieve into a bowl and set the truffle pieces and the broth aside.
Oil a 5-cup mold or enough small crocks to hold 5 cups. Combine the livers, onion, apple, reserved broth, and shallots in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Blend the lemon juice, water, and gelatin in a small bowl, stirring well until the gelatin dissolves. Pour into the liver mixture and mix thoroughly. Remove from the heat and add the butter a little at a time, blending well after each addition. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Let cool 15 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a blender or a food processor and puree until nearly smooth. Let stand 10 minutes. Pour into a mold or crock, layering in about 3 layers of truffle pieces. Cover and chill overnight. Even better, allow 24 to 48 hours to develop the truffle flavor in the p�t�.
--Frank and Karen Evans
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i don't know
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The French word 'peloton' usually refers to a bunched group of competitors in what sport?
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Cycling Glossary | iSport.com
Cycling Glossary
1000m - See kilometer .
200m - Track sprint time trial with a flying start used to seed riders for the match sprint.
26 inch - The most common mountain bike wheel size on. When used on road bikes, it is known as 650c .
27 inch - A wheel size seen primarily on older, cheaper road bikes. Not usually used on modern bike models. See 700c .
3000m - Distance of women’s and junior’s pursuit on the track .
3-cross - The most common spoke lacing pattern. Refers to the number of times each spoke crosses over the other spokes in the wheel.
40 Km - Common time trial distance. Typically run on an out and back course.
4000m - The distance of the men’s individual pursuit and team pursuit events on the track. See pursuit .
4-Cross - A mountain bike gravity event where four riders start at the same time and race on a course with banked turns, jumps and other obstacles. See mountain cross.
500m - A track time trial from a standing start that covers 500 meters. The women's equivalent of the kilometer.
650c - Wheel size commonly used on a small bicycle (particularly women's bikes). Same size as typical 26 inch mountain bike wheel.
700c - Standard wheel size for road bikes.
A
Accordion - The accordion happens when a large field enters a tight turn. By the time the lead riders have passed through, the end of the field has just slowed down. The riders at the back then have to rapidly accelerate to catch back up, hence the accordion effect.
Aero bars - Forward extensions with elbow pads that allow a rider to ride with elbows on the bars and hands forward over the front wheel. Allow the rider to adopt a more aerodynamic position, like a downhill skier’s tuck.
Aero brake levers - Brake levers that minimize aerodynamic drag. Used in time trials attached to the ends of a base bar.
Aerobic - Metabolic system in the body that relies principally on oxygen to metabolize both fats and sugar both stored (liver and muscles) and free (in the bloodstream) to produce energy. Mostly used during endurance events and longer duration exercise.
Aerodynamic drag - The slowing effect created as a rider and bicycle move through the air. See time trial.
Allen key or wrench - Hexagonal shaped wrenches that range from 1.5 mm to 10 mm. A certain sized allen key secures most bolts on a bicycle. See hex wrench.
Americaine - French term for the Madison.
Anaerobic - The metabolic system that produces energy principally without oxygen, using sugar as fuel. Involved mostly in short, high intensity efforts.
Anaerobic threshold - Originally used to describe the transition point from sustainable to unsustainable exercise when the body is moving from aerobic to anaerobic systems. The preferred term in cycling is now functional threshold.
Anodized - A finish for metals that deposits a thin layer of another compound on the surface to strengthen and protect it from oxidation and add color.
Arm warmers - Removable fabric sleeves that allow a rider to easily cover up or strip down if weather changes.
Attack - A sudden acceleration in a race meant to separate a rider from the peloton . It also refers to the resulting rider or group of riders that succeed in distancing themselves. A rider is said to be “on the attack” or in the “attack”. See breakaway .
Au bloc - French term for riding at the limit of one's abilities. See on the rivet.
B
Bar end shifters - Shifters designed to fit into the ends of handlebars or aero bars. Allows riders to shift directly from the end of the bars without removing their hands.
Bar ends - Extensions for mountain bike handlebars that mount on the ends of the bars and provide an additional handhold perpendicular to the standard flat bar.
Barrel adjuster - A device that screws into the cable stop of a bicycle frame or derailleur that allows a rider to adjust cable tension, thereby adjusting the shifting performance.
Barriers - Obstacles in a cyclocross race that force riders to dismount and jump over them while carrying their bikes.
Base bars - A type of handlebar used only in time trial events with forward facing handholds perpendicular to the bar itself and spaces for mounting and aero bars.
Base miles/training - A conditioning period used to develop a rider’s basic aerobic fitness. Typically the off season is used for base training.
Bead - The edge of a clincher tire that secures the tire to the flange or hook on a clincher rim . The bead is typically made of rigid wire or a strong, foldable plastic called Kevlar.
Bib shorts - Cycling shorts that have lightweight fabric suspenders sewn into them.
Bidon - French term for a water bottle.
Big gear - A large gear ratio, typically a large chainring and small cog . A big gear makes it harder to pedal. For example, 53x12. See high gear and upshift .
Big ring - The largest chainring ; e.g. a rider big rings a hill by climbing while in the largest chainring .
Bike handling - The aggregation of skills that enables a bicycle rider to navigate successfully through the various technical challenges posed by the sport.
Blocking - The process of slowing the chase of a breakaway . Unlike blocking in football, no physical contact is involved.
Blow up - When you can’t keep up your effort and have to slow down significantly. For example, when trying to bridge to a breakaway , you would blow up if you started off too hard. Also shortened to just "blow": "He totally blew on that climb." See popped.
Bolt circle diameter - The diameter of the circle formed by the chainring bolts. Varies depending upon the cranks' intended application. The standard road bolt circle diameter is 130mm (135mm for Campy) and 144mm for track.
Bonk - To exhaust the body's supply of carbohydrate, resulting in a sudden and dramatic reduction in performance.
Boot - Something strong and thin inserted into a tire to prevent the inner tube from bulging through a hole in the tire. A typical boot is a dollar bill or an energy bar wrapper.
Booties - Shoe covers that act like gloves for the feet in cold or wet weather, usually made of neoprene. See shoe covers.
Bosses - The threaded mounts on the frame for water bottle cages, shifter guides, racks or fenders.
Bottom bracket - The bearings that the crankset spindle runs through. Also, the part of a bicycle frame (known as the bottom bracket shell) that holds the bottom bracket bearings.
Bottom pull - A type of front derailleur activated from the underside for a bicycle with cables routed under the bottom bracket.
Box section rim - A standard rim with a box shaped cross section. Typically not more than 20mm deep.
Brake pads - Small rubber blocks inserted into brakes that create friction when the brakes are squeezed against the rim . For disc brakes, the pads are typically metal inserts that contact the disc rotor.
Brake/shift levers - Brake levers that have an integrated gear shifting mechanism.
Braze-ons - Term for any extra accessory added on a frame , even if not technically “brazed”. Examples include water bottle bosses or the front derailleur hanger.
Brazing - Joining a tube and a lug by melting another metal (usually silver or brass) that has a lower melting point into the junction.
Breakaway - Synonym for attack . Also the group of riders that have successfully ridden away from the peloton .
Bridge the gap - To ride across the distance between groups. Also referred to simply as bridging.
Broom wagon - The last vehicle in a race caravan that sweeps the course and picks up dropped riders.
B-tension screw - A screw on the backside of most rear derailleurs that controls how far away the derailleur sits from the cassette.
Bullhorn bars - See base bars.
Bunch - See peloton .
Bunch sprint - The sprint for the finish line from a large group. Can be the main peloton sprinting for the win or the remaining riders in the peloton sprinting after a breakaway already crossed the line. See field sprint.
Butting - Frame tubes where the tubes are thicker at high stress points (such as at a weld) and thinner at lower stress points (as in the middle of the tube).
C
C02 cartridge - Steel cylinders filled with pressurized carbon dioxide that can be screw onto a tube's valve allowing for quick inflation of a repaired flat tire.
Cable routing - The parts of a frame that directs the cables and housing from the brake or shift levers to brakes or derailleurs. Can be external or internal.
Cable stop - Slotted channels where cable housing ends in a ferrule and is secured on the frame.
Cables - The connection between brake levers and shifters and the brakes and derailleurs. Typically made of braided stainless steel with a small bit of metal molded into the end where the cable connects to the brake or shifter .
Cadence - How fast you are pedaling, described as the number of crank revolutions per minute (RPM).
Car back - Expression used on group rides to indicate that a car is approaching from behind.
Car up - Expression used on group rides to indicate that a car is approaching from ahead.
Caravan - Vehicles that follow behind a race, including team cars, neutral support vehicles, race officials, the broom wagon, etc.
Cassette - An integrated collection of sequentially increasing cogs designed to slip easily onto a freehub where it is secured by a lockring. See freewheel .
Cat up - To upgrade racing category.
Category - Amateur racing classification based on experience that defines a rider’s racing group. Ranges from beginner racers at category 5 to national level at category 1.
Center line rule - When a race is held on an open road, riders have to stay on the proper side of the road. Anyone crossing the center line of the road is typically relegated or disqualified.
Chain - Connects the chainring to the cog and allows the rider to drive the rear wheel by pedaling. Composed of many free moving links pinned together.
Chain stays - Part of a frame that extends from the bottom bracket to the rear dropouts .
Chain suck - When the chain sticks to the chainring and is “sucked” between the chain stay, bottom bracket and chainring .
Chain tool - A device used for removing and installing the pins that hold a chain together.
Chainring - One of the two or three large, circular, toothed metal gears attached to a crankset . Chainrings direct the pedaling force from the crankset through the chain and into the rear wheel via the cogs.
Chainring tattoo - The grease mark left on a rider’s calf from touching the big chainring.
Chamois - A pad sewn into cycling shorts designed to both cushion and reduce friction. A chamois was traditionally made of soft leather, but is now synthetic.
Chase - When the peloton attempts to close down the gap to a breakaway .
Chase group - A group of riders pursuing a breakaway .
Chaser - A member of a chase group.
Chop - To cut-off another rider in a turn by riding a different line.
Circuit race - A road race on a loop course of at least five kilometers in length.
Classics - Any of the traditional one-day monuments of bicycle racing, such as Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix.
Clavicle - See collarbone .
Clean - To ride through a technical section without touching the ground or crashing.
Cleat - Metal or plastic piece fixed to a cycling shoe that snaps into a clipless pedal.
Clincher - Generic term for a tire that mounts on a clincher rim .
Clipless pedals - Pedals that snap onto a cleat mounted on a cycling shoe. Allows the rider to stay connected to the bicycle for more efficient pedaling and greater safety. As opposed to the clips and straps formerly used to secure riders’ feet.
Clipped in - When a rider's feet are secured in the pedals.
Clips and straps - Leather or synthetic straps combined with metal or plastic cages attached to pedals. Once the rider's feet have been inserted, the straps are cinched down and the feet are secure.
Cluster - See cassette .
Cobbled classic - Any of the traditional classics run over cobbled roads.
Cobbles - Primitive paving stones. Several classic races in the spring are run over roads paved with cobbles, most notably the Paris-Roubaix.
Cog - Any of the 8 to 11 gears mounted on the rear wheel. Freewheel s and cassettes are both composed of cogs.
Cold forged - Forming a metal part by pressing the raw material into a form (as opposed to melt or hot forged).
Collarbone - The short bone that connects the arm to upper body. It is commonly broken in cycling accidents when riders brace against a fall using an outstretched hand, which then transmits the force of the fall directly into the collarbone.
Compact cranks - Crankset with a smaller bolt circle diameter (no more than 110 mm) that allows for smaller chainrings. Typically set up with 50 - 34 tooth rings.
Compact frame - A road frame with a top tube that slopes from front to back and originally based on mountain bike frames. In contrast to a standard frame with a level top tube.
Component - Any of the parts attached to a bicycle frame that makes it rideable.
Cone wrench - A very thin wrench used for holding the cone, or outer bearing surface, against the bearings while tightening the locknut with another wrench.
Corncob - See straight block. Called a corncob because the cogs are so close in size that the cassette resembles the gradual concentric size increase of a corncob. More specifically, a "corncob" is a straight block with the smallest possible cogs , further contributing to he cob-like appearance.
Corner - The ability of a bicycle rider to smoothly carry speed through turns.
Cowhorn bars - See base bars.
Crank - See crankset .
Crank arm - The lever arm of a crankset .
Crankset - Lever arms attached to the bottom bracket via an axle. The pedal is attached at one end and the chainrings at the other via a spider .
Criterium - A road race run using a lot laps on a very short loop course (from 800m to 5km).
Cross country - A mountain bike discipline where racers ride up as well as down hills. Climbing ability, endurance and aerobic fitness are important. As opposed to gravity events.
Cyclocross - A winter cycling discipline where riders compete on modified road bikes over a mostly off - road course that requires occasional dismounts and running.
D
Deep section rims - A rim that is deeper than a standard box section rim and ranges from 27mm to 100mm deep. Increases a wheel's aerodynamics.
Derailleur - The mechanism that moves the chain from one cog or chainring to another.
Derny - A small, motor-powered bicycle or scooter used in motor-paced track races to allow bicycle riders, drafting behind, to ride faster than without the motorized draft.
Devil take the hindmost - See miss and out.
DFL - Dead F*****g Last or Doing it For Love.
Directeur sportif - An on-the-road manager for a bicycle race team who will typically drive the support car. From the French term for sporting director.
Disc brakes - Brakes that use cable or hydraulically activated clamps to squeeze onto a metal disc.
Disc rotor - A metal (or less commonly carbon fiber) disc bolted onto a special mount on the hub . Disc brakes clamp onto this rotor to stop the bike.
Disc wheel - A solid wheel made of carbon fiber with substantial aerodynamic advantage over standard rim and spoke wheels. Typically used in time trials.
Dish - The amount that a wheel’s rim is off center from the hub. A front wheel has zero dish, while a rear wheel is dished to make room for the cassette.
DNF - Did Not Finish.
DNP - Did Not Place.
DNS - Did Not Start.
Domestique - French term for the member of a bicycle team whose role is to support the team leader.
Double butted - Type of butting where the butt at the tube end is one step down in thickness from the thinner section in the middle. Also refers to spokes with a similar two step thinning.
Down tube - The tube on a frame that extends from the headtube to the junction with the bottom bracket shell.
Downhill racing - A mountain bike gravity discipline where riders race one at a time. The one to reach the bottom in the shortest amount of time wins.
Downshift - To shift into a smaller, and thereby easier, gear ratio; e.g. from the big ring to the small ring or from a smaller cog to a bigger cog.
Drafting - To ride behind another rider in the slipstream in order to conserve energy. At race speeds, a drafting rider uses 1/3 less power to move at the same tempo.
Drive side - The side of the bicycle that has the chain, chainrings, cogs, and derailleurs. Standing over the bicycle looking toward the front wheel, the drive side is the right-hand side.
Drop - To leave another rider behind. The rider left behind is said to have been “dropped.”
Drop anchor - See blow up.
Dropouts - The slots in a frame that are used to secure a bicycle wheel.
Drops - The curved bottom section of standard road handlebars.
Dual compound - In tires, when the tread has a harder central compound with a softer compound on the sides.
Dual pivot brakes - Brakes with two pivots, each offset from the center line of the wheel to increase leverage.
Dual slalom - Gravity event where riders race two at a time on parallel downhill tracks. The first rider to the bottom wins the heat, with the riders switching sides after the first run. The winner is the rider with the greatest time differential.
E
Echelon - An angled paceline meant to provide a draft in a crosswind. Because of the angle, the number of riders is limited, so the rest of the field must either form a second echelon or ride in the gutter.
Effective top tube length - What a level top tube would measure. Applied to frames with sloping top tubes.
Elite - Commonly a cyclist racing at the highest amateur level. In USA Cycling parlance, an adult cyclist between the ages of 23 and 30. See junior and master.
Embrocation - Strongly scented oil or lotion applied to the legs to provide a feeling of warmth, particularly on cold days.
End cap - The plug inserted into the end of a handlebar. Also, the little metal caps that can be crimped over the end of a cable to prevent fraying.
Endurance event - Mountain bike events where the emphasis is on aerobic fitness in addition to technical ability.
Eyelets - Reinforced area around the spoke hole on a rim.
F
Fast twitch - Muscle fiber characterized by its ability to contract faster and with greater force. Good sprinters tend to have more fast-twitch than slow-twitch fibers.
Feed bag - See musette.
Feed zone - Designated portion of a road race where riders are allowed to take supplies from helpers on the side of the road.
Feeding - The practice of handing food or water to a rider, either in a feed zone or from a support car.
Fenders - Semi-circular covers for the wheels meant to shield the rider from road spray on wet days.
Ferrule - Metal caps that fit over the end of housing.
Field - The peloton or bunch.
Field sprint - See bunch sprint.
Float - When the clipless pedal system is designed to allow the heel to move in an arc, with the pedal as the center of the arc.
Floor pump - A tire pump with a flat plate on one end and a plunger pump handle and a hose attachment on the other to allow efficient tire inflation.
Flyer - Usually a late race attack during competition. An example would be “taking a flyer with 1km to go.”
Flying start - A race that starts with the rider already at top speed. See 200m .
Foldable tire - A clincher tire with a bead made of a strong, flexible plastic.
Force the pace - Pushing hard to raise the speed of the whole field while riding at the front of the peloton.
Forcing - See force the pace.
Fork - Holds the front wheel of a bicycle and permits steering. A fork consists of two fork legs, with dropouts at the tips and a crown that joins the legs to the steerer tube.
Fork crown - Connects a fork's legs to the steerer tube.
Form - The period of time when an athlete is mentally and physically ready to race. One is said to be “in form” while showing fitness during certain key events.
Frame - The central structure of a bicycle and the base for all the bike’s different components and accessories.
Frame pump - A pump that can be inserted somewhere on the bicycle frame. Secured either by tension between tubes (e.g. along the top tube between the headtube and seat tube) or by some kind of mounting bracket (usually bolted to the water bottle bosses).
Freehub - The ratcheting mechanism on the rear hub where a cassette can be attached. Retracting teeth, or pawls, within the freehub allow it to engage when pedaled forward and to freewheel when pedaled backwards. There are splines, or raised ridges, on the exterior that integrate with channels in the cassette.
Freeride - An in-between classification for full-suspension mountain bikes. Not quite a downhill bike, still light enough to ride up some hills, but equipped with enough suspension travel to handle steeper, more technical terrain.
Freewheel - To coast without pedaling while disengaging the ratchet mechanism of the rear hub. Also a self contained set of cogs—including a pawl drive engagement—that is threaded onto a special rear hub.
Friction shifting - A type of shifting that uses the friction of a screw to hold the lever in gear rather than mechanical indexing. See index shifting.
Full suspension - A bicycle with both front and rear wheel suspension.
Functional threshold - The pace a rider can maintain for roughly one hour. Corresponds well with the core aerobic metabolic process and training at this intensity stimulates key fitness adaptations. See lactate threshold.
Funny bike - A time-trial bicycle with a front wheel that is smaller than the rear wheel. It is now banned internationally by the UCI and all bikes are required to have front and rear wheels of the same size.
G
Gap - The distance between groups on the road.
Gapped - When a rider gets dropped or pops he has been "gapped off."
GC - General Classification.
Gear - Any of the possible combinations of chainring and cog that a rider can choose from. It ranges from a single gear on a single speed to as many as 33 gears on certain road bicycles.
Gear ratio - Number corresponding to the effective wheel size of a given combination of chainring , cog and wheels. For example, a big gear is a big gear ratio and thus harder to pedal. See big gear.
General classification - The main competition in a stage race where the riders race for the lowest overall time.
Geometry - The various angles and lengths of a bicycle frame (e.g. head-tube angle or top-tube length) that together create a safe handling machine properly fitted to the rider’s physical dimensions and technical ability.
Glycogen - Source of sugar used for quick energy, stored in the liver and muscles. Consuming carbohydrate before, during and after workouts helps prime, preserve and restore glycogen. See aerobic and anaerobic.
Grand tours - The three, three-week long national stage races of Italy, France and Spain: the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.
Granny ring - Usually the smallest chainring on a triple crankset. For example on a 22 - 32 - 44, the 22 is the granny ring.
Gravity check - Falling down or crashing, thereby confirming that, indeed, gravity is still in effect.
Gravity event - A mountain bike race where the competitors start at the top of a hill and race to the bottom. It includes downhill, dual slalom, 4-cross or mountain cross, and Super D. These races require bike handling, strength, technique and steely nerves more than aerobic fitness and endurance.
Green jersey - The jersey awarded to the leader and eventual winner of the points competition at the Tour de France.
Grupetto - In a stage race, a group that bands together to ride just fast enough to make the time cut. Composed of riders not in contention for the general classification.
Gruppo - The collection of many of the components traditionally used to build a bicycle. It includes all drive train parts, brakes, brake/shift levers, hubs, headset, and bottom bracket and sometimes a seatpost. Also, Italian for peloton .
Gutter - The far edge of the road. Also the place where you are forced to ride because of crosswinds and echelons . Riding "in the gutter" means that you are clinging to the back of the pack at a high rate of speed, at maximal effort and with minimal draft . You can also "put" or "slam" the race "into the gutter" in a crosswind by riding into the gutter on the side of the road with no protection from the wind.
Gutterball - Intentionally riding in the gutter in a crosswind to force other riders to either form echelons or ride in wind.
H
Half wheel - If you are riding with someone else, but always a half wheel ahead no matter how fast you are going, then you are "half wheeling." Fantastically annoying, half wheeling occurs when the rider in front insists on staying in front by raising the pace. The result is an easy training ride turned into a hammer-fest.
Hammering - Going hard.
Handlebar - The metal or composite tube that a rider holds onto to control the bicycle.
Handling - A description of the overall impression that a bicycle gives the rider, based on the combination of all frame geometry and components.
Head tube - The very front tube of a bicycle frame that is attached to the top tube and downtube. The headtube holds the fork in place via the steerer tube.
Headset - Bearings which secure the fork, via the steerer tube, into the headtube.
Heart rate - As a cyclist pedals harder, the heart starts to pump faster to get more blood, and therefore more oxygen, to working muscles. Thus heart rate, the number of beats per minute (BPM) rises and provides and indirect measure of cycling performance. See power.
Hex wrench - See allen key or wrench.
High gear - A gear combination with a larger gear ratio. Subjectively, a high gear is harder to pedal allowing the rider to continue pedaling at higher speeds. See upshift .
Hill climb - A race to the top of one particular hill.
Hoods - The upper portion of road bike brake levers that provides an additional hand hold. Typically has a rubber cover.
Hook - To hit the front wheel of a rider behind with your rear wheel.
Hour record - The farthest distance covered in one hour in a velodrome.
Housing - The sheath that protects a shift or brake cable and allows it to move smoothly.
Hub - The center of a wheel with flanges that connect to spokes and bearings to allow an axle to spin freely.
I
In the drops - To ride with your hands grasping the drops . A position used at high speed for aerodynamics.
Index shifting - Shifters with mechanical levers that direct each shift onto a particular gear.
Individual pursuit - See pursuit .
Integrated headset - Frame with cups built directly in which allows bearings to set in the frame instead of in separate cups.
Integrated seat tube - A seat tube that extends beyond the junction with the top-tube and seat-stays to form a sort of seat post. Usually requires cutting to broadly adjust the height, with smaller adjustments available through a moveable clamp.
Intermediate sprint - A sprint line before the finish that is usually part of a points competition during a stage race.
Intervals - In training, efforts over set durations designed to train one component of fitness. Usually done in groups with set rest periods; e.g. 2x20 would be two 20-minute intervals.
J
Jersey - A shirt designed for cycling, made of breathable material such as polyester (with some lycra for stretch) and with pockets in the back for holding food and other roadside essentials.
JRA - Just Riding Around.
Jump - To make a sudden acceleration, whether to initiate an attack or a burst for the finish line.
Junior - A rider 18 years old or younger.
K
Keirin - A sprint race on the track where a group of riders—typically six—start out paced by a derny. The derny gradually increases the speed until leaving the track with about 3 laps to go, leaving the rides to battle it out.
Kick - A sudden burst of speed at the end of a race.
Kilojoules - A measure of the total work done during a ride, as measured by a power meter. Roughly translates into calories burned.
Kilometer - A velodrome event, also known as the kilometer time trial, ridden from a standing start where the rider is held by a mechanical starting machine or volunteer. See red kite.
Kit - The collection of clothing that a cyclist wears to ride.
Knee warmers - Removable knee covers that turn normal shorts into knickers.
L
Lacing pattern - The organization of spokes on a wheel. For example, 3-cross lacing has each of the spokes cross the other three times.
Lactate - After the body breaks down glucose to produce energy, the resulting lactic acid quickly releases hydrogen ions and recombines with potassium and sodium to form a new compound called lactate. Higher levels of lactate are associated with decreased ability to sustain exercise. Once viewed as a waste product, experts now a agree that lactate actually plays a complex role in facilitating energy production and that it is not, of itself, responsible for fatigue. See lactate threshold and lactate tolerance.
Lactate threshold - Point where the body produces more lactate than can be cleared, meaning that exercise beyond this point is unsustainable. See functional threshold.
Lactate tolerance - Traditionally considered the ability to tolerate higher levels of lactate and thus to continue at a high intensity efforts for a longer period of time. The idea was that repeated efforts causing an accumulation of lactate would allow the body to adapt to that higher level. With the role that lactate plays in energy production evolving, however, it is unlikely that lactate is actually causes this discomfort. Instead, it is likely that the correlation with higher lactate levels is merely a coincidence. Instead, it is likely that the release of hydrogen ions raises blood acidity, and not the lactate itself, that limits exercise and it is tolerance of this higher acidity that we are really training. See lactate .
Lactic acid - When the body breaks down glucose for energy, lactic acid is produced. See lactate .
Lanterne Rouge - "Red lantern" in French, refers to the last rider in the general classification of a stage race. The phrase is derived from the red lantern that would hang from the last car of a train.
Lead out - The last rider, usually a teammate, in front of a sprinter before the finish. The lead out sprints to take the lead rider to roughly 200m to go.
Lead-out train - The teammate or team that precedes a designated sprinter in the run to the finish.
Leg warmers - Full length removable leggings that turn cycling shorts into tights. Allow a rider to adjust warmth depending on changing conditions. See knee warmers, arm warmers.
Line - The path a rider takes through a turn. In general, the best line is the straightest path through the turn, resulting in the smallest amount of speed loss. See corner .
Long steady distance - Rides done over longer durations (usually more than two hours) at hard but sustainable pace.
Low gear - A gear combination with a smaller gear ratio that allows a rider to pedal easier. On a climb, a low gear allows a rider to pedal at a higher cadence . See downshift .
Lugs - Collars of metal or carbon that a tube is inserted into before being brazed or glued into place. Lugs are typically the headtube, bottom bracket and seat cluster.
Lycra - Stretchy fabric included in most cycling clothing.
M
Madison - A team points race on the track. Teammates ride one at a time, taking turns as needed to sling each other into and out of the action. Named after Madison Square Gardens, where the races were first held. See Americaine .
Marathon - A mountain bike race between 60 and 100 km.
Mash - Turning a gear slowly and awkwardly. As opposed to spinning.
Mass start - Track or road race where all participants start as one unified field.
Master - A racer over 30 years old.
Match sprint - Track sprint between two riders over three laps.
Mechanical - Term for any problem with the bicycle in a race.
Miss and out - A mass start track race where the field starts together, then the last rider on each lap is pulled out until three remain to sprint out the victory.
Motor pacing - Training behind a motorized vehicle.
Mountain bike - A bicycle designed to perform optimally on dirt roads and trails. Manufacturers have created a broad range of subtypes intended for different disciplines: cross country, downhill, dual slalom, freeride, all - mountain, single speed, etc.
Mountain cross - See 4-cross .
Mountains classification - Competition in a stage race that awards points to the riders who perform the best over the various mountain stages.
N
Neo-pro - A first-year pro rider.
Neutral support - Technical assistance during a race that is available to any rider regardless of team.
Neutral wheels - When the support vehicle in a race will provide a wheel to any rider with a flat. See wheels- in-wheels-out.
Nipples - Aluminum or brass nuts that secure a threaded spoke to a rim .
No one else in the photo - The best way to win a race -- alone off the front with no else behind you. Refers to the fact that a finish photo would show no other riders in the background since you are so far off the front.
Non- drive side - The side of the bike without the drive train. The left side when standing over the bike looking toward the front wheel.
Noodle - To ride easy without working to hard. Noodling typically happens on a recovery ride.
O
Off season - The training or rest period in between race seasons.
Offset - The distance a fork holds the front wheel away from a line drawn through the steerer tube.
Olympic sprint - A track sprint race of three laps with three riders starting together. Each rider pulls for one lap then pulls off, leaving the last rider to sprint for the line.
Omnium - A stage race or series of races scored on points rather than overall time. Unlike a stage race, omniums often allow riders to pick and choose the races they want to enter.
On the rivet - Riding at the limit of one’s ability. Refers to riding on the tip of the saddle , where there was traditionally a rivet securing the leather cover.
OTB - Off The Back.
Pack - See peloton .
Pack fodder - Riders in a race that are just filling out the field with no real hope of winning. Also called "pack fill."
Palmarès - French term for the list of a racer's best results, a sort of racing resume.
Paris-Roubaix - Classic race run from north of Paris to Roubaix, near the Belgian border. Characterized by numerous sections of very rough cobblestones.
Pave - French word for cobblestone.
Pedaling squares - Pedaling with a sloppy and inefficient looking style, as opposed to a more fluid and circular style. When a rider is tired and looking ragged on the bike, she is said to be "pedaling squares."
Peloton - The group of riders that form the race. All actions in a race are defined by their relation to the peloton, whether riding ahead of or falling behind.
Pinch flat - When an inner tube is squeezed between the rim and the tire, resulting in two holes that resemble a snakebite.
Play - Unwanted movement in a bearing assembly. If unchecked, it can cause a loss of power and eventually damage to the whole system.
Poach - General term for riding where you are not supposed to be. Could be jumping into an organized ride without registering or riding on trails closed to bikes.
Points classification - A competition within a stage race based on points earned at intermediate sprints and the finishes.
Points race - A race where periodic sprints award points to the top finishers. The final winner is the rider that accumulated the most points.
Polka-dot jersey - The jersey awarded to the leader and eventually to the winner of the mountains classification at the Tour de France.
Popped - See blow up.
Presta valve - The most common valve stem on racing bicycles. Unlike schrader valves, a presta valve is narrow and tapers to a small, threaded locknut on the tip.
Prime - A mid-race sprint. Usually in a criterium, where the first rider across the line wins a prize.
Prologue - A short time trial held at as the first stage of a stage race.
Pull - To make an effort at the front of a group of riders.
Pull off - To move off the front of a group of riders after pulling. See pull through.
Pull through - Pulling off in a paceline. The through refers to continuing your progress up the line towards and off the front.
Pulley - Small wheels on rear deraillerus that allow the chain to move freely.
Pursuit - A track time trial from a standing start where two riders race against each other, starting on opposite sides of the track. See 4000m , 3000m .
Q
Quick release - Skewer used to secure a wheel to a frame with a clasping lever.
R
Radial lacing - A type of wheel built with spokes that run directly from the hub to the rim without crossing.
Rainbow jersey - A white jersey with rainbow bands running horizontally around the chest. It is awarded to the world champion in each cycling discipline and type of competition—from road race and time trial to mountain bike cross country and downhill.
Rake - See offset .
Rate of perceived exertion - Using subjective perception to measure effort (versus a heart rate monitor or power meter).
Red kite - A red flag that marks the last kilometer of a road race.
Retro grouch - A cyclist who prefers older and, usually, simpler components such as friction shifters.
Rim - The circular piece of aluminum or carbon fiber forming the outer circumference of a wheel that is attached to a hub with spokes and that a tire is attached to. A rim will be either clincher or tubular, and its depth can vary dramatically.
Road race - A mass start race that is ridden on the open roads.
Road rash - An abrasion to the skin that results from sliding on the road after a crash.
Rollers - A stationary bicycle trainer with three aluminum or plastic drums mounted—two in back and one in front—on a frame. It is all connected with a large rubber band via the front and middle drums.
Rolling resistance - The energy needed to deform a tire when it contacts the ground.
RPE - Rate of Perceived Exertion.
S
Saddle - A bicycle seat.
Saddle bag - A bag that mounts underneath a bicycle seat allowing a rider to carry tools, spare tubes, and other ride essentials.
Schrader valve - A valve identical to those used on car tires. Used mostly on mountain bikes.
Scratch race - A track race run over a fixed number of laps. The first rider across the line wins.
Season - The competitive racing portion of the year. Specifics vary depending on the region or discipline, but a typical season will start in February and extend into early October.
Seat cluster - The junction on the frame of the seat tube, seat stays and top tube.
Seat collar - The circular clamp (or integrated part of the seat tube) that secures the seatpost to the frame.
Seat post - Tube inserted into the seat tube that holds the saddle in place.
Seat stays - Tubes that extend from the seat cluster to the rear dropouts.
Seat tube - The tube on a frame that extends from the bottom bracket to the seat cluster.
Sew ups - See tubular tires.
Shifter - Mechanism on a bicycle for changing the gear ratio. Used for alternating between gears .
Shoe covers - Lycra covers for shoes meant to increase aerodynamics.
Short track - A mountain bike cross country race run on a very short course and usually lasting less than a half hour.
Single speed - Any bicycle, though most typically a mountain bike, with a single gear (one front chainring and one cog) and thus no shifters .
Sitting in or sitting on - Riding in another rider's draft without pulling through.
Skewers - Metal rods that clamp a wheel onto a bicycle using a lever or nuts. See quick release skewer.
Skinsuit - Combined shorts and jersey that closely hug the rider’s body and make the rider more aerodynamic.
Sling - To help another rider and transfer momentum by literally grabbing hands and swinging. Used in the Madison when riders exchange places.
Slingshot - See accordion.
Slipstream - See draft .
Sloping top tube - Top tube that slopes from the headtube down to the seat tube.
Slow twitch - Muscle fiber that is characterized by its ability to contract slower and for long periods of time. Uses primarily fat for fuel. Good endurance athletes tend to have more slow - twitch muscle fiber than fast - twitch. See fast twitch.
Small gear - A gear combination that results in a lower gear ratio. See low gear .
Small ring - The smallest chainring .
Snakebite - See pinch flat.
Soft pedal - To pedal without much effort or coast.
Soigneur - Helper on a cycling team that handles massage, prepares race food, and generally takes care of the riders needs.
Speed - See gear
Spider - The five or four armed star-shaped extensions at the end of a crankset that make it possible to mount chainrings.
Spin - Pedaling quickly and smoothly, as opposed to mashing.
Spin out - To be moving so quickly that no matter how fast you pedal, your gear just isn't big enough. At that point, you are "spun out" and either need to shift or coast.
Spindle - The axle that the crankset is attached too. The spindle passes through and is supported by the bottom bracket bearings.
Spokes - Pieces of wire specially designed to connect the hub to the rim .
Sprint classification - See points classification.
Sprocket - See cog .
Squirrel - A rider who moves erratically without holding a line in the peloton .
Stage race - A series of races (each race is called a stage) run over sequential days. The winner of the entire race is the rider with the lowest total time.
Stagiaire - A young rider given the chance to try out with a professional team for a few months at the end of a season.
Standing start - A race where the rider starts from a standstill. See flying start.
Steerer tube - Part of a fork that inserts into a frame's headtube where it is held in place by the headset bearings.
Stem - The component that connects the fork's steerer tube to the handlebars and allows the rider to steer the bicycle.
Straight block - A cassette where each cog increases by only one tooth. For example a straight block 12-21 would be 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21
Super D - A hybrid mountain bike gravity event that adds distance and a bit of climbing (though still a net loss of elevation) in addition to the typical features of a downhill or dual slalom.
Surf - A rider surfs the peloton by moving throughout the field without hitting the wind and thus doing minimal work . Surfing implies the rider is navigating through the pack with the ease and grace of a surfer on wave.
Suspension - A mechanism used to absorb and decrease the impact on either the front or rear wheel of a bicycle.
T
Tail gunning - Riding as the last rider in the peloton . Usually intentional, a rider with good bike handling skills and fitness can get away with tail gunning early in race knowing that she can move up later. But could also refer to the misery of barely hanging on at the back all race.
Take a flyer - See flyer .
Take a pull - See pull .
Tandem - A bicycle built for two.
Team pursuit - Pursuit contested by teams working together in a paceline . Similar to a team time trial.
Team sprint - See Olympic sprint .
Team time trial - A time trial where two or more riders work together in a paceline .
Technical - A description of a road or trail meaning that navigating through requires adept bike handling skills.
Tempo - Riding at a steady pace or effort.
Threshold - See functional threshold.
Through-and-off - Type of paceline where each rider pulls off as soon as they reach the front.
Time cut - In a stage race, riders with a time that is a certain percent greater than the winning time are eliminated from the race.
Time trial - A race where riders individually ride the same set distance and drafting is illegal. The rider with the fastest time wins. Specialized aerodynamic bicycles and equipment are common.
Timing line - The line on a track where timing begins for flying start events.
Tire lever - A plastic lever used to pry a clincher tire off of the bead.
Tooth - The protrusion on a cog or chainring that engages with the chain ; e.g. 53 tooth chainring or 12 tooth cog .
Top pull front derailleur - The front derailleur activated by a cable that runs across the top tube and pulls from above.
Top tube - The tube connecting the head tube to the seat cluster.
Tops - The flat part on a drop handlebar, where the stem attaches. Riding on “the tops” means riding with your hands on this flat section.
Track - See velodrome .
Track stand - To balance on the bicycle without moving.
Trainer - A portable stationary training device that clamps onto and raises the rear wheel to provide resistance, allowing a rider to pedal in place.
Travel - The amount of movement within a suspension system, in inches or millimeters.
Trials - A cycling competition where riders navigate an unrideable obstacle course. Also known as observed trials.
Triple crank - A crankset with three chainrings that is most common on mountain bikes.
Tubeless tires - Clincher tires that mount onto special rims without using tubes.
Tubular cement - Cement used to glue tubular tires to the rim.
Tubular tires - Tire with extended casings that wrap around the tube. The casing is then sewn shut, creating a self contained unit that is glued to special rims. See sew up.
Twitchy - When a bicycle responds very rapidly to the rider because of a number of possible design features.
U
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Cycling
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As at 2012 Nisiyama Onsen Keiunkan, a hot spring hotel in Hayakawa, Yamanashi, Japan, is officially regarded as being what world-record-holding business?
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GLOSSARY OF BICYCLING : definition of GLOSSARY OF BICYCLING and synonyms of GLOSSARY OF BICYCLING (English)
A
alleycat
A bicycle race typically organized by bicycle messengers or couriers . Alleycat races seek to replicate some of the duties that a working messenger might encounter during a typical day. The races usually consist of previously undisclosed checkpoints, which are listed on a manifest, that a racer will have to go to; once at the checkpoint the racer will have his/her manifest updated. First racer to return with a completed manifest wins. Alleycats were first formalized in Toronto, Canada in 1989; however, messengers have been racing against each other for much longer. Recently, with the boom in urban cycling, many non-messengers have been participating in and organizing alleycat races.
all-rounder
A racing cyclist who excels in both climbing and time trialing, and may also be a decent sprinter. In stage races, an all-rounder seeks a top-10 place in the General Classification . Eddy Merckx , Miguel Indurain and Lance Armstrong were notable all-rounders; Ivan Basso , Samuel Sánchez , Cadel Evans , and Alberto Contador are more contemporary examples. All-rounders are usually Team Leaders in both stage races and classics cycle races. The term all-rounder is also applied to a bicycle designed to function well for varied terrain and uses, unlike the typical bike today which is specifically designed for a narrow range of use and terrain.
arrière du peloton
From French , literally the "rear of the peloton " (main group of riders). Also called the Feu Rouge (red tail light).
attack
To quickly accelerate while riding in a pack, or in smaller numbers, with a view to create a gap between yourself and other riders.
autobus
A group of riders in a stage race (typically non-climbers and suffering domestiques ) who ride together as a group on the mountain stages with the sole intention of finishing within the stage's time limit to allow them to start the next day. Also known by the Italian term gruppetto.
B
bag of spanners
To totally lose all ability to pedal smoothly after overexertion but still remain on one's bike. Expressive: "He's pedaling like a bag of spanners".
BBAR
Someone coming quickly through the pack after getting caught. Soon to be dropped off the back.
boxed in
To be positioned in a peloton or other pack of riders, regardless of size, such that one is unable to move ahead of the other riders. This usually refers to the sprint where one is unable to improve one's finish placing due to the inability to maneuver around other riders, e.g. "I felt really fast, but the other team had me boxed in the gutter and I couldn't move up."
brain bucket/lid
A bicycle helmet designed to prevent or lessen damage to the head and face of a rider; this term is considered slightly insulting and is usually used by those advocating not using helmets.
breakaway
Breakaway, or break in short, is when a small group of riders or an individual have successfully opened a gap ahead of the peloton.
bridge
When a lone rider or smaller group of riders closes the space between them and the rider or group in front of them. This term is often used to describe when riders catch up with the main pack (or peloton) of riders or those who are leading the race.
broom wagon
In road bicycle racing , a synonym for SAG wagon . The broom wagon often has a broom fixed to the front of it. This is a reified metaphor for the action of "sweeping" the course.
bunch engine
A rider who sits at the front of a group and chases down escapees or breaks, for no apparent tactical advantage. Mostly found in amateur races.
bunny hop
To cause one's bicycle to become airborne by lifting the front wheel and then the rear wheel into the air with such timing that both wheels are simultaneously airborne for a period. Bunny hops are performed either to navigate course features, to perform tricks or to avoid obstacles, depending on the discipline of competition.
C
(French: hope) Age category for riders between 19 and 22 years of age.
étape
A stage of a stage race. Also, L'Étape du Tour , an annual mass-participation event following the route of a stage of the Tour de France.
F
false flat
A low-gradient climb, usually occurring partway up a steeper climb. So-called because while it may look deceptively flat and easy (especially after the steep climb preceding it), it is still a climb.
fast finisher
A rider who has superior sprinting speed and skills over the last few hundred meters than others in the same group, which may include uphill finishes. Similar to a sprinter, but a fast finisher need not be a true sprinter; just one who possesses above average sprinting ability.
feed zone
In road bicycle racing , a location along the course of a long race where team personnel hand musettes containing food and beverages to passing riders. In mountain bicycle racing , a limited section of the course in which riders may accept food from non-racing assistants. Sometimes this is combined with the technical assistance zone if one exists.
Ideally, a feed zone should be along a long, uncongested straight section of road, with a wide shoulder for team personnel and vehicles. A slight uphill is desirable, as it will slow the passing riders and make grabbing the musettes easier; the grade should not be so steep as to cause the riders to struggle. The roadway approaching the feed zone should be straight with a long unobstructed sightline, so riders may easily identify the personnel from their teams and position themselves for a smooth pickup.
fixed
The main frame of the bicycle plus the front fork.
G
gap
A distance between two or more riders large enough for drafting to no longer be effective. Also used as verb (US English), for example: "Contador has gapped Armstrong!". It's much easier for a stronger rider to pull ahead of others once a gap has been achieved; without a gap, the others can draft along using significantly less power to sustain the same speed as the rider in front. While gaps are usually achieved through attacks, on mountain climbs, where slower speeds means the advantage of drafting is much less significant, riders are often gapped who simply cannot maintain the tempo of the faster riders. A gap can also refer to the space in between a jump and the landing, which is common in mountain biking.
G.C.
Abbr.: general classification. the timing splits used to determine who is winning in a stage race. calculated from the first rider over the line each day time is then measured back by gaps from the winner of the day. Time gaps are then calculated back between riders and added to the overall position of riders relative to each other. Riders can attack in stage races for time rather than winning the days stage. They are said to be "riding for G.C.". In such circumstances alliances can form where some riders in a breakaway will work to help others win the days stage despite not contesting the finish as the overall gap the breakaway gains helps them "on G.C."
granny gear
Two meanings related to each other:
The lowest gear ratio on a multi-speed derailleur bicycle; smallest chainring in front and the largest at the back.
The smallest chainring on a crank with triple chainrings. [5]
gruppetto
see autobus .
groupo
Also called a groupset; a complete (usually matching and certified compatible) set of bicycle drive control components. Generally includes the brake calipers, cranks, chainrings, bottom bracket, chain, front & rear derailleurs, cassette, brake and shift levers and the matching cables and housings; and may less commonly also include pedals and headset. The frame, forks, stem, seatpost, saddle, handlebars, hubs, rims, spokes, nipples and tyres are not considered part of a groupo even where manufacturers may market such components under the same product banner. The spelling "groupo" is an Anglicized version of the Italian gruppo.
gutter
To ride in the gutter is to ride close to edge of the road making it hard for others to draft.
H
half-wheel or half-wheeler
A rider that rides half a wheel in front of another on training rides and group rides. No matter how much the pursuer speeds up to keep up with him/her, s/he stays that distance ahead. Usually these people are frowned upon and less desirable to ride with. [6]
hammer
Hammer is used in three different ways in road cycling.
as a phrase describing what happens to a rider who suddenly loses the ability to race, as in "The man with the hammer got him" or "He got hit by the man with hammer". This is a reference to the experience boxers have when their legs become powerless and weak just before collapsing (as if they have been hit with a hammer) following a severe blow to the head. The abruptness with which this happens differentiates it from hitting the wall . Alternative expressions are "'tapped'" short for "he got tapped by the man with hammer".
"to put the hammer down" means to pedal hard, often with the purpose of trying to eliminate opponents in a road race. As in the phrase "We really put the hammer down and sprinted to the end". Some commentators have been known to reference a wide range of workshop tools in their ongoing search for sporting metaphor.
more literally, the verb "to hammer" refers to pounding along powerfully on the pedals, e.g. "Leipheimer really hammered hard for the entirety of stage 19".
handicap
A style of road racing in Australia where riders are given time handicaps in bunches, with scratch being the last riders to leave and limit being the first riders to leave. The time intervals between groups, and the allocation of riders to groups is decided by the race handicapper, based on rider's ability, age and form. Race honours are usually awarded to the first 5 to 10 riders (depending on the size race) and to the fastest time.
handpump
The term used to describe a domestique assisting his leader along the route. May also be used to describe a mechanic pushing a rider (especially from a moving team car).
The activity of mountain biking , or a mountain bike itself.
musette
Small lightweight cotton shoulder bag, used for containing food and drink given to riders in a feed zone during a cycle race. The bag is designed so that it can be easily grabbed by a moving rider. The shoulder strap is placed over the head and one shoulder, the contents are then removed and placed into jersey pockets or bottles (bidons) are placed into bottle cages. The bag is then discarded.
Muur
wall in English a short very steep climb, from a few dozens to some hundreds meter on a high % of rise until more than 20%. Muur van Geraardsbergen, Kapellemuur, Koppenberg.
N
Getting dropped from the group/peloton.
omnium
An omnium is a multi-stage event that differs from a stage race in that points are assigned for placing in each stage rather than a time. Therefore a rider may win with a slower time than another rider, but more points. Conceivably a rider can win the omnium without finishing each event.
on the rivet
Describes a rider who is riding at maximum speed. When riding at maximum power output, a road racer often perches on the front tip of the saddle (seat), where the shell of an old-style leather saddle would be attached to the saddle frame with a rivet.
on your wheel
Phrase describing the condition of being very close to the rear wheel of the rider ahead of you. Used to inform the rider that you have positioned yourself in their slipstream for optimum drafting. For example: "I'm on your wheel".
open road race
Generally going from point A to point B; can include multi-laps. Can also mean a club event in which non-club members can enter.
overlap
Riding in a position such that the leading edge of one's front wheel is ahead of the trailing edge of the rear wheel of the bicycle immediately ahead. Overlap is potentially dangerous because of the instability that results if the wheels rub, and the simple fact that it allows the trailing rider to turn only in one direction (away from the wheel of the rider ahead). In road bicycle racing, overlap can be a significant cause of crashes, so beginning riders are instructed to "protect your front wheel" (avoid overlap) whenever riding in a pack.
P
paceline
Group of riders riding at high speed by drafting one another. Riders will take turns at the front to break the wind, then rotate to the back of the line to rest in the draft. Larger group rides will often form double pacelines with two columns of riders. Sometimes referred to as "bit and bit". [12]
pack
To take the lead on a paceline or echelon.
pull back time
To pull back time is to make up time on another rider who is ahead on G.C. "he needs to "pull back" two minutes if he wants to get in yellow".
pull it back
to work to reduce the lead of a breakaway, also used as "he needs to pull him back" or "they need to pull him back".
pump
colloquial verb meaning to give a second person a ride on a bicycle, also known as giving a hike. The passenger may balance on the handlebars or the seat, while the biker stands to pedal.
Q
queen stage
The stage of a multi-day road race which includes the highest point reach of the whole race. Also usually, but not always, the hardest stage of the race.
R
ride
A rider who does a ride is one who makes an endeavour to win a race or move up on GC against the odds and pulls it off. "He did a ride".
rim
Severe skin abrasions caused from sliding on the asphalt in a crash.
rollers
A type of trainer composed of rolling cylinders under the rear wheel linked to a single rolling cylinder under the front wheel which allow the rider to practice balance while training indoors.
rotating weight
Weight (more correctly mass ) that is rotating while the bike is moving, particularly the wheels. Mass near the outside edge of a wheel has about twice the stored energy of a similar non-rotating mass moving at the same speed. A bicycle wheel can be considered to be a good approximation of a hollow cylinder with most of its mass at or near the rim. The rotation of cranks, wheel hubs, and other parts are of less significance because both their radius and speed of rotation ( angular velocity ) are small. All mass resists changes in velocity ( acceleration or deceleration) due to inertia . This resistance is noticeably greater where rotational inertia is also a significant component, so lighter wheel rims, spoke nipples , and tires will permit faster acceleration (or the same acceleration for less expenditure of energy). This effect is much reduced at lower speeds such as during hill climbing.
rouleur
A rider who is strong on flat and undulating roads. The rider is well suited for races such as Paris–Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders . Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara are examples of this.
S
SAG station
A location along the course of a long mass-participation recreational ride providing mechanical and/or medical assistance to riders in need. Volunteers at the SAG station may also dispatch SAG wagons to assist riders stranded along the course. A SAG station may also function as a food stop . "SAG" (most commonly written in all uppercase in the United States but without capitals elsewhere) comes from a 1930s British expression about riders "sagging" off the back of a group.[ citation needed ] It was adopted in the 1940s when road-racing restarted in Great Britain to mean a following vehicle into which riders sagged when the effort became too much and they dropped out of a race. SAG is sometimes described as an acronym for 'support and gear', 'gear' referring to: mechanical support.
SAG wagon
Support motor vehicle following long races or recreational rides to pick up riders unable to complete the event. See also: food stop and SAG station . In racing events, typically the main group of riders will ride as a peloton and can be served by one or more SAG wagons trailing behind. In large recreational rides, there may be thousands of riders spread over much of the course, so ride organizers may employ roving SAG wagons to locate and assist stranded riders. In bicycle racing , another term for SAG wagon is broom wagon .
swag
Tubular tyres
Tubular tyres are cycle tyres that have the inner tube permanently stitched inside the casing. They are held in place using glue or glue-tape, and are affixed to rims which lack the sidewalls characteristic of a hook-bead rim. Tubulars take very high pressure (up to 10 bar or 145 psi, or higher for racing and track-specific tires) which reduces their rolling resistance. They typically result in wheelsets that are lower in overall weight than comparable clincher wheels, because of the shape of the rim, the tire construction, and the lack of rim strips. Tubulars can be ridden at lower pressures than clinchers without the risk of pinch flats, because of the shape of the rim. This makes them well-suited to cyclo-cross, especially in muddy conditions where low tire pressures are used. However, they are difficult to replace and repair and are generally more expensive than clinchers. Also called sew-ups, tubies, or tub.
turbo-trainer
A trainer that spins a fan assembly at the same time (for pedal resistance and air flow). See Bicycle trainer .
turn
A turn is a rider sharing the workload on a pace line "he took a turn" or "he is doing a lot of turns on the front". Missing turns can be expressed thus "he has missed a few turns now and has stopped working". In a breakaway the riders expect to share the work equally in "turns". A rider who doesn't take his turn is "sitting on the break".
U
Urban
Alternatively known as a city bike, a bicycle that is designed to be ridden on the road utilizing components of a mountain bike , similar to a hybrid bicycle .
V
A cycling track for races. See track.
W
WOL
Abbreviation of wide outside lane. An outside lane on a roadway that is wide enough to be safely shared side-by-side by a bicycle and motor vehicle. The road may be marked with partial lane markings to designate the portion of the lane to be used by bicycles.
work
To work is to do "turns on the front", to aid a group of riders by sharing the workload of working against air resistance by "pulling on the front" of the group. Similar to pull. Often used expressively in combination with other expressions: e.g. "He hasn't done any work all day, he has just sat on the breakaway." Working is used in many contexts in the peloton and road racing.
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i don't know
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"What Shakespeare play features the line, ""We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...""?"
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Band of Brothers, the Phrase in History and Literature
Frederick Douglass | Bonnie Blue Flag | Hail Columbia | 101st Airborne
Band of Brothers in History and Literature
A fairly thorough search of classical literature archives reveals that the first use of the term, "Band of Brothers" was by perhaps the greatest of English playwrights, William Shakespeare, in his famous history play, Henry V . The lines of the speech (The speech was invented by Shakespeare for the play.) still stir the hearts of men:
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap while any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
The InDepthInfo History of Modern Europe was designed as a homeschool history textbook . It covers an exciting time in modern Europe between the Renaissance and the End of World War I. It has report suggestions, chapter quizzes, and a final examination. Perfect for high school level study.
To get the full effect read the entire speech . Yet we understand here that this "band of brothers" is a martial group, dedicated and loyal. The spilling of their blood, mixed together in desperate battle, makes them a family as close as any blood tie can make them. In their desperation, their comradeship, their shared struggle they become a "band of brothers".
The concept surely is as old as man himself. In some pre-Columbian cultures in America "blood brothers" were not brothers by blood in the family sense, but as in Henry V, a fighting sense. The idea has even influenced men at sea. Nelson , after the Battle of Trafalgar referred to his sea captains as a band of brothers. Nelson meant, not only their comradeship, but their elite qualities of seamanship. They were brothers in war and brothers in skill. The wooden ships that sailed the high seas in the early 1800's were driven by men of talent and technical ability. They had to be to survive the tough conditions on the oceans.
Beyond comradery and skill, The "band of brothers" also evoked ideas of grim determination that went beyond the struggle. As we see in Schiller's play " Wilhelm Tell " men swear loyalty to each other to fight tyranny in their country. They determine to become a band of brothers:
By this fair light which greeteth us, before
Those other nations, that, beneath us far,
In noisome cities pent, draw painful breath,
Swear we the oath of our confederacy!
A band of brothers true we swear to be,
Never to part in danger or in death! [They repeat his words with three fingers raised.]
We swear we will be free as were our sires,
And sooner die than live in slavery! [All repeat as before.]
We swear, to put our trust in God Most High,
And not to quail before the might of man!
The American Civil War and the years surrounding it would naturally see much use of the term, "band of brothers." And it would span both sides of the Mason-Dixon line. Stephen Douglas let it slip in a speech during the momentous Lincoln Douglas debates, "...Whigs and Democrats fought fearlessly in old times...united as a band of brothers when the peace, harmony, or integrity of the Union was imperiled." Of course, he was speaking of a previous generation, but the exhortation was meant to rally people, no matter their opinion on slavery to band together to face the threat of disunion.
Also, in the North, one of the most prominent men of the age, ironically another Douglass, Frederick Douglass , writes of his time in slavery:
It is not uncommon to charge slaves with great treachery toward each other, and to believe them incapable of confiding in each other; but I must say, that I never loved, esteemed, or confided in men, more than I did in these. They were as true as steel, and no band of brothers could have been more loving. There were no mean advantages taken of each other, as is sometimes the case where slaves are situated as we were; no tattling; no giving each other bad names to Mr. Freeland; and no elevating one at the expense of the other.
These were a people who went through a struggle analogous to war, struggle, toil and violence.
Meanwhile the martial theme burst out in song in the South with the second most popular song of the war, " The Bonnie Blue Flag . The song begins:
We are a band of brothers
And native to the soil
Fighting for our liberty
With treasure blood, and toil
And when our rights were threatened,
The cry rose near and far
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag
That bears a single star!
Interestingly enough, the entire officer corp of both armies considered themselves a single band of brothers, for they largely graduated from the same school, West Point. They often fought against each other on the same battlefield, as when the Union General, Winfield Scott Hancock, was wounded at Gettysburg not a hundred yards from where his friend, Louis Armisted, who had been one of the leading generals in the famed "Picket's Charge", was killed.
All of this hearkened back to the song " Hail Columbia ".....
Firm, united, let us be,
Rallying round our Liberty;
As a band of brothers joined,
Peace and safety we shall find.
This poem published in 1798 by Joseph Hopkinson is still often referred to as America's first national anthem. It firmly claims the "band of brothers" theme for America. Columbia, for Hopkinson is a personification of the United States. In it we find a martial theme, but the theme is tempered by the idea that the band of brothers defends freedom and promotes safety. It is, in a way, a defensive idea as in "United we stand. Divided we fall!"
But as we know from another cliche' (or should we call it a truism?), "The best defense is a good offense". The "band of brothers" theme next surfaces in World War II with the 101st Airborne's Easy Company. This unit fought with distinction from the invasion of Normandy through the Battle of the Bulge and ultimately through the end of the war. Their story is retold in the aptly named Band of Brothers , a history book and an HBO movie. The film, in a graphic way, reveals how bonds are formed between men in combat and how they lasted a lifetime. The mystique of the band of brothers is seen to remain undiminished from the time of Shakespeare to the present.
However, the term would see some battering in the 2004 election when John Kerry invoked it to describe his fellow sailors on patrol boats during Viet Nam. The "band of brothers", in this instance, was split over its support for the Presidential Candidate. Some called him a hero, others called him a glory hound and implied cowardice.
Whatever the truth about John Kerry's war record, the "band of brothers" idea remains a strong force in the American psyche. Books detailing the adventures of military units from World War II through the Iraq War have become popular. Little doubt that the idea will remain a powerful metaphor in the future as long as military units struggle in the field and mass media tells their stories.
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Henry V
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Racerback, Balconette, Bandeau, and Shelf are types of what?
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Henry V (1989) - Quotes - IMDb
Henry V (1989)
Showing all 24 items
[Addressing the troops]
King Henry V : And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by from this day until the ending of the world but we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother, Be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition, and gentlemen in England now abed shall think themselves acursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whilst any speaks, that fought with us upon St. Crispin's day!
Princess Katherine : I cannot tell.
King Henry V : Can any of your neighbors tell, Kate? I'll ask them.
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Montjoy : Give us leave, great king, to view the field in safety and dispose of their dead bodies.
King Henry V : I tell thee truly, herald, I know not if the day be ours or no.
Montjoy : The day is yours.
King Henry V : Praised be God and not our strength for it! What is this castle called that stands hard by?
Montjoy : They call it Agincourt.
King Henry V : Then call we this the field of Agincourt, fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus.
Exeter : This was a merry message.
King Henry V : We hope to make the sender blush at it.
[Delivering a message from King Henry to the French King]
Exeter : This is his claim, his threatening and my message. Unless the *Dolphin*
[intentionally mispronounced]
Exeter : be in presence here, to whom expressly I bring greeting too.
French King : For us, we will consider of this further. Tomorrow shall you bear our full intent back to our brother England.
Dauphin : For the *Dauphin*
[emphasizes the correct pronunciation]
Dauphin : , I stand here for him. What to him from England?
Exeter : Scorn and defiance, slight regard, contempt and any thing that may not misbecome the mighty sender, doth he prize you at. Thus says my king.
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[first lines]
Chorus : O! For a Muse of fire, that would ascend; The brightest heaven of invention; A kingdom for a stage, princes to act and monarchs to behold the swelling scene. Then should the war-like Harry, like himself, assume the port of Mars; And at his heels, leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword, and fire crouch for employment.
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Bates : He may show what outward courage he will; but I believe, as cold a night as 'tis, he could wish himself in Thames up to the neck; and so I would he were, and I by him.
Williams : But if the cause be not good, the King himself hath a heavy reckoning to make, when all those legs and arms and heads, chopped off in a battle, shall join together at the latter day and cry all, "We died at such a place," some swearing, some crying for a surgeon, some upon their wives left poor behind them, some upon the debts they owe, some upon their children rawly left. I am afeard there are few die well in a battle; for how can they charitably dispose of anything when blood is their argument?
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[charging his troops to attack the gates of Harfluer]
King Henry V : For there is none of you so mean and base, That hath not noble lustre in your eyes. I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start. The game's afoot: Follow your spirit, and upon this charge Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'
King Henry V : Fair Katherine, if you will love me soundly with your French heart, I will be glad to hear you confess it brokenly with your English tongue. Do you like me, Kate?
Princess Katherine : [unable to understand his English] Pardonnez-moi, I cannot tell what is 'like me'.
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King Henry V : How yet resolves the governor of the town? This is the latest parle we will admit. Therefore to our best mercy give yourselves, or like to men proud of destruction defy us to our worst. For as I am a soldier, if I begin the batt'ry once again, I will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur, till in her ashes she lie burièd. Therefore, ye men of Harfleur, take pity of your town and of your people, whiles yet my soldiers are in my command, whiles yet the cool and temperate wind of grace o'er blows the filthy and contagious clouds of heady murder, spoil, and villainy! If not... why, in a MOMENT!- look to see the blind and bloody soldier with foul hand defile the locks of your shrill-shrieking daughters, your fathers taken by the silver beards and their most reverend heads dashed to the walls, your naked infants spitted upon PIKES!- whiles the mad mothers with their howls confused do break the CLOUDS! WHAT SAY YOU? Will you yield, and this avoid? Or, guilty in defense, be thus destroyed?
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i don't know
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Diverticulitis is a common disease of what human system?
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Diverticulitis: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Diverticulitis: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
By Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor |
May 25, 2016 11:45pm ET
MORE
Diverticulitis can cause severe and sudden abdominal pain.
Credit: bilderpool/Shutterstock.com
Diverticulitis is a condition that affects the digestive system. It can cause problems with bowel movements and a can cause severe and sudden pain in the abdomen.
Causes
It's important to make a distinction between diverticulosis and diverticulitis. Diverticulosis is the simple presence of diverticula, which are small bulges or pouches that can form anywhere within the digestive system, such as in the intestines, esophagus and stomach. They are most commonly formed in the lower colon. One pouch is called a diverticulum and multiple pouches are called diverticula.
Diverticula usually develop in response to pressure on weak spots in the colon or other parts of the digestive tract. These are very common, and the vast majority of people who have them will not have a problem with them. They become more common as people age. About half of all people over age 60 have diverticulosis, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine .
Diverticulitis is inflammation and infection of these pockets. "The severity of diverticulitis depends on how bad the inflammation or infection is," said Dr. Amitpal Johal, director of endoscopy and associate director of the division of gastroenterology at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa. "If a patient goes untreated, the infection and inflammation can progress to more serious complications like an abscess (large infection) and even bowel perforation (hole in the bowel)."
It was once thought that a low-fiber diet may contribute to inflammation, but a high-fiber diet and increased frequency of bowel movements are associated with greater prevalence of diverticulosis, according to a study published by the journal Gastroenterology .
Doctors aren't sure, though, why these pouches get inflamed or infected. According to one theory, decreased levels of serotonin in the body may cause decreased relaxation and increased spasms of the colon muscle. Infection could also result when fecal matter gets trapped inside openings in the diverticula. Various types of obstruction can also block the pouches' openings. This would reduce blood supply, causing inflammation. Other research suggests that obesity, smoking and certain medications may cause inflammation.
Symptoms
The most obvious symptom of diverticulitis is usually a sharp pain in the left side of the abdomen. This may also occur on the right, especially in people of Asian descent, according to the Mayo Clinic .
Diverticulitis comes with a number of other symptoms, including fever, abdominal tenderness constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and a change in bowel movement frequency.
Diverticula are small pouches that form in the colon, esophagus or stomach — a condition called diverticulosis. Diverticulitis occurs when these pouches become inflamed.
Credit: Juan Gaertner Shutterstock
Treatment
While many cases of diverticulitis are easy to treat and do not pose a major health risk, some can be more severe. An abdominal infection such as diverticulitis is a common cause of sepsis, said Dr. Niket Sonpal, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Harlem Campus. Severe diverticulitis may also cause bowel obstruction.
Severe cases of diverticulitis may require hospitalization. There, doctors may prescribe intravenous antibiotics or even perform surgery to remove the infected portion of the intestines.
For mild cases of diverticulitis, people usually only need to change what they eat and possibly take antibiotics for the diverticulum infection. Their medical professional may also suggest over-the-counter pain killers. For people with uncomplicated diverticulitis, this treatment is successful 70 to 100 percent of the time, according to the Mayo Clinic.
"If a patient has diverticulitis and is being treated as an outpatient (at home) most doctors recommend a clear liquid diet until improvement in symptoms is seen," said Johal. "If patients are in the hospital, doctors may recommend nothing to eat initially and then start a clear liquid diet once the patient shows improvement." When the patient is significantly better, more solid foods are added into the diet.
Once healing has begun, patients are often encouraged to eat foods high in fiber. "Historically we'd have told all such patients to avoid seeds, nuts, popcorn, that could conceivably get trapped and worsen or cause infection," said Dr. Neil H. Stollman, a gastroenterologist based in Oakland, Calif. "Good science now suggests that that's not true, and that there's no strong evidence that patients should avoid such things.
"Further," said Stollman, "there's quite good data that patients who consume a high fiber diet have fewer complications of their diverticulitis, and it's reasonable to advocate a high fiber diet for such patients (other than during their immediate infection period, for a week or two, where we might advocate a temporary low fiber bland diet until the acute event resolves."
What if diverticulitis goes untreated? "An interesting question, and one that historically, we would have answered with: 'catastrophe,' including potential perforation, abscess in the abdomen, sepsis and even death. Thus the imperative to treat essentially all patients with antibiotics," said Stollman.
However, two large studies, one by the Centre for Clinical Research at Uppsala University and the other by the University of Amsterdam, had control groups with no treatment. Despite concerns, no real catastrophe occurred in the control (no antibiotics) patients, or at least not at any higher a rate than those who did get antibiotics. "That's forcing us to rethink our conception that antibiotics are OBLIGATE or 'badness' will ensue. It seems that for some patients, at least those with milder disease, they'll get better with or without treatment," said Stollman.
From 15 to 30 percent of patients will experience recurrence of diverticulitis after their initial cure, according to American Gastroenterological Association Institute .
Additional resources
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Digestive
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According to Encyclopedia Britannica 2012, a skyscraper is very loosely defined as having at least how many storeys/stories?
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Diverticulitis - Mayo Clinic
Diverticulitis
Learn more about this top honor
Diverticula are small, bulging pouches that can form in the lining of your digestive system. They are found most often in the lower part of the large intestine (colon). Diverticula are common, especially after age 40, and seldom cause problems.
Sometimes, however, one or more of the pouches become inflamed or infected. That condition is known as diverticulitis (die-vur-tik-yoo-LIE-tis). Diverticulitis can cause severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea and a marked change in your bowel habits.
Mild diverticulitis can be treated with rest, changes in your diet and antibiotics. Severe or recurring diverticulitis may require surgery.
References
Young Fadok T, et al. Colonic diverticulosis and diverticular disease: Epidemiology, risk factors, and pathogenesis. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Jan. 7, 2014.
Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Jan. 7, 2014.
Pemberton JH, et al. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of acute diverticulitis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Jan. 7, 2014.
Bailey MB, et al. Morbid obesity and diverticulitis: Results from the ACS NSQIP dataset. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2013;217:834.
Young Fadok T, et al. Treatment of acute diverticulitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Jan. 7, 2014.
AskMayoExpert. What is the initial therapy for uncomplicated diverticulitis? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
Picco MF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan.17, 2014.
Boostrom SY, et al. Uncomplicated diverticulitis, more complicated than we thought. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. 2012;16:1744.
Diverticular Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/diverticulosis/index.aspx. Accessed Jan. 7, 2014.
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i don't know
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The Latin term 'intra muros' means?
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Appendix:List of Latin phrases (F–O) - Wiktionary
Appendix:List of Latin phrases (F–O)
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
This appendix lists direct English translations of Latin phrases. Some of the phrases are themselves translations of Greek phrases, as Greek rhetoric and literature reached its peak centuries before that of Ancient Rome:
Contents
Motto of Prince Alfred College in Adelaide , Australia.
fac simile
Origin of the word facsimile, and, through it, of fax .
facta, non verba
"actions, not words"
Motto of United States Navy Destroyer Squadron 22, and the Canadian Fort Garry Horse armoured regiment (Militia).
falsus in unum, falsus in omnibus
"false in one thing, false in everything"
A Roman legal principle indicating that a witness who willfully falsifies one matter is not credible on any matter. The underlying motive for attorneys to impeach opposing witnesses in court: the principle discredits the rest of their testimony if it is without corroboration.
felo de se
"felon from himself"
An archaic legal term for one who commits suicide , referring to early English common law punishments, such as land seizure, inflicted on those who killed themselves.
fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt
"as a rule, men willingly believe that which they wish to"
People believe what they wish to be true, even if it isn't. Attributed to Julius Caesar .
festina lente
"hurry slowly"
An oxymoronic motto of St Augustine . It encourages proceeding quickly, but with calm and caution. Equivalent to 'More haste, less speed'.
fiat iustitia et pereat mundus
"let justice be done, even should the world perish"
(fd)
"Defender of the Faith"
A title given to Henry VIII of England by Pope Leo X on October 17 , 1521 before Henry became a heresiarch . Still used by the British monarchs, it appears on all British coins, usually abbreviated.
fides qua creditur
"the faith by which it is believed"
the personal faith which apprehends, contrasted with fides quae creditur
fides quae creditur
"the faith which is believed"
the content of "the faith," contrasted with fides qua creditur
fides quaerens intellectum
the motto of Saint Anselm , found in his Proslogion
fidus Achates
A faithful friend. From the name of Aeneas 's faithful companion in Virgil 's Aeneid .
flagellum dei
flectere si nequeo superos, Achaeronta movebo
"If I cannot move heaven I will raise hell"
habeas corpus
"you may have the body"
A legal term from the 14th century or earlier. Refers to a number of legal writs to bring a person before a court or judge, most commonly habeas corpus ad subjiciendum ("you may have the body to bring up"). Commonly used as the general term for a prisoner's legal right to have the charge against them specifically identified.
habemus papam
"we have a pope"
Used after a Roman Catholic Church papal election to announce publicly a successful ballot to elect a new pope.
hac lege
haec olim meminisse iuvabit
"one day, this will be pleasing to remember"
Commonly rendered in English as "One day, we'll look back on this and smile". From Virgil 's Aeneid 1.203.
Hannibal ante portas
Refers to wasting time while the enemy is already here. Attributed to Cicero.
Hannibal ad portas
" Hannibal is at the gates"
Roman parents would tell their misbehaving children this, invoking their fear of Hannibal.
haud ignota loquor
"I speak not of unknown things"
Thus, "I say no things that are unknown". From Virgil 's Aeneid , 2.91.
hic abundant leones
Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
hic et nunc
(HJ)
"here lies"
Also rendered hic iacet. Written on gravestones or tombs, preceding the name of the deceased. Equivalent to hic sepultus ("here is buried"), and sometimes combined into hic jacet sepultus
(HJS)
hic manebimus optime
"here we'll stay excellently"
According to Titus Livius the phrase was pronounced by Marcus Furius Camillus , addressing the senators who intended to abandon the city, invaded by Gauls , in 390 BCE circa. It is used today to express the intent to keep one's position even if the circumstances appear adverse.
hic sunt leones
Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
hinc illae lacrimae
"hence those tears"
From Terence , Andria, line 125. Originally literal, referring to the tears shed by Pamphilus at the funeral of Chrysis, it came to be used proverbally in the works of later authors, such as Horace (Epistula XIX, 41).
historia vitae magistra
"history, the teacher of life"
From Cicero , Tusculanas, 2, 16. Also "history is the mistress of life".
homo homini lupus
"man [is a] wolf to man"
First attested in Plautus ' Asinaria ("lupus est homo homini"). The sentence was drawn on by Hobbes in Leviathan as a concise expression of his human nature view.
homo sum humani a mi nihil alienum puto
"I am a human being; nothing human is strange to me"
From Terence , Heautontimoroumenos. Originally "strange" or "foreign" (alienum) was used in the sense of "irrelevant", as this line was a response to the speaker being told to mind his own business, but it is now commonly used to advocate respecting different cultures and being humane in general. Puto ("I consider") is not translated because it is meaningless outside of the line's context within the play.
Medical shorthand for "at bedtime".
horas non numero nisi serenas
"I do not count the hours unless they are sunny"
A common inscription on sundials .
hortus in urbe
"A garden in the city"
Motto of the Chicago Park District , a playful allusion to the city's motto, urbs in horto, q.v.
horribile dictu
That is, "a horrible thing to relate". A pun on mirabile dictu.
hostis humani generis
"enemy of the human race"
Cicero defined pirates in Roman law as being enemies of humanity in general.
hypotheses non fingo
"I do not fabricate hypotheses"
From Newton , Principia . Less literally, "I do not assert that any hypotheses are true".
Not to be confused with an intelligence quotient .
i.e.
Abbreviation for id est, above.
Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum
( INRI )
" Jesus of Nazareth , King of the Jews"
Based on a Christian belief that "this one is King of the Jews" was written in Latin, Greek and Aramaic at the top of the cross Jesus was crucified on.
igne natura renovatur integra
"through fire, nature is reborn whole"
An alchemical aphorism invented as an alternate meaning for the acronym INRI .
igni ferroque
"with fire and iron"
A phrase describing scorched earth tactics. Also rendered as igne atque ferro, ferro ignique, and other variations.
ignis fatuus
Legal term for "in court".
in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni
"We enter the circle at night and are consumed by fire"
A palindrome said to describe the behavior of moths. Also the title of a film by Guy Debord .
in hoc signo vinces
Words Constantine claimed to have seen in a vision before the Battle of Milvian Bridge .
in illo tempore
"in that time"
"at that time", found often in Gospel lectures during Masses, used to mark an undetermined time in the past.
in limine
"at the outset"
Preliminary, in law referring to a motion that is made to the judge before or during trial, often about the admissibility of evidence believed prejudicial
in loco
"in the place"
That is, "at the place".
The nearby labs were closed for the weekend, so the water samples were analyzed in loco.
"in the place of a parent"
A legal term meaning "assuming parental (i.e., custodial) responsibility and authority".
in luce Tua videmus lucem
"in Thy light we see light"
in lumine tuo videbimus lumen
"in your light we will see the light"
in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum
"into your hands I entrust my spirit"
According to Luke 23:46, the last words of Jesus on the cross.
in medias res
"into the middle of things"
From Horace . Refers to the literary technique of beginning a narrative in the middle of, or at a late point in, the story, after much action has already taken place. Examples include the Iliad , the Odyssey , and Paradise Lost . Compare ab initio.
in necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas
"in necessary things unity, in doubtful things liberty, in all things charity"
"Charity" ( caritas ) is being used in the classical sense of "compassion" (cf. agape ). Motto of the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen . Often misattributed to Augustine of Hippo .
in nuce
I.e. "in potentiality." Comparable to "potential", "to be developed".
In omnia paratus
Motto of the so-called secret society of Yale in the sitcom Gilmore Girls .
In omnibus requiem quaesivi, et nusquam inveni nisi in angulo cum libro
"Everywhere I have searched for peace and nowhere found it, except in a corner with a book"
in partibus infidelium
"in the parts of the infidels"
That is, "in the land of the infidels", infidels here referring to non- Christians . After Islam conquered a large part of the Roman Empire, the corresponding bishoprics didn't disappear, but remained as titular sees .
in personam
"into a person"
"Directed towards a particular person". In a lawsuit in which the case is against a specific individual, that person must be served with a summons and complaint to give the court jurisdiction to try the case. The court's judgment applies to that person and is called an "in personam judgment." In personam is distinguished from in rem, which applies to property or "all the world" instead of a specific person. This technical distinction is important to determine where to file a lawsuit and how to serve a defendant . In personam means that a judgment can be enforceable against the person, wherever he or she is. On the other hand, if the lawsuit is to determine title to property (in rem), then the action must be filed where the property exists and is only enforceable there.
in propria persona
"in silicon "
Coined in the early 1990s for scientific papers. Refers to an experiment or process performed virtually, as a computer simulation. The term is Dog Latin modeled after terms such as in vitro and in vivo. The Latin word for silicon is silicium, so the correct Latinization of "in silicon" would be in silicio, but this form has little usage.
in situ
"in the place"
In the original place, appropriate position, or natural arrangement. In medical contexts, it implies that the condition is still in the same place and has not worsened, improved, spread, etc.
In spe
"in hope"
"future" ("My mother-in-law in spe", i.e. "My future mother-in-law"), or "in embryonic form", as in " Locke 's theory of government resembles, in spe, Montesquieu 's theory of the separation of powers."
In specialibus generalia quaerimus
"To seek the general in the specifics"
That is, to understand the most general rules through the most detailed analysis.
in statu nascendi
"in the state of being born"
Just as something is about to begin.
in toto
"in wine [there is] truth"
That is, wine loosens the tongue.
(Referring to alcohol 's disinhibitory effects.)
in vitro
"in glass"
An experimental or process methodology performed in a "non-natural" setting (e.g., in a laboratory using a glass test tube or Petri dish), and thus outside of a living organism or cell. The reference to glass is merely an historic one, as the current usage of this term is not specific to the materials involved, but rather to the "non-natural" setting employed. Alternative experimental or process methodologies would include in vitro, in silico, ex vivo and in vivo.
In vitro fertilization is not literally done "in glass", but rather is a technique to fertilize egg cells outside of a woman's body. By definition, it is thus an ex vivo process.
"in life" or "in a living thing"
An experiment or process performed on a living specimen.
incredibile dictu
inter arma enim silent leges
"In the face of arms, the law falls mute," more popularly rendered as "during warfare, in fact, the laws are silent"
Said by Cicero in Pro Milone as a protest against unchecked political mobs that had virtually seized control of Rome in the '60s and '50s BC. Also used in the Star Trek DS9 episode of the same name to justify Admiral William Ross' decision to assist Agent Sloan from Section 31 in destabilizing the Romulan Senate.
inter caetera
Title of a papal bull .
inter spem et metum
inter vivos
"between the living"
Said of property transfers between living persons, as opposed to inheritance; often relevant to tax laws.
intra muros
Thus, "not public". Source of the word intramural. See also Intramuros .
intra vires
That is, "within the authority".
ipsa scientia potestas est
Or "by that very fact".
Ira Deorum
"Wrath of the Gods"
Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world, the ancient Romans practiced pagan rituals, believing it important to achieve a state of Pax Deorum ("Peace of the Gods") instead of Ira Deorum ("Wrath of the Gods"): earthquakes, floods, famine, etc.
ita vero
"thus indeed"
A useful phrase, as the Romans had no word for "yes", preferring to respond to questions with the affirmative or negative of the question (i.e., "Are you hungry?" was answered by "I am hungry" or "I am not hungry", not "Yes" or "No").
"go, the things have been sent"
The final words of the Roman Missal , meaning "leave, the mass is finished".
iura novit curia
"the court knows the laws"
A legal principle in civil law countries of the Roman-German tradition (e.g., in Brazil , Germany and Italy ) that says that lawyers need not to argue the law, as that is the office of the court. Sometimes miswritten as iura novat curia ("the court renews the laws").
juris ignorantia est cum jus nostrum ignoramus
"it is ignorance of the law when we do not know our own rights"
Johannes est nomen ejus
"John is its name / Juan es su Nombre"
Motto of the Seal of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
jus ad bellum
"law towards war"
Refers to the "laws" that regulate the reasons for going to war. Typically, this would address issues of self-defense or preemptive strikes
jus in bello
"law in war"
Refers to the "laws" that regulate the conduct of combatants during a conflict. Typically, this would address issues of who or what is a valid target, how to treat prisoners, and what sorts of weapons can be used. The word jus is also commonly spelled ius.
jus primae noctis
lucus a non lucendo
"[it is] a grove by not being light"
From late 4th-century grammarian Honoratus Maurus, who sought to mock implausible word origins such as those proposed by Priscian . A pun based on the word lucus ("dark grove") having a similar appearance to the verb lucere ("to shine"), arguing that the former word is derived from the latter word because of a lack of light in wooded groves. Often used as an example of absurd etymology .
lupus in fabula
"the wolf in the story"
With the meaning "speak of the wolf, and he will come". Occurs in Terence 's play Adelphoe.
lupus non mordet lupum
"a wolf does not bite a wolf"
lux et lex
"light and law"
Motto of the prestigious liberal arts school, Franklin & Marshall College . Light in reference to Benjamin Franklin 's many innovations and discoveries. Law in reference to John Marshall as one of the most notable Supreme Court Justices.
lux et veritas
"light and truth"
A translation of the Hebrew Urim and Thummim . Motto of Yale University and Indiana University . An expanded form, lux et veritas floreant ("let light and truth flourish"), is the motto of the University of Winnipeg
lux hominum vita
"life the light of men"
lux sit
" let there be light "
A more literal Latinization of the phrase "let there be light", the most common translation of fiat lux ("let light arise", literally "let light be made"), which in turn is the Latin Vulgate Bible phrase chosen for the Genesis line "ג וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי אוֹר; וַיְהִי-אוֹר" ("And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light"). Motto of the University of Washington .
Used to indicate that it is the moment to address more important, urgent, issues.
mala fide
"in bad faith"
Said of an act done with knowledge of its illegality, or with intention to defraud or mislead someone. Opposite of bona fide.
mala tempora currunt
"bad times are upon us"
Also used ironically, e.g.: New teachers know all tricks used by pupils to copy from classmates? Oh, mala tempora currunt!.
malum discordiae
"apple of dischord"
Alludes to the apple of Eris in the judgement of Paris , the mythological cause of the Trojan War . It is also a pun based on the near- homonymous word malum ("evil"). The word for "apple" has a long a vowel in Latin and the word for "evil" a short a vowel, but they are normally written the same.
malum quo communius eo peius
"the more common an evil is, the worse it is"
(m.p.)
"with one's own hand"
With the implication of "signed by one's hand". Its abbreviated form is sometimes used at the end of typewritten or printed documents or official notices, directly following the name of the person(s) who "signed" the document exactly in those cases where there isn't an actual handwritten signature .
manus celer Dei
"the swift hand of God"
Originally used as the name of a ship in the Marathon game series, its usage has spread.
manus manum lavat
"one hand washes the other"
famous quote from Lucius Annaeus Seneca . It implies that one situation helps the other.
mare clausum
In law, a sea under the jurisdiction of one nation and closed to all others.
mare liberum
In law, a sea open to international shipping navigation.
mare nostrum
"our sea"
A nickname given to the Mediterranean Sea during the height of the Roman Empire , as it encompassed the entire coastal basin.
"the mother of the family"
The female head of a family. See paterfamilias.
materia medica
"medical matter"
The branch of medical science concerned with the study of drugs used in the treatment of disease. Also, the drugs themselves.
me vexat pede
"it annoys me at the foot"
Less literally, "my foot itches". Refers to a trivial situation or person that is being a bother, possibly in the sense of wishing to kick that thing away.
Mea Culpa
"My Fault"
Used in Christian prayers and confession to denote the inherently flawed nature of mankind. Can also be extended to mea maxima culpa ("my greatest fault"). Also used similarly to the modern English slang "my bad".
Media vita in morte sumus
"In the midst of our lives we die"
A well-known sequence, falsely attributed to Notker during the Middle Ages. It was translated by Cranmer and became a part of the burial service in the funeral rites of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer .
meliora
Carrying the connotation of "always better". The motto of the University of Rochester .
Melita, domi adsum
"Honey, I'm home!"
A relatively common recent Latinization from the joke phrasebook Latin for All Occasions . Grammatically correct, but the phrase would be anachronistic in ancient Rome .
memento mori
"remember that [you will] die"
Figuratively "be mindful of dying" or "remember your mortality", and also more literally rendered as "remember to die", though in English this ironically misses the original intent. An object (such as a skull) or phrase intended to remind people of the inevitability of death. A more common theme in Christian than in Classical art. The motto of the Trappist order .
memento vivere
Also, "remember that you have to live." Literally rendered as "remember to live."
memores acti prudentes futuri
"mindful of what has been done, aware of what will be"
Thus, both remembering the past and foreseeing the future. From the North Hertfordshire District Council coat of arms.
mens agitat molem
"the mind moves the mass"
An accommodation between disagreeing parties to allow life to go on. A practical compromise.
montani semper liberi
State motto of West Virginia , adopted in 1872.
Montis Insignia Calpe
"Badge of the Rock of Gibraltar "
more ferarum
used to describe any sexual act in the manner of beasts
morituri te salutant
"those who are about to die salute thee"
Used once in Suetonius' Life of the Divine Claudius, chapter 21, by the condemned prisoners manning galleys about to take part in a mock naval battle on Lake Fucinus in AD 52. Popular misconception ascribes it as a gladiator's salute.
mors vincit omnia
"death conquers all" or "death always wins"
An axiom often found on headstones.
That is, the natural world is not sentimental or compassionate.
natura non facit saltum ita nec lex
"nature does not make a leap, thus neither does the law"
Shortened form of "sicut natura nil facit per saltum ita nec lex" ("just as nature does nothing by a leap, so neither does the law"), referring to both nature and the legal system moving gradually.
navigare necesse est vivere non est necesse
"to sail is necessary; to live is not necessary"
Attributed by Plutarch to Gnaeus Pompeius , who, during a severe storm, commanded sailors to bring food from Africa to Rome.
ne cede malis
"do not give in to misfortune"
Used as a level name in the Marathon series to reflect the doomed theme of the level, and derived from the family motto of one of the developers.
ne sutor ultra crepidam
"Cobbler, no further than the sandal!"
Thus, don't offer your opinion on things that are outside your competence. It is said that the Greek painter Apelles once asked the advice of a cobbler on how to render the sandals of a soldier he was painting. When the cobbler started offering advice on other parts of the painting, Apelles rebuked him with this phrase in Greek, and it subsequently became a popular Latin expression.
nec dextrorsum, nec sinistrorsum
"Neither to the left nor to the right"
Do not get distracted. This Latin phrase is also the motto for Bishop Cotton Boys School and the Bishop Cotton Girls High school, both located in Bangalore, India.
nec plus ultra
"nothing more beyond"
Also ne plus ultra or non plus ultra. A descriptive phrase meaning the best or most extreme example of something. The Pillars of Hercules , for example, were literally the nec plus ultra of the ancient Mediterranean world. Charles V 's heraldic emblem reversed this idea, using a depiction of this phrase inscribed on the Pillars—as plus ultra , without the negation. This represented Spain's expansion into the New World.
The motto of the Dutch 11th air manouvre brigade 11 Air Manoeuvre Brigade
nemine contradicente
(nem. con.)
"with no one speaking against"
Less literally, "without dissent". Used especially in committees, where a matter may be passed nem. con., or unanimously .
"no one gives what he does not have"
Thus, "none can pass better title than they have".
nemo iudex in sua causa
"no man shall be a judge in his own cause"
Legal principle that no individual can preside over a hearing in which he holds a specific interest or bias.
nemo me impune lacessit
"no one provokes me with impunity"
Motto of the Order of the Thistle , and consequently of Scotland , found stamped on the milled edge of certain British pound sterling coins. It is also the motto of the Montressors in the Edgar Allan Poe short story " The Cask of Amontillado "
nemo nisi per amicitiam cognoscitur
"No one learns except by friendship"
Used to imply that one must like a subject in order to study it.
nemo tenetur seipsum accusare
"no one is bound to accuse himself"
A maxim banning mandatory self-incrimination . Near-synonymous with accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo. Similar phrases include: nemo tenetur armare adversarium contra se ("no one is bound to arm an opponent against himself"), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to in any way assist the prosecutor to his own detriment; nemo tenetur edere instrumenta contra se ("no one is bound to produce documents against himself", meaning that a defendant is not obligated to provide materials to be used against himself (this is true in Roman law and has survived in modern criminal law , but no longer applies in modern civil law ); and nemo tenere prodere seipsum ("no one is bound to betray himself"), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to testify against himself.
nihil dicit
nil sine numine
"nothing without the divine will"
Or "nothing without providence ". State motto of Colorado , adopted in 1861. Probably derived from Virgil 's Aeneid Book II, line 777, "non haec sine numine devum eveniunt" ("these things do not come to pass without the will of the gods"). See also numina .
nil volentibus arduum
"Nothing [is] arduous for the willing"
"Nothing is impossible for the willing"
nisi Dominus frustra
"if not the Lord, [it is] in vain"
That is, "everything is in vain without God ". Summarized from Psalm 127, "nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem frustra vigilavit qui custodit" ("unless the Lord builds the house, they work on a useless thing who build it; unless the Lord guards the community, he keeps watch in vain who guards it"). The motto of Edinburgh .
nisi prius
"unless previously"
In England, a direction that a case be brought up to Westminster for trial before a single judge and jury. In the United States, a court where civil actions are tried by a single judge sitting with a jury, as distinguished from an appellate court .
nolens volens
"unwilling, willing"
That is, "whether unwillingly or willingly". Sometimes rendered volens nolens or aut nolens aut volens. Similar to willy-nilly, though that word is derived from Old English will-he nil-he ("[whether] he will or [whether] he will not").
noli me tangere
"do not touch me"
Commonly translated "touch me not". According to the Gospel of John , this was said by Jesus to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection .
noli turbare circulos meos
"Do not disturb my circles!"
That is, "Don't upset my calculations!" Said by Archimedes to a Roman soldier who, despite having been given orders not to, killed Archimedes at the conquest of Syracuse . The soldier was executed for his act.
nolle prosequi
"to be unwilling to prosecute"
nolo contendere
"I do not wish to contend"
That is, " no contest ". A plea that can be entered on behalf of a defendant in a court that states that the accused doesn't admit guilt, but will accept punishment for a crime. Nolo contendere pleas cannot be used as evidence in another trial.
A scientific name of unknown or doubtful application.
nomen est omen
"the name is a sign"
Thus, "true to its name".
nomen nescio
"I do not know the name"
Thus, the name or person in question is unknown.
nomen nudum
"naked name"
A purported scientific name that does not fulfill the proper formal criteria and therefore cannot be used unless it is subsequently proposed correctly.
non bis in idem
A legal principle forbidding double jeopardy .
non causa pro causa
"not the cause for the cause"
Also known as the " questionable cause " or "false cause". Refers to any logical fallacy where a cause is incorrectly identified.
non compos mentis
"not in control of the mind"
See compos mentis. Also rendered non compos sui ("not in control of himself"). Samuel Johnson , author of the first English dictionary, theorized that the word nincompoop may derive from this phrase.
Motto of São Paulo city, Brazil . See also pro Brasilia fiant eximia.
non facias malum ut inde fiat bonum
"you should not make evil in order that good may be made from it"
More simply, "don't do wrong to do right". The direct opposite of the phrase " the ends justify the means ".
non impediti ratione congitatonis
Motto of radio show Car Talk .
non in legendo sed in intelligendo legis consistunt
"the laws depend not on being read, but on being understood"
non liquet
"it is not proven"
Also "it is not clear" or "it is not evident". A sometimes controversial decision handed down by a judge when they feel that the law is not complete.
non mihi solum
non obstante veredicto
"not standing in the way of a verdict "
A judgment notwithstanding verdict , a legal motion asking the court to reverse the jury 's verdict on the grounds that the jury could not have reached such a verdict reasonably.
non olet
non omnis moriar
"I shall not all die"
"Not all of me will die", a phrase expressing the belief that a part of the speaker will survive beyond death.
non progredi est regredi
"to not go forward is to go backward"
non prosequitur
"he does not proceed"
A judgment in favor of a defendant when the plaintiff failed to take the necessary steps in an action within the time allowed.
Non scholae sed vitae discimus
"We learn not for school, but for life."
from Seneca
non sequitur
"it does not follow"
In general, a non sequitur is a comment which is absurd due to not making sense in its context (rather than due to being inherently nonsensical or internally inconsistent), often used in humor. As a logical fallacy , a non sequitur is a conclusion that does not follow from a premise.
non serviam
"I will not serve"
Possibly derived from a Vulgate mistranslation of the Book of Jeremiah . Commonly used in literature as Satan 's statement of disobedience to God , though in the original context the quote is attributed to Israel , not Satan.
non sum qualis eram
"I am not such as I was"
Or "I am not the kind of person I once was". Expresses a change in the speaker.
non vi, sed verbo
Martin Luther on Catholic church reform. (see Reformation )
nosce te ipsum
From Cicero , based on the Greek γνῶθι σεαυτόν (gnothi seauton), inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi . A non-traditional Latin rendering, temet nosce ("thine own self know"), is translated in The Matrix as "know thyself".
nota bene
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not public
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What north-eastern state of India (at 2012) accounts for more than 50% of the nation's tea production, and is said to be the world's biggest tea-growing region?
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Appendix:List of Latin phrases - Wiktionary
Appendix:List of Latin phrases
Appendix:
*List of Latin phrases
Warning, this page may be too large for some browsers. If so, the sections can be reviewed individually:
This appendix lists direct English translations of Latin phrases. Some of the phrases are themselves translations of Greek phrases, as Greek rhetoric and literature reached its peak centuries before that of Ancient Rome:
Contents
A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V
This list is a combination of the three divided pages, for users who have no trouble loading large pages and prefer a single page to scroll or search through. The contents of the list cannot be edited here, and are kept automatically in synch with the divided lists (A-E), (F-O) and P-Z) through template inclusion.
a bene placito
"from one who has been pleased well"
Or "at will", "at one's pleasure". This phrase, and its Italian (beneplacito) and Spanish (beneplácito) derivatives, are synonymous with the more common ad libitum ("at pleasure").
abusus non tollit usum
"abuse does not preclude proper use"
a caelo usque ad centrum
"from the sky to the center"
Or "from heaven all the way to the center of the earth". In law, can refer to the obsolete cuius est solum eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos maxim of property ownership.
a capite ad calcem
From top to bottom; all the way through. Equally a pedibus usque ad caput.
a contrario
"from the opposite"
Equivalent to "on the contrary" or "au contraire". An argumentum a contrario is an "argument from the contrary", an argument or proof by contrast or direct opposite.
a Deucalione
a fortiori
"from the stronger"
Loosely, "even more so" or "with even stronger reason". Often used to lead from a less certain proposition to a more evident corollary.
a mari usque ad mare
"from sea to sea"
From Psalm 72:8, "Et dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos terrae" ( KJV : "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth"). National motto of Canada .
a pedibus usque ad caput
"from feet to head"
Completely. Similar to the English expressions "from tip to toe" or "from top to toe". Equally a capite ad calcem. See also ab ovo usque ad mala.
a posse ad esse
"from being able to being"
"From possibility to actuality" or "from being possible to being actual"
a posteriori
"from the latter"
Based on observation (i.e., empirical knowledge ), the reverse of a priori. Used in mathematics and logic to denote something that is known after a proof has been carried out. In philosophy, used to denote something that can be known from empirical experience.
a priori
"from the former"
Presupposed, the reverse of a posteriori. Used in mathematics and logic to denote something that is known or postulated before a proof has been carried out. In philosophy, used to denote something that can be known without empirical experience. In everyday speech, it denotes something occurring or being known before the event.
ab absurdo
"from the absurd"
Said of an argument that seeks to prove a statement's validity by pointing out the absurdity of an opponent's position (cf. appeal to ridicule ) or that an assertion is false because of its absurdity. Not to be confused with a reductio ad absurdum , which is usually a valid logical argument.
ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia
"a consequence from an abuse to a use is not valid"
Inferences regarding something's use from its misuse are invalid. Rights abused are still rights (cf. abusus non tollit usum).
ab aeterno
"from the eternal"
Literally, "from the everlasting" or "from eternity". Thus, "from time immemorial", "since the beginning of time" or "from an infinitely remote time in the past". In theology, often indicates something, such as the universe, that was created outside of time.
ab antiquo
ab extra
"from beyond"
A legal term meaning "from without". From external sources, rather than from the self or the mind (ab intra).
ab hinc
Often rendered abhinc (which in Latin means simply "since" or "ago").
ab imo pectore
"from the bottom of my heart"
More literally, "from the deepest chest". Attributed to Julius Caesar . Can mean "with deepest affection" or "sincerely".
ab inconvenienti
"from an inconvenient thing"
New Latin for "based on unsuitability", "from inconvenience" or "from hardship". An argumentum ab inconvenienti is one based on the difficulties involved in pursuing a line of reasoning, and is thus a form of appeal to consequences ; it refers to a rule in law that an argument from inconvenience has great weight.
ab incunabulis
"from the cradle"
Thus, "from the beginning" or "from infancy". Incunabula is commonly used in English to refer to the earliest stage or origin of something, and especially to copies of books that predate the spread of the printing press around AD 1500.
ab initio
"from the beginning"
"At the outset", referring to an inquiry or investigation. In literature, refers to a story told from the beginning rather than in medias res (from the middle). In law , refers to something being the case from the start or from the instant of the act, rather than from when the court declared it so. A judicial declaration of the invalidity of a marriage ab initio is a nullity . In science, refers to the first principles . In other contexts, often refers to beginner or training courses. Ab initio mundi means "from the beginning of the world".
ab intestato
From someone who dies with no legal will (cf. ex testamento).
ab intra
From the inside. The opposite of ab extra.
ab irato
"from an angry man"
By a person who is angry. Used in law to describe a decision or action that is detrimental to those it affects and was made based on hatred or anger, rather than on reason. The form irato is masculine; however, this does not mean it applies only to men, rather 'person' is meant, as the phrase probably elides "homo," not "vir."
ab origine
ab ovo usque ad mala
"from the egg to the apples"
From Horace , Satire 1.3. Means "from beginning to end", based on the Roman main meal typically beginning with an egg dish and ending with fruit (cf. the English phrase soup to nuts ). Thus, ab ovo means "from the beginning", and can also connote thoroughness.
ab uno disce omnes
"from one, learn all"
From Virgil's Aeneid . Refers to situations where a single example or observation indicates a general or universal truth.
(a.U.c.)
"from the founding of the city"
Refers to the founding of Rome , which occurred in 753 BC according to Livy 's count. Used as a reference point in ancient Rome for establishing dates, before being supplanted by other systems. Also anno Urbis conditae
(a.U.c.)
("in the year that the city was founded").
ab utili
absens haeres non erit
"an absent person will not be an heir"
In law, refers to the principle that someone who is not present is unlikely to inherit.
absente reo
"with the defendant being absent"
In the absence of the accused.
absit iniuria
"let injury be absent"
Expresses the wish that no insult or wrong be conveyed by the speaker's words, i.e., "no offense". Also rendered absit iniuria verbis "let injury be absent from these words". Contrast with absit invidia.
absit invidia
"let ill will/jealousy be absent"
Said in the context of a statement of excellence. Unlike the English expression "no offense", absit invidia is intended to ward off jealous deities who might interpret a statement of excellence as hubris. Also extended to absit invidia verbo, meaning "may ill will/jealousy be absent from these words." Contrast with absit iniuria. An explanation of Livy's usage.
absit omen
"let an omen be absent"
In other words, "let there not be an omen here". Expresses the wish that something seemingly ill-boding does not turn out to be an omen for future events, and calls on divine protection against evil.
absolutum dominium
absolvo
"I acquit"
A legal term said by a judge acquitting a defendant following a trial. Te absolvo or absolvo te, translated, "I forgive you," said by Roman Catholic priests during the Sacrament of Confession prior to Vatican II .
abundans cautela non nocet
"abundant caution does no harm"
Thus, one can never be too careful; even excessive precautions don't hurt anyone.
abusus non tollit usum
"misuse does not remove use"
An axiom stating that just because something can be, or has been, abused, does not mean that it must be, or always is. Abuse does not, in itself, justify denial of use
accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo
"no one ought to accuse himself except in the Presence of God"
A legal maxim denoting that any accused person is entitled to make a plea of not guilty, and also that a witness is not obliged to give a response or submit a document that will incriminate himself . A very similar phrase is nemo tenetur seipsum accusare.
Accipe Hoc
Motto of 848 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy.
acta est fabula plaudite
"The play has been performed; applaud!"
A common ending to ancient Roman comedies, also claimed by Suetonius in Lives of the Twelve Caesars to have been Caesar Augustus ' last words. Applied by Sibelius to the third movement of his String Quartet no. 2 so that his audience would realize it was the last one, as a fourth would normally be expected.
acta non verba
Acta Sanctorum
"Deeds of the Saints "
Also used in the singular, Acta Sancti ("Deeds of the Saint"), preceding a specific Saint's name. A common title of works in hagiography .
actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea
"The act is not guilty unless the mind is also guilty."
A legal term outlining the presumption of mens rea in a crime .
actus reus
"guilty act"
The actual crime that is committed, rather than the intent or thought process leading up to the crime. Thus, the external elements of a crime, as contrasted with mens rea, the internal elements.
ad absurdum
"to the absurd"
In logic, to the point of being silly or nonsensical. See also reductio ad absurdum . Not to be confused with ab absurdo ("from the absurd").
adaequatio intellectûs nostri cum re
"conformity of our minds to the fact"
A phrase used in epistemology regarding the nature of understanding.
ad abundantiam
"to abundance"
In legal language, used when providing additional evidence to an already sufficient collection. Also used commonly, as an equivalent of "as if this wasn't enough".
"to the stars through difficulty"
Motto of Kansas, and other organisations.
ad astra per alia porci
"to the stars on the wings of a pig"
A favorite saying of John Steinbeck . A professor told him that he would be an author when pigs flew. Every book he wrote is printed with this insignia.
ad captandum vulgus
"in order to court the crowd"
To do something to appeal to the masses. Often used of politicians who make false or insincere promises to appeal to popular interest. An argumentum ad captandum is an argument designed to please the crowd.
ad eundem
"to the same"
An ad eundem degree , from the Latin ad eundem gradum ("to the same step" or "to the same degree"), is a courtesy degree awarded by one university or college to an alumnus of another. It is not an honorary degree, but a recognition of the formal learning that earned the degree at another college.
A motto of Renaissance humanism . Also used in the Protestant Reformation .
ad fundum
"to the bottom"
Said during a generic toast , equivalent to "bottoms up!" In other contexts, generally means "back to the basics".
ad hoc
"to this"
Generally means "for this", in the sense of improvised on the spot or designed for only a specific, immediate purpose.
Rather than relying on ad hoc decisions, we should form a consistent plan for dealing with emergency situations.
ad hominem
"to the man"
Connotations of "against the man". Typically used in argumentum ad hominem, a logical fallacy consisting of criticizing a person when the subject of debate is the person's ideas or argument, on the mistaken assumption that the validity of an argument is to some degree dependent on the qualities of the proponent.
(ad int)
"for the meantime"
As in the term "chargé d'affaires ad interim" for a diplomatic officer who acts in place of an ambassador.
ad Kalendas Graecas
"to the Greek Kalends "
Attributed by Suetonius in Lives of the Twelve Caesars to Caesar Augustus . The phrase means "never" and is similar to phrases like " when pigs fly ". The Kalends (also written Calends) were specific days of the Roman calendar , not of the Greek , and so the "Greek Kalends" would never occur.
( ad lib )
"toward pleasure"
Loosely, "according to what pleases" or "as you wish"; libitum comes from the past participle of libere, "to please". It typically indicates in music and theatrical scripts that the performer has the liberty to change or omit something. Ad lib is specifically often used when someone improvises or ignores limitations.
ad litem
"to the lawsuit"
A legal term referring to a party appointed by a court to act in a lawsuit on behalf of another party who is deemed incapable of representing himself. An individual who acts in this capacity is called a guardian ad litem .
ad lucem
"to the light"
ad nauseam
"to the point of disgust"
Literally, "to the point of nausea ". Sometimes used as a humorous alternative to ad infinitum. An argumentum ad nauseam is a logical fallacy involving basing one's argument on prolonged repetition, i.e., repeating something so much that people are "sick of it".
ad oculos
Meaning "obvious on sight" or "obvious to anyone that sees it".
ad pedem litterae
"to the foot of the letter"
Thus, "exactly as it is written". Similar to the English idiom "to the letter", meaning "to the last detail".
ad perpetuam memoriam
"to the perpetual memory"
Generally precedes "of" and a person's name, and is used to wish for someone to be remembered long after death.
ad pondus omnium
(ad pond om)
"to the weight of all things"
More loosely, "considering everything's weight". The abbreviation was historically used by physicians and others to signify that the last prescribed ingredient is to weigh as much as all of the previously mentioned ones.
ad quod damnum
"to what damage"
Meaning "according to the harm" or "in proportion to the harm". The phrase is used in tort law as a measure of damages inflicted, implying that a remedy , if one exists, ought to correspond specifically and only to the damage suffered (cf. damnum absque injuria).
ad referendum
"for life or until fault"
Usually used of a term of office.
addendum
An item to be added, especially a supplement to a book. The plural is addenda.
adequatio intellectus et rei
"correspondence of the mind and reality"
One of the definitions of the truth. When the mind has the same form as reality, we think truth. Also found as adequatio rei et intellectus.
adsum
Equivalent to "Present!" or "Here!" The opposite of absum ("I am absent").
adversus solem ne loquitor
"Don't speak against the sun"
I.e., don't argue the obvious
aegri somnia
From Horace , Ars Poetica, 7. Loosely, "troubled dreams".
aequitas
aetatis suae
"of his own age"
Thus, "at the age of". Appeared on portraits, gravestones, etc. Sometimes extended to anno aetatis suae
(AAS)
, "in the year of his age". Sometimes shortened to just aetatis
(aet.)
.
alea iacta est
"the die is cast"
Said by Julius Caesar upon crossing the Rubicon in 49 BC , according to Suetonius . The original meaning was roughly equivalent to the English phrase "the game is afoot", but its modern meaning, like that of the phrase " crossing the Rubicon ", denotes passing the point of no return on a momentous decision and entering into a risky endeavor where the outcome is left to chance.
alenda lux ubi orta libertas
"Let learning be cherished where liberty has arisen."
The motto of Davidson College .
alias
"otherwise"
An assumed name or pseudonym . Similar to alter ego, but more specifically referring to a name, not to a "second self".
alibi
"elsewhere"
A legal defense where a defendant attempts to show that he was elsewhere at the time a crime was committed.
His alibi is sound; he gave evidence that he was in another city on the night of the murder.
alis aquilae
"on eagles wings"
taken from the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 40. "But those who wait for the Lord shall find their strength renewed, they shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not grow faint."
alis grave nil
"nothing is heavy to those who have wings"
motto of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro ( Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro - PUC-RIO).
alis volat propris
"she flies with her own wings"
State motto of Oregon . Can also be rendered alis volat propriis.
Aliquantus
"something that stands for something else"
A foundational definition for semiotics
alma mater
"nourishing mother"
Term used for the university one attends or has attended. Another university term, matriculation , is also derived from mater. The term suggests that the students are "fed" knowledge and taken care of by the university. The term is also used for a university's traditional school anthem.
alter ego
"other I"
Another self, a second persona or alias . Can be used to describe different facets or identities of a single character, or different characters who seem representations of the same personality. Often used of a fictional character 's secret identity .
alterius non sit qui suus esse potest
"Let no man belong to another that can belong to himself"
Final sentence from Aesop ascribed fable (see also Aesop's Fables ) " The Frogs Who Desired a King " as appears in the collection commonly known as the "Anonymus Neveleti" (fable "XXIb. De ranis a Iove querentibus regem"). Motto of Paracelsus . Usually attributed to Cicero .
alterum non laedere
One of Justinian I 's three basic legal precepts.
alumna or
alumnus
"pupil"
Sometimes rendered with the gender-neutral alumn or alum in English. A graduate or former student of a school, college or university. Alumna (pl. alumnae) is a female pupil, and alumnus (pl. alumni) is a male pupil—alumni is generally used for a group of both males and females. The word derives from alere, "to nourish", a graduate being someone who was raised and taken care of at the school (cf. alma mater).
amicus curiae
"friend of the court"
An adviser, or a person who can obtain or grant access to the favour of powerful group, like a Roman Curia . In current U.S. legal usage, an amicus curiae is a third party allowed to submit a legal opinion (in the form of an amicus brief) to the court.
amiterre legem terrae
"to lose the law of the land"
An obsolete legal term signifying the forfeiture of the right of swearing in any court or cause, or to become infamous.
amor est vitae essentia
"love is the essence of life"
As said by Robert B. Mackay, Australian Analyst.
amor et melle et felle est fecundissmismus
"love is rich with both honey and venom"
Amor fati
"love of fate"
Nietzscheian alternative world view to memento mori [remember you must die]. Nietzsche believed amor fati to be more life affirming.
amor omnibus idem
from Virgil 's Georgics III.
amor patriae
(an.)
"in the year"
Also used in such phrases as anno urbis conditae (see ab urbe condita), Anno Domini, and anno regni.
(A.D.)
"in the Year of the Lord"
Short for Anno Domini Nostri Iesus Christi ("in the Year of Our Lord, Jesus Christ"), the predominantly used system for dating years across the world, used with the Gregorian calendar , and based on the perceived year of the birth of Jesus Christ . The years before Jesus' birth were once marked with a. C.n ( Ante Christum Natum , "Before Christ was Born"), but now use the English abbreviation BC ("Before Christ").
Augustus was born in the year 63 BC , and died AD 14 .
anno regni
"In the year of the reign"
Precedes "of" and the current ruler.
Annuit Cœptis
"He Has Approved the Undertakings"
Motto on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States and on the back of the U.S. one dollar bill . "He" refers to God , and so the official translation given by the U.S. State Department is "He [God] has favored our undertakings".
annus horribilis
"horrible year"
A recent pun on annus mirabilis, first used by Queen Elizabeth II to describe what a bad year 1992 had been for her, and subsequently occasionally used to refer to many other years perceived as "horrible". In Classical Latin , this phrase would actually mean "terrifying year". See also annus terribilis.
annus mirabilis
"wonderful year"
Used particularly to refer to the years 1665 – 1666 , during which Isaac Newton made revolutionary inventions and discoveries in calculus, motion, optics and gravitation. Annus Mirabilis is also the title of a poem by John Dryden written in the same year. It has since been used to refer to other years, especially to 1905 , when Albert Einstein made equally revolutionary discoveries concerning the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion and the special theory of relativity. (See Annus Mirabilis Papers )
annus terribilis
aqua vitae
"water of life"
"Spirit of Wine" in many English texts. Used to refer to various native distilled beverages , such as whisky in Scotland and Ireland, gin in Holland, brandy (eau de vie) in France, and akvavit in Scandinavia.
aquila non capit muscas
"an eagle doesn't catch flies"
A noble or important person doesn't deal with insignificant issues.
arare litus
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Wasted labour.
arbiter elegantiarum
"judge of tastes"
One who prescribes, rules on, or is a recognized authority on matters of social behavior and taste. Said of Petronius . Also rendered arbiter elegentiae ("judge of a taste").
arcus senilis
Also "silver coin". Mentioned in Domesday , signifies bullion , or silver uncoined .
arguendo
"for arguing"
For the sake of argument. Said when something is done purely in order to discuss a matter or illustrate a point.
Let us assume, arguendo, that your claim is correct.
argumentum
"argument"
Or "reasoning", "inference", "appeal", "proof". The plural is argumenta. Commonly used in the names of logical arguments and fallacies , preceding phrases such as a silentio ("by silence"), ad antiquitatem ("to antiquity"), ad baculum ("to the stick"), ad captandum ("to capturing"), ad consequentiam ("to the consequence"), ad crumenam ("to the purse"), ad feminam ("to the woman"), ad hominem ("to the person"), ad ignorantiam ("to ignorance"), ad judicium ("to judgment"), ad lazarum ("to poverty"), ad logicam ("to logic"), ad metum ("to fear"), ad misericordiam ("to pity"), ad nauseam ("to nausea"), ad novitatem ("to novelty"), ad personam ("to the character"), ad numerum ("to the number"), ad odium ("to spite"), ad populum ("to the people"), ad temperantiam ("to moderation"), ad verecundiam ("to reverence"), ex silentio ("from silence"), and in terrorem ("into terror").
ars celare artem
"art [is] to conceal art"
An aesthetic ideal that good art should appear natural rather than contrived.
ars gratia artis
" art for art's sake "
Translated into Latin from Baudelaire 's "L'art pour l'art". Motto of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . This phrasing is a direct transliteration of 'art for the sake of art.' While very symmetrical for the MGM logo, the better Latin word order is 'Ars artis gratia.'
ars longa vita brevis
"art is long, life is short"
The Latin translation by Horace of a phrase from Hippocrates , often used out of context. The "art" referred to in the original aphorism was the craft of medicine, which took a lifetime to acquire.
asinus ad lyram
"an ass to the lyre"
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). An awkward or incompetent individual.
asinus asinum fricat
"the jackass rubs the jackass"
Used to describe two people lavishing excessive praise on one another.
assecuratus non quaerit lucrum sed agit ne in damno sit
"the assured does not seek profit but just indemnity for the loss"
Refers to the insurance principle that the indemnity cannot be larger than the loss.
audeamus
"let us dare"
Motto of Otago University Students' Association , a direct response to the university's motto of sapere aude ("dare to be wise").
audemus jura nostra defendere
"we dare to defend our rights"
State motto of Alabama , adopted in 1923. Translated into Latin from a paraphrase of the stanza "Men who their duties know / But know their rights, and knowing, dare maintain" from the poem "What Constitutes a State?" by 18th-century author William Jones.
audentes fortuna iuvat
"fortune favors the bold"
From Virgil , Aeneid X, 284 (where the first word is in the archaic form audentis). Allegedly the last words of Pliny the Elder before he left the docks at Pompeii to rescue people from the eruption of Vesuvius in 79. Often quoted as audaces fortuna iuvat.
audere est facere
"to dare is to do"
audi alteram partem
"hear the other side"
A legal principle of fairness. Also worded as audiatur et altera pars ("let the other side be heard too").
audio hostem
Motto of 845 NACS Royal Navy
aurea mediocritas
From Horace 's Odes II, 10. Refers to the ethical goal of reaching a virtuous middle ground between two sinful extremes. The golden mean concept is common to many philosophers, chiefly Aristotle .
auri sacra fames
"accursed hunger for gold"
From Virgil , Aeneid 3,57. Later quoted by Seneca as "quod non mortalia pectora coges, auri sacra fames": "What aren't you able to bring men to do, miserable hunger for gold!"
auribus teneo lupum
"I hold a wolf by the ears"
A common ancient proverb, this version from Terence . Indicates that one is in a dangerous situation where both holding on and letting go could be deadly. A modern version is "To have a tiger by the tail."
aurora australis
"southern dawn"
The Southern Lights , an aurora that appears in the Southern Hemisphere . It is less well-known than the Northern Lights, or aurorea borealis. The Aurora Australis is also the name of an Antarctic icebreaker ship.
aurora borealis
The Northern Lights, an aurora that appears in the Northern Hemisphere .
aut Caesar aut nihil
"either Caesar or nothing"
Indicates that the only valid possibility is to be emperor , or a similarly prominent position. More generally, "all or nothing". Adopted by Cesare Borgia as a personal motto.
aut concilio aut ense
"either by meeting or by the sword"
Thus, either through reasoned discussion or through war. A former motto of Chile , post tenebras lux ultimately replaced by Por la Razon o la Fuerza (Spanish) ' by reason or by force '.
aut pax aut bellum
The motto of the Gunn Clan .
Aut viam inveniam aut faciam
"I will find a way, or I will make one"
Medical shorthand for "twice a day".
bona fide
In other words, "well-intentioned", "fairly". In modern contexts, often has connotations of "genuinely" or "sincerely". Bona fides is not the plural (which would be bonis fidebus), but the nominative , and means simply "good faith". Opposite of mala fide.
bona notabilia
—
In law, if a person dying has goods, or good debts, in another diocese or jurisdiction within that province, besides his goods in the diocese where he dies, amounting to a certain minimum value, he is said to have bona notabilia; in which case, the probat of his will belongs to the archbishop of that province.
bona officia
A nation's offer to mediate in disputes between two other nations.
bona patria
A jury or assize of countrymen, or good neighbors.
bona vacantia
United Kingdom legal term for ownerless property that passes to The Crown .
boni pastoris est tondere pecus non deglubere
"It is of a good shepherd to shear his flock, not to flay them."
Tiberius reportedly said this to his regional commanders, as a warning against taxing the populace excessively.
bonum commune communitatis
"common good of the community"
Or "general welfare". Refers to what benefits a society, as opposed to bonum commune hominis, which refers to what is good for an individual.
bonum commune hominis
"common good of a man"
Refers to an individual's happiness, which is not "common" in that it serves everyone, but in that individuals tend to be able to find happiness in similar things.
busillis
—
Pseudo-Latin meaning "baffling puzzle" or "difficult point". John of Cornwall (ca. 1170 ) was once asked by a scribe what the word meant. It turns out that the original text said in diebus illis magnis plenæ ("in those days there were plenty of great things"), which the scribe misread as indie busillis magnis plenæ ("in India there were plenty of large busillis").
Refers to a situation where nobody is safe from anybody, each man for himself.
capax infiniti
"capable of the infinite"
a pejorative term refering (at least) to some Christian doctrines of the incarnation of the Son of God when it asserts that humanity is capable of housing full divinity within its finite frame. Related to the Docetic heresy and sometimes a counterpoint to the Reformed 'extracalvinisticum.'
caput inter nubila (condit)
"head in the clouds"
So aggrandized as to be beyond practical (earthly) reach or understanding (from Virgil 's Aeneid and the shorter form appears in John Locke 's Two Treatises of Government)
Caritas Christi
"The love of Christ"
It implies a command to love as Christ loved. Motto of St. Franicis Xavier High School located in West Meadowlark Park (Edmonton) .
carpe diem
"seize the day"
An exhortation to live for today. From Horace , Odes I, 11.8. By far the most common translation is "seize the day," though carpere normally means something more like "pluck," and the allusion here is to picking flowers. The phrase collige virgo rosas has a similar sense.
carpe noctem
"seize the night"
An exhortation to make good use of the night, often used when carpe diem, q.v., would seem absurd, e.g., when observing a deep sky object or conducting a Messier marathon .
Carthago delenda est
"Carthage must be destroyed"
From Roman senator Cato the Elder , who ended every speech of his between the second and third Punic Wars with ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam, literally "For the rest, I am of the opinion that Carthage is to be destroyed." Other translations include "In conclusion, I declare that Carthage must be destroyed." and "Furthermore, I move for Carthage to be destroyed."
The user is responsible for checking whether the goods suit his need.
Cedant arma togae
"Let military power yield to civilian power," Cicero , De Officiis . See Toga , it:Cedant arma togae
celerius quam asparagi cocuntur
"more swiftly than asparagus is cooked"
Or simply "faster than cooking asparagus". A variant of the Roman phrase velocius quam asparagi coquantur, using a different adverb and an alternate mood and spelling of coquere .
cepi corpus
"I got the body"
In law, it is a return made by the sheriff, upon a capias, or other process to the like purpose; signifying, that he has taken the body of the party.
certum est quod certum reddi potest
"It is certain if it is capable of being rendered certain"
Often used in law when something is not known, but can be ascertained (e.g. the purchase price on a sale which is to be determined by a third-party valuer)
cessante ratione legis cessat ipsa lex
"When the reason for the law ceases, the law itself ceases."
A rule of law becomes ineffective when the reason for its application has ceased to exist or does not correspond to the reality anymore.
cetera desunt
In the sense of "approximately" or "about". Usually used of a date.
circulus vitiosus
In logic, begging the question , a fallacy involving the presupposition of a proposition in one of the premises (see petitio principii). In science, a positive feedback loop. In economics, a counterpart to the virtuous circle .
citius altius fortius
Motto of the modern Olympics .
Clamea admittenda in itinere per atturnatum
A writ whereby the king of England could command the justice in eyre to admit one's claim by an attorney, who being employed in the king's service, cannot come in person.
clausum fregit
An action of tresspass; thus called, by reason the writ demands the person summoned to answer to wherefore he broke the close (quare clausum fregit), i.e. why he committed such a trespass.
claves Sancti Petri
"the keys of Saint Peter "
A symbol of the Papacy .
The means of discovering hidden or mysterious meanings in texts, particularly applied in theology and alchemy .
clerico admittendo
"about to be made a clerk"
In law, a writ directed to the bishop, for the admitting a clerk to a benefice upon a ne admittas, tried, and found for the party who procures the writ.
clerico capto per statutum mercatorum
In law, a writ for the delivery of a clerk out of prison, who is imprisoned upon the breach of statute merchant.
clerico convicto commisso gaolae in defectu ordinarii deliberando
In law, a writ for the delivery of a clerk to his ordinary, that was formerly convicted of felony; by reason that his ordinary did not challenge him according to the privilege of clerks.
clerico intra sacros ordines constituto non eligendo in officium
In law, a writ directed to the bailiffs, etc, that have thrust a bailiwick or beadleship upon one in holy orders; charging them to release him.
Codex Iuris Canonici
The official code of canon law in the Roman Catholic Church (cf. Corpus Iuris Canonici).
Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt
"Those who hurry cross the sea change the sky [upon them], not their souls or state of mind"
"congress in the way of beasts"
An medical euphemism for the doggy-style sexual position.
"pick, girl, the roses"
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may", 1909, by John William Waterhouse .
Exhortation to enjoy fully the youth, similar to Carpe diem, from De rosis nascentibus (also titled Idyllium de rosis ) attributed to Ausonius or Virgil .
communibus annis
"in common years"
One year with another; on an average. "Common" here does not mean "ordinary," but "common to every situation"
communibus locis
"in common places"
A term frequently used among philosophical and other writers, implying some medium, or mean relation between several places; one place with another; on a medium. "Common" here does not mean "ordinary," but "common to every situation"
communis opinio
compos mentis
"in control of the mind"
Describes someone of sound mind. Sometimes used ironically. Also a legal principle, non compos mentis ("not in control of one's faculties"), used to describe an insane person.
concordia cum veritate
Motto of the University of Waterloo .
concordia salus
The official name of Switzerland , hence the use of " CH " for its ISO country code , " .ch " for its Internet domain , and " CHF " for the ISO three-letter abbreviation of its currency, the Swiss franc .
coniunctis viribus
Or "with united powers". Sometimes rendered conjunctis viribus.
Consuetudo pro lege servatur
"Custom is kept before the law"
An inconsistently applied maxim. See also consuetudo est altera lex (custom is another law) and consuetudo vincit communem legem (custom overrules the common law)
consummatum est
The last words of Jesus on the cross in the Latin translation of John 19:30.
contemptus saeculi
"scorn for the times"
Despising the secular world. The monk or philosopher 's rejection of a mundane life and worldly values.
contra spem spero
A word that makes itself impossible
contraria contrariis curantur
"the opposite is cured with the opposite"
First formulated by Hippocrates to suggest that the diseases are cured with contrary remedies. Antonym of Similia similibus curantur (the diseases are recovered with similar remedies. )
contra bonos mores
Offensive to the conscience and to a sense of justice.
contra legem
cor ad cor loquitur
"heart speaks to heart"
From Augustine 's Confessions , referring to a prescribed method of prayer: having a "heart to heart" with God. Commonly used in reference to a later quote by John Henry Cardinal Newman . A motto of Newman Clubs.
cor meum tibi offero domine prompte et sincere
"my heart I offer to you Lord promptly and sincerely"
cor unum
"one heart"
A popular school motto. Often used as names for religious and other organisations such as the Pontifical Council Cor Unum .
coram Deo
"in the Presence of God"
A phrase from Christian theology which summarizes the idea of Christians living in the Presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory of God .
coram populo
"in the presence of the people"
Thus, openly.
"the corruption of the best is the worst"
corruptus in extremis
Motto of the fictional Springfield Mayor Office in The Simpsons TV-Show
Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges
"When the republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerous"--Tacitus
Cras amet qui nunquam amavit; quique amavit, cras amet
"May he love tomorrow who has never loved before; And may he who has loved, love tomorrow as well"
It's the refrain from the 'Pervigilium Veneris', a poem which describes a three day holiday in the cult of Venus, located somewhere in Sicily, involving the whole town in religious festivities joined with a deep sense of nature and Venus as the "procreatrix", the life-giving force behind the natural world.
Credo in Unum Deum
"I Believe in One God"
The first words of the Nicene Creed .
credo quia absurdum est
"I believe it because it is absurd"
A very common misquote of Tertullian 's et mortuus est Dei Filius prorsus credibile quia ineptum est ("and the Son of God is dead: in short, it is credible because it is unfitting"), meaning that it is so absurd to say that God's son has died that it would have to be a matter of belief, rather than reason. The misquoted phrase, however, is commonly used to mock the dogmatic beliefs of the religious (see fideism ). This phrase is commonly shortened to credo quia absurdum, and is also sometimes rendered credo quia impossibile est ("I believe it because it is impossible")or, as Darwin used it in his autobiography, credo quia incredibile.
crescamus in Illo per omina
"May we grow in Him through all things"
crescit eundo
"it grows as it goes"
State motto of New Mexico , adopted in 1887 as the territory's motto, and kept in 1912 when New Mexico received statehood. Originally from Lucretius ' On the Nature of Things book VI, where it refers in context to the motion of a thunderbolt across the sky, which acquires power and momentum as it goes.
cruci dum spiro fido
"while I live, I trust in the cross", "Whilst I trust in the Cross I have life"
Motto of the Sisters of Loreto (IBVM) and its associated schools. A second translation is "Whilst I trust in the Cross I have life"
cucullus non facit monachum
cui bono
"Good for whom?"
"Who benefits?" An adage in criminal investigation which suggests that considering who would benefit from an unwelcome event is likely to reveal who is responsible for that event (cf. cui prodest). Also the motto of the Crime Syndicate of America , a fictional supervillain group. The opposite is cui malo ("Bad for whom?").
cui prodest
"for whom it advances"
Short for cui prodest scelus is fecit ("for whom the crime advances, he has done it") in Seneca 's Medea. Thus, the murderer is often the one who gains by the murder (cf. cui bono).
cuius est solum eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos
"Whose the land is, all the way to the sky and to the underworld is his."
First coined by Accursius of Bologna in the 13th century. A Roman legal principle of property law that is no longer observed in most situations today. Less literally, "For whosoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to the sky and down to the depths."
cuius regio, eius religio
"whose region, his religion"
The privilege of a ruler to choose the religion of his subjects. A regional prince's ability to choose his people's religion was established at the Peace of Augsburg in 1555.
Cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare.
"Anyone can err, but only the fool persists in his fault."
— Marcus Tullius Cicero, Philippica XII, ii, 5
culpa
"fault"
Also "blame" or " guilt ". In law, an act of neglect. In general, guilt, sin, or a fault. See also mea culpa .
cum gladiis et fustibus
From the Bible. Occurs in Matthew 26:47 and Luke 22:52.
cum gladio et sale
Motto of a well-paid soldier. See salary .
cum grano salis
Not to be taken too seriously or as the literal truth.
Yes, the brochure made it sound great, but such claims should be taken cum grano salis.
cum laude
"with praise"
The standard formula for academic Latin honors in the United States. Greater honors include magna cum laude and summa cum laude.
A Roman custom in which disgraced Romans (particularly former Emperors) were pretended to have never existed.
damnum absque injuria
"damage without injury"
A loss that results from no one's wrongdoing. In Roman law , a man is not responsible for unintended, consequential injury to another resulting from a lawful act. This protection does not necessarily apply to unintended damage by negligence or folly.
data venia
"with due respect" or "given the excuse"
Used before disagreeing with someone.
dat deus incrementum
Motto of Westminster School , a leading British independent school.
de bonis asportatis
Trespass de bonis asportatis was the traditional name for larceny , or wrongful taking of chattels.
Decus Et Tutamen
"An ornament and a safeguard"
Inscription on one pound coins . Originally on 17th century coins, it refers to the inscribed edge as a protection against the clipping of precious metal. The phrase originally comes from Virgil 's Aeneid .
"The descent into the cave of the rabbit"
Down the Rabbit Hole
de facto
"in fact"
Said of something that is the actual state of affairs , in contrast to something's legal or official standing, which is described as de jure. De facto refers to the "way things really are" rather than what is "officially" presented as the fact.
Although the emperor held the title and trappings of head of state, the Shogun was the de facto ruler of Japan .
de fideli
"with faithfulness"
A clerk makes the declaration De fideli on when appointed, promising to do his or her tasks faithfully as a servant of the court.
de futuro
Usually used in the context of "at a future time"
de gustibus non est disputandum
"there is not to be discussion regarding tastes"
Less literally "In matters of taste there is no dispute" or simply "There's no arguing taste". A similar expression in English is "There's no accounting for taste". Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, without attribution, renders the phrase as de gustibus non disputandum; the verb "to be" is often assumed in Latin, and is rarely required.
de integro
de jure
"by law"
"Official", in contrast with de facto. Analogous to "in principle", whereas de facto is to "in practice". In other contexts, can mean "according to law", "by right" or "legally". Also commonly written de iure, the classical form.
de lege ferenda
"from law to be passed"
de lege lata
de minimis non curat praetor
"The commander does not bother with the smallest things."
Also "The chief magistrate does not concern himself with trifles." Trivial matters are no concern of a high official (cf. aquila non capit muscas, "the eagle does not catch flies"). Sometimes rex ("the king") or lex ("the law") is used in place of praetor , and de minimis is a legal term referring to things unworthy of the law's attention.
de mortuis aut bene aut nihil
"about the dead, either well or nothing"
Less literally, "speak well of the dead or not at all" (cf. de mortuis nil nisi bonum).
de mortuis nil nisi bonum
"about the dead, nothing unless a good thing"
From de mortuis nil nisi bonum dicendum est, "nothing must be said about the dead except the good", attributed by Diogenes Laertius to Chilon . In legal contexts, this quotation is used with the opposite meaning, as defaming a deceased person is not a crime. In other contexts, it refers to taboos against criticizing the recently deceased.
de nobis fabula narratur
"about us is the story told"
Thus, "their story is our story". Originally referred to the end of Rome's dominance. Now often used when comparing any current situation to a past story or historical event.
de novo
"from the new"
"Anew" or "afresh". In law, a trial de novo is a retrial. In biology, de novo means newly-synthesized , and a de novo mutation is a mutation that neither parent possessed or transmitted. In economics, de novo refers to newly-founded companies, and de novo banks are state banks that have been in operation for five years or less.
de omnibus dubitandum
"be suspicious of everything, doubt everything"
Karl Marx 's favorite motto. He used this to explain his standpoint: "Critique everything in a capitalist economy".
de omni re scibili et quibusdam aliis
"about every knowable thing, and even certain other things"
A 15th-century Italian scholar wrote the De omni re scibili portion, and a wag added et quibusdam aliis.
"Free From Having Been Oppressed"
Commonly mistranslated as "To Liberate the Oppressed". The motto of the United States Army Special Forces .
The semi-Hispanicized form Deogracias is a Philippine first name.
Deo Optimo Maximo
(DOM)
"To the Best and Greatest God"
Derived from the Pagan Iupiter Optimo Maximo ("To the best and greatest Jupiter"). Printed on bottles of Benedictine liqueur.
Deo vindice
Motto of the Confederate States of America . An alternate translation is "With an avenging God".
Deo volente
"with God willing"
This was often used in conjunction with a signature at the end of letters. It was used in order to signify that "God willing" this letter will get to you safely, "God willing" the contents of this letter come true.
deus ex machina
"a god from a machine"
From the Greek Από μηχανής Θεός (Apo mēchanēs Theos). A contrived or artificial solution, usually to a literary plot. Refers to the practice in Greek drama of lowering by machine an actor playing a god or goddess, typically either Athena or (as in Euripides ) the Dioscuri onto the stage to resolve an insuperable conflict in the plot.
The principal slogan of the Crusades .
deus otiosus
Dicto simpliciter
"[From] a maxim, simply"
I.e. "From a rule without exception." Short for A dicto simpliciter, the a often being dropped by confusion with the indefinite article. A dicto simpliciter occurs when an acceptable exception is ignored or eliminated. For instance, the appropriateness of using opiates is dependent on the presence of extreme pain. To justify the recreational use of opiates by referring to a cancer patient or to justify arresting said cancer patient by comparing him to the recreational user would be a dicto simpliciter.
"my word [is] my bond"
Motto of the London Stock Exchange
diem perdidi
"I have lost the day"
From the Roman Emperor Titus . Passed down in Suetonius 's biography of him in Lives of the Twelve Caesars (8)
Diem Ex Dei
Dies Irae
"Day of Wrath"
Refers to the Judgment Day in Christian eschatology . The name of a famous 13th-century Medieval Latin hymn by Tommaso da Celano , used in the Mass for the dead.
differentia specifica
dirigo
"I direct"
In Classical Latin , "I arrange". State motto of Maine . Based on a comparison of the state of Maine to the star Polaris .
dis aliter visum
"it seemed otherwise to the gods"
In other words, the gods have different plans than mortals, and so events do not always play out as people wish them to.
dis manibus sacrum
(D.M.S.)
"Sacred to the ghost-gods"
Refers to the Manes , Roman spirits of the dead. Loosely "To the memory of". A conventional inscription preceding the name of the deceased on pagan grave markings, often shortened to dis manibus
(D.M.)
, "for the ghost-gods". Preceded in some earlier monuments by hic situs est
(H. S. E.)
dixi
"I have spoken"
A popular eloquent expression, usually used in the end of a speech. The implied meaning is: "I have said all that I had to say and thus the argument is settled".
["...", ...] dixit
Used to attribute a statement or opinion to its author, rather than the speaker.
do ut des
"I give that you may give"
Often said or written for sacrifices, when one "gives" and expects something back from the gods.
Docendo discitur
"It is learned by teaching"
Also translated "One learns by teaching." Attributed to Seneca the Younger .
Docendo disco, scribendo cogito
I learn by teaching, think by writing.
dolus specialis
special intent
"The ... concept is particular to a few civil law systems and cannot sweepingly be equated with the notions of ‘special’ or ‘specific intent’ in common law systems. Of course, the same might equally be said of the concept of ‘specific intent,’ a notion used in the common law almost exclusively within the context of the defense of voluntary intoxication."—Genocide scholar William Schabas [1]
Motto of the University of Oxford .
Dominus vobiscum
"Lord be with you"
Phrase used during and at the end of Catholic sermons, and a general greeting form among and towards members of Catholic organizations, such as priests and nuns. See also pax vobiscum.
dona nobis pacem
"give us peace"
Often set to music, either by itself or as part of the Agnus Dei prayer of the Mass (see above). Also an ending in the video game Haunting Ground .
donatio mortis causa
"giving in expectation of death"
A legal concept where a person in imminent mortal danger need not meet the requisite consideration to create or modify a will .
draco dormiens nunquam titillandus
"a sleeping dragon is never to be tickled"
Motto of the fictional Hogwarts school in the Harry Potter series; translated more loosely in the books as "never tickle a sleeping dragon".
dramatis personae
"the parts of the play"
More literally, "the masks of the drama"; more figuratively, "cast of characters". The characters represented in a dramatic work.
Duae tabulae rasae in quibus nihil scriptum est
"Two minds, not one single thought"
Stan Laurel , inscription for the fanclub logo Sons of the Desert .
Ductus exemplo
"Leadership by Example"
This is the motto for the United States Marine Corps' Officer Candidates School located at Marine Corps Base Quantico; Quantico, Virginia.
dulce bellum inexpertis
"war is sweet to the inexperienced"
War may seem pleasant to those who have never been involved in it, though the more experienced know better. A phrase from Erasmus in the 16th century .
dulce et decorum est pro patria mori
"It is sweet and honorable to die for the fatherland."
From Horace , Odes III, 2, 13. Used by Wilfred Owen for the title of a poem about World War I , Dulce et Decorum Est .
dulce et utile
"a sweet and useful thing"
Horace wrote in his Ars Poetica that poetry must be dulce et utile ("pleasant and profitable"), both enjoyable and instructive.
dulce periculum
e pluribus unum
'From many, (comes) One.'
Usually translated 'Out of many, (is) One.' Motto of the United States of America. Inscribed on the Capitol and many coins used in the United States of America. The motto of the Sport Lisboa e Benfica Portuguese soccer club.
Ecce Homo
'Behold the Man'
From the Latin Vulgate Gospel according to St. John (XIX.v) (19.5, Douay-Rheims) , where Pilate speaks these words as he presents Christ , crowned with thorns, to the crowd. Oscar Wilde opened his defense with this phrase when on trial for sodomy , characteristically using a well-known Biblical reference as a double entendre. It is also the title of Nietzsche 's autobiography and of the theme music by Howard Goodall for the BBC comedy Mr. Bean .
Often confused with id est (i.e.)
ego te absolvo
'I absolve you'
Part of the absolution -formula spoken by a priest as part of the sacrament of Penance (cf. absolvo).
ego te provoco
emeritus
'veteran'
Also 'worn-out'. Retired from office. Often used to denote a position held at the point of retirement, as an honor, such as professor emeritus or provost emeritus. This does not necessarily mean that the honoree is no longer active.
ens causa sui
'existing because of oneself'
Or 'being one's own cause'. Traditionally, a being that owes its existence to no other being, hence God or a Supreme Being (cf. Primum Mobile ).
errare humanum est
'to err is human'
From Seneca the Younger . The full quote is errare humanum est perseverare diabolicum: 'to err is human; to persist is of the Devil'.
erratum
'error'
Or 'mistake'. Lists of errors in a previous edition of a work are often marked with the plural, errata ('errors').
esse est percipi
'to be is to be perceived'
George Berkeley 's motto for his idealist philosophical position that nothing exists independently of its perception by a mind except minds themselves.
esse quam videri
'to be, rather than to seem'
Truly being something, rather than merely seeming to be something. State motto of North Carolina and academic motto of several schools, including North Carolina State University , Berklee College of Music , and Columbia College Chicagoas well as Connell's Point Public School and Cranbrook High School in Sydney, Australia. From chapter 26 of Cicero 's De amicitia ('On Friendship'). Earlier than Cicero, the phrase had been used by Sallust in his Bellum Catilinae (54.6), where he wrote that Cato esse quam videri bonus malebat ('he preferred to be good, rather than to seem so'). Earlier still, Aeschylus used a similar phrase in Seven Against Thebes, line 592, ou gar dokein aristos, all' enai thelei ('his resolve is not to seem the best, but in fact to be the best').
esto perpetua
'may it be perpetual'
Said of Venice by the Venetian historian Fra Paolo Sarpi shortly before his death. Also the state motto of Idaho , adopted in 1867.
et alibi
(et al.)
'and elsewhere'
A less common variant on et cetera used at the end of a list of locations to denote unlisted places.
et alii
(et al.)
'and others'
Used similarly to et cetera ('and the rest'), to stand for a list of names. Alii is actually masculine , so it can be used for men, or groups of men and women; the feminine, et aliae, is appropriate when the 'others' are all female. Et alia is correct for the neuter. [3] APA style uses et al. if the work cited was written by more than two authors; MLA style uses et al. for more than three authors.
Pluralized as et sequentia ('and the following things'), abbreviations: et seqq., et seq. ., or sqq.
et suppositio nil ponit in esse
'a supposition puts nothing in being'
More typically translated as "sayin' it don't make it so"
'And you, Brutus ?'
Also 'Even you, Brutus?' or 'You too, Brutus?' Used to indicate a betrayal by someone close. From Shakespeare 's Julius Caesar , based on the traditional dying words of Julius Caesar . However, these were almost certainly not Caesar's true last words; Plutarch quotes Caesar as saying, in Greek (which was the language of Rome's elite at the time), 'και συ, τεκνον;' (Kai su, teknon?), in English 'You as well, (my) child?' Some have speculated based on this that Brutus was Caesar's child, though there is no substantial evidence of this.
et uxor
Ex Astris Scientia
'From the Stars, Knowledge'
The motto of the fictional Starfleet Academy on Star Trek . Adapted from ex luna scientia, which in turn was modeled after ex scientia tridens.
ex cathedra
'from the chair'
A phrase applied to the declarations or promulgations of the Pope when, preserved from even the possibility of error by the action of the Holy Ghost (see Papal Infallibility ), he solemnly declares or promulgates to the Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals as being contained in divine revelation, or at least being intimately connected to divine revelation. Used, by extension, of anyone who is perceived as speaking as though with supreme authority or with arrogance.
ex Deo
'from fraud '
'From harmful deceit'; dolus malus is the Latin legal term for 'fraud'. The full legal phrase is ex dolo malo non oritur actio ('an action does not arise from fraud'). When an action has its origin in fraud or deceit, it cannot be supported; thus, a court of law will not assist a man who bases his course of action on an immoral or illegal act.
ex facie
'from the face'
Idiomatically rendered 'on the face of it'. A legal term typically used to note that a document's explicit terms are defective without further investigation.
ex gratia
'from kindness'
More literally 'from grace'. Refers to someone voluntarily performing an act purely out of kindness, as opposed to for personal gain or from being forced to do it. In law, an ex gratia payment is one made without recognizing any liability or legal obligation.
ex hypothesi
' nothing may come from nothing '
From Lucretius , and said earlier by Empedocles . Its original meaning is 'work is required to succeed', but its modern meaning is a more general 'everything has its origins in something' (cf. causality ). It is commonly applied to the conservation laws in philosophy and modern science. Ex nihilo often used in conjunction with the term creation, as in creatio ex nihilo, meaning 'creation, out of nothing'. It is often used in philosophy or theology in connection with the proposition that God created the universe from nothing.
ex oblivione
The title of a short story by H.P. Lovecraft .
ex officio
'from the office'
By virtue of office or position; 'by right of office'. Often used when someone holds one position by virtue of holding another. A common misconception is that ex officio members of a committee or congress may not vote, but this is not guaranteed by that title.
ex opere operantis
'from the work of the one working'
A theological phrase contrasted with ex opere operato , referring to the notion that the validity or promised benefit of a sacrament depends on the person administering it.
ex opere operato
'from the work that worked'
A theological phrase meaning that the act of receiving a sacrament actually confers the promised benefit, such as a baptism actually and literally cleansing one's sins . The Catholic Church affirms that the source of grace is God, not just the actions or disposition of the recipient.
ex oriente lux
'from the East, the light'
Superficially refers to the sun rising in the east, but alludes to culture coming from the Eastern world.
ex parte
'from a part'
A legal term meaning 'by one party' or 'for one party'. Thus, on behalf of one side or party only.
'from a thing done afterward'
Said of a law with retroactive effect.
ex scientia tridens
'from knowledge, sea power.'
The United States Naval Academy motto. Refers to knowledge bringing men power over the sea comparable to that of the trident -bearing Greek god Poseidon .
ex scientia vera
The motto of the College of Graduate Studies at Middle Tennessee State University .
ex silentio
'from silence'
In general, the claim that the absence of something demonstrates the proof of a proposition. An argumentum ex silentio (' argument from silence ') is an argument based on the assumption that someone's silence on a matter suggests ('proves' when a logical fallacy ) that person's ignorance of the matter or their inability to counterargue validly.
ex tempore
'This instant', 'right away' or 'immediately'. Also written extempore.
ex vi termini
'from the force of the term'
Thus, 'by definition'.
ex vivo
'out of or from life'
Used in reference to the study or assay of living tissue in an artificial environment outside the living organism.
ex voto
'from the vow'
Thus, in accordance with a promise. An ex voto is also an offering made in fulfillment of a vow.
excelsior
'higher'
exceptio firmat regulam in casibus non exceptis
'The exception confirms the rule in cases which are not excepted'
A juridical motto which means that exception , as for example during a ' state of exception ', does not put in danger the legitimity of the rule in its globality. In other words, the exception is strictly limited to a particular sphere (see also: exceptio strictissimi juris est .
excusatio non petita accusatio manifesta
'an excuse that has not been sought is an obvious accusation'
More loosely, 'he who excuses himself, accuses himself'—an unprovoked excuse is a sign of guilt. In French, qui s'excuse, s'accuse.
Literally 'believe one who has had experience'. An author's aside to the reader.
expressio unius est exclusio alterius
'the expression of the one is the exclusion of the other'
'Mentioning one thing may exclude another thing'. A principle of legal statutory interpretation : the explicit presence of a thing implies intention to exclude others; e.g., a reference in the Poor Relief Act 1601 to 'lands, houses, tithes and coal mines' was held to exclude mines other than coal mines. Sometimes expressed as expressum facit cessare tacitum (broadly, 'the expression of one thing excludes the implication of something else').
'still in existence; surviving'
adjective:
extant law is still existing, in existence, existent, surviving, remaining, undestroyed. Usage, when a law is repealed the extant law governs.
extra domus
'(placed) outside of the house'
Refers to a possible result of Catholic ecclesiastical legal proceedings when the culprit is removed from being part of a group like a monastery.
Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus
'Outside the Church there is no salvation'
This expression comes from the writings of Saint Cyprian of Carthage, a bishop of the third century. It is often used to summarise the doctrine that the Catholic Church is absolutely necessary for salvation.
Extra omnes
'Out, all of you.'
It is issued by the Master of the Papal Liturgical Celebrations before a session of the Papal Conclave which will elect a new Pope . When spoken, all those who are not Cardinals , or those otherwise mandated to be present at the Conclave, must leave the Sistine Chapel .
extra territorium jus dicenti impune non paretur
'he who administers justice outside of his territory is disobeyed with impunity'
Motto of Prince Alfred College in Adelaide , Australia.
fac simile
Origin of the word facsimile, and, through it, of fax .
facta, non verba
"actions, not words"
Motto of United States Navy Destroyer Squadron 22, and the Canadian Fort Garry Horse armoured regiment (Militia).
falsus in unum, falsus in omnibus
"false in one thing, false in everything"
A Roman legal principle indicating that a witness who willfully falsifies one matter is not credible on any matter. The underlying motive for attorneys to impeach opposing witnesses in court: the principle discredits the rest of their testimony if it is without corroboration.
felo de se
"felon from himself"
An archaic legal term for one who commits suicide , referring to early English common law punishments, such as land seizure, inflicted on those who killed themselves.
fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt
"as a rule, men willingly believe that which they wish to"
People believe what they wish to be true, even if it isn't. Attributed to Julius Caesar .
festina lente
"hurry slowly"
An oxymoronic motto of St Augustine . It encourages proceeding quickly, but with calm and caution. Equivalent to 'More haste, less speed'.
fiat iustitia et pereat mundus
"let justice be done, even should the world perish"
(fd)
"Defender of the Faith"
A title given to Henry VIII of England by Pope Leo X on October 17 , 1521 before Henry became a heresiarch . Still used by the British monarchs, it appears on all British coins, usually abbreviated.
fides qua creditur
"the faith by which it is believed"
the personal faith which apprehends, contrasted with fides quae creditur
fides quae creditur
"the faith which is believed"
the content of "the faith," contrasted with fides qua creditur
fides quaerens intellectum
the motto of Saint Anselm , found in his Proslogion
fidus Achates
A faithful friend. From the name of Aeneas 's faithful companion in Virgil 's Aeneid .
flagellum dei
flectere si nequeo superos, Achaeronta movebo
"If I cannot move heaven I will raise hell"
habeas corpus
"you may have the body"
A legal term from the 14th century or earlier. Refers to a number of legal writs to bring a person before a court or judge, most commonly habeas corpus ad subjiciendum ("you may have the body to bring up"). Commonly used as the general term for a prisoner's legal right to have the charge against them specifically identified.
habemus papam
"we have a pope"
Used after a Roman Catholic Church papal election to announce publicly a successful ballot to elect a new pope.
hac lege
haec olim meminisse iuvabit
"one day, this will be pleasing to remember"
Commonly rendered in English as "One day, we'll look back on this and smile". From Virgil 's Aeneid 1.203.
Hannibal ante portas
Refers to wasting time while the enemy is already here. Attributed to Cicero.
Hannibal ad portas
" Hannibal is at the gates"
Roman parents would tell their misbehaving children this, invoking their fear of Hannibal.
haud ignota loquor
"I speak not of unknown things"
Thus, "I say no things that are unknown". From Virgil 's Aeneid , 2.91.
hic abundant leones
Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
hic et nunc
(HJ)
"here lies"
Also rendered hic iacet. Written on gravestones or tombs, preceding the name of the deceased. Equivalent to hic sepultus ("here is buried"), and sometimes combined into hic jacet sepultus
(HJS)
hic manebimus optime
"here we'll stay excellently"
According to Titus Livius the phrase was pronounced by Marcus Furius Camillus , addressing the senators who intended to abandon the city, invaded by Gauls , in 390 BCE circa. It is used today to express the intent to keep one's position even if the circumstances appear adverse.
hic sunt leones
Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
hinc illae lacrimae
"hence those tears"
From Terence , Andria, line 125. Originally literal, referring to the tears shed by Pamphilus at the funeral of Chrysis, it came to be used proverbally in the works of later authors, such as Horace (Epistula XIX, 41).
historia vitae magistra
"history, the teacher of life"
From Cicero , Tusculanas, 2, 16. Also "history is the mistress of life".
homo homini lupus
"man [is a] wolf to man"
First attested in Plautus ' Asinaria ("lupus est homo homini"). The sentence was drawn on by Hobbes in Leviathan as a concise expression of his human nature view.
homo sum humani a mi nihil alienum puto
"I am a human being; nothing human is strange to me"
From Terence , Heautontimoroumenos. Originally "strange" or "foreign" (alienum) was used in the sense of "irrelevant", as this line was a response to the speaker being told to mind his own business, but it is now commonly used to advocate respecting different cultures and being humane in general. Puto ("I consider") is not translated because it is meaningless outside of the line's context within the play.
Medical shorthand for "at bedtime".
horas non numero nisi serenas
"I do not count the hours unless they are sunny"
A common inscription on sundials .
hortus in urbe
"A garden in the city"
Motto of the Chicago Park District , a playful allusion to the city's motto, urbs in horto, q.v.
horribile dictu
That is, "a horrible thing to relate". A pun on mirabile dictu.
hostis humani generis
"enemy of the human race"
Cicero defined pirates in Roman law as being enemies of humanity in general.
hypotheses non fingo
"I do not fabricate hypotheses"
From Newton , Principia . Less literally, "I do not assert that any hypotheses are true".
Not to be confused with an intelligence quotient .
i.e.
Abbreviation for id est, above.
Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum
( INRI )
" Jesus of Nazareth , King of the Jews"
Based on a Christian belief that "this one is King of the Jews" was written in Latin, Greek and Aramaic at the top of the cross Jesus was crucified on.
igne natura renovatur integra
"through fire, nature is reborn whole"
An alchemical aphorism invented as an alternate meaning for the acronym INRI .
igni ferroque
"with fire and iron"
A phrase describing scorched earth tactics. Also rendered as igne atque ferro, ferro ignique, and other variations.
ignis fatuus
Legal term for "in court".
in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni
"We enter the circle at night and are consumed by fire"
A palindrome said to describe the behavior of moths. Also the title of a film by Guy Debord .
in hoc signo vinces
Words Constantine claimed to have seen in a vision before the Battle of Milvian Bridge .
in illo tempore
"in that time"
"at that time", found often in Gospel lectures during Masses, used to mark an undetermined time in the past.
in limine
"at the outset"
Preliminary, in law referring to a motion that is made to the judge before or during trial, often about the admissibility of evidence believed prejudicial
in loco
"in the place"
That is, "at the place".
The nearby labs were closed for the weekend, so the water samples were analyzed in loco.
"in the place of a parent"
A legal term meaning "assuming parental (i.e., custodial) responsibility and authority".
in luce Tua videmus lucem
"in Thy light we see light"
in lumine tuo videbimus lumen
"in your light we will see the light"
in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum
"into your hands I entrust my spirit"
According to Luke 23:46, the last words of Jesus on the cross.
in medias res
"into the middle of things"
From Horace . Refers to the literary technique of beginning a narrative in the middle of, or at a late point in, the story, after much action has already taken place. Examples include the Iliad , the Odyssey , and Paradise Lost . Compare ab initio.
in necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas
"in necessary things unity, in doubtful things liberty, in all things charity"
"Charity" ( caritas ) is being used in the classical sense of "compassion" (cf. agape ). Motto of the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen . Often misattributed to Augustine of Hippo .
in nuce
I.e. "in potentiality." Comparable to "potential", "to be developed".
In omnia paratus
Motto of the so-called secret society of Yale in the sitcom Gilmore Girls .
In omnibus requiem quaesivi, et nusquam inveni nisi in angulo cum libro
"Everywhere I have searched for peace and nowhere found it, except in a corner with a book"
in partibus infidelium
"in the parts of the infidels"
That is, "in the land of the infidels", infidels here referring to non- Christians . After Islam conquered a large part of the Roman Empire, the corresponding bishoprics didn't disappear, but remained as titular sees .
in personam
"into a person"
"Directed towards a particular person". In a lawsuit in which the case is against a specific individual, that person must be served with a summons and complaint to give the court jurisdiction to try the case. The court's judgment applies to that person and is called an "in personam judgment." In personam is distinguished from in rem, which applies to property or "all the world" instead of a specific person. This technical distinction is important to determine where to file a lawsuit and how to serve a defendant . In personam means that a judgment can be enforceable against the person, wherever he or she is. On the other hand, if the lawsuit is to determine title to property (in rem), then the action must be filed where the property exists and is only enforceable there.
in propria persona
"in silicon "
Coined in the early 1990s for scientific papers. Refers to an experiment or process performed virtually, as a computer simulation. The term is Dog Latin modeled after terms such as in vitro and in vivo. The Latin word for silicon is silicium, so the correct Latinization of "in silicon" would be in silicio, but this form has little usage.
in situ
"in the place"
In the original place, appropriate position, or natural arrangement. In medical contexts, it implies that the condition is still in the same place and has not worsened, improved, spread, etc.
In spe
"in hope"
"future" ("My mother-in-law in spe", i.e. "My future mother-in-law"), or "in embryonic form", as in " Locke 's theory of government resembles, in spe, Montesquieu 's theory of the separation of powers."
In specialibus generalia quaerimus
"To seek the general in the specifics"
That is, to understand the most general rules through the most detailed analysis.
in statu nascendi
"in the state of being born"
Just as something is about to begin.
in toto
"in wine [there is] truth"
That is, wine loosens the tongue.
(Referring to alcohol 's disinhibitory effects.)
in vitro
"in glass"
An experimental or process methodology performed in a "non-natural" setting (e.g., in a laboratory using a glass test tube or Petri dish), and thus outside of a living organism or cell. The reference to glass is merely an historic one, as the current usage of this term is not specific to the materials involved, but rather to the "non-natural" setting employed. Alternative experimental or process methodologies would include in vitro, in silico, ex vivo and in vivo.
In vitro fertilization is not literally done "in glass", but rather is a technique to fertilize egg cells outside of a woman's body. By definition, it is thus an ex vivo process.
"in life" or "in a living thing"
An experiment or process performed on a living specimen.
incredibile dictu
inter arma enim silent leges
"In the face of arms, the law falls mute," more popularly rendered as "during warfare, in fact, the laws are silent"
Said by Cicero in Pro Milone as a protest against unchecked political mobs that had virtually seized control of Rome in the '60s and '50s BC. Also used in the Star Trek DS9 episode of the same name to justify Admiral William Ross' decision to assist Agent Sloan from Section 31 in destabilizing the Romulan Senate.
inter caetera
Title of a papal bull .
inter spem et metum
inter vivos
"between the living"
Said of property transfers between living persons, as opposed to inheritance; often relevant to tax laws.
intra muros
Thus, "not public". Source of the word intramural. See also Intramuros .
intra vires
That is, "within the authority".
ipsa scientia potestas est
Or "by that very fact".
Ira Deorum
"Wrath of the Gods"
Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world, the ancient Romans practiced pagan rituals, believing it important to achieve a state of Pax Deorum ("Peace of the Gods") instead of Ira Deorum ("Wrath of the Gods"): earthquakes, floods, famine, etc.
ita vero
"thus indeed"
A useful phrase, as the Romans had no word for "yes", preferring to respond to questions with the affirmative or negative of the question (i.e., "Are you hungry?" was answered by "I am hungry" or "I am not hungry", not "Yes" or "No").
"go, the things have been sent"
The final words of the Roman Missal , meaning "leave, the mass is finished".
iura novit curia
"the court knows the laws"
A legal principle in civil law countries of the Roman-German tradition (e.g., in Brazil , Germany and Italy ) that says that lawyers need not to argue the law, as that is the office of the court. Sometimes miswritten as iura novat curia ("the court renews the laws").
juris ignorantia est cum jus nostrum ignoramus
"it is ignorance of the law when we do not know our own rights"
Johannes est nomen ejus
"John is its name / Juan es su Nombre"
Motto of the Seal of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
jus ad bellum
"law towards war"
Refers to the "laws" that regulate the reasons for going to war. Typically, this would address issues of self-defense or preemptive strikes
jus in bello
"law in war"
Refers to the "laws" that regulate the conduct of combatants during a conflict. Typically, this would address issues of who or what is a valid target, how to treat prisoners, and what sorts of weapons can be used. The word jus is also commonly spelled ius.
jus primae noctis
lucus a non lucendo
"[it is] a grove by not being light"
From late 4th-century grammarian Honoratus Maurus, who sought to mock implausible word origins such as those proposed by Priscian . A pun based on the word lucus ("dark grove") having a similar appearance to the verb lucere ("to shine"), arguing that the former word is derived from the latter word because of a lack of light in wooded groves. Often used as an example of absurd etymology .
lupus in fabula
"the wolf in the story"
With the meaning "speak of the wolf, and he will come". Occurs in Terence 's play Adelphoe.
lupus non mordet lupum
"a wolf does not bite a wolf"
lux et lex
"light and law"
Motto of the prestigious liberal arts school, Franklin & Marshall College . Light in reference to Benjamin Franklin 's many innovations and discoveries. Law in reference to John Marshall as one of the most notable Supreme Court Justices.
lux et veritas
"light and truth"
A translation of the Hebrew Urim and Thummim . Motto of Yale University and Indiana University . An expanded form, lux et veritas floreant ("let light and truth flourish"), is the motto of the University of Winnipeg
lux hominum vita
"life the light of men"
lux sit
" let there be light "
A more literal Latinization of the phrase "let there be light", the most common translation of fiat lux ("let light arise", literally "let light be made"), which in turn is the Latin Vulgate Bible phrase chosen for the Genesis line "ג וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי אוֹר; וַיְהִי-אוֹר" ("And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light"). Motto of the University of Washington .
Used to indicate that it is the moment to address more important, urgent, issues.
mala fide
"in bad faith"
Said of an act done with knowledge of its illegality, or with intention to defraud or mislead someone. Opposite of bona fide.
mala tempora currunt
"bad times are upon us"
Also used ironically, e.g.: New teachers know all tricks used by pupils to copy from classmates? Oh, mala tempora currunt!.
malum discordiae
"apple of dischord"
Alludes to the apple of Eris in the judgement of Paris , the mythological cause of the Trojan War . It is also a pun based on the near- homonymous word malum ("evil"). The word for "apple" has a long a vowel in Latin and the word for "evil" a short a vowel, but they are normally written the same.
malum quo communius eo peius
"the more common an evil is, the worse it is"
(m.p.)
"with one's own hand"
With the implication of "signed by one's hand". Its abbreviated form is sometimes used at the end of typewritten or printed documents or official notices, directly following the name of the person(s) who "signed" the document exactly in those cases where there isn't an actual handwritten signature .
manus celer Dei
"the swift hand of God"
Originally used as the name of a ship in the Marathon game series, its usage has spread.
manus manum lavat
"one hand washes the other"
famous quote from Lucius Annaeus Seneca . It implies that one situation helps the other.
mare clausum
In law, a sea under the jurisdiction of one nation and closed to all others.
mare liberum
In law, a sea open to international shipping navigation.
mare nostrum
"our sea"
A nickname given to the Mediterranean Sea during the height of the Roman Empire , as it encompassed the entire coastal basin.
"the mother of the family"
The female head of a family. See paterfamilias.
materia medica
"medical matter"
The branch of medical science concerned with the study of drugs used in the treatment of disease. Also, the drugs themselves.
me vexat pede
"it annoys me at the foot"
Less literally, "my foot itches". Refers to a trivial situation or person that is being a bother, possibly in the sense of wishing to kick that thing away.
Mea Culpa
"My Fault"
Used in Christian prayers and confession to denote the inherently flawed nature of mankind. Can also be extended to mea maxima culpa ("my greatest fault"). Also used similarly to the modern English slang "my bad".
Media vita in morte sumus
"In the midst of our lives we die"
A well-known sequence, falsely attributed to Notker during the Middle Ages. It was translated by Cranmer and became a part of the burial service in the funeral rites of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer .
meliora
Carrying the connotation of "always better". The motto of the University of Rochester .
Melita, domi adsum
"Honey, I'm home!"
A relatively common recent Latinization from the joke phrasebook Latin for All Occasions . Grammatically correct, but the phrase would be anachronistic in ancient Rome .
memento mori
"remember that [you will] die"
Figuratively "be mindful of dying" or "remember your mortality", and also more literally rendered as "remember to die", though in English this ironically misses the original intent. An object (such as a skull) or phrase intended to remind people of the inevitability of death. A more common theme in Christian than in Classical art. The motto of the Trappist order .
memento vivere
Also, "remember that you have to live." Literally rendered as "remember to live."
memores acti prudentes futuri
"mindful of what has been done, aware of what will be"
Thus, both remembering the past and foreseeing the future. From the North Hertfordshire District Council coat of arms.
mens agitat molem
"the mind moves the mass"
An accommodation between disagreeing parties to allow life to go on. A practical compromise.
montani semper liberi
State motto of West Virginia , adopted in 1872.
Montis Insignia Calpe
"Badge of the Rock of Gibraltar "
more ferarum
used to describe any sexual act in the manner of beasts
morituri te salutant
"those who are about to die salute thee"
Used once in Suetonius' Life of the Divine Claudius, chapter 21, by the condemned prisoners manning galleys about to take part in a mock naval battle on Lake Fucinus in AD 52. Popular misconception ascribes it as a gladiator's salute.
mors vincit omnia
"death conquers all" or "death always wins"
An axiom often found on headstones.
That is, the natural world is not sentimental or compassionate.
natura non facit saltum ita nec lex
"nature does not make a leap, thus neither does the law"
Shortened form of "sicut natura nil facit per saltum ita nec lex" ("just as nature does nothing by a leap, so neither does the law"), referring to both nature and the legal system moving gradually.
navigare necesse est vivere non est necesse
"to sail is necessary; to live is not necessary"
Attributed by Plutarch to Gnaeus Pompeius , who, during a severe storm, commanded sailors to bring food from Africa to Rome.
ne cede malis
"do not give in to misfortune"
Used as a level name in the Marathon series to reflect the doomed theme of the level, and derived from the family motto of one of the developers.
ne sutor ultra crepidam
"Cobbler, no further than the sandal!"
Thus, don't offer your opinion on things that are outside your competence. It is said that the Greek painter Apelles once asked the advice of a cobbler on how to render the sandals of a soldier he was painting. When the cobbler started offering advice on other parts of the painting, Apelles rebuked him with this phrase in Greek, and it subsequently became a popular Latin expression.
nec dextrorsum, nec sinistrorsum
"Neither to the left nor to the right"
Do not get distracted. This Latin phrase is also the motto for Bishop Cotton Boys School and the Bishop Cotton Girls High school, both located in Bangalore, India.
nec plus ultra
"nothing more beyond"
Also ne plus ultra or non plus ultra. A descriptive phrase meaning the best or most extreme example of something. The Pillars of Hercules , for example, were literally the nec plus ultra of the ancient Mediterranean world. Charles V 's heraldic emblem reversed this idea, using a depiction of this phrase inscribed on the Pillars—as plus ultra , without the negation. This represented Spain's expansion into the New World.
The motto of the Dutch 11th air manouvre brigade 11 Air Manoeuvre Brigade
nemine contradicente
(nem. con.)
"with no one speaking against"
Less literally, "without dissent". Used especially in committees, where a matter may be passed nem. con., or unanimously .
"no one gives what he does not have"
Thus, "none can pass better title than they have".
nemo iudex in sua causa
"no man shall be a judge in his own cause"
Legal principle that no individual can preside over a hearing in which he holds a specific interest or bias.
nemo me impune lacessit
"no one provokes me with impunity"
Motto of the Order of the Thistle , and consequently of Scotland , found stamped on the milled edge of certain British pound sterling coins. It is also the motto of the Montressors in the Edgar Allan Poe short story " The Cask of Amontillado "
nemo nisi per amicitiam cognoscitur
"No one learns except by friendship"
Used to imply that one must like a subject in order to study it.
nemo tenetur seipsum accusare
"no one is bound to accuse himself"
A maxim banning mandatory self-incrimination . Near-synonymous with accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo. Similar phrases include: nemo tenetur armare adversarium contra se ("no one is bound to arm an opponent against himself"), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to in any way assist the prosecutor to his own detriment; nemo tenetur edere instrumenta contra se ("no one is bound to produce documents against himself", meaning that a defendant is not obligated to provide materials to be used against himself (this is true in Roman law and has survived in modern criminal law , but no longer applies in modern civil law ); and nemo tenere prodere seipsum ("no one is bound to betray himself"), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to testify against himself.
nihil dicit
nil sine numine
"nothing without the divine will"
Or "nothing without providence ". State motto of Colorado , adopted in 1861. Probably derived from Virgil 's Aeneid Book II, line 777, "non haec sine numine devum eveniunt" ("these things do not come to pass without the will of the gods"). See also numina .
nil volentibus arduum
"Nothing [is] arduous for the willing"
"Nothing is impossible for the willing"
nisi Dominus frustra
"if not the Lord, [it is] in vain"
That is, "everything is in vain without God ". Summarized from Psalm 127, "nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem frustra vigilavit qui custodit" ("unless the Lord builds the house, they work on a useless thing who build it; unless the Lord guards the community, he keeps watch in vain who guards it"). The motto of Edinburgh .
nisi prius
"unless previously"
In England, a direction that a case be brought up to Westminster for trial before a single judge and jury. In the United States, a court where civil actions are tried by a single judge sitting with a jury, as distinguished from an appellate court .
nolens volens
"unwilling, willing"
That is, "whether unwillingly or willingly". Sometimes rendered volens nolens or aut nolens aut volens. Similar to willy-nilly, though that word is derived from Old English will-he nil-he ("[whether] he will or [whether] he will not").
noli me tangere
"do not touch me"
Commonly translated "touch me not". According to the Gospel of John , this was said by Jesus to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection .
noli turbare circulos meos
"Do not disturb my circles!"
That is, "Don't upset my calculations!" Said by Archimedes to a Roman soldier who, despite having been given orders not to, killed Archimedes at the conquest of Syracuse . The soldier was executed for his act.
nolle prosequi
"to be unwilling to prosecute"
nolo contendere
"I do not wish to contend"
That is, " no contest ". A plea that can be entered on behalf of a defendant in a court that states that the accused doesn't admit guilt, but will accept punishment for a crime. Nolo contendere pleas cannot be used as evidence in another trial.
A scientific name of unknown or doubtful application.
nomen est omen
"the name is a sign"
Thus, "true to its name".
nomen nescio
"I do not know the name"
Thus, the name or person in question is unknown.
nomen nudum
"naked name"
A purported scientific name that does not fulfill the proper formal criteria and therefore cannot be used unless it is subsequently proposed correctly.
non bis in idem
A legal principle forbidding double jeopardy .
non causa pro causa
"not the cause for the cause"
Also known as the " questionable cause " or "false cause". Refers to any logical fallacy where a cause is incorrectly identified.
non compos mentis
"not in control of the mind"
See compos mentis. Also rendered non compos sui ("not in control of himself"). Samuel Johnson , author of the first English dictionary, theorized that the word nincompoop may derive from this phrase.
Motto of São Paulo city, Brazil . See also pro Brasilia fiant eximia.
non facias malum ut inde fiat bonum
"you should not make evil in order that good may be made from it"
More simply, "don't do wrong to do right". The direct opposite of the phrase " the ends justify the means ".
non impediti ratione congitatonis
Motto of radio show Car Talk .
non in legendo sed in intelligendo legis consistunt
"the laws depend not on being read, but on being understood"
non liquet
"it is not proven"
Also "it is not clear" or "it is not evident". A sometimes controversial decision handed down by a judge when they feel that the law is not complete.
non mihi solum
non obstante veredicto
"not standing in the way of a verdict "
A judgment notwithstanding verdict , a legal motion asking the court to reverse the jury 's verdict on the grounds that the jury could not have reached such a verdict reasonably.
non olet
non omnis moriar
"I shall not all die"
"Not all of me will die", a phrase expressing the belief that a part of the speaker will survive beyond death.
non progredi est regredi
"to not go forward is to go backward"
non prosequitur
"he does not proceed"
A judgment in favor of a defendant when the plaintiff failed to take the necessary steps in an action within the time allowed.
Non scholae sed vitae discimus
"We learn not for school, but for life."
from Seneca
non sequitur
"it does not follow"
In general, a non sequitur is a comment which is absurd due to not making sense in its context (rather than due to being inherently nonsensical or internally inconsistent), often used in humor. As a logical fallacy , a non sequitur is a conclusion that does not follow from a premise.
non serviam
"I will not serve"
Possibly derived from a Vulgate mistranslation of the Book of Jeremiah . Commonly used in literature as Satan 's statement of disobedience to God , though in the original context the quote is attributed to Israel , not Satan.
non sum qualis eram
"I am not such as I was"
Or "I am not the kind of person I once was". Expresses a change in the speaker.
non vi, sed verbo
Martin Luther on Catholic church reform. (see Reformation )
nosce te ipsum
From Cicero , based on the Greek γνῶθι σεαυτόν (gnothi seauton), inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi . A non-traditional Latin rendering, temet nosce ("thine own self know"), is translated in The Matrix as "know thyself".
nota bene
Also "contracts must be honored". Indicates the binding power of treaties.
panem et circenses
"bread and circuses"
From Juvenal, Satire X , line 81. Originally described all that was needed for emperors to placate the Roman mob. Today used to describe any entertainment used to distract public attention from more important matters.
parens patriae
"parent of the nation"
A public policy requiring courts to protect the best interests of any child involved in a lawsuit. See also Pater Patriae.
pari passu
Thus, "moving together", "simultaneously", etc.
parva sub ingenti
"the small under the huge"
Implies that the weak are under the protection of the strong, rather than that they are inferior. Motto of Prince Edward Island .
passim
"here and there"
Less literally, "throughout" or "frequently". Said of a word that occurs several times in a cited texts. Also used in proof reading , where it refers to a change that is to be repeated everywhere needed.
pater familias
"father of the family"
Or "master of the house". The eldest male in a family, who held patria potestas ("paternal power"). In Roman law , a father had enormous power over his children, wife, and slaves, though these rights dwindled over time. Derived from the phrase pater familias, an Old Latin expression preserving the archaic -as ending.
A euphemism for the British Empire . Adapted from Pax Romana.
pax Dei
Used in the Peace and Truce of God movement in 10th-Century France.
Pax Deorum
"Peace of the Gods"
Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world, the Romans practiced pagan rituals, believing it important to achieve a state of Pax Deorum (The Peace of the Gods) instead of Ira Deorum (The Wrath of the Gods).
pax et bonum
"peace and the good"
Motto of St. Francis of Assisi and, consequently, of his monastery in Assisi , in the Umbria region of Italy . Translated in Italian as pace e bene.
pax et lux
Pax Sinica
"Chinese Peace"
A euphemism for periods of peace in East Asia during times of strong Chinese imperialism . Adapted from Pax Romana.
pax vobiscum
"peace [be] with you"
A common farewell. The " you " is plural ("you all"), so the phrase must be used when speaking to more than one person; pax tecum is the form used when speaking to only one person.
pecunia non olet
"the money doesn't smell"
According to Suetonius , when Emperor Vespasian was challenged by his son Titus for taxing the public lavatories , the emperor held up a coin before his son and asked whether it smelled or simply said non olet ("it doesn't smell"). From this, the phrase was expanded to pecunia non olet, or rarely aes non olet ("copper doesn't smell").
"if you can use money, money is your slave; if you can't, money is your master"
Written on a old Latin tablet in downtown Verona (Italy).
pendent opera interrupta
From the Aeneid of Virgil , Book IV.
per
"By, through, by means of"
See specific phrases below.
per ardua ad astra
"through adversity to the stars"
Motto of the British Royal Air Force , the Royal Australian Air Force , the Royal Canadian Air Force , and the Royal New Zealand Air Force . The phrase was derived from H. Rider Haggard 's famous novel The People of the Mist, and was selected and approved as a motto for the Royal Flying Corps on March 15 , 1913 . In 1929, the Royal Australian Air Force decided to adopt it as well.
per aspera ad astra
"through hardships to the stars"
From Seneca the Younger . Motto of NASA and the South African Air Force . A common variant, ad astra per aspera ("to the stars through hardships"), is the state motto of Kansas . Ad Astra ("To the Stars") is the title of a magazine published by the National Space Society . De Profundus Ad Astra ("From the depths to the stars.") is the motto of the LASFS .
per capsulam
(per pro)
"through the agency"
Also rendered per procurationem. Used to indicate that a person is signing a document on behalf of another person. Correctly placed before the name of the person signing, but often placed before the name of the person on whose behalf the document is signed, sometimes through incorrect translation of the alternative abbreviation
per pro.
as "for and on behalf of".
per quod
"by reason of which"
In a UK legal context: "by reason of which" (as opposed to per se which requires no reasoning). In American jurisprudence often refers to a spouse's claim for loss of consortium.
per rectum
pia mater
"pious mother"
Or "tender mother". Translated into Latin from Arabic. The delicate innermost of the three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.
pinxit
"one painted"
Thus, "he painted this" or "she painted this". Formerly used on works of art, next to the artist's name.
pluralis majestatis
"plural of majesty"
The first-person plural pronoun when used by an important personage to refer to himself or herself; also known as the "royal we".
pollice verso
"with a turned thumb"
Used by Roman crowds to pass judgment on a defeated gladiator. It is uncertain whether the thumb was turned up , down , or concealed inside one's hand. Also the name of a famous painting depicting gladiators by Jean-Léon Gérôme .
pons asinorum
"bridge of asses"
Any obstacle that stupid people find hard to cross. Originally used of Euclid 's Fifth Proposition in geometry .
Pontifex Maximus
"Greatest High Priest"
Or "Supreme Pontiff". Originally an epithet of the Roman Emperors , and later a traditional epithet of the pope . The pontifices were the most important priestly college of the ancient Roman religion ; their name is usually thought to derive from pons facere ("to make a bridge"), which in turn is usually linked to their religious authority over the bridges of Rome, especially the Pons Sublicius .
posse comitatus
"to be able to attend"
Thus, to be able to be made into part of a retinue or force. In common law, posse comitatus is a sheriff's right to compel people to assist law enforcement in unusual situations.
post aut propter
"after it or by means of it"
Causality between two phenomena is not established (cf. post hoc, ergo propter hoc).
post cibum
Usually rendered postmortem. Not to be confused with post meridiem.
post prandial
"after the time before midday"
Refers to the time after any meal. Usually rendered postprandial.
post scriptum
(p.s.)
"after what has been written"
A postscript . Used to mark additions to a letter, after the signature. Can be extended to post post scriptum
(p.p.s.)
post tenebras lux
"after darkness, light"
A motto of the Protestant Reformation inscribed on the Reformation Wall in Geneva, Switzerland . A former motto of Chile , replaced by the current one, Por la Razón o la Fuerza (Spanish: "By Right or Might"). Another obsolete motto is aut concilio aut ense.
prima facie
"at first sight"
Used to designate evidence in a trial which is suggestive, but not conclusive, of something (e.g., a person's guilt).
prima luce
" prime mover "
Or "first moving one". A common theological term, such as in the cosmological argument , based on the assumption that God was the first entity to "move" or "cause" anything. Aristotle was one of the first philosophers to discuss the "uncaused cause", a hypothetical originator—and violator of— causality .
primum non nocere
"first, to not harm"
A medical precept. Often falsely attributed to the Hippocratic Oath , though its true source is probably a paraphrase from Hippocrates ' Epidemics, where he wrote, "Declare the past, diagnose the present, foretell the future; practice these acts. As to diseases, make a habit of two things: to help, or at least to do no harm."
A title of the Roman Emperors (cf. princeps ).
principia probant non probantur
"principles prove; they are not proved"
Fundamental principles require no proof; they are assumed a priori.
prior tempore potior iure
"earlier in time, stronger in law"
A legal principle that older laws take precedent over newer ones. Another name for this principle is lex posterior.
pro bono
"for the good"
The full phrase is pro bono publico ("for the public good"). Said of work undertaken voluntarily at no expense, such as public services . Often used of a lawyer 's work that is not charged for.
pro Brasilia fiant eximia
quem di diligunt adulescens moritur
"he whom the gods love dies young"
Other translations of diligunt include "prize especially" or "esteem". From Plautus , Bacchides, IV, 7, 18. In this comic play, a sarcastic servant says this to his aging master. The rest of the sentence reads: dum valet sentit sapit ("while he is healthy, perceptive and wise").
questio quid iuris
From the Summoner's section of Chaucer 's General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales , line 648.
qui bono
Common nonsensical Dog Latin misrendering of the Latin phrase cui bono ("who benefits?").
qui pro quo
literally qui instead of quo ( medieval Latin )
Unused in English, but common in other modern languages (for instance Italian and Polish). Used as a noun , indicates a misunderstanding.
Trivia: The expression "quid pro quo" is not used in Italian. An exchange of favours is indicated by "do ut des", another Latin expression meaning "I give in order that you give".
qui tacet consentire videtur
"he who is silent is taken to agree"
Thus, silence gives consent. Sometimes accompanied by the proviso "ubi loqui debuit ac potuit", that is, "when he ought to have spoken and was able to".
qui transtulit sustinet
"he who transplanted still sustains"
Or "he who brought us across still supports us", meaning God . State motto of Connecticut . Originally written as sustinet qui transtulit in 1639.
quia suam uxorem etiam suspiciore vacare vellet
"because he should wish even his wife to be free from suspicion"
Attributed to Julius Caesar by Plutarch , Caesar 10. Translated loosely as "because even the wife of Caesar may not be suspected". At the feast of Bona Dea , a sacred festival for females only, which was being held at the Domus Publica, the home of the Pontifex Maximus , Caesar, and hosted by his second wife, Pompeia , the notorious rhetorian Clodius arrived in disguise. Caught by the outraged noblewomen, Clodius fled before they could kill him on the spot for sacrilege. In the ensuing trial, allegations arose that Pompeia and Clodius were having an affair, and while Caesar asserted that this was not the case and no substantial evidence arose suggesting otherwise, he nevertheless divorced, with this quotation as explanation.
quid est veritas
In the Vulgate translation of John 18:38, Pilate 's question to Jesus .
quid novi ex Africa
"What of the new out of Africa?"
Less literally, "What's new from Africa?" Derived from an Aristotle quotation.
quid pro quo
"what for what"
Also translated "this for that" or "a thing for a thing". Signifies a favor exchanged for a favor.'
Trivia: The expression "quid pro quo" is not used in Italian. An exchange of favours is indicated by "do ut des", another Latin expression meaning "I give in order that you give".
quid nunc
"What now?"
Commonly shortened to quidnunc. As a noun, a quidnunc is a busybody or a gossip. Patrick Campbell worked for The Irish Times under the pseudonym "Quidnunc".
quidquid Latine dictum sit altum viditur
"whatever has been said in Latin seems deep"
Or "anything said in Latin sounds profound". A recent ironic Latin phrase to poke fun at people who seem to use Latin phrases and quotations only to make themselves sound more important or "educated". Similar to the less common omnia dicta fortiora si dicta latina.
quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
"Who will guard the guards themselves?"
From Juvenal 's On Women , originally referring to the practice of having eunuchs guard women and beginning with the word sed ("but"). Usually translated less literally, as "Who watches the watchmen?" This translation is a common epigraph , such as of the Tower Commission and Alan Moore 's Watchmen comic book series.
quis ut Deus
"Who [is] as God?"
Usually translated "Who is like unto God?" Questions who would have the audacity to compare himself to a Supreme Being.
quo errat demonstrator
A pun on quod erat demonstrandum.
quo fata ferunt
quo usque tandem
"For how much longer?"
From Cicero 's Ad Catilinam speech to the Roman Senate regarding the conspiracy of Catiline : quo usque tandem abutere Catilina patientia nostra ("For how much longer, Catiline, will you abuse our patience?").
quo vadis
"Where are you going?"
According to John 13:36, Saint Peter asked Jesus Domine, quo vadis ("Lord, where are you going?") on the Appian Way in Rome . The King James Version has the translation "Lord, whither goest thou?"
quod erat demonstrandum
( Q.E.D. )
"which was to be demonstrated"
The abbreviation is often written at the bottom of a mathematical proof . Sometimes translated loosely into English as "The Five Ws",
W.W.W.W.W.
, which stands for "Which Was What We Wanted".
quod erat faciendum
(Q.E.F)
"which was to be done"
Or "which was to be constructed". Used by Euclid in his Elements when there was nothing to prove, but there was something be constructed, for example a triangle with the same size as a given line.
quod est
quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur
"what is asserted without reason may be denied without reason"
If no grounds have been given for an assertion, there is no need to provide grounds for contradicting it.
quod licet Iovi non licet bovi
"what is permitted to Jupiter is not permitted to an ox"
If an important person does something, it does not necessarily mean that everyone can do it (cf. double standard ). Iovi (also commonly rendered Jovi) is the dative form of Iuppiter ("Jupiter" or "Jove"), the chief god of the Romans.
quod me nutrit me destruit
"what nourishes me destroys me"
Thought to have originated with Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe . Generally interpreted to mean that that which motivates or drives a person can consume him or her from within. This phrase has become a popular slogan or motto for pro-ana websites, anorexics and bulimics . In this case the phrase is literally describing food.
quod natura non dat Salmantica non praestat
"what nature does not give, Salamanca does not provide"
Refers to the Spanish University of Salamanca , meaning that education cannot substitute the lack of brains.
quod vide (q.v.)
"which see"
Used after a term or phrase that should be looked up elsewhere in the current document or book. For more than one term or phrase, the plural is quae vide
(qq.v.)
ratione soli
"by account of the ground"
Or "according to the soil". Assigning property rights to a thing based on its presence on a landowner's property.
re
"in the matter of"
More literally, "by the thing". From the ablative of res ("thing" or "circumstance"). Often used in e-mail replies. It is a common misconception that the "Re:" in e-mail replies stands for reply, response, or regarding, or is simply the prefix meaning "again". The use of Latin re, in the sense of "about, concerning", is English usage. Whether to leave it in Latin or to translate it may depend on the usage of the target language, but the Internet norm is to leave it in Latin.
rebus sic stantibus
"with matters standing thus"
The doctrine that treaty obligations hold only as long as the fundamental conditions and expectations that existed at the time of their creation hold.
reductio ad absurdum
"leading back to the absurd"
A common debate technique, and a method of proof in mathematics and philosophy, that proves the thesis by showing that its opposite is absurd or logically untenable. In general usage outside mathematics and philosophy, a reductio ad absurdum is a tactic in which the logic of an argument is challenged by reducing the concept to its most absurd extreme. Translated from Aristotle 's "ἡ εις άτοπον απαγωγη" (hi eis atopon apagogi, "reduction to the impossible").
reductio ad infinitum
"leading back to the infinite"
An argument that creates an infinite series of causes that does not seem to have a beginning. As a fallacy, it rests upon Aristotle's notion that all things must have a cause, but that all series of causes must have a sufficient cause, that is, an unmoved mover. An argument which does not seem to have such a beginning becomes difficult to imagine.
regnat populus
"the people rule"
State motto of Arkansas , adopted in 1907. Originally rendered in 1864 in the plural, regnant populi ("the peoples rule"), but subsequently changed to the singular.
Regnum Mariae Patrona Hungariae
res gestae
"things done"
(1) A phrase used in law representing the belief that certain statements are made naturally, spontaneously and without deliberation during the course of an event, they leave little room for misunderstanding/misinterpretation upon hearing by someone else ( i.e. by the witness who will later repeat the statement to the court) and thus the courts believe that such statements carry a high degree of credibility. (2) In history, a Latin biography
res ipsa loquitur
"the thing speaks for itself"
A phrase from the common law of torts meaning that negligence can be inferred from the fact that such an accident happened, without proof of exactly how. A mock Latin clause sometimes added on to the end of this phrase is sed quid in infernos dicit ("but what the hell does it say?"), which serves as a reminder that one must still interpret the significance of events that "speak for themselves".
res judicata
"judged thing"
A matter which has been decided by a court. Often refers to the legal concept that once a matter has been finally decided by the courts, it cannot be litigated again (cf. non bis in idem and double jeopardy ).
respice finem
"look back at the end"
i.e., "have regard for the end" or "consider the end". Generally a memento mori , a warning to remember one's death.
respiciendum est iudicanti ne quid aut durius aut remissius constituatur quam causa deposcit nec enim aut severitatis aut clementiae gloria affectanda est
"the judge must see that no order be made or judgment given or sentence passed either more harshly or more mildly than the case requires; he must not seek renown, either as a severe or as a tender-hearted judge"
A maxim on the conduct of judges.
respondeat superior
"let the superior respond"
Regarded as a legal maxim in agency law, referring to the legal liability of the principal with respect to an employee. Whereas a hired independent contract acting tortiously may not cause the principal to be legally liable, a hired employee acting tortiously will cause the principal (the employer) to be legally liable, even if the employer did nothing wrong.
res nullius
"nobody's thing"
Goods without an owner. Used for things or beings which belong to nobody and are up for grabs, e.g., uninhabited and uncolonized lands, wandering wild animals, etc. (cf. terra nullius, "no man's land").
rex regum fidelum et
"king even of faithful kings"
rigor mortis
"stiffness of death"
The rigidity of corpses when chemical reactions cause the limbs to stiffen about 3–4 hours after death. Other signs of death include drop in body temperature ( algor mortis , "cold of death") and discoloration ( livor mortis , "bluish color of death").
Romanes eunt domus
"Romanes go the house"
An intentionally garbled Latin phrase from Monty Python's Life of Brian . Its translation is roughly, as said by a centurion in the movie, "'People called Romanes they go the house'", but its intended meaning is "Romans, go home!" When Brian is caught vandalizing the palace walls with this phrase, rather than punish him, the centurion corrects his Latin grammar , explaining that Romanus is a second declension noun and has its plural in -i rather than -es, that ire ("to go") must be in the imperative mood to denote a command, and that domus takes the accusative case without a preposition as the object. The final result of this lesson is the correct Latin phrase Romani ite domum .
rosa rubicundior lilio candidior omnibus formosior semper in te glorior
"redder than the rose, whiter than the lilies, fairer than all things, I do ever glory in thee"
rus in urbe
"Farm in the city"
Generally used to refer to a haven of peace and quiet within an urban setting, often a garden, but can refer to interior decoration.
salus populi suprema lex esto
"the welfare of the people is to be the highest law"
From Cicero 's De Legibus, book III, part III, sub. VIII. Quoted by John Locke in his Second Treatise, On Civil Government, to describe the proper organization of government. Also the state motto of Missouri and of Harrow.
salva veritate
Salvator Mundi
"Savior of the World"
Christian epithet, usually referring to Jesus . The title of paintings by Albrecht Dürer and Leonardo da Vinci .
salvo errore et omissione
"save for error and omission"
Appears on statements of "account currents".
salvo honoris titulo
"save for title of honor"
Sancta Sedes
More literally, "Sacred Seat". Refers to the Papacy or the Holy See .
Sancta Simplicitas
sapere aude
"dare to be wise"
From Horace 's Epistularum liber primus , Epistle II, line 40. Popularized by its use in Kant 's What is Enlightenment? to define the Enlightenment . Frequently used in mottos, such as for the University of Otago , University of New Brunswick , Phystech , Manchester Grammar School , town of Oldham , and the University of New Zealand before its dissolution.
Sapientia et Doctrina
Motto of Fordham University , New York.
sapienti sat
"enough for the wise"
From Plautus . Indicates that something can be understood without any need for explanation, as long as the listener has enough wisdom or common sense. Often extended to dictum sapienti sat est ("enough has been said for the wise", commonly translated as "a word to the wise is enough").
semper fidelis
"always faithful"
Motto of Exeter and several other cities; more recently has become the motto of United States Marine Corps and the Swiss Grenadiers . Also the motto of the Rot-Weiss Oberhausen and Plymouth Argyle football clubs. The US Marines often abbreviate it to Semper Fi.
semper paratus
Motto of the United States Coast Guard and the United States Cavalry 's 12th Regiment.
semper reformanda
"always reforming"
A shortened form of a motto of the Protestant Reformation , Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda est secundu Verbum Dei ("the reformed Church must be always reforming according to the Word of God"), which refers to the Protestant position that the church must continually re-examine itself, reconsider its doctrines , and be prepared to accept change, in order to conform more closely to orthodox Christian belief as revealed in the Bible . The shortened form, semper reformanda, literally means "always about to be reformed", but the usual translation is taken from the full sentence where it is used in a passive periphrastic construction to mean "always reforming."
semper ubi sub ubi
"always where under where"
A common English- New Latin translation joke . The phrase is nonsensical in Latin, but the English translation is a pun on "always wear underwear".
Senatus Populusque Romanus
"The Senate and the People of Rome"
The official name of the Roman Republic . "
SPQR
" was carried on battle standards by the Roman legions . In addition to being an ancient Roman motto, it remains the motto of the modern city of Rome .
sensu stricto
Less literally, "in the strict sense".
Servo Permaneo Bovis Provestri
"Save the Last Bullet for Yourself"
Meaning "After giving it everything you've got against the enemy,save the last effort to save yourself".
sesquipedalia verba
"words a foot and a half long"
From Horace 's Ars Poetica , "proicit ampullas et sesquipedalia verba" ("he throws down his high-flown language and his foot-and-a-half-long words"). A self-referential jab at long words and needlessly elaborate language in general.
si peccasse negamus fallimur et nulla est in nobis veritas
"if we refuse to make a mistake, we are deceived, and there's no truth in us"
From Christopher Marlowe 's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus , where the phrase is translated "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there's no truth in us".
si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice
"if you seek a delightful peninsula, look around"
State motto of Michigan , adopted in 1835. Said to have been based on the tribute to architect Christopher Wren in St Paul's Cathedral , London , which reads si monumentum requiris circumspice ("if you seek a memorial, look around").
Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses
"If you had kept your silence, you would have stayed a philosopher"
This quote is often attributed to the Latin philosopher Boethius of the late fifth and early sixth centuries. It translates literally as, "If you had been silent, you would have remained a philosopher." The phrase illustrates a common use of the subjunctive verb mood. Among other functions it expresses actions contrary to fact. Sir Humphrey Appleby translated it to the PM as: "If you'd kept your mouth shut we might have thought you were clever".
si vales valeo
(SVV)
"if you are well, I am well"
A common beginning for ancient Roman letters. Also extended to si vales bene est ego valeo ("if you are well, that is good; I am well"), abbreviated to
SVBEEV
. The practice fell out of fashion and into obscurity with the decline in Latin literacy.
si vis pacem para bellum
"if you want peace, prepare for war"
From Vegetius , Epitoma rei militaris. Origin of the name parabellum for some ammunition and firearms, such as the luger parabellum.
sic
"thus"
Or "just so". States that the preceding quoted material appears exactly that way in the source, despite any errors of spelling, grammar, usage, or fact that may be present. Used only for previous quoted text; ita or similar must be used to mean "thus" when referring to something about to be stated.
sic et non
More simply, "yes and no".
sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
"we gladly feast on those who would subdue us"
sic semper tyrannis
"thus always to tyrants"
State motto of Virginia , adopted in 1776. Attributed to Brutus at the time of Julius Caesar 's assassination, and to John Wilkes Booth at the time of Abraham Lincoln 's assassination; whether it was actually said at either of these events is disputed.
sic transit gloria mundi
"thus passes the glory of the world"
From the Bible . A reminder that all things are fleeting. During Papal Coronations , a monk reminds the pope of his mortality by saying this phrase, preceded by pater sancte ("holy father") while holding before his eyes a burning paper illustrating the passing nature of earthly glories. This is similar to the tradition of a slave in Roman triumphs whispering "memento mori".
sic utere tuo ut alienum non laedas
"use [what is] yours so as not to harm [what is] of others"
Or "use your property in such a way that you do not damage others'". A legal maxim related to property ownership laws, often shortened to simply sic utere ("use it thus").
sic vita est
"thus is life"
Or "such is life". Indicates that a circumstance, whether good or bad, is an inherent aspect of living.
signetur
sine qua non
"without which not"
Used to denote something that is an essential part of the whole. See also condicio sine qua non.
sine scientia ars nihil est
"without knowledge, skill is nothing"
Motto of The International Diving Society.
sit venia verbo
"may there be forgiveness for the word"
Similar to the English idiom "pardon my French".
sola fide
"by faith alone"
The material principle of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas , referring to the Protestant claim that the Bible teaches that men are saved by faith even without works.
sola gratia
"by grace alone"
A motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas , referring to the Protestant claim that salvation is an unearned gift (cf. ex gratia), not a direct result of merit .
Sola lingua bona est lingua mortua
"the only good language is a dead language"
sola scriptura
"by scripture alone"
The formal principle of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas , referring to the Protestant idea that the Bible alone is the ultimate authority, not the pope or tradition .
soli Deo gloria
(S.D.G.)
"glory to God alone"
A motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas , referring to the idea that God is the creator of all good things and deserves all the praise for them. Johann Sebastian Bach often signed his manuscripts with the abbreviation
S.D.G.
to invoke this phrase, as well as with
AMDG
"hope is the anchor of [my] life"
Motto of the Doran family.
spiritus mundi
"spirit of the world"
From The Second Coming (poem) by William Butler Yeats . Refers to Yeats' belief that each human mind is linked to a single vast intelligence, and that this intelligence causes certain universal symbols to appear in individual minds. The idea is similar to Carl Jung 's concept of the collective unconscious .
spiritus ubi vult spirat
"the spirit spreads wherever it wants"
From El espiritu donde quiera se infunde by Fernando Porturas ( http://www.cayetano-pae.org/Spiritus.htm ). Refers to The Gospel of Saint John, where he mentions how Jesus told Nicodemus "The wind blows wherever it wants, and even though you can hear its noise, you don't know where it comes from or where it goes. The same thing happens to whomever has been born of the Spirit". It is the motto of Cayetano Heredia University .
splendor sine occasu
Loosely "splendour without diminishment" or "magnificence without ruin". Motto of British Columbia .
stamus contra malo
"we stand against by evil"
The motto of the Jungle Patrol in The Phantom . The phrase actually violates Latin grammar because of a mistranslation from English, as the preposition contra takes the accusative case . The correct Latin rendering of "we stand against evil" would be "stamus contra malum".
stante pede
Less literally, "in the strict sense".
stupor mundi
"the wonder of the world"
The title by which Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor , was known. More literally translated "the bewilderment of the world", or, in its original, pre- Medieval sense, "the stupidity of the world".
sua sponte
Motto of the U.S. Army Rangers . Also a legal term .
Sub Cruce Lumen
"The Light Under the Cross"
Motto of the University of Adelaide , Australia. Refers to the figurative "light of learning" and the Southern Cross constellation, Crux .
sub judice
"under a judge"
sub poena
"under penalty"
Commonly rendered subpoena. Said of a request, usually by a court, that must be complied with on pain of punishment. Examples include subpoena duces tecum ("take with you under penalty"), a court summons to appear and produce tangible evidence, and subpoena ad testificandum ("under penalty to testify"), a summons to appear and give oral testimony.
sub rosa
"under the rose"
"In secret", "privately", "confidentially" or "covertly". In the Middle Ages , a rose was suspended from the ceiling of a council chamber to indicate that what was said in the "under the rose" was not to be repeated outside. This practice originates in Greek mythology, where Aphrodite gave a rose to her son Eros , and he, in turn, gave it to Harpocrates , the god of silence, to ensure that his mother's indiscretions—or those of the gods in general, in other accounts—were kept under wraps.
sub specie aeternitatis
"under the sight of eternity"
Thus, "from eternity's point of view". From Spinoza , Ethics.
sub verbo; sub voce
Literally "highest good". Also summum malum ("the supreme evil").
sunt lacrimae rerum
"there are tears for things"
From Virgil , Aeneid . Followed by et mentem mortalia tangunt ("and mortal things touch my mind"). Aeneas cries as he sees Carthaginian temple murals depicting the deaths of the Trojan War . See also hinc illae lacrimae.
sunt omnes unum
suo jure
"in one's own right"
Used in the context of titles of nobility , for instance where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage.
suo moto
"upon one's own initiative"
Also rendered suo motu. Usually used when a court of law, upon its own initiative, (i.e., no petition has been filed) proceeds against a person or authority that it deems has committed an illegal act. It is used chiefly in South Asia .
supero omnia
A declaration that one succeeds above all others.
surgam
terra nova
"new land"
Also latin name of Newfoundland (island portion of Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador , capital- St. John's ), also root of French name of same, Terre-Neuve
terra nullius
"land of none"
That is, no man's land . A neutral or uninhabited area, or a land not under the sovereignty of any recognized political entity.
terras irradient
"let them illuminate the lands"
Or "let them give light to the world". An allusion to Isaiah 6.3: plena est omnis terra gloria eius ("the whole earth is full of his glory"). Sometimes mistranslated as "they will illuminate the lands" based on mistaking irradiare for a future indicative third- conjugation verb, whereas it is actually a present subjunctive first-conjugation verb. Motto of Amherst College ; the college's original mission was to educate young men to serve God.
tertium non datur
"a third is not given"
A logical axiom that a claim is either true or false, with no third option.
tertium quid
"a third something"
1. Something that cannot be classified into either of two groups considered exhaustive; an intermediate thing or factor. 2. A third person or thing of indeterminate character.
timeo Danaos et dona ferentes
"I fear Greeks, even bearing gifts"
Danaos being a term for the Greeks . In Virgil 's Aeneid , II, 49, the phrase is said by Laocoön when warning his fellow Trojans against accepting the Trojan Horse . The full original quote is quidquid id est timeo Danaos et dona ferentis, quidquid id est meaning "whatever it is" and ferentis being an archaic form of ferentes. Commonly mistranslated "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts".
timidi mater non flet
"A coward's mother does not weep"
A Latin proverb . Occasionally appears on loading screens in the game Rome: Total War .
timor mortis conturbat me
"the fear of death confounds me"
A Latin refrain originating in the response to the seventh lesson in the Office of the Dead . In the Middle Ages , this service was read each day by clerics . As a refrain, it appears also in other poems and can frequently be found inscribed on tombs.
translatio imperii
"transfer of rule"
Used to express the belief in the transfer of imperial authority from the Roman Empire of antiquity to the Medieval Holy Roman Empire .
Treuga Dei
"Truce of God"
A decree by the medieval Church that all feuds should be cancelled during the Sabbath —effectively from Wednesday or Thursday night until Monday. See also Peace and Truce of God .
tu autem
"you indeed"
Also "even you" or "yes, you", in response to a person's belief that he will never die. A memento mori epitaph .
tu autem domine miserere nobis
"But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us"
Phrase said at the end of biblical readings in the liturgy of the medieval church.
tu fui ego eris
"I was you; you will be me"
Thus, "what you are, I was; what I am, you will be.". A memento mori gravestone inscription to remind the reader that death is unavoidable (cf. sum quod eris).
tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito
"you should not give in to evils, but proceed ever more boldly against them"
From Virgil , Aeneid , 6, 95.
tu quoque
"you too"
The logical fallacy of attempting to defend one's position merely by pointing out the same weakness in one's opponent. If a politician is criticized for advocating an inadequately-funded plan, and replies that his or her opponent's plan is equally inadequately funded, this is a 'tu quoque' argument: undermining the counterproposal on the same basis does not make the original plan any more satisfactory. Tu quoque may also refer to a "hypocrisy" argument, a form of ad hominem where a claim is dismissed as untrue on the basis that the claimant has contradicted his own advice. While contradiction may make the claimant's argument unsound, it does necessarily not make his claims untrue. It comes from the supposed last words of Julius Caesaer (" Et tu, Brute? ")
tuebor
"where [it is] well, there [is] the fatherland"
Or "where I prosper, there is my country". Patriotic motto.
ubi caritas et amor Deus ibi est
"where there is charity and love, God is there"
ubi mel ibi apes
"where [there is] honey, there [are] bees"
ubi dubium ibi libertas
"where [there is] doubt, there [is] freedom"
Anonymous proverb.
"Where [there is] a right, there [is] a remedy"
ubi non accusator ibi non iudex
"where [there is] no accuser, there [is] no judge"
Thus, there can be no judgement or case if no one charges a defendant with a crime. The phrase is sometimes parodied as "where there are no police, there is no speed limit".
ubi re vera
"when, in a true thing"
Or "whereas, in reality..." Also rendered ubi revera ("when, in fact" or "when, actually").
ubi solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant
"when they make a wasteland, they call it peace"
ubi sunt
"where are they?"
Nostalgic theme of poems yearning for days gone by. From the line ubi sunt qui ante nos fuerunt ("Where are they, those who have gone before us?").
una salus victis nullam sperare salutem
"the only safety for the conquered is to hope for no safety"
Less literally, "the only safe bet for the vanquished is to expect no safety". Preceded by moriamur et in media arma ruamus ("let us die even as we rush into the midst of battle") in Virgil 's Aeneid , book 2, lines 353–354. Used in Tom Clancy 's novel Without Remorse , where character Clark translates it as "the one hope of the doomed is not to hope for safety".
ultimo mense
Urbi et Orbi
"To the City and the Circle [of the lands]"
Meaning "To Rome and the World". A standard opening of Roman proclamations. Also a traditional blessing by the pope .
Urbs in Horto
Motto of the City of Chicago .
Usus magister est optimus
ut biberent quoniam esse nollent
"so that they might drink, since they refused to eat"
Also rendered with quando ("when") in place of quoniam. From a story by Suetonius (Vit. Tib., 2.2) and Cicero (De Natura Deorum, 2.3). The phrase was said by Roman admiral Publius Claudius Pulcher right before the battle of Drepana , as he threw overboard the sacred chickens which had refused to eat the grain offered them—an unwelcome omen of bad luck. Thus, the sense is, "if they do not perform as expected, they must suffer the consequences".
ut incepit fidelis sic permanet
"as she began loyal, so she persists"
Thus, the state remains as loyal as ever. Motto of Ontario .
ut desint vires tamen est laudanda voluntas
"though the power be lacking, the will is to be praised all the same"
From Ovid , Epistulae ex Ponto (III, 4, 79).
ut infra
A vade-mecum or vademecum is an item one carries around, especially a handbook.
vade retro Satana
"Go back, Satan !"
An exhortation for Satan to begone, often used in response to temptation . From a popular Medieval Catholic exorcism formula, based on a rebuke by Jesus to Peter in the Vulgate , Mark 8:33: vade retro me Satana ("step back from me, Satan!"). The older phrase vade retro ("go back!") can be found in Terence 's Formio I, 4, 203.
vae victis
"Woe to the conquered!"
Attributed by Livy to Brennus , the chief of the Gauls , while he demanded more gold from the citizens of the recently-sacked Rome in 390 BC.
vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas
"vanity of vanities; everything [is] vanity"
More simply, "vanity, vanity, everything vanity". From the Vulgate , Ecclesiastes , 1:2.
vaticinium ex eventu
"prophecy from the event"
A prophecy made to look as though it was written before the events it describes, while in fact being written afterwards.
vel non
"or not"
Summary of alternatives, ie. "this action turns upon whether the claimant was the deceased's grandson vel non."
velocius quam asparagi coquantur
"more rapidly than asparagus will be cooked"
Or simply "faster than cooking asparagus". Ascribed to Augustus by Suetonius (The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Book 2 (Augustus), para. 87). Can refer to anything done very quickly. A very common variant is celerius quam asparagi cocuntur ("more swiftly than asparagus is cooked").
veni, vidi, vici
"I came, I saw, I conquered"
The text message sent by Julius Caesar to the Roman Senate to describe his battle against King Pharnaces II near Zela in 47 BC. Sometimes used by magicians as a catch phrase similar to abracadabra in completing a performance.
"I came, I saw, I went"
vera causa
"true cause"
verba ita sunt intelligenda ut res magis valeat quam pereat
"words are to be understood such that the subject matter may be more effective than wasted"
A legal maxim.
"words fly away, writings remain"
verbatim et litteratim
"word by word and letter by letter"
Verbi divini minister
"servant of the divine Word"
A priest (cf. Verbum Dei).
Verbum Dei
vi veri universum vivus vici
"by the power of truth, I, a living man, have conquered the universe"
From Christopher Marlowe 's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus . Note that v was originally the consonantal u , and was written the same before the two forms became distinct, and also after in many cases, when u and v were both capitalized as V: thus, Vniversum. Also, universum is sometimes quoted with the form ueniversum (or Veniversum), which is presumably a combination of universum and oeniversum, two classically-attested spellings). Recently quoted in the film, V for Vendetta, by the main character, V.
via
Thus, "by way of" or "by means of".
I'll contact you via e-mail.
via media
"middle road"
The Anglican Communion has claimed to be a via media between the errors of the Roman Catholic Church and the extremes of Protestantism . Can also refer to the radical middle political stance.
via, veritas, vitae
The motto of the University of Glasgow .
vice versa
"with position turned"
Thus, "the other way around", "conversely", etc. Historically, vice is more properly pronounced as two syllables, but the one-syllable pronunciation is extremely common.
victoria aut mors
See aut vincere aut mori.
victoria concordia crescit
The official club motto of Arsenal FC.
victrix causa diis placuit sed victa Catoni
"the victorious cause pleased the gods, but the conquered cause pleased Cato "
Lucanus , Pharsalia 1, 128. Dedication on the south side of the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery .
vide infra
Vive ut vivas
"live so that you may live"
The phrase essentially means that one should live life to the fullest and without fear of a possible future consequence.
vocatus atque non vocatus Deus aderit
"called and not called, God will be present", or "called and even not called, God approaches"
Attributed to the Oracle at Delphi . Used by Carl Jung as a personal motto adorning his home and grave.
volenti non fit injuria
"to one willing, no harm is done" or "to he who consents, no harm is done
used in tort law to delineate the principle that one cannot be held liable for injuries inflicted on an individual who has given his consent to the action that gave rise to the injury.
votum separatum
An independent, minority voice.
vox clamantis in deserto
"the voice of one shouting in the desert" (or, traditionally, "the voice of one crying in the wilderness")
From Isaiah 40, and quoted by John the Baptist in the Gospels . Usually the "voice" is assumed to be shouting in vain, unheeded by the surrounding wilderness. However, in this phrase's use as the motto of Dartmouth College , it is taken to denote an isolated beacon of education and culture in the "wilderness" of New Hampshire .
vox nihili
vox populi
"voice of the people"
Sometimes extended to vox populi vox Dei ("the voice of the people [is] the voice of God"). In its original context, the extended version means the opposite of what it's frequently taken to mean: the source is usually given as the monk Alcuin , who advised Charlemagne that nec audiendi qui solent dicere vox populi vox Dei quum tumultuositas vulgi semper insaniae proxima sit, meaning "And those people should not be listened to who keep saying, 'The voice of the people [is] the voice of God,' since the riotousness of the crowd is always very close to madness." (Works, Letter 164)
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i don't know
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Where in the human body is the sacrum bone?
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Sacrum - Anatomy Pictures and Information
Home > Skeletal System > Spine > Sacrum
Sacrum
The sacrum is a large wedge shaped vertebra at the inferior end of the spine. It forms the solid base of the spinal column where it intersects with the hip bones to form the pelvis. The sacrum is a very strong bone that supports the weight of the upper body as it is spread across the pelvis and into the legs. Developmentally, the sacrum forms from five individual vertebrae that start to join during late adolescence and early adulthood to form a single bone by around the age of thirty....
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Full Sacrum Description
[Continued from above] . . . A ridge of tubercles along the posterior surface of the sacrum represents the spinous processes of these fused bones.
At its wide superior end, the sacrum forms the fibrocartilaginous lumbosacral joint with the fifth lumbar vertebra above it. The sacrum tapers to a point at its inferior end, where it forms the fibrocartilaginous sacrococcygeal joint with the tiny coccyx (tail bone). On the left and right lateral sides the sacrum forms the sacroiliac joints with the ilium of the hip bones to form the rigid pelvis. Many ligaments bind the sacroiliac joints together tightly to reduce motion and solidify the pelvis. Along its anterior surface the sacrum is concave to provide a larger space within the pelvic cavity. The female sacrum is shorter, wider, and curved more posteriorly than the male sacrum to provide more room for the passage of the fetus through the birth canal during childbirth.
Many nerves of the cauda equina at the inferior end of the spinal cord pass through the sacrum. These nerves enter the sacrum from the vertebral foramen of the lumbar vertebrae through the tunnel-like sacral canal. From the sacral canal these nerves branch out and exit the sacrum through four pairs of holes on the sides of the canal called the sacral foramina or through the sacral hiatus at the inferior end of the canal.
The sacrum serves several important functions in the skeletal, muscular, nervous, and female reproductive systems. Acting as the keystone of the pelvis, the sacrum locks the hip bones together on the posterior side and supports the base of the spinal column as it intersects with the pelvis. Several key muscles of the hip joint, including the gluteus maximus, iliacus and piriformis, have their origins on the surface of the sacrum and pull on the sacrum to move the leg. The sacrum also surrounds and protects the spinal nerves of the lower back as they wind their way inferiorly toward the end of the trunk and into the legs. Finally, the sacrum helps to form the pelvic cavity that supports and protects the delicate organs of the abdominopelvic cavity and provides space for a fetus to pass through during childbirth.
Prepared by Tim Taylor, Anatomy and Physiology Instructor
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Pelvis
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Pangaea, Laurasia and Gondwana are?
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Pelvis Anatomy & Diagram | Body Maps
Written and medically reviewed by the Healthline Editorial Team
Co-developed by:
In Depth: Pelvis
The pelvic region is the area between the trunk — or main body — and the lower extremities, or legs.
The female pelvis is morphologically different (different in form) from a male’s but most of the differences are not apparent until puberty. The pelvic bones are larger and broader as they have evolved to create a larger space for childbirth.
The most noticeable differences are the width of the pubic outlet, the circular hole in the middle of the pelvic bones, and the width of the pubic arch, or the space under the base of the pelvis.
The bones of the pelvis are the hip bones, sacrum, and coccyx. Each hip bone contains three bones — the ilium, ischium, and pubis — that fuse together as we grow older. The sacrum, five fused vertebral bones, joins the pelvis between the crests of the ilium. Below the sacrum is the coccyx, or tailbone, a section of fused bone that is the end of the vertebral column. The pelvis forms the base of the spine as well as the socket of the hip joint.
The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint created by the femur and a part of the pelvis called the acetabulum. This joint and its ability to rotate in many angles is one of many pieces of anatomy that allows humans to walk.
The external female genitals include the vaginal opening, clitoris, urethra, labia minora, and labia majora. Collectively, these parts are called the vulva.
The vaginal opening is also home to the urethra, the tube through which the body expels urine. It is an extension of the ureters, or tubes that deliver urine from the bladder. The bladder is situated below the uterus.
The uterus is a pear-shaped, hollow organ where a fetus would develop prior to being born. Eggs, the female reproductive cells, are produced in the ovaries. A tube leads from each ovary to the uterus. These tubes are called the oviducts, or fallopian tubes.
The pelvic region also holds several digestive organs. These include the large intestine and small intestine. Both are vital to digesting food and expelling solid waste. The large intestine ends in the rear of the pelvis at the anus, a sphincter muscle that controls the disposal of solid waste.
The intestines are supported by a series of muscles known as the pelvic floor. These muscles also help the anus function and help push a baby through the vaginal opening during childbirth.
Debugging Tools
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i don't know
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The metric prefix nano means 10 to the power of?
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Definitions of the SI units: The twenty SI prefixes
Consider the earlier example of the height of the Washington Monument. We may write
hW = 169 000 mm = 16 900 cm = 169 m = 0.169 km
using the millimeter (SI prefix milli, symbol m), centimeter (SI prefix centi, symbol c), or kilometer (SI prefix kilo, symbol k).
Because the SI prefixes strictly represent powers of 10, they should not be used to represent powers of 2. Thus, one kilobit, or 1 kbit, is 1000 bit and not
210 bit = 1024 bit.
To alleviate this ambiguity, prefixes for binary multiples have been adopted by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for use in information technology.
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0.999...
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In what language do the words 'beminnen', 'ja', and 'zon', mean 'love', 'yes', and 'sun'?
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Units: Metric Prefixes
Using the Dictionary
Metric Prefixes
To help the SI units apply to a wide range of phenomena, the 19th General Conference on Weights and Measures in 1991 extended the list of metric prefixes so that it reaches from yotta- at 1024 (one septillion) to yocto- at 10-24 (one septillionth). Here are the metric prefixes, with their numerical equivalents stated in the American system for naming large numbers :
yotta- (Y-)
Notes:
I am often asked about prefixes for other multiples, such as 104, 105, 10-4, and 10-5. The prefix myria- (my-) was formerly used for 104, but it is now considered obsolete and it is not accepted in the SI. To the best of my knowledge, no prefixes were ever accepted generally for 105, 10-4, or 10-5.
There is a widespread misconception that prefixes for positive powers of ten are all capitalized, leading to the use of K- for kilo- and D- for deca-. Although this does seem like a useful idea, it is not correct.
**The SI Brochure spelling of this prefix is deca-, but the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommends deka-. National variations in spelling of the prefixes are allowed by the SI . In Italian, for example, hecto- is spelled etto- and kilo- is spelled chilo-. The symbols, however, are the same in all languages, so dam (not dkm) is the symbol for the dekameter and km is the symbol for the Italian chilometro.
The prefixes hecto-, deka-, deci-, and centi- are widely used in everyday life but are generally avoided in scientific work. Contrary to the belief of some scientists, however, the SI does allow use of these prefixes.
The last letter of a prefix is often omitted if the first letter of the unit name is a vowel, causing the combination to be hard to pronounce otherwise. Thus 100 ares is a hectare and 1 million ohms is a megohm. However, the last letter of the prefix is not omitted if pronunciation is not a problem, as in the case of the milliampere. The letter "l" is sometimes added to prefixes before the erg, so 1 million ergs is a megalerg (sounds odd, but better than "megerg").
Binary prefixes
In computing, a custom arose of using the metric prefixes to specify powers of 2. For example, a kilobit is usually 210 = 1024 bits instead of 1000 bits. This practice leads to considerable confusion. In an effort to eliminate this confusion, in 1998 the International Electrotechnical Commission approved new prefixes for the powers of 2. These prefixes are as follows:
kibi-
Ei-
260 = 1 152 921 504 606 846 976
The Commission's ruling is that the metric prefixes should be used in computing just as they are used in other fields. Thus, 5 gigabytes (GB) should mean exactly 5 000 000 000 bytes, and 5 gibibytes (GiB) should mean exactly 5 368 709 120 bytes.
The fate of this innovation is uncertain. So far, very few people are using the IEC binary prefixes. Searches for them on the Internet turn up, for the most part, complaints by people who don't want to use them.
Return to the Dictionary Contents page .
You are welcome to email the author ([email protected]) with comments and suggestions.
All material in this folder is copyright © 2005 by Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Permission is granted for personal use and for use by individual teachers in conducting their own classes. All other rights reserved. You are welcome to make links to this page, but please do not copy the contents of any page in this folder to another site. The material at this site will be updated from time to time.
April 16, 2005
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i don't know
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Pinniped refers to a mammal with feet which are what?
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The Marine Mammal Center : Pinnipeds
Sea Otter
The Pinnipeds: Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses
The word pinniped means fin or flipper-footed and refers to the marine mammals that have front and rear flippers. This group includes seals, sea lions, and walruses. These animals live in the ocean but are able to come on land for long periods of time. Millions of years ago, the ancestors of pinnipeds lived on land. These were probably weasel or bear-like animals that spent more and more time in the ocean and eventually adapted to this marine environment. There are three families of pinnipeds: phocids (seals), otariids (sea lions) and odobenids (walruses).
Earless Seals or True Seals
Phocids are sometimes referred to as earless seals or true seals and can easily be identified by looking at their ears and flippers. They have ear holes but no external ear flaps. They also have small front flippers and move on land by flopping along on their bellies. At sea, true seals move their rear flippers back and forth like a fish's tail to propel themselves through the water.
Eared Seals
Another family of pinnipeds are the otariids, sometimes referred to as eared seals. This family includes sea lions and fur seals. You can recognize these animals by their flippers and ears. Unlike true seals, they have external ear flaps. Their front flippers are large, and on land they are able to bring all four flippers underneath their bodies and walk on them. In the water, they swim using their front flippers like oars.
Fur seals, in spite of having the word “seal” in their name, are actually closely related to sea lions. They have longer flippers than sea lions, along with a rich luxuriant coat of fur that was so prized by hunters that it brought them to the brink of extinction in the 19th century.
Walruses
The third family of pinnipeds is the walrus (odobenids). Both males and females have tusks and vacuum-like mouths for sucking up shellfish from the ocean floor. They have air sacs in their neck that can inflate to allow them to float as if they were wearing life preservers. Walruses are one of the largest pinnipeds, with males reaching over 3,000 pounds (1,360 kg). They live in the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in the arctic region. Walruses are protected under U.S. and Canadian laws, but limited hunting by the Inuit people is allowed.
The Pinnipeds of the California Coast
There are 34 extant species of pinnipeds in the world today, including 16 species of eared seals and 18 species of true seals. The following six species of pinnipeds can be found along the California coast:
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Fin
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What country's 1931 flood is considered to be the most fatal of all 1900s natural disasters?
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Pinniped | Define Pinniped at Dictionary.com
pinniped
adjective
1.
belonging to the Pinnipedia, a suborder of carnivores with limbs adapted to an aquatic life, including the seals and walruses.
noun
1835-45; < New Latin Pinnipedia. See pinna , -i- , -ped , -ia
Related forms
[pin-uh-pee-dee-uh n] /ˌpɪn əˈpi di ən/ (Show IPA), adjective, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
British Dictionary definitions for pinniped
Expand
adjective
1.
of, relating to, or belonging to the Pinnipedia, an order of aquatic placental mammals having a streamlined body and limbs specialized as flippers: includes seals, sea lions, and the walrus
noun
C19: from New Latin pinnipēs, from Latin pinna feather, fin + pēs foot
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for pinniped
Expand
n.
1842, from Modern Latin Pinnipedia, suborder of aquatic carnivorous mammals (seals and walruses), literally "having feet as fins," from Latin pinna in secondary sense "fin" (see pin (n.)) + pes, genitive pedis "foot" (see foot (n.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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i don't know
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Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo is better known by what brand name?
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"Humpbacked" Zaporozhets or "The Spanish miracle"?
"Humpbacked" Zaporozhets or "The Spanish miracle"?
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3 July 2014 09:35
In an automobile history it is considered to be date of basis of the Spanish brand of SEAT May, 1950, however the little know that actually the history of the Spanish car began for nearly ten years earlier. Let's remember together how this brand developed the last 60 years!
So looks the main plant SEAT now
At sources
1940, the initiative group of companies and banks where in particular Hispano-Suiza entered also, created "Iberian society of cars for tourism" (Sociedad Iberica de Automoviles de Turismo), and in abbreviated form SIAT. In plans was to create mass production of cars, being guided by requirements of that time. But these plans weren't fated to come true after World War II such plans were simply very heavy for, generally - that, rather poor and order of the shabby country.
SIAT went only true for such a case by - started looking for the large investor. Later, by the way, its way repeated the Soviet VAZ. In both cases the FIAT concern, by 1950 quite strong standing on the feet became this partner. So in the world automobile industry there was one more brand - S.E.A.T. (Sociedad Espanola de Automoviles de Turismo - i.e. not Iberian, but already Spanish society).
SEAT 1400 - the first-born of brand
On plant construction in a special port free trade zone of Zona Franco near Barcelona about three years left. And here, in November, 1953, its gate were left by the first car - SEAT 1400. Certainly, it was entirely the FIAT model which only had the logos.
The relationship with FIAT was registered even on a logo
First models and automobilization of the country
By the time of official opening of plant (1955), seven thousand cars descended from the conveyor already. Further the pace continued to be increased. But for rather poor Spaniards the 4-dverny sedan with the engine on 50 h.p. was the luxury car. For a people at large more available car was required.
And it appeared in 1957! Small SEAT 600 (in length the car hardly exceeded 3 meters) so pleased to Spaniards that became not only the cult car, but also promoted automobilization of the country and even the beginning of the Spanish economic boom which is also known in economy under the name "Spanish Miracle"! Simple, reliable and the most important the inexpensive car was so popular in the country that by the beginning 70-x a quarter of vehicle fleet of the country consisted of "six-hundredth". I can't but note that this kid excellent a sign and to our motorists. You learn? Same legendary "humpbacked" Zaporozhets!
And SEAT decided to increase meanwhile 600, having turned it into a 4-dverny hatch-back. The extended kid who has received an index 800, looked very amusingly, but nevertheless not bad was on sale all the time of the production from 1963 to 1968. And still "eight-hundredth" can be considered as the first independent development of SEAT.
However, not minicars uniform the Spanish SEAT was live. In the same 1963 serial release of model 1500 which became logical continuation of the first-born of brand 1400 begins. It was the full-fledged midsize sedan added soon and a body the station wagon.
SEAT 1500
Well and the second half of the sixtieth years in general became rich in epoch-making events for brand. In 1964 of SEAT gets over in a staff - the apartment in Madrid, in 1966 mass-produce SEAT 850 in different bodies, including a cabriolet. Deliveries of lots of cars to Colombia, Argentina, Mexico and even Finland were arranged!
Same year the model range of brand replenishes with the first sports car in a compartment body - SEAT 850 Sport. To modern measures it there was the real minicar, after all the volume of its engine made only 0,9 liters and developed 52 h.p. But I allowed to tell small dimensions and small weight about some dynamics.
A year later, in 1968, mass-produce SEAT 124, year earlier won the title "Car of Year" as... correctly, FIAT 124! As all know, the same model in some years began to be issued on Volzhsk automobile works in the USSR under the 2101 index and laid the foundation for the whole family of "Zhiguli". But it already another story altogether. And in Spain production of a spacious and modern sedan very quickly began to come nearer to a mark of 200.000 cars in a year. And same year SEAT celebrated anniversary - the million car descended from the conveyor.124 model receives meanwhile a beautiful body of a compartment, and under an index 1430 start selling the improved version of a sedan (something it seems VAZ-2103).
Course on sports!
On a threshold 70-x years the firm management seriously reflects on development of two directions: release of own cars and participation in autosports competitions. The SEAT 1200 model in a compartment body became the first child of neogenic division. Her debut took place in 1975, and start in a series - in 1976.
SEAT 1200 compartment - the first child of office of SEAT Sport
From - for facings of a front of black color (it was from plastic), 1200-I received the nickname Boca Negra ("A black mouth" - исп. ) which became subsequently an official prefix in the name of the loaded models. Though actually the carrier of this nickname neither a menacing look, nor super characteristics (77 h.p. and 160 km/h of "maksimalka") didn't differ.
In 1974 in work the plant enters Martorele and same year SEAT notes release 2 - the million car. It allows the company to take the 8th position in ten the largest car makers of Europe. Pay attention that the sports bias even already is at that time felt by production of the borrowed models, and the prefix of Sport flashes even more often. For strengthening of this image Seat goes to the ralliyny tracks that will try forces with coryphaeuses of an auto racing. The loud debut in the WRC series took place in 1977 where specially prepared sedan 1430 managed to enter the three of prize-winners on Monte's prestigious rally - Carlo.
In too year release of the three-door hatch-back 128 created by own forces of the company was begun. The philosophy of model was based on three aspects: physicality, versatility and design. It first of all was addressed to young buyers, but commercial success didn't make. Crisis times in the country didn't promote richness of youth. And 128-more I became the latest model which has received a digital index. After it SEAT passed to nominal designations.
SEAT 128 - a latest model with a digital index
By the end 70-x the Spanish producer expands a model ruler with an interesting novelty of Ritmo - a five-door hatch-back with innovative design and equipment. It becomes the most sold SEAT model and sets the tone for future models of the next decade.But you shouldn't think that in SEAT scale for that time there were only small avtomobilchik and the cars gravitating on the appearance to sporty coupes. In its arsenal there was an average sedan 131 and more representative zadneprivodny 132 which were issued in the late seventies the beginning of the eightieth years.
In parallel with it technical capabilities are increased also. So, SEAT starts own production of transmissions and differentials. And petrol motors even more often are inferior podkapotny space to diesel colleagues. Therefore even despite crisis, Spaniards manage to step 3 - over a million mark in production.
Gap about FIAT and new partnership
But in 1980 for the company hard times came. The government of Spain to which SEAT is under control, begins serious negotiations with the main investor - the Italian FIAT - about increase in the size of investments. In turn, fiatovets aren't ready to such turn of events and simply have no opportunity for serious monetary injections. Two-year prepiraniye ended with a rupture of the relations in 1982, after more than 30 years of effective cooperation.
Certainly, SEAT couldn't replace at once all the models which by and large were Fiat, with something own development. Therefore part release from them after 1982 stopped (a sedan 132), and the others were turned and called other names. Such fate comprehended 127, become to Fura, Ritmo which has turned into Ronda and 131, become Malaga. And only the kid of Panda held on more long than others, to 1985, having become subsequently Marbella. By the way, "smallest" received honor to be let out for garage of the Pope. Certainly, in seriously modernized look and in the single copy. And not to become dusty among other "gifts" and to be used directly! During visit to Spain in 1982, the pontiff used this Popemobile.
SEAT Ronda - restyling Ritmo
However, Spaniards not for long grieved. And if to be exact, didn't grieve at all, and in the same 1982 signed the partner agreement with Volkswagen concern as a part of which stay still. For the Spaniard who has remained in proud loneliness the whole fight because Japanese applied for it "a hand and heart" - Nissan also, by Toyota and Mitsubishi was developed. Separately, certainly.But Germans appeared more persistent and managed to offer more favorable conditions. Initially Germans got SEAT controlling stake, and by 90th year completely redeemed a brand to itself. We will note that fidelity of the German calculation completely came true - SEAT not only started making profit, but also became an excellent inexpensive platform for release of the Volkswagen models.
SEAT Ibiza became the companybest-seller
Right after the conclusion of the transaction at capacities of SEAT Passat release (in Spain Santana) and Polo (according to Derby) is adjusted. Well and SEAT starts in production one of the most successful models - Ibiza (1984). Except actually SEAT, Italdesign, Karmann and even Porsche are involved in creation of future best-seller. They were responsible for design, production and motors with transmissions respectively. To be fair It should be noted that Ibiza was all - own development of the company, and partners only helped in some directions. Compact outside, but thus spacious inside, Ibiza was offered 3-door, and с1986 years and 5-door with motors from 1.2 to 1.7 liters. The model became real "hit", having held on on the conveyor nearly ten years and having dispersed with the circulation of 1.3 million cars. And for export the car left as it is good, as well as on the house market. It helped SEAT to keep afloat, after all its model range in the middle of 80-x was modest: kid of Marbella (the former Panda), actually Ibiza and already elderly sedan of Malaga.
During production Ibiza I acquired a set of versions, but the most interesting we would call the 100-strong turbirovanny SXi version (1988) which can safely be considered as a harbinger of the loaded Spanish hatchbacks. And the "Olympic" version issued in exactly to the Olympic Games-1992 in Barcelona became a final chord after alternation of generations. Ibiza then became the official car of action.
Under Volkswagenwing
At the beginning of 90-x on change of laid-off Malaga and to the remained model range lends a hand лифтбек to Toledo. And though it was developed by SEAT and Volkswagen separately from other models, from now on many German development and components begin will take root in the Spanish cars more and more. So, for example, Toledo already used the A2 platform on which Golf of the second generation was constructed. But Spaniards by all means tried to bring the highlight which was generally expressed in design.The same Toledo of the first generation had a body лифтбек though externally I gave out myself for a sedan. The model was offered with engines from 1.6 to 2.0 liters and with power from 70 to 140 h.p.
SEAT Toledo I
1993 was marked by an exit of the second generation of Ibiza and opening of modern plant in Martorel, capable to let out two thousand cars per day. And though SEAT for that time entirely belonged to Volkswagen concern, on a ceremony there arrived the king of Spain Juan Carlos I. As before, Ibiza is issued in a body a hatch-back, and Spaniards give to a sedan own name Cordoba, expanding thus a model range. There will be also a Cordoba Vario station wagon a bit later. The model constructed on the Polo platform, continues success of the predecessor and remains to one of leaders in a class.
And rates of release don't stand still, having reached by 1995 of an anniversary point of 10 million cars. SEAT Toledo became memorable model. Same year debuts big 7 - local miniveins Alhambra created in cooperation in Volkswagen and Ford. At the same time with this SEAT becomes more active on the sports arena. Rallies, and then ring races are chosen as the main disciplines. In the 96th year the prototype of SEAT Ibiza Kit Car wins the WRC championship in the class, in the next two years confirming domination by two more titles.
Ibiza shone and on the ralliynykh routes
Then fighting Ibiza gives way specially constructed and omologirovanny for the Cordoba WRC championship. But soon in the management of sports division understand that to this race car very difficult adequately to resist to competitors and decide to curtail the ralliyny program, having passed into the ring WTCC Championship at the beginning of 2000-x.
1997 in mass-produce mini - Arosa hatch-back (the twin of Volkswagen Lupo) which replaces frankly outdated Marbella (Panda) on a post. Together with the termination of its release the oldest plant SEAT in Zona Franca stops also. This sign event marks final end "FIAT eras".
But the destiny is whimsical and ironic - in 1999 the chief comes to SEAT - the designer Walter de Silva who will define subsequently stylistics of all model range. Before the maestro de Silva worked where you would think? Correctly, in FIAT concern! Its feather, to be exact pencil possess shape of such models, as Alfa Romeo 145, 156 and 147.Well and the first child in SEAT there was the third generation of Ibiza which has seen the world in 2002.
SEAT Ibiza III - the first model drawn with Walter de Silva
And here the second generation of Toledo debuted earlier (1998) therefore her design authorship belongs to Dzhordzhetto Giugiaro (and again the Italian working including for FIAT concern! ). The model lost the charisma лифтбека, having turned into a classical sedan. But with it Spaniards did the same focus, as well as not so long ago with Ibiza, only on the contrary: except a sedan created also a hatch-back, but named it other name, Leon (1999). This year can be considered also sign for fans of "charged" civil SEATs. In the end of release of the second generation, Ibiza received the loaded modification of Cupra with a power of 155 h.p. And there was already Cupra R to 180 h.p. a year later! Subsequently Cupra and Cupra R versions appeared and at the Leon model. And in 1999 on the Geneva motor show the company presented a new logo.
On the verge of the millennia of SEAT celebrates the 50 - summer anniversary and shows new image of brand which consists in cardinal change of style, but not ideologies. Cars with a letter S on a front grille on - former are addressed to audience young and esteeming sports. For this reason in 2002, by internal reorganization the brand of SEAT gets to one division with Audi and Lamborghini. In the next two years Spaniards give out the whole trio of novelties on the mountain: Leon and Toledo are issued in new generations, and in a class of family cars debuts the Altea model. Later few years it will grow up to Altea XL, and in 2007 will receive off-road modification of Altea Freetrack.
And here the kid of Arosa, on the contrary, leaves the market (2004). For that time such models weren't so strongly demanded yet therefore the company returned to its release only in 2011 with the beginner of Mii. Toledo which for that time was a leader of brand was the most courageous of debutants unambiguously. From - for the courageous design - mostly sterns with a rack inclined in the opposite direction - it were heavy to be classified by body type, and on the majority of the markets buyers didn't maintain a purse such original style. Though in the itself model was quite successful. Anyway, its production curtailed, having started realizing new ideas.
SEAT Toledo of the third generation was very extravagant
And here Leon got to color! The beautiful and dynamic hatch-back represented modern SEAT and therefore very quickly I found buyers. Especially as engineers constantly added fuel to the fire, issuing more and more loaded versions, and achievements in WTCC only urged on interest. Power of civil cars brought to 286 h.p. (Copa Edition), and the special limited Cupra 310 Limited Edition series, being issued only a year, was almost the most powerful serial SEAT for all its history, developing 310 h.p.!
310 forces on the forward drive are dared!
At the end of the first decade of the XXI century new Ibiza (already in the fourth generation), and after it debuts Leon and Toledo. In SEAT refused courageous experiments with design therefore Toledo returned to sources and again I became liftbeky. But Leon opened a niche new to and now is issued and in a body the versatile person (ST versions). 60 years later after the birth, SEAT doesn't stand still and continues the development, promising to surprise in the near future public also with absolutely new crossover.
Official dealer of SEAT and Volkswagen OH «Autograndee Nikolaev»
Oktyabrsky Avenue 234/7
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SEAT
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Papules and pustules are types of what on the human skin?
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2014 SEAT Ibiza | Car Leasing | OSV
2014 SEAT Ibiza
22nd January 2014
Background
The 2014 SEAT Ibiza supermini is designed by the same pen as a Lamborghini? That’s a crazy concept, but exactly the case with the 2014 SEAT Ibiza hatchback, which was sculpted by a Lambo designer. The ‘Sociedad Espanola de Automoviles de Turismo’ – or ‘SEAT’– was consumed by Volkswagen in 1986. The shared Lamborghini talent is no surprise since the famous sports car Company is owned by the German manufacturer as well. The Ibiza has always been a popular model for SEAT, but in 2012 the company decided it needed a makeover to stay current and competitive. The company claims the revised model is harder-better-faster-stronger. We will be the judge of that.
Driving Experience
Even though the 2014 SEAT Ibiza is based on the same chassis as its siblings the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia, it doesn’t drive like either. Possibly the SEAT brand’s sporty image has convinced us to push [...]
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OSV Limited is an appointed representative of Automotive Compliance Ltd , which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No 497010), whose permitted business is to act as Principal Firm for a network of Motor Dealer Appointed Representatives who advise on and arrange non-investment insurance contracts, acting on behalf of the insurer and act as Credit Brokers for introduction to finance providers, acting on behalf of the lender.
OSV Ltd is a credit broker and not a lender, its a Registered Company in England and Wales No: 04533176 and whose registered office is D1 Yeoman Gate, Yeoman Way, Worthing, West Sussex BN133QZ Consumers will also have a 14-day right of cancellation where credit broking contracts are entered into as distance contracts.Finance is subject to status, Prices are subject to change without prior notification. Products subject to availability, while stocks last. Images are representative only. Errors and omissions excluded.
Unit D1 Yeoman Gate,
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i don't know
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The Berber ethnic people come from?
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The Berbers
Origins
The Berbers
C. S. Coon, & E. E. Hunt in The Living Races of Man, 1966, London, Jonathan Cape, reported on a racial phenomenon of North Africa. Many anthropologists know that some Berber tribes, such as the Riffians of the Atlas Mountains, have a large number of blond headed citizens, and that they also have high percentages of red-haired people comparable to that of the Celtic people of western Europe and Ireland.
Three Berber children from Morocco, with a cute little red-head.
A Berber beauty with a wisp of red hair showing in the sun light.
(The actual color of her hair may be as described as common in the Egyptian nobility: red-brown or auburn.)
Genetic analysis among the 22 main branches of the African people shows that Y-Chromosome Haplotype Frequencies for the Berbers is significantly different from the others. The genetic distances of the Berbers from the other African people vary from 50 for Arabs, to 80 to 110 for black African tribes. Further information on the use of the genetic classification of groups of people may be found at:
http://ystr.charite.de/index_kl.html
From the Columbia Encyclopedia:
The Berbers are an aboriginal Caucasoid peoples of North Africa. They inhabit the lands lying between the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea and between Egypt and the Atlantic Ocean. The Berbers form a substantial part of the populations of Libya, Algeria, and Morocco. Except for the nomadic Tuareg , the Berbers are small farmers, living under a loose tribal organization in independent villages. They have developed local industries (iron, copper, lead, pottery, weaving, and embroidery). The Berbers are Sunni Muslims, and their native languages are of the Hamitic group (see under Hamito-Semitic languages ), but most literate Berbers also speak Arabic, the language of their religion. Berber languages are spoken by about 12 million people, not all of whom are considered ethnic Berbers. Despite a history of conquests, the Berbers have retained a remarkably homogeneous culture, which, on the evidence of Egyptian tomb paintings, derives from earlier than 2400 BC. The alphabet of the only partly deciphered ancient Libyan inscriptions is close to the script still used by the Tuareg. The origins of the Berbers are uncertain, although many theories have been advanced relating them to the Canaanites, the Phoenicians, the Celts, the Basques, and the Caucasians. In classical times the Berbers formed such states as Mauretania and Numidia.
For the following lecture see:
AMBASSADOR OF ALGERIA TO THE U.S.
NOVEMBER 19, 2002
I am pleased to have the opportunity of addressing you on the theme of the Berbers whose history and culture are basic components of Algerian identity.
These groups of people also referred to as Amazighs or �free men� use different dialects with identical roots and indeed different alphabets. At one time, they spread from the Atlantic Ocean to the Nile river and from the Mediterranean Sea to areas South of the Sahara. Their dialects are still prevalent in 10 countries of Africa today including 45% of Morocco�s population and about 25% of Algeria�s.
The Greek historian Herodotus said 5 centuries B.C. that Berbers descended from the inhabitants of Troy who had sought refuge in North Africa after their city was conquered by the Greeks.
A few centuries later the Roman historian Sallustus claimed they originated in Persia.
Later still the Byzantine historian Procopus saw the Berbers as being Cananeans who were expelled from Palestine by the tribes of Israel after the defeat of Goliath by David.
Perhaps one should ask oneself why the Berbers should have to come from some other land rather than have originated in this region of Northern Africa where traces of their civilization are found in the form of Capsian art (from contemporary Gafsa) from the 8th to the 5th millennium B.C. This population blended, as it seems, with Cananeans who first arrived at North African shores in 3200 B.C.
Managing domination from the North, the Berbers were quick to adopt the Christian faith when it was the religion of the oppressed against Pagan Rome. But when under the Emperor Constantine, Christianity was mainstreamed, the rural Berbers undermined Roman control by supporting the dissenting views of the Donatists as a way of challenging the Christian Establishment in Rome.
This was also a way for them to express their resentment to their romanized elitist compatriots who, not unlike their forbears in Carthage, became the adjuncts of the Roman Imperium. Amongst the latter were nevertheless such brilliant natives of contemporary Algeria as St Augustin who, in the 4th century A.D. had such a deep influence on Christiandom that it is still felt to this day.
During these 6 centuries of North-South linkage, the Romans gave citizenship rights to people from North Africa, and indeed the city of Caesarea, today called Cherchell, in Algeria was the birthplace of a Berber Emperor of Rome, Macrinus in the 3rd century A.D. Latin was spoken together with Berber or Tamazight and Punic languages. But Berber was rarely the official language under any regime with the possible exception of the Numidian State.
It was thus the Berbers who provided the first translations of the New Testament from Greek into Latin and an incontrovertible interpretation of Christian dogmas.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05121a.htm
Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) wrote and taught in Roman north Africa. He succeeded in a masterful self-presentation that has carried heavily in the Catholic Church until today, beyond his wildest dreams.
Marcus Opellius Macrinus was born in Caesarea in Mauretania around the year 165. While it is highly conjectural that, as a young man, the future emperor was the dedicatee of Ampelius' encyclopedic Liber memoralis, Macrinus undoubtedly received a literary education that enabled him to rise high as a bureaucrat in the imperial service during the reign of the emperor Severus . Caracalla made Macrinus a praetorian prefect, an equestrian post that was second to the emperor in power. Macrinus shared the position with the experienced soldier Adventus, and the pair served Caracalla during the emperor's campaigns in the East.
Macrinus was the first emperor who was neither a senator nor of a senatorial family at the time of his accession. His 14-month reign was spent entirely in the East, where he proved unable to maintain the influence gained in the region by the campaigns of his predecessor, Caracalla , nor was Macrinus able to shake the suspicion that he was responsible for Caracalla's murder.
While Idriss Jazairy may not have everything exactly correct most of his information is exceedingly helpful to understand the origins of the Berbers. Their early arrival on the northern part of Africa subjected these people to the great environmental changes that took place in all parts of the continent. As the once fertile lands began to dry up, the people who occupied the plains and mountains of northwest Africa became virtually isolated. They remained at an early form of cultural development, hunting wild animals, herding stock, or settling to simple agriculture. The Greek called them Libyans; the Romans referred to them as Barbarians, whence the name Berbers.
Here is the origin of Petrie's comparison of the Naqada people with the Libyans. The close physiological resemblance led to his remarks.
As we see from the above illustrations, the Berber were fair skinned people, closer to Indo-European than modern Semitic people, who gathered in tribes and practiced subsistence economy, either through basic farming or transhumance herding (the movement of flocks and herds from winter and summer pastures, some up to 200 miles apart!). Anthropologists believe that loose alliances were formed between farming and herding tribes to avoid the conflict of one tribe bringing their cattle through the crops of another.
We see from the above remarks of Jazairy that the Central Shilha are 99% Muslim; however, their religious practices are heavily influenced by their Christian past. Their views are based more on their traditions and the decisions of the community rather than on the Koran. In urban areas, orthodox Islam prevails; whereas, in rural areas, ancient beliefs and customs are intermingled with their Muslim faith.
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North Africa
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What unit of enormous distance has the symbol pc and equates to about 3.26 light-years or 19.2 trillion miles?
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Berber of Morocco - Earth Cultures
Berber of Morocco
Berber of Morocco
The Berber people
Also called Imazighen(in antiquity, known asLibyans by the Greeks), the Berber are the indigenous people of North Africa, west of the Nile Valley. Many Berbers call themselves some variant of the word Imazighen (singular: Amazigh), possibly meaning "free people" or "free and noble men". The word has probably an ancient parallel in the Roman name for some of the Berber, "Mazices".
The name Berber comes from the name given to this people by the Romans, meaning barbarians. The history of the Berber people in northern Africa is both extensive and diverse. Their oldest ancestors settled in the East of Egypt. Many are the references to this old people in Greek, Roman and Phoenician texts. In fact, Berber is a generic name given to numerous heterogeneous ethnic groups who share similar cultural, political and economical practices.
The Arabization of the Berber people happened in three stages. First it was the contact with Arabic invaders in the 7th century. The second stage started with the arrival of the Bedouins in the 11th century. And finally the 3rd stage took place between the 15th and 17th centuries and it was accelerated by the arrival of Andalusian refugees.
Contrary to the romantic, popular image that portrays Berbers as nomadic people who cross the desert in camels, their main activity is sedentary agriculture, which they carry out in mountains and valleys. But their long-recorded influence in trading in the region is also true. They were the first to open the commercial routes between Western Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. They were responsible for bringing goods from beyond the Sahara desert to Northern African cities.
Nowadays, besides the traditional means of living, there is a new element which is part of the economy of Berber families, namely income from the large number of immigrants in Europe, especially in France. Along several millennia the Berber language, Tamazight, has gradually turned into nearly thirty existing languages and hundreds of dialects, to say nothing of several others which disappeared long ago like Guanche spoken in The Canary Islands. Although the Berber language is basically oral, Berbers have had their own writing system, called Libico-Berber, for at least 2,500 years. At present this alphabet is used by the Touaregs but the Latin alphabet with a few variations and the Arabic alphabet are the most commonly used.
Berber society has traditionally been divided into farmers and merchants. Cultivation of the land was considered lower-class work whilst upper classes were merchants. Normally sedentary farming groups would pay tribute to a merchant local chief, as guarantee to be defended in return. However, as time went by, these farmers acquired a certain amount of wealth while, at the same time, the economic importance of commercial routes fell. Besides, these groups were given priority by colonial and post colonial authorities, in detriment of the traditional power merchants used to have.
Their architecture is as varied as the countries they live in. Berber constructions in the hills of Jebel Nebusa are among the most remarkable. They are underground houses carved vertically or horizontally in limestone. Some of them look like ordinary caves on the slopes of hills. Others have been deeply dug on the ground and they have a complex net of rooms around a central hole which is used as a fountain.
As for their beliefs, since their conversion to Islam in the 7th century (they were mostly Christians before this time) they have been faithful observant of its rules, except for the Ramadan fast that travellers are not obliged to follow. Like most Muslims in North Africa, many Berbers believe in the continuous presence of several spirits (djinns). Divination is carried out through the Koran. Most men use protecting amulets which contain verses from The Koran.
In Morocco the Drawa Berbers inhabit the region of the river Dra Valley; The Dades live in the North East; The Mesgita, Seddrat and Zeri along inflowing rivers of the North West; The Ghomara live in the Moroccan Rif, the north-eastern region of the country, north of Fez; The Kabyle, meaning "the tribes", originally referred to all Berbers. However, nowadays the term covers only Berbers living in Al-Quabail Mountains, and The Sousi in High Western Atlas Mountains.
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i don't know
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The traditional curly twisted Chinese tea (Camellia sinensis) produced by drying in the sun is called?
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What is oolong tea?
What is oolong tea?
Home » What is oolong tea?
Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea made from Camellia sinensis, the plant which is used to produce teas such as green, black and white tea.
What makes these teas different from each other is the level of oxidation that each tea is allowed during their production.
Black tea is fully oxidized.
Green tea is not oxidized at all.
And, oolong tea is partially oxidized.
So you can say, oolong tea is the middle ground between black and green tea.
Oolong Tea Articles and Information
How to make Oolong tea?
How is oolong tea produced?
Like green tea , oolong tea is also made from leaves as well as buds of Camellia sinensis. However, both these product vary significantly inside your tea cup. It is because cultivar (variety of the tea plant), terroir (geographical and climatic condition of the place of plant production) and processing of these teas vary vastly.
Particularly, production of oolong tea includes following processes.
Withering: In this step, the freshly picked leaves and buds are shaken or tossed with intention to bruise them. This is the initial step of oxidation process. Also, withering makes the leaves soft and flexible and prevents their breaking in later processes.
Heating and cooling: Once withering of leaves is completed, they are laid out in the sun to remove moisture content. After several hours of sun bath, leaves are left to cool.
With cooling, the tea leaves begin to flatten; a sign that they are now ready to be rolled.
Light (initial) rolling: Light rolling of leaves causes further bruising of leaves. This time, bruising breaks cell walls of leaves, releasing essential oils and enzymes in them. This result in alteration in flavor of the tea along with slight oxidation of the tea leaves.
Oxidation: In this step, the lightly rolled leaves are exposed to oxygen for oxidation to take place. The oxidation of leaves range from 8% to 80%. And, variation in level of oxidation determines the ultimate color and appearance of the leaves.
Roasting: After the leaves are oxidized to a desired level, the leaves are heated. This prevents further oxidation and dries the leaves. Roasting also determines the taste of the tea.
Final rolling: In this step, the roasted leaves are rolled, giving them final appearance and flavor.
Drying: The rolled roasted leaves are left to dry to ensure that all moisture content is eliminated. This prevents decaying of leaves during storage.
Hand sorting: The dried leaves are finally categorized on the basis of size and color of the leaves. The appearance of tea leaves also determine their industry grade.
Features of oolong tea
Structure of tea leaves – Long twisted stands or tightly rolled balls
Color of leaves – Dark green or brown
Color of tea – Light green or yellowish-brown (similar to hyson tea )
Taste of tea – Floral, grassy, sweet or toasty
Components in oolong tea with their benefits
Components
Keeps you awake and alert
Vitamins, Niacin and Pantothenic acid
Releases stress
Reduce risk of heart diseases
Alkaloids
Halt the production of cancer cells
Carbohydrate
Provide highly essential fiber to the body
Free organic acids
Keeps heart in healthy condition
Fight against cancer
Provides magnesium to the body
Helps in formation of hemoglobin
Carotene
Provides body with essential Vitamin-A
Improves immune system
Theanine and 25 other amino acids
Reduce anxiety
Healthy bone structure and bone metabolism
Produce essential enzymes for bone development
Iron
Circulating oxygen in body cells
Prevents anemia, cough, etc.
Prevents cavities and tooth decay
Develops and strengthens teeth
Reduces chances of stroke, blood pressure, kidney disorders, stress and anxiety
Enhance muscle strength
Improve nervous system
How to brew oolong tea?
Differently oxidized leaves of oolong tea might be brewed in different ways and each way can result in unique flavor. However, there are some general steps that can be used to prepare any oolong tea.
Things you will need
1 cup (6 fl. Oz.) of fresh water
1 tsp. tightly rolled tea leaves or 2 tsp. twisted tea leaves
Kettle
Directions to prepare oolong tea
Boil water in kettle to 180oF or 80oC
Pour a little amount of boiling water into the cup to warm it
Put the tea leaves into the cup
Slowly pour the hot water into the cup and cover it with saucer
Steep for around 1-5 minutes as per your preferred taste
When the tea is ready, filter the tea using a strainer
(Note: The brewed tea leaves can be used for another 2-3 times)
Benefits of oolong tea
Packed with powerful antioxidants, oolong tea provides several health benefits , which includes prevention of bacterial infection to heart diseases and cancer.
Given below are some other benefits of oolong tea.
Kills cancer cells and prevents bacterial infection
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in oolong tea kill cancer cells without any harm to healthy ones. Drinking oolong tea can prevent cancer in cells of prostate, bladder, ovary, breast and skin. [ 1 ]
EGCG also reduce growth of bacteria and prevents from bacterial infection.
Protects skin
Polyphenols remove free radicals from our body and prevents oxidative stress. As a result, wide range of skin problems such as dark spots, fine lines, sagging of skin, etc. can be prevented. Besides, this compound also plays important role in protecting skin from any effects on skin induced by uv-rays. [ 2 ]
Reduces risk of heart diseases
Polyphenols also improve lipid metabolism and prevents accumulation of Low Density Lipid (LDP) on the inside of blood vessels. It helps in maintaining flexibility of blood vessels and healthy flow of blood. This way, chances of heart diseases such as high blood pressure and stroke are significantly reduced. [ 3 ]
Increases concentration ability
Caffeine in oolong tea helps you in keeping you awake. But unlike caffeine in coffee, caffeine in this tea does not make you hype or anxious as it is accompanied by an anti-anxiety compound called L-theanine. Both these compounds work together to keep you awake, focused and in good mood. [ 4 ]
Helps in reducing weight
Consuming oolong tea instead of calorie containing drinks can reduce your daily calorie intake significantly.
According to a survey conducted in China in 1998, people who drank oolong tea regularly for six weeks ended up reducing weight. This survey was conducted on 102 females. [ 5 ]
Possible side effects of oolong tea
Despite the fact that oolong tea is counted amongst healthiest drinks, it has few adverse effects on your health if it is consumed inappropriately. Some possible side effects are given below.
Anxiety and insomnia
Although oolong tea has lesser caffeine as compared to coffee, drinking more oolong tea can result in headache, sleeplessness, dizziness, anxiety and irritability. [ 6 ]
Fluorosis
Drinking more oolong tea also increases the fluoride content in your body, leading to health trouble known as fluorosis. [ 7 ]
Osteoporosis
Drinking excessive oolong tea can promote flushing of calcium through urine, which can lead to osteoporosis (weakening of bones) in long run.
Miscarriage and premature delivery
High intake of caffeine through oolong tea is unsafe for pregnant women. It can cause uterine contraction, resulting in miscarriage or premature delivery. [ 8 ]
Not safe for children
Caffeine equivalent to the amount that is found in common foods are safe for children. Consumption of more caffeine might cause increased heartbeat, difficulty in breathing and other problems in children.[ 9 ]
Reaction with medicines
Various components found in oolong tea might react with certain drugs, causing negative affect on your health. Therefore, make sure that you consult with your doctor before drinking oolong tea (if you are under any kind of medication). [ 10 ]
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Oolong
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What note is played on a guitar at the fifth fret of the first (highest pitch) string (conventional six-string guitar with standard tuning)?
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Tea Dictionary - tea and all its splendour
TEA DICTIONARY
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Tea Dictionary
TEA DICTIONARY
Afternoon Tea: A British tradition of a meal eaten in mid afternoon, consisting of sandwiches, scones, and sweets accompanied by tea.
Agony of the leaves: The unfurling of tea leaves during steeping.
Anhui: A major tea producing province in China.
Antioxidant: A compound which retards oxidation.
Aroma: Also known as the nose, the odour of the brewed leaf and the resulting liquor.
Assam: A major tea growing region in India.
Assam Tea: A very hearty Indian tea, often deep red to orange-red and somewhat malt flavored. This tea is the backbone of most of the world’s blends. The processed leaves may look very black to dark brown and may sometimes contain a lot of tips.
Astringency: The drying sensation, (or bite) in the mouth caused by certain teas.
Autumnal: Tea produced late in the growing season – most often used in reference to Darjeeling 4th flush teas.
Bancha: the lowest quality of Japanese green teas, made from the last of the three or four harvests of tea in a season. Bancha tends to be bright green and coarse. Still a delicious cup of tea that’s a bargain for the price.
Bakey: tea taster expression for overfired teas
Bergamot: A citrus oil derived from the bergamot orange used to flavour black tea to make Earl Grey tea.
Black Teas: Green tea leaves are left to wither or oxidize, which causes the enzymes to break down some of the cellular structure of the leaf. The oxidized leaves are then twisted or rolled and cut then dried by one of many processes. Drying styles include: basket or pan firing, smoking, air drying, or compressing and sun-drying which further define and add complexity and color to the tea. Black teas are often scented with flowers or more commonly with oils or spices. Black teas are the most popular tea in the world and are also known as Red tea in China referring to the color of the infusion in the cup. In China black teas are usually meant to reference Pu- erh tea. Black teas have a longer shelf life than green teas due to the oxidation processing.
Body: Tea taster’s term to denote strength and viscosity of a brewed tea.
Brick Tea: Tea leaves that have been steamed and compressed into bricks. Pu-erh is a common brick tea.
Bubble Tea: Bubble tea is a novel beverage gaining popularity in some parts of the western world. It is made by pouring hot tea over cooked and cooled tapioca pearls. Any hot tea can be used. Bubble tea is served in a tall glass, usually with milk.
Caffeine: An alkaloid which acts as a central nervous system stimulant and diuretic.
Chanoyu: Japanese tea ceremony or ritual.
Camellia Sinensis: The common tea plant, an evergreen bush. All proper tea comes from this plant. It has two main varietals that are used but it does in fact have many more. Generally, the Camellia Sinensis Sinensis (a smaller leaf) is the China varietal and the Camellia Sinensis Assamica (a larger leaf) is the Indian varietal. The Assamica varietal is not generally used for green tea production, although some new green teas are now starting to be produced out of India but not traditionally. Over 40 countries now put tea on their production list, not all export but it is a very prolific crop around the world.
Catechins: The class of polyphenol found in tea which function as antioxidants.
Ceylon: This region, now called Sri Lanka, produces incredible amounts of fine tea. Although Sri Lanka produces large amounts of green as well as black teas, Ceylon generally describes a rich black tea with amber color and an almost floral aroma. A delicious cup, and perfect for iced tea.
Ceylon Tea: Tea from Sri Lanka.
Cha: Romanized spelling of Chinese and Japanese character which defines the word tea.
Chai: The word for tea on the Indian subcontinent. In the west it generally means a spiced black tea made with milk (masala chai). There are many varieties of Chai out on the market today, traditionally every family had their special version of spices etc that makes Chai such a varied type of tea to buy in the west.
Chesty: A term denoting an odour in tea absorbed from the wood of a traditional storage chest.
Chunmee: After steaming and withering, each leaf or leaf-bud set is hand-rolled into a tiny needle-like shape with a slight curve or curl in it. The finished leaf should be as small and narrow as the eyebrows drawn on the face of a porcelain doll.
CTC: Acronym for Cut (or crush), Tear, and Curl, a machine process which cuts the withered leaves into uniform particles to facilitate a complete oxidation. Typical of most black tea grown in India and other lowland producing countries, and used in teabags to create a stronger more colorful tea.
Darjeeling Teas: Grown at the Darjeeling Hills of India, foothills of the Himalayas, this tea is widely known as the champagne of teas. Its rich red-gold colored color and distinctive, slightly nutty aroma makes this tea incomparable to any other. These teas are renowned for their muscatel flavor.
Decaf Tea: :is any tea that has undergone a process which eliminates most of the caffeine content. Two processes are currently used to commercially decaffeinate tea, an ethyl acetate and a CO2 method. While the ethyl acetate method is cheaper and easier, the CO2 method has been proven much safer. Decaf tea is the perfect alternative for tea lovers who are trying to lower their caffeine intake.
Display Tea: A tea that has a special appearance once steeped. These are also known as hand tied artisan teas, or flowering teas in the market. These are best made in glass vessels in order to capitalize on their beauty.
Dust: The smallest grade of tea, typically associated with lower quality. Dust is prized for its quick extraction and is commonly used in teabags.
Earl Grey: This black tea is scented with oil of bergamot, a type of citrus named Citrus bergamia. It is said that British Prime Minister Earl Grey was given the recipe for this mixture in 1830 from a Chinese mandarin, however the Chinese are not known to drink this tea.
“English Breakfast” Tea: This is one of the best known China Black tea names. Typically a keemun based tea, some vendors do put an amount of Assam, Ceylon or other black tea in it to make it unique to them. A richly red colored tea with a distinctively floral and strong cup. Perfect for the morning, not quite as strong, traditionally as the Irish Breakfast blends. This tea is best when taken with milk and sugar or honey.
Fannings: Small particles of tea one grade larger than Dust produced as a by product of the tea making process, commonly used in teabags.
Fermentation: Historically this term was used in the process of manufacture and to this day still is used, although technically it is now said to be called – Oxidation. However, it describes the process of enzymic oxidation, where elements in the leaf react with air to create a darker brown-red color and characteristic aroma to the resulting tea.
Firing: The process whereby the tea leaves are dried to arrest further enzymic changes. This makes the tea fit for packing and storing. Also sometimes said as the “killing of the green”.
Fibrous: teas which contain a large percentage of fannings
Flat: teas lacking astringency or briskness
Flowery: used in grading the size of tea, it typically indicates a leaf style with more of the lighter colored tips.
Flush: Flush refers to the separate plucking seasons throughout the year, each known for it’s distinctive flavor. India tends to specify their teas in this way ie Autumnal Darjeeling but typically China only does 2 per year. The 1st or spring flush being the most prized in terms of tea quality after the bushes have been dormant for the winter and the first buds are forming on the bushes. Typically these plucking seasons are: 1st Flush: February to early April 2nd Flush: May to June Autumnal: October to November are much less common, though they occur when climate permits.
Formosa Teas: Tea produced in Taiwan, typically oolong teas.
Gaiwan: [GUY-wan]A traditional Chinese lidded tea drinking vessel with accompanying saucer.
Genmaicha: [GEN-my-cha]Green tea blended with roasted rice.
Golden: Refers to the orangey, yellow colored tips present in high quality black tea
Gong Fu: Meaning skill and patience (it’s the same “kung fu” as the martial art). The style of brewing tea with a high proportion of leaf to water and repeated short infusions. This style of brewing is a very precise traditional exercise and requires the proper utensils and patience.
Grade: term used to describe a tea leaf or particle size of leaf
Green Tea: Fresh tea leaves which have been sterilized in steam, hot air or hot pans, to prevent fermentation (un-oxidized) and preserve the green color. Available in many forms, from many countries, mostly found in China and Japan. This is the largest growing category of tea currently.
Gunpowder or “pearl tea”: Tiny pellets of hand-rolled, fresh Chinese tea. Generally made from small to medium-sized leaves. Leaves unfold in your cup as you brew them. Sometimes scented with dried rose or jasmine flowers.
Gyokuro: [G'YOH-koo'roh] or Jade Dew, a Japanese Green Tea made from shaded plants. This is a very prized tea in Japan, for the last 20 days of the growing season before the leaves are plucked, large mats or covers are put over the plants. The tea acquires a distinct aroma from the covering process. The shade reduces photosynthesis which changes the chemical composition in the leaves, altering sugars, amino acids (theanine), polyphenols, and tannins. More chlorophyll is produced so the leaves become greener. This also makes the resultant tea high in chlorophyll, which makes it darker than normal, but lower in tannins, which makes it sweeter and mild tasting.
Herbal Teas, “tisanes”: Herbal teas are technically not teas at all. They do not contain any camellia Sinensis, they contain varying blends and combinations of herbs, dried fruits, fresh or dried flowers, spices, barks, seeds or roots. The varieties are endless, they usually require full boiled water especially if they have tough roots in them, they will need to be steeped a little longer.
Harsh: bitter teas
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i don't know
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Mydriasis normally is the widening of a what?
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Dilated Pupils (Mydriasis): Check Your Symptoms and Signs
Headache
Dilation, or widening, of the pupils of the eyes is normal in conditions of low light in order to allow more light to reach the retina . Medically, dilation of the pupils is known as mydriasis. Specific medications known as mydriatics are administered to dilate the pupils for ophthalmologic examination. If the pupils are dilated due to an abnormal response, they may remain dilated even in the presence of sunlight or strong light. Injury to the brain and taking certain drugs are common causes of abnormally dilated pupils. Both medications and drugs of abuse can result in dilated pupils. Dilation of the pupil on one side only is also abnormal and may signal a brain injury or other condition that raises the pressure within the cranial cavity (increased intracranial pressure).
Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 11/15/2013
Health concern on your mind? Visit the Symptom Checker.
REFERENCE:
Longo, Dan, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 18th ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008.
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Causes of Dilated Pupils (Mydriasis)
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In This Article
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Pupil
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The capital of which US state is named after prospector (and discoverer of local gold in 1880) Joseph Juneau?
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Why do your pupils get larger when you're on drugs?
Why do your pupils get larger when you're on drugs?
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Normally, our pupils dilate in response to changing light; as it gets darker, our pupils get larger. But they expand in size for other reasons as well, including when we're sexually aroused and when we're performing complex cognitive tasks . But it's also known that certain medications — including illicit drugs — can cause pupils to get larger.
Pupil dilation could be "a subconscious indicator of sexuality" Pupil dilation could be "a subconscious indicator of sexuality" Pupil dilation could be "a subconscious indicator…
Your pupils tend to dilate, or widen, when eyeing somebody that you find particularly attractive.… Read more Read more
Pupil dilation, what's also referred to as mydriasis, happens when one of two muscle groups become activated, namely the iris sphincter ( yes, that's what it's called ) and the iris dilator. The sphincter response is triggered by the parasympathetic nervous system (what regulates our autonomic bodily processes when we're at rest), and the dilator by the sympathetic nervous symptom (what controls physiological responses requiring a quick response — like fight-or-flight).
It's true! In fact, you have more than fifty sphincters in your entire body, and most of them… Read more Read more
Needless to say, psychotropic drugs can have a profound effect on both of these systems.
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Depending on the type of drug taken, therefore, either muscle group can become engaged. Essentially, if a drug can trigger a parasympathetic or sympathetic response, there's a good chance that it will also impact on pupil dilation. Specifically, mydriasis can be caused by stimulants and any drug that influences the adrenal glands — what can trigger certain parasympathetic responses.
For example, drugs like MDMA, ecstasy, cocaine, amphetamines, and some antidepressants (like SSRIs) can increase serotonin levels in the brain — a crucial neurotransmitter that regulates mood, including feelings of happiness and well-being. Serotonin agonizes to the 5-HT2A receptors in the brain — what has the downstream effect of triggering the mydriasis response, and in some cases, psychedelic episodes.
Consequently, mydriasis also occurs in people who take serotonin-inducing psychedelics like LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin.
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Drugs that trigger the release of dopamine, a related neurotransmitter, can also induce mydriasis. Marijuana is a good example. Dopamine cause pupils to dilate by exciting the adrenergic receptors, what in turn increases adrenaline (which the autonomic nervous system is sensitive to).
It's important to remember that not all drugs will produce the same degree of pupil dilation. For example, MDMA will have a much more profound effect on pupil dilation than, say, an antidepressant.
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And interestingly, other drugs, like opiates, cause the opposite effect — pupil contraction, or what's known as miosis.
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i don't know
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Which Frenchman composed Clair de lune, the famous third movement of Suite bergamasque?
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Debussy - Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamasque (Crossley) - YouTube
Debussy - Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamasque (Crossley)
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Uploaded on Nov 11, 2009
Clair de Lune, third movement from Suite Bergamasque
Paul Crossley, piano
The Suite Bergamasque was first composed by Debussy around 1890, but was significantly revised just before its publication in 1905. It seems that by the time a publisher came to Debussy in order to cash in on his fame and have these pieces published, Debussy loathed the earlier piano style in which these pieces were written. While it is not known how much of the Suite was written in 1890 and how much was written in 1905, we do know that Debussy changed the names of at least two of the pieces. Passepied was called Pavane and Clair de lune was originally titled Promenade Sentimentale. These names also come from Paul Verlaines poems. It is interesting, however, to note that Promenade Sentimentale alludes specifically to one of Verlaines earliest collections, Poèmes saturniens, a fact that Debussy obviously took into account when he changed the name (and most likely a lot of the music) in order to suit both his later style, and Verlaines. The third, and most famous movement of Suite bergamasque is "Clair de lune", meaning moonlight in French. Its name comes from Paul Verlaine's poem of the same name.
Quoted from Paul Robert's "Images: The Piano Music of Claude Debussy"
Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918)
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Claude Debussy
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A myringotomy is an incision in what part of the human body?
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Claude Debussy - Clair de Lune - Suite Bergamasque - YouTube
Claude Debussy - Clair de Lune - Suite Bergamasque
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Published on Jan 18, 2014
Clair de Lune is the third movement in Claude Debussy's seminal Suite Bergamasque and is arguably his most notable work.
Clair de Lune was composed over a period of fifteen years and Debussy is reputed to have started working on the piece at the tender age of 28! Given the technical skill required to play this immensely difficult piece, I am not surprised that it took him so long! Clair de Lune was first conceived as a poem by Frenchman Paul Verlaine who lived and died in the later part of the 19th Century. The poem itself is quite beautiful and heavily imbued with the romantic ideals associated with the time.
Debussy had originally named the piece Promenade Sentimentale but changed it shortly before publication to pay homage to the Symbolist movement of which he had become a patron. It is by far the most popular and remains truly awe inspiring.
Retailers:
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i don't know
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Rosneftegaz and Gazprom are vast energy corporations of which nation?
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Gazprom
It will be Russia’s major and one of the world’s major gas processing facilities
October 14, 2015
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Russia
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Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Vespolina, and Gamay are varieties of what?
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Rosneftegaz - Rosneft Net Worth
Rosneftegaz
Rosneft
Rosneft Net Worth is $79.6 B.
Rosneft (Russian: ? ? 3/4 N?? 1/2 ?uI?N?N?N?, IPA: [rE?E?snE?eftE?]; MCX: ROSN, LSE: ROSN) is an integrated oil company majority owned by the Government of Russia. Ro.
Rosneft (Russian: ? ? 3/4 N?? 1/2 ?uI?N?N?N?, IPA: [rE?E?snE?eftE?]; MCX: ...
Rosneft Net Worth is $79.6 B.
Rosneft Net Worth is $79.6 B.
Rosneft is an integrated oil company majority owned by the Government of Russia. Ro
Rosneft is an integrated oil company majority owned by the Government of Russia. Rosneft is headquartered in Moscow's Balchug district near the Kremlin, across the Moskva River. Rosneft became Russia's leading extraction and refinement company after purchasing assets of former oil giant Yukos at state-run auctions.
Rosneft conducts oil and gas exploration and production activities on Sakhalin island, Siberia, Timan-Pechora field and in southern Russia, including Chechnya. It owns and operates two refineries. The refinery in Tuapse, on the Black Sea, focuses on refining high-gravity oil from western Siberia. Another plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur is the easternmost refinery in Russia. The Komsomolsk Refinery benefits from its technological integration with Nakhodkanefteprodukt, while the Tuapse Refinery is noted for its favorable location on the Black Sea coast and is part of an integrated complex wit...
Russia's VTB took part in Rosneft stake sale - RIA cites Rosneft
MOSCOW Russian bank VTB (VTBR.MM) took part in last year's deal for trading house Glencore (GLEN.L) and Qatar's state investment fund (QIA) to buy a stake in Rosneft (ROSN.MM), RIA news agency cited a Rosneft spokesman as saying on Tuesday. Contacted by ...
Posted: January 16, 2017, 11:35 pm
Lawyers For Yukos, Russian Government Prepare For $50 Billion Appeal Case
Yukos was sold off to state-owned companies, including Rosneft, now one of the world’s largest energy companies. The former Yukos shareholders say the company was illegally broken up in a political move and sued in 2005 for compensation for their loss.
Posted: January 16, 2017, 11:28 pm
Soon after I posted yesterday, news stories reported that the Rosneft (OTC:RNFTF)-Glencore (OTCPK:GLCNF) (OTCPK:GLNCY)-QIA deal had closed. But questions still remain. Here's the Rosneft statement: As part of the previously agreed privatization deal all ...
Posted: January 6, 2017, 1:44 am
Pertamina, Rosneft inch closer to Tuban project kickoff
Power house: Locals fish near an oil refinery belonging to state-owned oil and gas giant Pertamina in Cilacap, Central Java. The facility, which produces up to 348,000 barrels of oil per day, is the biggest of its kind in Indonesia, supplying around a ...
Posted: January 17, 2017, 12:04 am
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i don't know
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Gatka, Mardani khel, Musti yuddha, and Silambam are?
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Silambam
Silambam
Varma kalai
Silambam or Silambattam ( Tamil : சிலம்பம் அல்லது சிலம்பாட்டம்) is a weapon-based Indian martial art from Tamil Nadu , but also traditionally practised by the Tamil community of Sri Lanka and Malaysia . It is similar to Kalaripayat from Kerala and Sri Lankan Angampora . It derives from the Tamil word silam meaning “hill” and the word perambu from which the English “bamboo” originates.Silambam referred to the sound derive from swinging of the perambu a particular type of bamboo from the Kurinji hills in southern Indian sub continent.Thus silambam was named after its primary weapon, the perambu. The related term silambattam often refers specifically to stick-fighting.
There are numerous styles of silambam but the nillaikalakki discipline (from nillai meaning posture and kalakki meaning to disturb or shuffle) is the most widespread style outside India, and is best known in Malaysia. The styles differ from one another in grip, posture, foot work, length of the stick, etc. [1] Silambam may either be practiced for the purpose of combat (போர்ச் சிலம்பம் por silambam) or purely for demonstration (அலங்காரச் சிலம்பம் alangara silambam). Masters are called asaan (ஆசான்) while grandmasters are addressed as periyasaan (பெரியாசன்), iyan (ஐயன்), or annaavi (அண்ணாவி).
Contents
7 References
Origins
Oral folklore traces silambam back several thousand years to the siddhar (enlightened sage) Agastya . While on his way to Vellimalai , Agastya discussed Hindu philosophy with an old man he met, said to be the god Murugan in disguise. The old man taught him of kundalini yoga and how to focus prana through the body’s nadi (channels). Agastya practiced this method of meditation and eventually compiled three texts on palm leaves based on the god’s teachings. One of these texts was the Kampu Sutra (Staff Classic) which was said to record advanced fighting theories in verse. These poems and the art they described were allegedly passed on to other siddha of the Agastmuni akhara (Agastya school) and eventually formed the basis of silambam, siddha medicine , and the southern style of kalaripayat .
References in the Silappadikkaram and other works of Sangam literature shows that silambam has been practiced as far back as the 2nd century BC. [2] The bamboo staff – along with swords, pearls and armor – was in great demand with foreign traders, [3] [4] particularly those from Southeast Asia where silambam greatly influenced many fighting systems. The Indian community of the Malay Peninsula is known to have practiced silambam as far back as the period of Melaka ‘s founding in the 15th century, and likely much earlier.
The soldiers of Kings Puli Thevar , Veerapandiya Kattabomman and Maruthu Pandiyar (1760–1799) relied mainly on their silambam prowess in their warfare against the British Army . [3] Indian martial arts suffered a decline after the British colonists banned silambam along with various other systems. They also introduced modern western military training which favoured fire-arms over traditional weaponry. During this time, silambam became more common in Southeast Asia than its native India where it was banned by the British rulers. [5] The ban was lifted after India achieved independence. Today, silambam is the most famous and widely practiced Indian martial art in Malaysia where demonstrations are held for cultural shows.
Weapons
Kattari
Silambam’s main focus is on the bamboo staff. The length of the staff depends on the height of the practitioner. Ideally it should just touch the forehead about three fingers from the head, typically measuring around 1.68 metres (five and a half feet). Different lengths may be used depending on the situation. For instance, the sedikuchi or 3-foot stick can be easily concealed. Separate practice is needed for staffs of different lengths. Listed below are some of the weapons used in silambam.
Silambam: staff, preferably made from bamboo , but sometimes also from teak or Indian rose chestnut wood. The staff is immersed in water and strengthened by beating it on the surface of still or running water. It is often tipped with metal rings to prevent the ends from being damaged.
Maru : a thrusting weapon made from deer horns
Aruval : sickle, often paired
Sedikuchi: cudgel or short stick, often wielded as a pair.
Kai silambam
Kai silambam (lit. hand silambam) [6] is the unarmed set of techniques in silambam, also referred to by its main component kuttu varisai (குத்துவரிசை). First attested to in Sangam literature of the 2nd-1st centuries BC, the term translates roughly as “punching sequence”. Kuttu literally means to punch, but when colloquially used in conversational language it can also mean fight. Techniques incorporate striking, grappling, throws and locks. Partnered routines are between pairs at first before progressing to several partners at once. Preset forms gradually increase in complexity before students are allowed more and more freedom in their moves and counters. This is meant to teach alertness and how to quickly react to any situation in a fight, and is therefore used only sparingly at first. Over time, as such improvisations become more frequent, the students respond to each other with reversals and counters in a continuous unending flow, thereby naturally making the transition from arranged to free-sparring. Like many other Asian martial arts, patterns in kai silambam make use of animal-based sets including the tiger , snake , elephant , eagle and monkey forms. Advanced students are taught varma ati or the art of attacking pressure points, [7] which can be applied to both armed and unarmed fighting.
Exercises in kai silambam include the following.
Thattu padom: Sequences that can be practiced alone or with partners.
Adi-varisai: Solo routines
Kuttu-varisai: The main component, progressing from preset partnered forms to free-sparring
Pede-varisai: Locking, tearing and breaking techniques, targeted at the joints, muscle and nerves
Nelaygal: Holding a stance for long periods, even several hours at a time. This exercise is commonly compared to an idol or statue
Training
The first stages of silambam practice are meant to provide a foundation for fighting and to condition the body for the training itself. This includes improving flexibility, agility, hand-eye coordination, kinesthetic awareness, balance, strength, speed, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular stamina. [1]
Beginners are first taught footwork (kaaladi) which they must master before learning spinning techniques and patterns, and methods to change the spins without stopping the motion of the stick. There are sixteen of them among which four are very important. Footwork patterns are the key aspects of silambam. Traditionally, the masters first teach kaaladi for a long time before proceeding to unarmed combat. Training empty-handed allows the practitioner to get a feel of silambam stick movements using their bare hands, that is, fighters have a preliminary training with bare hands before going to the stick.
Gradually, fighters study footwork to move precisely in conjunction with the stick movements. In silambam, kaaladi is the key to deriving power for attacks. It teaches how to advance and retreat, to get within range of the opponent without lowering one’s defence, aids in hitting and blocking, and it strengthens the body immensely enabling the fighter to receive non-lethal blows and still continue the battle. The whole body is used to create power.
In the main stance, the staff is held at one end, right hand close to the back, left hand about 40 centimetres (16 inches) away. This position allows a wide array of stick and body movements, including complex attacks and blocks. When the student reaches the final stage, the staff gets sharpened at one end. In real combat the tips may be poisoned. The ultimate goal of the training is to defend against multiple armed opponents.
Silambam prefers the hammer grip with the main hand facing down behind the weak hand which faces up. The strong hand grips the stick about a distance hand’s width and thumb’s length from the end of the stick and the weak hand is a thumb’s length away from the strong hand. The weak hand only touches the stick and to guide its movement. Silambam stresses ambidexterity and besides the preferred hammer grip there are other ways of gripping the staff. Because of the way the stick is held and its relatively thin diameter, blows to the groin are very frequent and difficult to block. Besides the hammer grip, silambam uses the poker grip and ice pick grip as well. Some blocks and hits are performed using the poker grip. The ice pick grip is used in single hand attacks. The staff is held like a walking stick and just hand gets inverted using the wrist.
In battle, a fighter holds the stick in front of their body stretching the arms three quarters full. From there, they can initiate all attacks with only a movement of the wrist. In fact, most silambam moves are derived from wrist movement, making it a key component of the art. The blow gets speed from the wrist and power from the body through kaaladi. Since the stick is held in front, strikes are telegraphic, that is, the fighter does not hide their intentions from the opponent. They attack with sheer speed, overwhelming the adversary with a continuous non-stop rain of blows. In silambam, one blow leads to and aids another. Bluffs may also be used by disguising one attack as another.
In addition to the strikes, silambam also has a variety of locks called poottu. A fighter must always be careful while wielding the stick or they will be grappled and lose the fight. Locks can be used to disable the enemy or simply capture their weapon. Techniques called thirappu are used to counter the locks but these must be executed before being caught in a lock. Silambam also has many different types of avoiding an attack like blocking, parrying, enduring, rotary parrying, hammering, kolluvuthal (attacking and blocking simultaneously) and evasive moves such as sitting or kneeling, moving out, jumping high, etc. Against multiple attackers, silambam exponents do not hold out their sticks as they do in single combat. Instead they assume one of the numerous animal stances which makes it difficult for opponents to predict the next attack.
An expert of silambam will be familiar with varma adi or marma adi (pressure points) and know where to strike anywhere in the body to produce fatal or crippling effects by the least use of power. In one-on-one combat an expert would slide the stick to opponents wrist many times during combat. The opponent may not notice this in the heat of battle until they feel a sudden pain in the wrist and throw the stick automatically without knowing what hit them. When two experts match against each other one may challenge the other that he will hit his big toe. Hitting the big toe can produce crippling effects on the fighter, making them abandon the fight. This is called solli adithal which means “challenging and successfully hitting”.
Traditional masters still encourage students to live a “pure” life through daily meditation and abstaining from drinking, smoking, and meat consumption. Students who have completed the training syllabus by learning every form are considered qualified to teach. The time it takes to complete differs from one style to another. For example, the nillaikalakki style requires around seven years of training while other styles may have no articulated syllabus.
Styles
There are many different styles of silambam practiced today. They are:
Nillai Kalakki (The most popular style outside India, practiced mainly in Malaysia and Singapore)
Karnatakan (Practiced mainly in southern Karnataka)
Kuravanji (Practiced mainly in Kerala)
Kuthu Kuravanji
Naga Pasanam (Nagam-16) (lit. Cobra-16)
Kalla-Pathu (lit. Thieves-10)
Kida Muttu (lit. Goat headbutt)
Kalyana Varisai
Kallagam
In popular culture
The appearance of silambam in film can be traced to the Tamil actors MGR , M.N.Nambhiyar , and Jaï Shankar who learned the art from Madurai Maadakulam Ayya Alagarsamy during the training phase of their careers in the 1930s and incorporated it into some of their fight scenes during the 1950s and 60s. In subsequent decades silambam has featured in other Tamil films such as Pattikada Pattanama , Tháyai Kátha Thanayan , Periya Idathu Penn , Thevar Magan , Rickshawkaran , Kovil , Amman Kovil Vaasalile , Padagotti , Sakalakala Vallavan , Karagattakaran , Maattukara Velan , and Thanikattu Raja . [1] For the most part, silambam in film is confined to the staff. Tamil film-makers prefer rougher and more aggressive choreography for bare-handed fights, making it easy for actors with no martial arts experience to perform. Thus, unarmed moves and other weapons are very rarely shown.
As is often the case with Indian cinema, most of these were neither action nor martial art movies but typically romantic drama-comedies featuring only a single fight scene. Because silambam’s portrayal was not a high priority, actors cast in these roles rarely have any experience in martial arts. Movies like Thooral Ninnu Pochchu and Badhil Solval Bhadrakali suffered from poor choreography and execution for this reason, while others like Rajavin Parvaiyile and the much-hyped Silambattam barely showcased silambam technique at all. More professional and authentic silambam can be seen in films such as Annamitta Kai , Malaikkallan , Thaali Bhagyam , and Mundhanai Mudichu . Other examples of silambam in cinema include the following.
The 1995 action film Villadhi Villain featured a blend of silambam stick-fighting and British sword-fencing.
Silambam is often showcased on Malaysian documentary series about martial arts like Gelanggang and Gerak Tangkas.
The historical film Kochadaiiyaan is the first CG-animation to feature silambam.
See also
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Indian martial arts
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Extragalactic refers to beyond the?
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Gatka - Wikipedia, Photos and Videos
Gatka
NEXT GO TO RESULTS [51 .. 100]
WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE
For other uses, see Gatka (disambiguation) .
Gatka
Gatka demonstration in Bedford, England (2007)
Focus
Naam Japo (Meditating on God's Name)
Kirat Karō (Honest Living and Honest Work)
Charhdi Kalā (Personal Dignity and Peace)
Guru Maneyo Granth (Guru Granth Sahib,Holy Book of Sikhs is the Eleventh Guru)
Harmandir Sahib (The Golden Temple)
Khalsa (The Devotees - Organization)
e
Traditional Sikh flag (Nishan Sahib). Official flag of the Dal Khalsa , having weapons used in Gatka: Katar , Dhal Shield and Talwar .
Gatka ( Punjabi : ਗਤਕਾ gatkā) is a traditional South Asian form of combat-training, developed by Sikhs , in which wooden sticks are used to simulate swords in sparring matches. [1] In modern usage, it commonly refers to the northwestern Indian martial arts , which should more properly be called shastara vidiyā (ਸ਼ਸਤਰ ਵਿਦਿਆ, from Sanskrit shastra-vidya or "science of weapons"). Attacks and counterattacks vary from one community to another but the basic techniques are the same. [1] This article will primarily use the extended definition of gatka, making it synonymous with shastara-vidiya.
Gatka can be practiced either as a sport (khel) or ritual (rasmi). The sport form is played by two opponents wielding wooden staves called gatka. These sticks may be paired with a shield. Points are scored for making contact with the stick. The other weapons are not used for full-contact sparring, but their techniques are taught through forms training . [2] The ritual form is purely for demonstration and is performed to music during occasions such as weddings, or as part of a theatrical performance like the chhau dance . A practitioner of gatka is called a gatkabaj while a teacher is addressed as Guru or Gurudev.
Contents
Origins[ edit ]
Sikhs and Punjabis in general were known throughout South Asia for their stature and comparatively large build. Guru Angad Dev , taught followers to train the body physically, mentally and spiritually, encouraging the practice of martial arts. One of Guru Nanak's early disciples, Baba Buddha , taught the boy who would eventually become the sixth Sikh patriarch, Guru Hargobind .
Guru Hargobind founded the original Sikh fighting school, the Ranjit Akhara (lit. "invincible training hall") at Amritsar , with its armed force known as the Akal Sena or "immortal army". He propagated the theory of the warrior-saint (miri-piri) and emphasized the need to practice fighting for self-defence against the Mughal rulers due to growing animosities. The Guru began the practice of laying out weapons in the form of a lotus flower for saluting and worshipping before a training session. The weapons were a straight khanda (sword) representing Mahakala and a curved talwar (sabre) representing Bhavani . The Prem Sumārag tells that these are the katara (dagger) , churi (knife), jamadār (poniard), kirpan (sword), kamān (bow), and dhāla (shield).
The tenth patriarch Guru Gobind Singh was a master of armed fighting who carried five weapons (pancha shastra): the karaga (sword), kamān (bow), chakram (war-quoit), katara (dagger) , and banduk (rifle). In 1699 he galvanized the martial energies of the Sikh community by founding the Khalsa brotherhood. Under his leadership, the Sikh community turned from a scattered movement of socio-religious reform to a prominent military force and quickly developed a reputation as a warrior people which would carry into the present day. Supporters of this more confrontational stance came from around north India. Addressing the Sikh community, he declared that they "will love the weapons of war, be excellent horsemen, marksmen and wielders of the sword, the chakram and the spear. Physical prowess will be as sacred to you as spiritual sensitivity."
The Khalsa's aims were to fight oppression, assist the poor, worship the one God, abandon superstition, and defend the freedom of faiths. This is symbolised by the kirpan or dagger, one of the five Ks which every baptised Sikh is required to carry. In regards to training the brotherhood, Guru Gobind Singh pledged that he would "teach the sparrow to fight the hawk". Women faced no restriction from learning the use of weapons, due to the Guru's teaching of gender equality. The Nihang , a strict warrior order of Sikhs, exemplified his principles of combining spirituality with combat training.
After the Guru and his sons were assassinated in the early 1700s, the disciple Banda Singh Bahadur began collecting arms and followers. Though poorly armed, Banda's followers were well-trained in the martial arts and managed to systematically storm the region's Muslim towns. The continued onslaught of the emperor forced Banda and his sympathisers to flee to the hills, and he was eventually captured and killed along with 700 other Sikhs. But by following his example, the Sikhs managed to subvert the foundations of Mughal power until the province was in total disarray by the mid-18th century.
Even from childhood, Sikhs would supplement their training with martial games or sonchi which were meant to develop physical fitness, endurance, flexibility and agility. The famous commander Nawab Kapur Singh is recorded as playing such a game during his childhood by organizing the boys into two armies who would engage each other in mock warfare. Their fights were aggressive and hardly less dangerous than real combat. During one training exercise Kapur Singh himself was struck in the shoulder with a blow so deep that the doctors believed he would not recover.
Following the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1848 to 1849 and the establishment of the British Raj , the northwest Indian martial traditions and practitioners suffered greatly. Ever wary of the Sikhs, the British ordered effective disarmament of the entire community. The Nihang , considered the keepers of all Sikh traditions, were regarded as disloyal to the colonists. More than 1,500 Nihang were killed by the British for plotting rebellion. According to folklore, some fled and spent the rest of their lives in the northern mountains.
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , the Sikhs assisted the British in crushing the mutiny. As a consequence of this assistance, restrictions on fighting practices were relaxed. [3] The old method of sword training was used by the Khalsa Army in the 1860s as practice for hand-to-hand combat. Richard F. Burton describes gatka matches in which the swordsmen fight with a ribboned stick in one hand and a small shield in the other.
As Sikh colleges opened during the 1880s, European rules of fencing were applied to create what is now called khel or sport gatka. The European colonists also brought Sikhs from India to other British colonies to work as soldiers and security guards. Gatka is still practiced by the Sikh communities of former British colonies and neighbouring countries such as Malaysia , Singapore , Hong Kong , and Thailand .
Jat influence[ edit ]
The Jats were originally a nomadic pastoral community living mainly in northwest India and northeast Pakistan. As they increasingly interacted with settled agriculturists, many Jats of peasant-warrior background combined their simple fighting art with military strategy to overcome superior enemies and eventually come into positions of leadership during the 1700s. The Jats practiced a style of gatka which was relatively basic and taught openly in comparison to the more sophisticated and secretive techniques employed by the kyshatria. Their style, Jat ka gatka, was absorbed into the Sikh akhara where its simplicity was valued. Despite lacking the subtle refinement of higher forms, the Jat system allowed large numbers of inexperienced soldiers to acquire sufficiently effective skill in fighting and self-defense easily and within a short timespan. Historically it was used by the shock troops of the Sikh armies who would engage the enemy with bows, javelins, and slings before closing in with hand-to-hand weaponry.[ citation needed ]
The Jat system of gatka is still practiced by the rural communities of India and Pakistan today, in addition to being taught as a basic form by Sikh gatka masters.[ citation needed ]
Post-independence[ edit ]
Singhs at World Gatka Cup
Since India's independence from colonial rule, gatka has been managed and promoted in India by the Panjab Gatka Association, Gatka Federation of India and International Sikh Martial Art Academy . The latter organization formulated and standardized rules and regulations for gatka as a sport, and providing free training through seminars, workshops and camps under the new rules. The Panjab & Chandigarh Education Departments have introduced gatka into the school sports calendars in the state, while the School Games Federation Of India also incorporated gatka into the 56th national school games calendar 2011–2012. Gatka is still practiced by some communities in Pakistan but is increasingly uncommon and does not get much support from the government. To promote and popularize the art outside India, the Asian Gatka Federation, Commonwealth Gatka Federation and World Gatka Federation besides International Sikh Martial Art Academy have also been constituted. From 2011, the Panjabi University Patiala have started to host All India inter-varsity gatka championships annually.
Today gatka is most often showcased during the martial festival of Hola Mohalla , as well as Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations in the Panjab. Gatka is one of the competitions held during an annual sporting event in the rural Indian city of Kila Raipur, and the Sikh community of Malaysia often holds gatka demonstrations during Vaisakhi or the Sikh new year. Once considered a diminishing art by UNESCO and SAARC, the intense and concerted efforts of these gatka federations has popularized it among the students in north India . While the urbanization of gatka has helped keep it alive, traditional masters often bemoan the lack of technique among modern competitors who tactlessly beat each other's sword or shield. Modern competitions are sometimes derogatively called the "ox-beating game" (sandeh kot di khel). To differentiate between gatka as a sport and as a martial art, the terms shoshabaji (exhibitionist) and chatka (quick kill) are used.
The Defendu system devised by Captain William Ewart Fairbairn and Captain Eric Anthony Sykes borrowed methodologies from gatka, jujutsu , Chinese martial arts , and "gutter fighting". This method was used to train soldiers in close-combat techniques at the Commando Basic Training Centre in Achnacarry , Scotland . [4]
Training[ edit ]
The traditional training hall for gatka is the akhara . [5] Sikhs may train in a religious or semi-religious situation, such as in a gurdwara (Sikh temple). Traditionally, drug addiction and alcoholism were considered among the worst of earthly evils, and masters refused to teach addicts or drunkards. Typical akhara still do not allow anyone to enter the training hall while intoxicated.
Like most South Asian martial arts , gatka begins with footwork and tactical body positioning (pentra). The foundation of the art is a movement methodology for the use of the feet, body, arms and weapons in unison. In the first and most basic stance, the feet are spaced about shoulder-width apart with the weight divided evenly between them. While walking from this position, the exponent spills their centre of gravity as they initiate any movement. This is done by stepping forward just before the front knee locks out, never hyper-extending the leg at any point. This gait is meant to be applied to daily life so that it becomes natural in battle where it allows one to quickly change direction. Gatka favors rhythmic movement, without hesitation, doubt or anxiety. The attacking and defense methods are based upon the positions of the hands, feet and weapon(s) during the dexterity regimen. [5] Chanting of holy verses may accompany these exercises, and the three-beat-per-cycle played by a drummer adds to the coordination during practice. [5]
By conception, gatka is defensive as well as offensive [2] Instruction falls into the two main categories of sava-raksha (self-defense) and yuddha-vidiya (battlefield science). Sava-raksha takes into account the specific needs, strength and anatomy of the practitioner. Teachings include armed and unarmed fighting, defense against an armed opponent, defense against several opponents, escaping from grabs, and the psychology of combat. It also incorporates various battle chants, verbal formula, and general philosophical advice on fighting and defending oneself. Tactics and moves exist which are specifically tailored for women and children
In contrast, yuddha-vidiya is much more comprehensive. Fully mastering it is said to take a lifetime due to the fact that a master needs to learn the form, function, and theory of the art before being considered a gurudeva. This refers to the actual techniques, their application in combat, and memorising the oral tradition which includes various strategems. Like sava-raksha, yuddha-vidiya also teaches single combat, fighting in groups, defense against several opponents, etc. But as the latter was designed for war training, it also includes skirmishing, ambushes, battle formations, defense of a house (ger), and defense of a village (gao). Yuddha-vidiya further incorporates projectile weapons, seizing and disarming, strangling ( thagi ), and traditional medicine.
The concept of range is based on the principle that, no matter how strong or fast the opponent is, it means nothing if they can't reach their target. The ideal range therefore is just barely out of reach of the opponent's weapon, or the tip of their toe in the case of unarmed fighting. Side-stepping is used extensively, anticipating an opponent's move before countering. Dodging is considered superior and more important than blocking, which necessitates agility and speed. As a person gets older and agile maneuvres become less practical, the exponent adapts their style to become what is traditionally described as "lazy". This essentially means using fewer movements to win, applying superior tactical knowledge rather than physical prowess.
Gatka emphasizes having something in both hands, e.g. two sticks, a stick and a sword, a sword and a shield or any other combination. [5] Training with "both hands full" is believed to be an excellent exercise for coordinating the two halves of the body, a concept also found in Filipino martial arts . Ambidexterity is thus a highly valued quality, and such a fighter is known in Hindi as doh-baha. Students are taught stances ( asana ) and forms ( yudhan ) before they progress to free sparring. The individual's preference for weapons, combination of weapons, and movement patterns leads to the development of individual fighting methods. [5]
A basic concept of the north Indian martial arts is that of chatka meaning a quick kill. The traditional Hindu method of slaughtering an animal for food was by beheading swiftly with a single blow of the sword, so as to inflict as little pain as possible. Conservative Sikhs today abstain from any meat unless the animal was killed in this way. In battle this means finishing the fight as soon as possible, either by killing or otherwise rendering the opponent incapable of continuing by knocking them unconscious, disarming them, or disabling a limb.
To condition their bodies, practitioners may also engage in meditation, yoga , martial games (sonchi), and traditional weight training similar to that used by wrestlers . Together with the dietary regimen this is intended to increase stamina, maintain a healthy digestive system, improve quality of sleep, increase hand speed, improve mind-body coordination, and keep the mind calm even under pressure.
Ready to perform
Chakari demonstration at Yuba City
A young practitioner with chakari
Competition[ edit ]
Khel (meaning sport or game) is the modern competitive aspect of gatka, originally used as a method of sword-training (fari-gatka) or stick-fighting ( lathi khela ) in medieval times. Competitors spar using sticks called gatka, from which the sport derives its name. The gatka are about three handspans long, made from light wood or bamboo and covered in leather. It may be used on its own or paired with another stick but for official matches, the gatka is paired with a leather shield called a pari. The fixed distance of sparring was introduced from British fencing during the colonial era. Points are scored for hitting or touching (shu) the opponent with the stick, but hits to vital points are forbidden. Victory by touch is known as shubaji.
While khel gatka is today most commonly associated with Sikhs, it has always been used in the martial arts of other ethno-cultural groups as well such as Rajputs and Mughals. It is still practiced in India and Pakistan by the Tanoli and Gurjara communities. In Manipur, thang-ta practitioners refer to their own sword-practice as cheibi gatka, wherein the players spar with a two-foot leather-encased cudgel which may be paired with a leather shield measuring one metre in diameter. In some arts today, the sword-fighting is more akin to a dance than a form of combat. For example, the daal fari khadga of Andhra Pradesh is usually choreographed, but is performed with real swords and shields rather than wooden ones.
Performance[ edit ]
The performance aspect of gatka is known as rasmi meaning "ritual" or "official". During weddings and other festivals, the men perform repetitive swinging and twirling movements with one or two swords. The first part of the chhau dance is known as pari-khanda or fori-khanda and is performed with a sword and shield. Traditionally such sword-dances were typically performed by martial artists but today they are generally taught as separate disciplines altogether.
Unarmed combat[ edit ]
Bare-handed fighting, or bhuja-yuddha, is rarely taught in gatka today and until modern times had always been considered secondary to armed combat. Every form or yudhan has its own unarmed set (platha). Punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and finger strikes are all incorporated along with grabs, throws, locks, chokeholds, pressure point striking , and many other forms of attack. The main targets are the eyes, throat, groin, ankles and knees, but this varies considerably from one style to another. Interchanging between armed and unarmed fighting is a common tactic, relying on small concealable weapons like knives and daggers. When wearing armour, bhuja-yuddha can even be used against an armed opponent by blocking the opponent's attacks with gauntlets for example. Because gatka favours avoidance over blocking, a common tactic is to sidestep while the opponent comes forward and then counter by kicking at the legs and lower body.
Weaponry[ edit ]
The correct use of weapons is central to gatka, with techniques depending on the nature of the weapon.
Polearms[ edit ]
All pole weapons begin with the staff, known as a dang or lathi . The dang's ideal length is either equal to the height or the armspan of its wielder. Gatka typically uses a bamboo staff, which may be steel-tipped and encased in leather. This type of dang is held with both hands on one end and used for swinging techniques. The light weight of the bamboo allows for great speed and a variety of twirling maneuvres. This style of fighting was often used by peasants and commoners for whom the staff was a domestic tool and a convenient implement of self-defense. For warriors who used the dang as a training tool for edged weapons, a different method was employed. In this style, the dang is held diagonally with the hands far apart. The butt end of the weapon is held with one hand, while the other hand is further down the middle or just above the other end. This grip lends itself to thrusting attacks aimed at the vital points ( marma ), done by pushing the weapon forward with the back hand through the front hand, though it also incorporates barta, techniques in which both ends are used to attack. This thrust-based method can be easily adapted to edged weapons such as spears, tridents and battle-axes. In the case of the axe, thrusts hit with the weapon's head, which can also be used defensively to stop an opponent's attack or to break their fingers. The barta method can also be adapted to edged polearms, most of which have a weighted or spiked back end. When wielding a heavy polearm in close-quarters, the fighter may hold a katara on one hand.
Pole weapons include the following.
Dang/ Lathi: staff of wood or bamboo measuring one to three meters in length
Naga dang: lit. "cobra staff", a wooden staff with a head like a cobra's hood
Chakri dang: bamboo staff with a chakram attached at one end
Lohangi: metal-capped staff
Swords[ edit ]
Swordsmanship is known as asiyuddha or karaga-yuddha. Ancient swords (assu or khadga) were mostly of the straight variety, their form preserved in the khanda . The most common type of sword today is the Central Asian-derived talwar , but a wide variety of other swords are also incorporated. The more traditional katti is used for advanced forms, in particular those styles based on the Hindu gods. Sword-belts were in general broad and handsomely embroidered. On horseback they were worn on a belt hanging over the shoulder. Otherwise warriors carried their sword by three straps hanging from a waist-belt. The sword may be paired with another sword, an axe, a spear, a katara, a maru, or any other one-handed weapon, but its most typical pairing is with a shield.
Aara demonstration at Sirhind
Types of swords include the following.
Khanda : straight double-edge sword with a broad blade four feet long and a cross hilt
Talwar / Prak: curved one-sided sword, measuring about 3 feet long
Katti: lightweight single-edge sword with a slight curve
Kirpan : originally synonymous with the talwar but today usually refers to a dagger worn by baptised Sikhs at all times
Kroli: small straight sword or knife
Kroti: serrated talwar
Shields[ edit ]
A shield always accompanied a sword as part of the swordsman's equipment. Carried on the left arm, or when out of use, slung over the shoulder, shields were made of steel or hide and were generally from 17 to 24 inches (430 to 610 mm) in diameter. If made of steel they were often highly ornamented with patterns in gold damascening while hide shields bore silver or gold bosses, crescents, or stars. Shields were made of sambar deer , buffalo, nilgai , elephant , or rhinoceros hide, the last being the most highly prized. Brahmans, who objected to leather, had shields made from forty or fifty folds of silk painted red and ornamented, lined with velvet or snakeskin. While shields can be used to block sword attacks, in South Asia they are more often used offensively as an impact weapon or pushed against the opponent to prevent them from attacking, in addition to deflecting projectiles. A dagger is often held in the same hand, protruding from under the shield.
Dala/ Khetak: small circular shields of cane or bamboo
Atak: buffalo-hide shield
Sticks[ edit ]
Stick-fighting or danda-yuddha employs either the single or double stick. The stick or danda is generally the length of three handspans and made of Indian ebony. They are often capped with steel on one end. Sticks are used as an implement of instruction for small weapons such as axes (kuhara), but were also used during war to beat down armoured opponents. The danda is traditionally worn on the right side and drawn from underneath the belt, in contrast to swords which are worn on the opposite side and drawn from above. Stick fighters generally employ a single-hand grip but the double grip is also commonly used for certain techniques. When attacking, the fighter hits their opponent with only the rim of the danda's tip, thereby focusing all the power into a small point. One stance is the angaraksha or bodyguard position in which the feet are placed slightly more than shoulder-width apart and the arms are placed across the chest, as if crossed, while the danda is held in the right hand. This stance was once used by armed guards who relied on their peripheral vision to watch for attackers. Modern exponents still use this form of training to develop surti or awareness so that they can anticipate an attack from behind or from the side without having to look directly at the attacker.
Sticks and club-type weapons include the following.
Danda: short stick, sometimes with a steel tip
Kuhara: axe
See also: Mughal weapons
Ain-i Akbari weaponry
Weapons and armour of Central Asian and Middle Eastern origin were introduced by the Mughal tribe . Most of these are used primarily by Muslim and Sikh practitioners. Some - like the talwar and gurj - were adopted even by Hindus and became so common that they are hardly considered uniquely Mughal today. The Mughals commonly used Arabic or Persian terminology for Indian weapons. The words talwar (Hindi), shamshir (Persian) and tegh (Arabic) were often interchangeable, while the Arabic term sef was occasionally used for the Indian katti. The generic Mughal word for spear was sinan.
Khanjar: poignard-type dagger with a hilt like a sword of which most had doubly curved blades
Gurj: Persian gurz, a flanged or spiked mace made out of steel. The head may also be connected to a chain
Karud: Persian kard, a type of knife resembling a buther's knife
Gupti-karud: a karud inserted into a stick
Qamchi-karud: whip-shaped knife
Peshkaj: Persian pesh-kabz , a pointed one-edged dagger generally with a thick straight back to the blade and a straight handle, though at times the blade was curved, or even double-curved.
Shamshir/ Shamsher: Persian scimitar
Forms[ edit ]
Forms in gatka are referred to as yudhan. As with Silat Pattani , most gatka schools make use of mainly freestyle routines each governed by particular principles rather than the preset forms of other systems. There are altogether ten yudhan which, when taken as a whole, collect all the techniques and strategies of gatka. The first six forms imitate animals and are grouped under Khat Ang Yudhan meaning "six parts" or "six limbs". The seventh form collates the previous six into a seamless whole. The final forms are based on deities and are grouped as Deva Ang Yudhan meaning "limbs of the gods". Each builds upon the last, requiring that trainees progress through them systematically in a specific order. Many yudhan also have an opposing form which acts as counter and complement to the other. The combat application of the techniques become less obviously apparent in the higher forms which not only include more weapons and techniques but also enrich the understanding of the lower forms. Originating in different parts of India, every yudhan has its own characteristic focus, gait, weapons and unarmed techniques. They can be practiced individually, in pairs, in groups, or formerly, as an army.
Jat ka gatka
The Jat style of gatka (Jat ka gatka) is sometimes incorporated as a yudhan to acquaint beginners with basic asana (stances) and tactics, although many masters refuse to acknowledge it due to the form's peasant origins. The most basic stance (mulasana) is a crouching position which provides a stable base from which to launch attacks and avoid being knocked down. Unarmed techniques are divided into six components which altogether incorporate strikes with the fists, open hands, knees, elbows and feet, attacks to the vital points, grappling, torso throws, and tripping the opponent from the legs. In terms of defense, students are also taught how to escape from various frontal and rear grabs and chokeholds. Many of these techniques are also used in kusti , so fighters sometimes supplement their training with wrestling. Armed training may include swords, shields, axes, battle-axes, spears, clubs, maces, daggers, sticks and kukri.
Boar
The boar style or Varaha Yudhan is associated with the varaha avatar of Vishnu. Originating in Bihar , it specializes in close-quarter combat and short explosive strikes with the fists, elbows, knees, feet and single knuckles. As the first formal yudhan, it teaches basic principles such as body positioning, misalignment, and hitting vital areas to end the fight quickly. The boar is the simplest and easiest style to master, but provides the foundation for all succeeding forms. Its weapons are the gada (mace) and daggers, taking advantage of the form's short movements. One crucial principle of the boar style is drawing the hand in towards the body before throwing a punch. In this way, the fighter can easily draw a weapon from the waist or anywhere else on the upper body.
Snake
The snake style is known as Shesha-naga Yudhan, named after the serpent lord Shesha . Acting as a counter and complement of the boar style, it is based on the cobra (naga) and python (ajagara). It begins with a salutation in which the arms are brought upwards from the sides in a continuous arc til the hands are straight above the head. In contrast to the straightforward blows of its counterpart, the snake style is subtle and focuses on parrying attacks and striking at vital points with looping circular motions. Characteristic of the snake style is the entangling of limbs, combined with whipping strikes, locks, joint manipulation, and chokeholds. Its weapons include scarves, knives, axes and spears.
Eagle
Garuda Yudhan is variously rendered in English as the bird style or eagle style. Originating in Kashmir , it is named after the mythical garuda . It imitates four different birds, namely the peacock (mayura), eagle (garuda), goose (hamsa) and rooster (kukkuta). It specializes in hit-and-run tactics, mimicking a bird flying at its prey. It is characterized with an angling side-to-side motion. Techniques include attacks delivered with the hands and feet, elbows, knees, sweeps, and stomps in the case of a downed opponent. The garuda style is most notable as the basic sword-fighting form and the first yudhan in which upper body armor may be worn. Categorized as a skirmishing style, it can be employed either on foot or horseback. The garuda leads with the tip of the sword, stabbing at the opponent's arms and hands like a bird's peak. It is most suited to the talwar. Weapons include any combination of the sword, axe, dagger, shield, and spear.
Bull
The bull style is named Nandi Yudhan after Nandi , the mount and gatekeeper of Shiva. Originating in the Himalayas, it is the first grappling style and specialises in upright grabbing. The counter and complement of garuda, the bull is also a skirmishing style which can be used on foot or horseback. Like its counterpart, Nandi also employs the motion of angling from left to right in order to find the correct trajectory. The difference between them is that the more aggressive bull style favours infighting and grappling, using leverage to damage the opponent's back with spinal twists, knees, and heavy close-quarter fist strikes. As with garuda, the bull style includes a variety of attacks against a fallen opponent such as stomps and knee drops. Weapons include daggers and curved swords. To counter the garuda stabbing from a safe distance, Nandi instead closes in and attacks with the centre of the blade.
Lion
Narasingha Yudhan is named after the Narasingh avatar of Vishnu, variously depicted as a man with the head and claws of a lion , tiger or leopard . It was used to support the vanguard during battle and therefore favours armed combat and specializes in fighting heavily armoured opponents. Practitioners may also wear heavier armour than in previous forms, including chainmail. Narasingha is categorized as a duelling yudhan and its wide entrenched stance is well-suited for swampy terrain. Imitating the agility and attack style of big cats , it is highly evasive and constantly seeks to reach the opponent's head and neck. Aside from swords, the most characteristic weapons of Narasingha are the large heavy shield and the long-handled battle-axe.
Monkey
The monkey style or Hanuman Yudhan has its origins in Central India, particularly around Maharashtra and the Dakhin Plateau . It is named after the monkey god Hanuman . As counter and complement to Narasingha, the monkey style is also a duelling yudhan and once provided support to the vanguard. It employs a similar wide stance as its counterpart, but with the hips sunk in lower. Using momentum to redirect an opponent's energy while grappling, it also teaches to advance while avoiding the opponent's attacks, and eventually trample them when they have been knocked down. It mainly targets the lower body, particularly the legs and groin. Primarily an armed form, weapons of the monkey style include the gada (mace) and curved daggers.
Leopard
The leopard or panther form is called Bagh Yudhan in Hindi and is associated with the mount of Durga . Originating in the Himalayas , it is regarded as the seventh animal style even though they are numbered at six. As with the corresponding style in Burmese bando , the leopard is actually a more advanced application of all the previous forms and teaches how they may be combined into one single system. Taught at both the shota (immature) and vada (mature) levels, it possesses great speed and agility. The most famous application of the leopard form is loh-musti or iron-fist boxing in which the boxers wield an iron bracelet ( kara ) on one hand.
Bhawani
The first of the Deva Ang Yudhan is named for the eight-armed goddess (Ashtabuja Devi). It is divided into four sub-styles, representing the various aspects of the devi . The first sub-style is Chandi Yudhan, known for its graceful, elegant movements imitating the goddess as a beautiful young girl. Chandika is well-suited for fighting multiple opponents and specializes in gatti sakti, using their own energy against them. The Kali Yudhan is a more direct and aggressive version of Chandi, which aims to kill as quickly as possible and specialises in confusing and misleading the opponent. The Jagdambeh Yudhan ("World-Mother") makes use of quick footwork to circle around the opponent in a manner similar to Chinese baguazhang . Its more aggressive counterpart is the Kalika Vambrolah Yudhan or "Whirlwind Kali" form. Weapons include various blades such as swords and daggers, as well as the spear and the bow. Partly out of respect and partly out of practicality, only the finest and most advanced weapons are used in this style.
Shiva
Adi Deva Yudhan ("Primordial God Form") is divided into four sub-styles. In contrast to the goddess form, Adi Deva represents akarshan sakti or gravitational energy. Shiva Yudhan specializes in unbalancing and manipulating their centre of gravity. Ganpat Yudhan ( Ganesha style) is much the same but with a focus on grappling and facing a larger opponent. Jaganatha Yudhan focuses on quickly moving in on the opponent and striking at pressure points while avoiding their attacks. The highest of the Adi Deva forms is Mahakala Yudhan which was traditionally employed by an army's vanguard. Like the other sub-styles, it also relies on misalignment while closing in, but with an emphasis on snapping the opponent's neck.
Harihara
The final yudhan is named Ardhanarishvara Yudhan after the androgynous composite of Shiva and Parvati. It combines all the forms into a single seamless whole, to the point that the exponent reacts spontaneously without thinking and all forms become "formless". Achieving mastery of this final form is traditionally compared to attaining enlightenment or ascending Mount Kailash.
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What single unit of measurement equates to 1.06×10-13 light-years?
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Units: M
the symbol for "molar" in chemistry (see below).
Ma
a symbol for one million years, often used in astronomy and geology. The "a" stands for the Latin annum.
mab
symbol for "meters above bottom" (bottom of the sea), a unit used in oceanography.
mace
a traditional Chinese unit for weighing precious metals, especially silver. In the European colonial period, the mace was considered equal to 0.1 tael or liang ; this would be 2/15 ounce or about 3.78 grams.
Mach or mach (M or Ma)
a measure of relative velocity, used to express the speed of an aircraft relative to the speed of sound. The name of the unit is often placed before the measurement. Thus "Mach 1.0" is the speed of sound, "Mach 2.0" is twice the speed of sound, and so on. (The actual speed of sound varies, depending on the density and temperature of the atmosphere. At 0 °C and a pressure of 1 atmosphere the speed of sound is about 1088 ft/s, 331.6 m/s, or 741.8 mi/h). The mach speed is important to the control of an aircraft, especially at speeds close to or exceeding Mach 1.0. The unit is named for the Austrian physicist Ernst Mach (1838-1916).
maf or Maf
a symbol for one million acre feet . This symbol, commonly used in reservoir management in the U.S., should be written Maf. 1 Maf = about 1.2335 billion (109) cubic meters.
magnitude (mag) [1]
a unit traditionally used in astronomy to express the apparent brightness of stars, planets, and other objects in the sky. For centuries, the brightest stars were said to be of the "first magnitude," with fainter ones of the "second magnitude" and so on down to "sixth magnitude" for the faintest stars visible to the unaided eye. When it became possible to measure stellar brightnesses precisely, it was discovered that stars of a given traditional magnitude were roughly 2.5 times brighter than stars of the next magnitude. Astronomers agreed to define the magnitude scale so that a difference of exactly 5.0 mag corresponds to a brightness difference of exactly 100 times. A difference of 1.0 mag then corresponds to a brightness difference of the fifth root of 100 or about 2.512 times. The scale is upside down: brighter stars have lower, not higher magnitudes, in keeping with the historical origin of the scale. The zero point (0.0 mag) is set arbitrarily so that the stars historically listed as "first magnitude" have magnitude measurements of 1.5 mag or brighter. The brightest stars and planets have negative magnitudes on this scale. Note: the scale is commonly used to describe the apparent magnitude of objects as we view them on Earth, but astronomers also use it for absolute magnitude, which is the magnitude the object would have if it were placed at a standard distance of 10 parsecs (32.61 light years ) from earth.
magnitude (mag) [2]
a unit used in earth science to measure the intensity of earthquakes. Geologists actually use several scales to measure earthquake intensity, but the one best known to the public is the Richter magnitude scale, developed in 1935 by Charles F. Richter (1900-1985) of the California Institute of Technology. The Richter magnitude is computed from the measured amplitude and frequency of the earthquake's shock waves received by a seismograph, adjusted to account for the distance between the observing station and the epicenter of the earthquake. An increase of 1.0 in the Richter magnitude corresponds to an increase of 10 times in the amplitude of the waves and to an increase of about 31 times more energy released by the quake. The most powerful earthquakes recorded so far had magnitudes of about 8.5. The Richter magnitude measures the intensity of the earthquake itself, not the intensity of the earthquake's effects: the effects also depend on the depth of the earthquake, the geology of the area around the epicenter, and many other factors. Earthquake effects are rated using the Mercalli scale (see below).
magnum
a traditional unit of volume for wine, generally equal to 2 bottles . This is now exactly 1.5 liters (about 2.114 U.S. quarts ).
mahnd
a traditional Arab weight unit equal to about 2.04 pounds or 925 grams.
mål
a Norwegian word for "measure," mål has been used as a name for various traditional Norwegian units. As a land measure, the mål is currently defined to be the same as the dekare, that is, exactly 1000 square meters (0.1 hectare or 0.2471 acre ). The mål has also been used as a unit of volume equal to the dekaliter (10 liters).
mandel
a traditional German unit of quantity equal to 15.
man hour
a common unit of labor equal to the work of one person for one hour. The name person hour is increasingly used for this unit.
manpower
an informal unit of power equal to 0.1 horsepower or about 74.57 watts . The unit seems to have been invented by American engineers.
manzana
a traditional unit of land area in Central America. The manzana is the area of a square 100 varas on a side; it thus varies according to the length of the vara. The Costa Rican manzana equals 0.698 896 hectares or about 1.727 acres. Very similar units are used in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The word manzana means an apple, but the unit is probably related to manzanar, orchard.
marathon
a traditional unit of distance used in athletics. The length of a marathon is exactly 42 195 meters (about half an inch longer than 26 miles 385 yards). Invented for the first modern Olympic Games at Athens in 1896, the marathon recalls a run made in 490 BC by a Greek soldier (possibly Pheidippides) to bring to Athens the news of the Greek victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon. However, the actual distance from Marathon to Athens is only about 36.75 kilometers. The 1896 run was exactly 40 kilometers from the Marathon Bridge to the Olympic Stadium. At the 1908 Olympics in London, a course of 26 miles 385 yards brought runners from Windsor Castle to White City Stadium (the story is that exactly 26 miles was intended, but Queen Alexandra insisted that the finish line be moved in front of the royal box). The marathons at the Olympic Games varied in length until the 1924 Olympics in Paris, when the International Olympic Committee adopted the 1908 London distance as official.
marc, marco, or mark
traditional units of weight in various countries of Western Europe. In each country the unit equals 1/2 the unit corresponding to the English pound . Thus the French marc equals 1/2 livre , 8 onces or about 244.75 grams; the Spanish marco equals 1/2 libra or about 230 grams; the German mark equals 1/2 pfund or about 280.5 grams; and the English mark equals 8 ounces or 226.8 grams. The English unit was used almost entirely for measuring precious metals.
marine league
an informal name for the league as used at sea: a unit of distance generally equal to 3 nautical miles (5556 meters).
mark twain
see twain .
marla
a traditional unit of area in Pakistan. The marla was standardized under British rule to be equal to the square rod [1], that is, 272.25 square feet, 30.25 square yards, or 25.2929 square meters.
mas
symbol for milli arcsecond , a unit of angular measure commonly used in astronomy.
masha
a traditional unit of mass in India and Pakistan, standardized under British rule as 15 grains , 1/12 tola , or about 0.972 gram. In Pakistan, the unit is still used sometimes for the weight of precious metals.
masl
a common symbol for "meters above sea level" used in geology and geography.
maß (mass)
a unit of volume for beer in Germany and Austria, usually equal to one liter today. The traditional Bavarian maß was about 1.07 liters.
mAU
a symbol for the milli- absorbance unit . An increase in absorbance of 1 mAU corresponds to a reduction in transmittance of about 0.2305%.
maund
a traditional unit of weight in India and throughout South Asia. The maund varied considerably, but during the period of British rule in India it was standardized at about 82.286 pounds or 37.3242 kilograms. The maund is divided into 40 seers . Since 1980, Pakistan has used a metric version of the maund equal to exactly 40 kilograms (88.185 pounds), thus making the seer equal to the kilogram.
maxwell (Mx)
a CGS unit of magnetic flux, equal to 10-8 weber . In a magnetic field of strength one gauss , one maxwell is the total flux across a surface of one square centimeter perpendicular to the field. This unit was formerly called the line [2]. The newer name honors the British physicist James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879), who presented the unified theory of electromagnetism in 1864.
MBF or MBM
traditional symbols for 1000 (not one million) board feet , a unit of volume for timber equal to 250/3 = 83.333 cubic feet or 2.360 cubic meters. "BM" stands for "board measure."
mbsl
a common symbol for "meters below sea level" used in geology and oceanography.
MBH, MBtuh
symbols for 1000 (not one million) Btu (British thermal units) per hour, a unit traditionally used in the U.S. heating and air conditioning industry to state rates of heating or cooling. One MBH equals about 0.293 071 kilo watt .
mc- or mc [1]
alternate symbol for micro- (see below). This prefix is often seen in the symbol mcg for the microgram. The use of the symbol mc- for micro- became established because typewriters and early dot matrix printers did not have the proper symbol µ-. Also, many hospitals require the use of mc- in all handwritten notes and records, because a hastily written "µ" may be mistaken for an "m," leading to serious dosing errors. However, the use of mc- for micro- is also confusing and should be avoided as much as possible. One source of confusion is that mc- may be interpreted as "millicenti-", a mistake that could also lead to dangerous dosing errors. Occasionally, mc has been used as a symbol for the micron (see below).
mc [2]
Italian abbreviation for the cubic meter (metro cubico). This is a non-standard symbol; the proper symbol is m3.
MCF
a traditional symbol for 1000 (not one million) cubic feet, a unit of volume equal to about 28.317 cubic meters.
Mcfd
a symbol for 1000 (not one million) cubic feet per day, a unit of water flow used by many U.S. water supply companies and agencies. 1 Mcfd = 19.665 liters (5.195 U.S. gallons ) per minute.
Mcfe
a symbol used in the natural gas industry for 1000 (not one million) cubic feet of gas equivalent ( cfe ). This is really an energy unit equal to about 1.091 giga joules (GJ).
mcg
an alternate symbol for the microgram. Although the SI symbol µg is preferable in print, the symbol mcg is used widely in medicine, and its use is required in many hospitals and clinics. This is because a handwritten µg is too easily mistaken for the milligram symbol mg, possibly leading to serious medical errors.
mcL
a symbol sometimes used for the microliter (µL).
MCM
a symbol for 1000 circular mils , a unit of area equal to about 0.5067 square millimeter commonly used in stating wire gauges. This symbol is being replaced by the less-confusing symbol kcmil.
Mcps
a symbol used for 1000 (not one million) centipoises , a unit of dynamic viscosity. This is a jarring addition of an obsolete English prefix to a metric unit, and its use risks a major misunderstanding since M- is the metric prefix for a million rather than a thousand. 1 Mcps equals 10 poises, so the proper name of the unit is decapoise (daP).
MCU
a symbol for milk clotting unit, used for measuring dosage of bromelain, an enzyme used as a digestive aid and for reduction of pain and inflammation. This unit cannot be converted to a weight unit, because different preparations of the enzyme differ in activity. Bromelain is also measured in gelatin digesting units ( GDU ); 1 MCU equals approximately 2/3 GDU.
mease
a unit of quantity formerly used by fishermen. The mease equals the number of herring in a basket, roughly 620.
measure
a musical unit representing a series of beats [2] (rhythmic stresses) with one primary or accented stress. A measure is also called a bar because the end of a measure is represented in musical notation by a vertical bar.
measurement ton (MTON or MT)
a unit of volume used for measuring the cargo of a ship, truck, train, or other freight carrier, equal to exactly 40 cubic feet, or approximately 1.1326 cubic meters. This unit was traditionally called a freight ton (see ton [5]), but that term now means a metric ton of freight in most international usage. However, the confusion seems impossible to dispel; some shippers are now using "measurement ton" to mean a metric ton of freight. (The way out of this dilemma is simple: measure volume in cubic meters and weight in metric tons.)
mebi- (Mi-)
a binary prefix meaning 220 = 1 048 576. This prefix, adopted by the International Electrotechnical Commission in 1998, is intended to replace mega- for binary applications in computer science. (This replacement does not seem to be happening.) The prefix is a contraction of "megabinary."
MED
a common symbol for "minimum erythemal dose," the smallest amount of ultraviolet radiation that produces observable reddening (erythema) of the skin. (Skin is sensitive to reddening by radiation in only a narrow band of wavelengths around 300 nanometers.) The MED obviously varies from one person to another. Doctors and tanning salon operators typically use a value of 200 joules per square meter (J/m2), which represents the MED of a highly sensitive individual; persons with dark skin have MED's in the range of 1000 J/m2. Regulatory agencies are moving to use of the standard erythemal dose (SED), a unit equal to exactly 100 J/m2. In tanning, a dose rate of one MED per hour is equivalent to 55.55 milli watts per square meter of skin surface.
meg
informal contraction of "megabyte," used in computer science.
mega- (M-) [1]
a metric prefix meaning 106, or one million. (The form meg- is often used before a vowel, as in megohm for one million ohms.) The prefix is also common in ordinary language, meaning "very large," as in megabucks or megadose. The prefix is derived from the Greek word for large, megas.
mega- (M-) [2]
in measuring the storage capacity of a computer, the prefix mega- often means 220 = 1 048 576 instead of an even one million. By a 1998 resolution of the International Electrotechnical Commission, the new prefix mebi- (Mi-) is supposed to replace mega- for 220.
megabar (Mbar)
a metric unit of pressure. The megabar equals one million bars , 100 giga pascals (GPa) or about 14.503 million pounds per square inch. Such intense pressures are found inside the earth or in various advanced scientific experiments.
megabarrel (Mbbl, Mbo, MMb, or Mb)
a unit of volume used in the energy industry, equal to one million barrels of oil. One megabarrel equals 42 million U. S. gallons , which is about 158.987 megaliters (ML).
megabase (Mb)
a unit of genetic information equal to the information carried by 1 million pairs of the base units in the double-helix of DNA; also used as a unit of relative distance equal to the length of a strand of DNA containing 1 million base pairs. In humans, one megabase corresponds approximately to a gene separation of one centimorgan .
megabecquerel (MBq)
a unit of radioactivity equal to one million atomic disintegrations per second or 27.027 micro curies .
megabyte (MB)
this unit of information is very common in the computer world, but it is poorly defined. Often it means 1 000 000 bytes, but sometimes it means 220 = 1 048 576 bytes. As if that weren't confusing enough, the 1.44 megabytes stored on "high density" floppy disks are actually megabytes of 1 024 000 bytes each. This uncertainty is a major reason for the recent decision of the International Electrotechnical Commission to establish new binary prefixes for computer science.
megacycle (Mc)
1 million cycles, a term sometimes used as an informal name for the megahertz.
megacycle per second (Mc/s)
an older name for the megahertz.
megadalton (MDa)
a unit of mass equal to one million atomic mass units . See dalton .
megaflops (Mflops)
a unit of computing power equal to one million floating point operations per second. See flops .
megagram (Mg)
an SI unit of mass equal to one million grams or 1000 kg. This means the megagram is identical to the tonne (metric ton). Large masses are almost always stated in tonnes in commercial applications, but megagrams are often used in scientific contexts. One megagram equals about 2204.623 pounds .
megahertz (MHz)
a common unit of frequency equal to one million per second. Frequencies of radio waves are commonly stated in megahertz.
megajoule (MJ)
a common metric unit of work or energy. The megajoule equals one million joules, which is approximately 737 562 foot pounds, 947.8170 Btu , 238.846 (kilogram) Calories , or 0.277 778 kilowatt hours .
megakelvin (MK)
a unit of temperature equal to one million kelvins. This unit is used in astrophysics; temperatures in megakelvins are found in the interiors of stars or in highly excited plasmas. The reciprocal megakelvin (MK-1) is used in colorimetry.
megalerg
a CGS unit of energy equal to 106 ergs or 0.1 joule (0.073 756 foot pound). The "l" was added to "mega-erg" to make the unit pronounceable.
megaline
a metric unit of magnetic flux, equal to one million lines [2] or 0.01 weber.
megaliter (Ml or ML)
a metric unit of volume equal to 1000 cubic meters. Commonly used in reservoir and water system management outside the U.S., the megaliter equals 264 172 U.S. gallons or 0.810 713 acre foot .
megalithic yard
a unit of distance equal to about 83 centimeters or 2.72 feet, defined in 1951 by the Scottish engineer Alexander Thom (1894-1985). Thom claimed this unit was used in the construction of many megalithic monuments, including Stonehenge. If so, the unit was probably measured by the length of a workman's arm.
megameter (Mm)
a metric unit of distance equal to 1000 kilometers or about 621.371 miles . Although this appears to be an appropriate unit for longer distances on the earth, the megameter is seldom used.
megampere (MA)
a unit of electric current equal to one million amperes . This unit is used in plasma physics and fusion research.
meganewton (MN)
a metric unit of force equal to one million newtons. One meganewton equals about 101 972 kilograms of force or 224 809 pounds of force . The main engines of the U.S. space shuttle have a maximum thrust of about 2.28 meganewtons.
megaohm (megohm)
a common unit of electric resistance equal to one million ohms . The spelling megohm is also used.
megaohm (megohm) centimeter
a unit of resistivity, used for pure water and for other substances having relatively high resistivity. In the case of water, resistivity is a measure of purity: the higher the purity, the higher the resistivity. The resistivity of a conductor in megaohm centimeters is defined to be its resistance (in megaohms) multiplied by its cross-sectional area (in square centimeters) divided by its length (in centimeters). One megaohm centimeter equals 10 000 ohm meters.
megaparsec (Mpc)
the longest distance unit in common use, the megaparsec is used by astronomers studying the most distant quasars and galaxies. One megaparsec equals one million parsecs , 3.2616 million light years or 30.857 x 1018 kilometers (30.857 zettameters).
megapascal (MPa, MP)
a common metric unit of pressure or stress equal to one million pascals or one newton per square millimeter. One megapascal equals 10 bars or approximately 145.038 pounds per square inch (lbf/in2 or psi) or 20 885.5 pounds (10.443 U.S. tons) per square foot. The symbol MP is used fairly commonly in engineering, but it is not correct: use MPa.
megapixel
a unit used to describe the size or resolution of an image or of a digital camera. One megapixel is one million pixels (picture elements, or "dots"). For example, a rectangular image 1000 pixels by 1000 pixels is comprised of one megapixel.
megapond (Mp)
a metric unit of force equal to 1000 kilograms of force (kgf). The megapond also equals 9806.65 newtons , or 2204.6226 pounds of force in the traditional English system. Although it is considered obsolete, the megapond is still used sometimes by engineers in Europe, especially in Germany.
megaton (Mton or Mt)
a unit of energy used for measuring the energy of an explosion, especially a nuclear explosion. Supposed to be the amount of energy released by the explosion of one million (short) tons of TNT, the megaton is defined to equal 4.18 x 1015 joules (4.18 petajoules), 1.16 billion kilowatt hours, or roughly 4 trillion Btu .
megatonne (Mt)
a metric unit of mass or weight equal to one million metric tons (tonnes), one teragram (Tg), or about 2.2046 billion pounds .
megawatt (MW)
a common metric unit of power. One megawatt is equal to one million watts , about 1341.02 horsepower , or 947.817 Btu per second.
megawatt hour (MW·h)
a metric unit of energy, especially electrical energy. One megawatt hour equals exactly 3.6 giga joules (GJ), about 3.412 million Btu , or about 2.655 billion foot pounds.
megawatt day (MW·d or MWD)
a unit of energy used in the nuclear power and nuclear weapons industries. One megawatt day equals exactly 24 megawatt hours, 86.4 giga joules (GJ), about 81.89 million Btu , or about 63.7 billion foot pounds.
megayear (Myr or Ma)
a unit of time equal to one million years.
megohm
a common unit of electric resistance equal to one million ohms . This simplified spelling of megaohm is approved by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
meile
A traditional distance unit in German speaking countries, the meile is much longer than the mile units of western Europe. Typically the meile was equal to 4000 klafters (fathoms) or 24 000 fuß (German feet). In Austria this came to 7586 meters (4.714 miles); in northern Germany it was 4.6805 miles or 7532.5 meters. A version of the meile called the geographische meile was defined to equal exactly 4 (Admiralty) nautical miles (24 320 feet , 4.6061 miles, or 7412.7 meters). The geographische meile was designed to equal 1/15 degree [2] or 4/3 league . See also mil [4], the Scandinavian version of this unit.
mel
a unit of perceived musical pitch, originally defined by Stevens, Volkmann, and Newmann in 1937. Our perception of musical pitch is complex. Although tones of higher frequency are perceived as being higher in pitch, tones separated by equal intervals (frequency ratios), such as octaves, will not be perceived as being equally spaced in pitch. A pure tone of frequency 1000 hertz, at a sound level 40 decibels above the faintest sound a listener can hear, is defined to have a pitch of 1000 mels, and tones perceived as being equally spaced in pitch are separated by an equal number of mels. Because perceptions of pitch depend on a number of factors other than frequency, it is not possible to give a straightforward conversion between hertz and mels. For tones above 1000 hertz the perceived pitch in mels is lower than the frequency in hertz; a 10-kilohertz tone is perceived at around 3000 mels. For tones lower than 1000 hertz the perceived pitch is a little higher than the frequency in hertz.
melchior
a huge bottle of champagne, holding about 18 liters.
Mercalli intensity scale
an empirical scale for rating the effects of an earthquake, as opposed to its strength (see magnitude [2] above). Mercalli estimates are stated as Roman numerals (I-XII) to avoid confusion with magnitude estimates on the Richter scale. The scale is named for the Italian geologist Giuseppe Mercalli (1850-1914), who devised the first version in 1902; the modified version used in the U.S. and Canada was developed by Charles F. Richter in 1956.
mercantile pound (lb merc)
a historic English unit of weight, the mercantile pound (libra mercatoria) was the commercial predecessor of the avoirdupois pound [1]. Used from about 1100 to 1300, the mercantile pound contained 15 troy ounces [2] or 7200 grains . This is equivalent to about 1.0286 avoirdupois pounds or 466.55 grams.
-merous
an ending meaning "-parted," added to a number to create an adjective. Thus "8-merous" means "having 8 parts." The suffix, frequently used by botanists, is derived from the Greek meros, "part."
mesh
a traditional unit used to measure the fineness of woven products such as fishing nets, fencing fabric, window screening, etc., equal to the number of strands per inch . For n mesh fabric, the distance between strands is 1/n inch or 25.4/n millimeter.
met
a unit of metabolism. Metabolism, the sum of all the processes going on in the body to sustain life, is measured in units of power expended per unit of body surface area. One met is the metabolism of a seated, resting person, equal to about 58.15 watts per square meter (W/m2) or 13.89 calories per second per square meter (cal/m2·s) regardless of the person's size. Measurements of human metabolism generally fall in the range 0.8-3.0 met, although athletes can achieve 10 met or more.
meter or metre (m)
the metric and SI base unit of distance. Originally, the meter was designed to be one ten-millionth of a quadrant , the distance between the Equator and the North Pole. (The Earth is difficult to measure, and a small error was made in correcting for the flattening caused by the Earth's rotation. As a result, the meter is too short by a bit less than 0.02%. That's not bad for a measurement made in the 1790's.) For a long time, the meter was precisely defined as the length of an actual object, a bar kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris. In recent years, however, the SI base units (with one exception) have been redefined in abstract terms so they can be reproduced to any desired level of accuracy in a well-equipped laboratory. The 17th General Conference on Weights and Measures in 1983 defined the meter as that distance that makes the speed of light in a vacuum equal to exactly 299 792 458 meters per second. The speed of light in a vacuum, c , is one of the fundamental constants of nature. Since c defines the meter now, experiments made to measure the speed of light are now interpreted as measurements of the meter instead. The meter is equal to approximately 1.093 613 3 yards , 3.280 840 feet , or 39.370 079 inches . Its name comes from the Latin metrum and the Greek metron, both meaning "measure." The unit is spelled meter in the U.S. and metre in Britain; there are many other spellings in various languages (see Spelling of Metric Units ).
meter-atmosphere
another name for the atmo-meter .
meterlambert or meter-lambert
another name for the nit , an MKS unit of luminance equal to one candela per square meter. The name is coined by analogy with the footlambert .
meter per second (m/s)
the metric and SI unit of speed or velocity. One meter per second is equal to exactly 3.6 kilometers per hour (km/h) or about 2.236 936 miles per hour or 3.280 840 feet per second.
methuselah
a large wine bottle holding about 6 liters, 8 times the volume of a regular bottle .
Metonic cycle
a unit of time equal to 19 years, used in astronomy in predicting the phases of the Moon. By coincidence, 19 years is equal to 6939.602 days and 235 lunar months is equal to 6939.689 days, just 125 minutes longer. As a result, the phases of the Moon repeat almost exactly after 19 years. (Since 19 years can contain either 3 or 4 leap days, the recurrence isn't always exact as to the day of the month.) Many lunar calendars, such as the Chinese and Jewish calendars, share this 19-year cycle. The cycle is named for the ancient Greek astronomer Meton, who first used it for predictions around 433 BC.
metric carat
the current internationally-recognized carat , equal to exactly 200 milligrams.
metric grain
a unit of mass sometimes used by jewelers, equal to 50 milligrams or 1/4 carat . This unit is often used for pearls and is sometimes called the pearl grain.
metric horsepower
a unit of power, defined to be the power required to raise a mass of 75 kilograms at a velocity of 1 meter per second. This is approximately 735.499 watts or 0.986 32 horsepower . The unit is known in French as cheval vapeur, in Spanish as caballo de vapor, and in German as Pferdestärke.
metric hundredweight
an informal unit of mass equal to 50 kilograms or approximately 110.231 pounds, close to the traditional British hundredweight of 112 pounds. This unit is also known by its German name, the zentner , or (in English) the centner.
metric mile
an informal unit of distance used mostly in athletics. The metric mile is equal to 1500 meters or 1.5 kilometers (approximately 0.932 057 statute mile or 4921.26 feet ). In U.S. high school competition the term is sometimes used for a race of 1600 meters (0.994 194 miles or 5249.34 feet).
metric pound
an informal name for a mass of 500 grams (0.5 kilogram or 1.1023 pound ).
metric quintal
a unit of mass equal to 1 decitonne, 100 kilograms or about 220.462 pounds. See quintal for a more complete description.
metric slug
see TME or hyl .
metric ton (t or MT)
an alternate name for the tonne . In the United States, the Department of Commerce recommends that the tonne be called the metric ton to distinguish it clearly from the traditional American ton. The proper symbol for the unit is simply t.
metric ton unit (mtu)
a unit of mass used in mining to measure the mass of the valuable metal in an ore. Customarily, the metric ton unit is defined to be one metric ton of ore containing 1% metal, but it is the metal, not the ore, that is being measured. Thus the unit is really a unit of mass equal to 10 kilograms (22.0462 pounds).
MeV
the symbol for one million electronvolts . Thanks to Einstein's equation E = mc2 equating mass wth energy, the MeV can be regarded either as a unit of energy equal to 160.217 646 2 femto joules , or as a unit of mass equal to 1.782 662 x 10-27 gram or 0.001 073 544 atomic mass unit . This is 1.956 951 times the mass of the electron (me).
MFD, mfd
common but incorrect symbols for the microfarad (see below). The correct symbol is µF, or mcF if µ is not available.
mg-at
an obsolete symbol for "milligram atom", an equally obsolete name for the milli mole (mmol).
Mgd
an abbreviation for millions of gallons per day (Mgal/d), a unit used in reservoir management to express the rate at which water is withdrawn, or could be withdrawn, for drinking or for some other purpose. 1 Mgd equals approximately 3.785 43 megaliters per day, or 3785.43 cubic meters per day, or 133 681 cubic feet per day.
mg/dl
symbol for milligram per deciliter, a unit used in U.S. medicine to measure the concentration of cholesterol and other substances in the blood. 1 mg/dl equals 0.01 grams per liter (g/L). Internationally, the SI unit for data of this type is millimoles per liter (mmol/L); see the table of SI Units for Clinical Data for conversions of many common measurements.
mg-eq
an obsolete symbol for "milligram equivalent", an equally obsolete name for the milli equivalent (mEq).
mg/kg
symbol for milligram per kilogram, a unit used in medicine to measure dosage rates. 1 mg/kg is equivalent to 10-6 g/g or 1 part per million based on the patient's body weight.
mgon
symbol for the milligon (milligrad), a unit of angle measure equal to 0.001 gon , 10-5 right angle, 0.0009°, 3.24 seconds of arc, or 15.708 microradians (µrad). Surveying equipment is often marked in "mgons."
mho
an older name for the siemens , which is defined to be the reciprocal of the ohm . In case you didn't notice already, "mho" is "ohm" spelt backwards.
mic
an informal name for the microgram, pronounced "mike."
mickey
a unit used in computer science in programming mice and similar input devices. One mickey is the length of the smallest detectable movement of the mouse. This depends on the equipment. Typical values are in the range 1/200 to 1/300 inch or roughly 0.1 millimeter. Obviously, the name comes from the Disney cartoon character Mickey Mouse.
micro- (µ- or mc- or u-)
a metric prefix meaning 10-6 (one millionth). The prefix comes from the Greek prefix mikro-, meaning small. In print the prefix is sometimes abbreviated mc- or u- when the Greek letter mu (µ) is not available.
microampere (µA)
a unit of electric current equal to 10-6 ampere .
microarcsecond (µas)
a unit of angle measurement sometimes used in astronomy. The microarcsecond equals 10-6 arcsecond or about 4.8481 pico radian .
microbar (µbar)
a CGS unit of pressure equal to 0.001 millibar, 0.1 pascal , 1 dyne per square centimeter (1 barye ), or about 0.002 089 pounds per square foot. The microbar is used commonly in acoustics and sound engineering.
microcurie (µCi)
a common unit of radioactivity. The microcurie equals 10-6 curie or 37 kilobecquerels ; this corresponds to a radioactivity of 37 000 atomic disintegrations per second.
microdegree (µdeg) [1]
a unit of angle measure equal to a millionth of a degree or exactly 36 milliarcseconds.
microeinstein (µE)
a unit of light energy concentration used in measuring the flux or density of light or any form of electromagnetic radiation. The microeinstein is equal to 10-6 einstein or one micro mole of photons. The density of photosynthetically active radiation, for example, is reported in microeinsteins per second per square meter (µE/s·m2).
microequivalent (µEq or µeq)
a unit of relative amount of substance equal to 10-6 equivalent weight . This unit is used, for example, in stating the concentrations of ions in drinking water.
microfarad (µF)
a common unit of electric capacitance equal to 10-6 farad .
microflick (µf)
a unit of spectral radiance used in optical and communications engineering, equal to 10-6 flick , or 1 microwatt per steradian per square centimeter of surface per micrometer of span in wavelength. This is mathematically equivalent to 10 milliwatts per steradian per cubic meter.
microgram (µg or mcg)
a metric unit of mass equal to 0.001 milligram (mg) or one millionth of a gram. Ingredients of drugs and vitamins are often stated in micrograms.
microgray (µGy)
a unit of radiation dose equal to a millionth of a gray or 0.1 milli rad . Small doses of this size are often provided by natural sources in the environment.
microinch (µin)
a traditional unit of distance equal to 10-6 inch, 0.001 mil, or 25.4 nanometers (nm). The microinch is used rather widely to state the roughness of optical surfaces, precise tolerances in machining, and for other industrial purposes.
microliter (µl, µL, mcl, or mcL)
a metric unit of volume equal to 0.001 milliliter or 1 cubic millimeter (mm3). Microliters are used in chemistry and medicine to measure very small quantities of liquid. This unit has also been called the lambda.
micrometer (µm)
a common metric unit of distance equal to 0.001 millimeter or about 0.039 370 mil. The name micron is also used for this unit.
micromicro- (µµ-)
an obsolete metric prefix denoting 10-12. The prefix has been replaced by pico- (p-).
micromicrofarad (µµF or mmfd)
an older name for the picofarad (10-12 farad ). Though it is obsolete now, this name is still seen marked on many capacitors.
micromicron (µµ)
a former name for a millionth of a micron, that is, 10-12 meter. The name bicron was also used for this unit, which is now called the picometer (pm).
micromole (µmol)
a unit of amount of substance equal to a millionth of a mole (see below). This unit is used very commonly in biochemistry, since a mole of a large organic molecule can be quite a large amount.
micron (µ) [1]
a metric unit of distance equal to one millionth of a meter. "Micron" is simply a shorter name for the micrometer. In 1968 the CGPM decided to drop the micron as an approved unit and recommend that micrometers be used instead. Microns, however, are still in common use.
micron (µ) [2]
an informal unit of pressure widely used in vacuum technology. In this use, a micron is a micron of mercury, that is, 0.001 mm Hg or approximately 1.333 micro bars (µbar or µb) or 133.3 milli pascals (mPa). For all practical purposes, 1 micron is identical to 1 milli torr (mTorr).
micronewton (µN)
a unit of force equal to a millionth of a newton or 0.1 dyne . The unit is often used in astronautical engineering to describe the tiny forces applied to spacecraft to adjust their attitudes in space.
micropascal (µPa)
an SI unit of pressure equal to 10-6 pascal or 1 micro newton per square meter. This very small unit is used to measure the pressure of sound waves.
micropoise (µP, µPo, or µPs)
a unit of dynamic viscosity used primarily for describing the viscosities of gases. One micropoise equals 10-6 poise or 10-7 pascal second (Pa·s).
microrad (µrad)
a unit of radiation dose equal to a millionth of a rad or 10 nano grays .
microradian (µrad)
a unit of angle measure equal to 10-6 radian . The microradian equals about 0.208 533 milliarcsecond (mas).
microrem (µrem)
a unit of effective radiation dose equal to a millionth of a rem or 10 nano sieverts . Doses in this range are much smaller than those provided by natural sources of radioactivity in the environment.
microsecond (µs or µsec)
a unit of time equal to a millionth of a second.
microsievert (µSv)
a unit of radiation dose equal to 10-6 sievert or 0.1 milli rem . The radiation doses resulting from exposure to natural sources such as radon gas in the atmosphere are often measured in this unit.
microstrain (µstrain)
a common engineering unit measuring strain. An object under strain is typically deformed (extended or compressed), and the strain is measured by the amount of this deformation relative to the same object in an undeformed state. One microstrain is the strain producing a deformation of one part per million (10-6).
microtesla (µT or mcT)
a common unit of magnetic field intensity equal to 10-6 tesla . The unit is widely used to measure the strength of electromagnetic fields generated by powerlines or electronic equipment. By comparison, the strength of the Earth's own magnetic field at the surface is about 50 microteslas. One microtesla equals 0.01 gauss .
microvolt (µV or mcV)
a unit of electric potential equal to 10-6 volt . This unit is used in cardiology and other medical fields to measure the small potentials within the nervous system.
middy
an informal unit of volume for beer used in many Australian pubs. A middy is generally 285 milliliters (or 10 British fluid ounces), larger than a pony but smaller than a schooner .
miglio
the traditional Italian mile. The miglio equals 1628 yards, which is 0.925 English mile or about 1488.6 meters. This is 32 yards (29.3 meters) shorter than the classical Roman mile.
miil or mijl
alternate spellings for the Scandinavian mil [4] (see below).
mil [1]
a unit of distance equal to 0.001 inch: a "milli-inch," in other words. Mils are used, primarily in the U.S., to express small distances and tolerances in engineering work. One mil is exactly 25.4 microns, just as one inch is exactly 25.4 millimeters. This unit is also called the thou. With the increasing use of metric units in the U.S., many machinists now avoid the use of "mil" because that term is also a handy slang for the millimeter.
mil [2]
a unit of angle measure, used in the military for artillery settings. At one time the U. S. Army used a mil equal to 1/1000 of a right angle, 0.1 grad, 0.09°, or 5.4 arcminutes (often written 5.4 moa; see "moa" below). Later this was changed to 1/1600 right angle, or 0.05625° (3.375 moa). In target shooting, the mil is often understood to mean 0.001 radian or 1 milliradian, which is about 0.0573° or 3.43775 moa. In Britain, the term angular mil generally refers to the milliradian. 1 milliradian corresponds to a target size of 10 millimeters at a range of 10 meters, or 3.6 inches at 100 yards.
mil [3]
a common slang name for the milliliter (mL) or the millimeter (mm).
mil [4]
in Scandinavia, the mil, pronounced like "meal" in English, is a traditional distance unit considerably longer than Roman or English miles. In Denmark, the traditional mil was 24 000 Danish feet, which is 4.6805 miles or 7.5325 kilometers (this is the same as the north German meile; see above). The Danish mil has sometimes been interpreted as exactly 7.5 kilometers (4.6603 miles). In Sweden, the traditional mil was 36 000 Swedish feet, which is 6.641 miles or 10.687 kilometers. In Sweden and Norway the mil is now interpreted as a metric unit equal to exactly 10 kilometers (6.2137 miles). See also sjømil .
mil [5]
an alternate spelling of the mill [1] (see below).
mile (mi) [1]
a traditional unit of distance. The word comes from the Latin word for 1000, mille, because originally a mile was the distance a Roman legion could march in 1000 paces (or 2000 steps, a pace being the distance between successive falls of the same foot). There is some uncertainty about the length of the Roman mile. Based on the Roman foot of 29.6 centimeters and assuming a standard pace of 5 Roman feet, the Roman mile would have been 1480 meters (4856 feet); however, the measured distance between surviving milestones of Roman roads is often closer to 1520 meters or 5000 feet. In any case, miles of similar lengths were used throughout Western Europe. In medieval England, several mile units were used, including a mile of 5000 feet (1524 meters), the modern mile defined as 8 furlongs (1609 meters), and a longer mile similar to the French mille (1949 meters). None of these units corresponded with the Scottish mile (1814 meters) or the Irish mile (2048 meters). In 1592, Parliament settled the question in England by defining the statute mile to be 8 furlongs , 80 chains , 320 rods [1], 1760 yards or 5280 feet . Using the international definition of the foot as exactly 30.48 centimeters, the international statute mile is exactly 1609.344 meters. (In technical U.S. usage, the statute mile is defined in terms of the survey foot and equals about 1609.3472 meters; this unit is called the survey mile). In athletics, races of 1500 or 1600 meters are often called metric miles. See also nautical mile .
mile (mi) [2]
an informal name for mile per hour, sometimes seen on U.S. road signs with markings such as "Speed Limit 25 miles."
mile per gallon (mi/gal or mpg) [1]
the unit customarily used in the United States to measure the fuel efficiency of motor vehicles. 1 mile per U.S. gallon [1] equals about 0.4252 kilometers per liter. In most other countries, however, the usual measure of fuel consumption is liters per 100 kilometers; x miles per U.S. gallon is equal to 235.215/x liters per 100 kilometers.
mile per gallon (mi/gal or mpg) [2]
the unit formerly used in Britain, Canada, Australia, and other British Commonwealth nations to measure the fuel efficiency of motor vehicles, analogous to the U.S. unit but based on the Imperial gallon [3]. Although still used sometimes, this unit has been replaced officially by liters per 100 kilometers; x miles per Imperial gallon is equal to 282.481/x liters per 100 kilometers. One mile per Imperial gallon is equal to about 0.8327 mile per U.S. gallon.
mile per hour (mi/h or mph)
a traditional unit of velocity. One mile per hour equals exactly 22/15 feet per second, approximately 1.609 kilometers per hour (km/h), or exactly 0.447 04 meter per second (m/s).
mil-foot
a mil-foot is a section of wire one foot long and one mil in diameter; this would be a unit of volume equal to about 0.0377 cubic inches or 0.6178 cubic centimeters. However, the unit is used primarily in statements of resistivity in ohms per mil-foot or of density in pounds per mil-foot. The unit is also called the circular mil-foot.
milha
the traditional Portuguese mile, one of the "longest miles" of western Europe at 2282.75 yards (1.297 statute miles or 2087.3 meters).
military pace
another name for a step . In the U.S. Army, the military pace is defined to be exactly 30 inches (76.2 centimeters) for ordinary "quick time" marching and 36 inches (91.44 centimeters) for double time marching. The same definitions are generally used by marching bands.
mill [1]
an informal unit of quantity or of proportion, equal to 0.001. When Congress established the U. S. monetary system in 1791, it provided for 10 mills to the cent and 100 cents to the dollar; thus the mill was an amount of money equal to $0.001. Although the mill is unfamiliar now as a monetary unit, it has come to represent a one thousandth part as a proportion. Many towns in the United States set their property tax rates in mills, for example.
mill [2]
slang for one million.
milla
the traditional Spanish mile, equal to 5000 pies (Spanish feet) or 8 estadios . This is about 1392 meters, 4567 feet , or 0.865 statute mile.
mille [1]
the traditional French mile, equal to 1000 toises . This is equal to about 6394.4 feet , 1.211 statute mile, or 1949 meters. In modern France, the mille sometimes means the nautical mile (mille marin), equal to exactly 1852 meters.
mille [2]
in French-speaking Canada, the English statute mile of 5280 feet (1609.344 meters).
mille [3]
the Latin word for 1000, sometimes used in English in very learned or literary contexts.
millenary
a unit of quantity equal to 1000.
millennium
a traditional unit of time equal to 1000 years. The plural is millennia or sometimes millenniums.
milli- (m-)
a metric prefix meaning 0.001 (one thousandth). The prefix was coined from the Latin number mille, one thousand.
milliampere (mA)
a common unit of electric current equal to 0.001 ampere .
milliampere hour (mA·h)
a common unit of electric charge, used (for example) in stating the capacity of batteries for cell phones and other electronic equipment. One milliampere hour is the charge accumulated by a current of 1 milliampere in 1 hour; this is equal to exactly 3.6 coulombs (C).
milliarcsecond (mas)
a unit of angular measure commonly used in astronomy. One milliarcsecond is equal to 0.001 arcsecond, 0.277 77 microdegrees, or 4.848 137 nano radians .
milliard [1]
a unit of quantity equal to 109, which is what Americans call a billion. See Using Numbers and Units for more on the "billion" controversy.
milliard [2]
a unit of volume used by engineers to describe a large quantity of water. One milliard equals one cubic kilometer, which is 1 billion (109) cubic meters or about 810 767 acre feet .
millibar (mb)
a common metric unit of atmospheric pressure, equal to 0.001 bar, 100 pascals , 1000 dynes /cm2, about 0.0295 inches (0.7501 millimeters) of mercury, or about 0.014 504 lb/in2. A millibar is the same thing as a hectopascal (hPa), and some weather agencies have replaced the millibar with the hectopascal in an effort to conform with the SI . However, many meteorologists resist this change and continue to use millibars. In fact, an appropriate SI unit for atmospheric pressure would be the kilopascal (10 millibars or 0.145 038 lb/in2).
millicandela (mcd)
a unit of light intensity equal to 0.001 candela . The intensity of the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) used in electronics are stated in millicandelas.
millicurie (mCi)
a common unit of radioactivity. One millicurie represents radioactivity at the rate of 37 million atomic disintegrations per second, that is, 37 mega bequerels .
millidegree (mdeg) [1]
a unit of angle measure equal to 0.001° or exactly 36 arcseconds.
millidegree (mdeg) [2]
a unit of temperature equal to 0.001°, usually meaning 0.001 °C.
milliequivalent (mEq or meq)
a unit of relative amount of substance commonly used in chemistry. One mEq equals 0.001 equivalent weight .
millier
a former name for the tonne or metric ton. This name, obsolete now, was used in Britain to avoid confusion with the British long ton.
millifarad (mF)
a common unit of electric capacitance equal to 0.001 farad .
milligal (mGal or mgal)
a unit of acceleration used in geology to measure subtle changes in gravitational acceleration. One milligal equals 10 micrometers per second per second, or 10-5 meters per second per second. The unit should really be called the milli galileo .
milligauss (mG)
a unit of magnetic flux density equal to 0.001 gauss , 0.1 micro tesla , or 100 nanoteslas. The magnetic fields generated by power lines and electronic equipment are often measured in milligauss.
milligram (mg)
a very common metric unit of mass equal to 0.001 gram or 1000 micrograms (µg or mcg). One milligram equals approximately 0.015432 grain or 35.274 x 10-6 ounce.
milligram per deciliter (mg/dl or mg/dL)
a conventional unit in medicine for measuring concentrations of cholesterol and many other substances in the blood. Internationally, the SI unit for data of this type is millimoles per liter (mmol/L); see the table of SI Units for Clinical Data for conversions of many common measurements.
milligray (mGy)
a common unit of radiation dose equal to 0.001 gray , 0.1 rad , or 1 millijoule of energy per kilogram of matter. Because the gray itself is such a large unit, many practical radiation measurements are made in milligrays. In particular, the exposures cause by X-ray equipment are typically in the milligray range.
millihenry (mH)
a common metric unit of electric inductance equal to 0.001 henry .
millihg
an informal name (pronounced "millig") for the millimeter of mercury (see below).
millihorsepower (mhp)
a unit of power equal to 0.55 foot-pound per second or 0.7457 watt . This unit is commonly used to state the power of small electric motors.
millijoule (mJ)
a common metric unit of work or energy equal to 0.001 joule or 104 ergs .
milli-k
a unit used in nuclear engineering to describe the "reactivity" of a nuclear reactor. One milli-k is a reactivity of 0.001 or 0.1%; the origin of the name is that k is a common symbol for reactivity. This unit was introduced in the Canadian nuclear power industry. For a discussion of reactivity, see inhour .
millikelvin (mK)
a unit of temperature equal to 0.001 kelvin or 0.001 degree Celsius (°C). This unit is used mostly by scientists investigating substances cooled very close to absolute zero.
millilambert (mLb)
a common metric unit of illumination equal to 0.001 lambert or 10 lux (lx).
millilux (mlx)
a metric unit of illumination equal to 0.001 lux . The natural illumination at night is measured in millilux.
milliliter (ml or mL)
a very common metric unit of volume. One milliliter equals 0.001 liter, exactly one cubic centimeter (cm3 or cc), or approximately 0.061 023 7 cubic inch or 16.231 U.S. minims (see below). The milliliter is used almost entirely for measuring the volumes of liquids, with solids being measured in cubic centimeters. Note: until 1964 the milliliter was equal to 1.000 028 cubic centimeters; see liter for a discussion of this history.
millimass unit (mu or mmu)
a unit of mass equal to 0.001 atomic mass unit , used in physics and chemistry. This unit is also called the milli dalton (mDa). The millimass unit is an SI unit, but its proper SI symbol is mu, not the older symbol mmu.
millimeter (mm)
a very common metric unit of distance. One millimeter equals 0.001 meter, 0.1 centimeter, about 0.039 370 inch, or 39.370 mils.
millimeter of mercury (mm Hg)
a unit of pressure equal to the pressure exerted at the Earth's surface by a column of mercury 1 millimeter high. When a traditional mercury barometer is used, the pressure is read directly as the height of the mercury column in millimeters. One millimeter of pressure is equivalent to approximately 0.03937 in Hg , 0.01933 lbf/in2, 1.333 millibars , or 133.3 pascals . In medicine, blood pressure is traditionally recorded in mm Hg. In engineering, the millimeter of mercury is often replaced by the torr , the two units being equal to within 1 part per million. Hg, the chemical symbol for mercury, is taken from the Latin hydrargyrum, "water-silver," describing the silvery liquid metal.
millimeter of water (mmH2O, mm WC, mm CE, mm WS)
a unit of pressure equal to the pressure exerted at the Earth's surface by a column of water 1 millimeter high. This is a small pressure, about 9.8067 pascals , 0.098 067 millibars , 0.03937 inch of water, or 0.204 pounds per square foot. The French symbol is mm CE (colonne d'eau), and the German symbol is mm WS (Wassersäule).
millimeter of water gauge (mm WG)
another common name for the millimeter of water column. The word "gauge" (or "gage") after a pressure reading indicates that the pressure stated is actually the difference between the absolute, or total, pressure and the air pressure at the time of the reading.
millimicro- (mµ-)
an obsolete metric prefix denoting 10-9 or one billionth. This prefix has been replaced by nano- (n-).
millimicron (mµ)
a former metric unit of distance equal to 0.001 micron or 10-9 meter. The millimicron has been replaced by its equivalent, the nanometer (nm).
millimole (mmol)
a very common unit of amount of substance equal to 0.001 mole (see below).
millimole per liter (mmol/l or mmol/L)
the SI unit in medicine for measuring concentrations of cholesterol and many other substances in the blood. A table is provided for conversion of conventional units, such as milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), to SI units.
milline
a traditional unit of advertising. One milline equals the height of a line of "agate" type (5.5 points, or about 2 mm) times the width of a column times one million copies of the publication.
millinewton (mN)
a metric unit of force equal to 0.001 newton , 100 dynes , or about 0.101 972 gram of force (gf).
millinile
a unit used in British nuclear engineering to describe the "reactivity" of a nuclear reactor. One millinile is a reactivity of 10-5. For a discussion of reactivity, see inhour .
millioctave (mO)
a unit used in music to describe the ratio in frequency between notes. The difference between two frequencies in millioctaves is equal to 1000 times the base-2 logarithm of the ratio between the two frequences. One millioctave equals exactly 1.2 cents [3] or about 0.30103 savart . If two notes differ by 1 millioctave, the ratio between their frequencies is 21/1000 or approximately 1.000 6934.
millioersted (mOe)
a name sometimes used for the milligauss as a unit of magnetic flux density.
milliosmole (mOsm)
a unit of osmotic pressure, equal to 0.001 osmole , commonly used in biology and medicine.
milliparsec (mpc)
a unit of distance in astronomy equal to 0.001 parsec . Used in studying crowded parts of the universe such as globular clusters and galactic centers, the milliparsec is equal to about 206.265 astronomical units , 11.913 light days, or 30.8568 terameters (30.8568 x 109 kilometers or 49.6486 million miles).
millipascal (mPa)
an SI unit of pressure equal to 0.001 pascal or 1 milli newton per square meter. This very small unit is used to measure the pressure of sound waves.
millipascal second (mPa·s)
an SI unit of dynamic viscosity equal to the centi poise (cP). This unit is gradually replacing the centipoise in many contexts.
milliphot (mph)
a unit of illuminance or illumination equal to 0.001 phot or 10 lux .
millipoise (mP, mPs, or mPo)
a metric unit of dynamic viscosity equal to 0.001 poise or 0.1 millipascal second (mPa·s).
millirad (mrad)
a unit of radiation dose equal to 0.001 rad or 10 micro grays .
milliradian (mrad)
a unit of angle measure equal to 0.001 radian. The milliradian equals about 0.057 296°, 3.437 75 arcminutes, or 3" 26.265'. In Britain this unit is often called the angular mil.
millirem (mrem)
a common unit of radiation dose equal to 0.001 rem or 10 micro sieverts (µSv). A millirem is roughly the radiation dose you would receive from wearing a luminous dial watch for a year.
millisecond (ms or msec)
a common unit of time equal to 0.001 second.
millisiemens (mS)
a common unit of conductance equal to 0.001 siemens or 1 milli ampere of current per volt of potential difference. The millisiemens is often used to measure the salinity of seawater or brackish water, since adding salt to water makes it much more conductive of electricity.
millisievert (mSv)
a unit commonly used to measure radiation dose. One millisievert equals 0.001 sievert or 0.1 rem .
millitesla (mT)
a common unit of magnetic field intensity equal to 0.001 tesla or 10 gauss . Since the tesla is quite a large unit, many practical measurements are made in milliteslas.
millivolt (mV)
a common unit of electric potential equal to 0.001 volt .
milliwatt (mW)
a common unit of power equal to 0.001 watt .
milliwatt hour (mW·h)
a common metric unit of work or energy, representing the energy delivered at a rate of one milliwatt for a period of one hour. This is equivalent to exactly 3.6 joules (J) of energy, or about 0.003 412 Btu , 0.859 846 (small) calories , or about 2.655 foot pounds.
mina
a historic unit of weight, originating in Babylonia and used throughout the eastern Mediterranean. The mina is roughly comparable to the pound , but over the centuries it varied quite a bit. In Babylonian times it was a large unit, roughly 2 pounds, almost as much as a kilogram. The Hebrew mina, frequently mentioned in the Bible, is estimated at 499 grams (1.10 pounds). The Greek mina was equal to 100 drachmai or 431 grams (0.95 pound). In Biblical times the mina was equal to 60 shekels, and there were 60 minas in a talent .
miner's inch
a traditional unit of water flow in the western United States. The unit originally represented streamflow through an opening one inch (25.4 mm) square at a specified distance below the surface of the water; this distance varied from 4 to 6 inches. In Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North and South Dakota, Utah, and Washington the miner's inch is legally defined to equal 9 gallons per minute or 1.2 cubic feet per minute (about 34.07 liters per minute). In Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon the definition is 1.5 cubic feet per minute (42.48 L/min). In Colorado, the legal equivalent is 1.5625 cubic feet per minute (44.25 L/min). See also water inch .
-minex
a suffix used to create small numbers. The number n-minex is 10-n, which is 0.000...0001 with a total of n-1 zeros between the decimal marker and the 1. Thus one millionth (0.000001), for example, is 6-minex. See also dex and -plex .
minim (m or min) [1]
a traditional unit of volume used for very small quantities of liquids. In pharmacy, the term drop traditionally meant the same thing as 1 minim. The minim is defined to be 1/60 fluid dram or 1/480 fluid ounce. The U. S. minim is equal to about 0.003 760 cubic inch or 61.610 microliters, while the British minim is equal to about 0.003 612 cubic inch or 59.194 microliters. As you might guess, the word comes from the Latin minimus, small.
minim [2]
a unit of relative time in music equal to 1/2 whole note (a half note) or 1/4 breve .
minipin
an informal unit of volume for beer and other alcoholic beverages, used mostly in Britain. A minipin is 1/2 of a polypin ; this is about 17 Imperial pints or 10 liters (roughly 2.64 U.S. gallons).
minute (′) [0]
a historic unit of proportion equal to 1/60. The Romans lacked our flexible terminology for fractions; they followed Babylonian and Greek practice in visualizing quantities as being divided into 60 parts, so they could express fractions consistently in 60ths. A 60th part was called a pars minuta prima ("first small part") of the whole. For smaller fractions, a 60th part was divided into 60 smaller parts, each called a pars minuta secunda ("second small part"). The minuta prima has come down to us as "minute," the minuta secunda is our "second," and the prima leads to the traditional symbol ′ being called a "prime."
minute (min or ′ or m) [1]
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or to 1/60 hour. The SI specifies min as the symbol for the time unit and ′ as the symbol for the minute of arc (see below).
minute (′ or m or moa) [2] or minute of arc or minute of angle
a unit of angular measure equal to 60 arcseconds or to 1/60 degree. This unit is often called the arcminute to distinguish it from the minute of time. There are 21 600 arcminutes in a circle. The SI defines min as the symbol for the time unit (see above) and recommends ′ as the symbol for the minute of arc. The symbol moa is often used in target shooting. The international standard ISO 31 requires that angles be stated in degrees and decimal fractions of the degree, without use of arcminutes and arcseconds.
minute (′ or m) [3]
a unit of angular measure used in astronomy. Astronomers measure right ascension (see hour [2]) in time units by dividing the equator into 24 hours instead of 360 degrees. This makes 1 minute of right ascension equal to 15 arcminutes.
minute [4]
a unit of time equal to 1/60 day or 24 minutes in the modern sense. This was the original definition of the minute as a unit of time. The modern definition of 1/60 hour did not appear until the invention of mechanical clocks made it practical to measure such small intervals of time.
minute (min or m or ′) [5]
a unit of sidereal time in astronomy; see sidereal day .
minutum
in medieval times, a unit of time equal to 1/10 hour, or 6 minutes in modern terminology. This unit was divided into 4 moments (see below).
minyan
a traditional Hebrew unit of quantity equal to 10, the number of males aged 13 or over required for a Jewish worship service. (In many modern congregations, both males and females can be included in a minyan.)
mips
a unit of computing power equal to one million instructions per second. An "instruction" is a single program command to the computer's central processor. In a particular computer, there is a definite relationship between the rate at which instructions are processed, in mips, and the "clock speed" of the processor, measured in megahertz (MHz). However, this relationship varies considerably between computers, so it is usually not meaningful to compare the mips rates of dissimilar machines. See also megaflops (above).
mired
a name used in colorimetry for the reciprocal megakelvin (MK-1). The word is an acronym for "micro-reciprocal degree"; it is pronounced my-red, in two syllables.
MIU
symbol for one million international units . Dosages of certain drugs, such as various forms of interferon, are commonly stated in this unit.
MJD
see modified Julian day (below).
mKB
symbol for "meters from the Kelly bushing," used in the oil and gas industry to indicate the length of a bored well as measured from the large bushing at the top of the shaft. Since the drilling is usually not exactly vertical, this measurement will be larger than the actual depth of the bottom of the well. The symbol mTVD is often used for true vertical depth.
mkono
a traditional unit of distance in East Africa, standardized under British rule as 1/2 yard (18 inches , or 45.72 centimeters). This unit is an African version of the cubit .
mkp
a common symbol for the meter kilopond , a metric unit of torque equal to 9.806 65 newton meters (N·m) or 7.233 01 pound feet .
Mlb, Mlbs (1)
common symbols for one million pounds . Although "Mlbs" is seen frequently, symbols need not take the terminal -s in the plural and this dictionary takes the position that they should not; "Mlb" is correct. (Also note that the "l" is not capitalized in the symbol for the pound.)
Mlb (2)
a traditional unit of mass for steam, equal to 1000 (not one million) pounds. This is one of many uses of the Roman numeral M to represent a multiple of 1000; all these uses should be replaced by the metric prefix k- (kilo-).
mM
a common symbol in chemistry for millimolar, that is, millimoles per liter. The SI does not allow the use of this symbol.
MM
an abbreviation for one million, seen in a few traditional units such as those listed below. The abbreviation is meant to indicate one thousand thousand, M being the Roman numeral 1000. However, MM actually means 2000, not one million, in Roman numeration. Since the single letter M is now used commonly for one million, the use of MM is confusing and strongly discouraged.
m/m
an abbreviation for "by mass," used in chemistry and pharmacology to describe the concentration of a substance in a mixture or solution. 2% m/m means that the mass of the substance is 2% of the total mass of the solution or mixture.
MMb, MMbo
symbols for one million barrels of oil; see megabarrel above.
MMBF or MMBM
symbols sometimes used in U.S. forestry for one million board feet . One MMBF represents a volume of 83 333 cubic feet or 2360 cubic meters. "BM" stands for "board measure."
MMBtu
a traditional symbol for one million Btu (about 1.055 057 giga joules (GJ)), a unit used widely in the energy industry. This unit is also called the dekatherm.
MMcf
a symbol for one million cubic feet (28 316.85 m3, or 28.316 85 megaliters). Similarly, MMMcf is used for one billion cubic feet.
MMcfe
a symbol used in the natural gas industry for one million cubic feet of gas equivalent ( cfe ). This is really an energy unit equal to about 1.091 tera joules (TJ). Similarly, MMMcfe is used for one billion cubic feet of gas equivalent: 1.091 petajoules (PJ).
MMcps
a symbol used for one million centipoises , a unit of dynamic viscosity. This is a jarring addition of an obsolete English prefix to a metric unit, and its use cannot be recommended. 1 MMcps equals 10 000 poises or 10 kilopoises (kP or kps).
mmg
an obsolete symbol for the microgram, mmg stands for "millimilligram," that is, 0.001 milligram. This symbol should never be used. The SI symbol for the microgram is µg, and an acceptable alternate (often used in medicine) is mcg.
mmHg
symbol for the millimeter of mercury (see above), a unit of pressure equal to 133.3 pascals .
MMM
an abbreviation for one billion (109), seen in a few traditional units such as those mentioned above. The abbreviation is meant to indicate one thousand thousand thousand, M being the Roman numeral 1000. However, MMM actually means 3000, not one billion, in Roman numeration.
MMscfd
symbol for one million standard cubic feet per day, the customary unit for measuring the production and flow of natural gas. "Standard" means that the measurement is adjusted to standard temperature (60 °F or 15.6 °C) and pressure (1 atmosphere ).
-mo
a "unit" traditionally used in printing to describe the page size of a book or other publication. In traditional printing, large sheets are printed, folded, and then cut to manufacture the book. After the cut is made, the sheet has been divided into a certain number of "leaves." Each leaf, folded at the spine of the book, comprises two pages front and back. When sheets were cut to form 4, 8, or 12 leaves, the resulting pages were described as quarto (4to), octavo (8vo) or duodecimo (12mo), respectively. Later, the suffix -mo from duodecimo was made into a suffix that can be attached to any number to indicate the number of leaves per sheet; thus 16mo indicates 16 leaves per sheet. Link: book sizes , from Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books , by Matt T. Roberts and Don Etherington, posted by Stanford University.
moa
an acronym for "minute of angle," that is, for the arcminute (see minute [2], above). This unit is commonly used in target shooting to express the angular size of targets or the spacing between marks on a reticle (the grid of lines seen in the eyepiece of a rifle). By coincidence, 1 moa is very nearly equal to a target size of 1 inch at 100 yards; in fact, 1 moa = 1.047 20 inches at 100 yards or 10.4720 inches at 1000 yards. In metric units, 1 moa = 2.9089 centimeters at 100 meters.
modified Julian day (MJD)
a count of days used by astronomers, space agencies, and others. Astronomers have long used the Julian day , a count of days beginning at noon Universal Time January 1, 4713 BC, as a means of specifying a date independent of all calendars. One problem with this is that the numbers are large, more than 2.4 million, for current dates. Also, the old astronomical custom of beginning a day at noon is awkward for converting Julian dates to the ordinary calendar. To ease these problems, space engineers introduced the modified Julian date, equal to the Julian date minus 2 400 000.5. The result is a count of days beginning at 0 hours (midnight) Universal Time on 17 November 1858. Thus (for example) 0 hours 1 January 2005 is MJD 53371.0.
module
a unit of volume for raw cotton in the U.S. When cotton is harvested, machinery is used to compact it into bundles called modules for transportation to the gin. A cotton module is 8 ft by 8 ft by 20 ft, or 1280 cubic feet (about 36.25 cubic meters). This unit is essentially the same as the TEU , the volume of a standard 20 ft container.
Mohs hardness scale
a 1-10 scale for estimating the hardness of a mineral, introduced by the German geologist Friedrich Mohs (1773-1839) in 1812. To apply the scale, one attempts to scratch the mineral with standard minerals assigned hardness numbers as follows: diamond 10, corundum 9, topaz 8, quartz 7, orthoclase 6, apatite 5, fluorite 4, calcite 3, gypsum 2, and talc 1. If, for example, the mineral is scratched by quartz but not by orthoclase, then its hardness is between 6 and 7.
moiety
another name for a half, from the French moitié.
molad
Hebrew name for the lunar (synodic) month (see month [1] below). This unit, 29.530 59 days, is crucial in the regulation of the Jewish lunisolar calendar.
molal (m), molar (M)
these notations, traditionally used by chemists to describe the concentration of chemical solutions, often appear to be units of measurement. It's easy to get them confused. The term "molal" describes the concentration of a solution in moles per kilogram of solvent (mol/kg), while "molar" describes a concentration in moles per liter (mol/L). A solution described as 1.0 µM has a concentration of 1.0 µmol/L. These units are not approved by the General Conference on Weights and Measures. Their use is declining, but still substantial.
molar volume
a unit used by chemists and physicists to measure the volumes of gases. The behavior of gases under ordinary conditions (not at very high pressures or very low temperatures) is governed by the Ideal Gas Law. This law says that the volume V of a gas is related to its temperature T and pressure P by the formula PV = nRT, where n is the number of moles of gas present and the gas constant R equals 8.314 joules per mole per kelvin . The molar volume is the volume one mole of gas occupies at standard temperature (273.16 kelvins, or 0 °C) and standard pressure (1 atmosphere , or 101.325 kilo pascals ). The molar volume is equal to 22.414 liters or 0.7915 cubic foot. (Occasionally the term "molar volume" is used for the volume occupied by a mole of a substance which is not a gas; in such cases the molar volume will be different for each substance.)
mole (mol)
the SI base unit of the amount of a substance (as distinct from its mass or weight). Moles measure the actual number of atoms or molecules in an object. An earlier name is gram molecular weight, because one mole of a chemical compound is the same number of grams as the molecular weight of a molecule of that compound measured in atomic mass units . The official definition, adopted as part of the SI system in 1971, is that one mole of a substance contains just as many elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions, or other kinds of particles) as there are atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12 (carbon-12 is the most common atomic form of carbon, consisting of atoms having 6 protons and 6 neutrons). The actual number of "elementary entities" in a mole is called Avogadro's number after the Italian chemist and physicist Amedeo Avogadro (1776-1856). Careful measurement determines Avogadro's number to be approximately 602.214 179 x 1021. In the American system of naming big numbers, that's 602 sextillion 214 quintillion 179 quadrillion, give or take about 50 quadrillion.
moment
a medieval unit of time equal to 1/40 hour or 1.5 minutes. This meaning has come down to us only as "a brief interval of time." The moment was divided into 12 ounces [4] of 7.5 seconds each.
momme [1]
a traditional Japanese weight unit corresponding to the Chinese mace (see above). Jewelers continue to use the momme to measure the weight of cultured pearls; for this purpose it equals exactly 3.75 grams (about 0.132 ounce ) or 18.75 carats . The unit is commonly pronounced "mommy" in English.
momme [2]
a traditional unit used to measure the "weight" (density per unit area) of silk. The measure is the weight in momme [1] of a standard strip of silk 25 yards long by 1.49 inches wide, an area of 1341 square inches or about 0.8652 square meter. This makes the silk momme equal to about 3.62 grams per square yard or 4.33 grams per square meter.
MON
abbreviation for motor octane number. See octane number .
mondo point
another name for a millimeter, when used to measure shoe and boot sizes. Ski boots, for example, are sized in mondo points.
month (mo or mon) [1]
a unit of time marked by the revolution of the Moon around the Earth. In many traditional societies the appearance of the first tiny crescent moon after the New Moon signaled the start of the month. This start of the month, based on the first appearance of the Moon, is still proclaimed from mosques in Islamic countries. Thus the lunar month is defined as the average interval between two successive moments of New Moon. Astronomers call this period the synodic month. Its length is 29.530 59 days.
month (mo or mon) [2]
a civil unit of time equal to approximately 1/12 year, but varying from 28 to 31 days [3]. The Sun and the Moon are our traditional time keepers, but they are badly out of step with each other. A solar year equals approximately 12.368 lunar months. The large fraction in this number makes it difficult to design a calendar with a whole number of months in each year. There are at least three solutions to the problem:
[i] Use leap months. In the traditional Chinese and Jewish calendars most years have 12 months, but some have a 13th month. In these luni-solar calendars the length of the year varies from 354 to 384 days.
[ii] Define 12 synodic lunar months to be a year and don't worry about the length of the year. This is the solution of the Islamic calendar. Since the Islamic year has only 354 or 355 days, its length does not match the cycle of the seasons.
[iii] Observe the solar year and let the months be 12 arbitrary periods; don't worry about the Moon. This is the solution adopted by Julius Caesar, who established the civil calendar we use today. In this calendar, all months have 30 or 31 days except the second month, February. February has 28 days in ordinary years and 29 in leap years. See also year [2].
moog
a proposed unit in synthetic music, equal to one volt per octave. The unit would honor Robert Moog (1934-2005), the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.
morgan (M)
a unit of genetic separation used in genetics and biotechnology. If two locations on a chromosome have probability p of being separated during recombination in a single generation, then the distance between those locations is p morgan. In practice, measurements are made in centimorgans , each centimorgan representing a 1% probability. The unit honors the American geneticist Thomas Hunt Morgan (1866-1945), who received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1933 for his pioneering work in studying the genetics of the fruit fly Drosophila.
morgen
a traditional unit of land area in Northern Europe. "Morgen" means "morning," and most likely the unit arose as the area a yoke of oxen could plow in one morning. The Dutch morgen, also used in Dutch colonies including old New York, equals about 2.10 acres or 0.850 hectare . In South Africa, this unit was defined to equal 10 246 square yards , which is 2.1169 acres or 0.8567 hectare. In Scandinavia and northern Germany, the morgen is a smaller unit equal to about 0.63 acre or 0.25 hectare (2500 square meters). The Prussian morgen, standardized at 2553.22 square meters, was in common use during the nineteenth century. In Austria and southern Germany, the morgen was often the same as a joch , typically defined to be 0.5755 hectare or about 1.422 acres.
mou
see mu (below).
mouse unit (MU or U)
an unofficial unit of toxicity used in pharmacology. A mouse unit is the dose of a toxin that kills 50% of mice (that is, it is the LD50 dose for mice). Typically the mice are assumed to have a mass of 20 grams, the toxin is administered by intraperitoneal injection, and mortality is measured over a standard period that may vary according to the toxin. The size of the mouse unit (in milliliters or international units) depends on the specific toxin.
MP, MPa
symbols for the megapascal, a unit of pressure or stress (see above). MPa is the correct symbol; MP should not be used.
mppcf
abbreviation for million particles per cubic foot, a unit used to measure concentration of dust particles, mostly in industrial settings. 1 mppcf is equivalent to about 35.315 million particles per cubic meter. The symbol mp/f3 is sometimes used for this unit.
mq
Italian abbreviation for the square meter (metro quadrato). Similarly, cmq is a square centimeter and kmq is a square kilometer. These are non-standard symbols; the correct symbol for the square meter is m2.
msl or MSL
abbreviation for "above mean sea level," often seen in measurements of altitude, as in m (msl) for meters above mean sea level or ft msl for feet above mean sea level. "Mean sea level" is defined to be the average height of the sea, for all stages of the tide, as measured over a 19-year Metonic cycle (see above).
msnm
Spanish symbol for meters above sea level (metros sobre el nivel del mar), a unit of altitude.
Mstb
a symbol commonly used in the oil industry for 1000 stock tank barrels .
msw
symbol for "meters of seawater," a conventional unit of pressure. The pressure exerted by seawater varies slightly with temperature and salinity, but for practical purposes the convention is that each meter imposes a pressure of 0.1 bar or 10 kilo pascals (about 0.102 kilograms of force per square centimeter or 1.45 pounds per square inch). Sometimes the convention is that each meter is equivalent to 0.1 atmosphere (0.1013 bar), which is practically the same thing. In English units, 1 msw = 3.28 feet of seawater (fsw). Underwater pressure gauges are frequently calibrated in this unit.
Msym/s
a unit of radio transmission rate equal to 1 million symbols per second.
MT
a common U.S. abbreviation for the metric ton or tonne (1000 kilograms).
mtu
see metric ton unit, above.
mu or mou
a traditional unit of land area in China. The traditional mu is about 675 square meters or 800 square yards. However, the colonial customs authorities used a larger mu equal to 8273.75 square feet, 919.3 square yards, or 768.65 square meters. In modern China, the mu is often reckoned to be exactly 1/15 hectare , which is 666.667 square meters or 797.327 square yards.
mud
a traditional Dutch unit of volume for grains and other dry commodities. Originally varying from market to market, the unit was declared equal to the hectoliter (about 3.5315 cubic feet or 2.838 U.S. bushels ) when the metric system was introduced in the Netherlands. With this definition it is still in use.
mug [1]
an informal contraction of "metric slug". See TME or hyl .
mug [2]
another name for a slinch .
mutchkin
a traditional Scottish unit of liquid volume. The mutchkin is about 15 British fluid ounces , which is about 426 milliliters or almost exactly 0.9 U.S. pint .
mwe
abbreviation for meter of water equivalent, a unit used in nuclear physics to describe the shielding around a reactor, accelerator, or detector. 1 mwe of any material (such as rock, gravel, etc.) is a thickness of that material providing shielding equivalent to one meter of water.
MWe, MWt
symbols used in the electric power industry to describe the size of generating plants. MWe is the symbol for the actual output of a generating station in megawatts of electricity; MWt is used for the heat energy, or thermal output, required to operate the generators. Thermal output is typically about three times the electric output.
Mya or mya
a common abbreviation (in English speaking countries) for "million years ago." The form "Mya" is recommended, since the capital M, taken from the metric prefix mega- (M-), is the appropriate symbol for a million.
myria- (my-)
a metric prefix meaning 10 000. This prefix was part of the original metric system of 1795 and was used throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It has been obsolete officially since 1960, when the CGPM adopted the standard list of SI prefixes. The ancient Greek word myrios means countless, without number. This was modified by later Greeks to form a word myrioi meaning ten thousand. The word myriad, generally used today to mean an indefinitely large number, originally meant the number 10 000.
myriagram (myg)
a metric unit of mass equal to 10 000 grams or 10 kilograms (about 22.046 pounds ). Although it is considered obsolete now, the myriagram was a useful unit comparable to the English quarter or Spanish arroba .
myriameter (mym)
an obsolete metric unit of distance equal to 10 000 meters or 10 kilometers (about 6.2137 miles ).
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1 kilometre
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In a block and tackle lifting system, what is a sheave? Pulley; Rope; Hook; or Brake?
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Units Dimensions and Conversions
Prefixes on Units
With base units, there are times when you will have to represent the units as a very large multiple of that unit or as a very small fraction of that unit. Prefixes allow us to show these representations. For example, kilo- is a prefix that is used to represent multiple of a thousand. You could use the prefix kilo- if you want to denote 1000 seconds, 1000 meters, or 1000 grams by writing kilosecond, kilometer, or kilogram, respectively. Also, you could give the abbreviated form of the prefix of and the unit as ks, km, or kg respectively. So,
1000 seconds = 1 kilosecond = 1 ks
The factors of all the prefixes are easier represented in scientific notation. For example, kilo denotes a factor of 1000. In scientific notation this would be
1 000 = 103
As you might notice, factors with a positive exponent move the decimal to the right, making a factor greater than one. Numbers with a negative exponent move the decimal to the left, making a number less than one. For example, kilo- represents multiple of a thousand, and milli- represents muliples of a thousandth, so
kilo- = 1 000 = 103
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i don't know
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What creatures are T S Eliot's characters Mr Mistoffelees, Mungojerrie, Rumpelteazer, and Bustopher Jones, and what musical was inspired by the poem book in which they feature?
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1000+ images about Cats: The Musical on Pinterest | Musicals, Cats musical and Cats
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Cats: The Musical
Cats (stylized as CATS) is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as "the Jellicle choice" and decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. Cats also introduced the song standard "Memory".
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Cat
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Brad, finish, clout, casing and horseshoe are types of what?
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Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats: T. S. Eliot, Edward Gorey: 9780156685689: Amazon.com: Books
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
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Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
This is an absolutely marvelous rendition of Eliot's poetic classic, written for his godchildren and friends in the 1930s, which inspired the Broadway musical Cats. The tales of Mr. Mistoffelees the trickmaster, old Deuteronomy, a laid-back cat, Rum Tum Tugger, a contrary cat, and Macavity, the famous master criminal, are dramatized by Richard Briers, Alan Cumming, Nigel Davenport, Andrew Sachs, and Juliet Stevenson. Unfortunately, some material is repeated on the cassette's second side. Moreover, it comes with another tape that consists of excerpts of forthcoming Penguin audiobooks. This edition seems targeted more toward consumers than libraries.?James Dudley, Copiague, N.Y.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Review
This is an absolutely marvelous rendition of Eliot's poetic classic, written for his godchildren and friends in the 1930s, which inspired the Broadway musical Cats. The tales of Mr. Mistoffelees the trickmaster, old Deuteronomy, a laid-back cat, Rum Tum Tugger, a contrary cat, and Macavity, the famous master criminal, are dramatized by Richard Briers, Alan Cumming, Nigel Davenport, Andrew Sachs, and Juliet Stevenson. -James Dudley, Copiague, N.Y.
(Library Journal ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Product Details
Publisher: Harcourt Brace & Co. (August 30, 1982)
Language: English
Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces ( View shipping rates and policies )
Average Customer Review:
HALL OF FAME on April 9, 2003
Format: Hardcover
"Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats," by T.S. Eliot, is a book of poems about cats. The basis for the wildly successful musical "Cats," the book stands on its own as a delightful work of literature. The poems are accompanied by wonderful illustrations by Edward Gorey.
This book is hilarious and very enjoyable. Eliot's words leap and dance across the pages with a zany musicality. Gorey's accompanying artwork is whimsical and full of interesting details. Eliot has created some great feline characters: the fearsome Growltiger, dapper Bustopher Jones, Magical Mr. Mistoffelees, and more.
Yes, these poems are great fun to read. But if you are inclined to look closer and analyze them at a deeper literary level, you will find that each one is a masterpiece of poetic craftsmanship. Eliot uses a wonderful variety of meters, rhyme schemes, and various poetic effects. Each poem stands on its own, and together they form an effective artistic unity.
Also noteworthy is the very "English" flavor of the book, which Eliot achieves by spicing his poems with many references to English geography and cultural history. Highly recommended, whether or not you like cats.
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What state territory is named in Latin, meaning 'New Scotland'?
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How the Canadian Provinces and Territories Got Their Names | Mental Floss
How the Canadian Provinces and Territories Got Their Names
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Alberta
Named in honor of Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848-1939), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the wife of the Marquess of Lorne, Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. Lake Louise, the village of Caroline, and Mount Alberta are also named after her.
British Columbia
The name refers to the Columbia District, the British name for the territory drained by the Columbia River. Queen Victoria specified that the area be called British Columbia to distinguish the British section of the District from that which belonged to the United States (which became the Oregon Territory). The river, in turn, took its name from the Columbia Rediviva (formerly the Columbia; the Latin rediviva, or “revived,” was added to the name after the ship’s 1787 rebuilding), a privately owned ship that was the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe and was used extensively in the Pacific Northwest maritime fur trade.
Manitoba
Believed to be derived from the Ojibwa manito-bah (sometimes written as manitobau) or Cree manito-wapow (also written as manitowapow), both of which translate to “the spirit straits” and probably refer to the straits of Lake Manitoba.
New Brunswick
Refers to Brunswick, the English translation of Braunschweig, the city in northern Germany that was the ancestral home of King George III of Great Britain.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland is derived from the English translation of its original Latin name, Terra Nova or “new land” and is the oldest European place name in North America. Labrador is likely named for João Fernandes Lavrador, a Portuguese navigator who explored the area in the late 1400s and whose honorific “lavrador” means “landholder.”
Northwest Territories
Named for its location in the northwest area of the country. There was talk of changing the name, possibly to a term from a native language. Among the popular proposals were “Denendeh,” an Athabaskan word meaning “our land,” and “Bob.”
Nova Scotia
From the Latin nova, feminine of novus (“new”), and Scotia (“Scotland”), literally “New Scotland.”
Nunavut
From an Inuktitut (the language of the Inuit) word meaning “our land.”
Ontario
Named after Lake Ontario. The word is thought to be derived from either the Wyandot ontarí:io (“great lake”) or Iroquoian skanadario (“beautiful water”).
Prince Edward Island
Named after Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, son of King George III and Commander-in-Chief of the British army in North America.
Quebec
Derived from the Algonquin kébec, which has been translated as “where the river narrows,” “strait narrows” and “it narrows,” and refers to the area around Quebec City where the Saint Lawrence River narrows to a cliff-lined gap.
Saskatchewan
Named after the Saskatchewan River, which takes its name from the Cree word kisiskāciwani-sīpiy or “swift flowing river.”
Yukon
Named for the Yukon River, the name of which is derived from the Gwich'in word for “great river.”
Maple Leaf image via Shutterstock. This article originally appeared in 2011.
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Nova Scotia
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What artist uses a cake of rosin?
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Canadian Flag - World Flags 101 - Nova Scotia Flags
The flag represents Nova Scotia's links to Scotland.
Nova Scotia Flag History:
The flag was granted by Royal Charter in 1625 and officially adopted in 1929. The coat of arms was adopted in 1625. Nova Scotia joined the Confederation of Canada on July 1, 1867.
Interesting Nova Scotia Facts:
Nova Scotia is Latin for New Scotland. The name was used in the royal charter that originally granted the land to Sir William Alexander in 1621. The charter was written in Latin.
Nova Scotia's official motto is: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit - One Defends and the Other Conquers.
World FlagsAlphabetical list of all world flags.
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i don't know
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What is India's national motto, appearing on its emblem and currency?
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Ashoka
What do the National Emblem and Ashoka Chakra signify?
Explore national symbols and their meanings.
Keywords: Emperor Ashoka, national symbols, Buddhism, edicts, Maurya, Mauryan Empire, Brahmi Script, dhamma, dharma, Jataka tales, world history, giant empires, religion, non-violence, religion and government, social justice, human rights
Emperor Ashoka (304-232 BCE) was the third king of the Maurya Dynasty. He ruled a truly massive kingdom that stretched from the Hindu Kush to the Bay of Bengal. It was India's first great empire. It is not just that Ashoka ably ruled this huge empire but the quality of social justice that he brought to his already strong administration.
Remorseful after his bloody campaign and conquest of Kalinga, Ashoka embraced Buddhism. Thereafter reverence for life, tolerance, compassion and peaceful co-existence were the cornerstones of his administration. Under him the earliest know bans on slavery and capital punishment as well as environmental regulations came into place.
"Mama, what is this animal on the rupee note that Dada gave me?"
See this picture: It is a carving of four lions and the pictures we see on the currency notes are based on it.
The lions, like the ones above, that we see on the notes and coins have a long history. The picture on the left is the actual stone carving on which the National Emblem is based. It is called the �Lion Capital� and originally it rested on top of a tall pillar. It was built in the third century BCE by Emperor Ashoka at Sarnath, near modern day Varanasi, to mark the spot where the Buddha gave his first sermon.
This is the National Emblem of India and the motto �Satyameva Jayate� below the emblem in Devanagri script means �truth alone triumphs�.
The wheel from the circular base, the �Ashoka Chakra�, today is part of the national flag of the Republic of India.
What does the National Emblem stand for?
The National Emblem of India is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Lion Capital was erected in the third century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emancipation to the four quarters of the universe. The National emblem is thus symbolic of contemporary India's reaffirmation of its ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill.
The four lions (one hidden from view) - symbolizing power, courage and confidence - rest on a circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals - guardians of the four directions: the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west. The abacus rests on a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration. The motto 'Satyameva Jayate' inscribed below the emblem in Devanagari script means 'truth alone triumphs'.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka_Chakra
The Ashoka Chakra is a depiction of the Buddhist Dharmachakra, represented with 24 spokes. It is so called because it appears on a number of edicts of Ashoka, most prominent among which is the Lion Capital of Sarnath which has been adopted as the National Emblem of the Republic of India.
The most visible use of the Ashoka Chakra today is at the centre of the National flag of the Republic of India (adopted on 22 July 1947), where it is rendered in a Navy-blue color on a White background, by replacing the symbol of Charkha (Spinning wheel) of the pre-independence versions of the flag.
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Satyameva Jayate
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Name the female alter-ego featured in the life and vase artworks of English transvestite artist Grayson Perry?
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National Emblem of India: The Four Lions of Sarnath - Full Stop India
National Emblem of India: The Four Lions of Sarnath
Original Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka
To the newbie Indian tourist, reading that the “National Emblem of India is an adapted version of the Lion Capital of Maurya king Ashoka at Sarnath” means virtually nothing. So let’s break down the historical background to better understand the beautiful symbol of incredible India.
King Ashoka of Sarnath
Near Varanasi , Uttar Pradesh, lies the small town of Sarnath. The Maurya king Ashoka reigned in this northern part of India during the 3rd century B.C. It was here that Ashoka built the Sarnath pillar to commemorate the site of the first preaching of Lord Buddha where at he taught the Dharma to five monks. This pillar is just one of many erected by Ashoka to convey the tenets of Buddhism. But the Sarnath pillar was crowned with a unique sculpture known as the Lion Capital.
What is the Lion Capital of Sarnath?
The Ashoka Lion Capital of Sarnath comprises four lions, standing back to back, mounted on a cylindrical abacus. The abacus features the sculptures of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull, and a lion, separated by intervening 24-spoked Dharma wheels over an inverted bell-shaped lotus flower (National Flower of India).
Lion Capital atop Bangalore Parliament
The four animals in the Lion Capital are believed to symbolize different phases in Lord Buddha’s life. The Elephant is a representation of Queen Maya’s conception of Buddha when she saw a white elephant entering her womb in a dream. The Bull represents desire during the life of the Buddha as a prince. The Horse symbolizes Buddha’s departure from palatial life. The Lion represents the attainment of Nirvana by Lord Buddha.
There are also non-religious symbolic interpretations of the Lion Capital believing the four lions symbolize Ashoka’s rule over the four directions, the wheels as symbols of his enlightened rule and the four animals as symbols of four adjoining territories of India.
The Sarnath pillar still stands in it’s original place, however the Ashoka Lion Capital has been moved to the Sarnath Museum for preservation.
Present Day National Emblem of India
We can now better understand what it means to read that the National emblem of India is an adapted version of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath. In the State emblem, adopted by the Government of India on January 26, 1950, only three lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from view. Symbolizing power, courage and confidence, the abacus is girded by four smaller animals regarded as guardians of the four directions; The lion of the North, the elephant of the East, the horse of the South and the bull of the West. Each of these animals is separated by intervening wheels of Dharma Chakras* (Eternal wheels of law). The inverted bell-shaped lotus which the original sculpture shows the abacus resting on has been omitted.
National Emblem of India in print
Usually inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script is the motto Satyameva Jayate meaning “Truth Alone Triumphs”. This is a quote from Mundaka Upanishad, the concluding part of the sacred Hindu Vedas. On the original Sarnath pillar, an inscription of one of the Edicts of Ashoka reads, “No one shall cause division in the order of monks”.
The national emblem was chosen as a symbol of contemporary India’s reaffirmation of it’s ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill.
*Readers of Full Stop India’s Hinduism 101 may recall the chakra as a recognizable symbol of the Hindu god Vishnu . The disc like weapon known as a general symbol for protection is almost always depicted in images of Vishnu, the God of Preservation.
In Sight
Tourists will undoubtedly view this national insignia countless times during their travels of India. The Lion Capital is visible on Indian Currency as well as national passports, government buildings, and the official seal of the Central and State governments.
Sep 29, 2010
Chris Chopp
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i don't know
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What is the more common name of the incendiary weapon formulated from naphthenic and palmitic acids?
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Napalm
Military Says Goodbye to Napalm; Napalm No More; Pentagon Recycles Remaining Stock of a Notorious Weapon Michael Taylor San Francisco Chronicle 04 April 2001
Napalm
"You smell that? Do you smell that? Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for twelve hours. When it was all over I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like - victory" Apocalypse now (1979)
Kim Phuc was the subject of a Pulitzer-Prize winning photograph during the Vietnam War taken in 1972, when she was a child, running naked down a road, screaming in pain from the napalm that was burning through her skin. The photograph has come to epitomize the tragedy of the Vietnam War. Ironically, this incident did not involve any American participation, and their impact in Vietnam was minimal. In the United States, however, the impact of this scene was tremendous, and uniformly negative. Practically everyone old enough to have viewed the news during those years remembers this scene, and others like them, with a combination of revulsion and disgust.
There are many types of napalm, with dozens of different compositions. Napalm (trade name) is a powder. Mixed with gasoline, it is a tactical weapon used to remove vegetative cover and instill fear. Fire bomb fuel gel mixture, the new nomenclature for napalm, is a mixture of fuel and gelling solution that are combined to produce a thickened mixture. The fuel gel mixture is stringy and sticky, and readily adheres to most surfaces. The fuel gelling system consists of a fuel gelling unit, drums of gelling solution, and aviation gas, mogas, JP-4, or JP-5 fuels.
Incendiary munitions can kill or wound by immolation and by asphyxiation. Burn victims of napalm do not experience 1st degree burns due to the adhesive properties of napalm that stick to the skin. Immolation produces very rapid loss of blood pressure, unconsciousness, and death in a short time. Third degree burns are typically not painful at the time, since only the cutaneous (skin) nerves respond to heat and full-thickness (third-degree) burns kill the nerves. Severe second-degree burns such as likely to be suffered by someone hit with a small splash of napalm are the severely painful ones, the ones likely to be survived, and likely to produce hideous scars called keloids [which also bring about motor disturbances].
Napalm Composition
A large amount of carbon monoxide is produced once a napalm bomb is set off, which makes it hard for people to breathe, causing them to pass out and burn. When Napalm ignites, it rapidly deoxygenates the available air. Oxygen is replaced with carbon monoxide (CO) as a result of incomplete combustion. As little as 0.4 percent CO is fatal in one hour because of the high affinity between carbon monoxide and hemoglobin. Napalm creates a localized atmosphere of at least 20 percent carbon monoxide.
During World War I, both Germany and the US used an early form of napalm in combat flamethrowers, but the substance burned out too quickly to be very effective at igniting targets. Gasoline alone is not an effective burning agent, as it will splash off of the target on impact, and will then flow away from the target like water. What is needed is a thickening agent so that the fuel will stick to it's intended target for a more complete burning effect. During the early months of World War II, the US Chemical Warfare Service used latex from the Para rubber tree to jell gasoline. This jelled gasoline shot further from flamethrowers, stuck to the target better, and burned longer. But when the US entered the war in the Pacific, natural rubber was in short supply. Research teams at Harvard University, Du Pont and Standard Oil engaged in a Government competition to develop a replacement.
Napalm was developed at Harvard University in 1942-43 by a team of chemists led by chemistry professor Louis F. Fieser, who was best known for his research at Harvard University in organic chemistry which led to the synthesis of the hormone cortisone. Napalm was formulated for use in bombs and flame throwers by mixing a powdered aluminium soap of naphthalene with palmitate (a 16-carbon saturated fatty acid) -- also known as napthenic and palmitic acids -- hence napalm [another story suggests that the term napalm derives from a recipe of Naptha and palm oil]. Naphthenic acids are corrosives found in crude oil; palmitic acids are fatty acids that occur naturally in coconut oil. On their own, naphthalene and palmitate are relatively harmless substances.
The aluminum soap of naphtenic and palmitic acids turns gasoline into a sticky syrup that carries further from projectors and burns more slowly but at a higher temperature. Mixing the aluminum soap powder with gasoline produced a brownish sticky syrup that burned more slowly than raw gasoline, and hence was much more effective at igniting a target. Compared to previous incendiary weapons, napalm spread further, stuck to the target, burned longer, and was safer to its dispenser because it was dropped and detonated far below the airplane. It was also cheap to manufacture.
Modern day napalm uses no Napalm (naphthalene or palmitate) -- instead using a mixture of polystyrene, gasoline and benzene. After the Korean War a safer but equally effective napalm compound was developed. This new formulation is known as "napalm-B", super-napalm, or NP2, and it uses no napalm! Instead, polystyrene and benzene are used as a solvent to solidify the gasoline. This modern napalm is a mixture of benzene (21%), gasoline (33%), and polystyrene (46%). Benzene is a normal component of gasoline (about 2%), while the gasoline used in napalm is the same leaded or unleaded gas that is used in automobiles.
Napalm-B had one great advantage over the original napalm -- ignition can be readily controlled. Napalm is less flammable than gasoline and therefore less hazardous. The more polystyrene in the mixture, the harder it is to ignite. Napalm is actually harder to ignite than might be expected. A match or even a road flare will not ignite napalm. A reliable igniter is used to start napalm-B burning. Thermite is typically used to ignite napalm. Some forms of modern napalm cannot be ignited by a hand grenade.
There was a report on Al-Jazeera on December, 14, 2001 that the US was using napalm at Tora Bora in Afghanistan. In response, General Tommy Franks said "We're not using -- we're not using the old napalm in Tora Bora."
The US Department of Defense denied the use of napalm during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A rebuttal letter from the US Depeartment of Defense had been in fact been sent to the Australian Sydney Morning Herald newspaper which had claimed that napalm had been used in Iraq .
An article by the San Diego Union Tribune revealed however, on August 5, 2003, that incendiary weapons were in fact used against Iraqi troops in the course of Operation Iraqi Freedom, as Marines were fighting their way to Baghdad. The denial by the US DOD was issued on the technical basis that the incendiaries used consisted primarily of kerosene-based jet fuel (which has a smaller concentration of benzene), rather than the traditional mixture of gasoline and benzene used for napalm, and that these therefore did not qualify as napalm. But the official Department of Defense definition of napalm is "1. Powdered aluminum soap or similar compound used to gelatinize oil or gasoline for use in napalm bombs or flame throwers. 2. The resultant gelatinized substance."
NEWSLETTER
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Napalm
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Name the mythological Greek hero King of Salamis, son of Telamon and Periboea, and cleaning product?
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Napalm - The History Forum
Napalm
Joined: Sat 19 Jun 2004, 11:58
Mon 05 Jan 2009, 02:14
If you were going to fight a war in a jungle or forest area, such as Vietnam, wouldn't Napalm be your best friend? Not only was it used to destroy and scatter enemies across the battlefield but they used it to clear helicopter landings too.
Napalm looks like a pretty cool weapon to me.
Joined: Fri 25 Jun 2004, 20:41
Mon 05 Jan 2009, 02:19
UM.
Horrible weapon as the North won the war and huge casualties were lost on both sides because of this weapon. For Vietnam, the weapon contaminated crops for years to come infecting generations of people. For the US, the weapon infected thousands of US soldiers and only a small percentage of them were ever compensated for it.
Joined: Tue 29 Jun 2004, 16:15
Mon 05 Jan 2009, 02:21
I agree. That stuff did more to the bad than it did to the good. It's basically gelled petroleum, and the fumes from it are hazardous to anyone who breathes it. I think it's a weapon we could have done without.
It's about time law enforcement got as organized as organized crime. - Rudy Giuliani, 1984
Joined: Thu 14 Dec 2006, 16:32
Mon 05 Jan 2009, 11:29
N'Djamena wrote:
For Vietnam, the weapon contaminated crops for years to come infecting generations of people. For the US, the weapon infected thousands of US soldiers and only a small percentage of them were ever compensated for it.
You are confusing this with Agent Orange which was used to kill the jungle growth and make it harder for the North's soldiers to hide.
As for Napalm, in the heat of battle, having this dropped all over the enemy was a good thing for American soldiers.
It was effective but a horrible weapon as it attached itself to a body and couldn't be cut out with a knife. It just slowly burned its way into the person. Very bad way to die.....as if there is a good way.
Franz II, Heiliger Römischer Kaiser
Joined: Fri 25 Jun 2004, 20:41
Mon 05 Jan 2009, 11:33
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Quote:
You are confusing this with Agent Orange
*smacks head*
Joined: Thu 14 Dec 2006, 16:32
Mon 05 Jan 2009, 11:55
Friendly fire is one of the main reason we quit using napalm. That and the fact that it caused way too much devastation to be used frequently.
However I believe it helped us avoid defeat in that war.
Franz II, Heiliger Römischer Kaiser
Joined: Fri 25 Jun 2004, 20:41
Mon 05 Jan 2009, 11:58
WAT
Joined: Wed 25 Aug 2004, 00:08
Tue 06 Jan 2009, 22:22
Napalm was also used reasonably effectively in the Korean War, which wasn't characterised by forest/jungle.
Another reason napalm might have fallen out of common use is the rising cost of the key ingredient. I think more efficient incendiaries are still in use however.
Joined: Fri 18 Jan 2008, 19:39
Wed 07 Jan 2009, 05:58
Quote:
The United States lost the war.
What? How could that be?
The United States never loses!
It was a tactical withdrawal! We just wanted to prove we could beat them, we did, than we decided that they had been beat enough!
Besides, it was the fault of those commies in the media which caused bad public opinion in the war.
Joined: Tue 21 Dec 2004, 15:53
Fri 06 Mar 2009, 20:06
Depends who it is being used against. You can't bomb a population out of resistence; however, in a more conventional war )i.e. an enemy position) the method does have devestating effects.
Also most militaries use the Mark 77 bomb instead of napalm. It isn't gasoline based like napalm.
"We learn from history that we can not learn from it." -Hegel
I'm new (say hi & be nice to me!)
Historical musings: 3
Joined: Sat 05 Mar 2011, 00:58
Sat 05 Mar 2011, 01:48
Red Rebel wrote:
Depends who it is being used against. You can't bomb a population out of resistence; however, in a more conventional war )i.e. an enemy position) the method does have devestating effects.
Also most militaries use the Mark 77 bomb instead of napalm. It isn't gasoline based like napalm.
I have to comment/disagree about your statement "You can't bomb a pop. out of resistance (did you mean existence?)". If you meant resistance or bombing a population to their knees forcing them to yield, then you most certainly can do just that, with incendiary weapons. During both the air raid on Japan and Dresden air raid in Germany and others, greater damage was done and more people killed with the fire bombing raids then the A-bomb. As a demoralizing weapon it is excellent, b/c seeing a burn victim is the worst injury to see and hardest to treat. The pain inflicted is the worse, it is a pain that stays with you for a long time when compared w/ other methods of injury. Napalm and jelly gasoline bombs also burn up the O2 and produce a large amount of CO, killing people w/o even burning them. This is why it is great for us on forts and caves.
Also, you statement "Mark 77 bomb instead of napalm. It isn't gasoline based like napalm" is not exactly right. True Napalm is a mix 50/50 naphthenic and palmitic acids and a hydrocarbon fuel. There is a compound called super napalm or napalm B that uses gasoline/petro oils (as does the compound in the Mk 77 bombs, they use kerosene and other petro oils aka hydrocarbons). Napalm B is not actually the former form of napalm, but rather, it is usually a mixture of the plastic polystyrene and the hydrocarbon benzene.(as I stated napalm is the 2 acids mixed together, thats all). The Mk 77 is still in use about 500 were used in the gulf.... Take it light
--KB
Joined: Wed 25 Aug 2004, 00:08
Sat 05 Mar 2011, 03:41
kb0001 wrote:
"You can't bomb a pop. out of resistance (did you mean existence?)". If you meant resistance or bombing a population to their knees forcing them to yield, then you most certainly can do just that, with incendiary weapons. During both the air raid on Japan and Dresden air raid in Germany and others, greater damage was done and more people killed with the fire bombing raids then the A-bomb.
I think he may have meant resistance, though the phrasing of the sentence is a bit clumsy.
It's instructive to note that in neither the Germany nor Japanese strategic bombing campaign were either side convinced to cease their resistance due to fire bombing. Though you are correct to note that the atomic bomb proved to be less destructive. It's strange that the morale shock of the atomic bomb was never the less greater than the great firebombing raids on Tokyo.
Joined: Mon 04 Jan 2010, 11:29
Sat 05 Mar 2011, 07:48
Quote:
If you meant resistance or bombing a population to their knees forcing them to yield, then you most certainly can do just that, with incendiary weapons.
Name one time in the entire history of warfare where a population surrendered due to incendiary bombs. It's never happened. Never. Sure you can kick the crap out of the population and make them unwilling to fight back, but incendiary bombs have never been the reason for surrender. We found that out the hard way during the bombing of Berlin, since half the point of the bombing campaign was to force the Germans to surrender. Hilariously, it didn't work. Neither did the bombing of Tokyo.
And Dave, I think the reason that Japan surrendered following the dropping of the atomic bombs was because it took bombing campaigns about 100 planes (but up to 500) with firebombs to do that amount of damage, and only one B29 with an Atomic Bomb. And we did tell them we had more than just the two.
I have hardly ever known a mathematician who was capable of reasoning - Plato
Joined: Mon 04 Jan 2010, 11:29
Sat 05 Mar 2011, 13:25
So, the US won South Vietnam because of Napalm? My history of that war must be rusty. Except, oh wait, the native population of much of the South was afraid of the Viet Cong, not friendly to them. And dropping Napalm on those natives made them afraid of us as well. Resulting in the majority of the South Vietnamese rural population wanting nothing to do with either side. Hell, since the Viet Cong only taxed the hell out of them, instead of firebombing them, quite a few of the villagers sided with the VC.
I have hardly ever known a mathematician who was capable of reasoning - Plato
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i don't know
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With blue, yellow, green and orange lines, which nation's busiest metro has stations including Rosemont, Snowdon, Saint-Michel, Monk, and McGill?
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world.nycsubway.org: Montreal, Quebec
Montreal, Quebec
Montréal Métro Green Line station at Place-des-Arts. Photo by David Pirmann, July 2011.
Contents
11 Page Credits
Overview
When did the planning of the métro first begin? While the construction of the métro actually began in 1962, the planning to create it had started all the way back in 1910 when the Montréal Underground and Elevated Railway Co. and the Montréal Street Railway Co. first submitted separate plans to the Quebec Government to create a métro system for Montréal. The Government, due to inadequate funding, denied their plans.
Over the next 50 years, many companies and wealthy individuals would attempt to get the ball rolling to give Montréal a subway, but to no avail. Finally in 1961, the City of Montréal under the tutelage of Mayor Jean Drapeau, created a committee under the control of the City of Montréal Service of Public Works that was chaired by Lucien L'Allier. The committee was called the "Bureau du Métro". The Bureau du Métro would create contracts, prepare blueprints and tend bids for the construction of a métro system in conjunction with the Commission de Transport de Montréal (now the STM) which was the operator of the city's bus system and would operate the new métro system upon it's completion.
When did the construction of the métro begin? In 1961, the initial plans for the network were released which was composed of three lines. Line A (now the #2-Orange) would operate from Crémazie to Place d'Armes. Line B (now the #1-Green) would operate from Atwater to Frontenac. Line C (line 3) would have been a traditional steel wheel to iron rail operation run outdoors. It would have started south of McGill then would have used the tunnel under Mont-Royal, which was owned by CN Rail, and then would have split off into northeast and northwest branches.
Later, it was decided that the #1-Green Line would not run east-west under Rue Sainte-Catherine as originally planned so as to not potentially ruin numerous businesses along the Rue, in addition to creating huge traffic problems within the city. So it was decided that a brand new east-west boulevard would be constructed north of Rue Sainte-Catherine that would require the demolition of numerous buildings of which the new boulevard would run through and the line would then run under the new boulevard, which is today known as Boulevard de Maisonneuve. The official commencement of construction for the new métro began on May 23, 1962.
In 1963 the City of Montréal created important modifications to the initial plan of the métro. The City decided to extend the #2-Orange Line north to Boulevard Henri-Bourassa and south to the Bonaventure station. The City also announced the creation of the #4-Yellow Line from Berri-de Montigny to Longueuil (Rive-Sud). The new #4 line was brought forth directly as a result of Montréal being named as the host of the 1967 World's Fair. Because of the announcement of the World's Fair, plans for the #3 line were abandoned when the City of Montréal decided to put forth it's métro resources towards the construction of the #4-Yellow Line, in addition to the extension of the #2-Orange Line to Henri-Bourassa which would make one of the #3's branches redundant. That is why there is no #3 line when you look at a map of the métro system.
In regards to the World's Fair (Expo 67), the City would choose a rather interesting site for it: two islands facing the City of Montréal in the middle of the Fleuve (River) Saint-Laurent. Problem was, only one island existed at the time being Île Sainte-Hélène. So it was decided to create the second island using the rock and soil which were extracted from the ground during métro construction for the 1 & 2 lines to create the second island: Île Notre-Dame. Originally, there was to be a 4th station along the #4-Yellow Line on the Île Notre-Dame, but that idea was soon nixed.
When did the métro open? The métro commenced operations on Friday October 14, 1966. It cost approximately CDN $213,700,000 to construct these brand new lines and for the purchase of 369 new subway cars. The first trains originally operated on the #1-Green Line between Atwater & Papineau with the Beaudry station being bypassed as it was still under construction. Beaudry would open a couple months later along with the Frontenac station, which also experienced construction delays. The #2-Orange Line operated in its first days between Henri-Bourassa and Place-d'Armes.
Who created the logo for the métro? The logo for the métro (a downward white pointing arrow in a white circle on a blue background) was created by the firm Jacques Guillon and Associates in 1962. This new logo matched with the logo of the CTM (now STM), which is nicknamed the "T-arrow" (a blue T in a blue circle on a white background with a arrow pointing from the T in an eastwardly fashion). The métro logo was approved, but the Mayor had insisted that the word "Métro" be placed underneath the new logo so as to avoid any confusion with the CTM logo.
The "T-arrow" logo was created in 1952 making it one of the longest standing transit logos. It has only been slightly modified within the past 50+ years for modernization. With the original "T-arrow", the circle was formed with the curved words "Commission de Transport de Montréal" on top and "Montréal Transportation Commission" on the bottom. The words were replaced with a solid circle in 1970.
Approx. daily métro ridership in 2002: 600,000
Shortest distance between stations: Peel-McGill (#1-Green Line) at 440 m / 0.27 miles
Longest distance between stations: Berri-UQAM-Jean Drapeau (#4-Yellow Line) at 2.5 km / 1.55 miles
Deepest station: Charlevoix at 29.6 m / 97.1 feet
Closest station to surface: Both Angrignon & Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke at 4.3 m / 14.1 feet
Outside stations: None
Montreal Metro Track Map
Timeline
1861: The Montréal City Passenger Railway Company is founded. It is the first public transport company in Montréal with eight horse-powered trams
1892: First tram powered by electricity operates
1894: Last horse-powered tram operates
1910: First métro projects submitted to the Government
1911: Merging of many public transport companies into one company: La Compagnie des Tramways / Montréal Tramways Company
1919: First diesel-powered buses arrive
1937: Trolleybus service is implemented, the first of its kind in Canada
1950: The Compagnie des Tramways is municipalized and eventually becomes the Commission de Transport de Montréal (CTM)
1951: CTM begins activities
1959: Last tramway operates in Montréal
1962: Métro construction begins on May 23 on Rue Berri south of Rue Jarry
1963: City of Montréal announces modifications to the métro project
1965: Canadian Vickers delivers the first cars to the City of Montréal
1966: Métro opens on October 14, last trolleybus is retired from service
1967: #2-Orange Line extended to Bonaventure, #4-Yellow Line opens but Ãle Sainte-Hélène station remains closed to the public for an additional 28 days
1970: CTM changes name to Commission de Transport de la Communauté Urbaine de Montréal (CTCUM)
1971: The "Storm of the Century" hits Montréal on March 3 & 4 which forces the métro to implement 24 hour operation for the first time in its history, a huge fire guts the arriere-gare (relay) at Henri-Bourassa on the #2-Orange Line after a crash occurs which results in the death of a Train Operator and destroys 24 MR-63 cars. The Henri-Bourassa and Sauvé stations receive smoke & water damage as a result.
1974: Tire underneath a car catches fire between Rosemont & Laurier on the #2-Orange Line and spreads rapidly. Passengers manage to escape the inferno that destroys 9 MR-63 cars and results in the closure of the #2-Orange Line for a week due to heavy damage, the métro welcomes its 1 billionth passenger
1976: #1-Green Line extended to Honoré-Beaugrand, Bombardier delivers first MR-73's, ATO implemented on the #1-Green Line
1978: #1-Green Line extended to Angrignon
1980: #2-Orange Line extended to Place-Saint-Henri
1981: #2-Orange Line extended to Snowdon
1982: #2-Orange Line extended to Plamondon, CTCUM takes over operations on the commuter rail lines between Montréal and Deux-Montagnes/Rigaud.
1984: #2-Orange Line extended to Du College
1985: CTCUM changes name to Société de Transport de la Communauté Urbaine de Montréal (STCUM), color designations are first used to designate métro routes
1986: #5-Blue Line opens with service between De Castelnau & Saint-Michel, #2-Orange Line extended to Cote-Vertu
1987: #5-Blue Line extended to Parc
1988: #5-Blue Line extended to Snowdon
1990: AMF is awarded the contract to overhaul the entire remaining MR-63 fleet
1996: The newly created Agence Métropolitaine de Transport (AMT) takes over commuter rail operations from the STCUM
2000: The métro operates all night for only the second time in its history for the Millennium celebrations on January 1, 2000
2002: STCUM changes name to Société de Transport de Montréal (STM)
Operations
Operation of the métro. The métro is an entirely underground operation comprised of 65 stations (with three more under construction on the #2-Orange Line in Laval, north of Henri-Bourassa) served by four lines that cover 60.8 kilometers / 37.8 miles in passenger service (not including sidings, depots, etc.). All platforms within the métro system can handle maximum length 9 car trains. Trains on all lines (except the #4-Yellow) are operated by Automatic Train Operation (ATO) which in a nutshell operates trains by computer from point to point and opens the doors automatically when the train reaches it's proper berth within station limits. Some of the Train Operator's duties include watching over the roadway and staying alert for anything unusual or unsafe that could hinder operation and make an emergency stop if necessary, make proper announcements, and to close the doors after the passengers have boarded and alighted. After the Train Operator has closed the doors, he/she presses a button so as to accelerate the train and depart the station. ATO is available for use on the #4-Yellow Line, but at this time the line is being operated under manual operation. ATO was first implemented on the #1-Green Line in November 1976. Before then, all trains were manually operated.
One Person Train Operation (OPTO), which began in 1986 on the brand new #5-Blue Line, is now utilized on all routes with only one modification. On the #4-Yellow Line, OPTO is also utilized, however all trains are double-ended with one Train Operator (T/O) on each end at all times due to it's very short running time and sometimes odd operational patterns. The T/O on the front end performs all of the required operational duties while the T/O at the non-operational rear end "deadheads". Before the implementation of OPTO, there would be two crewmembers on each train throughout the system. One T/O would be up front to operate the train (and later oversee operations with ATO) and the T/O in the rear would operate the doors and observe the platform. When a train would change directions at a terminal, the duties would then flip-flop.
At terminals, trains are discharged and are then relayed outside the station off of the mainline in what is called the "arrière-gare" which means "behind the station". One unusual relay occurrence occurs on (where else) the #4-Yellow Line. During off-peak hours when the arrière-gare north of the Berri-UQAM station is filled with lay-ups (parked trains), in order for a Yellow Line train to relay, the train after discharging passengers on the Berri-UQAM-bound platform heads south of Berri-UQAM on the mainline tracks and crosses over onto the Longueuil-bound tracks. Then the train wrong-rails back into the Berri-UQAM station on the Longueuil-bound side to pick up passengers and complete the relay. There are no terminals in the Montréal Métro which end with bumping blocks within station limits (like Main Street station on the #7 Line in New York City or O'Hare Airport station on the Blue Line in Chicago for example).
When it is time for a train to depart a terminal, the dispatcher notifies the operator and the public of its impending departure by activating a signal that sounds 6 loud tones, which can be clearly heard throughout the station. Once the last tone has sounded, the operator then begins the process of closing the doors and beginning his/her route.
Roster
How was it decided that the métro would use cars that would run on rubber tires? While on a business trip to Paris, France, Mayor Drapeau was quite impressed with the métro system of Paris that was operated by the Régie autonome des transports parisiens (RATP) . The RATP was operating certain lines with trains that ran on rubber tires, which had debuted ten years earlier. After visiting Paris, Mr. Drapeau was so enthralled with the rubber tire concept that he decided to adopt it for the new métro system in Montréal. As a result, the RATP signed with the City of Montréal a "technical assistance contract" that would go into effect once construction began on the new system. The RATP would wind up playing a large role in the construction of Montréal's new subway.
However, the main problem with having a system using rubber tires in lieu of having a traditional steel wheel to iron rail system is that it would have been almost impossible to operate rubber-tired cars in icy and/or snowy conditions. For this reason, construction of the métro in Montréal would have to be exclusively underground, unlike in Paris where adverse conditions of this sort are very rare and where rubber-tired lines do indeed run outdoors. For more information on the rubber-tired system, visit Marc Dufour's page describing the Principle of the Rubber-tired Métro .
The #1-Green line uses MR-63 cars which were built between 1963 and 1967 by Canadian Vickers. Of the 369 cars delivered by Vickers, 33 were destroyed in 1971 and 1974 fires (see timeline). The remaining 336 underwent a general overhaul by AMF between 1990 and 1993. The MR-63's are now used exclusively in #1-Green Line service.
The #2-Orange, #4-Yellow and #5-Blue Lines use MR-73 cars which were constructed by Bombardier between 1974 and 1980. There were 423 cars created under the contract. MR-73's occasionally transfer from line to line with the exception of the #1-Green line. It would not be unusual to see signs in the non-operating positions from the Orange or Blue Lines on a consist being used for Yellow Line service for example.
The only signs that exist on any of the rolling stock are the plates with a metal appearance, which are bracketed on the front and rear of the train inside the operators cab. There are no side signs. Black & white bulkhead roll signs used to exist on the MR-63 cars when they first came out, but were replaced later on with the plates.
Both car classes are linked in 3 car units in an A-B-A fashion. A cars are motor cars with four motors per A car that offer 168 hp per motor (672 hp per A car, 4032 hp per maximum length 9 car train). B cars are totally dependent on the A cars for power and have no motor power whatsoever. In fact, the B cars are so dependent that their trucks don't even have Lateral Pickup Shoes (Contact Shoes).
Looking from the outside, the MR-63's and the MR-73's pretty much have the same exterior look. The interiors of the cars differ with the MR-63's having a gray & white interior while the MR-73's have an orange & white color scheme. Also, the MR-73's possess certain electrical components that were not available in the 1960's when the MR-63's were conceived. One of which were power choppers that release at short intervals the 750 volts DC needed to make the train accelerate from a standing position. These power choppers emit sounds that sound like three musical tones (it sounds like violins) playing when they begin accelerating. This quirky musical trait has actually become one of the unofficial trademarks of the Montréal Métro.
Another feature that the MR-73's would eventually have are interior LED displays that are part of a visual communication network (RCV) that was implemented starting in 1991 by the company Télécité. They show the name of the next station with available bus/subway/commuter rail connections to aid the hearing impaired, advertisements, news highlights, weather, trivia, etc. They also can show pertinent information in the event of an incident within the métro network. Automated announcements also are made with the MR-73's in conjunction with the RCV. Train Operators still have to make manual voice announcements with the MR-63's, which were not equipped with RCV's.
One noticeable missing item with either the MR-63's or MR-73's is the fact that air conditioning does not exist in the métro (the STM bus system also does not offer a/c). MR-63's have an overhead fan system, which looks the same way as the fans on the old NYCTA R-27/R-30's looked, or the old SEPTA M-3 "Almond Joy's". The MR-73's fan system have mainly side vents which blow the air towards the sides of the cars in an effort to improve air circulation within the car. But in this writer's opinion, the MR-63's fans are more efficient. This works in conjunction with a tunnel fan system, which attempt to intake warm air from underground so that the stations, tunnels and rolling stock, while still a bit warm underground during the summer months, usually do not reach unbearably hot temperatures.
Length from coupler to coupler: 17,200 mm / 56 feet, 5 inches
Length between car body ends: 16,770 mm / 55 feet, 1 inch
Power: 750 Volts DC
Approximate average car weight (empty): 36.1 tons / 72,200 lbs.
Doorway width: 1,290 mm / 4 feet, 2 inches
Doorway height: 1,960 mm / 6 feet, 5 inches
Seats per car (A and B): 40
Standees (approximate) per car: 125
Maximum capacity (approximate) for a 9-car train: 1,500
Maximum allowable speed: 72 kmh / 45 mph
Maximum train length: 9 cars
Minimum train length: 3 cars
Ridership
Ridership Statistics. Daily station ridership rankings in 2002 with #1 being the busiest station and #65 having the lightest usage: </p>
1
Station By Station
Line 1-Green (opened Oct. 14, 1966) Operates between Angrignon and Honoré-Beaugrand for a total of 22.1 km / 13.7 route miles with 27 total stations, an average distance of 850 m / 0.52 miles between stations and takes an average of 37 minutes to complete the route. During rush hours, about 28 trains are utilized in service. 9 car trains are normally operated.
Angrignon , Monk , Jolicoeur , Verdun , De L'Église , LaSalle , Charlevoix , Lionel-Groulx , Atwater , Guy-Concordia , Peel , McGill , Place-des-Arts , Saint-Laurent , Berri-UQAM , Beaudry , Papineau , Frontenac , Préfontaine , Joliette, Pie-IX , Viau, Assomption , Cadillac, Langelier , Radisson , Honoré-Beaugrand
Line 2-Orange (opened Oct. 14, 1966) Operates between Côte-Vertu and Henri-Bourassa for a total of 24.8 km / 15.4 route miles with 28 total stations, an average distance of 919 m / 0.57 miles between stations and takes an average of 38 minutes to complete the route. During rush hours, about 28 trains are utilized in service. 9 car trains are normally operated. Construction is currently underway to extend the eastern branch of the line at Henri-Bourassa north into Laval with new stations at Cartier, de la Concorde and the new terminal at Montmorency with completion tentatively scheduled for 2006.
Côte-Vertu , Du Collège , De La Savane , Namur , Plamondon , Côte-Sainte-Catherine , Snowdon , Villa-Maria, Vendôme , Place-Saint-Henri , Lionel-Groulx , Georges-Vanier , Lucien-L'Allier , Bonaventure , Square-Victoria , Place-d'Armes , Champ-de-Mars , Berri-UQAM , Sherbrooke , Mont-Royal , Laurier , Rosemont , Beaubien , Jean-Talon , Jarry , Crémazie , Sauvé , Henri-Bourassa , Cartier , De La Concorde , Montmorency
Line 4-Yellow (opened Mar. 31, 1967) Operates between Berri-UQAM and Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke for a total of 4.25 km / 2.6 route miles with 3 total stations, an average distance of 2125 m / 1.32 miles between stations (most of which is between Berri-UQAM and Jean Drapeau) and takes an average of 5 minutes to complete the route. During rush hours, 4 trains are operated. Depending on the season and/or when special events are conducted on the Île Sainte-Hélène (Jean Drapeau station), train lengths of 6 or 9 cars are utilized. In the instance when 9 car trains are operated, and the platform barriers that artificially shorten the platform are still in place, access to/from the cars beyond the barriers is gained by swinging the portable door attached to the barrier.
Berri-UQAM , Jean-Drapeau , Longueuil–-Université-de-Sherbrooke
Line 5-Blue (opened Jun. 16, 1986) Operates between Snowdon and Saint-Michel for a total of 9.7 km / 6.02 route miles with 12 total stations, an average distance of 882 m / 0.54 miles between stations and takes an average of 15 minutes to complete the route. During rush hours, about 11 trains are operated. From fall to spring, 6 car trains are utilized during rush hours and 3 car trains during off-peak hours. However during summer months when the universities along the line are on summer break, 3 car trains are operated at all times, including rush hours.
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Canada
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Brownian motion is what sort of movement?
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Lionel-Groulx (Montreal Metro) : Wikis (The Full Wiki)
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More info on Lionel-Groulx (Montreal Metro)
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Montreal Metro Station
3 September 1978 (Green line)
28 April 1980 (Orange Line)
Line
Atwater Street / Lionel-Groulx Street [1]
The Tree of Life by Joseph Rifesser stands in the Lionel-Groulx Metro Station
Arrangement of the platforms at Lionel-Groulx Metro Station
Lionel-Groulx is a station of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM). It is located in the Saint-Henri area of the borough of Le Sud-Ouest in Montreal , Quebec , Canada . [2] It is a transfer station between the Green Line and Orange Line .
The station served 3.9 million passengers in 2006 without including transfers. If they were included, it would be ranked among the top four busiest in the network with about 15 million passengers.
The station was inaugurated on September 3, 1978 as part of the extension of the Green Line to Angrignon , with service on the Green Line only, though the Orange Line platforms were built at the same time. They did not enter service until the extension to Place-Saint-Henri was opened on April 28, 1980. It was therefore the first transfer station to open after Berri-UQAM , in the original network.
In 2009 it became the first existing station to be retrofitted to be fully wheelchair - accessible through the addition of elevators . Berri-UQAM station had elevators added at the same time, but only between the mezzanine and orange line platforms. (The three stations in Laval , opened in 2007, already had elevators.) Three elevators connect the entrance to the mezzanine, the mezzanine to the upper platform, and the upper platform to the lower platform, respectively.
Contents
7 External links
Architecture and art
The station, built in open cut, features stacked platforms with central platforms between the lines; the orange line is to the south and the green line to the north. The platforms are arranged in an anti-directional cross-platform interchange , with the two inbound lines ( Montmorency and Honoré-Beaugrand ) on the upper level, and the two outbound lines ( Côte-Vertu and Angrignon ) on the lower level. This allows the majority of passengers to transfer by simply walking across the platform, without having to go up or down stairs . The station's mezzanine , suspended on beams , is located above the upper platform, and gives access to the single entrance.
The station was designed by Yves Roy. It contains two artworks : a pair of stainless steel mural sculptures by the architect over the mezzanine, and in the mezzanine itself, a sculpture called The Tree of Life by Italian artist Joseph Rifesser. [3] Representing the races of humanity growing from a common root, it was carved from the entire trunk of a walnut tree, it was originally located at Man and His World and was given to the Montreal metro by the United Nations .
Origin of the name
This station is named for rue Lionel-Groulx, which had its name changed to allow the station to commemorate Lionel Groulx . Groulx, one of the most influential of Quebec historians, founded the Franco-American History Institute in 1946 and edited the Revue d'histoire de l'Amérique française from 1947 to 1967.
In November 1996, the League for Human Rights of B'nai Brith Canada officially requested that the Executive Committee of the Montreal Urban Community (M.U.C.) recommend a name change to the Lionel Groulx metro station in Montreal, due to anti-semitic statements made by Lionel Groulx.
Likewise, there has been a recent movement to rename the Lionel-Groulx Metro station in honour of Oscar Peterson . Although this movement started on the website Facebook , the story has recently been picked up by the media. The issue has become quite controversial and political.
Connecting bus routes
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i don't know
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Abloy, dimple, skeleton, Zeiss, master, and DND are types of what?
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Types of Locks – BosnianBill's LockLab
Home LockLab University Types of Locks
Types of Locks
Warded Locks
This is one of the oldest designs and, although it appears complex, the mechanism is very simple and easily defeated in under a minute. Inside the lock are simple chambers separated by thin metal walls, called wards. The keys have slots cut so the key can rotate freely, with the ward passing through the cut in the key. In reality, the only security offered by these locks is people’s unfamiliarity with how simple the mechanism actually is. For most locks a thin pick can bypass all of the wards and rotate the actuator in only a few seconds. In addition, there are skeleton key sets for these locks that can be obtained for under $20. These locks offer the least amount of security of all lock designs.
Wafer Locks
Wafer locks are pretty simple mechanisms and are often used in dirty, high use environments because they are so tolerant of debris and contamination. You will find them on most cars and last for many years with little or no maintenance. Inside are small discs, or wafers that must be raised to a certain height to align and allow the lock to open. Tolerances are usually pretty loose and these are pretty easy to pick. However, there ARE high security versions that have additional grooves cut onto the wafer, called false gates. These are an anti-picking design and many modern cars use these along with a security side bar, that fits into a slot on the side of the wafers once they align properly. These types of locks are NOT easy to pick.
Pin Tumbler
The pin tumbler is the lock we are most familiar with and it’s the most common type found. It has been in widespread use for almost 100 years and, depending on the manufacturer, can provide medium security. The security of this lock is guided by the number and type of pins in the lock and the number of depths on the key cuts. Most of locks that you’ll try to pick will be pin tumblers.
Tubular Locks
The tubular lock is another common type of lock that’s incorrectly considered “high security”. That assumption is wrong and is usually because of the lock’s obscurity. There are tools that allow these locks to be defeated in less than 1 minute. The ease with which it’s defeated is due to the low number of pins and the depth settings. The more complex and expensive of those is the Peterson Pro-1: (25) Review: Peterson Pro-1 Tubular Lock Pick . A cheaper and faster way to pick open most tubular locks is the SouthOrd Pick: (17) Beating the American Series 7260 7-Pin Tubular Lock . As time passes these are seen less and less. There are high security versions of this style of lock, most notably the Van lock which is used on vending and gambling machines. Still, the Van is pickable as well, as seen in this video: (396) VAN High Security Cam Lock Picked w/Opening Tips .
Dimple Locks
This is a very common lock in Europe, but isn’t very common in North America. It was designed to prevent manipulation by putting the pins in a very narrow space, thus depriving the lock picker of working area. Unfortunately, there are specialized tools to pick these locks and lock pickers have become quite proficient at opening them quickly, usually in under 2 minutes. Several Chinese companies are selling a dimple lock bump tool: (430) Review: New Tool to Defeat Dimple Locks .
Cross (Zeiss) Locks
This is the cruciform, or cross lock. In Europe they sometimes call it the “Zeiss” lock, after the original inventor. It’s basically four different (sometimes only three) locks built upon a single key. Because of the compact keyway, the number of depths of cut for the key is reduced, making it a little easier to pick. You can pick them manually: (133) Concept 15-Pin Cruciform Cross Cylinder SPP’d , by raking (253) How to Pick Cross (Zeiss) Locks , or using Cruciform Jiggler keys: (106) Review: Cross Tryout Keys .
Interactive Dimple (Mul-T-Lock)
This is a modern high security lock manufactured by Mul-T-Lock Corporation. There are a number of different models with increasing levels of picking difficulty. One of the easiest to pick is the G-Series: (146) Mul-T-Lock Garrison Lock (6-Pin) SPP’d . The Interactive model has a unique pin that cannot be “read” visually, instead custom forming only once it’s inside the lock. Still, they are possible to pick: (398) Mul-T-Lock Interactive Picked & Gutted + Opening Tips . The top of the line model is the MT-5+ and offers the highest level of security. I have not yet been able to pick one of these.
Bi-Axial (Medeco)
Medeco locks are some of the highest security locks available. They are so secure that the Military used a pair of 6-pin Medeco-cored locks to secure nuclear weapon magazines. For conventional ammunition and weapons storage rooms, a single Medeco is enough.
Still, it’s possible to pick them but they are, by far, the most difficult-to-pick locks I know of. Even on my best day my success rate is pretty low. Still: (174) Medeco 6-Pin Mortise Cylinder Picked Open & Gutted , and (164) Medeco BiAaxial Picked Open & Gutted . Still, it IS possible to occasionally get very, very lucky: (540) Rake Open Medeco Locks? YES! .
Disc Detainers (Abloy)
This is a disc detainer lock, one of the most secure and pick resistant locks made today. This simple (and cheap to manufacture) design contains discs that must be rotated to a precise angle (every 11-16 degrees is a possible gate cut). If a single disc is misaligned, the lock will not open. It contains no springs or other mechanism to provide feedback to the lock picker.
The Abloy brand disc detainer is the top of the line and offers the highest level of security of all locks. I have never been able to pick an Abloy disc detainer, nor do I know of anyone that can. If you want the ultimate high security lock, look no further than an Abloy.
There are lesser quality copies of the Abloy design. These knock-offs are cheaper, contain fewer discs, are made from inferior materials, and don’t contain the anti-picking features. Obviously, they are MUCH easier to compromise. For physical attacks, check these out:
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Key
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The Austrian metalworking company Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen founded in 1934 is nowadays better known as a manufacturer of what?
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Key_(lock) : definition of Key_(lock) and synonyms of Key_(lock) (English)
It may not represent a worldwide view of the subject.
Tagged since January 2010.
Its lead section may not adequately summarize its contents. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of the article's key points.
Tagged since May 2010.
A cut key
A key is an instrument that is used to operate a lock . A typical key is a small piece of metal consisting of two parts: the blade, which slides into the keyway of the lock and distinguishes between different keys, and the bow, which is left protruding so that torque can be applied by the user. A key is usually intended to operate one specific lock or a small number of locks that are keyed alike, so each lock requires a unique key. The key serves as a security token for access to the locked area; only persons having the correct key can open the lock and gain access.
Keys provide an inexpensive, though imperfect , method of access control for access to physical properties like buildings and vehicles. As such, keys are an essential feature of modern living in the developed world, and are common around the globe. It is common for people to carry the set of keys they need for their daily activities around with them, often linked by a keyring adorned by trinkets usually known as a keychain .
Contents
Main article: Pin tumbler lock
A house key is the most common sort of key. There are two main forms. The older form is for lever locks, where a pack of flat levers (typically between two and five) are raised to different heights by the key whereupon the slots or gates of the levers line up and permit a bolt to move back and forth, opening or closing the lock. The teeth or bittings of the key have flat tops rather than being pointed. Lever lock keys tend to be bigger and less convenient for carrying, although lever locks tend to be more secure.
The more recent form of house key is that for a pin-tumbler or wafer-tumbler lock. When held upright, as if to open a door, a series of grooves on either side of the key (the key's blade) limits the type of lock the key can slide into. As the key slides into the lock, the grooves on the blade of the key align with the wards in the keyway allowing or denying entry to the cylinder . Then a series of pointed teeth and notches on the blade called bittings allow pins or wafers to move up and down until they align with the shear line of the inner and outer cylinder, allowing the cylinder or cam to rotate freely inside the lock, which opens the lock. [1]
Car key
Main article: Power door locks
A car key or an automobile key is a key used to open or to start an automobile, or both. Modern key designs are usually symmetrical, and some use grooves on both sides, rather than a cut edge, to actuate the lock. It has multiple uses for the automobile with which it was sold. A car key can open the doors, as well as start the ignition , open the glove compartment and also open the trunk (boot) of the car. Some cars come with an additional key known as a valet key that starts the ignition and opens the driver's side door, but prevents the valet from gaining access to valuables that are located in the trunk or the glove box. Some valet keys, particularly those to high-performance vehicles, go so far as to restrict the engine's power output to prevent joyriding . [2] Recently, features such as coded immobilizers have been implemented in newer vehicles. More sophisticated systems make ignition dependent on electronic devices, rather than the mechanical keyswitch.
Ignition switches or locks are combined with security locking of the steering column (in many modern vehicles) or the gear lever (such as in Saab Automobile vehicles). In the latter, the switch is between the seats, preventing damage to the driver's knee in the event of a collision.
Keyless entry systems , which use either a door-mounted keypad or a remote control in place of a car key, are becoming a standard feature on many new cars. Some of them are handsfree .
Some high-tech automotive keys are billed as theft deterrents. Mercedes-Benz uses a key that, rather than have a cut metal piece to start the car, uses an encoded infrared beam that communicates with the car's computer. If the codes match, the car can be started. These keys can be expensive to replace if lost and can cost up to US $400.
A switchblade key is basically the same as any other car key, except in appearance. The switchblade key is designed to fold away inside the fob when it is not being used. Switchblade keys have become very popular recently because of their smart compact look. This type of key has also been known to be confiscated by airport security officials. [3]
Because switchblade keys are only developed for new car models, they are usually equipped with a programmed transponder chip.
Master key
For the shotgun of the same name, see Door breaching and KAC Masterkey .
A master key operates a set of several locks. Usually, there is nothing special about the key itself, but rather the locks into which it will fit. These master-keyed locks are designed to open with two different keys; one which is specific to each lock (the change key ) and cannot operate any of the others in the set, and the master key, which opens all the locks in the set. Locks that have master keys have a second set of the mechanism used to operate them that is identical to all of the others in the set of locks. For example, master keyed pin tumbler locks will have two shear points at each pin position, one for the change key and one for the master key. A far more secure (and more expensive) system has two cylinders in each lock, one for the change key and one for the master key.
Larger organizations, with more complex "grandmaster key" systems, may have several levels of master keys, where the top level grandmaster key works in all of the locks in the system.
A practical attack exists to create a working master key for an entire system given only access to a single master-keyed lock, its associated change key, a supply of appropriate key blanks, and the ability to cut new keys. This is described in Cryptology and Physical Security: Rights Amplification in Master-Keyed Mechanical Locks. [4] Master keyed locks are also easier to pick, due to the fact the lock has two shear points.
Locksmiths may also determine cuts for a replacement master key, when given several different key examples from a given system.
Control key
A control key is a special key used in removable core locking systems. The control key enables a user with very little skill to remove from the cylinder, quickly and easily, a core with a specific combination and replace it with a core with a different combination. In Small Format Interchangeable Cores (SFIC), similar to those developed by Frank Best of the Best Lock Corporation , the key operates a separate shear line, located above the operating key shear line. In Large Format Removable Cores (LFRC), the key may operate a separate shear line or the key may work like a master key along the operating shear line and also contact a separate locking pin that holds the core in the cylinder. SFIC's are interchangeable from one brand to another, while LFRC's are not.
Transponder key
Transponder keys may also be called “chip keys”. Transponder keys are automotive ignition keys with signal-emitting circuits built inside.
When the key is turned in the ignition cylinder, the car's computer transmits a radio signal to the transponder circuit. The circuit has no battery; it is energized by the radio signal itself. The circuit typically has a computer chip that is programmed to respond by sending a coded signal back to the car's computer. If the circuit does not respond or if the code is incorrect, the engine will not start. Many cars immobilize if the wrong key is used by intruders. Chip Keys successfully protect cars from theft in two ways: forcing the ignition cylinder won't start the car, and the keys are difficult to duplicate. This is why chip keys are popular in modern cars and help decrease car theft.
Many people who have transponder keys, such as those which are part of Ford Motor Company's SecuriLock system, are not aware of the fact because the circuit is hidden inside the plastic head of the key. On the other hand, General Motors produced what are known as VATS keys (Vehicle Anti-Theft System) during the 1990s, which are often erroneously believed to be transponders but actually use a simple resistor , which is visible in the blade of the key. If the electrical resistance of the resistor is wrong, or the key is a normal key without a resistor, the circuit of the car's electrical system will not allow the engine to be started.
Double-sided key
SentrySafe four-sided key
A double-sided key is very similar to a house or car key with the exception that it has two sets of teeth, an upper level standard set of teeth and a lower, less defined set of teeth beside it. This makes the double-sided key's profile and its corresponding lock look very similar to a standard key while making the attempt to pick the lock more difficult.
Four-sided key
A four-sided key (also known as a cross or cruciform key) has four sides, making it not only harder to duplicate and the lock harder to pick but also more physically durable.
Paracentric key
A paracentric key is designed to open a paracentric lock . It is distinguishable by the contorted shape of its blade, which protrudes past the centre vertical line of the key barrel. Instead of the wards on the outer face of the lock simply protruding into the shape of the key along the spine, the wards protrude into the shape of the key along the entire width of the key, including along the length of the teeth. [5]
Internal cut key
An internal cut (also known as "Sidewinder" or "Laser Cut") key has a rectangular blade with a wavy groove cut up the center of the face of blade, at constant depth.
Typically the key has an identical wavy groove on the back of the blade, making it symmetrical so it works no matter which way it is inserted. Also referred to as the inner profile or sidewinder. These keys must be cut by special key cutting machines made for them. [6]
Abloy key
Main article: disc tumbler lock
Abloy keys are cut from a metal half-cylinder. The cuts are made at different angles, so when the key is turned in the lock it rotates each disk a different amount.
Nearly all the houses in Finland use Abloy keys, although they are also widely used in various locales worldwide. These locks are considered very secure and almost impossible to pick. [7] [8] [9]
Dimple key
A dimple key has a rectangular blade with various cone-shaped dimples drilled into the face of the blade at various depths. Typically the lock has 2 rows of pins that match up with 2 rows of dimples. Typically the key has the same dimple pattern on the back of the blade, making it symmetrical so it works no matter which way it is inserted. [10] [11]
Kaba and Dom are manufactures of dimpled keys. These keys are relatively easy to not only pick, but also make impressions of. [12]
Skeleton key
Main article: skeleton key
A skeleton key (or passkey) is a very simple design of key that usually has a cylindrical shaft (sometimes called a "shank") and a single, minimal flat, rectangular tooth or "bit". Skeleton keys are also usually distinguished by their "bow", or the part one would grasp when inserting the key, which can be either very plain or extremely ornate. A skeleton key is designed to circumvent the wards in warded locks . Warded locks and their keys provide minimal security and only a slight deterrent as any key with a shaft and tooth that has the same or smaller dimensions will open the lock. However, warded keys were designed to fit only a matching lock and the skeleton key would often fit many. Many other objects that can fit into the lock may also be able to open it.
Due to its limited usefulness, this type of lock fell out of use after more complicated types became easier to manufacture. In modern usage, the term "skeleton key" is often misapplied to ordinary bit keys and barrel keys, rather than the correct definition: a key, usually with minimal features, which can open all or most of a type of early designed lock. Bit keys and barrel keys can be newly minted (and sold by restoration hardware companies) or found in antique stores.
They were most popular in the late 1800s, although they continued to be used well into the 20th century and can still be found today in use, albeit in vintage homes and antique furniture, and as decorative features of jewellery boxes.
A bit key is distinguished from a barrel key in that a bit key usually has a solid shank, whereas a barrel shafted key can be made either by drilling out the shank from the bit end or by folding metal into a barrel shape when forging the key.
Tubular key
A tubular key
A tubular key (sometimes referred to as a barrel key when describing a vintage or antique model) is one that is designed to open a tubular pin tumbler lock . It has a hollow, cylindrical shaft that is usually much shorter and has a larger diameter than most conventional keys. Antique or vintage-style barrel keys often closely resemble the more traditional skeleton key but are a more recent innovation in keymaking. In modern keys of this type, a number of grooves of varying length are built into the outer surface at the end of the shaft. These grooves are parallel to the shaft and allow the pins in the lock to slide to the end of the groove. A small tab on the outer surface of the shaft prevents the pins in the lock from pushing the key out and works with the hollow center to guide the key as it is turned.
The modern version of this type of key is harder to duplicate as it is less common and requires a different machine from regular keys. These keys are most often seen in home alarm systems, vending machines , laptop locks , and bicycle locks , in the United States. These keys typically come in seven and eight-pin versions as well as miniature versions which are used on computers. Tubular keys were invented by the Ace lock company in Chicago.[ citation needed ]
Zeiss key
A Zeiss key (also known as a Cruciform key) is a cross between a house key and a tubular key. It has three sets of teeth at 90 degrees to each other with a flattened fourth side. Though this type of key is easy to duplicate, the extra sets of teeth deter lockpicking attempts.
Do Not Duplicate key
A keychain , a simple way to hold keys
A Do Not Duplicate key (or DND key, for short) is one that has been stamped "do not duplicate", "duplication prohibited" or similar by a locksmith or manufacturer as a passive deterrent to discourage a retail key cutting service from duplicating a key without authorization or without contacting the locksmith or manufacturer who originally cut the key. More importantly, this is a key control system for the owner of the key, such as a maintenance person or security guard, to identify keys that should not be freely distributed or used without authorization. Though it is intended to prevent unauthorized key duplication, copying DND keys remains a common security problem. There is no direct legal sanction in the US for someone who copies a key that is stamped do not duplicate (unless it is an owned key), but there are patent restrictions on some key designs (see "restricted keys"). The Associated Locksmiths of America , ALOA, calls DND keys "not effective security", and "deceptive because it provides a false sense of security."
United States Code 18 USC Sec. 1704 deals with United States Post Office keys, and 18 USC Sec. 1386 deals with United States Department of Defense keys.
Restricted key
A restricted keyblank is a keyway and blank for which a manufacturer has set up a restricted level of sales and distribution. Restricted keys are often protected by patent, which prohibits other manufacturers from making unauthorized productions of the key blank. In many cases, customers must provide proof of ID before a locksmith will cut additional keys using restricted blanks. These days, many restricted keys have special in-laid features, such as magnets, different types of metal, or even small computer chips to prevent duplication. Restriction keys are frequently used in automobiles, such as spare keys that allow entrance into the automobile but will not start the engine.
Magnetic key
Main article: magnetic keyed lock
A magnetic keyed lock is a locking mechanism whereby the key utilizes magnets as part of the locking and unlocking mechanism.
A magnetic key would use from one to many small magnets oriented so that the North / South Poles would equate to a combination to push or pull the lock's internal tumblers thus releasing the lock. This is a totally passive system requiring no electricity or electronics to activate or deactivate the mechanism. Using several magnets at differing polarity / orientations and different strengths can allow thousands of different combinations per key. [13]
Keycard
Main article: keycard lock
A keycard is a flat, rectangular plastic card with identical dimensions to that of a credit card or driver's license which stores a physical or digital signature which the door mechanism accepts before disengaging the lock.
There are several popular type of keycards in use including the mechanical holecard , bar code , magnetic stripe , Wiegand wire embedded cards, smart card (embedded with a read/write electronic microchip ), and RFID proximity cards.
Keycards are frequently used in hotels as an alternative to mechanical keys.
History of locks and keys
Anglo-Viking voided key (c. 900AD)
Main article: Lock (device)
Wooden locks and keys were in use as early as 4,000 years ago in Egypt. [14] It is also said that key was invented by Theodore of Samos in the 6th century BC.[ citation needed ]
In the United States, keys have been seen as a symbol of power since colonial times. When William Penn arrived in Delaware 1682, a very elaborate ceremony was carried out where he was given the key to the defense works. [15]
Flat metal keys proliferated in the early 20th century, following the introduction of mechanical key duplicators, which allow easy duplication of such keys.
Key duplication
Mechanical Key duplicating machine invented in 1917, discussed in History, right.
Video showing the process of cutting a key.
Key cutting (after cutting , the metalworking term for "shaping by removing material") is the primary method of key duplication: a flat key is fitted into a vise in a machine, with a blank attached to a parallel vise, and the original key is moved along a guide, while the blank is moved against a wheel, which cuts it. After cutting, the new key is deburred: scrubbed with a metal brush to remove burrs , small pieces of metal remaining on the key, which, were they not removed, would be dangerously sharp and, further, foul locks.
Different key cutting machines are more or less automated, using different milling or grinding equipment, and follow the design of early 20th century key duplicators.
Key duplication is available in many retail hardware stores and of course as a service of the specialized locksmith, though the correct key blank may not be available.
Certain keys are designed to be difficult to copy, for key control , such as Medeco , while others are simply stamped Do Not Duplicate to advise that key control is requested, but in the US, this disclaimer has no legal weight.
Rather than using a pattern grinder to remove metal, keys may also be duplicated with a punch machine. The key to be duplicated is measured for the depth of each notch with a gauge and then placed into a device with a numeric slider. The slider is adjusted to match the corresponding measured depth and a lever is depressed, which cuts the entire notch at once. As the lever is raised the key automatically advances to the next indexed position and the slider is adjusted appropriately to the next measured depth. This cycle is continued until the key is complete.
Duplicating keys by this process is more labor intense and requires somewhat better trained personnel. However, keys made in this fashion have clean margins and the depth of the notches are not subject to wear induced changes encountered when heavily worn keys are duplicated using a pattern grinder. Keys may also be made in this fashion without an original as long as the depth of each notch and the type of key blank are known. This is particularly useful for institutions with a great number of locks for which they do not want to maintain a wide variety of archived copies.
A machine permitting rapid duplication of flat metal keys, which contributed to the proliferation of their use during the 20th century, may have been first invented in the United States in 1917 (image to the left):
“
The key to be duplicated is placed in one vise and the blank key to be cut in a corresponding vise under the cutting disk. The vise carriage is then into such position by means of a lateral-feed clutch that the shoulders of both the pattern and blank keys just touch the guide disk and cutter respectively. The lateral-feed clutch on the top of the machine is then thrown, and the vertical feed rod released into action and power applied through the combination hand-crank power wheel on the right of the machine, until the cutter has passed over the entire length at the blank. A duplicate of the pattern key is obtained in about one minute.
”
In recent years, dual key cutting machines have come on to the market, enabling cutting of both mortice and cylinder keys on one machine. These machines are primarily manufactured in the Far East and save a key cutter a significant amount of money compared with using two separate dedicated machines. [16]
Popular culture
Keys appear in various symbols and coats of arms, the best-known being that of the Holy See – derived from the phrase in Matthew 16:19 which promises Saint Peter , in Roman Catholic tradition the first Pope , the Keys of Heaven.
See also
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i don't know
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When writing 'a millionth' in decimals (using numbers and a decimal point/dot), how many zeros are between the decimal point and the figure 1?
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Numbers - Decimal Numbers - In Depth
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Our decimal system of numbers lets us write numbers as large or as small as we want, using a secret weapon called the decimal point. In our number system, digits can be placed to the left and right of a decimal point, to indicate numbers greater than one or less than one. The decimal point helps us to keep track of where the "ones" place is. It's placed just to the right of the ones place. As we move right from the decimal point, each number place is divided by 10.
We can read the decimal number 127.578 as "one hundred twenty seven and five hundred seventy-eight thousandths". But in daily life, we'd usually read it as "one hundred twenty seven point five seven eight."
Here is another way we could write this number:
Notice that the part to the right of the decimal point, five hundred seventy-eight thousandths, can be written as a fraction: 578 over 1000. However, you will hardly ever see a decimal number written like this.
Why do you think this is? You can see that our decimal code is a very handy and quick way to write a number of any size!
Examples
Here's how to write these numbers in decimal form:
Three hundred twenty-one and seven tenths
321.7
(6 x 10) + (3 x 1) + (1 x 1/10) + (5 x 1/100)
63.15
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5
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What colour/color traditionally is the Michelin Guide for hotels/restaurants?
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Significant Digits and Rounding / MATH200 / Brown, TC3
What’s New
What are Significant Digits?
What strikes you about the difference between a measurement of 1.615 in and 1.6 in? The first measurement is more precise than the second. Specifically, the first measurement is accurate to the nearest thousandth (0.001) of an inch, while the second measurement is accurate to only the nearest tenth (0.1) of an inch.
No measurement in the real world is exact; all have some degree of “slop”. When we present a numerical result of 1.615 in, it is understood to be accurate to the nearest thousandth: we know that the true measurement is between 1.6145 and 1.6155 in. By contrast, if we present a value of 1.6 in, we are really saying that it is 1.6 to the nearest tenth: the true measurement could be anywhere between 1.55 and 1.65 in.
You can see that every real-world number carries information both about its magnitude and about its precision. 1.615 in and 1.6 in have about the same magnitude, but the first one is more precise. We talk about that level of precision as how many significant digits the number has.
The significant digits in a number start at the first non-zero digit and end at the last digit. Examples: 1417 has four significant digits, and so do 1.417 and 0.00001417. What about 14.1700? It has six significant digits, not four, because only zeroes at the start of a number are non-significant. Finally, 14.07 has four significant digits.
There can be some ambiguity with trailing zeroes in a large whole number. For instance, we quote the average distance from earth to sun as 93 million miles. In that form, the number has two significant digits. (Remember what significant digits mean: they mark the non-“slop” part of the measurement. All we’re saying is that the average distance is 92½ to 93½ million. But suppose we write the number as 93,000,000? Does it now have eight significant digits? Are we saying the average distance is between 92,999,999.5 and 93,000,000.5 miles? Surely not!
When you see a large round whole number, the zeroes may represent “slop”. To get around this problem, numbers are often expressed in scientific notation. For instance, the figure of 93 million miles is 9.3×107 miles (“nine point three times ten to the seventh”). On your calculator it appears as 9.3E7. You’ll find some more about scientific notation later on this page .
Practice
How many significant digits are in each of these numbers? 4800, 4800.0, 4.8, 0.0000067, .0000067.
Answers:
4800 has two to four significant digits. The 4 and 8 are definitely significant, but just by looking at the number we can’t tell whether it’s accurate to the nearest whole number (4800, four significant digits), to the nearest ten (480x, three significant digits), or to the nearest hundred (48xx, two significant digits).
4800.0 has five significant digits. In the previous example (plain 4800), the two zeroes might indicate precision of measurement or be there simply as place holders. But with 4800.0 the last zero is obviously not needed as a place holder and therefore it must be significant.
4.8 has two significant digits.
0.0000067 and .0000067 are the same number. Leading zeroes are never significant, and therefore this number has two significant digits.
Rounding the Results of Calculations
Now you see what’s wrong with “25 feet divided by 6.0 equals 4.166666667 feet”, which is what your calculator will tell you. A measurement of 25 feet is accurate only to the nearest foot; you can’t get an answer that is accurate to a billionth of a foot!
The rule for multiplying and dividing is this: find the number of significant digits in each factor. The answer will have the smaller number of significant digits. Example: 25 and 6.0 each have two significant digits. The smaller of 2 and 2 is 2; therefore the answer will have two significant digits. 25÷6.0 = 4.2 is correct.
Example: Multiply 81.7×2.405. Your calculator says 196.4805. But 81.7 has three significant digits and 2.405 has four; therefore the answer must have three significant digits (smaller of 3 and 4). 81.7×2.405 = 196.
That last illustration makes an important point: when multiplying or dividing, your guide to rounding is not the decimal places but the number of significant digits. Even though each factor had one or more decimal places, the answer has no decimal places because it must have only three significant digits.
For powers and roots, the answer should have the same number of significant digits as the original. For example, taking the square root of 167.21 (five significant digits), your calculator gives 12.93097057, which you round to 12.931 (five significant digits). Why is that? Because the square root is defined as the number such that, when you multiply itself, you get back to the original. If the original has five significant digits, then the number that you multiply by itself to get back to the original must have five significant digits.
Practice
Compute and round your answer properly: 34.78×11.7÷0.17. Answer: the least significant number has two significant digits, and therefore the answer must have two significant digits. You take the 2393.682353 from your calculator and round it to 2400 (or 2.4×102 in scientific notation).
Compute and round your answer properly: 16.2². Answer: the original has three significant digits, and the answer must have the same. Your calculator gives 262.44, which you round to 262.
Three people will share a lottery prize of $24.8 million equally. How much will each one receive, before taxes? Answer: 24.8÷3 = 8.2666666667 on the calculator. 24.8 has three significant digits. The 3 looks like it has only one significant digit, but it is an exact number: not between 2½ and 3½ people but 3 people exactly. Think of it as being 3.000000000... people. Therefore the answer will have three significant digits: each person gets $8.27 million.
Quick Rules of Thumb for Statistics
In your statistics work, rather than worry about significant figures, you can use the following rules of thumb:
mean and standard deviation: round to one more decimal place than your original data. If your original data were mixed, round to one decimal place more than the least precise. For example, consider the set 10, 8.7, 9.2, 11.4, 3.5, 6, 4.5. Some are whole numbers, some have one decimal place. The least precise are the whole numbers, so you will report your mean and standard deviation to one decimal place.
This suggestion follows Sullivan, Michael,
Fundamentals of Statistics
3/e (Pearson Prentice Hall, 2011) page 118. It won’t always be strictly correct according to the rules of significant figures, but it’s usually right for data sets of size roughly 10–30.
probabilities: round to four decimal places. If the probability is less than 0.0001 (1E−4 or 1×10-4), report it as “<0.0001”.
This suggestion and the following one match the conventions used in tables in a number of statistics textbooks.
test statistics z, t, χ² in hypothesis tests: round to two decimal places
How to Round an Answer
Once you’ve computed an unrounded answer, how do you round it correctly? Decide how many significant digits (or decimal places) you’ll need, and then round all at once. Example: if the TI-83 computes a mean of numbers with one decimal place as 3.876, that needs to be rounded to one decimal place. Draw a line at the spot where the rounding must happen: 3.8|76. Because what’s to the right of the line is bigger than 5, you round up to 3.9.
If the first digit after the line is 5 to 9, round up; if the first digit after the line is 0 to 4, round down. Example: to round 2.884 and 2.885 to the nearest hundredth, write 2.88|4 → 2.88 and 2.88|5 → 2.89.
It’s important to round all at once, not digit by digit. Example: Round 30.4746 to the nearest hundredth.
Incorrect solution: 30.4746 → 30.475 → 30.48.
Correct solution: 30.47|46 → 30.47.
What’s to the right of the line is less than 5, and you round down to 30.47.
Practice
Round to the nearest whole number: 17.514, 24.500, 24.501, 27.499.
Answers: 17.514 → 18 (5 to 9, round up), 24.500 → 25 (5 to 9, round up), 24.501 → 25 (5 to 9, round up), 27.499 → 27 (0 to 4, round down).
Round to one decimal place: 17.545, 24.451, 38.989.
Answers: 17.545 → 17.5 (0 to 4, round down), 24.451 → 24.5 (5 to 9, round up), 38.987 → 39.0 (38.9|87 — the 8 of 87 means that the 9 of 38.9 must increase; 38.9 rolls over to 39.0).
The Big No-no
Never round in the middle of a calculation; always round only the final answer.
Example: 1.2×1.2×1.5. Since the factors have two significant digits, the answer will have two significant digits. But you must carry along your intermediate results without rounding. 1.2×1.2 = 1.44, 1.44×1.5 = 2.16 → 2.2. But if you had rounded 1.44 to 1.4 in mid-stream, you would have 1.4×1.5 = 2.1, which is off. Always wait till the end of a calculation to round.
When you’re working with your calculator, never re-enter an intermediate result you see on your screen. Instead, chain your later calculation to the earlier one. Example: (√2.00)×6.000. The factors have three and four significant digits, and therefore the answer will have three significant digits. Find √2 on your calculator; you should get something like 1.414213562. Do not re-enter this number. Instead, press the [×] key and then 6 and [ENTER]. Your calculator will display Ans*6 and then an answer of 8.485281374, which you round to 8.49. Ans tells you that the previous answer is being carried along in its original unrounded form.
Suppose instead you had rounded, entering 1.41×6? You would get 8.46, pretty far off from the correct answer. Always let the calculator carry full precision along for you.
What if you have a big decimal, like 11.25055509, and you’re supposed to square it and round the answer to one decimal place? While it is wrong to round to one decimal place before squaring, you certainly don’t need to type in eight decimals. You are usually safe if you compute with two more significant figures than your ultimate answer will have. In this case you’re squaring 11, and the ultimate answer will be 120-odd; with one decimal place that’s four significant figures. You enter 11.2506 and square it: 126.576 → 126.6.
Practice
A goat is tethered to a post in your back yard with a chain 8.4 feet long. Assuming the goat doesn’t eat the chain, how much area of your yard will the goat be able to munch on? (Recall that the area of a circle is πr².)
Answer: 8.4 has two significant digits, and therefore the answer will also have two significant digits. You need 8.4²×π. Enter 8.4, then press the [x²] key and [ENTER] to obtain 70.56. Now press the [×] key. To enter π, find the symbol in gold just over the [^] key (which is at the right of the keyboard, just above the [÷] key). Press [
2nd ^ makes
π] and [ENTER] to obtain 221.6707776; round to two significant digits for an answer of 220 square feet.
(By the way, it’s possible to do quite complicated calculations in one step on your calculator. That’s a fine approach, as long as you think about the order of operations and put in parentheses where they are needed. Both methods will give the same answer.)
Scientific Notation
Scientific notation was developed to express very large and very small numbers.
To write a large number in scientific notation, move the decimal point to the left until it is between the first and second significant digits; the number of places moved is the exponent. For example, 167 becomes 1.67, but the decimal point moved two places left. Therefore 167 = 1.67×102 or 1.67E2.
Scientific notation removes the guesswork about how significant a large number is. 9.3E7 has two significant digits; it is accurate to the nearest million miles. 9.30000E7 has five significant digits, and it is accurate to the nearest hundred miles (0.00001×107 = 100 miles).
To write a small number in scientific notation, move the decimal point right until it has just passed the first non-zero digit. Write the number of places moved as a negative number in the exponent. Example: 0.0000894 must move the decimal point five places right to become 8.94E–5 or 8.94×10–5.
Notice that big numbers end up with a positive exponent after the E and small numbers end up with a negative exponent after the E.
To convert a number from scientific notation to ordinary decimals, reverse the process. A positive exponent indicates a big number: move the decimal point to the right. A negative exponent indicates a small number: move the decimal point to the left. Example: if the probability of an event is 6.014E–4 or 6.014×10–4, you must move the decimal point four places left to convert it to 0.0006014. If the population of the earth is about 6.1×109 people, you move the decimal point right nine places to convert to 6,100,000,000.
To enter scientific notation in your calculator, find the
EE
symbol in gold just over the comma key (which is above the 7). Example: to enter 6.1×109, press [6] [.] [1] [2nd] [EE] 9. If you then press the [ENTER] key, you will probably see 6100000000. In normal mode, the calculator tries to present results in ordinary numbers if they fit on the screen.
Practice
Write in scientific notation: 6,370,000 m (radius of the earth, assuming accuracy to the nearest 1000 m); 0.00000110 in (diameter of a polio virus).
Answers: 6,370,000 accurate to the nearest 1000 m must be rounded as 6,370,|000: it has four significant digits. Since the decimal point must move six places left, the exponent is 6: 6.370×106 m. In 0.00000110 in, there are three significant digits including that last zero. The decimal point moves six places to the right: 1.10×10–6.
What’s New
20 Dec 2010: update page reference for third edition of Sullivan
(intervening changes suppressed)
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i don't know
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What is the least densely populated country or dependency in the world?
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Top 10 Least Densely Populated Countries in the World | WhichCountry.co
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SHARES
Population density can be defined as the estimate of population being measured at per sq. km or Sq. Mi. The density can be gauged & validated to living organisms & principally humans. Like the dense population; there are also the numbers being accounted & maintained for being the opposite i.e. least dense habitat or least occupancy of the land.densely populated areas are often located at some unique point i-e most cold places, islands or most hot places on earth where life cannot survive in easy way.if basic facilities are provided still our team has noted more peaceful life on these areas as compared to most densely populated countries (having lot of noise and pollution)
Here is the list of top 10 least densely populated countries, states, official sub – domains or dependent territories in the world.
10. Iceland
Population Density: 0.24 sq.Km
GDP (PPP) per capita: $ 55,400
Falkland Islands are subjected to British overseas domain. Falklanders are British citizens by the British law. Both East & West Falkland comprise a group of Islands (776) in the southern Atlantic Ocean. Falkland is enjoying the self-rule as well as being guarded by the Britain. The islands are a complete picture of natural & geographical bio-diversities.
2. Svalbard & Jan Mayen – Norway
Area: 61,399 Sq. km
Population: 2,655
Population density: 0.04 sq. Km
Svalbard & Jan Mayen are two separate islands with different locations. Svalbard being an archipelago lies amid North Pole & Central Norway with a population of only 2572 inhabitants according to 2009 estimates while the other one (Jan Mayen) is a volcanic island which lies in the Arctic Ocean and borders Norwegian & Greenland sea. Only Jan Mayen covers a vast land of 146 square miles. The island is mere a Meteorological & Military site under the Norwegian govern ship. Both the islands sum a total area of 61,399 sq. km people following a population density of 0.04/ sq.km.
1. Greenland –Denmark
Population Density: 0.026/ sq. Km
GDP (PPP) per capita: USD 37,009.047
Greenland is a dependency of the Danish Kingdom geographically present amid Arctic & Atlantic Oceans following the eastern sides of Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The state is independent & maintains it sovereignty within the Denmark. Greenland is the Largest Island in the world following the total land area occupancy. The state is the largest in the world when it comes to territorial dependencies by total area. Northeast Greenland National Park is the world’s largest national park. Greenland makes it’s geographically presence in North –American continent, being the third largest country of the continent; but it has its strong political & cultural bounds & affiliations with Europe (Denmark & Norway). Greenland got the Home rule after a referendum held in 2008 & thus became self – determined in all matters except defense & Foreign affairs on 21 June 2009.
See Also
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Greenland
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The term 'brogued' technically refers to a shoe with?
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Top Ten Least Densely Populated Countries In The World – How Ghana
Population Density: 0.24 sq.Km
GDP (PPP) per capita: $ 55,400
Falkland Islands are subjected to British overseas domain. Falklanders are British citizens by the British law. Both East & West Falkland comprise a group of Islands (776) in the southern Atlantic Ocean. Falkland is enjoying the self-rule as well as being guarded by the Britain. The islands are a complete picture of natural & geographical bio-diversities.
2. SVALBARD & JAN MAYEN – NORWAY
Area: 61,399 Sq. km
Population: 2,655
Population density: 0.04 sq. Km
Svalbard & Jan Mayen are two separate islands with different locations. Svalbard being an archipelago lies amid North Pole & Central Norway with a population of only 2572 inhabitants according to 2009 estimates while the other one (Jan Mayen) is a volcanic island which lies in the Arctic Ocean and borders Norwegian & Greenland sea. Only Jan Mayen covers a vast land of 146 square miles. The island is mere a Meteorological & Military site under the Norwegian govern ship. Both the islands sum a total area of 61,399 sq. km people following a population density of 0.04/ sq.km.
1. GREENLAND –DENMARK
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i don't know
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'Normal' or Gaussian distribution in a graph is informally called a what shape (two word answer)?
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Introduction to Normal Distributions
Introduction to Normal Distributions
Describe the shape of normal distributions
State 7 features of normal distributions
The normal distribution is the most important and most widely used distribution in statistics. It is sometimes called the "bell curve," although the tonal qualities of such a bell would be less than pleasing. It is also called the "Gaussian curve" after the mathematician Karl Friedrich Gauss. As you will see in the section on the history of the normal distribution , although Gauss played an important role in its history, Abraham de Moivre first discovered the normal distribution.
Strictly speaking, it is not correct to talk about "the normal distribution" since there are many normal distributions. Normal distributions can differ in their means and in their standard deviations. Figure 1 shows three normal distributions. The green (left-most) distribution has a mean of -3 and a standard deviation of 0.5, the distribution in red (the middle distribution) has a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1, and the distribution in black (right-most) has a mean of 2 and a standard deviation of 3. These as well as all other normal distributions are symmetric with relatively more values at the center of the distribution and relatively few in the tails.
Figure 1. Normal distributions differing in mean and standard deviation.
The density of the normal distribution (the height for a given value on the x axis) is shown below. The parameters μ and σ are the mean and standard deviation, respectively, and define the normal distribution. The symbol e is the base of the natural logarithm and π is the constant pi.
Since this is a non-mathematical treatment of statistics, do not worry if this expression confuses you. We will not be referring back to it in later sections.
Seven features of normal distributions are listed below. These features are illustrated in more detail in the remaining sections of this chapter.
Normal distributions are symmetric around their mean.
The mean, median, and mode of a normal distribution are equal.
The area under the normal curve is equal to 1.0.
Normal distributions are denser in the center and less dense in the tails.
Normal distributions are defined by two parameters, the mean (μ) and the standard deviation (σ).
68% of the area of a normal distribution is within one standard deviation of the mean.
Approximately 95% of the area of a normal distribution is within two standard deviations of the mean.
Please answer the questions:
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Bell curve
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Colostrum, informally called beestings/bisnings, is a form of?
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No Title
The normal distributions are a very important class of statistical distributions. All normal distributions are symmetric and have bell-shaped density curves with a single peak.
To speak specifically of any normal distribution, two quantities have to be specified: the mean
, where the peak of the density occurs, and the standard deviation
, which indicates the spread or girth of the bell curve. (The greek symbol
is pronounced
mu and the greek symbol
is pronounced
Different values of
and
yield different normal density curves and hence different normal distributions. Try the applet below for example. You should be able to change the mean
and the standard deviation
using the sliders and see the density change.
The normal density can be actually specified by means of an equation. The height of the density at any value x is given by
Although there are many normal curves, they all share an important property that allows us to treat them in a uniform fashion.
of the observations fall within 3 standard deviations of the mean, that is, between
and
.
Thus, for a normal distribution, almost all values lie within 3 standard deviations of the mean.
The check buttons below will help you realize the appropriate percentages of the area under the curve.
Remember that the rule applies to all normal distributions. Also remember that it applies only to normal distributions.
An Example
Let us apply the Empirical Rule to Example 1.17 from Moore and McCabe.
The distribution of heights of American women aged 18 to 24 is approximately normally distributed with mean 65.5 inches and standard deviation 2.5 inches. From the above rule, it follows that
68%
of these American women have heights between 65.5 - 2.5 and 65.5 + 2.5 inches, or between 63 and 68 inches,
95%
of these American women have heights between 65.5 - 2(2.5) and 65.5 + 2(2.5) inches, or between 63 and 68 inches.
Again, you can try this out with the example below.
Therefore, the tallest 2.5% of these women are taller than 70.5 inches. (The extreme 5% fall more than two standard deviations, or 5 inches from the mean. And since all normal distributions are symmetric about their mean, half of these women are the tall side.)
Almost all young American women are between 58 and 73 inches in height if you use the 99.7% calculations.
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i don't know
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Originally a physician to the gods, conceived by Greek poet Homer, what ancient word is a song of praise or triumph?
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Greek Religion - 4 | Britannica.com
Greek Religion
religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Hellenes.
Displaying 201 - 300 of 342 results
lectisternium (from Latin lectum sternere, “to spread a couch”), ancient Greek and Roman rite in which a meal was offered to gods and goddesses whose representations were laid upon a couch positioned in the open street. On the first occasion of the rite, which originated...
Leda in Greek legend, usually believed to be the daughter of Thestius, king of Aetolia, and wife of Tyndareus, king of Lacedaemon. Some ancient writers thought she was the mother by Tyndareus of Clytemnestra, wife of King Agamemnon, and of Castor, one of...
Lethe (Greek: “Oblivion”), in Greek mythology, daughter of Eris (Strife) and the personification of oblivion. Lethe is also the name of a river or plain in the infernal regions. In Orphism, a Greek mystical religious movement, it was believed that the newly...
Leto in classical mythology, a Titan, the daughter of Coeus and Phoebe, and mother of the god Apollo and the goddess Artemis. The chief places of her legend were Delos and Delphi. Leto, pregnant by Zeus, sought a place of refuge to be delivered. She finally...
Leucothea (Greek: White Goddess [of the Foam]), in Greek mythology, a sea goddess first mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey, in which she rescued the Greek hero Odysseus from drowning. She was customarily identified with Ino, daughter of the Phoenician Cadmus; because...
Linus in Greek mythology, the personification of lamentation; the name derives from the ritual cry ailinon, the refrain of a dirge. Two principal stories, associated with Argos and Thebes, respectively, arose to explain the origin of the lament. According...
Lotus-Eater in Greek mythology, one of a tribe encountered by the Greek hero Odysseus during his return from Troy, after a north wind had driven him and his men from Cape Malea (Homer, Odyssey, Book IX). The local inhabitants, whose distinctive practice is indicated...
Lucifer Latin Lightbearer in classical mythology, the morning star (i.e., the planet Venus at dawn); personified as a male figure bearing a torch, Lucifer had almost no legend, but in poetry he was often herald of the dawn. In Christian times Lucifer came to...
lustration (from Latin lustratio, “purification by sacrifice”), any of various processes in ancient Greece and Rome whereby individuals or communities rid themselves of ceremonial impurity (e.g., bloodguilt, pollution incurred by contact with childbirth or with...
Lycaon in Greek mythology, a legendary king of Arcadia. Traditionally, he was an impious and cruel king who tried to trick Zeus, the king of the gods, into eating human flesh. The god was not deceived and in wrath devastated the earth with Deucalian’s flood,...
maenad female follower of the Greek god of wine, Dionysus. The word maenad comes from the Greek maenades, meaning “mad” or “demented.” During the orgiastic rites of Dionysus, maenads roamed the mountains and forests performing frenzied, ecstatic dances and...
Manto Greek “Prophetess” in Greek legend, the daughter and assistant of the Theban prophet Tiresias. After the sack of Thebes by the Epigoni (the sons of the seven champions who fought against Thebes), she was dedicated to Apollo at his oracular shrine of...
Markish, Peretz Soviet Yiddish poet and novelist whose work extols Soviet Russia and mourns the destruction of European Jews in World War II. Markish, the son of poor parents, served with the Russian army during World War I and later joined several other writers in...
Marsyas legendary Greek figure of Anatolian origin. According to the usual Greek version, Marsyas found the aulos (double pipe) that the goddess Athena had invented and thrown away and, after becoming skilled in playing it, challenged Apollo to a contest with...
Medea in Greek mythology, an enchantress who helped Jason, leader of the Argonauts, to obtain the Golden Fleece from her father, King Aeëtes of Colchis. She was of divine descent and had the gift of prophecy. She married Jason and used her magic powers and...
Medusa in Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons. She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes; unlike the Gorgons, she was sometimes represented as very beautiful. Medusa...
Melampus in Greek mythology, a seer known for his ability to understand the language of animals. The Bibliothēke (“Library”) erroneously attributed to Apollodorus of Athens relates that Melampus received his supernatural abilities from two snakes that he raised...
Meleager in Greek mythology, the leader of the Calydonian boar hunt. The Iliad relates how Meleager’s father, King Oeneus of Calydon, had omitted to sacrifice to Artemis, who sent a wild boar to ravage the country. Meleager collected a band of heroes to hunt...
Melpomene in Greek religion, one of the nine Muses, patron of tragedy and lyre playing. In Greek art her attributes were the tragic mask and the club of Heracles. According to some traditions, the half-bird, half-woman Sirens were born from the union of Melpomene...
Memnon in Greek mythology, son of Tithonus (son of Laomedon, legendary king of Troy) and Eos (Dawn) and king of the Ethiopians. He was a post-Homeric hero, who, after the death of the Trojan warrior Hector, went to assist his uncle Priam, the last king of Troy,...
Ménard, Louis-Nicolas French writer whose vision of ancient Greek religion and philosophy influenced the Parnassian poets. Educated at the Collège Louis-le-Grand and the École Normale, Ménard was a gifted chemist (an early investigator of collodion) as well as a painter and...
Menelaus in Greek mythology, king of Sparta and younger son of Atreus, king of Mycenae; the abduction of his wife, Helen, led to the Trojan War. During the war Menelaus served under his elder brother Agamemnon, the commander in chief of the Greek forces. When...
Midas in Greek and Roman legend, a king of Phrygia, known for his foolishness and greed. The stories of Midas, part of the Dionysiac cycle of legends, were first elaborated in the burlesques of the Athenian satyr plays. The tales are familiar to modern readers...
Minos legendary ruler of Crete; he was the son of Zeus, the king of the gods, and of Europa, a Phoenician princess and personification of the continent of Europe. Minos obtained the Cretan throne by the aid of the Greek god Poseidon, and from Knossos (or Gortyn)...
Minotaur in Greek mythology, a fabulous monster of Crete that had the body of a man and the head of a bull. It was the offspring of Pasiphae, the wife of Minos, and a snow-white bull sent to Minos by the god Poseidon for sacrifice. Minos, instead of sacrificing...
Mnemosyne in Greek mythology, the goddess of memory. A Titaness, she was the daughter of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaea (Earth), and, according to Hesiod, the mother (by Zeus) of the nine Muses. She gave birth to the Muses after Zeus went to Pieria and stayed with her...
Morpheus in Greco-Roman mythology, one of the sons of Hypnos (Somnus), the god of sleep. Morpheus sends human shapes (Greek morphai) of all kinds to the dreamer, while his brothers Phobetor (or Icelus) and Phantasus send the forms of animals and inanimate things,...
Muse in Greco-Roman religion and mythology, any of a group of sister goddesses of obscure but ancient origin, the chief centre of whose cult was Mount Helicon in Boeotia, Greece. They were born in Pieria, at the foot of Mount Olympus. Very little is known...
Myrmidon in Greek legend, any of the inhabitants of Phthiotis in Thessaly. In the poet Hesiod’s Catalogue of Women, Aeacus, the son of Zeus and the nymph Aegina, grows up alone on the deserted island of Aegina. (In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the island has been devastated...
Naiad (from Greek naiein, “to flow”), in Greek mythology, one of the nymphs of flowing water—springs, rivers, fountains, lakes. The Naiads, appropriately in their relation to freshwater, were represented as beautiful, lighthearted, and beneficent. Like the...
Narcissus in Greek mythology, the son of the river god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope. He was distinguished for his beauty. According to Ovid ’s Metamorphoses, Book III, Narcissus’s mother was told by the blind seer Tiresias that he would have a long life, provided...
Nemesis in Greek religion, two divine conceptions, the first an Attic goddess, the daughter of Nyx (Night), and the second an abstraction of indignant disapproval, later personified. Nemesis the goddess (perhaps of fertility) was worshipped at Rhamnus in Attica...
Neoptolemus in Greek legend, the son of Achilles, the hero of the Greek army at Troy, and of Deïdamia, daughter of King Lycomedes of Scyros; he was sometimes called Pyrrhus, meaning “Red-haired.” In the last year of the Trojan War the Greek hero Odysseus brought...
Nereid in Greek religion, any of the daughters (numbering 50 or 100) of the sea god Nereus (eldest son of Pontus, a personification of the sea) and of Doris, daughter of Oceanus (the god of the water encircling the flat Earth). The Nereids were depicted as...
Nereus in Greek religion, sea god called by Homer “Old Man of the Sea,” noted for his wisdom, gift of prophecy, and ability to change his shape. He was the son of Pontus, a personification of the sea, and Gaea, the Earth goddess. The Nereids (water nymphs)...
Nestor in Greek legend, son of Neleus, king of Pylos (Navarino) in Elis, and of Chloris. All of his brothers were slain by the Greek hero Heracles, but Nestor escaped. In the Iliad he is about 70 years old and sage and pious; his role is largely to incite the...
Nike in Greek religion, the goddess of victory, daughter of the giant Pallas and of the infernal River Styx. Nike probably did not originally have a separate cult at Athens. As an attribute of both Athena, the goddess of wisdom, and the chief god, Zeus, Nike...
Ninus in Greek mythology, king of Assyria and the eponymous founder of the city of Nineveh, which itself is sometimes called Ninus. He was said to have been the son of Belos, or Bel, and to have conquered in 17 years all of western Asia with the help of Ariaeus,...
Niobe in Greek mythology, the daughter of Tantalus (king of Sipylus in Lydia) and wife of King Amphion of Thebes. She was the prototype of the bereaved mother, weeping for the loss of her children. According to Homer’s Iliad, she had six sons and six daughters...
Nisus in Greek mythology, king of Megara, a son of King Pandion of Athens. His name was given to the Megarian port of Nisaea. Nisus had a purple lock of hair with magic power: if preserved, it would guarantee him life and continued possession of his kingdom....
nymph in Greek mythology, any of a large class of inferior female divinities. The nymphs were usually associated with fertile, growing things, such as trees, or with water. They were not immortal but were extremely long-lived and were on the whole kindly disposed...
Nyx in Greek mythology, female personification of night but also a great cosmogonical figure, feared even by Zeus, the king of the gods, as related in Homer’s Iliad, Book XIV. According to Hesiod’s Theogony, she was the daughter of Chaos and the mother of...
Oceanus in Greek mythology, the river that flowed around the Earth (conceived as flat), for example, in the shield of Achilles described in Homer’s Iliad, Book XVIII. Beyond it, to the west, were the sunless land of the Cimmerii, the country of dreams, and the...
Odysseus hero of Homer ’s epic poem the Odyssey and one of the most frequently portrayed figures in Western literature. According to Homer, Odysseus was king of Ithaca, son of Laertes and Anticleia (the daughter of Autolycus of Parnassus), and father, by his...
Odyssey epic poem in 24 books traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer. The poem is the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who wanders for 10 years (although the action of the poem covers only the final six weeks) trying to get home after the...
Oedipus in Greek mythology, the king of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. Homer related that Oedipus’s wife and mother hanged herself when the truth of their relationship became known, though Oedipus apparently continued to rule...
Oeneus in Greek legend, king of Calydon in Aetolia, husband of Althaea, and father of Meleager, Deianeira, and Gorge. (In some accounts Ares is the father of Meleager and Dionysus is the father of Deianeira.) Because, according to Homer’s Iliad, Book IX, Oeneus...
Oenone in Greek mythology, a fountain nymph of Mount Ida, the daughter of the River Cebren, and the beloved of Paris, a son of King Priam of Troy. Oenone and Paris had a son, Corythus, but Paris deserted her for Helen. Bitterly jealous, Oenone refused to aid...
Olympia ruined ancient sanctuary, home of the ancient Olympic Games, and former site of the massive Statue of Zeus, which had been ranked as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Olympia is located near the western coast of the Peloponnese peninsula of southern...
Olympus, Mount mountain peak, the highest (9,570 feet [2,917 m]) in Greece. It is part of the Olympus massif near the Gulf of Thérmai (Modern Greek: Thermaïkós) of the Aegean Sea and lies astride the border between Macedonia (Makedonía) and Thessaly (Thessalía). It...
Orestes in Greek mythology, son of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae (or Argos), and his wife, Clytemnestra. According to Homer, Orestes was away when his father returned from Troy to meet his death at the hands of Aegisthus, his wife’s lover. On reaching manhood,...
Orion in Greek mythology, a giant and very handsome hunter who was identified as early as Homer (Iliad, Book XVIII) with the constellation known by his name. The story of Orion has many different versions. He is considered to be Boeotian by birth, born (according...
Orpheus ancient Greek legendary hero endowed with superhuman musical skills. He became the patron of a religious movement based on sacred writings said to be his own. Traditionally, Orpheus was the son of a Muse (probably Calliope, the patron of epic poetry)...
Ouroboros emblematic serpent of ancient Egypt and Greece represented with its tail in its mouth, continually devouring itself and being reborn from itself. A gnostic and alchemical symbol, Ouroboros expresses the unity of all things, material and spiritual, which...
paean solemn choral lyric of invocation, joy, or triumph, originating in ancient Greece, where it was addressed to Apollo in his guise as Paean, physician to the gods. In the Mycenaean Linear B tablets from the late 2nd millennium bc, the word pa-ja-wo-ne...
Palladium in Greek religion, image of the goddess Pallas (Athena), especially the archaic wooden statue of the goddess that was preserved in the citadel of Troy as a pledge of the safety of the city. As long as the statue was kept safe within Troy, the city could...
Pan in Greek mythology, a fertility deity, more or less bestial in form. He was associated by the Romans with Faunus. Originally an Arcadian deity, his name is a Doric contraction of paon (“pasturer”) but was commonly supposed in antiquity to be connected...
Panathenaea in Greek religion, an annual Athenian festival of great antiquity and importance. It was eventually celebrated every fourth year with great splendour, probably in deliberate rivalry to the Olympic Games. The festival consisted solely of the sacrifices...
Pandarus in Greek legend, son of Lycaon, a Lycian. In Homer’s Iliad, Book IV, Pandarus breaks the truce between the Trojans and the Greeks by treacherously wounding Menelaus, the king of Sparta; he is ultimately slain by the warrior Diomedes. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s...
Pandora Greek “All-Gifts” in Greek mythology, the first woman. According to Hesiod’s Theogony, after Prometheus, a fire god and divine trickster, had stolen fire from heaven and bestowed it upon mortals, Zeus, the king of the gods, determined to counteract this...
panegyris in Greek religion, an ancient assembly that met on certain fixed dates for the purpose of honouring a specific god. The gatherings varied in size from the inhabitants of a single town to great national meetings, such as the Olympic Games. The religious...
Paris Greek “Defender” in Greek legend, son of King Priam of Troy and his wife, Hecuba. A dream regarding his birth was interpreted as an evil portent, and he was consequently expelled from his family as an infant. Left for dead, he was either nursed by a...
Parthenon chief temple of the Greek goddess Athena on the hill of the Acropolis at Athens, Greece. It was built in the mid-5th century bce and is generally considered to be the culmination of the development of the Doric order, the simplest of the three Classical...
Pegasus in Greek mythology, a winged horse that sprang from the blood of the Gorgon Medusa as she was beheaded by the hero Perseus. With Athena’s (or Poseidon’s) help, another Greek hero, Bellerophon, captured Pegasus and rode him first in his fight with the...
Peleus in Greek mythology, king of the Myrmidons of Thessaly; he was most famous as the husband of Thetis (a sea nymph) and the father of the hero Achilles, whom he outlived. When Peleus and his brother Telamon were banished from their father Aeacus’ kingdom...
Pelias in Greek mythology, a king of Iolcos in Thessaly who imposed on his half-nephew Jason the task of bearing off the Golden Fleece. According to Homer, Pelias and Neleus were twin sons of Tyro (daughter of Salmoneus, founder of Salmonia in Elis) by the...
Pelops legendary founder of the Pelopid dynasty at Mycenae in the Greek Peloponnese, which was probably named for him. Pelops was a grandson of Zeus, the king of the gods. According to many accounts, his father, Tantalus, cooked and served Pelops to the gods...
Penelope in Greek mythology, a daughter of Icarius of Sparta and the nymph Periboea and wife of the hero Odysseus. They had one son, Telemachus. Homer’s Odyssey tells the story of how, during her husband’s long absence after the Trojan War, many chieftains of...
Penthesilea in Greek mythology, a queen of the Amazons, well respected for her bravery, her skill in weapons, and her wisdom. She led an army of Amazons to Troy to fight against the Greeks. She was said to have killed Achilles, but Zeus brought him back to life,...
Persephone in Greek religion, daughter of Zeus, the chief god, and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture; she was the wife of Hades, king of the underworld. In the Homeric “Hymn to Demeter,” the story is told of how Persephone was gathering flowers in the Vale of...
Perseus in Greek mythology, the slayer of the Gorgon Medusa and the rescuer of Andromeda from a sea monster. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danaë, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos. As an infant he was cast into the sea in a chest with his mother by Acrisius,...
Phaethon Greek “Shining” or “Radiant” in Greek mythology, the son of Helios, the sun god, and a woman or nymph variously identified as Clymene, Prote, or Rhode. The most influential extant version of the story, found in Ovid’s Metamorphosis, Books I–II, seems...
pharmākos in Greek religion, a human scapegoat used in certain state rituals. In Athens, for example, a man and a woman who were considered ugly were selected as scapegoats each year. At the festival of the Thargelia in May or June, they were feasted, led round...
Pherecydes of Syros Greek mythographer and cosmogonist traditionally associated with the Seven Wise Men of Greece (especially Thales). Pherecydes is credited with originating metempsychosis, a doctrine that holds the human soul to be immortal, passing into another body,...
Philoctetes Greek legendary hero who played a decisive part in the final stages of the Trojan War. He (or his father, Poeas) had been bequeathed the bow and arrows of the Greek hero Heracles in return for lighting his funeral pyre; Philoctetes thus became a notable...
Phocus in Greek mythology, the son of Aeacus, king of Aegina, and the Nereid Psamathe, who had assumed the likeness of a seal (Greek: phoce) in trying to escape Aeacus’s embraces. Peleus and Telamon, Aeacus’s legitimate sons, resented Phocus’s superior athletic...
Phoebe in Greek mythology, a Titan, daughter of Uranus (Sky) and Gaea (Earth). By the Titan Coeus she was the mother of Leto and grandmother of Apollo and Artemis. She was also the mother of Asteria and Hecate. The family relationships were described by Hesiod...
Phoenix in Greek mythology, son of Amyntor, king of Thessalian Hellas. To please his mother, he seduced his father’s concubine. After a violent quarrel Amyntor cursed him with childlessness, and Phoenix escaped to Peleus (king of the Myrmidons in Thessaly),...
Pirithous in Greek mythology, the son of Ixion and the companion and helper of the hero Theseus in his many adventures, including the descent into Hades to carry off Persephone, the daughter of the goddess Demeter. They were detained in Hades until the Greek hero...
Pleiades in Greek mythology, the seven daughters of the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid Pleione: Maia, Electra, Taygete, Celaeno, Alcyone, Sterope, and Merope. They all had children by gods (except Merope, who married Sisyphus). The Pleiades eventually formed a constellation....
Plutus in Greek religion, god of abundance or wealth, a personification of ploutos (Greek: “riches”). According to Hesiod, Plutus was born in Crete, the son of the goddess of fruitfulness, Demeter, and the Cretan Iasion. In art he appears chiefly as a child...
Polymnia in Greek religion, one of the nine Muses, patron of dancing or geometry. She was said in some legends to have been the mother of Triptolemus, the first priest of Demeter and the inventor of agriculture, by Cheimarrhus, son of Ares, god of war, or by...
Polyphemus in Greek mythology, the most famous of the Cyclopes (one-eyed giants), son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and the nymph Thoösa. According to Ovid in Metamorphoses, Polyphemus loved Galatea, a Sicilian Nereid, and killed her lover Acis. When the Greek hero...
Polyxena in Greek mythology, a daughter of Priam, king of Troy, and his wife, Hecuba. After the fall of Troy, she was claimed by the ghost of Achilles, the greatest of the Greek warriors, as his share of the spoils and was therefore put to death at his tomb....
Poseidon in Greek religion, god of the sea (and of water generally), earthquakes, and horses. He is distinguished from Pontus, the personification of the sea and the oldest Greek divinity of the waters. The name Poseidon means either “husband of the earth” or...
Priam in Greek mythology, the last king of Troy. He succeeded his father, Laomedon, as king and extended Trojan control over the Hellespont. He married first Arisbe (a daughter of Merops the seer) and then Hecuba, and he had other wives and concubines. He...
Priapus in Greek religion, a god of animal and vegetable fertility whose originally Asian cult started in the Hellespontine regions, centring especially on Lampsacus. He was represented in a caricature of the human form, grotesquely misshapen, with an enormous...
Procrustes in Greek legend, a robber dwelling somewhere in Attica—in some versions, in the neighbourhood of Eleusis. His father was said to be Poseidon. Procrustes had an iron bed (or, according to some accounts, two beds) on which he compelled his victims to lie....
Proetus in Greek mythology, a king of Argos, grandson of Danaus. He quarreled with his twin brother, Acrisius, and divided the kingdom with him, Proetus taking Tiryns, which he fortified with huge blocks of stone carried by the Cyclopes. Proetus had three daughters...
Prometheus in Greek religion, one of the Titans, the supreme trickster, and a god of fire. His intellectual side was emphasized by the apparent meaning of his name, Forethinker. In common belief he developed into a master craftsman, and in this connection he was...
Protesilaus Greek mythological hero in the Trojan War, leader of the force from Phylace and other Thessalian cities west of the Pegasaean Gulf. Though aware that an oracle had foretold death for the first of the invading Greeks to land at Troy, he was the first...
Proteus in Greek mythology, the prophetic old man of the sea and shepherd of the sea’s flocks (e.g., seals). He was subject to the sea god Poseidon, and his dwelling place was either the island of Pharos, near the mouth of the Nile River, or the island of Carpathus,...
Psyche Greek “Soul” in classical mythology, princess of outstanding beauty who aroused Venus’ jealousy and Cupid’s love. The fullest version of the tale is that told by the 2nd-century- ad Latin author Apuleius in his Metamorphoses, Books IV–VI (The Golden...
Pyanopsia in ancient Greek religion, a festival in honour of Apollo, held at Athens on the seventh day of the month of Pyanopsion (October). The festival’s rites incorporated remnants of rustic magic, including two offerings, consisting of a hodgepodge of pulse...
Pygmalion in Greek mythology, a king who was the father of Metharme and, through her marriage to Cinyras, the grandfather of Adonis, according to Apollodorus of Athens. The Roman poet Ovid, in his Metamorphoses, Book X, relates that Pygmalion, a sculptor, makes...
Python in Greek mythology, a huge serpent that was killed by the god Apollo at Delphi either because it would not let him found his oracle, being accustomed itself to giving oracles, or because it had persecuted Apollo’s mother, Leto, during her pregnancy....
Rhea in Greek religion, ancient goddess, probably pre-Hellenic in origin, who was worshipped sporadically throughout the Greek world. She was associated with fruitfulness and had affinities with Gaea (Earth) and the Great Mother of the Gods (also called Cybele)....
Sarpedon in Greek legend, son of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Laodameia, the daughter of Bellerophon; he was a Lycian prince and a hero in the Trojan War. As recounted in Homer’s Iliad, Book XVI, Sarpedon fought with distinction on the side of the Trojans...
Satyr in Greek mythology, creatures of the wild, part man and part beast, who in Classical times were closely associated with the god Dionysus. Their Italian counterparts were the Fauns (see Faunus). Satyrs and Sileni were at first represented as uncouth men,...
Schwabacher, Ethel American artist associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement. Though not as well-known as her male peers or as Lee Krasner, Elaine DeKooning, or Helen Frankenthaler, her work is found in major museum collections throughout the United States, and...
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Paean
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The metric prefix femto is shown as ten to the power of minus what?
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Classical Myth Project at Hendrix College - StudyBlue
StudyBlue
Adonis, adonis
- a noun, used to refer to a beautiful young man.
- Adonis, in Greek mythology, was the name of the son of Cinyras. He was also the lover of Aphrodite and was revered for his physical beauty.
aegis
- a noun, referring to a protective shield.
- "aegis" in English is often used in the phrase, "under the aegis of" which, means under the protection of; it took on this current meaning because in greek mythology aegis referred to a protective garment worn by Zeus and/or Athene.
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Amazon
- noun, referring to a large, strong, aggressive woman.
- The english meaning comes from the Greek Herodotus, who claimed the Amazon were a group of Female Warriors who lived
in Scythia.
Argus-eyed
- adjective, used to describe a very vigilant person, a watcher or guardian.
- In Greek Mythology, Argus was the 100-eyed monster that Hera had guarding Io, hence the english use today.
Augean
-adj. meaning filthy,unpleasant
-The english use of Augean took its current meaning because Augeas, a king of Elis, did not clean his stable of 3000 oxen for 30 years, until Hercules came along and ran a river through it.
calliope
-noun, An instrument consisting of a series of steam-whistles toned to produce musical notes, played by a keyboard like that of an organ.
-Calliope was the ninth of the muses and was said to have a beautiful voice
cereal
-Adj, Of or pertaining to corn or edible grain.
-In English, cereal often refers to a common breakfast food that is derived grain or corn. It took on this meaning because Ceres was the goddess of agriculture.
clue
-a noun, used to refer to a hint or piece of evidence that could direct someone to an answer
- Clue in English used to refer to a ball of yarn, the current meaning came about because Ariadne gave a ball of yarn to Theseus that he used to get out of Minos' labyrinth
Daedal
- adj.Skillfull.
- Comes from Daedalus, the architect and sculptor who created wings for he and his son to escape.
echo
- noun, A repetition of sounds
-In Greek Mythology, Echo was a nymph who was cursed by Hera to only be able to repeat the words of someone else. Hera was suspicious of Zeus and when she went to catch him in the act, Echo distracted Hera with long conversations.
gorgonize
- verb, to petrify
- Gorgon was one of three mythical female personages, with snakes for hair, whose look turned the beholder into stone
halcyon
- Adj.
-calm, peaceful, tranquil
- a mythical bird, usually identified with the kingfisher, said to breedabout the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea, andto have the power of charming winds and waves into calmness.
Harpy
-a scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman; shrew.
-a ravenous, filthy monster having a woman'shead and a bird's body.
Hermaphrodite
- noun
- an individual in which reproductive organs of both sexes are present.
- According to Ovid, he fused with the nymph Salmacis resulting in one individual possessing physical traits of male and female sexes
Hyacinth
- noun
- lily plant
- Apollo loves Hyacinth. One day when throwing discs, he accidentally hits Hyacinth in the face and kills him. Transforms him into a flower.
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- Adj
- containing many problems, difficulties, or obstacles.
- hydra a water monster with nine heades killed by hercules when one head was cut off two heads grew back
hymeneal
-of or relating to marriage.
-Hymenaeus, in ancient Greece, was a god of marriage ceremonies
jovial
-endowed with or characterized by a hearty, joyous humor or a spirit ofgood-fellowship
-from Latin Iovialis "of Jupiter"
lotus-eaters
-noun
-a person who leads a life of dreamy, indolent ease, indifferent to thebusy world; daydreamer.
-a member of a people whom Odysseus found existing in a state of languorous forgetfulness induced by their eating of the fruit of the legendary lotus;
mentor
-noun
-a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.
-from Greek Mentor, friend of Odysseus and adviser of Telemachus (but often actually Athene in disguise) in the "Odyssey,"
mercurial
-changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic
-from Latin mercuriālis of, pertaining to the god Mercury. qualities associated with the god mercury
Midas touch
-noun
-the ability to turn any business venture one is associated with into an extremely profitable one.
-from the story of king midas who was granted the ability to turn anything to gold by the god Dionysus who was grateful for the gracious treatment of his servant Silenus
museum
-noun
-a building or place where works of art, scientific specimens, or other objects of permanent value are kept and displayed.
-from Latin mūsēum- place sacred to the Muses, building devoted to learning or the arts
myrrh
-noun
-the aromatic resin of a number of small, thorny tree species
-from the Ovidian tale of Myrrha who lusted after her father. She is turned into a and her tears leaky from the tree that omit a certain smell. in greek the word means perfume.
narcissistic
-adj
-having an undue fascination with oneself; vain.
-from Greek Narcissus, name of a beautiful youth in mythology (Ovid, "Metamorphoses,") who was cursed to fall in love with his own reflection in a spring and was turned to the flower.
nemesis
-something that a person cannot conquer
-"Greek goddess of vengeance, personification of divine wrath,"
paean
-noun
-any song of praise, joy, or triumph.
- from Greek paian"hymn, chant, hymn to Apollo," from Paian, a name of the god of healing; originally the physician of the gods (in Homer), later merged with Apollo
phaeton
-noun
-any of various light, four-wheeled carriages, with or without a top,having one or two seats facing forward, used in the 19th century.
-from Greek Phaethon name of the son of Helios and Clymene, who tried to drive his father's sun-chariot but crashed after almost setting fire to the whole earth
pillars of Hercules
-the two promontories on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar.
-pillars are fabled to be put up by Hercules.
procrustean
-adj
- tending to produce conformity by violent or arbitrarymeans.
-from Procrustes, mythical robber of Attica who seized travelers, tied them to his bed, and either stretched their limbs or lopped of their legs to make them fit it.
protean
-readily assuming different forms or characters; extremely variable.
-from Greek Proteus, sea god (son of Oceanus and Tethys) who could change his form
psyche
-noun
- the human soul, spirit, or mind.
-in classical mythology, Psyche is the a personification of the soul, which in the form of a beautiful girl was loved by Cupid.
Siren
-noun
-a seductively beautiful or charming woman, especially one who beguiles men:
-in the Odyssey, one of several sea nymphs, part woman and partbird, who lure mariners to destruction by their seductive singing.
Sisyphean
-adj
-endless and unavailing, as labor or a task.
-a son of Aeolus and ruler of Corinth, noted for his trickery: he was punished in Tartarus by being compelled to roll a stone to the top of aslope, the stone always escaping him near the top and rolling down again.
tantalize
-verb
-tease by arousing expectations that are repeatedly disappointed.
-from Greek Tantalos, king of Phrygia, son of Zeus, father of Pelops and Niobe, punished in the afterlife by being made to stand in a river up to his chin, under branches laden with fruit, all of which withdrew from his reach whenever he tried to eat or drink.
volcano
-noun
-a vent in the earth's crust through which lava, steam, ashes, etc., are expelled, either continuously or at irregular intervals.
-from Latin Vulcanus"Vulcan," Roman god of fire, also "fire, flames, volcano"
zephyr
-the Greek god of the west wind
atlas
-noun
-collection of maps in a volume
-Titan, son of Iapetus and Clymene, supposed to uphold the pillars of heaven, which was his punishment for being the war leader of the Titans in the struggle with the Olympian gods.
elysium
-any similarly conceived abode or state of the dead.
-Classical Mythology.the abode of the blessed after death.
Aeolian Harp
-noun
-a box with an opening across which are stretched a number of strings of equal length that are tuned in unison and sounded by the wind.
-named after Aeolus, the ancient Greek god of the wind.
Aegean Sea
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i don't know
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Spike, Dig, Set, and Block are found in which competitive sport?
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INDICATORS AND SET’S RESULT IN MALE VOLLEYBALL
Rui Marcelino and Isabel Mesquita
Faculty of Sport, Porto, Portugal
Abstract
The present study examines the associations between performance indicators (number of spike points, spike errors,
spike continuity, block points, block errors, block continuity, serve points, serve errors, serve continuity, dig excellent,
dig errors, dig continuity, set excellent, set errors, set continuity, reception excellent, reception errors and reception
continuity) and performance in Volleyball, concerning set result (set win and set loose). For this 65.949 actions from 550
sets of Men’s Senior World League (2005) were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was used in data analysis.
The results show that ser ve point (OR:16.1, 95%CI: 5.7-45.9), serve continuity (OR:4.6, 95%CI:2.8-7.5) and spike point
(OR:4.1, 95%CI:2.2-7.6) are the performance indicators more associated with the success in Volleyball.
Key words: volleyball, notational analysis, performance indicators
Introduction
Volleyball is a team game and depends on many external and unanticipated factors that coaching process attempts to
control in order to brig success. Within coaching process, great emphasis is placed on the coach’s ability to observe and
recall all discrete incidents from a competitive sport performance (Borrie, Jonsson, & Magnusson, 2002). However, not
all game actions seem to be crucial for team’s success. The research in Volleyball game-related statistics seek out what
game actions are most associated with the competitive success. Cox (Cox, 1974) used multivariate variances analysis and
discriminate analysis to study the relationship between skills performances and victory in the game. The author found
that there are signifi cant relationships between predictors variables (game actions) and response variable (game result)
and the spike was the best indicator of success in the game. Eom and Schutz (Eom & Schutz, 1992) extracted, from
among the selected technical-tactical components, the best predictor or a group of predictors that determined the success
of a team in a game. The study has shown that the differences between the matches won and the matches lost are more
expressed in those technical-tactical elements that are executed while organizing a counterattack: block, defense, setting
and spike. The discriminate analysis has shown that block and spike are the most important elements for determining the
success of a team. Marelic and colleagues (N; Marelic, Zufar, & Omrcen, 1998) researched the characteristics of junior
volleyball international quality team play on the basis of the sets won and lost, according to volleyball phases. The results
show that the variables spike in the phase of attack and setting in the phase of counterattack had the highest projection
on the discriminate function, whereas the block, court defense and setting in the phase of attack and spike in the phase
of counterattack had a small projection. Palao (Palao, Santos, & Ureńa, 2004) studied the game actions performance
according to teams levels. Analyzing 33 male matches from 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the study shows that the
performance of serve, reception, spike and block differentiated the teams levels (higher vs. lower). More recently Marelic
(N. Marelic, Resetar, & Jankovic, 2004) studying the Italian men’s A1 league through discriminate analysis concluded
that the spike in the phase of attack is the variable with the highest projection on the set result. The spike in the phase of
counterattack, serve reception, block and serve had lower projections.
The present study aimed to examine the associations between performance indicators (number of spike points,
spike er rors, spike continuity, block points, block errors, block continuity, serve points, serve errors, serve continuity,
dig excellent, dig errors, dig continuity, set excellent, set errors, set continuity, reception excellent, reception errors and
reception continuity) and performance in Volleyball, concerning set’s result (set win and set loose).
Methods
The sample was composed by 65.949 actions from 550 sets of Men’s Senior World League, 2005. The variables
registered were serve performance, reception performance, spike performance, block performance, set performance, dig
performance and Set’s result (win/loss). Game actions performance was evaluated in relation to the success and options
that the actions gave to own team and the opponent’s team. Data were obtained through offi cial FIVB software “Volleyball
Information System” (VIS). We differentiated two types of actions to categorize the performance: a) Terminal Actions
(serve, spike and block). We distinguished three levels to categorize the performance: Point – action was a success and
5th International Scientific Conference on Kinesiology, 2008, Zagreb, Croatia
956
Top-level Sport
gave point for the team; Continuity – the ball was defended by opponent’s team and still in game; Error – failed action
or action that did not allow the option to continue (point for the opponent). b) Continuity Actions (reception, set and dig).
We distinguished three levels to categorize the performance: Excellent – the actions give all attack options; Continuity
- the actions don’t give all attack options; Error – failed action or action that did not allow the option to continue (point
for the opponent). To test the reliability, an independent observer of the VIS, observed 34 sets, corresponding to 12.36%
of the total sets analyzed. Kappa of Cohen analysis and percentage of agreement demonstrated good inter-observer
reliability which confi rmed the accuracy of observations. Descriptive statistics were used to provide information about
different aspects of the sample. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to study the infl uence of performance
indicators values on Set result. Odds ratios (OR) at their 95% confi dence intervals (IC) for each factor were adjusted for
all other factors in the model. SPSS 14.0 was used for analyses.
Results
The means of each game’s action in the set are detailed in Table 1. The spike is the only game action where teams
make more points than errors and it is through the dig that teams lose more points. In the dig there are the highest values
of standard deviation.
Table 2 shows the factors that are associated with set result. After adjustment, the variables that remained associated
with the set result were: spike point, spike error, spike continuity, block point, block error, block continuity, serve point,
serve error, serve continuity, dig excellent, dig er ror, set continuity, reception excellent, reception error and reception
continuity. No difference in set result was detected when analyzing block continuity (OR: 1.1; 95%CI: 0.9-1.4), dig
continuity (OR: 0.9; 95%CI: 0.7-1.1), set excellent (OR: 0.9; 95%CI: 0.6-1.2) and set error (OR: 1.0; 95%CI: 0.3-3.2).
The number of points of all terminal actions showed a positive infl uence in the victory of the set. When the teams
increased the numbers of points by terminal actions (spike, block and serve) they were much more likely to win the
set (ORspike_point: 4.1; 95%CI: 2.2-7.6; ORblock_point: 3.2; 95%CI: 1.9-5.2; ORserve_ point: 16.1; 95%CI: 5.7-45.9).
Concerning the number of errors, with exception of serve error (having a positive infl uence in the victory OR serve
error: 1.8; 95%CI: 1.2-2.3) and set continuity, all the other variables showed a negative infl uence in the victory of the set.
The increase in numbers of errors means that they were more likely to lose the set (ORspike_error: 0.4; 95%CI: 0.2-0.7;
ORblock_error: 0.4; 95%CI: 0.3-0.5; ORdig_error: 0.5; 95%CI: 0.4-0.6; ORreception_error: 0.1; 95%CI: 0.0-0.2).
Table 1. Means of game action
Variable x (sd)
Table 2. Factors associated with set result (reference category: victory)
Odds Ratio (95 %Conf idenc e Inter val)
Expla nator y varia ble Crude Adjustedap-valueb
Spike
Point 1.2 (1.1-1.3) 4.1 (2.2-7.6) <0.0 01
Error 0.6 (0.5 -0.7) 0.4 (0.2-0.7) 0.002
Continuity 0.9 (0.8- 0.9) 1.7 (1.1-2.6) 0.018
Block
Point 1.7 (1.5-2.0) 3.2 (1.9-5.2) <0.0 01
Error 0.9 (0.9-1.0) 0. 4 (0.3 -0.5) <0.0 01
Serve
Point 1.6 (1.4-1.9) 16.1 (5.7-45.9) <0.0 01
Error 1.0 (0.9 -1.1) 1.8 (1.2-2.3) 0.0 02
Continuity 1.3 (1.2-1.4) 4.6 (2.8 -7.5) <0.001
Dig
Excellent 1.0 (1.0-1.1) 0.8 (0.6-1.0) 0.046
Error 0.9 (0.9-1.0) 0. 5 (0.4 -0.6) <0.0 01
Set <0.0 01
Continuity 0.9 (0.9-1.0) 0.7 (0 .5- 0.9) 0.021
Recept ion
Excellent 1.0 (0.9-1.0) 0. 2 (0.1-0.3) <0 .001
Error 0.6 (0.5 -0.7) 0.1 (0.0- 0.2) <0.0 01
Continuity 0.9 (0.8 -0.9) 0.2 ( 0.1-0.3) <0.001
a Odds ratio adjusted for all the variables in the (main effec ts) model.
b Hosmer and Lemeshow test (χ2( 8)= 1.91, p= 0.98) .
Kinesiology Research Trends and Applications
957
Top-level Sport
Discussion and conclusion
This study attempted to determine the associations between performance in volleyball game actions and team success
(victory in the set). The results confi rmed the earlier researches concerning capacity to spike’s performances to differentiate
the success in volleyball (Cox, 1974; Eom & Schutz, 1992; N. Marelic et al., 2004; N; Marelic et al., 1998; Palao et al.,
2004). However the variables in this study, those more likely to improve the probability to win the set (serve points) do
not fi nd agreement in the literature. Our study shows that, considering the other variables constant, the improvement in
one serve point increases 16 times the possibility to win the set. Only one study showed a relationship between serve and
set result, and found a lower projection (N. Marelic et al., 2004).
The negative infl uence between all continuity actions with victory in the set is justifi ed by the logic of game itself.
When a team wins a point, the players of this team always serve in the next rally. This implied that the worst teams (those
losing more points) receive, more times than the best teams (those winning more points). The same logic occurs in dig
actions, through a relationship between this action with spike.
References
1. Borrie, A., Jonsson, G. K., & Magnusson, M. S. (2002). Temporal patter n analysis and its applicability in sport: an explanation
and exemplar data. Journal of Sports Sciences, 20, 845-852.
2. Cox, R. H. (1974). Relationship between selected volleyball skill components and team performance of men’s northwest ‘AA’
volleyball teams. Research Quarterly of the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 45(4), 441-
446.
3. Eom, H. J., & Schutz, R. W. (1992). Statistical analyses of volleyball team performance. Research Quarterly for Exercise and
Sport 63(1), 11-18.
4. Marelic, N., Resetar, T., & Jankovic, V. (2004). Discriminant Analysis of the Sets Won and the Sets Lost by One Team in A1
Italian Volleyball League-a Case Study. Kinesiolog y, 36(1), 75-82.
5. Marelic, N., Zufar, G., & Omrcen, D. (1998). Influence of some situation-related parametres on the score in volleyball. Kinesiology,
30(2), 55-65.
6. Palao, J. M., Santos, J. A., & Ureña, A. (2004). Effect of team level on skill performance in volleyball. International Journal of
Performance Analysis in Sport, 4, 50-60.
CitationsCitations12
ReferencesReferences7
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Volleyball
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Nuuk, population about 15,000, is the capital city of which country?
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Dig, Set, Spike: What Volleyball Teaches us about Product Managment/P…
Apr 4, 2011
ProductCamp Boston, April 2011 *********
Ten years ago during the Internet boom years I was invited by the business school I had graduated from over a decade earlier to be part of a marketing career panel with other alumni. In trying to explain the role of product marketing/product management to the MBA students (it is not really taught in b school), I used a volleyball analogy that seemed to help. I'd like to present that as well as lessons learned from 20 years in product marketing/product management...
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Armed with an engineering degree from Northeastern and a shiny new MBA from Harvard, I was unleashed upon the software industry 25 years ago. Since then, it has been a "never a dull moment" existence in the murky world between engineering and sales at startups and emerging growth companies in the greater Boston area: business cases, product launches, competitive battlecards, sales guides, acquisitions, an IPO, etc.
...
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i don't know
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From the Greek words loosely meaning 'same' and 'idea' what term refers to an expression which contains unnecessary duplication?
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Ad Hominem- In an argument, this is an attack on the person rather than on the opponent�s ideas. It comes from the Latin meaning �against the man.� Allegory- a work that functions on a symbolic level. Alliteration- the repetition of initial consonant sounds, such as �Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.� Allusion- a reference contained in a work. Ambiguity- the multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage. Amplification- involves repeating a word or expression while adding more detail to it, in order to emphasize what otherwise might be passed over. Analogy- a literary device employed to serve as a basis for comparison. It is assumed that what applies to the parallel situation also applies to the original circumstance. In other words, it is the comparison between two different items. Anaphora- the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines. Anastrophe- transposition of normal word order; most often found in Latin in the case of prepositions and the words they control. (a form of hyperbaton) Anecdote- a story or brief episode told by the writer or a character to illustrate to a point. Antanagoge- placing a good point or benefit next to a fault criticism, or problem in order to reduce the impact or significance of the negative point. Antimetabole- reversing the order of repeated words or phrases (a loosely chiastic structure, AB-BA) to intensify the final formulation, to present alternatives, or to show contrast. Antiphrasis- one word irony, established by context. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Antistrophe- repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses. Antithesis- the presentation of two contrasting images. The ideas are balanced by word, phrase, clause, or paragraphs. �To be or not to be�� �Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country�� Aphorism- a terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or moral principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.) An aphorism can be a memorable summation of the author�s point. Apophasis- (also called praeteritio or occupatio) asserts or emphasizes something by pointedly seeming to pass over, ignore, or deny it. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Aporia- expression of doubt (often feigned) by which a speaker appears uncertain as to what he should think, say, or do. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Aposiopesis- a form of ellipse by which a speaker comes to an abrupt halt, seemingly overcome by passion (fear, excitement, etc.) or modesty. Apostrophe- a figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity. William Wordsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, �Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour: England hath need of thee.� Appositive- a noun or noun substitute placed next to (in apposition to) another noun to be described or defined by the appositive. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Archaism- use of an older or obsolete form. Argument- a single assertion or a series of assertions presented and defended by the writer Assonance- repetition of the same sound in words close together. Asyndeton- lack of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words. Atmosphere- the emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author�s choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. Frequently, atmosphere foreshadows events. Attitude- the relationship an author has toward his or her subject, and/or his or her audience. Brachylogy- a general term for abbreviated or condensed expression, of which asyndeton and zeugma are types. Cacophony- harsh and discordant sounds in a line or passage in a literary work. Catachresis- a harsh metaphor involving the use of a word beyond its strict sphere. Cause and effect- analyses explain why something happened or what the consequences are or will be from a particular occurrence Chiasmus- two corresponding pairs arranged not in parallels (a-b-a-b) but in inverted order (a-b-b-a) Classification- a form of division, but instead of starting with a single subject as a division does, classification starts with many items, and groups or sorts them into categories. Clich�- an overused common expression. The term is derived from a French word for a stereotype printing block. Just as many identical copies can be made from such a block, so clich�s are typically words and phrases used so frequently that they become stale and ineffective. Everyone uses clich�s in speech: �in less than no time� they �spring to mind,� but �in the last analysis,� a writer ought to �avoid them like the plague,� even though they always seem �to hit the nail on the head.� Climax- arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses in an order of ascending power. Colloquial- the use of slang in writing, often to create local color and to provide an informal tone. Huckleberry Finn is written in a colloquial style. Comic Relief- the inclusion of a humorous character or scene to contrast with the tragic elements of a work, thereby intensifying the next tragic event. Conceit- a fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects. A conceit displays intellectual cleverness due to the unusual comparison being made. Concrete �words describe things that exist and can be experienced through the senses. Abstractions are rendered understandable and specific through concrete examples. Connotation- the interpretive level of a word based on its associated images rather than its literal meaning. Deduction- the process of moving from a general rule to a specific example. Definition- involves placing a word first in a general class and then adding distinguishing features that set it apart from other members of that class: �A Dalmatian is a breed of dog (general class) with a white, short-haired coat and dark spots (distinguishing feature).� Most college writing assignments in definition require extended definitions in which a subject is analyzed with appropriate examples and details. Denotation- the literal or dictionary meaning of a word. Diacope- repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase. Dialect- the recreation of regional spoken language, such as a Southern dialect. Zora Neale Hurston uses this in such works as Their Eyes Were Watching God. Diction- is the choice of words used in speaking or writing. It is frequently divided into four levels: formal, informal, colloquial, and slang. Formal diction is found in traditional academic writing, such as books and scholarly articles; informal diction, generally characterized by words common in conversation contexts, by contractions, and by the use of the first person (I), is found in articles in popular magazines. Bernard R. Berelson�s essay �The Value of Children� (p.231) uses formal diction; Judy Brady�s �I Want a Wife� (p.441) is informal. Didactic- From the Greek, didactic literally means �teaching.� Didactic works have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles. Dirimens Copulatio- mentioning a balancing or opposing fact to prevent the argument from being one-sided or unqualified. Distinctio- is an explicit reference to a particular meaning or to the various meanings of a word, in order to remove or prevent ambiguity. Ellipsis- indicated by a series of three periods, the ellipsis indicates that some material has been omitted from a given text. It could be a word, a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph, or a whole section. Be wary of the ellipsis; it could obscure the real meaning of the piece of writing. Enthymeme- is an informally-stated syllogism which omits either one of the premises or the conclusion. The omitted part must be clearly understood by the reader. Enumeratio- detailing parts, causes, effects, or consequences to make a point more forcibly. Epanalepsis- repeats the beginning word of a clause or sentence at the end. Epigraph- the use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme. Hemingway begins The Sun Also Rises with two epigraphs. One of them is �You are all a lost generation� by Gertrude Stein. Epithet- is an adjective or adjective phrase appropriately qualifying a subject (noun) by naming a key or important characteristic of the subject. Epizeuxis- repetition of one word (for emphasis). Eponym- substitutes for a particular attribute the name of a famous person recognized for that attribute. Euphemism- a more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable. �He went to his final reward� is a common euphemism for �he died.� Euphemisms are also often used to obscure the reality of a situation. The military uses �collateral damage� to indicate civilian deaths in a military operation. Euphony- the pleasant, mellifluous presentation of sounds in a literary work. Exemplum- citing an example; using an illustrative story, either true or fictitious. Exposition- background information presented in a literary work. Extended Metaphor- a sustained comparison, often referred to as a conceit. The extended metaphor is developed throughout a piece of writing Figurative Language- the body of devices that enables the writer to operate on levels other than the literal one. It includes metaphor, simile, symbol, motif, and hyperbole, etc. Figures of speech- are deliberate departures from the ordinary and literal meanings of words in order to provide fresh, insightful perspectives or emphasis. Figures of speech are most commonly used in descriptive passages and include the following: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Hyperbole, Etc... Form- the shape or structure of a literary work. Generalizations- are assertions or conclusions based on some specific instances. The value of a generalization is determined by the quality and quantity of examples on which it is based. Bob Greene in �Cut� (p.57) formulates ma generalization--being cut from and athletic team makes men super achievers later in life--on the basis of fiver examples. For such a generalization to have validity, however, a proper statistical sample would be essential. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Hendiadys- use of two words connected by a conjunction, instead of subordinating one to the other, to express a single complex idea. Homily- this term literally means �sermon,� but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Hypallage- ("exchanging") transferred epithet; grammatical agreement of a word with another word which it does not logically qualify. More common in poetry. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Hyperbaton- separation of words which belong together, often to emphasize the first of the separated words or to create a certain image. Hyperbole- extreme exaggeration, often humorous, it can also be ironic; the opposite of understatement. Hypophora- consists of raising one or more questions and then proceeding to answer them, usually at some length. Hypotaxis- using subordination to show the relationship between clauses or phrases (and hence the opposite of parataxis). HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Hysteron Proteron ("later-earlier")- inversion of the natural sequence of events, often meant to stress the event which, though later in time, is considered the more important. Image- a verbal approximation of a sensory impression, concept, or emotion. Imagery- the total effect of related sensory images in a work of literature. Induction- the process that moves from a given series of specifics to a generalization. Inference- a conclusion one can draw from the presented details. Invective- a verbally abusive attack. Irony-an unexpected twist or contrast between what happens and what was intended or expected to happen. It involves dialog and situation, and can be intentional or unplanned. Dramatic irony centers around the ignorance of those involved; whereas, the audience is aware of the circumstance. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Litotes- understatement, for intensification, by denying the contrary of the thing being affirmed. (Sometimes used synonymously with meiosis.) Logic- the process of reasoning Logical Fallacy- a mistake in reasoning Loose sentence- A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses. If a period were placed at the end of the independent clause, the clause would be a complete sentence. A work containing many loose sentences often seems informal, relaxed, and conversational. Metabasis-consists of a brief statement of what has been said and what will follow. Metanoia- (correctio) qualifies a statement by recalling it (or part of it) and expressing it in a better, milder, or stronger way. Metaphor-a direct comparison between dissimilar things. �Your eyes are stars� is an example. Metonymy- a figure of speech in which a representative term is used for a larger idea (The pen is mightier than the sword). Monologue- a speech given by one character (Hamlet�s �To be or not to be��). Mood- this term has two distinct technical meanings in English writing. The first meaning is grammatical and deals with verbal units and a speaker�s attitude. The indicative mood is used for only factual sentences. For example, �Joe eats too quickly.� The subjunctive mood is used for a doubtful or conditional attitude. For example, �If I were you, I�d get another job.� The imperative mood is used for commands. For example, �Shut the door!� the second meaning of mood is literary, meaning the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. Setting, tone, and events can affect the mood. In this usage, mood is similar to tone and atmosphere. Motif- the repetition or variations of an image or idea in a work used to develop theme or characters. Narrator- the speaker of a literary work. Onomatopoeia- words that sound like the sound they represent (hiss, gurgle, pop). Oxymoron- an image of contradictory term (bittersweet, pretty ugly, jumbo shrimp). Parable- a story that operates on more than one level and usually teaches a moral lesson. (The Pearl by John Steinbeck is a fine example.). Paradox- A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense, but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity. The first scene of Macbeth, for example, closes with the witches� cryptic remark �Fair is foul, and foul is fair�.� Parallelism- also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, this term comes from Greek roots meaning �beside one another.� It refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. This can involve, but is not limited to, repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal phrase. A famous example of parallelism begins Charles Dickens�s novel A Tale of Two Cities: �It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity�� The effects of parallelism are numerous, but frequently, they act as an organizing force to attract the reader�s attention, add emphasis and organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Paraprosdokian- surprise or unexpected ending of a phrase or series. Parataxis- writing successive independent clauses, with coordinating conjunctions, or no conjunctions. Parenthesis- a final form of hyperbaton, consists of a word, phrase, or whole sentence inserted as an aside in the middle of another sentence. Parody- a comic imitation of a work that ridicules the original. It can be utterly mocking or gently humorous. It depends on allusion and exaggerates and distorts the original style and content. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Paronomasia: use of similar sounding words; often etymological word-play. Pathos- the aspects of a literary work that elicit pity from the audience. An appeal to emotion that can be used as a means to persuade. Pedantic- a term used to describe writing that borders on lecturing. It is scholarly and academic and often overly difficult and distant. Periodic Sentence- a sentence that places the main idea or central complete thought at the end of the sentence, after all introductory elements. The effect of the periodic sentence is to add emphasis and structural variety. Person- is a grammatical term used to refer to a speaker, the individual being addressed, or an individual being referred to. English has three persons: first (I or we), second (you), and third (he, she, it, or they). Personification- the assigning of human qualities to inanimate objects or concepts (Wordsworth personifies �the sea that bares her bosom to the moon� in the poem London 1802.). Persuasion- a type of argument that has as its goal an action on the part of the audience. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Pleonasm- use of superfluous or redundant words, often enriching the thought. Plot- a sequence of events in a literary work. Point-of-View- the method of narration in a literary work. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Polysyndeton- the repetition of conjunctions in a series of coordinate words, phrases, or clauses. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Praeteritio (=paraleipsis)- pretended omission for rhetorical effect. Premise- in logic is a proposition-a statement of a truth-that is used to support or help support a conclusion. Procatalepsis- by anticipating an objection and answering it, permits an argument to continue moving forward while taking into account points or reasons opposing either the train of thought or its final conclusions. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Prolepsis- the anticipation, in adjectives or nouns, of the result of the action of a verb; also, the positioning of a relative clause before its antecedent. Pun- a play on words that often has a comic effect. Associated with wit and cleverness. A writer who speaks of the �grave topic of American funerals� maybe be employing an intentional or unintentional pun. Purpose- involves intent, the reason why a writer writes. Three purposes are fundamental: to entertain, to inform, or to persuade. These are not necessarily separate or discrete; they can be combined. An effective piece of writing has a well-defined purpose. Reduction ad Absurdum- The Latin for �to reduce to the absurd.� This is a technique useful in creating a comic effect and is also an argumentative technique. It is considered a rhetoric fallacy, because it reduces an argument to an either/or choice. Repetition- the duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern. When repetition is poorly done, it bores, but when it�s well done, it links and emphasizes ideas while allowing the reader the comfort of recognizing something familiar. Rhetorical Question- one that does not expect an explicit answer. It is used to pose an idea to be considered by the speaker or audience. (Ernest Dowson asks, �Where are they now, the days of wine and roses?�) Sarcasm- a comic technique that ridicules through caustic language. Tone and attitude may both be described as sarcastic in a given text if the writer employs language, irony, and wit to mock or scorn. Satire- a mode of writing based on ridicule, that criticizes the foibles and follies of society without necessarily offering a solution. Sentence structure- when an essay question asks you to analyze sentence structure, look at the type of sentences the author uses. Remember that the basic sentence structures are simple, compound, and complex, and variations created with sentence combining. Also consider variation or lack of it in sentence length, any unusual devices in sentence construction, such as repetition or inverted word order, and any unusual word or phrase placement. As with all devices, be prepared to discuss the effect of the sentence structure. For example, a series of short, simple sentences or phrases can produce a feeling of speed and choppiness, which may suit the author�s purpose. Sententia- quoting a maxim or wise saying to apply a general truth to the situation; concluding or summing foregoing material by offering a single, pithy statement of general wisdom. Setting- the time and place of a literary work. Simile- an indirect comparison that uses the words like or as to link the differing items in the comparison. (�Your eyes are like the stars.�) Slang- is common, casual, conversational language that is inappropriate in forma speaking or writing. Slang often serves to define social groups by virtue of being a private, shared language not understood by outsiders. Slang changes constantly and is therefore always dated. For that reason alone, it is wise to avoid using slang in serious writing. Stanza- a unit of a poem, similar in rhyme, meter, and length to other units in the poem. Structure- the organization and form of a work. Style- the unique way an author presents his ideas. Diction, syntax, imagery, structure, and content all contribute to a particular style. Subject- is what a piece of writing is about. Subjective writing- expresses an author�s feelings or opinions about a particular subject. Editorials or columns in newspapers and personal essays tend to rely on subjective judgments. Syllogism- the format of a formal argument that consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion. Symbol- something in a literary work that stands for something else. (Plato has the light of the sun symbolize truth in �The Allegory of the Cave.�) Symploce-combining anaphora and epistrophe, so that one word or phrase is repeated at the beginning and another word or phrase is repeated at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. Synecdoche- a figure of speech that utilizes a part as representative of the whole. (�All hands on deck� is an example.) Syntax- the grammatical structure of prose and poetry. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Tautology- repetition of an idea in a different word, phrase, or sentence. Theme- the underlying ideas the author illustrates through characterization, motifs, language, plot, etc. Thesis- simply, the main idea of a piece of writing. It presents the author�s assertion or claim. The effectiveness of a presentation is often based on how well the writer presents, develops, and supports the thesis. Tone- the author�s attitude toward his subject. Topic Sentence- is a single sentence in a paragraph that contains a statement of subject or thesis. The topic sentence is to the paragraph what the thesis statement is to an essay. Transition- a word or phrase that links one idea to the next and carries the reader from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph. Understatement � is the opposite of hyperbole; it is a deliberate minimizing done to provide emphasis or humor. In William Least Heat Moon�s �Nameless, Tennessee� (p. 164), Miss Ginny Watts explains how she asked her husband to call the doctor unless he wanted to be �shut of� (rid of) her. Her husband, Thurmond, humorously uses understatement in his reply: �I studied on it.� Unity- is a oneness in which all of the individual parts of a piece of writing work together to form a cohesive and complete whole. It is best achieved by having a clearly sated purpose and thesis against which every sentence and paragraph can be tested for relevance. Voice- can refer to two different areas of writing. One refers to the relationship between a sentence�s subject and verb (active voice and passive voice). The second refers to the total �sound� of a writer�s style. Wit- in modern usage, wit is intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights. A witty statement is humorous, while suggesting the speaker�s verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive remarks. Wit usually uses terse language that makes a pointed statement. Historically, wit originally meant basic understanding. Its meaning evolved to include speed of understanding, and finally (in the early seventeenth century), it grew to mean quick perception including creative fancy. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Zeugma- two different words linked to a verb or an adjective which is strictly appropriate to only one of them. 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Ad Hominem- In an argument, this is an attack on the person rather than on the opponent�s ideas. It comes from the Latin meaning �against the man.� Allegory- a work that functions on a symbolic level. Alliteration- the repetition of initial consonant sounds, such as �Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.� Allusion- a reference contained in a work. Ambiguity- the multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage. Amplification- involves repeating a word or expression while adding more detail to it, in order to emphasize what otherwise might be passed over. Analogy- a literary device employed to serve as a basis for comparison. It is assumed that what applies to the parallel situation also applies to the original circumstance. In other words, it is the comparison between two different items. Anaphora- the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines. Anastrophe- transposition of normal word order; most often found in Latin in the case of prepositions and the words they control. (a form of hyperbaton) Anecdote- a story or brief episode told by the writer or a character to illustrate to a point. Antanagoge- placing a good point or benefit next to a fault criticism, or problem in order to reduce the impact or significance of the negative point. Antimetabole- reversing the order of repeated words or phrases (a loosely chiastic structure, AB-BA) to intensify the final formulation, to present alternatives, or to show contrast. Antiphrasis- one word irony, established by context. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Antistrophe- repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses. Antithesis- the presentation of two contrasting images. The ideas are balanced by word, phrase, clause, or paragraphs. �To be or not to be�� �Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country�� Aphorism- a terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or moral principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.) An aphorism can be a memorable summation of the author�s point. Apophasis- (also called praeteritio or occupatio) asserts or emphasizes something by pointedly seeming to pass over, ignore, or deny it. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Aporia- expression of doubt (often feigned) by which a speaker appears uncertain as to what he should think, say, or do. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Aposiopesis- a form of ellipse by which a speaker comes to an abrupt halt, seemingly overcome by passion (fear, excitement, etc.) or modesty. Apostrophe- a figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity. William Wordsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, �Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour: England hath need of thee.� Appositive- a noun or noun substitute placed next to (in apposition to) another noun to be described or defined by the appositive. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Archaism- use of an older or obsolete form. Argument- a single assertion or a series of assertions presented and defended by the writer Assonance- repetition of the same sound in words close together. Asyndeton- lack of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words. Atmosphere- the emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author�s choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. Frequently, atmosphere foreshadows events. Attitude- the relationship an author has toward his or her subject, and/or his or her audience. Brachylogy- a general term for abbreviated or condensed expression, of which asyndeton and zeugma are types. Cacophony- harsh and discordant sounds in a line or passage in a literary work. Catachresis- a harsh metaphor involving the use of a word beyond its strict sphere. Cause and effect- analyses explain why something happened or what the consequences are or will be from a particular occurrence Chiasmus- two corresponding pairs arranged not in parallels (a-b-a-b) but in inverted order (a-b-b-a) Classification- a form of division, but instead of starting with a single subject as a division does, classification starts with many items, and groups or sorts them into categories. Clich�- an overused common expression. The term is derived from a French word for a stereotype printing block. Just as many identical copies can be made from such a block, so clich�s are typically words and phrases used so frequently that they become stale and ineffective. Everyone uses clich�s in speech: �in less than no time� they �spring to mind,� but �in the last analysis,� a writer ought to �avoid them like the plague,� even though they always seem �to hit the nail on the head.� Climax- arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses in an order of ascending power. Colloquial- the use of slang in writing, often to create local color and to provide an informal tone. Huckleberry Finn is written in a colloquial style. Comic Relief- the inclusion of a humorous character or scene to contrast with the tragic elements of a work, thereby intensifying the next tragic event. Conceit- a fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects. A conceit displays intellectual cleverness due to the unusual comparison being made. Concrete �words describe things that exist and can be experienced through the senses. Abstractions are rendered understandable and specific through concrete examples. Connotation- the interpretive level of a word based on its associated images rather than its literal meaning. Deduction- the process of moving from a general rule to a specific example. Definition- involves placing a word first in a general class and then adding distinguishing features that set it apart from other members of that class: �A Dalmatian is a breed of dog (general class) with a white, short-haired coat and dark spots (distinguishing feature).� Most college writing assignments in definition require extended definitions in which a subject is analyzed with appropriate examples and details. Denotation- the literal or dictionary meaning of a word. Diacope- repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase. Dialect- the recreation of regional spoken language, such as a Southern dialect. Zora Neale Hurston uses this in such works as Their Eyes Were Watching God. Diction- is the choice of words used in speaking or writing. It is frequently divided into four levels: formal, informal, colloquial, and slang. Formal diction is found in traditional academic writing, such as books and scholarly articles; informal diction, generally characterized by words common in conversation contexts, by contractions, and by the use of the first person (I), is found in articles in popular magazines. Bernard R. Berelson�s essay �The Value of Children� (p.231) uses formal diction; Judy Brady�s �I Want a Wife� (p.441) is informal. Didactic- From the Greek, didactic literally means �teaching.� Didactic works have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles. Dirimens Copulatio- mentioning a balancing or opposing fact to prevent the argument from being one-sided or unqualified. Distinctio- is an explicit reference to a particular meaning or to the various meanings of a word, in order to remove or prevent ambiguity. Ellipsis- indicated by a series of three periods, the ellipsis indicates that some material has been omitted from a given text. It could be a word, a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph, or a whole section. Be wary of the ellipsis; it could obscure the real meaning of the piece of writing. Enthymeme- is an informally-stated syllogism which omits either one of the premises or the conclusion. The omitted part must be clearly understood by the reader. Enumeratio- detailing parts, causes, effects, or consequences to make a point more forcibly. Epanalepsis- repeats the beginning word of a clause or sentence at the end. Epigraph- the use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme. Hemingway begins The Sun Also Rises with two epigraphs. One of them is �You are all a lost generation� by Gertrude Stein. Epithet- is an adjective or adjective phrase appropriately qualifying a subject (noun) by naming a key or important characteristic of the subject. Epizeuxis- repetition of one word (for emphasis). Eponym- substitutes for a particular attribute the name of a famous person recognized for that attribute. Euphemism- a more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable. �He went to his final reward� is a common euphemism for �he died.� Euphemisms are also often used to obscure the reality of a situation. The military uses �collateral damage� to indicate civilian deaths in a military operation. Euphony- the pleasant, mellifluous presentation of sounds in a literary work. Exemplum- citing an example; using an illustrative story, either true or fictitious. Exposition- background information presented in a literary work. Extended Metaphor- a sustained comparison, often referred to as a conceit. The extended metaphor is developed throughout a piece of writing Figurative Language- the body of devices that enables the writer to operate on levels other than the literal one. It includes metaphor, simile, symbol, motif, and hyperbole, etc. Figures of speech- are deliberate departures from the ordinary and literal meanings of words in order to provide fresh, insightful perspectives or emphasis. Figures of speech are most commonly used in descriptive passages and include the following: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Hyperbole, Etc... Form- the shape or structure of a literary work. Generalizations- are assertions or conclusions based on some specific instances. The value of a generalization is determined by the quality and quantity of examples on which it is based. Bob Greene in �Cut� (p.57) formulates ma generalization--being cut from and athletic team makes men super achievers later in life--on the basis of fiver examples. For such a generalization to have validity, however, a proper statistical sample would be essential. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Hendiadys- use of two words connected by a conjunction, instead of subordinating one to the other, to express a single complex idea. Homily- this term literally means �sermon,� but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Hypallage- ("exchanging") transferred epithet; grammatical agreement of a word with another word which it does not logically qualify. More common in poetry. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Hyperbaton- separation of words which belong together, often to emphasize the first of the separated words or to create a certain image. Hyperbole- extreme exaggeration, often humorous, it can also be ironic; the opposite of understatement. Hypophora- consists of raising one or more questions and then proceeding to answer them, usually at some length. Hypotaxis- using subordination to show the relationship between clauses or phrases (and hence the opposite of parataxis). HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Hysteron Proteron ("later-earlier")- inversion of the natural sequence of events, often meant to stress the event which, though later in time, is considered the more important. Image- a verbal approximation of a sensory impression, concept, or emotion. Imagery- the total effect of related sensory images in a work of literature. Induction- the process that moves from a given series of specifics to a generalization. Inference- a conclusion one can draw from the presented details. Invective- a verbally abusive attack. Irony-an unexpected twist or contrast between what happens and what was intended or expected to happen. It involves dialog and situation, and can be intentional or unplanned. Dramatic irony centers around the ignorance of those involved; whereas, the audience is aware of the circumstance. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Litotes- understatement, for intensification, by denying the contrary of the thing being affirmed. (Sometimes used synonymously with meiosis.) Logic- the process of reasoning Logical Fallacy- a mistake in reasoning Loose sentence- A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses. If a period were placed at the end of the independent clause, the clause would be a complete sentence. A work containing many loose sentences often seems informal, relaxed, and conversational. Metabasis-consists of a brief statement of what has been said and what will follow. Metanoia- (correctio) qualifies a statement by recalling it (or part of it) and expressing it in a better, milder, or stronger way. Metaphor-a direct comparison between dissimilar things. �Your eyes are stars� is an example. Metonymy- a figure of speech in which a representative term is used for a larger idea (The pen is mightier than the sword). Monologue- a speech given by one character (Hamlet�s �To be or not to be��). Mood- this term has two distinct technical meanings in English writing. The first meaning is grammatical and deals with verbal units and a speaker�s attitude. The indicative mood is used for only factual sentences. For example, �Joe eats too quickly.� The subjunctive mood is used for a doubtful or conditional attitude. For example, �If I were you, I�d get another job.� The imperative mood is used for commands. For example, �Shut the door!� the second meaning of mood is literary, meaning the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. Setting, tone, and events can affect the mood. In this usage, mood is similar to tone and atmosphere. Motif- the repetition or variations of an image or idea in a work used to develop theme or characters. Narrator- the speaker of a literary work. Onomatopoeia- words that sound like the sound they represent (hiss, gurgle, pop). Oxymoron- an image of contradictory term (bittersweet, pretty ugly, jumbo shrimp). Parable- a story that operates on more than one level and usually teaches a moral lesson. (The Pearl by John Steinbeck is a fine example.). Paradox- A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense, but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity. The first scene of Macbeth, for example, closes with the witches� cryptic remark �Fair is foul, and foul is fair�.� Parallelism- also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, this term comes from Greek roots meaning �beside one another.� It refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. This can involve, but is not limited to, repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal phrase. A famous example of parallelism begins Charles Dickens�s novel A Tale of Two Cities: �It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity�� The effects of parallelism are numerous, but frequently, they act as an organizing force to attract the reader�s attention, add emphasis and organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Paraprosdokian- surprise or unexpected ending of a phrase or series. Parataxis- writing successive independent clauses, with coordinating conjunctions, or no conjunctions. Parenthesis- a final form of hyperbaton, consists of a word, phrase, or whole sentence inserted as an aside in the middle of another sentence. Parody- a comic imitation of a work that ridicules the original. It can be utterly mocking or gently humorous. It depends on allusion and exaggerates and distorts the original style and content. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Paronomasia: use of similar sounding words; often etymological word-play. Pathos- the aspects of a literary work that elicit pity from the audience. An appeal to emotion that can be used as a means to persuade. Pedantic- a term used to describe writing that borders on lecturing. It is scholarly and academic and often overly difficult and distant. Periodic Sentence- a sentence that places the main idea or central complete thought at the end of the sentence, after all introductory elements. The effect of the periodic sentence is to add emphasis and structural variety. Person- is a grammatical term used to refer to a speaker, the individual being addressed, or an individual being referred to. English has three persons: first (I or we), second (you), and third (he, she, it, or they). Personification- the assigning of human qualities to inanimate objects or concepts (Wordsworth personifies �the sea that bares her bosom to the moon� in the poem London 1802.). Persuasion- a type of argument that has as its goal an action on the part of the audience. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Pleonasm- use of superfluous or redundant words, often enriching the thought. Plot- a sequence of events in a literary work. Point-of-View- the method of narration in a literary work. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Polysyndeton- the repetition of conjunctions in a series of coordinate words, phrases, or clauses. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Praeteritio (=paraleipsis)- pretended omission for rhetorical effect. Premise- in logic is a proposition-a statement of a truth-that is used to support or help support a conclusion. Procatalepsis- by anticipating an objection and answering it, permits an argument to continue moving forward while taking into account points or reasons opposing either the train of thought or its final conclusions. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top" Prolepsis- the anticipation, in adjectives or nouns, of the result of the action of a verb; also, the positioning of a relative clause before its antecedent. Pun- a play on words that often has a comic effect. Associated with wit and cleverness. A writer who speaks of the �grave topic of American funerals� maybe be employing an intentional or unintentional pun. Purpose- involves intent, the reason why a writer writes. Three purposes are fundamental: to entertain, to inform, or to persuade. These are not necessarily separate or discrete; they can be combined. An effective piece of writing has a well-defined purpose. Reduction ad Absurdum- The Latin for �to reduce to the absurd.� This is a technique useful in creating a comic effect and is also an argumentative technique. It is considered a rhetoric fallacy, because it reduces an argument to an either/or choice. Repetition- the duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern. When repetition is poorly done, it bores, but when it�s well done, it links and emphasizes ideas while allowing the reader the comfort of recognizing something familiar. Rhetorical Question- one that does not expect an explicit answer. It is used to pose an idea to be considered by the speaker or audience. (Ernest Dowson asks, �Where are they now, the days of wine and roses?�) Sarcasm- a comic technique that ridicules through caustic language. Tone and attitude may both be described as sarcastic in a given text if the writer employs language, irony, and wit to mock or scorn. Satire- a mode of writing based on ridicule, that criticizes the foibles and follies of society without necessarily offering a solution. Sentence structure- when an essay question asks you to analyze sentence structure, look at the type of sentences the author uses. Remember that the basic sentence structures are simple, compound, and complex, and variations created with sentence combining. Also consider variation or lack of it in sentence length, any unusual devices in sentence construction, such as repetition or inverted word order, and any unusual word or phrase placement. As with all devices, be prepared to discuss the effect of the sentence structure. For example, a series of short, simple sentences or phrases can produce a feeling of speed and choppiness, which may suit the author�s purpose. Sententia- quoting a maxim or wise saying to apply a general truth to the situation; concluding or summing foregoing material by offering a single, pithy statement of general wisdom. Setting- the time and place of a literary work. Simile- an indirect comparison that uses the words like or as to link the differing items in the comparison. (�Your eyes are like the stars.�) Slang- is common, casual, conversational language that is inappropriate in forma speaking or writing. Slang often serves to define social groups by virtue of being a private, shared language not understood by outsiders. Slang changes constantly and is therefore always dated. For that reason alone, it is wise to avoid using slang in serious writing. Stanza- a unit of a poem, similar in rhyme, meter, and length to other units in the poem. Structure- the organization and form of a work. Style- the unique way an author presents his ideas. Diction, syntax, imagery, structure, and content all contribute to a particular style. Subject- is what a piece of writing is about. Subjective writing- expresses an author�s feelings or opinions about a particular subject. Editorials or columns in newspapers and personal essays tend to rely on subjective judgments. Syllogism- the format of a formal argument that consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion. Symbol- something in a literary work that stands for something else. (Plato has the light of the sun symbolize truth in �The Allegory of the Cave.�) Symploce-combining anaphora and epistrophe, so that one word or phrase is repeated at the beginning and another word or phrase is repeated at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. Synecdoche- a figure of speech that utilizes a part as representative of the whole. (�All hands on deck� is an example.) Syntax- the grammatical structure of prose and poetry. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Tautology- repetition of an idea in a different word, phrase, or sentence. Theme- the underlying ideas the author illustrates through characterization, motifs, language, plot, etc. Thesis- simply, the main idea of a piece of writing. It presents the author�s assertion or claim. The effectiveness of a presentation is often based on how well the writer presents, develops, and supports the thesis. Tone- the author�s attitude toward his subject. Topic Sentence- is a single sentence in a paragraph that contains a statement of subject or thesis. The topic sentence is to the paragraph what the thesis statement is to an essay. Transition- a word or phrase that links one idea to the next and carries the reader from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph. Understatement � is the opposite of hyperbole; it is a deliberate minimizing done to provide emphasis or humor. In William Least Heat Moon�s �Nameless, Tennessee� (p. 164), Miss Ginny Watts explains how she asked her husband to call the doctor unless he wanted to be �shut of� (rid of) her. Her husband, Thurmond, humorously uses understatement in his reply: �I studied on it.� Unity- is a oneness in which all of the individual parts of a piece of writing work together to form a cohesive and complete whole. It is best achieved by having a clearly sated purpose and thesis against which every sentence and paragraph can be tested for relevance. Voice- can refer to two different areas of writing. One refers to the relationship between a sentence�s subject and verb (active voice and passive voice). The second refers to the total �sound� of a writer�s style. Wit- in modern usage, wit is intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights. A witty statement is humorous, while suggesting the speaker�s verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive remarks. Wit usually uses terse language that makes a pointed statement. Historically, wit originally meant basic understanding. Its meaning evolved to include speed of understanding, and finally (in the early seventeenth century), it grew to mean quick perception including creative fancy. HYPERLINK "http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html" \l "top#top"Zeugma- two different words linked to a verb or an adjective which is strictly appropriate to only one of them. 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The acronym POTUS refers to what position?
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On Language; Potus And Flotus - The New York Times
The New York Times
Magazine |On Language; Potus And Flotus
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On Language; Potus And Flotus
By WILLIAM SAFIRE
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Controversy was bestirred by a memorandum dated Nov. 20, 1995, from high officials of the Democratic National Committee to Harold Ickes, then deputy chief of the White House staff, asking for ''18-20 calls by POTUS'' and ''10 calls by VPOTUS.''
Muckraking political pundits and righteously reformist goo-goos were incensed by this fund-raising from the Federal property that -- in less populist times -- used to be known as the Executive Mansion, but today's exercise in irenic scholarship focuses on the increasing use of an acronym: Potus, which stands for ''President of the United States.''
As a Presidential aide in 1969, I first noticed this acronym on a label of an extension of a five-line telephone along the back wall of the West Wing's Cabinet Room. When the button next to that label lighted up, the phone was answered with special alacrity. A similar button labeled POTUS was on the telephone set of H. R. Haldeman, the President's chief of staff, and was used by him for calls both from and to Mr. Nixon.
Jack Valenti, an aide to President Johnson, recalls the initials appearing on phones in that Administration, but does not recall anyone using the acronym in everyday speech, as in ''What does Potus think?'' Hamilton Jordan of the Carter Administration also says the acronym was not bruited about in their day; its White House use began, it seems, in the Nixon era and then disappeared for a while.
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Potus (acronyms of five letters or more are usually lowercased, sometimes with initial caps) was popularized, to some extent, in a 1977 White House novel, ''Full Disclosure,'' as the pet name adopted by the unmarried President's inamorata-photographer. She felt awkward calling the Chief Executive by his first name, and ''Mr. President'' was not appropriate for intimate moments; Potus was her solution.
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In current practice, the acronym is not used in direct discourse with the President -- nobody says, ''How are you feeling this morning, Potus?'' -- but it is a handy, sassily insidish, behind-his-back reference to the individual in that office, as in ''Is Potus in one of those moods where he wants to see teeth on the sidewalk?''
Bert Lance -- reached in Rosebud, a suburb of Calhoun, Ga. -- remembers the acronym was the Secret Service designation of President Carter on the ''locator,'' the device that tells top staff members where the President and First Family are at every moment. Secret Service agents were reported to have picked up the term in everyday use during the Reagan years, and added a dimension: ''To their Secret Service shadows they may be 'Potus' and 'Flotus,' '' wrote Donnie Radcliffe in The Washington Post in a 1983 citation, the first use in the Nexis database. Flotus (pronounced FLOW-tus, to rhyme with Potus, and not FLOT-tus) is ''First Lady of the United States,'' an informal designation first applied to Mary Todd Lincoln that has become a quasiofficial title.
In the Clinton Administration, the usage was extended to Vpotus, pronounced VEE-po-tus, to refer to the Vice President. Tipper Gore has not yet been labeled Slotus, though that acronymic designation of the ''Second Lady'' is possible because it has the advantage of brevity over Sotvpotus -- ''Spouse of the Vice President of the United States.''
This rash of acronymese ending in ''us'' may have begun in wire-service coverage of a different branch of Government. Scotus is ''wirespeak'' for ''Supreme Court of the United States.'' Old newspaper skates can remember the ''slug'' -- the quick name for an article that appeared on top of copy typed on cheap beige paper -- for all High Court articles to be Scotus.
In 1983, as the Secret Service usage about the President began to appear in print, a New York Times editorialist took umbrage at the rampant acronymization: ''Is no Washington name exempt from shorthand? The Chief Magistrate responsible for executing the laws is sometimes called the Potus (President of the United States). The nine men who interpret them are often the Scotus. The people who enact them are still, for better or worse, Congress.''
This ''nine men'' error drew an amused retort from Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who noted the need for updating Times files and tongue-in-cheekily added, ''If you have any contradictory information, I would be grateful if you would forward it -- as I am sure the Potus, the Scotus and undersigned (the Fwotsc) would be most interested in seeing it.''
The first rule of acronyms, from radar to NATO, is that the initials must be easily pronounceable as a word. Fwotsc -- First Woman on the Supreme Court -- may be useful shorthand at the Scotus, but does not quite make it as an acronym.
And now to the etymologist's delight: discovery of first use, deep in American history, never before revealed to general lexicographers.
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Richard M. Harnett, an old U.P.I. hand (''Downhold expenses!''), is author of ''Wirespeak: Codes and Jargon of the News Business'' (Shorebird Press, San Mateo, Calif., paperback, $17.95). Part of this inspired lexicon -- source of such vivid verbs as eyeball and upstick -- is the full text of the Phillips Code, compiled in 1879 by Walter Phillips, a telegrapher and wire-service manager who worked for both The Associated Press and United Press International.
It was in that first edition that Scotus was first recorded. (Or ''rkod,'' in the telegrapher's shorthand. A sentence meaning ''The Secretary of War was shot and instantly killed'' would be rendered in two acronyms, SOW SAIK.) Then, in the 1925 revision by E. E. Bruckner of Phillips's pioneering work, Potus found its way into print.
Some acronyms make it, some don't. In Phillips Code, WHU stood for ''the White House''; not even Potus uses that anymore. (Coming soon, to replace U.S. Government -- Gotus!)
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President of the United States
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What single vowel letter symbol generally refers in science to 'any element'?
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Acronym - Definition and Examples
acronym
acronym
Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms
The name of the 1970s Swedish pop group ABBA is an acronym derived from the first names of the group's members: Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid. (RB/Getty Images)
Updated February 09, 2016.
Definition
An acronym is a word formed from the initial letters of a name (for example, NATO, from North Atlantic Treaty Organization) or by combining initial letters of a series of words (radar, from radio detection and ranging). Adjective: acronymic. Also called a protogram.
Strictly speaking, says lexicographer John Ayto, an acronym "denotes a combination pronounced as a word . . . rather than as just a sequence of letters" (A Century of New Words, 2007).
An anacronym is an acronym (or other initialism ) for which the expanded form isn't widely known or used, such as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).
See Examples and Observations below. Also see:
From the Greek, "point" + "name"
Examples and Observations
Acronyms and Abbreviations
"The difference between acronyms and abbreviations is this: acronyms are proper words created from the initial letter or two of the words in a phrase, and they are pronounced like other words (cf. snafu, radar, laser, or UNESCO). By contrast, abbreviations do not form proper words, and so they are pronounced as strings of letters, for example, S.O.B., IOU, U.S.A., MP, lp, or tv."
(Keith Allan and Kate Burridge, Euphemism and Dysphemism. Oxford University Press, 1991)
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10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know
"I have a couple of lists that I can refer to throughout the day, but I don't have the official 'FAT' book yet. Yes, it really is called the FAT (Federal Acronym and Terms) book."
(John Scales)
"There is only one known pre-20th-century word with an acronymic origin . . .: colinderies or colinda, an acronym for the Colonial and Indian Exposition (1886)."
(David Wilton, Word Myths, 2004)
BOMFOG: from the initial letters in "Brotherhood Of Man, Fatherhood Of God." First used by journalists to refer to a familiar theme in Nelson Rockefeller's speeches; now refers to pious blather of any kind.
KISS: from "Keep It Simple, Stupid"--advice often given to speakers and writers.
Acronymic Textspeak
"Many acronyms meant to be written have wormed their way into spoken language--just ask your BFF, or the co-worker who prefaces everything with 'FYI.' Lately, this is also the case for Internet slang.
"First developed about 20 years ago to streamline conversation on chat platforms like Usenet and IRC and popularized on AOL instant messenger and Gmail chat, terms like LOL (laugh out loud), OMG (oh my God) and BTW (by the way) now seem to be popping up in real life (IRL)."
(Douglas Quenqua, "Alphabet Soup." The New York Times, September 23, 2011)
NIMBY
NIMBY: from "Not In My Back Yard"--for a person who opposes anything scheduled to be built near his or her residence.
FEMA
"Re-branding FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) doesn't fix the problem; it just puts a new acronym on it."
(David Marin)
The Ancient Roots of Acronymy
"Acronymy has ancient roots, as illustrated by the early Christian use of the Greek word ichthys meaning 'fish' as an acronym for Iēsous Christos, Theou Huios, Sōtēr ('Jesus Christ, God's son, Savior'). In English, the first known acronyms (as opposed to plain old initialisms ) cropped up in the telegraphic code developed by Walter P. Phillips for the United Press Association in 1879. The code abbreviated 'Supreme Court of the United States' as SCOTUS and 'President of the . . .' as POT, giving way to POTUS by 1895. Those shorthand labels have lingered in journalistic and diplomatic circles--now joined by FLOTUS, which of course stands for 'First Lady of the United States.'"
(Ben Zimmer, "On Language: Acronym." The New York Times Magazine, December 19, 2010)
The Lighter Side of Acronyms
Mr. Brown: Now this is a simple acronym: H.E.R.O. At Diversity, we believe it's very easy to be a hero. All you need are: Honesty, Empathy, Respect, and Open-mindedness.
Dwight Schrute: Excuse me, I'm sorry, but that's not all it takes to be a hero.
Mr. Brown: Okay well, what is a hero to you?
Dwight Schrute: A hero kills people, people that wish him harm. A hero is part human and part supernatural. A hero is born out of a childhood trauma, or out of a disaster, and must be avenged.
Mr. Brown: Uh, okay, you're thinking of a superhero.
(Larry Wilmore and Rainn Wilson in The Office, 2005)
- "Cafu (KA-foo) n.
The frustration of not being able to remember what an acronym stands for."
(Douglas Adams and John Lloyd, The Deeper Meaning of Liff: A Dictionary of Things There Aren't Any Words for Yet. Crown, 1990)
- "'Sometimes I think the VC takes his economy drive a little too far,' says Philip, gingerly extracting the stencilled memorandum from its patched and disintegrating container. The document is dated 1st December, 1985. 'Oh dear,' says Philip, sinking into his swivel seat to read it. Pamela reads it with him, peering over his shoulder.
From: The Vice Chancellor To: Deans of all Faculties
Subject: INDUSTRY YEAR SHADOW SCHEME.
As you are no doubt aware, 1986 has been designated Industry Year by the Government. The DES, through the UGC, have urged the CVCP to ensure that universities throughout the UK--
"'He does love acronyms, doesn't he,' Philip murmurs.
"'What?' says Pamela.
"'All these initials,' says Philip.
"'It's supposed to save paper and typing time,' says Pamela. 'We had a memo round about it. Acrowhatsits to be used whenever possible in University correspondence.'"
(David Lodge, Nice Work. Viking, 1988)
Pronunciation: AK-ri-nim
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i don't know
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Boris Godunov, The Cunning Little Vixen, Wozzeck, and The Ballad of Baby Doe are popular?
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Baritone John Fanning | Dean Artists Management
Reviews
Recently invested as a Member of the Order of Canada, highlights of John Fanning’s career are a showcase for his pre-eminent position among today’s baritones. A veteran of nine seasons at the Metropolitan Opera, roles there include John Plake in SLY co-starring with Placido Domingo, Mandryka in ARABELLA, the Father in HÄNSEL UND GRETEL and Count Almaviva in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO. Further Met roles include Mr. Astly in THE GAMBLER conducted by Gergiev, Faninal in DER ROSENKAVALIER and the Four Villains in LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN conducted by James Levine. At the San Francisco Opera he was conducted by Patrick Summers in LOUISE, toured the United States as soloist in Mozart’s REQUIEM with Bernard Labadie and Les Violons du Roy and sang Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Zukerman in Ottawa with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. In the fall of 2013, Mr. Fanning took up his position as Assistant Professor of Voice on the faculty of the University of Montreal.
Recent engagements include the World Premiere of Finley’s THE PENCIL SALESMAN for the Westben Festival, Sharpless in MADAMA BUTTERFLY for English National Opera and Edmonton Opera, Wotan in DAS RHEINGOLD for Pacific Opera Victoria, the title role in WOZZECK for Montreal’s Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, the title role in FALSTAFF for Opera Hamilton, Germont in LA TRAVIATA for Calgary Opera, and Mozart’s REQUIEM for the Alberta Ballet.
Fanning’s wide ranging repertoire includes the title role in DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER (Pacific Opera Victoria), Tonio in PAGLIACCI and the title role in GIANNI SCHICCHI (Calgary Opera), Count di Luna in TROVATORE (L’Opéra de Québec), Der Musiklehrer in DER ROSENKAVALIER (Houston Grand Opera), the title role in CASANOVA’S HOMECOMING (Minnesota Opera), Kolenaty in THE MAKROPOULOS CASE (Nantes and Angers), the title role in MACBETH (l’Opéra de Montréal) and Tomsky in PIQUE DAME and Gunther in GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG (Canadian Opera Company).
Other roles include Horace Tabor in THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE (Calgary Opera), Iago in OTELLO (Opéra de Québec and Manitoba Opera), BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST (Calgary Philharmonic) and Stravinsky’s OEDIPUS REX (Sao Paolo). Of special note was the premiere of Estacio’s FROBISHER with Fanning in the title role for Calgary Opera, later repeated at the Banff Centre and his Spoleto USA debut as Moneybags Bill in Weill’s AUFSTIEG UND FALL DER STADT MAHAGONNY.
Credits also include the Marquis de la Force in DIALOGUES DES CARMELITES for Vancouver Opera, Balstrode in PETER GRIMES at L’Opéra de Montréal, Jokanaan in SALOME for the Arizona Opera and Kentucky Opera, Jack Rance in LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST for the Vancouver Opera and Canadian Opera Company and he starred as SWEENEY TODD for Calgary Opera.He was at the San Francisco Opera as William Jennings Bryan in THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE, at the New York City Opera as Mozart’s Count, Escamillo in CARMEN and the Four Villains in LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN and debuted at Carnegie Hall in Strauss’ DAPHNE conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. Harasta in Janacek’s THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN (Canadian Opera Company) and the title role in EUGENE ONEGIN (Pacific Opera Victoria) are also among his gallery of operatic portrayals. He has sung ELIJAH, MESSIAH, the FIVE MYSTICAL SONGS and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Canada’s major symphonies including those of Vancouver, Montréal, Edmonton, Québec, Calgary, Nova Scotia and Toronto. Featured as Firmin in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA both on the national tour and at the Pantages Theatre in Toronto, he was the operatic voice of many commercials, starred in CBC’s WIND AT MY BACK and was featured in Norman Jewison’s film, MOONSTRUCK. Mr. Fanning is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships, including the George London Grant to Singers. September 2016
Opera
Viennese Composers
Kalman, Lehár, Strauss
“Starring as Sir John was Dundas baritone John Fanning. Not only was Fanning in excellent voice, but he captured all the divisions of his role, from blustery knight, to quasi-Solomonic judge, to lover boy wannabe, to the butt of everyone’s amusement.”
Hamilton Spectator – Leonard Turnivicious
“Baritone John Fanning was commanding in the title role, yet also vulnerable. He let us see and hear how he yearns to break the curse that has condemned him to sail the high seas forever.”
Opera Canada – Robin Miller [The Flying Dutchman, Pacific Opera Victoria]
“…it was John Fanning who was the real star. As Tonio in Pagliacci, he gets to sing the Prologue, one of the great moments in opera for a baritone, and he was also the Gianni Schicchi in the other opera. In both operas Fanning was a dominant figure, especially with his first-class singing, but also with his many comic touches. He plays a clown in the Pagliacci and never missed a trick.”
Calgary Herald – Ted Rhodes [Pagliacci/Schicchi Calgary Opera]
“Fanning was in strong voice, singing with great conviction to realize his character’s transformation…”
(Opera Ontario, LA TRAVIATA)
Opera Canada – Wayne Gooding
“John Fanning was an entirely convincing Germont, striking a balance between noble gravitas and paternal protectiveness. His’ Di Provenza il mar’ was a standout.”
The Hamilton Spectator – Leonard Turnevicius
“John Fanning’s… darkly portrayed Iago from Verdi’s Otello captured the evil contemplation of Shakespeare’s infamous villain to a tee with his booming voice sending a palpable shudder through the audience.”
Winnipeg Free Press – Holly Harris
“John Fanning…his voice was perfect for the part, its natural touch of huskiness, both the low notes and the commanding top. Dramatically, he was a powerful presence, clearly the focal point of the entire evening.”
(Calgary Opera, SWEENEY TODD)
Opera Canada – Kenneth DeLong
“John Fanning really had the size of voice to gather us up and carry us off with the drama and power of his singing.”
The Hamilton Spectator – Hugh Fraser
“The cast was strong and in the case of John Fanning’s beautifully conceived Onegin, outstanding. At ease, elegant and moody and with the role sitting comfortably in his baritone register, Fanning electrified the stage in a memorable performance.”
Opera Canada
“John Fanning as The Bat/Dr. Falke, is huge-voiced and utterly secure in every facet of his art.”
The Hamilton Spectator – Hugh Fraser
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Opera
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In the musical story Brigadoon, the eponymous Scottish village appears one day every how many years?
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A brief History of Music through its milestone compositions
These are the composers born in the 19th century Click here to go back to the beginning
Opera
Vincenzo Bellini (Italy, 1801): Norma (1831)
Hector Berlioz (France, 1803): Les Troyens (1858)
Michail Glinka (Russia, 1804): Russlan and Ludmilla (1842)
Giuseppe Verdi (Italy, 1813): Il Trovatore (1853)
Giuseppe Verdi (Italy, 1813): Rigoletto (1851)
Giuseppe Verdi (Italy, 1813): La Traviata (1853)
Giuseppe Verdi (Italy, 1813): Don Carlos (1884)
Giuseppe Verdi (Italy, 1813): Aida (1871)
Giuseppe Verdi (Italy, 1813): Otello (1887)
Giuseppe Verdi (Italy, 1813): Falstaff (1893)
Charles Gounod (France, 1818): Faust (1859)
Jacques Offenbach (France, 1819): Orphee Aux Enfers (1858)
Carl Weber (Germany, 1786): Der Freischuetz (1821)
Richard Wagner (Germany, 1813): Der Fliegende Hollaender (1843)
Richard Wagner (Germany, 1813): Tannhaeuser (1845)
Richard Wagner (Germany, 1813): Lohengrin (1850)
Richard Wagner (Germany, 1813): Die Walkuere (1856)
Richard Wagner (Germany, 1813): Das Rheingold (1857)
Richard Wagner (Germany, 1813): Siegfried (1857)
Richard Wagner (Germany, 1813): Tristan und Isolde (1859)
Richard Wagner (Germany, 1813): Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg (1867)
Richard Wagner (Germany, 1813): Gotterndammerung (1874)
Richard Wagner (Germany, 1813): Parsifal (1882)
Boris Smetana (Czech, 1824): The Bartered Bride (1866)
Alexander Borodin (Russia, 1833): Knyaz Igor (1887)
Georges Bizet (France, 1838): Carmen (1875)
Modest Moussorgsky (Russia, 1839): Boris Godunov (1874)
Modest Moussorgsky (Russia, 1839): Khovancina (1886)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia, 1840): Eugene Onegin (1879)
Arthur Sullivan (Britain, 1842): Mikado (1885)
Jules Massenet (France, 1842): Manon (1884)
Nikolaj Rimsky-Korsakov (Russia, 1844): The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh (1907)
Maurice Ravel (France, 1875): L'Enfant et les Sortileges (1925)
Leos Janacek (Czech, 1854): Jenufa (1903)
Leos Janacek (Czech, 1854): Diary of One Who Disappeared (1919)
Leos Janacek (Czech, 1854): Katja Kabanova (1921)
Leos Janacek (Czech, 1854): The Cunning Little Vixen (1924)
Leos Janacek (Czech, 1854): The Makropulos Case (1925)
Leos Janacek (Czech, 1854): From The House of the Dead (1928)
Ruggiero Leoncavallo (Italy, 1858): I Pagliacci (1892)
Giacomo Puccini (Italy, 1858): Madame Butterfly (1904)
Giacomo Puccini (Italy, 1858): Turandot (1926)
Giacomo Puccini (Italy, 1858): La Boheme (1896)
Mikhail Matyushin (Russia, 1861): Pobeda nad Solntsem/ Victory over the Sun (1913)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Pelleas et Melisande (1902)
Pietro Mascagni (Italy, 1863): Cavalleria Rusticana (1890)
Richard Strauss (Germany, 1864): Salome (1905)
Richard Strauss (Germany, 1864): Elektra (1909)
Richard Strauss (Germany, 1864): Der Rosenkavalier (1911)
Ferruccio Busoni (Italy, 1866): Doktor Faust (1924)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Moses und Aron (1951)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Erwartung (1909)
Albert Roussel (France, 1869): Padmavati (1918)
Johann Strauss (Austria, 1825): Die Fledermaus (1874)
Franz Lehar (Hungary, 1870): The Merry Widow (1905)
George Enescu (Romania, 1881): Oedipe (1936)
Zoltan Kodaly (Hungary, 1882): Hary Janos (1926)
Gianfrancesco Malipiero (Italy, 1882): Torneo Notturno (1929)
Karol Szymanowski (Poland, 1882): King Roger (1924)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Oedipus Rex (1927)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): The Rake's Progress (1951)
Charles Griffes (USA, 1884): The Kairn of Koridwen (1916)
Alban Berg (Austria, 1885): Wozzeck (1921)
Alban Berg (Austria, 1885): Lulu (1935)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): The Love of Three Oranges (1921)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): The Fiery Angel (1927)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): War and Peace (1941)
Arthur Honegger (Switzerland, 1892): Le Roi David (1921)
Alois Haba (Czech, 1893): Matka/ Mother (1929)
Douglas Moore (USA, 1893): Ballad Of Baby Doe (1956)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Cardillac (1926)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Mathis der Maler (1935)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Die Harmonie der Welt (1957)
Roberto Gerhard (Spain, 1896): Duenna (1947)
Virgil Thomson (USA, 1896): Four Saints in Three Acts (1934)
Erich Korngold (Austria, 1897): Die Tote Stadt (1920)
Erich Korngold (Austria, 1897): Das Wunder der Heliane (1926)
George Gershwin (USA, 1898): Porgy And Bess (1935)
Instrumental
Hector Berlioz (France, 1803): Grand Messe de Morts/ Requiem (1837)
Hector Berlioz (France, 1803): Te Deum (1855)
Hector Berlioz (France, 1803): Damnation de Faust (1864)
Hector Berlioz (France, 1803): Harold in Italie (1834)
Hector Berlioz (France, 1803): Romeo et Juliet (1839)
Hector Berlioz (France, 1803): L'Enfance Du Christ (1854)
Hector Berlioz (France, 1803): Symphonie Fantastique (1829)
Hector Berlioz (France, 1803): Les Nuits D'Ete` (1841)
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Lieder Ohne Worte
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Symphony 3 "Scottish" (1842)
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Symphony 4 "Italian" (1833)
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Quartet 2 in F minor op.13 (1823)
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Quartet 6 in F minor op.80 (1847)
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Quartet 4 in E minor op.44 (1837)
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Violin concerto (1844)
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Octet (1825)
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Concerto in E Major for Two Pianos
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Orchestra in D Minor (1823)
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor (op. 25 (1831)
Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809): Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40 (1837)
Sebastian Yradier (Spain, 1809): La Paloma (1855)
Robert Schumann (Germany, 1810): Carnaval (1835)
Robert Schumann (Germany, 1810): Fantasia in C Major op.17 (1836)
Robert Schumann (Germany, 1810): Kreisleriana (1838)
Robert Schumann (Germany, 1810): Piano quintet op.44 (1842)
Robert Schumann (Germany, 1810): Piano Concerto op.54 (1845)
Robert Schumann (Germany, 1810): Piano trio op.63 (1847)
Robert Schumann (Germany, 1810): Cello Concerto op.129 (1850)
Robert Schumann (Germany, 1810): Symphony 3 (1850)
Robert Schumann (Germany, 1810): Symphony 4 (1851)
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Etudes op.10 (1832)
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Ballad op.23 (1831)
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Ballad op.38
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Ballad op.47
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Ballad op.52
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Impromptu op.29
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Impromptu op.36
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Impromptu op.51
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Fantasy-impromptu op.66
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Nocturnes
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Preludes
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Sonata op.4
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Sonata in B Flat Minor op.35
Fryderyk Chopin (Poland, 1810): Sonata op.58
Ferdinand Hiller (Germany, 1811) : Die Zerstorung Jerusalems/ The Destruction of Jerusalem (1840)
Ferencz Liszt (Hungary, 1811): Etude d'Execution Trascendante (1839)
Ferencz Liszt (Hungary, 1811): Totentanz (1849)
Ferencz Liszt (Hungary, 1811): Sonata in B minor (1853)
Ferencz Liszt (Hungary, 1811): Faust Symphony (1854)
Ferencz Liszt (Hungary, 1811): Dante Symphony (1856)
Ferencz Liszt (Hungary, 1811): Annees de Pelerinage (1877)
Ferencz Liszt (Hungary, 1811): Via Crucis (1879)
Giuseppe Verdi (Italy, 1813): Requiem (1874)
Niels Gade (Denmark, 1817): Octet (1848)
Stanislaw Moniuszko (Poland, 1819): Halka (1848)
Cesar Franck (France, 1822): Symphony in D minor (1888)
Joachim Raff (Switzerland, 1822): Symphony 5 (1872)
Edouard Lalo (France, 1823): Cello Concerto (1876)
Boris Smetana (Czech, 1824): Ma Vlast/ My Country (1879)
Anton Bruckner (Austria, 1824): Symphony 3 (1873)
Anton Bruckner (Austria, 1824): Symphony 4 (1874)
Anton Bruckner (Austria, 1824): Symphony 5 (1877)
Anton Bruckner (Austria, 1824): Symphony 6 (1881)
Anton Bruckner (Austria, 1824): Symphony 7 (1883)
Anton Bruckner (Austria, 1824): Symphony 8 (1887)
Anton Bruckner (Austria, 1824): Symphony 9 (1889)
Anton Bruckner (Austria, 1824): Mass 1 in D minor (1864)
Anton Bruckner (Austria, 1824): Mass 2 in E minor (1866)
Anton Bruckner (Austria, 1824): Mass 3 in F minor (1868)
Ludwig Minkus (Russia, 1826): La Bayader/ The Temple Dancer) (1877)
Ludwig Minkus (Russia, 1826): Don Quixote (1869)
Alexander Borodin (Russia, 1833): Symphony 2 (1876)
Alexander Borodin (Russia, 1833): String Quartet No. 2 in D major "Nocturne" (1881)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Piano Quintet in F minor op.34a (1864)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): String Quintet in G major op.111 (1890)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Clarinet Quintet in B minor op.115 (1891)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Piano Trio in B major, Op. 8 (1854)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18 (1860)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): String Sextet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 36 (1865)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Piano Trio op.87 (1882)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Piano Trio op.101 (1886)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Deutsche Requiem (1868)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Violin sonata op.78 (1878)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Violin sonata op.100 (1886)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Violin sonata op.108 (1887)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): String Quintet No. 1 in F major, op. 88 (1882)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Clarinet sonatas op.120 (1894)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Vier Ernste Gesaenge (1896)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Quartet No. 1 in F major op.88 (1882)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Violin concerto (1878)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Double Concerto (1887)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Symphony 1 (1876)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Symphony 2 (1877)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Symphony 3 (1883)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Symphony 4 (1885)
Johannes Brahms (Germany, 1833): Piano Concerto 2 (1881)
Camille Saint-Saens (France, 1835): Symphony 3 in C "Organ Symphony" (1886)
Camille Saint-Saens (France, 1835): Piano Concerto 5 (1896)
Henryk Wieniawski (Poland, 1835): Violin Concerto 2 in D minor (1862)
Leo Delibes (France, 1836): Coppelia (1870)
Milij Balakirev (Russia, 1837): Islamey (1868)
Milij Balakirev (Russia, 1837): Symphony 1 (1867)
Max Bruch (Germany, 1838): Violin Concerto 1 (1868)
Modest Mussorgsky (Russia, 1839): Night on Bald Mountain (1867)
Modest Mussorgsky (Russia, 1839): Pictures at An Exhibition (1874)
Johan Svendsen (Norway, 1840): Symphony 2 (1876)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia, 1840): Piano Concerto 1 (1875)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia, 1840): The Swan Lake (1876)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia, 1840): Symphony 4 (1877)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia, 1840): Violin Concerto in D major (1878)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia, 1840): Symphony 5 (1888)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia, 1840): The Sleeping Beauty (1889)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia, 1840): The Nutcracker (1892)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia, 1840): Symphony 6 (1893)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Russia, 1840): Trio op.50 for violin, cello and piano (1882)
Antonin Dvorak (Czech, 1841): Symphony 7 (1885)
Antonin Dvorak (Czech, 1841): Symphony 8 (1889)
Antonin Dvorak (Czech, 1841): Symphony 9 (1893)
Antonin Dvorak (Czech, 1841): Cello Concerto in B Minor (1895)
Antonin Dvorak (Czech, 1841): Stabat Mater (1877)
Antonin Dvorak (Czech, 1841): Te Deum (1892)
Antonin Dvorak (Czech, 1841): Requiem Mass (1891)
Antonin Dvorak (Czech, 1841): Piano Quintet 2 Op.81
Antonin Dvorak (Czech, 1841): String Quartet 12 in F "American" (1893)
Antonin Dvorak (Czech, 1841): String Quintet 3 in E flat (1893)
Edvar Grieg (Norway, 1843): Piano concerto (1868)
Edvar Grieg (Norway, 1843): Peer Gynt (1875)
Edvar Grieg (Norway, 1843): Quartet (1878)
Nikolaj Rimsky-Korsakov (Russia, 1844): Scheherazade (1888)
Charles Widor (France, 1845): Mass (1880)
Gabriel Faure` (France, 1845): La Bonne Chanson (1892)
Gabriel Faure` (France, 1845): Requiem (1887)
Gabriel Faure` (France, 1845): Quintet 2 in C Minor op.115
Decadent Era
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Zdenek Fibich (Czech, 1850): Quintet (1894)
Xaver Scharwenka (Poland, 1850): Piano Concerto 1 (1877)
Vincent d'Indy (France, 1851): Symphonie Cevelone (1886)
Vincent d'Indy (France, 1851): Symphonie De Bello Gallico (1918)
Leos Janacek (Czech, 1854): Glagolitic Mass (1926)
Leos Janacek (Czech, 1854): Sinfonietta (1926)
Leos Janacek (Czech, 1854): String Quartet 2 (1928)
Edward Elgar (Britain, 1857): Falstaff (1913)
Edward Elgar (Britain, 1857): Dream of Gerontius (1900)
Eugene Ysaye (Belgium, 1858): Solo Violin Sonatas (1924)
Dame Ethyl Smyth (Britain, 1858): The Wreckers (1906)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Symphony 1 (1888)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Symphony 2 (1895)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Symphony 3 (1896)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Symphony 4 (1900)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Symphony 5 (1902)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Symphony 6 (1904)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Symphony 7 (1905)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Symphony 8 (1907)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Das Lied von der Erde (1908)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Symphony 9 (1910)
Gustav Mahler (Austria, 1860): Symphony 10 (1911)
Ignacy Paderewski (Poland, 1860): Sonata Op 21 (1903)
Ignacy Paderewski (Poland, 1860): Variations and Fugue (1903)
Hugo Wolf (Germany, 1860): Lieder
Frederick Delius (Britain, 1862): A Mass of Life (1905)
Frederick Delius (Britain, 1862): Double Concerto for violin and cello (1920)
Frederick Delius (Britain, 1862): Cello Sonata (1917)
Frederick Delius (Britain, 1862): Cello Concerto 1921)
Frederick Delius (Britain, 1862): Violin Concerto (1916)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Suite Bergamasque (1890)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Piano Trio in G major (1880)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Quartet (1893)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Prelude a l'Apres-midi d'un Faune (1894)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Nocturnes (1899)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): La Mer (1905)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Children's Corner (1908)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Le Martyre de Saint-Sebastien (1911)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Jeux (1912)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Preludes (1913)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Images for Piano (1907)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): Etudes (1915)
Claude Debussy (France, 1862): En Blanc et Noir (1915)
Richard Strauss (Germany, 1864): Don Juan (1889)
Richard Strauss (Germany, 1864): Tod und Verklaerung (1889)
Richard Strauss (Germany, 1864): Also Sprach Zarathustra (1896)
Richard Strauss (Germany, 1864): Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche (1895)
Richard Strauss (Germany, 1864): Don Quixote (1897)
Alexander Gretchaninov (Russia, 1864): Passion Week
Alexander Gretchaninov (Russia, 1864): Symphony 5 (1936)
Alexander Glazunov (Russia, 1865): Symphony 5 (1895)
Alexander Glazunov (Russia, 1865): Symphony 6 (1896
Alexander Glazunov (Russia, 1865): Symphony 7 (1903)
Alexander Glazunov (Russia, 1865): Symphony 8 (1906)
Alexander Glazunov (Russia, 1865): Violin Concerto (1903)
Alexander Glazunov (Russia, 1865): Raymonda (1898)
Paul Dukas (France, 1865): L'Apprendi Sorcier (1897)
Paul Dukas (France, 1865): Ariane et Barbe-bleue (1906)
Jan Sibelius (Finland, 1865): Symphony 1 (1900)
Jan Sibelius (Finland, 1865): Symphony 2 (1902)
Jan Sibelius (Finland, 1865): Symphony 4 (1911)
Jan Sibelius (Finland, 1865): Symphony 5 (1919)
Jan Sibelius (Finland, 1865): Symphony 6 (1923)
Jan Sibelius (Finland, 1865): Symphony 7 (1924)
Jan Sibelius (Finland, 1865): Finladia (1900)
Jan Sibelius (Finland, 1865): Tempest (1925)
Jan Sibelius (Finland, 1865): Tapiola (1926)
Carl Nielsen (Denmark, 1865): Symphony 5 (1916)
Vasili Kalinnikov (Russia, 1866): Symphony 2 (1898)
Erik Satie (France, 1866): Parade (1917)
Erik Satie (France, 1866): Musique d'Ameublement (1917)
Erik Satie (France, 1866): Tenture de Cabinet Prefectoral (1923)
Erik Satie (France, 1866): Socrates (1920)
Erik Satie (France, 1866): Relache (1924)
Erik Satie (France, 1866): Vexations to be played 840 times in succession (1893)
Ferruccio Busoni (Italy, 1866): Fantasia Contrappuntistica (1912)
Albert Roussel (France, 1869): Le Festin de L'Araignee (1912)
Albert Roussel (France, 1869): Symphony 2 (1921)
Albert Roussel (France, 1869): Serenade (1925)
Albert Roussel (France, 1869): Suite en Fa (1926)
Albert Roussel (France, 1869): Concert pour Petit Orchestre (1927)
Albert Roussel (France, 1869): Symphony 3 (1930)
Albert Roussel (France, 1869): Symphony 4 (1934)
Vitezslav Novak (Czech, 1870): De Profundis (1940)
Alexander von Zemlinsky (Austria, 1871): Die Seejungfrau (1903)
Alexander von Zemlinsky (Austria, 1871): Lyrische Symphonie (1923)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (Britain, 1872): Symphony 1 "Sea" (1910)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (Britain, 1872): Symphony 2 "London" (1914)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (Britain, 1872): Symphony 3 "Pastoral" (1922)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (Britain, 1872): Symphony 4 (1935)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (Britain, 1872): Symphony 6 (1946)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (Britain, 1872): Symphony 7 "Antartica" (1952)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (Britain, 1872): Symphony 8 (1955)
Alexander Scriabin (Russia, 1872): Symphony #3 "Divine Poem" (1905)
Alexander Scriabin (Russia, 1872): Poem of Ecstasy (1908)
Alexander Scriabin (Russia, 1872): Prometheus (1910)
Alexander Scriabin (Russia, 1872): Piano sonata "White Mass" (1911)
Alexander Scriabin (Russia, 1872): Piano sonata "Black Mass" (1913)
Alexander Scriabin (Russia, 1872): Piano sonata 10 (1913)
Sergej Rachmaninov (Russia, 1873): Piano Concerto 2 (1900)
Sergej Rachmaninov (Russia, 1873): Piano Concerto 3 (1909)
Sergej Rachmaninov (Russia, 1873): Symphony 2 (1906)
Sergej Rachmaninov (Russia, 1873): The Bells (1913)
Sergej Rachmaninov (Russia, 1873): Vespers (1915)
Sergej Rachmaninov (Russia, 1873): Symphony 3 (1936)
Sergej Rachmaninov (Russia, 1873): Piano Concerto 4 (1937)
Max Reger (Germany, 1873): Sextet (1910)
Charles Ives (USA, 1874): Three Places in New England (1914)
Charles Ives (USA, 1874): Holidays (1913)
Charles Ives (USA, 1874): Piano Sonata 2 "Concord" (1915)
Charles Ives (USA, 1874): Symphony 3 (1904)
Charles Ives (USA, 1874): Symphony 4 (1916)
Gustav Holst (Britain, 1874): The Planets (1916)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Verklaerte Nacht (1899)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Gurre-Lieder (1901)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Quartet 1 (1905)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Kammersymphonie 1 (1906)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Quartet 2 (1908)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Pierrot Lunaire (1912)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Die Glueckliche Hand (1913)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Quartet 3 (1927)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Variations for Orchestra (1928)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Quartet 4 (1936)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Violin Concerto (1936)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): String Trio (1946)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): A Survivor from Warszaw (1947)
Arnold Schoenberg (Austria, 1874): Piano Concerto (1947)
TM, ®, Copyright © 2003 Piero Scaruffi All rights reserved.
Franz Schmidt (Austria, 1874): Das Buch mit dem Sieben Siegeln (1938)
Reinhold Gliere (Russia, 1875): Symphony 3 (1911)
Maurice Ravel (France, 1875): Quartet (1903)
Maurice Ravel (France, 1875): Ma Mere L'Oye (1908)
Maurice Ravel (France, 1875): Daphne and Chloe (1911)
Maurice Ravel (France, 1875): Trois Poemes de Mallarme` (1913)
Maurice Ravel (France, 1875): La Valse (1920)
Maurice Ravel (France, 1875): Concerto for the Left Hand (1930)
Maurice Ravel (France, 1875): Piano concerto in G (1931)
Maurice Ravel (France, 1875): Sonata for Violin and Piano (1927)
Manuel de Falla (Spain, 1876): El Amor Brujo/ Love the Magician (1915)
Manuel de Falla (Spain, 1876): Noches En Los Jardines de Espana (1916)
Manuel de Falla (Spain, 1876): El Sombrero de Tres Picos/ The Three-Cornered Hat (1917)
Manuel de Falla (Spain, 1876): El Retablo de Maese Pedro (1923)
Manuel de Falla (Spain, 1876): Harpsichord Concerto (1926)
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (Italy, 1876): Violin Concerto (1943)
Havergal Brian (Britain, 1876): Symphony 10 (1954)
Havergal Brian (Britain, 1876): Symphony 20 (1962)
Erno von Dohnanyi (Hungary, 1877): Ruralia Hungarica (1924)
Ernest Bloch (Switzerland, 1880): Schelomo (1916)
Ernest Bloch (Switzerland, 1880): Symphony (1955)
Nikolai Medtner (Russia, 1880): Sonata Pf #5 in E minor "Night Wind" (1911)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Quartet 1 (1908)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Bluebeard's Castle (1911)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Quartet 2 (1917)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Violin sonata 1 (1922)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Violin sonata 2 (1923)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): The Miraculous Mandarin (1919)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Piano Sonata (1926)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Piano concerto 1 (1926)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Quartet 3 (1927)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Quartet 4 (1928)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Cantata Profana (1930)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Piano concerto 2 (1931)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Violin concerto 2 (1938)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Concerto for Orchestra (1943)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Quartet 5 (1934)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta (1936)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Sonatas for two Pianos and Percussion (1937)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Quartet 6 (1939)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Divertimento (1939)
Bela Bartok (Hungary, 1881): Piano concerto 3 (1945)
Nikolai Miaskovsky (Russia, 1881): Quartet 11 (1949)
Nikolai Miaskovsky (Russia, 1881): Symphony 15 (1934)
George Enescu (Romania, 1881): Octet for Strings in C major, Op. 7 (1900)
George Enescu (Romania, 1881): Dixtuor in D major, for wind instruments, Op. 14 (1906)
George Enescu (Romania, 1881): Piano Quintet in A minor, Op. 29 (1940)
George Enescu (Romania, 1881): Chamber Symphony for 12 instruments, Op. 33 (1954)
Artur Schnabel (Austria, 1882): Sonata violin solo (1919)
Zoltan Kodaly (Hungary, 1882): Sonata for solo cello (1915)
Zoltan Kodaly (Hungary, 1882): Psalmus Hungaricus (1932)
Zoltan Kodaly (Hungary, 1882): Missa Brevis (1944)
Zoltan Kodaly (Hungary, 1882): Te Deum (1936)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): L'Oiseau de Feu (1910)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Petrushka (1911)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Le Sacre du Printemps (1913)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): L'Histoire du Soldat (1918)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Pulcinella (1920)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Les Noces (1923)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Apollo Musagetes (1928)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Symphony of Psalms (1930)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Jeu de Cartes (1937)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Dumbarton Oaks (1938)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Symphony in C Major (1940)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Sonata for Two Pianos (1944)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Ebony Concerto (1945)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Symphony in Three Movements (1945)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Cantata (1952)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Canticum Sacrum (1955)
Igor Stravinskij (Russia, 1882): Threni (1958)
Karol Szymanowski (Poland, 1882): Stabat Mater (1926)
Karol Szymanowski (Poland, 1882): Violin concerto 1 (1916)
Karol Szymanowski (Poland, 1882): Symphony 3 (1916)
Karol Szymanowski (Poland, 1882): Demeter (1917)
Karol Szymanowski (Poland, 1882): Symphony 4 (1932)
Karol Szymanowski (Poland, 1882): Violin concerto 2 (1933)
Percy Grainger (Australia, 1882): The Warriors (1913)
Percy Grainger (Australia, 1882): Random Round (1912)
Percy Grainger (Australia, 1882): The Immovable Do (1933)
Anton Webern (Austria, 1883): Symphonie (1928)
Anton Webern (Austria, 1883): Concerto for nine instruments (1934)
Anton Webern (Austria, 1883): Quartet (1938)
Anton Webern (Austria, 1883): Cantata 1 (1939)
Anton Webern (Austria, 1883): Cantata 2 (1943)
Edgar Varese (France, 1883): Hyperprism (1923)
Edgar Varese (France, 1883): Ionisation (1931)
Edgar Varese (France, 1883): Ecuatorial (1934)
Edgar Varese (France, 1883): Deserts (1954)
Edgar Varese (France, 1883): Poeme Electronique (1958)
Arnold Bax (Britain, 1883): Winter Legends (1930)
Arnold Bax (Britain, 1883): Symphony 6 (1934)
Egon Wellesz (Austria, 1885): Symphony 1 (1945)
Egon Wellesz (Austria, 1885): Alkestis (1923)
Egon Wellesz (Austria, 1885): Symphony 5 (1956)
Alban Berg (Austria, 1885): String Quartet (1910)
Alban Berg (Austria, 1885): Chamber Concerto (1925)
Alban Berg (Austria, 1885): Lyric Suite (1926)
Alban Berg (Austria, 1885): Violin Concerto (1935)
Paul Paray (France, 1886): Messe du Cinquieme Centenaire de la Mort de Jeanne d'Arc (1931)
Hector Villa-Lobos (Brazil, 1887): Choros No. 2 (1924)
Hector Villa-Lobos (Brazil, 1887): Choros No. 4 (1926)
Hector Villa-Lobos (Brazil, 1887): Choros No. 8 (1925)
Hector Villa-Lobos (Brazil, 1887): Choros No. 10 (1925)
Hector Villa-Lobos (Brazil, 1887): Choros No. 9 (1929)
Hector Villa-Lobos (Brazil, 1887): Choros No. 11 (1928)
Hector Villa-Lobos (Brazil, 1887): Choros No. 12 (1929)
Hector Villa-Lobos (Brazil, 1887): Symphony 7 (1945)
Kurt Schwitter (Germany, 1887): Ursonate (1932)
Matthijs Vermeulen (Holland, 1888): Symphony 2 (1919)
Matthijs Vermeulen (Holland, 1888): Symphony 6 (1958)
Jacques Ibert (France, 1890): Escales (1922)
Jacques Ibert (France, 1890): Symphonie Marine (1931)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): The Butterfly that Stamped (1926)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Quartet for Clarinet, French Horn, Violoncello and Side-drum (1924)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Greek Passion (1961)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Symphony 6 (1953)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Piano Concerto 2 (1934)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Double Concerto for strings and timpani i (1938)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Harpsichord Concerto (1938)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Concerto da Camera (1941)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Symphony 1 (1942)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Violin Concerto 2 (1943)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Sonata for violin and piano 3 (1944)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Symphony 4 (1945)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Cello Concerto 2 (1945)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Sinfonietta (1951)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Rhapsody Concerto for viola and orchestra (1952)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Symphony 6 (1953)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Concerto for Violin and Piano (1953)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Piano Sonata (1954)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Oboe Concerto (1955)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Piano Concerto 4 (1956)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Parables (1957)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Field Mass (1939)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Piano Concerto 5 (1957)
Bohuslav Martinu (Czech, 1890): Fantasia for Theremin, Oboe, String Quartet and Piano H. 301 (1944)
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Frank Martin (Switzerland, 1890): Petite Symphonie Concertante (1945)
Gosta Nystroem (Sweden, 1890): Symphony 2 (1935)
Gosta Nystroem (Sweden, 1890): Symphony 3 (1947)
Arthur Bliss (Britain, 1891): Colour Symphony (1922)
Arthur Bliss (Britain, 1891): Morning Heroes (1930)
Arthur Bliss (Britain, 1891): Checkmate (1937)
Arthur Bliss (Britain, 1891): Miracle in the Gorbals (1944)
Arthur Bliss (Britain, 1891): Adam Zero (1946)
Arthur Bliss (Britain, 1891): Meditations on a Theme of John Blow (1955)
Arthur Bliss (Britain, 1891): The Beatitudes (1962)
Arthur Bliss (Britain, 1891): Cello Concerto (1970)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Piano Concerto 2 (1913)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Piano Concerto 3 (1918)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Symphony 1 (1918)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Symphony 2 (1925)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Symphony 3 (1928)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Piano Concerto 5 (1932)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Peter and the Wolf (1934)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Romeo and Juliet (1936)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Aleksandr Nevsky (1939)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Piano Sonata 7 (1942)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Simphony 5 (1944)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Piano Sonata 8 (1944)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Symphony 6 (1947)
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Violin Sonata No. 2 Op. 94a
Sergej Prokofev (Russia, 1891): Sinfonia Concertante (1952)
Giorgio Ghedini (Italy, 1892): Concerto dell'Albatro (1945)
Arthur Honegger (Switzerland, 1892): Pastoral d'Ete (1920)
Arthur Honegger (Switzerland, 1892): Pacific 231 (1923)
Arthur Honegger (Switzerland, 1892): Symphonie Liturgique (1946)
Arthur Honegger (Switzerland, 1892): Cello Concerto (1929)
Darius Milhaud (France, 1892): Le Boeuf Sur le Toit (1920)
Darius Milhaud (France, 1892): La Creation du Monde (1924)
Herbert Howells (Britain, 1892): Stabat Mater (1965)
Hilding Rosenberg (Sweden, 1892): Symphony 4 (1940)
Hilding Rosenberg (Sweden, 1892): Symphony 5 (1944)
Hilding Rosenberg (Sweden, 1892): Symphony 6 (1951)
Laszlo Lajtha (Hungary, 1892): Symphony 7 (1957)
Kaikhosru Sorabji (Britain, 1892): Piano Sonata #4 (1929)
Kaikhosru Sorabji (Britain, 1892): Sequentia cyclica super "Dies irae" ex Missa pro defunctis (1948-49),
Kaikhosru Sorabji (Britain, 1892): Concertino non grosso for String Sextet with Piano obbligato quasi continuo (1968)
Kaikhosru Sorabji (Britain, 1892): Opus Clavicembalisticum (1930)
Kaikhosru Sorabji (Britain, 1892): Piano Symphony #2 (1954)
Kaikhosru Sorabji (Britain, 1892): Piano Symphony #4 (1964)
Rued Langgaard (Denmark, 1893): Music Of The Spheres (1918)
Lili Boulanger (France, 1893): Psalm 130 (1917)
Alois Haba (Czech, 1893): Quartet 2 (1921)
Leo Ornstein (Russia, 1893): Quintet piano (1927)
Aaron Avshalomoff (Russia, 1894): Flute concerto (1948)
Ervin Schulhoff (Czech, 1894): Symphony 5 (1938)
Ervin Schulhoff (Czech, 1894): Concerto 2 (1923)
Borys Lyatoshinsky (Ukraine, 1895): Symphony 2 (1936)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Nobilissima Visione (1938)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Kammermusik 1 op.24 (1921)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd (1946)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Violin Concerto (1939)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Piano Concerto (1945)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Cello Concerto (1940)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Horn Concerto (1949)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Symphony for Concert Band (1951)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Organ Concerto (1962)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello and Piano (1938)
Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895): Kammermusiken 1-7 (1927)
Carl Orff (Germany, 1895): Carmina Burana (1937)
Roberto Gerhard (Spain, 1896): Violin Concerto (1943)
Roberto Gerhard (Spain, 1896): Piano Concerto (1951)
Roberto Gerhard (Spain, 1896): The Plague (1965)
Roberto Gerhard (Spain, 1896): Symphony 3 "Collages" (1960)
Roberto Gerhard (Spain, 1896): Quartet 2 (1962)
Roberto Gerhard (Spain, 1896): Concerto for Orchestra (1965)
Roberto Gerhard (Spain, 1896): Symphony 4 (1967)
Roberto Gerhard (Spain, 1896): Concerto for harpsichord, strings and percussion (1956)
Howard Hanson (USA, 1896): Symphony 7 (1977)
Roger Sessions (USA, 1896): "When Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloom'd" (1970)
Roger Sessions (USA, 1896): Concerto for Orchestra (1981)
Roger Sessions (USA, 1896): Symphony 7 (1967)
Josip Stolcer-Slavenski (Croatia, 1896): Sonata for violin and organ (1922)
Josip Stolcer-Slavenski (Croatia, 1896): Chaos (1932)
Josip Stolcer-Slavenski (Croatia, 1896): Sinfonija Orijenta (1934)
Josip Stolcer-Slavenski (Croatia, 1896): Music in the Natural Tonal System (1937)
Knudage Riisager (Denmark, 1897): Qarrtsiluni (1942)
Harald Saeverud (Norway, 1897): Symphony 7 (1944)
Harald Saeverud (Norway, 1897): Symphony 9 (1965)
Erich Korngold (Austria, 1897): Sinfonietta (1912)
Erich Korngold (Austria, 1897): Piano Concerto for Left Hand (1923)
Erich Korngold (Austria, 1897): Piano quintet (1930)
Erich Korngold (Austria, 1897): Violin Concerto (1947)
Erich Korngold (Austria, 1897): Cello Concerto (1950)
Erich Korngold (Austria, 1897): Symphony in F# Major (1950)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Tides of Manaunaum (1912)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Quartet for Flute, Oboe, Cello, and Harpsichord (1954)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Ongaku (1957)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Quartet 1 - Romantic (1917)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Quartet 2 - Euphometric (1919)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Atlantic (1931)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Ostinato Pianissimo for Percussion Ensemble (1934)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Quartet 3 - Mosaic (1935)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Persian Set (1957)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Symphony 11 (1953)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Tiger (1930)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1928)
Henry Cowell (USA, 1897): Sinfonietta (1928)
George Gershwin (USA, 1898): Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
George Gershwin (USA, 1898): Concerto in F (1925)
George Gershwin (USA, 1898): An American in Paris (1928)
Hans Eisler (Germany, 1898): Fourteen Modes to Describe Rain (1941)
Roy Harris (USA, 1898): Symphony 9 (1963)
Francis Poulenc (France, 1899): Concert Champetre (1928)
Francis Poulenc (France, 1899): Les Biches (1923)
Francis Poulenc (France, 1899): Aubade (1929)
Francis Poulenc (France, 1899): Concerto for two pianos (1932)
Francis Poulenc (France, 1899): Organ Concerto (1938)
Francis Poulenc (France, 1899): Trois Mouvements perpetuels (1918)
Georges Auric (France, 1899): La Belle et la Bète (1946)
Yngve Skold (Sweden, 1899): Symphony No 2 (1937)
Alexander Tcherepnin (Russia, 1899): Piano Concerto 5 (1963)
Jon Leifs (Iceland, 1899): Fine (1963)
Jon Leifs (Iceland, 1899): Saga Symphony (1942)
Pancho Vladigerov (Bulgaria, 1899): Sonatina Concertante (1934)
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i don't know
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The 1726 novel 'Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, in Four Parts' is better known by what subsequently amended title?
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Gulliver's Travels ( Into Several Remote Regions of the World ) eBook by Jonathan Swift - 1230000187085 | Kobo
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Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, better known simply as Gulliver's Travels (1726, amended 1735), is a novel by Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift, that is both a satire on human nature and a parody of the "travellers' tales" literary sub-genre. It is Swift's best known full-length work, and a classic of English literature.
The book became popular as soon as it was published. John Gay wrote in a 1726 letter to Swift that "It is universally read, from the cabinet council to the nursery." Since then, it has never been out of print.
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Gulliver's Travels
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Formerly known as the Ellice Islands, in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Australia, what nation owns the commercially available internet top-level domain .tv?
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Gullivers Travels by Swift - AbeBooks
Gullivers Travels by Swift
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Item Description: 1954. Hard Cover. Book Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Please see any and all photos connected with this listing. No Dustjacket. A bit scuffed but all pages intact and legible. Good reading copy. Loose front cover. No store stamps. --- --- Original title: Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World in Four Parts by Lemuel Gulliver (1726). . . Bookseller Inventory # 23297
Published by Signet, New York (1960)
Used Soft cover
ISBN 10: 0192100378 ISBN 13: 9780192100375
Used Hardcover
ISBN 10: 0140430229 ISBN 13: 9780140430226
Used Soft cover
ISBN 10: 0394604792 ISBN 13: 9780394604794
Used Hardcover
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Item Description: Random House Inc (T). Hardcover. Book Condition: Very Good. 0394604792 FREE Shipping for 1st Class/Media Rate! Clean, unmarked copy. Hardcover, with dust jacket- In great shape! I can send expedited rate if you choose; otherwise it will promptly be sent via media rate. Have any questions? Email me; I'm happy to help! Select Expedited Shipping to get your book as fast as possible!. Bookseller Inventory # SKU1033355
Published by W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, New York (1970)
Used Soft cover
Ross., Jonathan Swift. Edited with Introduction by John
Published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Used PAPERBACK
Destination, Rates & Speeds
Item Description: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. PAPERBACK. Book Condition: Good. B006RDAHT8 Good, trade paperback, tight binding, light to moderate wear to corners and edges. May have light markings, remainder mark, previous owner's name and/or other minor aesthetic flaws. Bookseller Inventory # SKU07140667
Published by Washigton Square Press, NY (1966)
Used Mass Market Paperback
ISBN 10: 0804900159 ISBN 13: 9780804900157
Used Soft Cover
Destination, Rates & Speeds
Item Description: Airmont Books, New York, 1963. Soft Cover. Book Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. A Very Good copy of a ".great favorite it has been, especially with young readers, ever since it first appeared in 1726." From front cover:"Complete and Unabridged." Slight wear to cover. Slight ripple along spine. Spine has a small wrinkle toward the bottom but no wrinkle along the length. Slight curl to lower left corner of back cover with faint wrinkling which continue inside on the pages. Small spotting to middle and bottom page edgging. 285 pages. Text is clean and tight with no markings. Includes an Introduction by David G. Pitt. From back cover:"A major portion of this unique book is concerned with the fantastic and impossible, but it also has a serious purpose and a kind of realism that perhaps no work before it possessed. For Gulliver's Travels is really two books, or two kinds of books, in one."Publisher Description:"From the preeminent prose satirist in the English language, a great classic recounting the four remarkable journeys of ship�s surgeon Lemuel Gulliver. For children it remains an enchanting fantasy; for adults, a witty parody of political life in Swift�s time and a scathing send-up of manners and morals in 18th-century England." Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Bookseller Inventory # 000689
Destination, Rates & Speeds
Item Description: Signet Classic/New American Library, 1960. Paperback. Book Condition: Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Signet Mass Market Paperback Good condition. Solidly bound binding. Cover is age darkened, rubbed along spine hinge, uncreased, unmarked. Foreword by Marcus Cunliffe (University of Manchester). "Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts." By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, better known simply as Gulliver's Travels (1726, amended 1735), is a novel by Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift, that is both a satire on human nature and a parody of the "travellers' tales" literary sub-genre. It is Swift's best known full-length work, and a classic of English literature. Contains: Introduction, Chronological Table, A letter from Capt. Gulliver to His Cousin Sympson, The Publisher to the Reader, Parts I-IV of the Travels, Notes. Notes by Louis A. Landa. Boston, MA: New American Library/Signet, 1963 Fifth Printing. 4.25"x7" tall; xx, 320pp. with Select Bibliography. Bookseller Inventory # 48323
Destination, Rates & Speeds
Item Description: Hampster Books. Hardcover. Book Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Retold for very young readers. Early readers Series No. 5. Former owner name on the title page in pencil. Edge wear. Dust jacket missing small piece at the top and bottom of the spine, piece at the bottom of the back flap, piece missing at the top of the back cover, closable tear on the back cover at the bottom with creases and a small piece missing. Some light water staining to the edges of the pages and dust jacket. Bookseller Inventory # 006678
Destination, Rates & Speeds
Item Description: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1960. Paperback. Book Condition: Good. No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Houghton Mifflin Trade Paperback Good condition. Solidly bound binding. Cover is age darkened, toned along spine hinge, rubbed along spine hinge, no creasing. Underlining and margin notes. "Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts." By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, better known simply as Gulliver's Travels (1726, amended 1735), is a novel by Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift, that is both a satire on human nature and a parody of the "travellers' tales" literary sub-genre. It is Swift's best known full-length work, and a classic of English literature. Contains: Introduction, Chronological Table, A letter from Capt. Gulliver to His Cousin Sympson, The Publisher to the Reader, Parts I-IV of the Travels, Notes. Notes by Louis A. Landa. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1960. 5.25" x 8.25" tall; xxviii, 258 pages. Bookseller Inventory # 50727
Destination, Rates & Speeds
Item Description: Houghton Mifflin Company/Riverside Editions, 1960. Paperback. Book Condition: Good. No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Houghton Mifflin Trade Paperback Good condition. Solidly bound binding. Cover is age darkened, toned along spine hinge-front, rubbed along spine hinge, no creasing, unmarked; fine condition for age. "Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts." By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, better known simply as Gulliver's Travels (1726, amended 1735), is a novel by Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift, that is both a satire on human nature and a parody of the "travellers' tales" literary sub-genre. It is Swift's best known full-length work, and a classic of English literature. Contains: Introduction, Chronological Table, A letter from Capt. Gulliver to His Cousin Sympson, The Publisher to the Reader, Parts I-IV of the Travels, Notes. Notes by Louis A. Landa. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company/Riverside Editons, 1960. 5.25" x 8.25" tall; xxviii, 258pp. with Notes. Bookseller Inventory # 52815
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i don't know
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The Trucial States became what Arab nation in 1971?
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From trucial states to nation state : decolonization and the formation of the United Arab Emirates, 1952-1971
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From trucial states to nation state : decolonization and the formation of the United Arab Emirates, 1952-1971
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Abstract
Harold Wilson, the British Prime Minister, announced in January 1968 that the British government would withdraw from the Persian Gulf by the end of 1971. For Britain, the decision indicated a re-prioritization of British global defense obligations. For the rulers of the Arab emirates of the Persian Gulf, Wilson‘s announcement signaled an end of British military protection, and the beginning of a process of negotiations that culminated in the establishment of the United Arab Emirates on December 3, 1971. An examination of the process by which the individual Persian Gulf states became a sovereign federation presents an opportunity to examine the roles of nationalism and anti-imperialism played in the establishment of the Union. This work demonstrates that Arab rulers in the Persian Gulf strove to establish their new state with close ties to Great Britain, which provided technical, military, and administrative assistance to the emirates, while also publicly embracing the popular ideologies of anti-imperialism and Arab socialism, which dominated the political discourse in the Arab world through most of the twentieth century. viii This dissertation draws on primary source materials from British and American government archives, speeches and government publications from the Arab Emirates, memoirs and a wide variety of secondary sources. These materials provide the basis for understanding the state-building process of the United Arab Emirates in the areas of pre-withdrawal development, the decision to withdraw, the problems of establishing a federal constitution, and the problems posed by the need for security in the post-withdrawal Persian Gulf.
Department
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United Arab Emirates
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What creature is a Chinese 'shishi', called a 'foo dog' in some western cultures?
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Trucial States - LookLex Encyclopaedia
Trucial States
Also called: Trucial Oman; Trucial Coast
Flag of the Trucial States
Palace of the Emir of Sharjah.
Ship building in Dubai Creek.
Watchtower in Dubai.
Fujairah Castle.
From 1853 to 1971, name for Arab tribal regions along the Persian Gulf , under British administration. Most of the Trucial States would become the United Arab Emirates in 1971.
The Trucial States consisted of Abu Dhabi , Dubai , Sharjah , Ras al-Khaimah , Umm al-Qaiwain , Ajman and Fujairah , and from 1931, also Bahrain . The states had semi-independence, leaving military defense and foreign politics to the Great Britain.
The area was before signing a treaty in the middle of the 19th century, known as the Pirate Coast. Both this name and 'Trucial Coast' were politically motivated. 'Pirate Coast' appears to have been used in order to justify British involvement, while 'Trucial Coast' was used to indicate the imposed stability of the region. Piracy was performed by local seamen, but not to the extent that 'Piracy Coast' was a correct designation.
History
1820: The British force the shaykhs on the coast to stop piracy.
1853: A treaty signed between the shaykhs and the British. The region is given the name of 'Trucial Coast'. The treaty involved a maritime truce, and British assistance to cooperation between the shaykhs.
1873: The Trucial Coast becomes administered by the British.
1892: A new agreement, the shaykhs gives the British effective control over foreign matters. The British offers military protection in return.
1931: Oil is discovered, and national consciousness increases. Bahrain later joins the neighbouring Trucial States and Qatar in the Federation of Arab Emirates.
1952: The seven emirates establishes a Trucial Council.
1960's: Emerging problems between the British and the emirs , connected to the interests of developing the oil industries and preserving traditional culture. Shaykh Shakbut of Abu Dhabi was the most conservative in this matter, and also in control of some of largest oil reserves.
1966: Shaykh Shakbut is overthrown, and Zayed bin Sultan an-Nahayan becomes new ruler of Abu Dhabi.
1967: The Trucial States Council is formed, aiming at better coordinating matters between the shaykhs.
1970: Independence is given to the emirates.
1971 September: Bahrain and Qatar becomes independent states.
December 2: Abu Dhabi and Dubai forms a independent union, inviting the other shaykhs to join. All remaining but Ras al-Khaimah accepts.
1972 Ras al-Khaimah joins the new federation of United Arab Emirates.
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i don't know
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On humans what is the medical Latin name for the big toe?
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Why has your thumb got a special name, but your big toe is just called a Big Toe? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk
Why has your thumb got a special name, but your big toe is just called a Big Toe?
Beth , Derby, UK
Our thumbs are the things that separate the humans from the monkeys. They are opposable thumnbs. You don't have opposable Big Toes, nor have they done anything to help the humans except help balance.
Kevin, Yaphank, United States
Actually, they both have. The correct anatomical name for the thumb is the "pollux" and the big toe the "hallux".
Dr Robert Kidd, Sydney, Australia
Trace the origins of the two words and you'll find that thumb and toe are actually the same word. This is common in other languages, too: in Latin, thumb is pollex, and big toe is pollex, too; but, in medical Latin, the big toe is differentiated as the pollex maximus - the big thumb.
John Bennett, Glasgow, Scotland
Thumbs have a different anatomy and function to the other hand digits, but all the 5 foot digits have similar form and function. For example, the thumb's main movements occur roughly at right angles to those of the other hand digits, permitting a strong pincer grip, which is essential for grasping and fine motor skills such as writing. In contrast, the toes all flex and extend in the same direction as each other. Hence the thumb fully deserves its special name. Interestingly, however, muscles attaching to the thumb and big toe both have special anatomical descriptors - "pollicis" and "hallucis" respectively -which are not applied to the other digits. Thus the big toe has been given some recognition, albeit arcanely, as a special digit.
Mark Perry, Perth, Australia
It is opposable, unlike your big toe, and functions differently to the fingers. Incidentally, Arabic doesn't even have a word for 'toes' big or little - they are called 'foot fingers'.
Keith Mason, London, UK
Because the human thumb is different from the other fingers as it is opposable (which allows us to grab hold of objects with our thumbs on the opposite side of the object to the other fingers) whereas the big toe is not opposable and is simply bigger than the other toes.
Alan Williams-Key, Madrid, Spain
It is because in order to evolve to natural walkers humans had to give up the perk of being able to grab objects with their feet. Also, the position of the foot is different than that of the palm.
Maroiu Mihai Ioan, Bucharest, Romania
My guess is because the thumb is the only opposable digit unlike all other digits which are more or less parallel. Also, one can't really call the thumb a Big Finger (or little finger) because it is shorter and wider then the others.
buzzz, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
Could it be becuase the thumb is an opposible digit whereas a big toe (although important for walking) is just another toe in line with the rest?
Kevin Hannan, Leeds, UK
My big toes have lots of names when I stub them.
Iain Stewart, Sydney, Australia
You speak for yourself. My big toe's called Brian.
Richard, London, UK
No names for the toes because most of the time we hide them in our shoes whilst our fingers especially Mr Thumb are always in the limelight.
John Matang, Kuching Malaysia
I picked up from a GP friend of mine years ago the label "great toe", an archaism or an accurate term?
Richard Bowes, Leeds UK
This is true of English, but in French there is a special word for big toe ("orteil"), whereas no special word for toe ("doigt de pied" = foot finger). Perhaps as thumbs are used and given significance more than big toes, it's just the way the language has developed. If we needed a special word for it, we'd have one.
Toby Smith, Farnborough, England
Scientifically the name for the Big Toe is a thumb or Adam. They have similar features and you can paint both.
Katie, Montegut USA
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Toe
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With the symbol Sv what is the unit of ionizing radiation?
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Medical Name for Toes
Medical Name for Toes
Article by Dr.Sal
The Medical Name for Toes is Phalanges. The name is derived from the Greek word Phalanx which means a straight projection. The big toe has its own name - Hallux - and the other toes are numbered from 2 to 5 at the pinky. The long bones just behind your toes are called the metatarsals.
MLA Citation for School Reports, Links, and Presentations:
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i don't know
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Name the NASA Mars mission rover which landed on the planet in 2012?
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NASA - NASA Lands Car-Size Rover Beside Martian Mountain
NASA Lands Car-Size Rover Beside Martian Mountain
PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's most advanced Mars rover Curiosity has landed on the Red Planet. The one-ton rover, hanging by ropes from a rocket backpack, touched down onto Mars Sunday to end a 36-week flight and begin a two-year investigation.
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft that carried Curiosity succeeded in every step of the most complex landing ever attempted on Mars, including the final severing of the bridle cords and flyaway maneuver of the rocket backpack.
"Today, the wheels of Curiosity have begun to blaze the trail for human footprints on Mars. Curiosity, the most sophisticated rover ever built, is now on the surface of the Red Planet, where it will seek to answer age-old questions about whether life ever existed on Mars -- or if the planet can sustain life in the future," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "This is an amazing achievement, made possible by a team of scientists and engineers from around the world and led by the extraordinary men and women of NASA and our Jet Propulsion Laboratory. President Obama has laid out a bold vision for sending humans to Mars in the mid-2030's, and today's landing marks a significant step toward achieving this goal."
Curiosity landed at 10:32 p.m. PDT Aug. 5, (1:32 a.m. EDT Aug. 6) near the foot of a mountain three miles tall and 96 miles in diameter inside Gale Crater. During a nearly two-year prime mission, the rover will investigate whether the region ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life.
"The Seven Minutes of Terror has turned into the Seven Minutes of Triumph," said NASA Associate Administrator for Science John Grunsfeld. "My immense joy in the success of this mission is matched only by overwhelming pride I feel for the women and men of the mission's team."
Curiosity returned its first view of Mars, a wide-angle scene of rocky ground near the front of the rover. More images are anticipated in the next several days as the mission blends observations of the landing site with activities to configure the rover for work and check the performance of its instruments and mechanisms.
"Our Curiosity is talking to us from the surface of Mars," said MSL Project Manager Peter Theisinger of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. "The landing takes us past the most hazardous moments for this project, and begins a new and exciting mission to pursue its scientific objectives."
Confirmation of Curiosity's successful landing came in communications relayed by NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter and received by the Canberra, Australia, antenna station of NASA's Deep Space Network.
Curiosity carries 10 science instruments with a total mass 15 times as large as the science payloads on the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Some of the tools are the first of their kind on Mars, such as a laser-firing instrument for checking elemental composition of rocks from a distance. The rover will use a drill and scoop at the end of its robotic arm to gather soil and powdered samples of rock interiors, then sieve and parcel out these samples into analytical laboratory instruments inside the rover.
To handle this science toolkit, Curiosity is twice as long and five times as heavy as Spirit or Opportunity. The Gale Crater landing site places the rover within driving distance of layers of the crater's interior mountain. Observations from orbit have identified clay and sulfate minerals in the lower layers, indicating a wet history.
The mission is managed by JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL.
For more information on the mission, visit:
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Curiosity
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Coulomb is a unit of measurement of electrical?
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Mars rover Curiosity closing in on red planet at 8,000 mph | Fox News
Mars rover Curiosity closing in on red planet at 8,000 mph
Published August 05, 2012
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Next stop, Mars.
NASA gave a green light of sorts late Sunday for the Mars Science Laboratory and the Curiosity rover, which are mere hours from a nerve-wracking landing on Mars, following an 8 ½ month race to the red planet at 8,000 mph. In this case, a green light is no light at all.
"Nominal sounds like a very boring word, but in the world of spaceflight, nominal is engineer for awesome," noted a blog from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, which is in charge of Curiosity's screaming descent. All systems seem perfect for the landing, in other words, with rocket scientists at NASA's headquarters more or less observers hoping for the best.
"It's definitely the quiet before the storm," said NASA sciences chief John Grunsfeld. "There's tremendous anticipation."
By the time it arrives at Mars, gravity will have accelerated the spacecraft to a whopping 13,200 mph. NASA must then slow it down.
Following “ seven minutes of terror ” beginning at 1:31 a.m. EST early Monday morning -- a reference to the nerve-racking landing NASA has planned, which involves Curiosity’s screaming race to the surface and a dangle off a rocket-powered sky crane -- the rover will be set to begin its mission: the study of our planetary neighbor, and the quest for signs of life there.
“Curiosity is the culmination of a decade of exploration. We can now begin to move toward finding the fingerprints of life on Mars,” said Scott Hubbard, a Stanford University consulting professor of aeronautics and astronautics.
The space agency said Curiosity remains in good health, and was steering so smoothly between planets that a planned minor course correction Saturday wasn’t necessary. And with the gravitational pull of Mars already tugging on the spaceship, arrival is being closely monitored by the watchful eyes of mission control.
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“After flying more than eight months and 350 million miles since launch, the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft is now right on target to fly through the eye of the needle that is our target at the top of the Mars atmosphere,” said Mission Manager Arthur Amador of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
In keeping with a decades-old tradition, peanuts will be passed around the mission control room at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory for good luck. The space agency said it was optimistic that everything would go according to plan.
A Twitter feed for the rover itself happily chirped Saturday evening, equally optimistic of its imminent arrival at Mars.
“Right now, I'm closer to Mars than the moon is to Earth,” the robot craft wrote .
Earlier in the week, a dust storm swirling to the south of the landing site gave the team some pause. Ashwin Vasavada, the mission's deputy project scientist and Mars weather forecaster, said the storm basically went "poof" and posed no threat. The agency continues to monitor it nonetheless.
"Mars appears to be cooperating very nicely with us. We expect good weather for landing Sunday night," he said.
The distance between the planets remains a stubborn challenge to mission control; due to the signal time lag between Mars and Earth (it takes about 14 minutes for a signal on Mars to zip to Earth), Curiosity will execute the landing autonomously, following the half a million lines of computer code designed by Earthlings.
Curiosity will not be communicating directly with Earth as it lands, because Earth will set beneath the Martian horizon from Curiosity’s perspective about two minutes before the landing.
That spotty communication during landing could delay confirmation for several hours or even days, NASA said. And the rover won’t immediately begin beaming back mind-blowing pictures of Mars.
The first Mars pictures expected from Curiosity are reduced-resolution fisheye black-and-white images received either in the first few minutes after touchdown or more than two hours later. Higher resolution and color images from other cameras could come later in the first week. Plans call for Curiosity to deploy a directional antenna on the first day after landing and raise the camera mast on the second day.
Indeed, the first image we receive may come from a different spacecraft entirely.
Through a remarkable combination of engineering and mathematics, a crew will attempt to precisely position a second satellite -- maneuvering it to just the spot around the giant planet to capture the split second when Curiosity falls from the skies.
“We’re only making one attempt on [Mars Science Laboratory] here,” Christian Schaller of NASA’s High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) team told Universe Today . “The plan is to capture MSL during the parachute phase of descent.”
Curiosity’s journey to Mars hasn’t been without incident. NASA said the craft has been acting as a stunt double for astronauts who might someday follow in its wake, exposing itself to the same cosmic radiation humans would experience following the route to Mars.
“Curiosity has been hit by five major flares and solar particle events in the Earth-Mars expanse,” said Don Hassler of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. “The rover is safe, and it has been beaming back invaluable data.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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i don't know
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The strongly featured character Alyson/Alys in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is better known as?
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Full text of "The Canterbury tales of Geoffrey Chaucer"
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itto The Canterbury Tales THE CANTERBURY TALES OF GEOFFREY CHAUCER A MODERN RENDERING INTO PROSE OF THE PROLOGUE AND TEN TALES BY PERCY MACKAYE AUTHOR OF "THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS" WITH PICTURES IN COLOUR BY WALTER APPLETON CLARK NEW YORK DUFFIELD & COMPANY 1914 COPYRIGHT, 1904 BY Fox, DUFFIELD & COMPANY TO THE MEMORY OF PROFESSOR FRANCIS JAMES CHILD How fain we conjure back his smile! How fain As, bow'd with musings long on elvish lore, He clutched his satchel at the class-room door And shot the quick "Good-morning, gentlemen," From under the bronze curls, and entered. Then For us that hour of quaint illusion wore Such spell as when, beside the Breton shore, The wizard clerk astounded Dorigen. For we beheld the nine and twenty ride Through those dim aisles their deathless pilgrimage, Lady and monk and rascal laugh and chide, Living and loving on the enchanted page, Whilst, half apart, there murmured side by side The master-poet and the scholar-mage. Preface THE barrier of obsolete speech is the occasion and the apology for this rendering of the Canterbury Tales in English easily intelli- gible to-day. Whether this barrier be real, or but generally assumed, matters little, for the assumption itself is obstructive and tends equally to the resultant fact, that in spite of the immensely widened interest in Chaucer and the diffused knowledge of his works due to labours of profound scholarship in the last fifty years a very large proportion of the educated public still receives its impressions of the poet at second hand, from literary hearsay, or the epitomising essays of critics. To present, therefore, a representative portion of Chaucer's unfinished masterpiece in such form as shall best preserve for a modern reader the substance and style of the original, is the chief aim of this book. When the publishers asked me to carry out this object, the nature of the appro- priate form presented itself for solution. As modernisation, the under- taking is not new. At various epochs, and with varying scope of design, poets such as Dryden, Pope, Leigh Hunt, Elizabeth Barrett, Wordsworth, have contrived metrical versions of the Canterbury Tales in the literary forms of their own day. Lesser poets and writers of the past two centuries have executed the like. Their versions possess in common the aim of substituting modern English verse for Chaucer's, often as an alleged latter- day improvement. All, as Professor Lounsbury has shown, "had a direct tendency at the time to divert men from the study of the original." The present rendering, therefore, which is rather a modified form than a modern- isation of Chaucer's tales, is believed to differ from all the aforesaid ver- vii PREFACE sions in method and, largely, in motive. For the form adopted is prose ; it preserves, as closely as possible, the very words of Chaucer and his charac- teristic constructions ; it aims by faithful accuracy to present a text which shall be efficient in promoting the study of the original. In working principle, it has taken advice from the poet himself in his Prologue: "For this ye knowen al-so wel as I, Who-so shal telle a tale after a man, He moot reherce, as ny as ever he can, Everich a word, if it be in his charge, Al speke he never so rudeliche and large ; Or elles he moot telle his tale untrewe, Or feyne thing, or finde wordes newe." Briefly, then, the method followed has been to present, so far as possi- ble, Chaucer's ipsissima verba; to err rather in the direction of literal fidelity than literary license. No archaisms, however, have been retained which are not fairly intelligible. The necessary changes which have been made are: first, omissions on the score of propriety, of intelligibility (as when a long paraphrase would have been required for a trivial matter), and (very seldom) of redundancy; secondly, rare and slight rearrangements for the sake of clearness; thirdly, translation and paraphrase required by clearness and the necessities of prose-style. Proper names have been altered to their classical or modern forms only in the case of historical characters or places fairly familiar to-day. The text of Professor Skeat has been followed almost always and his notes very largely. The number of tales selected is the result of the particular scope of this volume, which, as I have said, seeks only to present a representative part of the Canterbury Tales. The choice of the tales has been further limited by the expediency of selecting from among those which are neither too broad (as the Summoner's), nor too prolix (as the Parson's). To the ten tales chosen have been added those prologues, epilogues, and links which directly pertain to them in the Chaucerian design. The Squire's Tale, though unfinished, has been included for the sake not only of its own viii PREFACE romantic charm, but of that familiar citation of its author by which Milton has immortalised its very incompleteness, and taught us of the after- time still to "Call up him that left half-told The story of Cambuscan bold." There remains for me to express what I should have preferred to signify, in other wise, on the title-page my grateful acknowledgment of the vital assistance given to this book by Dr. John S. P. Tatlock of the University of Michigan. He has read all the text in manuscript, or proof, and in very few instances have I dissented from his emendations. The insight and supervision of his thorough scholarship have been of the utmost benefit to this undertaking. PERCY MACKAYE. CORNISH, New Hampshire, August, 1904. IX Contents Page The Prologue . . . . . . . . . .1 The Knight's Tale 20 Words of the Host ......... 67 The Prologue of the Prioress' Tale 68 The Prioress 1 Tale 69 The Prologue of the Nun's Priest's Tale 74 The Nun's Priest's Tale 76 Epilogue to the Nun's Priest's Tale ...... 91 The Physician's Tale 92 Words of the Host ......... 99 The Prologue of the Pardoner's Tale 101 The Pardoner's Tale . . . . . . . . .104 The Wife of Bath's Prologue 116 The Tale of the Wife of Bath 134 The Clerk's Prologue 144 ; The Clerk's Tale 146 xi CONTENTS Page The Squire's Tale 173 The Words of the Franklin 188 The Franklin's Prologue . 189 The Franklin's Tale 189 The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue . . . . . . .210 The Canon's Yeoman's Tale . . . , . . .214 Notes . . . 231 i Illustrations Forth we rode when day began to spring .... Frontispiece Facing page Palamon desireth to slay his foe Arcite . . , .36 Therewith he brought us out of Town . .... 68 The three Rogues search in the woods for Death . . .108 So much of Dalliance and fair Speech . . . . .138 There came a Knight upon a Steed of Brass . . . .174 The Prologue Here beginneth the book of the Tales of Canterbury. WHEN April with his sweet showers hath pierced to the root the drought of March and bathed every vine in liquid the virtue of which maketh the flowers to start, &v when eke Zephirus with his sweet breath hath quickened the tender shoots in every heath and holt, and the young sun hath sped his half course in the Ram, and the little birds make their melodies and all the night sleep with open eye, so nature pricketh them in their hearts, then folk long to go on pilgrimages and palmers to seek strange shores to the far shrines of saints known in sundry lands; and especially from every shire's end of England they journey to Canterbury to visit the holy blessed Martyr, that hath helped them when they were sick. It befell on a day in that season, as I rested at the Tabard in Southwark, ready to wend on my pilgrimage to Canterbury, with heart full devout, that at night there was come into that hostel a company of sundry folk, full nine and twenty, by chance fallen in fellowship, and all were pilgrims that would ride toward Canterbury. The chambers and stables were spacious, and fairly were we entertained ; and in brief, when the sun was at rest, I had so spoken with every one of them that anon I was of their fellowship, and made agreement to rise early and take our way whither I told you. Natheless, while I have time and space, ere I pass farther in this tale, methinketh it reasonable to tell you all the character 1 THE CANTERBURY TALES of each of them, as it seemed to me, what folk they were, and of what estate, and eke in what accoutrement ; and first, then, I will begin with a knight. A Knight a worthy man there was, that since the time when first he rode out, loved chivalry, truth and honour, courtesy and liberality. Full valiant he was in battle for his lord, and eke had ridden, no man farther, in Christendom and heathenesse ; and ever was honoured for his valour. He was at Alexandria when it was won. Full many a time in Prussia he had sat first at board above all the nations. In Lithuania he had warred and in Russia, no Christian of his degree so oft. In Granada eke he had been at the siege of Algezir and ridden into Belmarye. He was at Satalye and Lyeys when they were won; and in the Great Sea he had been with many a noble army. He had been at fifteen mortal battles, and fought for our faith thrice in the lists at Tramissene, and aye slain his foe. This same worthy Knight eke had fought once for the lord of Palatye against another heathen host in Turkey. And evermore he had a sov- ereign repute. And though he was valorous, he was wise, and as meek of his bearing as a maid. He never yet in all his life spake discourtesy to any manner of man. He was a very perfect gentle knight. But to tell you of his accoutrement, his horses were good, but he was not gaily clad. He wore a tunic of fustian, all rust- stained by his coat of mail; for he was lately come from his travel, and went to make his pilgrimage. With him was his son, a young Squire, a lusty novice in arms and a lover, with locks curled as they had been laid in press. He was, as I ween, some twenty years of age. In stature he was of moderate height, and wondrous nimble and great of strength. He had sometime been in the wars in Flanders, Artois and 2 THE PROLOGUE Picardy, and borne him well, for so little time, in hope to stand in his lady's grace. He was embroidered like a mead all full of fresh flowers red and white ; all day long he was singing or piping on the flute; he was as fresh as the month of May. His gown was short, with sleeves wide and long. Well could he sit his horse and ride fairly. He could make songs and well endite a thing, joust and dance eke, and draw well and write. So hot he loved that by night he slept no more than the nightingale. He was courteous, lowly and diligent to serve, and carved before his father at table. A Yeoman had this knight, and no other servants at that time, for he list to ride so. This yeoman was clad in a coat and hood of green, and bore a sheaf of peacock-arrows bright and sharp full thriftily under his belt. He could dress his hunting- tackle like a true yeoman; his arrow-feathers were not draggled out of line. In his hand he bare a mighty bow ; and well he knew all the practice of wood-craft. He had a head round like a nut, and a brown visage. On his arm he bare a gay bracer, and by his side a buckler and sword, and on the other side a gay dagger, well harnessed and sharp as a spear-point. On his breast was a medal of Saint Christopher, of bright silver. He bare a horn, with baldric of green. I deem in good sooth he was a forester. There was eke a nun, a Prioress, that was of her smiling full simple and quiet. Her greatest oath was but by St. Loy. And she was called Madame Eglantine. Full well she sung divine service, full seemly intoned in her nose. And French she spake fair and prettily, after the school of Stratford-atte-Bow, for to her French of Paris was unknown. At meat she was well taught ; she let no morsel fall from her lips, nor wet her fingers deep in her sauce. She could carry well a morsel, and take good heed 3 THE CANTERBURY TALES that no drop fell on her breast. Full much she took pleasure in good-breeding. She wiped her upper lip so clean that, when she had drunk her draught, no bit of grease could be seen in her cup ; and she reached full seemly after her meat, and in truth she was very diverting and full pleasant and amiable of bearing, and took pains to imitate the manners of court, and be stately of demeanour, and to be held worthy of highest respect. But to speak of her conscience, she was so charitable and pitiful, she would weep if she saw a mouse caught in a trap, if it were dead or bleeding. Small hounds she had, that she fed with roast flesh, or milk and cake-bread ; but sore she wept if one of them died, or men smote it sharply with a rod; and all was conscience and tender heart. Full seemly her wimple was fluted ; her nose was prettily shaped, her eyes grey as glass, her mouth small and thereto full soft and red. But verily her forehead was fair; I trow it was almost a span high, for certainly she was not undergrown. Her cloak was full graceful, as I was ware. About her arm she wore, of small coral, a set of beads with knobs of green, and thereon hung a brooch of bright gold, on which was writ first a crowned A and afterward Amor vincit omnia. Another nun she had with her, who was her chaplain, and three Priests. A Monk there was, passing worthy, a bailiff to his house, who loved hunting; a manly man, well fit to be abbot. He had many a dainty horse in stable, and when he rode, men might hear his bridle jingling in a whistling wind as clear and loud as the chapel-bell, where this lord was prior. Because the rule of Saint Maur or of Saint Benedict was old and somewhat strait, this same monk let old tilings pass, and held his course after the new world. He gave not a plucked hen for that text which saith hunters 4 THE PROLOGUE be not holy, nor that a monk cloisterless is likened to a fish water- less, that is to say a monk out of his convent; that text he held not worth an oyster; and I said to him his opinion was good. "> ^ Why should he study and make himself mad poring alway upon a book in a cloister, or drudge and labour with his hands as Austin biddeth? How shall the world be served? Let Austin have his drudgery kept for himself. Therefore, in good sooth, he was a hard spurrer; he had greyhounds, as swift as fowl in flight ; and all his heart was set in spurring and hunting the hare ; for at no cost would he refrain. I saw his sleeves edged at the wrist with grey fur, and that the finest in the land ; and to fasten his hood at the throat he had a pin curiously wrought of gold, with a love-knot at the larger end. His head was bald and shone as a glass, and eke his face as if he had been anointed. He was in good trim, a full fat lord. His eyes glittered and rolled in his head, and glowed as the furnace beneath a cauldron. His boots were supple, his horses in fine case. Certainly he was a fair prelate; he was not pale as a purgatorial ghost; a fat swan he loved best of any flesh. His palfrey was as brown as a berry. A Friar there was, jocund and wanton, a limiter, a self- important man. In all the four orders there is none that knoweth so much of dalliance and fair speech. He had made full many a marriage of young women at his own cost. He was a noble pillar unto his order, full well beloved and familiar with frank- lins everywhere in his country, and also with worthy women of the town. For he had power of confession, as himself said, more than a parson, for he was licentiate of his order. Full sweetly he heard confession, and pleasant was his absolution; he was a com- plaisant man to grant penance, whereso he wist he should get a good meal. For to give unto a poor order is a sign that a man is 5 THE CANTERBURY TALES well shriven, for if a man gave, he avowed he wist that he was repentant; for many a man is so hard of heart that he may not weep, although he be sore in pain; therefore instead of prayers and weeping, men may give silver to the poor friars. His tippet was aye stuffed full of knives and pins, to give unto fair dames ; and he had in sooth a merry voice; he could sing well and play on the harp. At singing ballads he gained the palm utterly. His neck was s white as the flower-de-luce^ and eke he was as strong as a champion. He knew the taverns in every town and the . innkeepers and tapsters better than the lepers and beggars. For it accorded not with the dignity of such a worthy man to have acquaintance with sick lepers. It is not seemly, it doth not profit, to deal with such poor rubbish, but rather with rich folk and victuallers. And whereso profit might arise, he was courteous and lowly in serving. Nowhere was there a man so efficacious; he was the best beggar of his order ; for though a widow had never a shoe, yet was his ff ln principle" so pleasant, that ere he went he would have a farthing. The proceeds of his begging were better far than his rents. And he could romp like a whelp. On love-days he could effect much ; for there he was not like a clois- tral monk, or a poor scholar with threadbare cloak, but he was like a doctor or pope. His semicope was of double worsted and fresh from the press stood out round like a bell. For his wanton- ness somewhat lie lisped, to make his English sweet on his tongue] and in his harping, when he had done singing, v his eyes twinkled in his head right as the stars in the frosty night.) This worthy limiter was called Huberd. A Merchant with a forked beard there was, in motley, and he sat high on horse, a Flandrish beaver-hat on his head, his boots clasped neat and fair. His opinions he spake full grandly, 6 THE PROLOGUE alway tending to the increase of his own winnings. He would that the sea were guarded at any cost betwixt Middleburgh and Orwell. He knew well how to profit by the exchange on French crowns. This worthy man well employed his wit; no man wist that he was in debt, so stately was he of behaviour in his bargains and borrowings. Truly he was a worthy man, but to say sooth, I wot not how men call him. There was also a Clerk of Oxford, that had long gone unto lectures on logic. His horse was as lean as a rake, and he himself was not right fat, I warrant, but looked hollow and eke sober. His outer cape was full threadbare, for he had got him as yet no benefice, nor was so worldly as to have secular employment. For he had liefer have at his bed-side twenty books of Aristotle's philosophy, clad in black or red, than rich robes, or a fiddle, or gay psaltery. Albeit he was a philosopher, yet he had but little gold in his chest, but all that he might gain from his friends he spent on books and learning, and busily did pray for the souls of them that gave him wherewith to attend the schools. Of study he took most heed and care. Not one word he spake more than was needful, and that was said short and quick and full of high import, form and reverence. His discourse ever tended to moral virtue, and gladly he would learn and gladly would teach. There was also a Sergeant-at-law, ware and wise, that had often been at Paul's church-porch. Full rich of excellence he was, discreet and of great importance; or such he seemed, his words were so sage. He was full oft justice in assize by patent and perpetual commission. For his knowledge and his high renown he had many a fee and robe. There was nowhere so great a buyer of land; all proved fee simple to him; his titles 7 THE CANTERBURY TALES might not be made null. Nowhere was so busy a man as he, and yet he seemed busier than he was. He had in set terms all the cases and judgments that had befallen since the time of King William. He could eke compose and make a deed; no wight could pick a flaw in his forms, and he knew every statute in full by heart. He rode simply in a motley coat, girt with a silk girdle with narrow bosses. Of his garb I tell no longer tale. With him there was a Franklin; white was his beard as the daisy, and ruddy he was of complexion. He loved well of a morning a sop in wine. To live in delight was ever his wont, for he was the own son of Epicurus, who held the opinion that the highest good verily standeth in pleasure. He was a householder, and that a great, a very Saint Julian in his own country. His bread and ale were alway of one excellence; was nowhere a man with a better store of wine. His house w r as never without great pasties of fish and flesh, and that so plentiful that in his house it snowed meat and drink and all dainties men could devise. According to the sundry seasons of the year, so he changed his fare. Many a fat partridge had he in mew, and in his pond many a bream and luce. Woe to his cook, if his sauce were not poignant and sharp and all his gear ready. All the long day his solid board stood ready covered in his hall. At sessions he was lord and master, and full oft he was knight of the shire in Parliament. At hi^fcdle hung a dagger and a silken pouch, white as morn- mgjj^^K. He had been an auditor and a sheriff; nowhere was therePsuch a worthy country gentleman. ^ An Haberdasher, a Carpenter, a Weaver, a Dyer and a Draper were also with us, clothed all in the like livery of a great and important guild. Full fresh and new their gear was trimmed, their girdles and their pouches. Their knives were not capped 8 with brass, but with silver, wrought full clean and well. Eaeh of them well seemed a fair burgess, to sit on a dais in a guild-hall. Each for wisdom was fit to be head of his fraternity. For they had enough of goods and income, and eke their wives would soon agree; and else they were certainly in fault. It is full fair to be called "madame" and walk to ^igils before the rest, and have a mantle borne regally. A Cook they had with them for the journey, to boil chickens, with the marrow-bones, and with spicy powders and sweet cyperus. Well knew he a draught of London ale. He could roast, seethe, broil, fry, make broths and well bake a pasty. Capon stew he made, no man better. But it was great pity, methought, that on hisjahin he had a sore. A Shipman there was that dwelt far in the west; for aught I wot, he was of Dartmouth. He rode upon a nag as well as he knew how, in a gown of serge as far as the knee. On a lace about his neck he had a dagger, hanging down under his arm. The hot summer had made his hue all brown. He was certainly a good fellow ; full many a draught of wine he had privily drawn on voyage from Bordeaux, while the merchant slept. For nice conscience he cared not a straw. If he fought and had the upper hand of his enemies, he sent them home to every country by water. But in skill to be wary against danger, to reckon well his tides, his currents, his harbour, his pilotage and his was none such from Hull to Carthage. He was har dent in a venture. By many a tempest his beard hacr oeen shaken. He knew well all the havens from Gothland to the Cape of Finisterre, and every creek in Spain and Brittany. His barge was called the Maudelayne. A Doctor of Physic was with us; in all this world there was 9 THE CANTERBURY TALES none like him for surgery and physic, for he was well grounded in astrology. He watched well times and seasons for his patient by his natural magic; well could he choose a fortunate ascendent for his images. He knew the cause of every ailment, were it of hot humour or cold, moist or dry, and where it was engendered, and of what humour. He was verily a perfect practitioner. The cause known, and the root of his ill, straightway he gave the sick man his remedy. He had his apothecaries full ready to send him his drugs and sirups, for each of them made the other to gain; their friendship was not lately begun. He knew well old Esculapius and eke old Hippocrates, Deiscorides, Rufus, Haly, Galen, Razis, Avicenna, Serapion, Averroes, Damascien, Con- stantine, Bernard, Gilbertine and Gatesden. In his diet he used measure, with no superfluity therein, but great nourishment and ease of digestion. His meditation was but little on the Bible. He was clad all in sanguine and blue, lined with taffeta and sarcenet ; and yet he was but moderate in expenditure ; he kept what he won in time of pestilence; for gold in physic is a cordial; wherefore he loved gold especially. A good Wife there was from near Bath, but she was somewhat deaf and that was pity. She had such skill in making cloth that she surpassed them of Ypres and Ghent. In all the parish was no wife that should walk before her to the offering; but if any did, sooth, she was so wroth that she was clean out of charity. Her kerchiefs were wove full fine ; I durst swear they weighed ten pound that were on her head of a Sunday ; her hose were of fine scarlet, tied full close, and her shoes full new and supple. Her face was bold, fair and red of hue. All her life she was a worthy woman ; she had had five husbands at church-door, to say naught of other company in youth, but thereof needeth not now to speak. 10 THE PROLOGUE Thrice she had been at Jerusalem; she had passed many a far stream. She had been at Rome and Bologna, at Saint James in Galicia, and at Cologne. She knew much of wandering by the way. To speak the sooth, she was gap-toothed. She sat easily upon an ambler, well wimpled, and on her head an hat as broad as a buckler or a target, a foot-mantle about her large hips and on her feet a pair of sharp spurs. Well could she laugh and banter in company. I dare adventure she knew of remedies of love, for she knew the old dance in that art. A good man of religion there was, a poor Parson of a town, but rich in holy thought and labour. He was also a learned man, a clerk, that would preach truly Christ's gospel, and devoutly instruct his parishioners. Benign he was, wondrous diligent and full patient in adversity; and such he was proved oftentimes. Full hateful it were to him to excommunicate for his tithes, and rather in truth would he give unto his poor parishioners of the offerings at church, yea, and of his own substance. In scanty goods he could find sufficiency. His parish was wide and the houses far apart, but rain or thunder stayed him not, in sickness or misfortune, to visit the farthest in his parish, great and small, on foot and in his hand a staff. This noble ensample he gave to his sheep, that he wrought first and afterward taught. These words he took from the Gospel, and thereto he added eke this figure, that if gold rust what shall iron do? For if a priest be foul, in whom we confide, no wonder a layman rusteth; and let a priest take heed how shameful is a defiled shepherd and a clean sheep. A priest ought well to show by the good ensample of his cleanness how hjs sheep should live. He let not his benefice out for gold, nor left his sheep cumbered in the mire, nor ran unto Saint Paul's in London, to seek a chantry for rich men's souls, 11 THE CANTERBURY TALES or to be retained in an abbey, but dwelt at home and kept well his fold, so that the wolf made it not miscarry ; he was a shepherd and no hireling. Yet though he was virtuous and holy he was not pitiless to a sinful man, nor haughty and aloof of his speech, but in his teaching wise and benign. To draw folk to heaven by fair living and good ensample was his busy endeavour; unless it were some obdurate person. Him, whatsoever he were, of high or low degree, he would chide sharply for his sin. I trow there was nowhere a better priest. He claimed no pomp and venera- tion, nor made himself a nice conscience, but taught the lore of Christ and his twelve apostles, and first he followed it himself. There was with him a Plowman, his brother, that had drawn full many a cart-load of dung. He was a true toiler, and a good, living in peace and perfect charity. He loved God best with his whole heart at all times, in joy or heaviness, and then his neigh- bour, even as himself. For Christ's sake he would thresh and eke delve and ditch for every poor wight without hire, if it lay in his power. He paid his tithes full fair and well, both of his own labour and of his goods. He rode in a tabard upon a mare. There were also a Reeve and a Miller, a Summoner and a Par- doner, a Manciple and myself; there were no more. The Miller was a stout churl, full big of brawn and bones, as was well proved, for wheresoever he went, he would win alway the ram at wrestling. He was short-shouldered and broad, a thick, gnarled fellow. There was no door he would not heave off its hinges, or break with his skull at a running. His beard was red as a sow or fox, and broad eke as though it were a spade. Upon the very tip of his nose he had a wart, and thereon stood a tuft of hairs as red as a sow's ear-bristles. His nostrils were black and wide ; his mouth as great as a great furnace. A sword 12 THE PROLOGUE and buckler he bare beside him. He was a prattler and a buffoon, and his prating was most of ribaldries and sin. Well could he steal corn and take his toll thrice of what he ground; yet par dee he had a thumb of gold. A white coat he wore and a blue hood. Well could he blow and sound the bagpipe, and therewith he brought us out of town. A worthy Manciple there was of an Inn of Court, of whom stewards might take ensample how to be wise in buying victual.- F* For whether he paid, or took on credit, alway he was so wary in his dealing that he was aye before others and in good case. Now is not that a fair grace from God that such a plain man's wit shall surpass the wisdom of an heap of learned clerks? More than thrice ten masters he had that were careful and expert in law, of whom in that house there were a dozen worthy to be stewards of rent and estate to any lord that is in England, and to let him live by his own property in honour, without debt, unless he were mad, or live as sparsely as he list men able to help a whole shire in any case that might betide, and yet this Manciple hoodwinked them all. The Reeve was a slender, bilious man. His beard was shaven as nigh as ever he could; his hair by his ears was shorn round, and docked in front like a priest. Full long were his legs and full lean, like a staff ; no calf could ye see. Well could he keep a bin and garner, that there was no auditor could prove him in fault. Well wist he in drought or showery season, how much his seed and grain should yield. His lord's sheep, his dairy, his cattle, his swine, his horses, his stores and his poultry were wholly under the governance of this reeve, who by his covenant had given the reckoning thereof since his lord was twenty years of age; no man could find him in arrears. There was no bailiff, nor herds- 13 THE CANTERBURY TALES man, nor any other hind, but he knew his trickery and deceit; they dreaded him as the death. He could buy better than his lord. Full richly had he stored for himself in private; of his subtlety well could he please his lord by giving and lending him of his lord's own wealth, and win thanks therefor and eke a coat and hood. His dwelling was full fair on an heath; the place was shadowed by green trees. In youth he had learned a good trade; he was an excellent wright, a carpenter. This reeve sat on a full good cob that was dapple-grey and named Scot. He had on a long surcoat of blue, and bare at his side a rusty blade. He was of Northfolk, from nigh a town men call Baldeswelle. His coat was tucked up about him, like a friar's, and he rode ever the last of our troup. A Summoner was with us there, that had a fire-red, cherub's face, for he was pimpled with salt rheum, and his eyes were slit small. He was as wanton and hot as a sparrow, with scald black brows and scurfy beard. Children were afraid of his face. There was no quicksilver, litharge nor brimstone, borax, nor white- lead, cream of tartar, nor ointment that will corrode and cleanse, that might help him of his white blotches, nor of the knobs on his face. Well he loved garlick, onions and leeks, and to drink strong wine, red as blood. Then he would talk and shout, as if he were mad. And when he had drunk of the wine full deep, then would he speak no word but Latin. He had a few terms, three or four, that he had learned out of some decrees; no wonder he heard them all day long; and eke ye know well how a jay can cry "Watt!" as well as the pope could. But if a wright should test him in other Latin, then had he spent all his learning, and aye he would shout "Questio quid juris." He was a worthy rogue and a kind, a better fellow is not to be met with ; for a quart of 14 THE PROLOGUE ale, he would suffer a good fellow to pursue his vices a twelve month, and excuse him fully. Full privily eke could he fleece a dupe. And if he found a good fellow anywhere, he would teach him in such cases to have no awe of the archdeacon's excommuni- cation; unless the man's soul were in his purse, for it was but in his purse he should be punished. "Purse," said he, "is the arch- deacon's hell." But I wot in right sooth he lied. Every guilty man ought to dread excommunication, for Holy Church's curse will slay, even as absolution saveth. And also let him beware of a significavit nobis. He had at his mercy the indiscreet young folk of the diocese, and knew their secrets and was the adviser of them all. On his head he had set a garland as great as if it were for an ale-house sign ; and he had with him a round-loaf for a shield. There rode with him a gentle Pardoner, of the house of Blessed Mary in Charing, his friend and his gossip, that straight was come from the court of Rome. Full loud he sung "Come hither, love, to me!" This Summoner bare him a stiff bass, that never trumpet was of half so great a sound. This Pardoner had hair as yellow as honey, hanging smooth by ounces like a hank of flax, and therewith he overspread his shoulders, but it lay thin in locks, one by one. In sport, he wore no hood, for it was trussed up in his wallet, and save for his cap, he rode bare-headed, with locks dangling ; he thought he went all in the new style. He had such glaring eyes as an hare. He had sewed a vernicle on his cap, and before him on his pommel lay his wallet, brimful of pardons all hot from Rome. He had a voice as small as a goat. He had no beard nor ever should have ; his face was as smooth as though it were lately shaven. But in his trade there was not such another pardoner from Berwick unto Ware. For in his wallet he had a 15 THE CANTERBURY TALES pillow-case, which he said was our Lady's veil ; he had a scrap, he said, of the sail that Saint Peter had what time he walked upon the sea when Jesu Christ caught him. He had a latten cross all set with feigned jewels, and in a glass he had pig's bones. With these relics, when he found a poor parson dwelling in the country, he got more money in one day than the parson got in two months ; and thus by flattery and tricks of dissembling, he made the people and the parson his apes. But, to end with, he was in truth a noble ecclesiast in church; well could he read a tale or a lesson, but best of all, sing an offertory ; for he wist well when that song was ended, he must preach and file his tongue to win silver, as well he knew how. Therefore he sung so merry and loud. Now have I told you in a few words the rank, the equip- ment and the number of this company, and eke why it was assembled in Southwark at this gentle hostel that is called the Tabard, hard by the Bell. But now it is time to describe unto you how we bare us that same night, when we had dismounted at that hostelry. And afterward I will tell of our journey, and all the remnant of our pilgrimage. But first of your courtesy I pray you that ye ascribe it not to my rudeness in this narrative, though I speak plainly in telling you their words and their cheer; nor though I speak their very words. For this ye know as well as I, whosoever shall tell a tale after a man must rehearse each word as nigh as ever he is able, if it be in his scope, speak he never so rudely and broad, or else he must needs tell his tale untrue, or feign things, or find new words. He may not spare any wight, although it were his brother ; he must as well say one word as the next. Christ himself spake full broad in holy writ, and well ye wot it is no coarseness. Plato eke saith whosoever can interpret him the word must be cousin to the deed. Also I pray your 16 THE PROLOGUE forgiveness if here in this tale I have not set folk in their just degree as they should be placed; my wit is short, ye may understand. Our host made great cheer for us one and all, and seated us anon at supper, and served us with victual as well as might be. The wine was strong and well we list to drink. A seemly man was our host, to have been a marshal in a hall; a large man, with dancing eyes; there is no fairer burgess in Cheapside; bold of his speech, wise and well taught; and he lacked right nothing of manhood; and he was eke a merry man. After supper he began to sport; and after we had paid our reckonings, he spake of mirth among other matters, and said thus: "Now, lordings, in sooth ye be right welcome to me heartily; for by my troth I saw not this year so merry a company at once in this hostel as is here this night. Fain would I make you some mirth, if I wist how. And even now I bethink me of a mirth to please you, and it shall cost naught. Ye go to Canter- bury ; God speed you ; the blessed martyr quit you your guerdon. And I wot well as ye go your way, ye purpose to tell tales and to sport; for truly there is no comfort nor mirth to ride by the way dumb as a stone; and therefore, as I said erst, I will make you some disport and pleasance. And if it liketh you all, with one mind, to stand now by my judgment and to do as I shall tell you, to-morrow when ye ride by the way, now, by my father's soul in heaven, if ye be not merry I will give you my head. Hold up your hands, without more words." Our counsel was not long to seek; it seemed not worth while to make any bones of it, and we gave him our assent without more deliberation, and bade him, as he list, say his verdict. "Lordings," quoth he, "now hearken, but I pray you take it 17 THE CANTERBURY TALES not with contempt; this is the point, to speak short and plain, that each of you on this journey, to shorten our way withal, shall tell two tales, on the road to Canterbury I mean, and on the road homeward he shall tell other two, of adventures that have befallen whilom. And he of you that beareth him best of all, that is to say, that telleth for this occasion tales of best instruc- tion and most pleasance, shall have a supper, at the cost of us all, here in this place, sitting at this post, when we come from Canter- bury again. And to make you the merrier, I will myself gladly go with you, at mine own cost, and be your guide. And whosoever shall gainsay my judgment shall pay all that we spend on the road. And if ye vouchsafe that it be so, tell me straightway without more words, and I will early prepare me therefor." This thing was granted and our oaths sworn with full glad heart, and we prayed him also that he would vouchsafe to do as he had said, and be our governor, and the judge and umpire of our tales, and provide a supper at a certain price; and we would be ruled by his decision in high and low; and thus, with one mind, we accorded to his judgment. And thereupon the wine was fetched. We drank and went everyone to rest with- out any longer delay. On the morrow, when day began to spring, our host uprose and was chaunticleer to us all, and gathered us together all in a flock, and forth we rode, at a little more than a walk, unto the watering-place of Saint Thomas. There our host began to rein in his horse, and said: "Lordings, hearken if ye list. Ye wot your agreement and I remind you of it. If even-song accord with morning-song, now let see who shaU tell the first story. As ever I hope to drink ale or wine, whosoever is rebel to my judgment shall pay for all that is bought by the way. Now draw cuts, ere we ride farther. He 18 THE PROLOGUE that hath the shortest shall begin. Sir Knight, my lord and master, draw thy cut now, for that is my will. Come nearer, my lady Prioress; and ye, sir Clerk, let be your shyness and ponder not; every man, lay hand to!" Straightway every wight began to draw; and to tell briefly how it was, were it by chance or by fate or by luck, the truth is the lot fell to the Knight, for which everyone was full blithe and glad; and he must tell his tale, as was reasonable in accord- ance with the promise and agreement which ye have heard ; what need of more words? And when this good man saw it was so, as one that was sensible and obedient in keeping his willing promise, he said : "Sith I shall begin the sport, why, welcome be the cut, in God's name! Let us ride now, and hearken what I shall say." And with that word we rode forward. And he, with full merry cheer, began anon his tale, and said in this sort. Here endeih the prologue of this book; and here beginneth the first tale, which is the Knight's Tale. The Knight's Tale Jamque domos patrias, Scithice post aspera gentis Prelia, laurigero, c. WHILOM, as old stories tell us, there was a duke name( Theseus, governor and lord of Athens, and in his time such a conqueror that beneath the sun there was no one greater. Full many a rich country had he won; with his wisdom and his knighthood he conquered all the realm of Femeny, that before was called Scythia ; he wedded Ipolita the queen, and brought her home with him in much glory and great splendour, and eke her young sister Emily._ Thus with victory and with melody leave I this noble duke riding to Athens, with all his host in arms behind him. And certes, if it were not too long to hear, I would tell you fully the manner how the realm of Femeny was won by Theseus and his knights; and of the great battle betwixt the Athenians and the Amazons, and how this fair valiant Queen Ipolita was besieged; and of the festival at her marriage and the tempest at her home-coming. But all this I must now forbear to tell. God wot, I have a large field to furrow, and weak are the oxen in my plough. The remnant of the tale is long enough. And besides I would not hinder any of this company; let every com- rade tell his story in turn and we shall see now who is to win the supper. So I will begin again where I left. 20 THE KNIGHT'S TALE When this duke that I speak of was come almost to the town in all his pomp and happiness, as he cast his eye on one side he was ware how there was kneeling in the highway a company of ladies, two and two in order, clad in black, making such a cry and such a woe that no creature living in this world heard such another lamentation; and they never stopped their cries till they had caught the reins of his bridle. "What folk be ye that at my home-coming disturb my festival so with cries?" quoth Theseus. "Have ye so great ill-will toward my glory, that ye lament thus and wail? Or who hath insulted or injured you? Tell me if it may be amended, and why ye be thus clothed in black." The eldest lady of them all spake, after she had swooned with face so deathlike that it was piteous to see and hear: "Lord, to whom Fortune hath granted victory, and to live as a conqueror, your glory and honour grieve us not, but we beg for mercy and succour. Show thy grace upon our distress and woe of thy nobleness let fall some drop of pity upon us unhappy women. For truly, lord, there is not one of us all but hath been a duchess or a queen; now are we poor wretches, as thou seest, thanks to Fortune and her false wheel that unto no rank assureth well- being. And verily, lord, here in the temple of the Goddess Clemence we have been waiting this whole fortnight against your coming. Now help us, lord, sith it lieth in thy power. I, wretched woman, who thus weep and wail was whilom wife to King Capaneus, who died at Thebes, cursed be that day ! And all we who be in this plight and make all this lament lost our husbands at that town while the siege lay about it. Yet now, alack! the old Creon who is lord of Thebes, full of vice and iniquity, hath done scorn to the dead bodies of all our lords, and 21 THE CANTERBURY TALES of his tyranny and malice hath had them drawn on a heap, and by no means will suffer them to be either buried or burned, but in despite maketh hounds to eat them." And with that word at once they fell all on their faces, piteously crying, "Have some mercy on us wretched women, and let our sorrow sink into thy heart." This gentle duke leapt from his courser with compassionate mood ; it seemed to him his heart would break when he saw them so cast down who were wont to be of such high estate. He caught them all up in his arms, earnestly comforted them, and swore his oath, as he was true knight, that he would go so far as his power might reach to avenge them upon the tyrant Creon, who had well deserved death; so that all the people of Greece should tell how Creon was served by Theseus. And anon he displayed his banner, without more tarrying, and rode forth toward Thebes and all his host behind him; no nearer Athens would he ride, nor take his ease even half a day, but slept that night on the road forth, and anon sent Ipolita the queen and her fair young sister Emily to abide in the town of Athens, and forth he rode ; I have no more to tell. The red figure of Mars, with spear and targe, so shineth in his broad white banner that the light glanceth up and down the field, and beside his banner is borne his pennon of full rich gold, in which was beaten out the Minotaur which he slew in Crete. Thus rideth this duke, thus rideth this conqueror, and the flower of chivalry in his host, till he came to Thebes and dis- mounted fairly in a field where he thought it best to fight. But to speak shortly of this matter, he fought with Creon the king, and slew him in manly fashion in open battle, and put his folk to flight; then he won the city by assault, and rent down both 22 THE KNIGHT'S TALE wall, beam, and rafter; and restored to the ladies the bones of their slain husbands that they might do their obsequies as was then wonted. But it were all too long to describe the great clamour and wailing that the ladies made when the bodies were (fl^ burned, or the great honour which Theseus did them when they parted from him; to tell shortly is mine intent. When thus the worthy duke had slain Creon and won the city of Thebes, he took his rest for the night in that field and then dealt with all the country as he would. After the battle, the pillagers were busy searching in the heaps of corpses and stripping them of their harness and gar- ments, and so befell that they found in the pile, gashed through with many a grievous bloody wound, two young knights lying hard by each other, both in one coat-of -arms full richly wrought, not fully alive nor quite dead. By their coat-armour and their equipment, the heralds knew them well among the rest as of the blood royal of Thebes and born of two sisters. Out of the heap the pillagers drew them, and gently carried them to the tent of Theseus, who full soon sent them to Athens, to dwell in prison perpetually; he would have no ransom. And when this worthy duke had done thus, he took his host and anon rode homeward, crowned with laurel as a victor. And there he liveth in honour and joy all his life; what needeth more words? And in a tower in anguish and woe dwell this Palamon and eke Arcite forever- more, no gold may free them. Thus passed day by day and year after year till it befell once on a May-morrow that Emily, that was fairer to look upon than the lily is upon its green stalk, and fresher than the May with its new flowers for her bloom was like the rose, I know not which was the fairer of the two ere it were day, as was her wont, 23 THE CANTERBURY TALES she was arisen and ready clad. For May will have no sluggardry at night, but pricketh every gentle heart and raiseth out of sleep and saith "Arise, and do thine observance to the season.'* Thus Emily had remembrance to rise and do honour to May. She was clothed all brightly, and her yellow hair was braided behind in a tress a full yard long. In the garden at the sun- rising she walketh up and down, and where she will she gathereth flowers white and scarlet to make a delicate garland for her head, and singeth like an angel in heaven. Close to the garden-wall by which Emily took her pastime rose the great tower, thick and strong, and chief donjon of the castle, where the knights were in prison of whom I told you and shall tell more. Bright was the sun and clear the morning; and Palamon the woeful prisoner was gone up as he was wont, by leave of his gaoler, and roamed in a chamber on high, whence he saw all the noble city and the garden eke, full of green branches, where Emily the fresh and fair was wandering. This sorrowful prisoner went roaming to and fro in the chamber lamenting to himself. "Alas," he said full oft, "alas that he was born!" And so befell by adventure or chance that through a window, thick with many a bar of iron great and square, he cast his eye upon Emily; and therewith, as though he were stung to the heart, he started and cried, "Ah!" At that cry anon Arcite started up, saying, "Cousin mine, what aileth thee, that thou art so pale and deathlike to look upon? What is this cry? What troubleth thee? For God's love, take our imprisonment in patience, for it may be no otherwise. This adversity is given us by Fortune; some evil disposition or aspect of Saturn toward some constellation hath given us this, though we had sworn to the contrary. So stood the heaven when we were born. We must endure it, that is all." 24 THE KNIGHT'S TALE Palamon answered, "Cousin, in sooth thine imagining here is vain. This prison caused not my clamour, but I was hurt right now through mine eye into my heart, and it will be my bane. The fairness of that lady that I see yonder in the garden roam- ing to and fro is cause of all my woe and crying. I wot not whether she be woman or goddess. Soothly Venus it is, I think." And therewith down he fell on his knees, and said, "Venus, if it be your will thus to transfigure you in this garden before me, sorrowful wretched creature, help that we may scape out of this prison. And if so be my destiny be shapen by eternal word to die in prison, have some pity of our lineage that by tyranny is brought so low." And with that word Arcite gan espy where this lady was wandering, and with the sight her beauty hurt him so that if Palamon was grievously wounded, Arcite was hurt as much as he or more; and with a sigh he said piteously: "The fresh beauty slayeth me suddenly of her that roameth in yonder place; and, if I get not her mercy and favour, that I may see her at the least, I am dead, I can say no more." Palamon, when he heard those words, stared fiercely and answered, "Sayest thou this in earnest or sport?" "Nay, by my faith," quoth Arcite, "in earnest; so God help me, I list full ill to sport." Palamon gan knit his two brows. "It were to thee no great honour," quoth he, "to be false and traitor to me that am thy cousin and brother, sworn full deep, as thou to me, that never, though we die under torture, either of us should hinder the other in love, or in any other case, dear brother, till death shall part us two; but thou shouldst truly further me in every case, and I shall further thee this was thine oath and mine also, in faith. 25 THE CANTERBURY TALES I wot right well thou darest not gainsay it. Thus art thou of a truth in my counsel. Yet now thou wouldst falsely go about to love my lady, whom I love and serve, and ever shall till my heart perish. Now by my faith, false Arcite, thou shalt not so. I loved her first and told thee my grief as to my brother sworn to further me, for which thou art bound as a knight to help me if it lie in thy power; or else thou art false, I dare avow." Full proudly Arcite spake again: "Thou shalt prove false rather than I. But thou art false, I tell thee openly, for par amour I loved her ere thou. What wilt thou say? Thou knowest not yet whether she be woman or goddess! Thine is holy affec- tion and mine is love, as toward a creature; wherefore I told thee my hap as to my cousin and sworn brother. I put the case that thou lovedst her first : knowest thou not the old clerk's saw 'Who shall lay a law upon a lover?' Love is a greater law, by my head, than may be laid upon any man on earth, and there- fore human law and decrees are broken every day over all this world for love. A man must needs love, maugre his head; he may not flee love though it should slay him, be she maid or widow or wife. And eke it is not likely that ever in all thy days thou shalt stand in her grace, and no more shall I. For well thou knowest that thou and I be doomed to prison perpetu- ally, no ransom availeth us. We strive like the hounds for the bone; they fought all day, yet they gained naught, for there came a kite above them in their fury and bore away the bone betwixt them both. And therefore at the king's court each man for himself, there is no other rule. Love if thou wilt, for I love and ever shall, and in sooth, dear brother, this is all: here in this prison must we endure, and each of us take his lot." Great and long was the strife betwixt the two, if I had 26 THE KNIGHT'S TALE leisure to tell it; but to the point. It happened on a time (to tell you as shortly as I may) a worthy duke that was called Perotheus, and was fellow to Duke Theseus since they were little children, was come to Athens to visit him and take his pleasure, as he was wont. For in this world he so loved no man, and Theseus loved him as tenderly; so well they loved, as old books say, that when one was dead his fellow went and sought him down in hell (but of that story I care not to speak). Duke Perotheus had known Arcite at Thebes many a year and loved him well, and finally at the prayer of Perotheus, without any ransom, Duke Theseus let him out of prison freely to go where he would, on such terms as I shall tell you. If so be that Arcita were ever found by day or night in any realm of Theseus it was accorded that by the sword he should lose his head; there was no remedy. He taketh his leave and homeward he sped him. Let him beware ; his neck lieth in pledge. How great a sorrow he suffereth now ! He f eeleth the death smite through his heart, he weepeth, waileth, piteously crieth, he looketh privily to slay himself. "Alas the day that I was born!" he said. "Now is my prison worse than before, now am I doomed eternally to abide not in purgatory, but in hell. Alas, that ever I knew Perotheus, for else I had dwelt with Theseus fettered in his prison evermore! Then had I been in bliss and not in this woe; only the sight of her whom I serve, though I might never win her grace, would have well sufficed for me. O dear cousin Palamon," he cried, "thine is the victory in this adventure, full blissfully mayst thou endure in prison. In prison? Nay, but in Paradise. Well hath Fortune turned the die for thee, who hast the sight of her, and I only the longing. For it may well be, since thou hast her presence and art a knight 27 THE CANTERBURY TALES worthy and able, that by some chance of changeful fortune thou mayst attain sometime to thy desire. But I that am exiled and barren of all grace and so out of hope that there is no earth, water, air, nor fire, nor creature made thereof, that may do me help or comfort, well may I perish in misery and despair. Fare- well my gladness and my life ! "Alas, why complain folk so commonly of the providence of God or of fortune, that full oft disposeth them in many a guise better than they can contrive for themselves? One man desireth to have riches, that become cause of his murder or great malady; another would fain be out of his prison, and is slain by his household. Infinite harms follow hence, we know not what we pray for. We fare as he that is drunk as a mouse; a drunken man wot well he hath an home, but wot not which is the right way thither, and to a drunken man the way is slippery. And certes in this world so we fare; much we seek after felicity, but full often we go wrong. Thus may we well say and I above all, who weened that, if I might escape, I should be in joy and perfect weal; yet now am I exiled from my happiness. Sith I may not see you, Emily, I die, there is no help." On the other side, Palamon, when he wist that Arcite was gone, made such sorrow that the great tower resounded with his clamour. The very fetters on his great shins were wet with salt and bitter tears. "Alack!" quoth he, "Arcite, my cousin, of all our strife, God wot thine is the fruit. Thou walkest now in Thebes at large and heedest my woe but little. With thy pru- dence and manhood thou mayst assemble all the folk of our kindred, and make so sharp a war on this city that by some chance or treaty thou mayst have her to lady and wife for whom I must needs die. Great may be thy hopes over me that 28 THE KNIGHT'S TALE perish here in a cage, with all the woes of prison and eke with the pain of love, that doubleth all my torment." Therewith the fire of jealousy flared up and kindled upon his heart so madly that he turned pale as the box-tree or the ashes dead and cold. "O cruel gods," he cried, "that govern this world with the bind- ing of your everlasting decree, and write on tables of adamant your eternal word, why is mankind more bound in duty to you than the sheep that cowereth in the fold? For man is slain like another beast, and dwelleth in prison and hath sickness and adversity, and ofttimes guiltless. What justice is in the Provi- dence that thus tormenteth the innocent? And yet this increaseth my suffering, that man is bound for God's sake to give up his will, where a beast may perform all his desire. And when a beast is dead his trouble is past, but man after his death must weep, though in this world he have care and woe. Well I wot that in this world is misery; let divines explain it if they may. Alas! I see a serpent, or thief, go at large and turn where he list, that hath done mischief to many a true man. But Saturn holdeth me in prison, and eke Juno jealous and furious, that hath destroyed well nigh all the blood of Thebes, and laid its broad walls all waste; and from the other side Venus slayeth me with jealousy and fear of Arcite." The summer passeth, and the long nig Vis increase in double wise the pains both of the free lover and the prisoner. I wot not which hath the woefuller calling. I ask you lovers now, who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamon? The one may see his lady day after day, but perpetually is doomed to prison, to die in chains and fetters; the other may go where he will, but from that country he is exiled upon pain of death, and his lady he may see no more. Judge as ye will, ye that can, for now I will 29 THE CANTERBURY TALES stint of Palamon a little and let him dwell silently in his prison, and I will tell forth of Arcite. Explicit prima pars. Sequitur pars secunda. When Arcite was come to Thebes, full oft a day he swooned ; and, shortly to conclude, so much sorrow had never creature that is or shall be while the world may last. His sleep, his meat, his drink is bereft him, that he waxed lean and dry as a stalk; his eyes hollow and grisly to see, his hue yellow and pale as cold ashes, and ever he was solitary and moaning all the night, and if he heard song or instrument of music, then would he weep and might not refrain; so feeble were his spirits and low and so changed that no man knew his speech or voice. And in his acts he fared not only like the lover's malady of Eros, but for all the world like madness engendered of melancholy humour in the cell of fantasy in his brain. And, shortly, all was turned upside-down, both habit and disposition of this woeful lover Dan Arcite. Why should I endite of his woe all day? When a year or two he had endured this cruel torment, upon a night as he lay in sleep, him seemed how the winged god Mercury stood before him and bade him be merry. His staff of sleep he bore upright in his hand, and wore a hat upon his bright hair, and seemed as when he charmed Argus asleep; and said to him thus: "Thou shalt fare to Athens, there an end of thy woe is decreed." At that Arcite started up. "Now truly, whatever betide," quoth he, "I will to Athens, nor will I spare for the dread of death to look upon my lady whom I love and serve ; in her presence I care not 30 THE KNIGHT'S TALE if I die." And with that word he caught up a great mirror and saw his visage all disfigured with his malady, and anon it ran into his mind that, if he bore him low evermore, he might live in Athens unknown, and see his lady nigh day by day. Then he changed his garb and clad him as a poor labourer, and all alone, save for a squire who knew his privity and was disguised poorly as he was, to Athens he went the next day. At the palace-gate he proffered his service to drudge and draw, whatso men would command him. And shortly to speak of this matter, he fell into office with a chamberlain that dwelt with Emily, and was wise and could soon espy who should serve her best. Well could Arcite hew wood and bear water, for he was young and mighty and big of bones, to do what any wight could appoint him. A year or two he was in this service, a page in the chamber of Emily the bright, and Philostrate he said was his name. But half so well beloved a man of his degree was never in court. He was so noble of disposition that throughout the court went his repute; they said it were a kind deed if Theseus would raise his station and put him in worshipful service, where he might employ his virtue. And thus within a while the name is sprung so wide of his fair speech and deeds that Theseus hath taken him near and made him squire of his chamber and given him gold to maintain his degree ; and eke from year to year full privily men brought him his revenue out of his country, but seemly and slily he spent it, that no man wondered whence it came. Three years in this wise he led his life, and bare him so in peace and war that Theseus held no man dearer. And in this bliss I leave Arcite now, and I will speak a little of Palamon. In darkness and in prison horrible and strong he hath lain this seven year, pining in woe and affliction. Who f eeleth double 31 THE CANTERBURY TALES sorrow and heaviness but Palamon? Love distraineth him so that he goeth mad out of his wit, and thereto he is a prisoner perpetually, not only for a year. Who could properly rhyme in English his martyrdom? In sooth, not I; therefore I pass on as lightly as I can. It fell in the seventh year, in May, the third night (as it is said in old books that tell all this story more at large), were it by fortune or destiny (by which when a thing is decreed it must be), that soon after the midnight, with the helping of a friend, Palamon broke his prison, and fast as he might go, fled the city. For he had given his gaoler drink, made of a certain wine with sleepy drugs and fine opium of Thebes, that all the night the gaoler slept, and might not awake though men should shake him. And thus as fast as ever he may he fleeth. The night is short and the day at hand, that needs he must hide, and to a grove hard by he glideth with fearful foot ; for this was his device, to hide in the grove all day and by night take his journey toward Thebes, to pray his friends to help him war on Theseus; and, shortly, either he would die or win Emily to wife, this is the effect and his full intent. Now will I turn unto Arcite, that little wist how nigh was his dismay till fortune had brought him in the snare. The busy lark, messenger of morning, saluteth in her song the grey dawn; and fiery Phoebus upriseth, that all the orient laugheth with the light, and with his beams drieth in the groves the silver drops hanging on the leaves. And Arcite, who is in the royal court, chief squire to Theseus, is risen, and looketh on the merry morning ; and to do his observance to May, remember- ing what he longeth for, is ridden from out the court into the field a mile or two, to take his pastime on a courser that boundeth 32 THE KNIGHT'S TALE as the flame. And to the grove of which I told you he held his way by chance, to make him a garland, were it of woodbine or of hawthorn-leaves; and loud he sang in the face of the bright sun: "May, with all thy flowers and thy green, welcome be thou, May, the fair and fresh I hope that I shall find some green." With a lusty heart he leaped from his courser into the grove, and in a path he roamed up and down, where by adventure this Palamon was in a bush, that no man might see him, for sore af eared of his death was he. And he knew not that it was Arcite: God wot he would have trowed it full little. But sooth is said many years agone that "field hath eyes and wood hath ears." It is full fair if a man can bear him steady, for every day he meeteth men unlocked for. Little wist Arcite that his fellow was so nigh, to hearken all his words, for in the bush now he sitteth full still. When that Arcite hath roamed his fill and sung lustily all the roundel, suddenly he f alleth into a study, as do these lovers in their odd turns, now in the tree-tops, now down among the briars ; now up, now down, as a bucket in a well. Right as on the Friday, soothly for to say, now it shineth, now it raineth, so can fickle Venus overcast the hearts of her folk; right as her day is fickle, so changeth she her mind. Seldom is the Friday like all the week. When Arcite had sung he began to sigh, and sat him down. "Alas!" quoth he, "alas, that day that I was born! How long through thy cruelty, Juno, wilt thou war against Thebes city? Alas! the blood royal of Amphion and Cadmus is brought to confusion. Cadmus, that was the first man that built Thebes or began the town and was first crowned king, of his lineage am I and his offspring by true line, and of the royal stock ; and 33 THE CANTERBURY TALES now I am so miserable and so enthralled that I serve poorly, as his squire, him that is my mortal enemy. And Juno doth me yet more ignominy, for I dare not avow mine own name, but I that was wont to be called Arcite now am called Philostrate, not worth a farthing. Alas, thou fell Mars ! Alas, Juno ! thus hath your ire all fordone our kindred save me only and wretched Palamon, that Theseus martyreth in fetters. And above all this, and utterly to slay me, Love hath stuck his fiery dart so burningly through my heart that my death was shapen for me before my swaddling bands. Ye slay me with your eyes, Emily, ye be the cause of my dying. Of all the remnant I set not the amount of a tare, so that I could do aught to your pleasure." And with that word he fell down a long time in a trance. This Palamon, that thought he felt a cold sword glide sud- denly through his heart, quaked for ire when he had heard Arcite's tale, and no longer would he abide, but with face dead and pale started up out of the thick bushes as he were mad, and said: "Arcite, false wicked traitor, now art thou caught that so lovest my lady for whom I have all this pain, and art of my blood and sworn to my counsel, as I have told thee full oft; and thou hast here cozened Duke Theseus and falsely changed thy name. I will be dead, or else thou. Thou shalt not love my lady Emily, but I will love her only, for I am Palamon and thy mortal foe. And though in this place I have no weapon, but am escaped out of prison only by good chance, either thou shalt die, I doubt not, or thou shalt not love Emily. Choose which thou wilt, thou shalt not escape." This Arcite, with full pitiless heart, when he knew him and had heard his tale, as fierce as a lion pulled out his sword, and said: "By God that sitteth on high, wert thou not sick and mad 34 THE KNIGHT'S TALE for love and eke hast no weapon here, never shouldst thou pass out of this grove, but die at mine hand. For I defy the bond which thou sayst I made. What, very fool! Think well that love is free, and I will love her, maugre thy strength. But for- asmuch as thou art a worthy knight and wouldst contest her by battle, take here my pledge that without knowledge of any other wight to-morrow I will not fail, I swear by my chivalry, to be here and bring thee harness sufficient; and do thou choose the best and leave the worst for me. And meat and drink enough for thee I will bring this night, and clothes for thy bedding. And if so be thou win my lady and slay me in this wood, thou mayst have thy lady, for aught that I can do." Pala- mon answered, "I consent;" and so, when each had laid his faith in pledge, they parted till the morrow. O Cupid, out of all charity! O kingdom that will have no sharing! Full soothly is it said that love nor lordship will have no fellow with him. Well Arcite and Palamon have found that. Anon Arcite hath ridden into the town, and ere day -light on the morrow he hath privily prepared two suits of harness, both suffi- cient and meet for the battle in the field betwixt the twain. And alone as he was born he carrieth all this harness before him on his horse; and in the grove this Arcite and Palamon be met at the time and place appointed. Then gan the colour change in their visages ; right as the hunter in the country of Thrace, when the bear or the lion is hunted, standeth at the gap with a spear, and heareth him come rushing in the groves and breaking both leaves and boughs, and thinketh, "Here cometh my mortal enemy, without fail, either he is lost or I ;" so fared they in the changing of their hue, as far off as either could see the other. There was no "good-day," nor salutation; without word or de- 35 f THE CANTERBURY TALES bate each of them helped straightway for to arm each as friendly as it had been his own brother. And after that, with spears sharp and stout they thrust at each other wondrous long. Thou mightest ween that this Palamon in his fighting was a maddened lion; and as a cruel tiger was Arcite; they smote as wild boars, that froth white foam for mad ire ; up to the ankle they fought in their blood. And in this wise I leave them fighting, and I will tell you forth of Theseus. Destiny, the general minister, that executeth over all the world the purveyance that God hath foreordained, so strong it is that, though the world had sworn the contrary of a thing, yea or nay, yet on a time a thing shall befall that falleth not again within a thousand years. For certainly our appetites here, be it of love or hate, or war or peace, all these are ruled by the oversight above. This I mean now of mighty Theseus, who hath such desire to hunt, and chiefly for the great hart in the spring- time, that in his bed there dawneth on him no day that he is not clad and ready to ride forth with hunt and horn and hounds. For all his joy and appetite is it to be himself the great hart's death ; for after Mars he serveth now Diane. Clear was the day, as I told before, and Theseus, with all joy and bliss, and his Ipolita the fair, and Emily clothed all in green, are ridden royally a-hunting, and to the grove hard by, in which was an hart (as men told him), Duke Theseus hath held the straight path, and to the glade rideth, whither the hart was wont to flee, and over a brook and forth on his way; this duke will have a course or two at him with hounds such as he hath chosen. And when he is come to the glade, in the face of the sun he peereth under his hand and anon is ware of Arcite and Palamon, that fight as it were two boars. The bright swords 36 THE KNIGHT'S TALE go to and fro so hideously that the least of their blows, it seemeth, would fell an oak. Who they be he knoweth not, but he smiteth his courser with the spurs, and at a bound is betwixt them, and out with his sword and crieth: "Ho! no more, on pain of losing your heads. By mighty Mars, but he shall die at once that smiteth any stroke more. But tell me what sort of men be ye that be so hardy as here to fight without judge or other officer, as if it were a royal lists." This Palamon answered instantly: "Sire, what need of fur- ther words? We have deserved the death, both of us. Two woeful wretches be we, two caitiffs, wearied of our own lives; and as thou art a just lord and judge, grant us neither mercy nor escape; slay me first, for the sake of holy charity, but eke slay my fellow as well. Or slay him first, for, though thou knowest it but little, this is thy mortal foe, this is Arcite, that is banished from thy land on pain of death, for which he hath deserved to die. This is he that came to thy palace-door and said that his name was Philostrate. Thus many a year hath he tricked thee, and thou hast made him thy chief squire. And this is he that loveth Emily. For I make plainly my confession, sith the day of my death is come, that I am that woeful Palamon that broke thy prison wickedly. I am thy mortal foe; and I love so hot the glorious Emily that I would die in her sight. Therefore I ask my sentence and death, but slay my fellow in the same wise, for we both have deserved to be slain." The worthy duke answered at once, and said: "This is a short conclusion : your own mouth hath condemned you, and I will wit- ness to it. It needeth not to torment you with the cord, ye shall die, by mighty Mars the red!" The queen, for very womanhood, gan anon for to weep, and 37 THE CANTERBURY TALES so did Emily and all the ladies in the troup. Great pity it was, as seemed to them, that ever such a chance should befall for gentles they were, of great estate, and only for love was the strife; and the ladies saw their bloody wounds wide and sore, and they all cried, great and small: "Have mercy, lord, upon us women!" And on their bare knees down they fell to kiss his 1 feet, till at the last his mood was softened ; for pity cometh soon in gentle heart. And though at first he quaked for ire, he gan to view the trespass of them and eke the cause thereof, and though that his ire declared their guilt, yet his reason excused them both; as thus, he thought well that every man, if he may, will help himself in love and eke deliver himself from prison; and his heart had pity because of the women, for they wept ever alike; and anon in his gentle heart he thought and softly said: "Fie upon a lord that will have no mercy, but be a lion in word and deed to them that be repentant and meek, as well as to proud, angry men that will stiffly maintain their trespass! That lord hath little discretion that in such cases knoweth no difference, but weigheth pride and humility alike." And, to make few words, when his ire was thus gone, he gan to look up with smiling eyes and spake these words aloud: "Ah, benedicite, the god of love! How great and mighty a lord is he ! Against his might availeth no barrier. Well may he be called a god for his miracles, sith he can do with every heart as he will. Lo here ! this Palamon and this Arcite were wholly out of my prison and might have lived royally in Thebes, and know that I am their mortal enemy and hold their death within my might; and yet, maugre their two eyne, hath love brought them hither both to die. Look now, is not that an high folly? Who is a fool, but he who is in love? For God's sake that sitteth on high, behold hoy/ they bleed! Be 38 THE KNIGHT'S TALE they not in a joyous plight? Thus hath their lord paid them their wages and their fees, and yet he that serveth Love seemeth to himself full wise. But this is the best of the story, that she for whose sake they have this merriment thanketh them for it no more than me; by Heaven's King, she wot no more of all this hot ado than doth a cuckoo or an hare. But a man must make trial of all things, hot and cold; in youth or else in age every man will be a fool. I wot it by myself, for in my time, full yore ago, a lover was I. And therefore, sith I know how sore love's pain may afflict a man, and as one who oft hath been caught in his noose, all wholly I forgive you this trespass at request of the queen that kneeleth for you, and of Emily, my sister dear. And ye shall both anon swear unto me that ye shall nevermore harm my country, nor war upon me by day or night, but be my friends in all that ye can. I forgive you this trespass every whit." And fair and well they swore to him what he requireth and prayed him for favour and that he would be their good lord, and he granted them grace, and thus he said : "As for riches and royal lineage, out of doubt each of you is worthy to wed when time may be, were she a princess or a queen, but natheless (I speak as to my sister, Emily, for whom you have this strife) ye wot yourselves, though ye fight for evermore, she may not wed two at once ; one of you, be he never so loath, must go pipe in an ivy-leaf. She may not have you both, be ye as raging and jealous as ye may. And therefore I assign you terms that each of you shall take the destiny decreed him ; and hearken in what wise. My will is this and my flat con- clusion, that admitteth no reply, if it like you, then take it for the best, that each of you shall go freely where he will, without 39 THE CANTERBURY TALES control or ransom ; and this day fifty weeks, no farther nor nearer, each of you shall bring an hundred knights, armed aright for the lists, all ready to contest her by battle. And this I promise you upon my troth and as I am a knight, that whichsoever of you hath the greater power, this is to say that whether he or thou may, with his hundred that I speak of, slay his adversary or force him out of lists, to him shall I give Emily to wife, to whichso- ever of you Fortune granteth so fair a grace. The lists I shall make here on this ground, and so may God have mercy on my soul, as I shall be a true and fair judge. Ye shall make no other terms with me for the joust but that one of you shall be either slain or taken. And if ye deem this well said, tell your mind and be content. This is my end and my conclusion for you." Who looketh now lightly but Palamon? Who springeth up for joy but Arcite? Who could tell or express it, the joy that is made there when Theseus hath done so fair a grace? Down on knees went every wight and thanked him with all their hearts, and most of all and oft and oft the Thebans. And thus with good hope and hearts blithe they take their leave and homeward ride, to Thebes with its broad old walls. Explicit secunda pars. Sequitur pars tercia. I trow men would deem it negligence if I should forget to tell of the lavishness of Theseus, who worketh so heartily to set up the lists in royal manner that such a noble theatre, I dare well say, was not in all this world. A mile it was in circuit, walled of stone and ditched without ; the shape was round, as a circle, full 40 THE KNIGHT'S TALE of tiers rising by sixty paces, that when a man was set on one tier he hindered not his neighbour from seeing. Eastward there stood a gate of white marble, and westward and opposite right such another. And shortly to conclude, such another building there was not on earth, within so little space. For there was no crafty man in the country that knew geometry or arithmetic, nor portrayer or carver of images, that Theseus gave him not meat and hire to plan and to build the theatre. And for to do his pious rites and sacrifice, eastward above upon the gate he caused an altar to be made and an oratory in worship of Venus, goddess of love, and westward he made right such another in celebration of Mars, that cost many a load of gold; and north- ward in a turret an oratory rich to look on, of red coral and alabaster white, hath Theseus wrought in noble wise in worship of Diane the chaste. But I have forgotten to describe as yet the noble carving and the portraitures, the figures and the semblances, that were in these three oratories. First in the temple of Venus wrought full piteously in the wall mayst thou see the broken sleeps and the chilling sighs, the sacred tears, the lamentation and the fiery strokes of desire that love's servants endure in this life ; the oaths that confirm their covenants, gladness, hope, desire and fool- hardiness, beauty and youth, mirth, riches, spells and violence, lyings, flattery, waste and disquietude and jealousy, that wore a garland of yellow marigolds and had a cuckoo sitting in her hand. All delights, singing, dancing, festivals, instruments of music, fair array, and all the circumstance of love which I have recounted and shall recount were painted in order on the wall, and more than I can make mention of. For soothly all the mount of Citheroun, where Venus hath her principal dwelling, 41 THE CANTERBURY TALES was showed on the wall in portraiture with the lustiness thereof and all the garden. The porter Idleness was not forgotten, nor Narcissus the fair of yore ago, nor yet King Solomon's folly, nor yet the great strength of Hercules, the enchantments of Circe and Medea, nor Turnus, of spirit hardy and fierce, nor the rich Croesus, caitiff in bondage. Thus may ye see that wis- dom nor riches, beauty nor cunning, strength nor hardiness may hold copartnership with Venus, for she can guide the world as she will. Lo ! all these folk were so caught in her snare, till for woe they said full oft "Alas!" Here one or two ensamples I let suffice, though I could reckon a thousand. The naked statue of Venus, glorious for to behold, was float- ing in the wide sea, and from the middle down was covered all with green waves bright as any glass. A psaltery she had in her right hand, and on her head, full seemly to see, a rose garland, fresh and well smelling. Above her head fluttered her doves, and before her stood Cupid, her son, two wings upon his shoulders, and he was blind, as he is oft portrayed, and bare a bow with bright and keen arrows. Why should I not eke tell you all the portraiture that was upon the wall within the temple of Mars the red and mighty? All painted was it in length and breadth like to the inner parts of the grisly abode that is called the great temple of Mars in Thrace, in that cold and frosty region where Mars hath his supreme dwelling-place. First on the wall a forest was painted in which dwelt neither man nor beast, with aged barren trees, knotted and gnarled, sharp stumps and hideous to behold, through which there ran a rumbling and a gusty wind, as though the storm should rend every bough. And downward under an hill there stood the temple of Mars armipotent, wrought all of burnished 42 THE KNIGHT'S TALE steel, and the entrance was long and strait and ghastly to see, and thereout came a blast and rage that made all the gates to clatter. A light from the north shone in at the doors, for window on the wall there was none. The doors were all of eternal ada- mant, clamped along and across with toughest iron ; and to make the temple strong, every pillar that held it aloft was as great as a tun, of iron bright. There saw I first the dark imagining of felony and all the consummation; the cruel ire, red as a coal, the pickpurse, and eke pale fear, the smiler with the knife under the mantle, the stables burning in black smoke, the treachery of the murder in the bed, open war with wounds all bleeding, strife with bloody blade and sharp threat. All full of shrieking was that sorry place. The slayer of himself I saw depicted on the wall; his heart's blood hath bathed all his hair. I saw the nail driven through the skull at night; I saw cold death lie with gaping mouth. Amid the temple sat mischance with woe and sorry visage. Madness I saw laughing in his frenzy, armed lament, outcry and fierce outrage; the corpse in the bush with throat cut through; men slain by thousands, the tyrant with his prey reft by force, the town all destroyed. Yet again, I saw burned the speedy ships, the hunter strangled by the wild bears, the sow devouring the child even in the cradle, the cook scalded for all his long spoon. No mischance was forgotten that Mars bringeth to pass; the carter run over by his cart full low he lay under the wheel. There were also the craftsmen of Mars, the barber, the butcher and the smith, that on his anvil forgeth sharp swords. And all above, painted in a tower, sitting in great pomp saw I Conquest, with the sharp sword above him hanging by a subtle thread of twine. The slaughter of Julius was painted, of Antonius and of great Nero (albeit they were unborn at this 43 THE CANTERBURY TALES time, yet was their death by menacing of Mars painted before in plain image) ; so was it showed in that portraiture as it is depicted in the stars on high, who shall be slain or else who shall die for love. Let one ensample suffice here from old stories, I may not reckon them all, though I would. The statue of Mars stood upon a car all armed and looked grim as in a fury, and over his head there shone two figures of stars that be called, in writings, the one Rubeus, the other Puella ; thus the god of arms was presented. Before him at his feet stood a wolf with red eyes, and ate of a man. Subtly all this was wrought in reverence of Mars and of his glory. Now to the temple of Diane the virgin will I haste me as shortly as I can, to tell you all the description thereof. High and low on the walls hunting was depicted and shamefast chastity. There saw I how woeful Callisto, when that she aggrieved Diane, was turned from a woman to a bear, and after- ward she was made the lodestar; thus was it painted, I can tell you no further. Her son is a star eke, as men may behold. There saw I Dane turned to a tree I mean not the goddess Diane, but the daughter of Penneus that was called Daphne. There saw I Actseon turned to an hart for vengeance that he saw Diane all naked; I saw how that his hounds have caught him and devoured him, for that they knew him not. A little further on was painted how the wild boar was hunted by Atalanta, and Meleager and many another, for which Diane wrought him care and woe. There saw I many another story even as wondrous, which I list not draw to mind. This goddess sat full high on an hart, with small hounds all about her feet, and under her feet was the moon, that was waxing and anon would wane. In yellow- green her statue was clothed with bow in hand and arrows in 44 THE KNIGHT'S TALE a quiver. Her eyes she cast down full low to that dark region where Pluto dwelleth. Before her was a woman in travail, and full piteously, because her child was so long unborn, gan she call upon Lucina and said "Help, for thou mayst best of all." Well could he paint to the life that wrought it, and many a florin he paid for the hues. Now were the lists made, and when they were done, wondrous well was Theseus pleased, that at his great cost thus furnished the temples and the theatre. But I will stint a little of Theseus, and speak of Arcite and Palamon. The day of their returning approacheth, when each shall bring an hundred knights to decide the cause by battle, as I told you. And to Athens, for to hold their covenant, hath each of them brought an hundred knights well and fitly armed for the war. And in sooth many a man trowed that never since the world was made, as far as God hath formed earth or sea, to speak of the knightly feats of their hands, was there so noble a company of so few. For every wight that loved chivalry and would have a surpassing name hath prayed that he might be in that combat, and happy was he that was chosen thereto. For if to-morrow there befell such a case, ye know well that every lusty knight that loveth hotly and hath his strength, be it in England or some other land, would wish to be there. To fight for a lady, benedicite! it were a lusty sight to behold. And right so fared they with Palamon, with him went many a knight. One man would be armed in an habergeon, in a breast- plate and a light jupon. One would have a great suit of plate armour, and one a Prussian shield or targe, and another would be well armed on his legs and have an ax, and another a mace of steel. There is no new fashion, that it is not old. They were armed, as I 45 THE CANTERBURY TALES have said, each after his own liking. There, coming with Pala- mon, mayst thou see Ligurge himself, the great King of Thrace. Manly was his countenance and black was his beard; the circles of his eyes glowed betwixt yellow and red, with rough hairs on his heavy brow, and like a grif on he looked about ; his limbs great, his shoulders broad, his brawn hard and arms round and long. And he stood, as the usage was in his country, full high upon a car of gold with four white bulls in the trace. Over his harness instead of a coat-of -arms, with claws yellow and bright as gold, he had a bear's skin, coal-black and very ancient. His long hair was combed behind; as any raven's feather it shone black; a wreath of gold great as an arm was upon his head, huge of weight, set full of bright stones, of diamonds and rubies fine. About his car went white mastiffs as great as any steer, twenty and more, to hunt at the lion or the hart, and followed him with muzzle fast bound and collars of gold with rings filed therein. An hundred lords, armed full well, he had in his troop, with hearts stout and stern. With Arcite, as men read in stories, came the great Emetreus, the King of Ind, riding like the god of arms Mars, upon a bay steed, trapped in steel, covered with diapered cloth of gold. His saddle was of burnished gold new beaten out. The vesture, whereon were blazed his arms, was of cloth of Tartary, laid with pearls white and round and great ; a mantlet hung upon his shoulder, full of rubies sparkling as fire. His crisp hair ran in yellow rings and glittered as the sun. Bright citron in hue were his eyes and high his nose, his lips were round and his colour sanguine, a few freckles sprinkled on his face, betwixt yellow and black. And as a lion he cast his look. I account his age at five and twenty; his beard was well begun to spring, and 46 THE KNIGHT'S TALE his voice as a thunderous trump. Upon his head he wore a fresh and lusty garland of green laurel, and bare upon his hand a tame eagle, for his pleasure, white as any lily. An hundred lords he had there with him, all armed save their heads in all their gear, and full richly. For trust well that in this noble company were gathered both dukes and earls and kings, for love and exalt- ing of chivalry. About this king upon each side there ran full i many a tame lion and leopard. And in this wise these lords one and all were come, upon the Sunday about prime, and dismounted in the town. When this Theseus, this duke, this worthy knight, had brought them into his city and lodged them each after his degree, he feasted them and strove so to entertain and honour them that men ween yet that no man's cunning in the world could amend it. The service at the feast, the precious gifts to great and small, the minstrelsy, the rich array of Theseus' palace; what ladies be fairest or best can dance, or which can best dance and sing, or who speaketh of love most feelingly, or who sitteth first or last upon the dais, what hawks perch above, what hounds lie beneath on the floor: of all this now I make no mention. The pith, methinketh, is best to tell; now cometh the point. Hearken if ye list. The Sunday night, when Palamon heard the lark sing, ere day began to break (though it were not day by two hours, yet sang the lark and Palamon also) , with holy thoughts and an high heart he rose, to wend on his pilgrimage unto the blessed, benign Citherea, I mean Venus the honourable and worthy. And in her hour he walked forth softly unto the lists, where her temple was, and down he knelt and with humble cheer and sore heart he said as I shall tell you. "Fairest of fair, O lady mine, spouse of Vulcanus and 47 daughter of Jove, thou that gladdenest the mount of Citheroun, have pity of my bitter tears and take my humble prayer in thine heart, for that love thou hadst to Adon. Alas! I have no language to speak the torments of my hell. Mine heart may not express the harms I suffer, I am so confounded that I can say naught. But mercy, lady bright, that well knowest my thought and what harms I feel, consider all this and have ruth upon my pain, as surely as I shall be thy true servant for evermore, as lieth in my might, and hold war alway with chastity. This vow I make so ye help me. I care not to boast of arms, nor ask to triumph on the morrow, or have renown in this joust, or vain glory for mine arms trumpeted up and down, but I would have full possession of Emily and die in serving thee. Find then the manner how ; I reck not whether it may be better to have victory of them, or they of me, so I have my lady in mine arms. For though so be Mars is god of battles, your virtue is so great in heaven that, if ye list, I shall fully have my love. Thy temple ever- more will I honour, and on thine altar, whatsoever my condition, will I do sacrifice and maintain fires. And if ye will not so, then Pray I thee, my lady sweet, that to-morrow with his lance Arcite may bear me through the heart. Then reck I not, when I am no more, though Arcite win her to his wife. This is the effect and end of my petition, give me my love, thou dear and blessed lady." When his orison was made, he did his sacrifice full piously, and that anon, with all circumstance, though I tell not now his rites. But at the last the statue of Venus shook and made a sign, whereby he understood that his prayer was accepted. For though the sign showed a delay, yet wist he well that his boon was granted him, and with glad heart he went home anon. 48 THE KNIGHT'S TALE The third hour after Palamon set forth to Venus' temple, up rose the sun, and up rose Emily, and gan hasten to the temple of Diane. Her maidens that she led thither had the fire full ready with them, the incense, the vestures and all the residue that belongeth to the sacrifice, the horns full of mead, as was the usage ; there lacked naught for doing her ceremony. While they censed the temple, full of fair hangings, this Emily with gentle heart washed her body in water from a spring, but I dare not tell how she did her rite, unless it be a few words in general. (And yet it were merry to hear the whole; in him that meaneth well it were no offence, and it is good that a man be frank of his tongue.) Her bright hair was combed, all untressed. A crown of green leaves of cerrial oak full fair and meet was set upon her head. Two fires she gan kindle on the altar, and did her ritual as men may read in Stace of Thebes and these old books. And when the fire was kindled, with pious cheer she spake unto Diane as I shall say. "O chaste goddess of the forest green, who beholdest both heaven and earth and sea, queen of the realm of Pluto dark and profound, goddess of maidens that hast known my heart full many a year, and knowest what I wish, keep me from thine ire and vengeance, that Actseon cruelly suffered. Chaste goddess, well knowest thou that I would be a maiden all my days, and never be a sweetheart or wife. Thou knowest I am yet of thy company, a maid, and love hunting and to walk in the savage woods, and not to be a wife and be with child. Nothing would I know of the company of man. Now help me, lady, sith ye may, for the honour of those three forms of thy godhead; and Palamon and eke Arcite that love me so sore this grace alone I pray thee, to send love and peace betwixt them, and so turn 49 THE CANTERBURY TALES away their hearts from me that all their hot love and their endless torment and their fire be quenched or turned toward another place. And if so be thou wilt show me no favour, or if my destiny be decreed that I must needs have one of them, send me him that most desireth me. Goddess of clean virginity, behold the bitter tears that drop upon my cheeks. Sith thou art maid and keeper of all thine own, guard thou well my maidenhood, and while I live I will serve thee as a maid." The fires burned clear upon the altar while Emily was pray- ing thus, but suddenly she saw a wonderful sight. For right anon one of the fires went out, and took life again, and anon after that the other fire went out black and cold; and as it was quenched it made a whistling, as do these wet brands in the fire, and at the ends of the brands ran out as it were many a bloody drop; for which so sore she was aghast that she was well nigh mad and gan cry, for she wist not what it betokened, but only for the fear hath she cried thus and wept, that it was pity to see her. And upon that Diane appeared, with bow in hand, even as an huntress, and said : "Daughter, stint thy dreariness. Among the high gods it is decreed, and written and confirmed by eternal word that thou shalt be wedded unto one of them that have for thee so much pain; but to which of them I may not say. Fare- well, I may tarry no longer. The fires that burn on mine altar, ere thou go hence, shall declare to thee thy lot in this love." And with that word the arrows in the quiver of the goddess clat- tered and rang aloud, and forth she went and vanished ; for which this Emily was all astonied and said: "Alas! what meaneth this? I put me in thy protection, Diane, and in thy governance." And home she went anon as shortly as she might. This is all, there is no more to say. 50 THE KNIGHT'S TALE At the next hour of Mars hereafter, Arcite walked unto the temple of Mars the fierce, to do his sacrifice with all the rites of his pagan manner. With high devotion and heart devout he said his orison to the god right thus: "O strong god, that in the cold realms of Thrace art honoured and held for lord, and in every country and every realm hast in thine hand all the bridle of arms and disposest their fortunes as thou wilt, accept of me my devout sacrifice. If so be my youth may have merit and my might be worthy to serve thy godhead, that I may be one of thine, I pray thee to have pity of my grief; remembering that pain and that hot fire in which thou whilom burnedst for the beauty of Venus the fair and fresh and young; although once it mishapped thee on a time, when Vulcanus had caught thee in his net, alas! For that sorrow which was in thine heart, have ruth upon my pains as well. I am young, thou knowest, and uncunning, and with love most tormented, as I trow, of any crea- ture living ; for she that maketh me to endure all this woe recketh never whether I sink or float. And well I wot that I must win her by strength upon the field, ere she will show me favour, and well I wot without help or grace of thee my strength may not avail. Then help me, lord, in my battle for that fire in which thou whilom burnedst as now it burneth me, and grant me vic- tory on the morrow. Mine be the travail and thine be the glory. Thy sovereign temple will I most honour of all places, and alway toil most in thy pleasure and thy strong arts, and in thy temple I will hang my banner and all the arms of my com- pany, and I will maintain eternal fire before thee evermore, until the day I die. And eke I bind me to this vow, my beard and my hair I will give thee, that hang down long and never yet felt offence of razor or of shears, and I will be thy true servant 51 THE CANTERBURY TALES while I live. Now, lord, have ruth upon my sorrows and give me victory. I ask thee no more." The prayer of Arcite ended, the temple-doors and eke the rings that hung upon them clattered full loud, for which Arcite was somewhat aghast. The fires flared up upon the altar and gan illumine all the temple, and the ground gave up a smell most sweet. And Arcite anon lifted his hand and cast more incense upon the fire, with other rites. And at the last the statue of Mars began to ring his hauberk; and with that sound he heard a murmuring full low and dim that said "Victory," for which he gave honour and laud to Mars. And thus with joy and hope Arcite went anon unto his lodging, as fain as a fowl is of the bright sun. And right anon such strife began in the heaven above, for the granting of these prayers, betwixt Venus and Mars, goddess of love and the stern god armipotent, that Jupiter was busy to stint it; till pale cold Saturnus, that knew so many ancient adventures, found an art in his old experience that full soon pleased either side. Sooth is said, age hath great advantage, in age is both wisdom and experience; men may outrun the old but not outwit. To stint contention and fear, albeit that it is against his nature, Saturn gan find a remedy for all this strife. "Dear my daughter Venus," quoth Saturn, "my course, that hath so wide an orbit, hath more power than any creature wot. Mine is the drowning in the wan sea, mine is the imprisoning in the dark cell, mine the strangling and hanging by the throat, the murmur, the groaning, the rebellion of the churls, the privy empoisoning. While I dwell in the sign of the Lion, I do ven- geance and full chastisement. Mine is the overthrow of the high castle, the falling of the towers and walls on the sapper and the 52 THE KNIGHT'S TALE carpenter. I slew Samson when he shook the column, and mine be the cold maladies, the dark treasons and the ancient stratagems ; mine influence is the father of pestilence. Now weep no more, I shall bring it to pass that Palamon, thine own knight, shall have his lady as thou hast promised. Though Mars shall help his knight, yet ere long there shall be peace betwixt you, albeit ye be not of one like influence, which ever causeth strife. Weep thou no more. I am thy grandsire, all ready to do thy will. I will effect thy pleasure." Now I will stint to speak of the gods above, of Mars and of Venus, and I will tell you as plainly as I can the chief matter, for which I tell the tale. Explicit tercia pars. Sequitur pars quarta. Great is the festival in Athens, and eke the lusty season of May kindleth such jollity that every wight jousteth and danceth all the Monday, and spendeth it in Venus' high service. But because they shall be early up to see the great fight, they go at length unto their rest. And on the morrow when day springeth, in hostelries all about is noise and clattering of horses and of arms, and many a rout of lords on steeds and palfreys rideth to the palace. There mayst thou see harness rare and rich, well wrought with steel, goldsmithry and broidering; bright shields, head-pieces, trappings, helms of beaten gold, hauberks, coat- armours ; lords in rich tunics on their coursers, retinues of knights ; and eke squires nailing heads on spears and buckling helms, putting straps on shields and lacing with thongs, no whit slothful where there is need ; foamy steeds gnawing on the golden bridle, 53 THE CANTERBURY TALES and hard by, the armourers running to and fro with file and hammer; yeomen on foot, and many commons with short staves, thick as they may go; pipes, drums, clarions, trumps, that blow bloody sounds in battle; the palace up and down full of people holding talk, here three, there ten, surmising of these two Theban knights. Some say this, some say it shall be thus, some hold with him of the black beard, some with the bald one, some with him of the thick hair; some say this man looketh grim and he will fight; that one hath a battle-ax twenty pound of weight. Thus was the hall full of surmises long after the sun gan spring. The great Theseus, that was waked from his sleep by the min- strelsy and noise, held yet his chamber till the Theban knights, both alike honoured, were fetched into the palace. Duke Theseus was set at a window, arrayed as he were a god on throne. Full quickly the people pressed thitherward to see him and do high reverence, and eke to hearken his behest and decree. An herald on a scaffold cried "Ho!" till all the noise of the people was done, and when he saw them quiet he showed the pleasure of the mighty duke. "The lord hath considered in his high wisdom that it were destruction to gentle blood to fight in this emprise in the manner of mortal battle; wherefore to ordain that they shall not die, he will change his first purpose. Let no man therefore, on pain of death, send or bring into the lists any manner of shot or pole-ax or short knife, nor short sword with sharp point for to stab; let no man draw it or bear it by him. And no man shall ride against his fellow but one course with sharp -ground spear, but on foot he may thrust, if he will, to defend himself. And he that is put to the worse shall be seized, and not slain but brought unto the stake that shall be ordained on either side; 54 THE KNIGHT'S TALE thither he shall be led by force and there remain. And if so befall that the chieftain be taken on either side, or else slay his adversary, the tourneying shall last no longer. God speed you. Go forth and lay on hard; with long sword and with mace fight your fill. Go your way now, this is the lord's decree." The voice of the people touched the heaven, so loud they cried with joyous voice: "God save so good a lord he will have no destruction of blood!" Up went the trumpets and melody, and to the lists rode the troop in order through the broad city, that was all hung with no serge but with cloth of gold. Full lordly rode this noble duke, these two Thebans on either hand, and next rode the queen and Emily, and after that another troop of sundry folk after their degree. And thus they passed throughout Athens and betimes came to the lists. It was not yet fully prime of day when Theseus was set down, Ipolita the queen, and Emily, full high and rich, and other ladies in rows around. Unto the seats presseth all the rout. And on the west, through the gates beneath the shrine of Mars, entereth Arcite right anon and eke the hun- dred of his party with banner red; and in that same moment eastward on the field entereth Palamon beneath the shrine of Venus, with white banner and hardy cheer. To seek up and down in all the world, were nowhere such two companies, so even, without varying. For there was none so wise could say that either had of the other pre-eminence in valour or in estate or age, so evenly were they chosen, I trow. And in two fair ranks they drew up. When their names had been read every one that there might be no guile in their number, then were the gates shut and a herald cried on high: "Do your devoir now, proud young knights!" The heralds leave their dashing about, now high ring trump 55 THE CANTERBURY TALES and clarion, there is no more to say but on both sides in go the spears full firmly in rest, and in goeth the sharp spur into the flank. There men see who can ride and who can joust, there shiver shafts upon thick shields, one man f eeleth the stab through the breast, up spring the spears twenty foot on high, out go the swords bright as silver and hew and shred the helmets, out bursteth the blood with red stern streams, with mighty maces they break the bones. One thrusteth through the thick of the throng, there stalwart steeds stumble and down go horse and man, one rolleth under foot like a ball, one thrusteth on his feet with his shattered spear-butt, and another with his horse hurtleth him down. One is hurt through the body, and then, maugre his head, is captured and brought unto the stake, as was the agreement, and there he must even remain; another is led thither on the other side. And sometimes, to refresh them, Theseus causeth them to rest, and drink, if they will. Full oft have these two Thebans met together and each wrought his fellow woe; twice hath each unhorsed the other. There is no tigress in the vale of Galgopheye, when her little whelp is stolen, so cruel on the hunt as Arcite, for his jealous heart is upon this Palamon; nor in Belmarye is there so fell a lion that is hunted or mad for hunger, or that desireth so the blood of his prey as Palamon to slay Arcite his foe. The jealous strokes bite in their helms; out runneth the red blood on the sides of both. v Sometime every deed hath end; and ere the sun went to rest, the strong King Emetreus, as this Palamon fought with his enemy, gan seize him and made his sword to bite deep in his flesh, and by the force of twenty was he caught, unyielding, and drawn unto the stake. And in attempt to rescue him the strong King Ligurge was borne down, and for all his might King 56 THE KNIGHT'S TALE Emetreus was borne a sword's length from his saddle, so did Palamon hit him ere he was taken. But all was for naught, he was brought in; his hardy heart might not help him, he must needs abide, by force and eke by his agreement. Who shall sorrow now but woful Palamon, that may go no more to fight? And when Theseus hath seen this, he cried unto the folk that fought, "Ho! no more, for it is done! I will be true, impartial judge. Arcite of Thebes, that by his fortune hath fairly won her, shall have Emily." Anon began the noise of the people for joy of this, so loud and high that it seemed the lists should fall. What now can fair Venus do? What saith she, what doth the queen of love? She weepeth, for wanting her wish, till her tears fall down into the lists. She saith: "Without all doubt, I am disgraced." "Daughter, hold thy peace," Saturn replied; "Mars hath his will, and his knight hath all he prayed for, and full soon, by mine head, thou shalt be eased." The loud minstrelsy and trumpets, the heralds, that cried full loud, sounded on high for joy of lord Arcite. But be silent now a space and hearken what a miracle anon befell. The fierce Arcite had doffed his helm for to show his face, and on a courser spurred down the long field, looking upward to Emily. And she cast on him a friendly eye, for women, to speak generally, all follow the favour of fortune; and in his heart she was all his cheer. Out of the ground sprang an infernal fury, sent from Pluto at request of Saturn, for fear of which Arcite's horse gan swerve and leap aside, and as he leapt, foundered; and ere Arcite might take heed he flung him to the ground on his head. There he lay as one slain, his breast all crushed with his saddle-bow, his face all black as a coal or raven, so was the 57 THE CANTERBURY TALES blood run into it. Anon with hearts full sore they bore him from the lists to Theseus' palace. Then was he cut out of his armour, and full fair and soon brought into a bed, for he was yet alive and conscious, and alway crying for Emily. Duke Theseus with all his troop was come home to Athens with all bliss and great pageantry. Albeit this misadventure had betided, he would not discomfort them all; men said eke that Arcite shall not die, but he shall be healed of his harm. And they were even as fain of another thing, that of them all there was none killed, though they were sore hurt, and above all one, whose breast-bone was pierced by a spear. For other wounds and for broken bones some had salves and some had charms; they drank brews made of herbs and eke sage to preserve their limbs. Wherefore, as well he wist how, this noble duke encour- aged and honoured every man and made revel all the long night for the strange lords, even as was seemly. Nor was it held that any had been discomfited, but only as at a joust or tourney, for in sooth there had been no discomfiture; falling is but a chance, it is but an ill fortune to be drawn by force, without yielding, unto the stake, one man alone to be seized by twenty knights and haled forth by arm and foot, and eke his steed driven with clubs by men on foot, yeomen and knaves it was deemed no reproach to him, no man may call it cowardice. For which anon, to stint all envy and rancour, Duke Theseus caused to publish the fame of either side alike, as of brethren, and gave each man gifts according to his dignity, and full three days held a feast, and a long day's journey accompanied the kings out of his town. Home went every man the straight road, there was nothing more but "Farewell, have good day." Of this battle I say no more, but I will speak of Arcite and of Palamon. 58 THE KNIGHT'S TALE The breast of Arcite swelleth, and more and more the hurt increaseth at his heart. Spite of any leechcraft, the clotted blood corrupteth and remaineth in his body, that neither cupping nor cutting of a vein nor drink of herbs may help him. The animal expulsive virtue of his natural strength may not void the venom. The pipes of his lungs begin to swell, and every muscle from his breast down is wasted by venom and corruption. To save him availeth neither vomit upward nor downward laxa- tive; all that region is crushed, nature hath now no dominion. And certainly, where nature will not act, farewell physic! go bear the man to church! This is all, that Arcite may not live. Wherefore he sendeth for Emily and Palamon his cousin, and then saith he thus as ye shall hear. "The woful spirit in mine heart may not declare to you, my lady, that I love most, one point of all my bitter sorrows, but sith my life may no longer last, I bequeath the service of my spirit to you above every creature. Alas, the woe, alas, the pains that I have suffered for you so long ! Alas, the death ! Alas, our parting ! Alas, mine Emily, mine heart's queen, my wife, mine heart's lady and my slayer! What is this world, what would men? Now with his love, now in his cold grave, alone, without a fellow. Farewell, my sweet foe, mine Emily, and softly take me in your two arms, for the love of God, and hearken to my words. I have had strife and rancour many a long day with my cousin Palamon for love of you and for jealousy. And so truly may Jupiter conduct my soul, to speak properly of a lover with all particulars, that is of his truth, honour, knighthood, wisdom and humility, high kindred and estate, liberality and all these virtues, so may Jupiter have part and lot in my soul as in this world wot I now of no man so worthy to be loved as Palamon 59 THE CANTERBURY TALES that serveth you, and will till he die. And if ye shall ever be a wife, forget not Palamon the gentle." And with that word his speech gan fail. From his feet up to his breast was come the cold of death that descended upon him, and in his two arms the vital strength is lost and gone. The intellect that dwelt in his sick and sore heart gan fade; his sight grew dusky and his breath failed. But still he cast his eye upon his lady; his last word was "Emily, your love!" His spirit changed house and went whither, sith I never came thence, I cannot tell. Therefore I stint, I am not one of the divines, of souls I find naught in this record, and I list not give their opinions of them, though they write where they dwell. Arcite is cold, and may Mars guide his soul! Now will I speak forth of the others. Emily shrieked and Palamon wept, and Theseus anon took his sister swooning and bore her from the corpse. What helpeth it to tell all day how she wept both eve and morn? For when their husbands be gone from them, women for the more part sorrow so, or else fall in such sickness that at the last certainly they die. Infinite were the sorrow and the tears for this Theban's death, of old folk and folk of tender age in all the town, for him wept both man and child; in truth there was no such weep- ing when Hector was brought all freshly slain to Troy. Alas, the pity that there was! scratching of cheeks and rending of hair! "Why wouldst thou die," these women exclaim, "who hadst gold enough, and Emily!" No man might gladden the duke saving Egeus, his old father, that knew this world's trans- mutation, as he had seen it change back and forth, woe after gladness and joy after woe, and he showed him ensamples thereof. "Right as man never died that had not lived some- 60 THE KNIGHT'S TALE where in earth, so there lived never man in all this world that sometime he died not. We be pilgrims passing to and fro on this woful thoroughfare which is the world. Death is an end of all earthly trouble." And over all this yet he said much more to this effect, full wisely to encourage the people to take comfort. Duke Theseus considered now with all busy care where the sepulture of good Arcite might best be made and most honour- ably for his rank. And at the last he determined that where first Arcite and Palamon had the battle between them for their love, in that same green, sweet grove, where Arcite made his complaint and suffered in the hot fire of love, he would build a pyre on which he might accomplish all the funeral office. And he commanded anon to hew and hack the ancient oaks and lay them on rows in logs well arrayed to burn. Anon his officers ran with swift foot and rode at his command. And after this he hath sent after a bier and overspread it all with cloth of gold, the richest that he had. And with the same he clad Arcite; white gloves on his hands, and on his head a crown of green laurel and in his hand a sword bright and sharp. He laid him on the bier with face uncovered, and wept so that it was pity to behold. And that the people all might see him, when it was day he brought him to the hall, that ringeth with the crying. Then came this woful Palamon, his hair all rough with ashes and his beard all ragged, in black clothes sprinkled with his tears; and Emily, that passeth others in weeping, the ruefullest of all. That the service might be the more noble and rich Duke Theseus let three great white steeds be brought out, that were trapped in steel and all glittering and covered with the arms of lord Arcite. Upon these steeds sat folk, of whom one bore the shield 61 THE CANTERBURY TALES and another in his hands the spear; the third bore with him the Turkish bow, the case whereof and eke the harness were of burnished gold. And with sorrowful cheer they rode forth at a foot-pace toward the grove, as I shall tell you. The noblest of the Greeks that were there carried the bier upon their shoulders through the city with slack pace and eyes wet and red, by the chief street, that was spread all with black and hung wondrous high with the same. On the right hand old Egeus went and on the other side the duke, with golden vessels in their hands ?ull of honey, milk, blood and wine; then Palamon, with a full great troop; and after that woful Emily, bearing fire in her hand to do the funeral office, as was that time the usage. High labour and provision full richly wrought was at the funeral rite and making of the pyre, that with its green top reached the heaven and stretched its arms twenty fathom in breadth (this is to say, the boughs reached out so far) . First was laid many a load of straw. But how the pile was builded up, and eke the names how the trees were called (as oak, fir, aspen, birch, alder, holm, poplar, whipple-tree, elm, willow, ash, box, plane, chestnut, linden, laurel, thorn, maple, beech, hazel and yew) , how all these were felled shall not be told for me; nor how the gods ran up and down, disinherited from their abode in which they dwelt in rest and peace, Nymphs, Hamadryads and Fauns; nor how all the beasts and birds fled in fear when the wood was felled; nor how the ground was aghast of the light, that was not wont to see the sun; nor how the fire was laid first with straw, and then with dry sticks cloven, and then with green wood and spicery, and then with cloth of gold and gems and garlands hanging with many a flower, the myrrh, the incense 62 THE KNIGHT'S TALE and all sweet odours; nor how among all this lay Arcite's body, with what riches about him; nor how Emily, as was the custom, put in the funeral fire; nor how she swooned or what she spake or what was her wish; what jewels men cast into the fire when it gan burn furiously, how one cast his shield and one his spear, and some cast of their raiment, and cups full of wine, milk and blood; how the Greeks with an huge troop rode thrice about all the fire with a great shout and thrice clattering their spears, and how the ladies thrice cried aloud; how Arcite was burnt to cold ashes, how Emily was led homeward, how the lich-wake was held all that night, and how the Greeks held the funeral-games ; who wrestled best naked and anoint with oil, and who bare him best and came off victor: all this I care not to say. I will not tell eke how they came home to Athens, when the games were done, but I will come shortly to the point and make an end of my long tale. After process of certain years by general agreement the mourning of the Greeks was all stinted. At this time, I learn, a parliament was held at Athens upon certain points and cases, among which points they treated of having alliance with cer- tain countries and of having fully the submission of the Thebans. Wherefore anon this lordly Theseus sent after noble Palamon, unknown to him what was the cause; but in his black clothes sorrowfully he came in haste at his commandment. Then sent Theseus for Emily. When they were set down and all the place was hushed, and when, ere any word came from his wise breast, Theseus had abode still for a space, he fixed his eyes and with a grave visage he sighed, and thus said his will. "When the great first-moving Cause had created the fair chain of love, great was the deed and high his intent, and well wist he 63 THE CANTERBURY TALES what he did. For with that fair chain of love he bound the fire and air, the earth and water, within certain limits that they may not escape. That same Prince and Mover of all things," quoth he, "hath established certain days and dura- tions down in this wretched world for all that is engendered here, beyond which days they may not pass, though indeed they may shorten them. There needeth allege none authority, save that I would declare my belief that it is so, for it is proved by expe- rience. Then may men well see by this order of things that this great Mover is stable and eternal; unless it be a fool, a man may well know that every part is derived from its whole. For nature hath not taken her origin from any corner or part of a thing but from a thing that is stable and perfect, and descendeth so therefrom till she became corruptible. And therefore, of his wise providence, God hath so well set his decree that all kinds and series of things shall endure only by succession and verily shall not be eternal. This ye may understand and see by the eye. So the oak, that hath so long a youth from the time when it first beginneth to spring, and hath so long a life, yet at the last it wasteth. Consider eke how the hard stone under our feet, on which we tread, yet wasteth as it lieth by the wayside. Sometime the broad river waxeth dry. Great towns we see wane and pass away. Then ye may see that all things come to an end. "Of man and woman we see well also that, young or old, they must die, the king as shall a page ; one in his bed, one in the deep sea, one in the broad field, as ye may behold. Naught helpeth, all goeth that same road. Thus I may say that all must die. Who doth this but Jupiter, who is prince and cause of all things and turneth all things back unto their proper source from which they were derived? And against this it availeth no living 64 THE KNIGHT'S TALE creature to contend. Then is it wisdom, methinketh, to make virtue of necessity and take well what we may not eschew, and especially that which is decreed us all. And whoso murmureth at all, he doth folly and is rebel against him that guideth all things. And certainly a man hath most glory to die in the flower of his excellence, when he is secure of his fair repute and hath done his friend or himself no shame. His friend ought to be gladder when he yieldeth up his breath in honour, than when his name is all paled for age because his prowess is all forgotten. Then is it best for a worthy repute that a man should die when he is highest of fame. To be contrary to all this is wilful; why repine we, why have we heaviness, that good Arcite, flower of chivalry, hath done his duty gloriously and is departed out of the foul prison of this flesh? Why murmur his cousin and his wife at the welfare of him that loved them so? Doth he thank them? Nay, never a bit, God wot, for they hurt both his soul and eke themselves, and yet they gain naught thereby. "What may I conclude from this long discourse but that after woe I counsel that we be merry and thank Jupiter for all his grace? And ere we depart hence, I counsel that we make of two sorrows one perfect joy lasting evermore; and look now, where most sorrow is, there will we first begin to amend it. Sis- ter," quoth he, "this is my full edict, with the counsel here of my parliament, that ye shall of your grace take pity on noble Pala- mon, your own knight, that serveth you with heart and will, and ever hath done since ye first knew him, and that ye shall take him for husband and lord. Give me your hand, for thus we decree. Let see now your womanly compassion. Pardee, he is a king's brother's son ; and though he were a poor squire, since he hath served you so many a day and had so great adversity for 65 THE CANTERBURY TALES you, it should be considered, believe me, your gentle mercy ought to pass bare justice." Then said he, "O Palamon, I trow there is but small need of sermoning to make you assent to this. Draw nearer, and take your lady by the hand." Betwixt them anon was made the bond of matrimony by all the council and baronage. And thus with all bliss and song hath Palamon wedded Emily. And God, that hath wrought all this wide world, send him the love that he hath paid for so dear. Now is Palamon in all weal, living in bliss, in health and in richesse, and Emily so tenderly loveth him and he so nobly serveth her that never was there word between them of jealousy or any other annoy. Thus end Palamon and Emily; and God save all this fair fellowship! Amen. Here is ended the Knight's Tale. 66 Words of the Host Behold the merry words of the Host to the Shipman and to the Lady Prioress. ""W "Tf TELL said," quoth our host, "by corpus dominus, now y y long may thou sail by these shores, sir gentle master, gentle mariner ! God give this monk a thousand cart- loads of bad years ! Aha ! beware, fellows, of such a trick ! The Monk put an ape in the man's hood, and in his wife's eke, by Saint Austin! Take no more monks unto your hearth. But now pass we over and seek who of all this rout shall tell first another tale;" and with that word, as courteously as if he spake to a young maid, "My lady Prioress," quoth he, "by your leave, if so I wist I should not trouble you, I would deem that ye should tell a tale next, if so it were to your pleasure. Now will ye vouchsafe, my lady dear?" "Gladly," quoth she, and said as ye shall be told. The Prologue of the Prioress' Tale Domine, dominus nosier. LORD, our lord," quoth she, "how marvelous is thy name spread in this large world, for not only is thy precious laud performed by men of dignity, but by the mouths of children thy goodness is celebrated, for sucking on the breast sometime they show thy praise. Wherefore, as I best can, in laud of thee and of the white lily-flower which bore thee and is alway a maid, I will do my diligence to tell a story, not that I may increase her honour, for she is herself honour and the root of goodness next to her son, and soul's redemption. "O mother-maid! O maid-mother bounteous! O unburnt bush burning before Moses' eyes, that through thine humbleness didst draw down from the deity the Ghost that alighted in thee, of whose virtue, when he illumined thy heart, was conceived the father's sapience, help me to tell it in thine honour. Lady, thy magnificence, thy great humility, thy goodness and thy power, no tongue may express by any wisdom; for sometimes, ere men pray to thee, lady, thou goest before of thy graciousness, and through thy prayer gettest us the light to guide us unto thy dear son. O blessed queen, so weak is my cunning to declare thy worth, that I may not bear the weight ; but as a child of twelve months old that can scarcely express a word, even so fare I, and therefore I pray you guide my story that I shall teE of you." Explicit. 68 us fte twu^Itt The Prioress' Tale Here beginneth the Prioress* Tale. In a great city of Asia amongst the Christian folk there was a Jewry, sustained by a lord of that land for foul usury and villainous lucre, hateful to Christ and his followers; and men might ride or walk through the street, for it was free and open at both ends. Down at the farther limit there was a little school of Christian folk, in which there were a throng of children of Christian blood, that learned year by year in that school such lore as was wonted in that place, that is to say, to read and sing, as small children do in their childhood. Among these children there was a widow's son, a little chor- ister-boy seven years of age, that day by day went to school, and eke as he had been taught it was his wont, where he saw the image of Christ's mother as he went by the way, to kneel down and say his Ave Marie. So hath this widow taught her little son to honour aye our blessed lady, Christ's mother dear, and he forgot it in no wise, for a good child will alway learn soon; and ever, when I have this thing in remembrance, Saint Nicholas standeth aye before me, because he did reverence to Christ so young. This little child, as he sat in the school, learning his little primer, heard sung Alma redemptoris, as the children learned their anthem-book, and as he durst, he drew nearer and nearer and hearkened ever the words and the note till he knew the first verse all by heart. He wist not at all what this Latin meant, for he was so young and tender in years ; but one day he prayed his fellow to expound him this song in his own language, or to tell him why this song was in use. This he prayed him to construe and explain full oft a time upon his bare knees. His fellow, that was older than he, answered him thus: "I 69 THE CANTERBURY TALES have heard tell that this song was made to salute our noble blessed lady, and eke for to pray her to be our succour and help when we die. I can expound no more thereof; I learn singing; I know but small grammar." "And is this song made in reverence of Christ's mother?" said this innocent, "now certes I will do my best to know it all, ere Christmas is gone; though I shall be scolded for my primer and be beaten thrice in an hour, I will know it to honour our lady." His fellow taught him in secret from day to day on the way home, till he knew it by heart, and then he sung it boldly and well from word to word in accord with the tune; twice a day it passed through his throat, when he went schoolward and home- ward; his mind was set on Christ's mother. As I have said, this little child, as he came to and fro through the Jewry, would sing full merrily, and cry evermore O alma redemptoris; the sweetness of Christ's mother hath so pierced his heart, that in prayer to her, he cannot stint singing by the way. Our first foe, the serpent Sathanas, that in a Jew's heart hath his wasp's nest, up-swelled and said: "O Hebrew people is this, alas! a thing seemly to you, that such a boy shall walk as he list in your despite and sing of such a theme, which is against the reverence of your law?" From thenceforth the Jews have conspired to hunt this innocent out of this world. Thereto they have paid an homicyde that had a privy dwelling in an alley; and as the child gan pass by, this cursed Jew seized him and held him fast, and cut his throat and flung him into a pit. O cursed folk of new Herods, what may your evil mind avail you? Murder will out; verily it must; and chiefly where the honour of God is pledged, the blood crieth out on your cursed 70 THE PRIORESS' TALE act. O martyr, confirmed to virginity, now mayst thou sing, following ever and ever the white lamb celestial, of which the great evangelist wrote, Saint John in Pathmos, who saith that they that go before this lamb and sing a fresh song, never carnally know women. All that night this poor widow awaiteth her little child, but he came not; for which, as soon as it was day, with face pale for dread and anxious disquietude, she hath sought him at school and elsewhere, till finally she espied thus far that he was last seen in the Jewry. With mother's pity pent in her breast, she goeth as it were half out of her mind to every place where by likelihood she hath supposed her little child might be, and ever she cried on Christ's mother meek and kind, and at last she came to seek him among the cursed Jews. She asketh and prayeth piteously of every Jew that dwelt there to tell her if her child had passed by. They said "Nay;" but after a little while, Jesu of his grace put it in her thought to call aloud for her son in that place where he was cast beside the way into a pit. O great God, that performeth thy praise by the mouths of innocents, lo Thy power! This gem of chas- tity, this emerald and eke this bright ruby of martyrdom, where he lay prone with slashed throat, began to sing Alma redemp- toris so loud that all the place rang. The Christian folk that passed through the street came in to wonder upon this thing, and sent forthwith for the provost, who cometh anon without delay and praiseth Christ that is king of heaven and eke the glory of mankind, his mother, and after that he causeth the Jews to be bound. With piteous lament, this child was taken up, alway singing his song, and with honours of a great procession they carried him 71 THE CANTERBURY TALES unto the nearest abbey. His mother lay swooning by the bier; so that scarce could the people draw this new Rachel from his corse. This provost causeth these Jews that wist of his murder to be slain, and that anon, with torment and shameful death; he would suffer no such cursedness. Evil shall have what evil deserveth, therefore he let them be drawn with wild horses and after that he hanged them by law. Aye upon his bier lieth this innocent before the chief altar while mass was singing, and after, the abbot and his monks sped them to bury him, and when they cast holy water on him yet spake this child and sang ff O alma redemptoris mater!" This abbot, that was an holy man, as monks be, or else ought to be, begun to conjure this young child and said, "O dear child, in virtue of the holy Trinity, I supplicate thee tell what is thy reason for singing, sith to my seeming thy neck is cut?" "My throat is cut to my neck-bone," said this child, "and by way of nature, I should have died, yea, long time ago, but as ye may learn in books, Jesu Christ willeth that his glory last and be kept in mind, so for the worship of his sweet mother, I may still sing f O alma' clear and loud. This well of mercy, Christ's dear mother, I loved alway according to my knowledge and when I was to lose my life she came to me and bade me to sing this anthem even in my death as ye have heard, and while I was sing- ing, methought she laid a grain on my tongue. Wherefore I sing, and needs I must sing in honour of that blessed and noble maiden, till the grain is taken from off my tongue ; and afterward she said to me thus: 'My little child, I will fetch thee when the grain is taken from thy tongue ; be not aghast, I will not forsake thee.' " 72 THE PRIORESS' TALE This holy monk, this abbot I mean, caught out the child's tongue, and took off the grain, and full softly he gave up the ghost. And when this abbot had beheld this wonder, his salt tears trickled down like rain and prone he fell all flat on the pavement, and lay still as he had been bound. The abbey-monks eke lay on the pavement weeping, and praised Christ's dear mother, and after that they rise and be gone forth and take this martyr from his bier and in a tomb of fair marble-stones they enclose his little sweet body. Where he is now God grant us that we may come. O young Hugh of Lincoln, slain eke by cursed Jews, as is well known, for it was but a little while ago, pray also for us, unstable, sinful folk, that of his mercy God who is so pitiful may multiply his great mercies upon us, for reverence of his mother Mary. Amen. Here is ended the Prioress 3 Tale. The Prologue of the Nun's Priest's Tale " TT O ! good sir, no more of this," quoth the Knight. "What ye have told us, in sooth, is enough and to spare, for a little of heavy cheer sufficeth for most folk, I ween. As for me, I say it is a great distress to hear of the sudden fall, alas! of them who were wont to be in great wealth and ease. But the contrary is joy and great delight, as when a man, who hath been in poor estate, climbeth up and waxeth prosperous, and there in prosperity abideth. Such a thing, as it seemeth me, is gladsome; and of such a thing it were goodly to speak." "Yea!" quoth our host, "by Saint Paul's bell, ye say right sooth ; this monk, he clappeth his tongue with a din, and speaketh of how 'fortune covered with a cloud' something I wot never what; and also ye heard but now of a 'Tragedy,' and pardee, no help is it for to bewail nor lament that which is done ; and eke, as ye have said, it is a pain to hear the heaviness. Sir Monk, no more of this, for the love of God; your tale annoyeth all of us. Such talking is not worth a butterfly, for there is no mirth therein, nor disport. Wherefore, Sir Monk or whatsoever your name be, Dan Piers I pray you heartily tell us somewhat else, for verily, if it were not for the clinking of the bells that hang on your bridle all about by the King of heaven that died for us all ! I should have fallen down ere this for sleep into the slough, however miry it were. Then had your tale been all told in vain, for certainly as these clerks say : 'Where a man hath no audience, 74 PROLOGUE OF NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE it helpeth him naught to speak his mind.' But I wot well I shall know a good tale when I hear one. Sir, say somewhat of hunting, I pray you." "Nay," quoth the monk, "I list not to sport; let another tell a tale now, sith I have told." Then spake our host with his rude broad speech, and said unto the Nun's Priest: "Come nearer, thou priest; come hither, thou Sir John; tell us such a thing as may glad our hearts. Though thou ride on a jade, be blithe! What though thy horse be both foul and lank, reck not a bean, if he will serve thee. Whatever be, look that thy heart be merry!" "Yes, sir," quoth he. "Yes, host, by my spurs! In sooth, if I be not merry, may I be chid." And right anon he hath broached his tale, and thus he said unto all of us, this sweet priest, this goodly man, Sir John. 75 The Nun's Priest's Tale Here beginneth the Nun's Priest's Tale of the Cock and Hen, Chaunticleer and Pertelote. A POOR widow, well on in old age, dwelt once in a small cottage, that stood in a dale, beside a grove. Since the day her goodman died, this widow of whom I tell you my tale, had led her simple life in patience, for her worldly goods were few and her winnings scant. By husbanding well that which God sent her she provided for herself and her two daughters. Three large sows she had, but no more; three kine and eke a sheep, named Moll. Her bower was full sooty and eke her hall, in which she ate full many a spare meal. Never a bit needed she pungent sauce; no dainty morsel passed her lips. Her diet was in accord with her petticoat. Repletion never made her to ail; a temperate diet was her only physic, save exercise and heart's content. The gout hindered her not from dancing; apoplexy weakened not her head. No wine she drank, neither red nor white. Her board for the most was laid with white and black: milk and brown bread, of which she had a plenty, and broiled bacon, and sometimes an egg or two; for she was as it were a kind of dairy woman. A yard she had enclosed on all sides by sticks, and a dry ditch without. Therein she kept a cock named Chaunticleer, whose like for crowing was not in all the land. His voice was merrier 76 THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE than the merry organ-pipes that play in the church o' mass- days, and surer his crowing on his perch than a clock, or an abbey horologe. He knew by nature each ascension of the equinoxial in those parts; for when the sun was arisen fifteen degrees, then he crew, that there was no gainsaying it. His comb was redder than fine coral, and battlemented like a castle-tower. His bill was black and shone like jet, like azure were his legs and his toes, his nails whiter than the lily-flower, and his body like burnished gold. This gentle cock had under his governance, to perform all his will and pleasure, seven hens, who were his sisters and para- mours, and in colour, wondrous like to him; of which she with throat of the fairest hue was named fair Demoiselle Pertelote. Courteous she was, debonair and discreet, and so companionable, and bare herself so sweetly, ever since the day that she was seven nights old, that truly she holdeth the heart of Chaunticleer locked up in every limb of her ; he loved her so, that it was heaven to him. Ah! but such joy as it was to hear them when the bright sun gan rise, singing in sweet accord, "My lief is faren in londe," for at that time, as I have understood, beasts and birds could sing and speak. So it befell, one dawn, as Chaunticler among his wives sat on his perch that was in the hall, and his fair Pertelote beside him, that he began to groan in his throat like one that is sore plagued in his dream. And when Pertelote heard him roar thus, she was aghast, and said: "O dear heart! what aileth you to groan in this manner? Ye are a pretty sleeper! Fie! for shame !" And he answered and said thus: "Madam, I pray you, that ye take it not amiss. God's truth, I dreamed but now I was in 77 THE CANTERBURY TALES such peril that my heart even yet is sore a f card. Now may God," quoth he, "bring my dream to good, and keep my body out of foul prison! I dreamed how that I was roaming up and down in our yard, when I saw a beast that was like a hound, and would have seized upon my body, and would have killed me. His colour was betwixt yellow and red, and his tail was tipped and so were his ears with black, unlike the rest of his hide; his snout was pointed and his two eyes glowed. Even yet I almost die for dread of his look. This, it was, caused my groaning doubtless." "Avoy!" quoth she, "fie on you, chicken-hearted! Alas!" quoth she, "for now, by that God in heaven, have ye lost my heart and all my love. IRyjmy faith r T camiot love a coward! For certes, whatsoever any woman may say, we all desire, if may be, to have husbands hardy, wise, generous, and trusty with secrets; yea, and no niggard, nor fool, nor him that's aghast at every knife, nor a boaster, by that God in heaven! How for shame durst ye say unto your love that anything might make you afraid? Have ye no man's heart and have a beard? Alas! how can ye be aghast at dreams? There is nothing, God wot, but vanity in dreams. Dreams be engendered by repletions, anch/. fumes, and oft of a man's temperament, when humours be too abundant in a wight. Certes, this dream which ye have dreamt cometh from the great superfluity of your red colera, which causeth folk in their dreams to be in terror of arrows, of fire with red flames, of great beasts, lest they bite them, of fighting, and of whelps, great and smaD; right as the humour of melan- choly causeth full many a man to cry out in his sleep for fear of black bears, or black bulls, or else lest black devils catch them. I could also speak of other humours, that work sore woe to many a 78 THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE man in his sleep, but I will pass on as lightly as I may. Lo! Cato, so wise a man as he said he not thus: 'Give no heed to dreams'? Now, sir," quoth she, "when we fly from these rafters, do, for God's love, take some laxative. On peril of my soul, with- out lying, I counsel you for the best, that ye purge you botH of choler and of melancholy, and that ye may not lose time, though there be no apothecary in this town, I shall myself teach you what herbs be for your health and weal; and in our yard I shall find those herbs which have such properties, by nature, as shall purge you well. For God's own love, forget not this, that ye be full choleric. So beware that the sun in its ascension find you not replete with hot humours ; for if it do, I dare lay a groat that ye shall have a tertian fever, or an ague, that may be the bane of you. For a day or two, ye shall eat worms as digestives, before ye take your laxatives, lauriol, centaury and fumitary, or else hellibore (which grows there) , catapuce, goat-tree berries, or herb- ivy, that is pleasant to take and grows in our yard. Peck them up just as they grow and eat them in. Think of your fore- fathers, husband, and be merry. Dread no dream; I can say no more to you." "Madame," quoth he, "gramercy for your lore. Natheless, touching Dan Cato, that hath such a renown for wisdom, though he bade us fear no dreams, yet by my troth, one may read in old books of many men of more authority, I lay my life, than ever Cato was who say the very contrary of his opinion, and who have found by experience that dreams be significant as well of the joys as of the tribulations which folk endure in this life. It needeth not to make an argument of this; experience itself showeth it in sooth. One of the greatest authors that men read saith thus: that whilom two comrades, with good intent, made 79 THE CANTERBURY TALES a pilgrimage; and it so befell that they came into a town, where there was such a flocking together of people with such scant harbourage, that they found not even so much as one cottage where they might both be lodged. Wherefore, of necessity, they must part company for that night; and each of them goeth to his hostelry and taketh such lodging as befalleth him. One of them was lodged in a stall, far back in a yard, with oxen of the plough. The other man was well enough lodged, as was his chance, or fate, such as governs all of us in common. "And it so befell that, long ere day, this latter man, as he slept in his bed, dreamt how his fellow gan call upon him, and said: 'Alas! for here to-night I shall be murdered where I lie in an ox's stall. Now help me, dear brother, ere I die. In all haste, come to me !' he said. "Out of his sleep this man started for fear, but when he was full awake, he turned over, and gave no heed to this; his dream seemed to him was but a vanity. Thus twice he dreamed in his sleep. And at still the third time, his comrade came, as seemed to him, and said: 'I am now slain. Behold my bloody wounds deep and wide. Arise up early in the dawning, and at the west gate of the town thou shalt see a cart full of dung in which my body is privily hidden. Cause that cart boldly to be stopped. It was my gold caused my murder, sooth to say.' And he told him with a pale and piteous face in every point how he was slain. "And be sure he found his dream full true. For on the morrow, as soon as it was day, he went forth to his fellow's inn, and when he came to the stall, he began to shout for him. Anon the host answered him and said: 'Sir, your comrade is gone. As soon as it was day, he walked out of the town.' 80 THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE "This man now gan to suspect somewhat, remembering the dreams he had dreamt, and forth he goeth without longer tarry- ing to the west gate of the town, and came upon a dung-cart, all loaded as if to dung some land, even in the same wise as ye have heard the dead man describe. And with a stout heart he gan to cry: 'Vengeance and justice for this crime! This night was my comrade murdered, and lieth gaping in this cart. I cry out upon the officers that should keep and rule this city. Harrow! Alas! Here my fellow lieth slain!' "What more should I add unto this tale? The people haste out of their houses and overturn the cart; and in the midst of the dung they found the dead man, murdered all newly. O blessed God! just and true, lo! how alway thou layest murder bare. Murder will out; that see we daily. Murder is so loath- some and abominable to God, the wise and just, that he will not suffer it to be concealed. Though it may abide for a year, or two or three, yet murder will out. This is my conclusion. "And straightway the officers of that town have seized the carter and the inn-keeper, and have them so sore tormented and racked, that anon they acknowledged their wickedness, and were hanged by the neck-bone. "Herein men may see that dreams be worthy of dread. And certes, in the same book (as I hope for joy, I gab not), right in the next chapter after, I read thus: 'Two men who, for a certain cause, would cross the sea into a far country, were con- strained by contrary winds to tarry in a certain city, that stood full pleasant on a haven-shore. But on a day, toward even-tide, the wind gan change and blew right as they listed. Merry and glad they went to their rest and cast in their minds to sail full early. But to one of the men befell a great marvel. For one of 81 THE CANTERBURY TALES them, as he lay sleeping, toward day dreamt a wonderful dream. It seemed to him that a man stood by his bed's side, and com- manded him to tarry, and said to him thus: 'If thou set forth to-morrow, thou shalt be drowned; my tale is at an end.' He awoke and told his fellow what he had dreamed, and prayed him to delay his voyage, or even for that day to tarry. His comrade, who lay by his bedside, gan to laugh and to scoff at him boisterously. * 'No dream,' quoth he, 'may so make my heart aghast that it shall hinder me in my business. I set not a straw by thy dreamings. For dreams be but vanities and trash. Daily men dream of owls, or of apes, and therewithal of many a strange marvel such things as never were, nor ever shall be. But sith I see that thou wilt abide here, and thus wilfully waste thy time in dallying, God wot, I am sorry; good day to thee.' And thus he took his leave and went on his way. But ere he had sailed half his course I wot not why, nor what misfortune ailed it the ship's bottom was by chance riven asunder, and ship and men sank under the water within sight of other ships hard by, that had sailed at the same time as they. "And therefore, fair Pertelote, dear heart, by such old ensamples mayst thou learn that no man should be too reckless of dreams, for I tell thee that many a dream is doubtless to be dreaded full sore. "Lo! I read in the life of Saint Kenelm, that was the son of Kenulphus, the noble king of Mercenric, how Kenelm dreamed a dream. On a day, a little while ere he was murdered, he saw his murder in a vision. His nurse expounded his dream to him every whit, and bade him guard him well against treason; but he was but seven years old, and therefore gave little heed to any 82 THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE dream, so holy was his heart. By God's truth, I would gixe my shirt that ye had read his legend as I have. "Dame Pertelote, I tell you truly, Macrobeus, that wrote the vision of the noble Scipio in Africa, affirmeth dreams, and saith that they be warnings of things that men see afterwards. And furthermore, I pray you look well in the Old Testament, whether Daniel held dreams to be any vanity. Read eke of Joseph, and there shall ye see whether dreams be not sometime (I say not alway) warnings of things that shall befall after- ward. Look at Dan Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, his baker and eke his butler, whether they felt no significance in dreams. Whosoever will search the chronicles of sundry kingdoms may read about dreams many a wondrous thing. Lo! Croesus, that was king of Lydia, dreamt he not that he sat upon a tree, which signified that he should be hanged. Lo! Andromache, the wife of Hector, she dreamed on the very night before, how the life of Hector should be lost, if he went into battle on that day. She warned him, but it might not avail ; he went none the less to fight. But he was slain anon by Achilles. "But that tale is all too long to tell, and eke it is nigh day; I may not dally. In short, I say that I shall have adversity from this vision, and further I say that I set no store by laxatives, for I wot well they be venomous. I defy them; I love them never a whit. Let us stint all this now and speak of mirth. Madame Pertelote, in one thing hath God given me largely of his blessing, for when I look upon the beauty of your face, ye be so scarlet-red about the eyes, that it maketh all my dread for to cease. For as sure as in principio 'Mulier est hominis con- fusio' my lady, this is the meaning of the Latin: 'Woman is man's joy and all his delight.' For at night on our narrow 83 THE CANTERBURY TALES perch, when I feel your soft side, I am so full of joy and bliss, that I defy both dream and vision." With that word, he flew down from the rafter, and with a "chuck" gan to call them, for he had found a grain of corn that lay in the yard. Royal he was ; afraid no more ; he looketh ! as it were a grim lion. Up and down he roameth upon his toes, 1 for he deigneth not to set his foot to the ground. When he hath come upon a kernel, he chucketh and then to him run all his wives. Thus royal as a prince in his hall I leave this Chaunticleer in his feeding-ground, and hereafter I will tell what befell him. When the month in which the world began the month called March in which God created Adam was completed, and when there had passed also, since March began, two and thirty days, it befell that Chaunticleer, walking in all his pride with his seven wives, cast up his eyes to the bright sun, that had voyaged in the sign of Taurus one and twenty degrees and somewhat farther, and knew by no other lore than nature that it was prime of day, and crew with blissful voice. "The sun," he said, "is clomb up on heaven one and forty degrees and more in sooth. Madame Pertelote, bliss of my world, hark to these blissful birds how they sing, and see the fresh flowers how they spring. Full is my heart of revelry and delight." But suddenly a sorrowful chance befell him, for the latter end of joy ever is woe. God wot, in this world, joy is soon passed away; and the fairest-enditing rhetorician might safely write it down in a chronicle for a sovereignly notable thing. Now every wise man let him hearken to me. This story, I vow, is as true as the book of Launcelot de Lake, which women hold in great reverence. Now will I turn again to my matter. 84 THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE A fox, that had dwelt three years in the grove, full of sly iniquity, and fore-guided by lofty imagination, that same night burst through the hedges into the yard, where Chaunticleer, the splendid, was wont to repair with his wives, and in a bed of herbs he lay still, till it was past undern, biding his time to fall upon Chaunticleer, as all these homicides will do, that lie in wait to murder men. O, false murderer, lurking in thy lair! O second Iscariot! Second Genilon! False dissimulator! O thou Greek Sinon, that broughtest Troy utterly to sorrow! O Chaunticleer, cursed be that morn that thou flewest from thy perch into that yard ! Full well wast thou warned by thy dreams how that day should be perilous to thee. But what God foreknows must needs come to pass according to the opinion of certain clerks. I take any per- fect clerk to witness, that there is great altercation in the schools concerning this matter, yea, great disputation hath there been by an hundred thousand men. But I cannot bolt it to the bran, as can the holy doctor Augustine, or Boethius, or Bradwardine the bishop. Whether God's glorious foreknowing constraineth me of necessity to do a thing (necessity, I construe as absolute necessity) , or whether free choice be granted me either to do that same thing or to do it not, in spite of God's fore-knowledge of it ere it was done; or whether his knowing constraineth only by conditional necessity; with such matters I will not have to do. My tale, as ye may hear, is of a cock that took the counsel of his wife sorrow befall her! to walk in the yard, upon that morrow when he had dreamed the dream which I described to you. Full oft be women's counsels cold. Woman's counsel brought us firstjsi-woer and made Adam to depart from Paradise, where 85 THE CANTERBURY TALES he was full merry and well at ease. Yet sith I wot not whom I might offend if I should blame the counsel of women, pass on, for I said it in my sport. Read authors, where they treat of such matters, and ye may learn what they say of women. These be the cock's words; not mine. I can imagine no harm of any woman. Fair in the sand lieth Pertelote, bathing her merrily and all her sisters nigh her in the sunshine ; and Chaunticleer, the noble, sang merrier than the mermaid in the sea; for Phisiologus saith in all sooth how they sing well and merrily. And it so befell, as he cast his glance among the herbs upon a butterfly, that he was ware of this fox, that lay full low. No lust had he then to crow but straightway cried "Cok! Cok!" and up he started as one that is afraid in his heart. For by nature a beast desireth to flee from his born foe, if he see it, even though he hath never before cast his eye upon it. This Chaunticleer, when he espied him, would have fled, but that straightway the fox said: "Gentle sir, alas! where will ye go? Be ye afraid of me? Me, that am your friend? Certes, now, I were worse than a devil, if I would do you harm or discourtesy. I am not come to spy on your privacy, but truly the cause of my approach was only to hearken how ye sing. For truly ye have as merry a voice as hath any angel that is in heaven ; and eke ye have more feeling in music than had Boece, or any wight that can sing. My lord, your father (God bless his soul!) , and eke your mother, of her courtesy, have been in my house- to my great ease. And certes, full fain would I do you a pleas- ure, sir. But I will say, sith we speak of singing, may I be blind if I ever heard, save you, a man so sing as did your father in the morn. Certes, it was from the heart all that he sung; and 86 THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE for to make his voice the stronger, he would take such pains that he must needs shut both eyes, so loud would he cry, and there- withal stand on his tiptoes and stretch forth his neck long and slim. And he was of such discretion eke that there was no man in any land that could pass him in song or wisdom. I have read indeed in the book of Dan Burnel, the Ass, how on a time there was a cock that, because a priest's son banged him on the leg, while he was young and foolish, made him to lose his benefice. But certainly there is no comparison betwixt his subtlety and the discreet wisdom of your father. Now, for Saint Charity! sing, sir. Let see, can ye counterfeit your father?" This Chaunticleer gan beat his wings, as one that could not discern the fox's treason, so ravished he was by his flattery. Alas! ye lords; many a false flatterer is in your courts and many a dissimulator that, by my faith, pleaseth you far more than he that saith soothfastness unto you. Read of flattery in Ecclesiasticus, and beware, ye lords, of her treachery. This Chaunticleer stood up high on his toes, stretching his neck, and held his eyes shut, and gan to crow loud for the nonce ; and straightway Dan Russell, the fox, started up, and snatched Chaunticleer by the gorge, and bare him on his back away toward the wood, for as yet there was none that pursued him. O destiny, that mayst not be shunned! Alas! that Chaunti- cleer flew from his perch. Alas! that his wife recked not for dreams! And on a Friday befell all this mischance. O Venus, goddess of pleasure, sith this Chaunticleer was thy servant, and performed his utmost power in thy service, more for delight than to multiply this world, why wouldst thou suffer him to die on thy day? O Gaufred, dear sovereign master that, when thy worthy King Richard was slain with shot, mournedst 87 THE CANTERBURY TALES his death so sore, why have not I thine eloquence and learning to chide Friday, as ye did? (For in sooth on a Friday thy king was slain.) Then would I show you how I could lament for Chaunticleer's need and torment. Certes, such cry, or lamentation, was never made by ladies, when Ilium was won, and Pyrrhus, with his sword drawn, had seized King Priam by the beard and slain him (as the ^Eneid telleth us), as made all the hens in the close when they had seen the sight of Chaunticleer. But most of all shrieked dame Pertelote far louder than Hasdrubal's wife, when her husband had been slain and the Romans had burned Carthage; she was so full of torment and madness, that, of her own will, she leapt into the fire, and burned herself with a steadfast heart. O woful hens! even so ye cried as cried the wives of the Senators, because their husbands had perished, when Nero burned the city of Rome; without guilt, this Nero hath slain them. Now will I turn once more to my tale. This simple widow and eke her two daughters heard these hens cry and make woe, and anon they started out of doors and saw how the fox went toward the grove and on his back bare away the cock ; and cried : "Out! Harrow! Weylaway! Ha! ha! the fox!" and after him they ran, and eke many other folk with staves. Ran Colle, our dog, and Gerland and Talbot and Malkin, with a distaff in her hand ; ran cow and calf and eke the very hogs, so frightened were they by the dogs' barking and the shouting of the men and women. They ran so that it seemed their hearts would crack; they yelled as do the fiends in hell. The ducks cackled as if men were killing them ; the geese flew over the tree- tops for fear; out of the hive came the swarm of bees. So hideous was the noise ah! benedicite! certes, even Jack Straw 88 THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE and his rabble never make shouts half so shrill when they would slay any Fleming, as were made that day after the fox. Trumpets they brought of brass, of box-wood, of horn and of bone, in which they bellowed and blew, and therewithal so shrieked and whooped, that it seemed heaven would come down. Now, good men, I pray you all hearken! Lo! how fortune suddenly overturneth the hope and eke the \ pride of her enemy! This cock that lay, in all his fright, upon the fox's back, he spake unto the fox and said: "Sir, if I were as ye, so help me God, but I should say: 'Turn back, all ye proud churls ! A very pestilence fall upon you ! Now that I am come unto the wood's edge, the cock shall abide here, maugre your heads. In faith, I will eat him and that anon!" The fox answered : "In faith it shall be done." And as he spake that word, suddenly the cock brake nimbly from his mouth, and straightway flew high upon a tree. And when the fox saw that he was gone, "Alas!" quoth he, "O Chaunticleer ! Alas! I have done you wrong inasmuch as I frightened you when I seized and brought you out of the yard. But, sir, I did it with no wicked design. Come down, and I shall tell you what I meant. I shall say you sooth, so help me God!" "Nay, then," quoth he, "I beshrew both of us, and first I beshrew myself, both bones and blood, if thou beguile me more oft than once. Thou shalt no more by thy flattery make me to sing and close mine eyes; for he that is wilfully blind when he should see, God let him never thrive!" "Nay," quoth the fox, "but God give him mischance, that is so indiscreet that he babbleth when he should hold his peace." Lo! such it is to be reckless and negligent and trust to flattery. But ye that hold this tale to be a foolish story as of a fox and 89 THE CANTERBURY TALES a cock and hen, take the moral, good folk. For Saint Paul saith that all which is written, in sooth, is writ for our instruction. Take the fruit and let the chaff be. Now, good God, if it be thy will, as my lord archbishop saith, then make us all good people and bring us to thy heavenly bliss. Amen. Here is ended the Nun's Priest's Tale. 90 Epilogue to the Nun's Priest's Tale "Sir Nun's Priest," said our host anon, "blessed be thy breech! This was a merry tale of Chaunticleer. But if thou were secular, by my truth, thou wouldst be a lusty fellow with the dames. See what brawn hath this gentle priest, so great a neck and such a broad breast! He glanceth with his eyes like a sparrow-hawk. He needeth not to dye his colour with brasil, nor with dye of Portugal. Now, sir, fair befall you for your tale." And after that, with a look full merry, he said to another as ye shall hear. 91 The Physician's Tale Here followeth the Physician's Tale. THERE was once, as Titus Livius telleth, a knight called ' i ---- .....c.. o Virginius, full of honour and worthiness, strong in his friends and of great wealth. This knight had by hisjwif e ajdaughter ; no children more had he in all his days. In excellent beauty, this maid was fair above every wight that men may see; for Nature with sovereign care hath formed her in so great excellence as though she would say: "Lo! I, Nature, thus can I form and paint a breathing being when I list ; who can imitate me? Not Pygmalion, though aye he forge and beat, or grave, or paint; for I dare well say that Apelles and Zeuxis should work in vain if they presumed to imitate me by graving or painting or forging or beating. For he that is the chief Creator hath made me his vicar-general to form and paint earthly crea- tures even as I list, and each thing under the moon that waxeth and waneth is in my care, and for my work I will ask nothing; my lord and I be fully of one accord. For the worship of my sovereign I made her; so do I all my other creatures, whatsoever colour or shape they have." Thus it seemeth me Nature would say. This maid was two and twelve years of age, in whom Nature had such joy. For as she can paint a lily white and a rose red even with such art she hath painted this noble creature ere she was born, upon her noble limbs, where by right such colours 92 THE PHYSICIAN'S TALE should be; and Phoebus hath dyed her thick tresses like to the streams of his lustrous heat. And if her beauty was excellent she was a thousand-fold more virtuous. She lacked no quality that discernment may praise ; as well in spirit as in body she was chaste ; wherefore she flowered in virginity with all humility and abstinence, with all temperance and patience, and eke sobriety of bearing and garb. In answering she was alway discreet, though she might be as wise as Pallas, I dare say. Her faculty of speech was full womanly and plain; she had no counterfeited terms, to seem wise, but she spake after her station, and all her words, both more and less, were full of virtue and of nobility. Shamefast she was in the shamefastness of a maiden, constant in heart and ever busy to drive out sluggard idleness. Of her mouth Bacchus had no mastery; for wine and youth cause Venus increase, even as men will cast oil into fire. And of her own free will and virtue, she hath full oft feigned her sick because she would flee the company where folly was like to be treated of, as at feasts, dances and revels, that be the occasions of dalliance. Such things, as men may see, make children too soon ripe and bold, which is full perilous and hath ever been. For all too soon she may learn lore of boldness, when she is waxed a wife. And ye mistresses in your old age that have lords' daughters in governance, take no displeasure of my words. Think that ye be set to govern the daughters of lords only for two things: either for ye have kept your virtue, or else ye have fallen into frailty and know well enough the old dance and have fully forsaken such mis- conduct forevermore. Therefore, for Christ's sake, look that ye be not slack to teach them virtue. A thief of venison that hath given over his appetite and all his old craft, can keep a forest 93 THE CANTERBURY TALES best of all men. Keep them well now, for if ye will, ye can. Look well that ye give assent unto no vice, lest ye be damned for your wicked mind, for whosoever doth, in sooth, is a traitor. And pay heed to that I shall say: of all treasons the sovereign plague is when a wight betrayeth innocence. Ye fathers and eke ye mothers, that have children, be it one or two, yours is all the charge to watch over them while they be under your gover- nance. Beware, by the ensample of your living or by your neglect of chastisement, that they perish not; for I dare well say that if they do, ye shall rue it dearly. Under a soft and negligent shepherd, the wolf hath torn in pieces many a sheep and lamb. One ensample sufficeth now, for I must turn again to my matter. This maid, of whom I will tell this tale, so kept herself that she needed no mistress. For in her living, as in a book, maidens might read every good word or act that belongeth to a virtuous maid; she was so prudent and so kind. Wherefore the fame sprang out far on every side both of her beauty and her good- ness; that throughout that land everyone praised her that loved virtue, save envy alone that is sorry for the weal of another man, and glad of his sorrow and his misfortune. (The doctor, Saint Augustine, maketh this description of envy.) This maid on a day went to a temple with her dear mother, as is the wont of young maidens. Now there was a justice then in that town that was governor of that country. And so befell this judge cast his eyes upon this maid, considering her full closely as she came past where he was. Straightway his heart changed and his mood, he was so caught with the beauty of this maiden, and full privily he said to himself, "This maid shall be mine in spite of any man." 94) THE PHYSICIAN'S TALE Anon the fiend glided suddenly into his heart and taught him that he might by craft win the maiden to his purpose. For certes, it seemed to him, that by no force nor suborning could he speed. For she was strong of friends and eke she was confirmed in such sovereign goodness that he knew well he might never so achieve as to make her sin with her body. Wherefore, upon great deliberation, he sent for a churl in that town whom he knew for a fellow subtle and bold. This judge hath said his say to this churl in secret wise, and made him swear he should tell it to no creature, and if he did he should lose his head. When this cursed plan was assented to, glad was this judge and made him great cheer, and gave him gifts precious and fine. When all this plot was shapen, from point to point, how that his lechery should be performed full subtly, as ye shall afterwards openly hear, home goeth the churl, that was named Claudius. This false judge called Apius (so was he named, for this is no fable, but known for a notable historical thing; the substance of it is sooth, out of doubt) , this false judge now goeth about to hasten his delight all that he may. And so it befell soon after, as the book telleth us, that this false judge sat in his consistory, as he was wont, and gave his judgments on sundry cases. This false churl came forth in full great haste and said, "Lord, if it be your will, do me justice upon this rueful petition, in which I make complaint against Virginius, and if he will say that it is not so, I will prove it, and find good witness that what my bill declare th is sooth." The judge answered, "Of this I may not in his absence give final judgment. Let him be called and I will gladly listen. Thou shalt have right and no wrong here." Virginius came, that he might know the judge's will, and 95 THE CANTERBURY TALES straightway this cursed petition was read; the sense of it was as ye shall hear. "To you, my lord, Sir Apius, sheweth your poor servant Claudius how a knight called Virginius, against the law and all equity, holdeth expressly against my will my servant, by law my thrall, that was stolen from my house by night while she was full young; this will I prove by witness, lord, so it offend you not. She is not his daughter, whatsoever he saith. Wherefore I pray to you, my lord judge, yield me my thrall, if it be your will.'* Lo ! this was the sense of his petition. Virginius gan look on the churl, but hastily ere he told his tale and would have proved as a knight should, and eke by many a witness, that what his accuser had said was false, this cursed judge would tarry no whit nor hear a word from Vir- ginius, but gave his judgment and said, "I decree that straight- way this churl have his servant ; thou shalt keep her in thy house no longer. Go bring her forth and put her here in our charge. The churl shall have his thrall; this I award him." When Virginius, this worthy knight, by the sentence of this justice, must needs give his dear daughter unto the judge to live in lechery, he goeth home and sitteth him in his hall and straight- way letteth his dear daughter be summoned, and with a face dead as cold ashes he gan gaze upon her humble face with a father's pity sticking through his heart, albeit he would not swerve from his purpose. "Daughter," quoth he, "Virginia, there be two ways, either death or shame, that thou must suffer. Alas! that I was born! For never thou deservedst to die with a sword. O dear daughter, ender of my life, whom I have fostered up with such gladness that thou wert never out of my remembrance ! O daughter, that 96 THE PHYSICIAN'S TALE art my last woe, and eke in my life my last joy, O gem of chastity, take thou in patience thy death, for this is my judgment. For love and not for hate, thou must die. My wretched hand must smite off thy head. Alas! that ever Apius saw thee. Thus hath he falsely judged thee to-day," and told her all the case as ye have already heard; it needeth not to tell it more. "O mercy, dear father," quoth this maid, and with that word she laid both her arms about his neck, as she wont to do. The tears burst from her eyes and she said, "Good father, shall I die ? Is there no grace ? Is there no help ?" "No, certes, my dear daughter," quoth he. "Then give me leisure, father mine, a little while to lament my death, for Jepthah, pardee, gave his daughter grace to lament, ere he slew her, alas! And God wot it was nothing her fault, but because she ran first to greet her father to welcome him with festivity." And with that word straightway she fell swooning, and after her swoon- ing had left her, she riseth up and saith to her father, "Blessed be God, I shall die a maiden. Give me my death ere I have shame. Do your will with your child, for God's sake." And with that she besought him many times that with his sword he would smite softly, and thereupon she fell down in a swoon. With full sorrowful heart and will, her father smote off her head, and took it by the top and gan present it to the judge as he sat yet judging in consistory. And when the judge saw it, as saith the book, he bade men take him and hang him at once. But straightway a thousand people thronged in to save the knight for ruth and compassion, for the false iniquity was known. The people hath straightway suspected, from the manner of the churl's challenge, that this thing was by Apius' consent. They wist well that he was lustful. For which they went 97 THE CANTERBURY TALES unto him and anon cast him in a prison, where he slew himself. And Claudius, his servant, was doomed to hang on a tree; but that Virginius, of his pity, so prayed for him that he was exiled; else certes, he had been destroyed. The rem- nant, high and low, were hanged, that were privy to this cursed- ness. Here many men see how sin hath its deserts ! Beware, for no man knoweth whom God will smite, nor in what wise the worm of conscience may writhe within a man, though his wicked life be so privy that no man knoweth thereof but God and him. For be he a man simple or learned, he wot not how soon he shall be afeard. Therefore I rede you take this counsel: forsake sin ere sin forsake you. Here endeih the Physicians Tale. 98 Words of the Host The words of the Host to the Physician and the Pardoner. OUR host gan swear as he were mad. "Harrow! by nails and by blood!" quoth he, "this was a false churl and a false justice! As shameful death as heart may conceive come upon these judges and their advocates. Natheless this poor maid is slain, alas ! Too dear she bought her beauty ! Wherefore I say that alway, as men may witness, the gifts of fortune or nature be cause of death to many a wight. Verily her beauty was her death. Alas! so pitifully as she was slain! Of both these gifts that I speak of, men have full oft more harm than profit. But truly, my own master dear, this is a piteous tale for to hearken to. But natheless, pass over, it is no matter. I pray to God save thy gentle corse, and thy Galens and eke thine Hippocrates, and every box full of thine electuary. God and our Lady bless them ! Thou art a proper man, as I live, and like a prelate, by Saint Ronyan! Said I not well? I cannot speak in clerkly terms, but I wot well thou makest me so to grieve that I almost have caught a spasm about my heart. By Corpus bones! unless I have physic or a draught of musty and corny ale, or else hear anon a merry story, my heart is broken for pity of this maid. Thou bel amy, thou Pardoner, tell us straight- way some mirth or jests." "It shall be done!" quoth he, "by Saint Ronyan. But first here at this ale-stake," quoth he, "I will drink and eat of a loaf." 99 THE CANTERBURY TALES But straightway these gentles gan exclaim, "Nay! let him tell us no ribaldry. Tell us some moral thing that we may learn some wisdom, and then we will gladly hear." "I agree, sure," quoth he, "but I must ponder on some virtuous thing while I drink." 300 Here folio weth the Prologue of the Pardoner's Tale Radix malorum est cupiditas: Ad Thimotheum, Sexto. L ORDINGS," quoth he, "when I preach in churches I take pains to have a stately utterance, and ring it out roundly as a bell, for all that I say I know by heart. My theme is alway the same 'Radix malorum est cupiditas.' '\*~< "First I announce whence I come, and then I show my bulls, one and all. First I show our liege lord's seal on my patent, to protect my body, that no man, neither priest nor clerk, may be so bold as to disturb me in Christ's holy labours; and then after that I say my say; I show bulls of popes and cardinals, of patriarchs and bishops; and I speak a few words in Latin to colour my preaching and to stir men to devotion. Then I show forth my long crystal boxes crammed full of clouts and bones; they be relics, as each man weeneth. Then I have in latten a shoulder-bone which came from an holy Jew's sheep. 'Good men/ say I, 'pay heed to my words ! If this bone be washed in any well, and cow or calf or sheep or ox be swollen of any worm or worm's sting, take water of that well and wash his tongue, and anon he is sound; and eke of pox and of scab and every sore shall every sheep be cured that drinketh a draught of this well; pay heed to what I say. If the goodman that owneth the beasts will every week, fasting, ere the cock croweth, drink a draught of this well as that holy Jew taught our elders, his beasts and his stock shall multiply. And, sirs, jealousy also it healeth. 101 THE CANTERBURY TALES For though a man be fallen into a jealous fit, let his pottage be made with this water and never shall he mistrust his wife more, though he knew the sooth of her fault, even had she taken two or three priests. Here ye may see a mitten eke; he that will put his hand in this mitten shall have multiplying of his grain when he hath sown, be it wheat or barley, if so be he offer pence, or else groats. Good men and women, one thing I warn you. If any wight be now in this church that hath done horrible sin, that he dare not for shame be shriven of it, or any woman, be she old or young, that hath hoodwinked her husband, such folk shall have no power nor grace to offer for my relics here. And whosoever findeth himself free from such fault let him come and offer in God's name, and I will assoil him by the authority which was granted me by bull.' "By this trick I have won an hundred mark year by year, since I was a pardoner. I stand like a clerk in my pulpit, and when the lay people be set down, I preach as ye have heard and tell an hundred more falsp fWiitg. Then briskly I stretch forth my neck, and east and west I nod upon the people, like a. dove sitting.. on a barn. My hands and my tongue go so nimbly that it is joy to see my diligence. My preaching is all of avaricfijmd such cursedness, to make them generous to give their pence,, and especially to me. For my purpose is naught but gain, and not a whit correction of sin. I reck never, when they be in their graves, though their souls go a-blackberrying ! For certes many a preaching cometh full oft of evil intention: one man to please folk and flatter them, to be advanced by hypoc- risy, one for vain glory and another for hate. For when I dare quarrel with a man in none other wise, then will I sting him with my bitter tongue in preaching, so that he shall not escape 102 THE PARDONER'S PROLOGUE being falsely defamed, if he hath trespassed to me or my brethren. For though I tell not his own name, men shall know well who is the man by signs and other circumstances. Thus I quit folk that do us displeasure. Thus I spit out my venom under colour of holiness, to seem holy and true. "But I will shortly describe my purpose. I preach of nothing but covetousness. Therefore my theme ever was and yet is, Radix malorum est cupiditas. Thus I can preach against that same sin which I practise, and that is avarice. Though of that sin myself be guilty, yet I can make other folk to cast off avarice, and sore to repent; but that is not my principal aim; I preach nothing but for covetousness. That ought to suffice of this matter. "Then I tell them many an ensample from old stories, of long time ago. For simple people love old tales. Such things they can well report and remember. What? trow ye whiles I preach and win gold and silver by my words, that I will live wilfully in poverty? Nay, nay, truly I thought of it never. For I will preach in sundry regions and beg. I will do no labour with my hands, nor make baskets and live thereby, because I would not idly beg. I will follow none of the apostles ; I will have money, wool, wheat and cheese, although the poorest lad give it, or the poorest widow in a village, though her children die for famine. Nay, I will drink liquor of the grape and in every town have a jolly wench. But hark, lordings, in conclusion, your will is that I tell some story. Now that I have drunk a draught of corny Jlki by God's light, I hope I ^hall tell you somewhat that shall by reason be to your liking. For though I myself be a full vicious man, yet I can tell you a moral tale, which I am wont to preach for gain. Hold your peace now. I will begin my tale." 103 Ik^Wfr* The Pardoner's Tale WHILOM in Flanders there was a company of young folk, that amidst riot and gambling gave themselves up to folly in the stews and taverns, where to harps, lutes and citterns day and night they danced and played at dice, and therewithal ate and drank to sad excess. In this cursed wise with abominable debauchery did they sacrifice to the devil in his temple, and made use of oaths so huge and damnable that it was grisly to hear them swear. Our Lord's blessed body they dismembered as though they thought the Jews had rended him not enough, and each laughed at the sins of the others. And right anon come girl-tumblers slender and comely, young wenches selling fruit, singers with harps, bawds and wafer-sellers, which be the very devil's officers for kindling and blowing the fire of luxury, which is next door to gluttony. For I take the holy writ to my witness that in wine and drunkenness is lust. Lo! drunken Lot! Lo! Herod (whosoever will observe the story), when he was replete of wine at his feast, gave command right at his own table that the Baptist John, full guiltless, be slain. Seneca saith eke a good word; he saith he can see no differ- ence betwixt a man that is out of his mind and a man that is drunk, save that madness in a rogue persevereth longer than doth drunkenness. O cursed gluttony! O first cause of our fall! O origin of our damnation, till Christ redeemed us with his blood. Lo ! to speak short, how dearly bought was that cursed sin. For the sake of gluttony all this world was corrupt. Adam our father and eke his wife, there is no doubt, were for that sin 104 THE PARDONER'S TALE driven from Paradise to labour and to woe; for while Adam fasted, as I have read, he was in Paradise; and when he ate the forbidden fruit of the tree, he was straightway cast out to woe and suffering. O gluttony, well ought we to complain of thee ! Oh, if a man wist how many maladies follow from gluttonous excess, sitting at his table, he would be the more temperate of his diet. Alas! short throat and delicate mouth causeth east and west and south and north, in earth, in air, in water that men must grunt and sweat to get dainty meat and drink for a glutton ! Well canst thou treat, O Paul, of this matter. "Meat unto belly and belly unto meat; God shall destroy both," as saith Paulus. Alas! by my fay, it is a foul thing to speak this word and the act is fouler, when a man so drinketh of the white and red that of his throat he maketh a sewer through that cursed -super- fluity. The apostle, full sorrowful, saith, weeping, "There walk many of which I have told you, I say it now weeping with piteous voice, of which, sith they be enemies of the cross of Christ, the end is death; belly is their god." O paunch! O belly! O vile sack! how great labour and cost is it to provide for thee! These cooks, how they stamp and strain and grind and turn substance into accident to fulfil all thy luxurious desire. Out of hard bones they knock the marrow, for they cast naught away that may go through the gullet soft and sweet. For the glutton's pleasure, his sauce shall be made of spicery, of leaf and bark and root to whet him a new appetite. But certes he that resorteth to such delights is dead while he liveth in those vices. A lustful thing is wine, and drunkenness is full of striving and misery. O drunken man, disfigured is thy countenance, sour is thy breath, foul art thou to embrace, and the sound through 105 THE CANTERBURY TALES thy drunken nose seemeth as though thou aye saidest, "Sam- soun, Samsoun," and yet Samson, God wot, drank never wine. Thou f allest as it were a stuck hog. Thy tongue is lost and all thy heed of honour, for drunkenness is the very sepulchre of man's discretion and wit. He in whom drink hath domination in very truth can keep no counsel. Now keep you from the white and the red, especially from the white wine of Lepe, that is for sale in Cheapside or Fish Street. This wine of Spain creepeth subtly into other wines growing near, of which such fumosity ariseth that when a man hath drunken three draughts and weeneth he be at home in Cheapside, he is in Spain, not at Rochelle or at Bordeaux, but right at the town of Lepe, and then he will say, "Samsoun, Samsoun." But, lordings, I beseech you hearken one word, that all of the sovereign acts of victory in the Old Testament I dare say were done through God himself, tfrat is all-powerful, in absti- nence and prayer. Look in the Bible and there ye may learn it. Lo! Attila, the great conqueror, died shamefully in his sleep, bleeding aye at his nose in drunkenness. A captain should live soberly. And more than this, consider with diligence what was commanded to Lamuel not Samuel, I say, but Lamuel; read the Bible and find it expressly set down concerning wine-giving to them that have the administering of justice. No more of this, for it is sufficient. And now that I have spoken of gluttony, I will forbid you hazardry. Hazard is the very mother of lies and deceit and cursed f orswearings, blasphemy of Christ, manslaughter and also waste of wealth and of time; and furthermore it is a reproach and dishonourable to be held a common gambler. And ever the higher he is of estate the more abandoned do men deem him. 106 THE PARDONER'S TALE If a prince pursueth hazardry, he is by common judgment held the less in reputation in any matter of policy or governance. Stilbon, a wise embassador, was sent in great pomp to Corinth from Lacedsemon to make an alliance with them. And when he came, it happened that he found all the greatest of that land playing at hazard. For which, as soon as might be, he stole home again to his own land and said, "There I will not lose my name, nor will I take upon me dishonour so great as to ally you unto gamblers. Send other wise embassadors, for by my truth I would liefer be dead than ally you with gamblers, for with such ye, that be so glorious in honour, shall not ally you, by my will or treaty." Thus said this wise philosopher. Witness eke, as the book saith, on the king of Parthia that sent in scorn to the king Demetrius a pair of golden dice, for before that he had practised hazard, and for the sake of it he held his glory or fame at no value or estimation. Lords may find other honour- able kinds of pastime enow to drive time away. Now I will speak a word or two of false and great oaths, as old books discourse on them. Great swearing is an abominable thing, and false swearing is yet more blameworthy. The high God forbade swearing at all; witness on Matthew, but in especial rthe holy Jeremy saith of swearing, "Thou shalt say thine oaths sooth and not lie, and swear in judgment and eke in righteous- ness." But idle swearing is cursed sin. Behold in the first table of high God's glorious commandments how his second behest is this: "Take not my name in vain." Lo! he forbiddeth such swearing earlier than homicide or than many a cursed thing. I say that in order it standeth thus; this know they that know his behests, how that this is the second behest of God. And furthermore I will tell thee flat that vengeance shall not depart 107 THE CANTERBURY TALES from the house of him that is too outrageous of his oaths. "By God's precious heart and cross, by the blood of Christ that is in the abbey at Hailes, seven is my chance, thine is cinque and trey! By God's arms, if thou play falsely this dagger shall go through thy heart." This is the fruit that cometh of the two spotted dice-bones : ire, forswearing, homicide, falseness. Now for~Ibve~of Christ that died for us, leave your oaths, both small and great. But now, sirs, I will tell forth my tale. These three revellers of whom I speak, long ere any bell had rung for prime, had set them down to their cups in a tavern; and as they sat, they heard a bell clink before a corpse that was being carried to his grave. Thereat one of them gan call to the inn-boy, "Off with thee," quoth he, "and ask what corpse this is that passes by; and look thou report his name aright." "Sir," quoth this boy, "it needeth never a whit to ask. It was told me two hours ere ye came here. Pardee, he was an old fellow of yours; and he was slain to-night of a sudden, dead drunk, as he sat on a bench. There came a stealthy thief men call him Death that slayeth all the people in this countryside, and he smote him with his spear through the heart, and went his way without more words. He hath slain, in this pestilence, a thousand; and master, ere ye come before him, methinketh it were needful for to beware of such an adversary. 'Be ready for to meet him ever and aye.' Thus my dame taught me; I say no more." "By Saint Marie!" said the tavern-keeper, "the child saith sooth, for he hath slain this year, a mile hence in a great village, both man and woman, child, page and hind. I trow his habita- tion be there. To be wary were great wisdom in a man, lest this Death do him a dishonour." 108 THE PARDONER'S TALE "Yea, God's arms!" quoth the reveller, "is it then such peril for to meet him? I make a-vow to God's noble bones, I shall seek him highway and by-way. Hark, fellows; we three be of one mind. Let each of us hold up his hand and let us become ^ sworn brethren among ourselves and we will slay this false traitor Death. He that slayeth so many by God's dignity! * he shall be slain, ere it be night." So together these three have plighted their troths to live and die for one another like brethren born, and in this rage, up they start all drunk, and forth they go toward that village of which the tavern-keeper had spoken, and with many a grisly oath have they rended Christ's blessed body, and sworn that Death shall be dead, if they may catch him. When now they had gone half a mile or less, there met with them right as they were about to step over a stile an old poor man. This old man greeted them full meekly and said thus: "Now, lords, God you save." The proudest of these three rev- ellers answered, "What, churl! The devil take thee! Why art thou all muffled save thy face? Why livest thou so long in great age?" The old man looked him in the face and said thus : "Because I cannot find a man, yea though I walked to India, neither in town nor in city, that would exchange his youth for mine age. And therefore I must still keep mine age, for as long time as it is God's will. Neither will Death alas! neither will he have my life. Thus walk I like a restless caitiff ; and on the ground, which is my mother's gate, both morn and eve I knock with my staff, and say: 'Dear mother, let me in! See how I wither, flesh and skin and blood. Alas ! when shall my bones be at peace? Mother, I would exchange my chest with you, that hath been in my cham- 109 THE CANTERBURY TALES ber long time; yea, even for a shroud of hair-cloth to wrap me.' Yet she will not do me that favour; wherefore my face is so pale and withered. But, sirs, it is not courtesy in you to speak in churlish wise to an old man, unless he have trespassed in word or act. Ye may yourselves read in holy writ: 'In presence of an old man, whose head is hoar, ye shall arise.' Wherefore I counsel you do unto an old man no harm now more than ye would that men did to you in your old age, if ye tarry so long in this life. God be with you, whether ye walk or ride. Now must I go whither I have to go." "Nay, old churl, that shalt thou not, by God!" answered then the second gambler. "By Saint John! thou partest not so lightly. Thou spakest right now of that traitor Death, that slayeth all our friends in these parts. By my troth, as thou art his spy, tell us where he is, or thou shalt rue it, by God and the holy sacrament! For soothly thou art leagued with him to slay us young folk, thou false thief." "Now, sirs," quoth he, "if you would so fain find Death, turn up this crooked path, for by my fay I left him in yonder grove under a tree and there he will tarry; nay, not even for your boast will he hide himself. See ye that oak? Right there ye shall find him. God, that redeemed mankind, save you and amend you!" Thus spake this old man. And all the revellers Jiasted till they came to that tree and there they found coined in fine round gold well nigh an eight bushel, as seemed to them, of florins. No longer then they sought after Death, for the florins were so bright and fair to see, and each was so glad of the sight, that down they sat by the precious hoard. The worst of them he spake the first: "Brethren," quoth he, "hearken what I say. Though I 110 THE PARDONER'S TALE jest and make merry, yet my wisdom is great. This treasure hath fortune given unto us, to live our lives in jollity and mirth, and as lightly as it cometh so will we spend it. Eh, God's precious dignity! who had weened to-day that we should have so fair a grace ? But now if this gold were but carried home to my house or, if ye like, to yours for well ye wot all this gold is ours, then were we in high felicity. But truly it may not be by day. \ Men would say that we were sturdy thieves, and would have us hanged for our own treasure. Nay, this treasure must be carried by night as wisely and as slily as may be. Wherefore I counsel that we draw cuts amongst us, and let see where the cut will fall; and he that draweth the cut shall run with blithe heart and that full fast to the town, and bring us brgad-andjipne by stealth ; and two of us shall guard this treasure craftily and well; and if he tarry not we will, when it is night, carry this treas- / ure wheresoever with one consent it seemeth best to us." Thereat one of them brought the cuts held in his fist, and bade them draw and watch where the cut would fall; and it fell upon the youngest; and forth he went anon towards the town. And even as soon as he was gone, the one of them spake thus to his fellow : "Thou knowest well that thou art my brother, and I will tell j. thee somewhat to thy profit. Thou wotst well that our fellow is gone; and here is gold, and that a great sum, that shall be divided amongst us three. Natheless if I could so contrive that it were divided betwixt us two, had I not done thee a friendly turn?" The other answered: "I wot not how that may be; he wot how that we twain have the gold. What shall we do? What shall we say to him?" Ill THE CANTERBURY TALES "SKall it be secret?" said the first rogue. "I will tell thee then in few words what we shall do, and I will bring it about." "I make thee my vow," quoth the other, "by my truth, that I will not betray thee." "Now," quoth the first, "thou wotst well that we be twain, and two of us shall be stronger than one. Watch when he shall be set down, and right anon rise up as though thou wouldst scuffle with him; and whiles that thou strugglest with him as in sport, I shall rive him through his two sides, and thou, with thy dagger, look thou do the same; and then shall all this gold be divided, my dear friend, betwixt me and thee. Then may we both fulfil all our pleasures, and play at dice right as we list." And thus be these two rogues accorded to slay the third, as ye have heard me tell. The youngest he that went to the village full oft he rolleth up and down in his heart the beauty of those bright, new florins. . *jT^b "O Lord," quoth he, "if so I might have all this treasure to myself, there is no man that liveth under the throne of God should live so merry as I!" And at last the fiend, our foe, put it into his thought that he should buy poison, with which to slay his two companions. For the fiend had found him in such bad living that he had leave to bring him to perdition; for this rogue's design was utterly this, to slay his fellows both and never to repent. No longer then he delayeth, but forth he goeth into the town unto an apothecary, and prayed him that he would sell him poison wherewith he might kill his rats; and eke in his yard there was a polecat, that (as he said) had slaughtered his capons; and fain, if he might, would he avenge him on the vermin that despoiled him by night. The apothecary answered: "Here thou 112 THE PARDONER'S TALE shalt have a thing, and so may God save my soul! there is never a creature in all this world that shall eat or drink of this mixture, even the amount of a corn of wheat, but he shall yield up his life anon. Yea, die he shall, and that in less time than thou wilt go a mile at a walk; so strong and so violent is this poison." This cursed reveller hath taken into his hand the poison in a box; and thereupon he ran unto a man in the next street and borrowed of him three large bottles ; and into two poured he his poison. The third he kept clean for his own drink; for all that night he planned to toil in carrying away of the gold from that place. And when this reveller, sorrow betide him had filled his three great bottles with wine, he repaireth to his fellows. What needeth to discourse more of this? For even as they |J2 "^^^d had devised his death at the first, right so have they slain him v^ ; and that speedily. And when this was done, thus spake one of them: "Now let us sit and drink and make joy, and afterward we will bury his body." And with that word it happecl him perchance that he took the bottle wherein the poison was, and drank of it and gave his fellow also to drink, for which right anon they died both the two. But certes I suppose that Avicenna wrote never in any canon or any chapter more wondrous signs of empoisoning than had these two wretches before their end. Thus be ended these two_Jiainicides and eke the false empoisoner. I*** O cursed sin, full of cursedness! O wickedness! O traitor's ^ homicide! O gluttony, lust and gambling! O thou blasphemer f^ of Christ, with churlish tongue and monstrous oaths born of evil 113 THE CANTERBURY TALES usage and pride! Alas, mankind! how may it befall that to thy Creator who made thee and bought thee with his precious heart's blood, thou art so unkind and so false, alas! Now, good men, God forgive you your trespasses and keep you from the sin of avarice. Mine holy pardon may heal you all, if so be ye offer nobles, or sterlings, or else silver brooches, rings or spoons. Bow your heads under this holy bull! Here anon in my roll I enter your name. Into heaven's bliss shall ye go! You that will offer I will absolve by my high power as clean and pure as ye were born. Come up, ye wives ! offer ye of your wool. Lo, sirs, such is my sermon ; and may Jesu Christ, that is our soul's leech, grant you his pardon, for that is best, I will not deceive you. But, sirs, one word that I forgot in my tale. Here in my bag I have relics and pardons as fair as hath any man in England, which were given me by the pope's own hand. If any of you will offer with devoutness and have my absolution, come forth anon and kneel here, and meekly receive my pardon; or else take your pardons as ye ride all new and fresh at every town's end; but look that ye alway offer anew nobles and pence that be sound and good. To every wight that is here it is an honour that ye may have a pardoner sufficient to assoil you, in what- soever adventure may befall you in the country as ye ride. Per- chance one or two may fall down from his horse and break his neck in two. Look what a security it is for all of you that I am fallen into your fellowship to assoil you high and low, when the soul shall pass from the body, f counsel that our host here shall be the first, for he is most enveloped in sin. Come forth now, sir host, and offer first, and thou shalt kiss the relics, yea each and all, for a groat. Unbuckle thy wallet." 114 THE PARDONER'S TALE "Nay, nay," quoth he, "may I have Christ's curse if I do I Let be ; I will not, say I. Thou wouldst make me kiss thine old hosen, and swear that they were the relics of a saint, were they never so filthy." This pardoner was so wroth that he answered never a word. "Now," quoth our host, "I will sport no longer with thee, nor with none other angry man." But right anon, when he saw that all the people laughed, spake the worthy Knight: "No more of this, for it is enough. Sir Pardoner, be glad and look merry. And ye, sir host, that be dear to me, I pray you that ye kiss the Pardoner. And Pardoner, I pray thee draw nearer, and let us laugh and sport as we did before." Anon they kissed and rode their way. Here is ended the Pardoner's Tale. 115 The Wife of Bath's Prologue The Prologue of the Wife's Tale of Bath. "T~l XPERIENCE, though no authority were in this world TJ thereon, were enough for me to speak of woe that is in marriage; for, lordings, since I was twelve years old, thanks be to God that liveth eternally, ^jiave had husbands five at church-door, for so oft have I been wedded; and in their degree all were worthy men. But in sooth it was told me not long ago that, sith Christ went never but once to a wedding in Cana of Galilee, by the same ensample he taught me that I should be wedded but once. Lo! hark what a sharp word eke on this matter spake Jesus, man and God, beside a well in reproof of the Samaritan : 'Thou hast had five husbands,' quoth he, 'and that man which hath thee now is not thy husband;' thus said he in truth; what he meant thereby I cannot say; but this I ask: Why was the fifth man no husband to the Samaritan? How many might she have in marriage? Never yet in my life heard I a clear explication concerning this number. Men may con- jecture and gloss it up and down, but well I wot, in very truth, that God bade us expressly to jvaxjand^ multiply. That gentle text I can well understand. Eke I wot well he said mine hus- band should leave father and mother and take me; but of no number made he mention, whether of bigamy or of octogamy; why should men speak reproach of such? 116 WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE "Lo, Dan Solomon! the wise king; I trow he had more wives than one, as would God I had leave to be refreshed half so oft as he! What a gift of God he had in all his wives! No man hath such now in this world. God be praised that I have wedded five, from whom I have plucked their best. Diverse schools make perfect clerks; oiveMfi practice, in many sundry labours, maketh the workman thoroughly perfect; of five hus- bands am I the scholar. Welcome the sixth, whensoever he shall come. In sooth, I will not for aye keep me chaste. When mine husband is departed from the world, some Christian man shall wed me anon; for then, the apostle saith, I am free to wed, in God's name, where I list. It is no sin, he saith, to be wedded; better is it to be wedded than to burn. What reck I though folk speak reproach of accursed Lamech and his bigamy. I wot well Abraham was an holy man, and Jacob eke as far as I know; and each of them had wives more than twain, and many another holy man also. When saw ye ever that high God at any time expressly forbade marriage? I pray you tell; or where hath he commanded virginity? I wot as well as ye, in sooth, that the apostle, when he spake of maidenhood, said that precept thereof he had none. A man may counsel a woman to be a maid; but counselling is no command; he left it to our own discretion. For had God commanded maidenhood, then by that act had he damned marrying; and certes if there were sown no seed, whereof, then, should virginity grow? Even Paul durst not command a thing for which his master gave no precept. The prize is set up for virginity ; let him win who may ; let see who runneth best. But this word need not be received of every wight, but only where God list, of his power, to grant it. I wot well the apostle was a maid, but natheless, though 117 THE CANTERBURY TALES he wrote that he would every wight were such as himself, all that is but counsel to virginity ; and he gave me leave of his indulgence to be a wife; so it is no reproof to wed, if my mate be dead, without the charge of bigamy. This is the sum and substance: He held maidenhood more perfect than wedding in frailty; and frailty I call it, if the man and maid will not lead all their life in continence. "I grant, in sooth, I reck not though maidenhood be preferred to bigamy; it pleaseth such to be clean, body and spirit; of mine own estate I will make no boast. For well ye know a lord in his house hath not every vessel of pure gold ; some be of wood and do their lord service. God calleth folk to him in sundry ways, and each hath of God his own gift, some this, some that, as it pleaseth God to bestow. Virginity is a great virtue, and continence eke, with religious folk. But Christ, that is the spring of perfection, bade not every wight that he should go sell all he hath, and give it to the poor, and in such wise follow him and his steps. He spake but to them that would live perfectly, and by your leave, lordings, I Jim not such. I will bestow the flower of my life in the acts and in the fruit of marriage. But I say not that men should have no care of chastity. Christ was a maid, and yet created perfect man, and many a saint, since the beginning of the world, yet they lived alway in perfect chastity. I will envy no virgins ; let them be bread of pure wheat-seed ; and let us wives be called barley-bread; yet with barley-bread, as Mark telleth, our lord Jesu refreshed many a man. I will per- severe in such estate as God hath called us to ; I am not over-nice. An husband I will have, I will not forego him, that shall be my debtor and eke my thrall, and have his tribulation therewith while I am his wife. Whilst I live, I, and not he, shall have sway 118 WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE over him. Right thus was it told me by the apostle, that bade our husbands to love us well. That text pleaseth me every whit- Upstarted the Pardoner and that straightway; "Now, dame," quoth he, "by God and Saint John, ye be on this text a noble preacher. I was about to wed a wife. Alas! Why should I pay for it so dearly upon my flesh? Liefer had I wed no wife this year!" "Abide!" quoth she, "my tale is yet to begin; nay, thou shalt drink of another tun, ere I go, shall savour worse than ale. And when I have told thee forth my story of tribulation in marriage, in which all my life I have been expert, that is to say, myself I have been the whip, then mayst thou choose whether thou wilt taste of that tun which I shall broach. Beware of it, ere thou draw too nigh; for I shall tell ensamples more than twice five. [^Whosoever will not beware by others, by him shall others be corrected. The same words writeth Ptolemy; read in his Almageste and there find it." "Dame, I would pray you, if it be your will," said this Par- doner, "as ye began, tell forth your tale, spare for no wight, and teach us young men of your practice." "Gladly," quoth she, "sith it may please you. But yet I pray unto all this fellowship, if I speak after my fantasy, take not amiss what I say, for mine intent is but to sport. Now, sirs, will I tell forth my story. As ever I hope to drink wine or ale, I shall say the sooth; those husbands that were mine, three of them were good and two were bad. The three were goody rich and oJd- They had given me their goods and their treasure; I needed no longer take pains to win their love, or do reverence to them. They loved me so well, by heaven's 119 THE CANTERBURY TALES king, that I set no value on their love! A wise woman will ever busy her to get love where she hath none. But sith I had them wholly in hand, and sith they had given me all their goods, why should I take pains to please them, unless it were for mine own profit and my pleasure? The bacon, I ween, was not fetched for them, that some men get at Dunmowe in Essex. I governed them after my law so well that each of them was full blissful and fain to bring me gay things from the fair. They were full glad when I spake to them well for, God wot, I chid them pitilessly. "Now hearken how I bare me, ye wise wives that can under- stand. Thus shall ye speak and beguile them, for there can no man swear and lie half so boldly as a woman. I say not this concerning wives that be wise, unless it be when they have for- gotten themselves. A wise wife, if she knoweth her own good, shall make him believe the chough is mad, and take her own maid to witness. But hark how I would speak. "Sir, old dotard, is this thy treatment of me? Why is my neighbour's wife so gay? She is honoured wheresoever she goeth ; I sit at home, I have no gown that I can wear. What dost thou at my neighbour's house ? Is she so fair ? Art thou so enamoured ? What whisper ye with our maid? Ben cite! Sir old rake, let be thy wiles. And if I have a friend or a gossip without guilt, thou chidest as a fiend, if I amuse me by going unto his lodging ! Thou comest home as drunk as a mouse, and preachest on thy bench, bad luck to thee! Thou sayest to me it is a great mis- fortune to wed a poor woman for the cost thereof; and if she be rich, of high birth, then sayest thou that it is a torment to suffer her pride and her humours. And if she be fair, thou very knave, thou sayest that every rake will have her ; she may no 120 WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE while remain in chastity that is assailed upon each side. Thou sayest some folk desire us for wealth, some for our shape and some for our fairness, and some because we can sing or dance, and some for gentility and playfulness, some for our hands and our slender arms; thus by thy tale goeth all to the devil. Thou sayest a castle-wall may be so long assailed on every side that men may no longer keep it. And if she be foul thou sayest that she coveteth every man she may see; for as a spaniel she will leap on him, till she find some man to bargain with her ; and no goose so gray, sayest thou, goeth there in the lake as will be without a mate. And sayest it is a hard thing for to control a thing that no man will hold willingly. Thus sayest thou, old knave, when thou goest to bed. And that no wise man needeth to marry, nor any man that aspireth unto heaven; with wild thunder-clap and fiery lightning may thy withered neck be broken! Thou sayest that leaking roofs, and smoke, and chiding wives make men flee out of their own house. Ah! what aileth such an old man, ben' cite! to chide? Thou sayest, we wives will conceal our vices till we be fast wedded, and then we will show them; that may well be a rogue's proverb! Thou sayest that oxen, asses, horses and hounds at diverse times be tested; and so be basins and wash-pails, pots, clothes and other goods, spoons and tools, and all such chattels, ere men buy them ; but of wives folk make no assay till they be wedded; and then, sayest thou, old dotard rogue, we will show our vices. "Thou sayest also that it displeaseth me unless thou wilt praise my beauty, and pore alway on my countenance, and in every place call me 'fair dame ;' and unless thou make a festival on my birth- day, and make me gay and fresh of garb, and unless thou do respect to my nurse, and to my maidservant within my bower, 121 \ THE CANTERBURY TALES and to my father's folk and his kindred; thus thou sayest, old barrel full of lies ! "And yet of_Jankin, our apprentice, for his crisp hair, shining as fine gold, and because he squireth me hither and thither, thou hast caught a false suspicion; I would naught of him, though thou wert dead to-morrow. But tell me this, why in the fiend's name hidest thou the keys of thy chest away from me? Pardee, my good is it as well as thine. Why weenest thou to make an idiot of thy lady? Now by that lord that is called Saint James, though thou be mad, thou shalt not be master both of my body and of my goods ; one thou shalt forego, maugre thine eyes. What need hast thou to inquire of me, and spy upon me? I trow, thou wouldst lock me in thy chest! Thou shouldst say, 'Wife, go where it liketh you, take your disport, I will , not believe any gossip; I know you for a true wife, dame Alis.' We love no man that taketh heed where we go ; we would be free. "May he be blessed of all men, the wise astrologer Dan Ptolemy, that saith in his Almageste this proverb: 'Of all men his wisdom is the highest that recketh never who hath the world in his hand.' This proverb thou shalt construe thus : if thou have enough, why needest thou reck or heed how merrily other folk fare ? For certainly by your leave, old dotard, ye shall have right enough of your due in good time. He is too great a niggard that will refuse a man leave to light a candle at his lantern; he shall have never the less light, pardee; if so thou hast enough, thou needest not to complain. "Thou sayest eke, if we make us gay with clothing and pre- cious gear, that it is peril unto our chastity ; and yet more, sorrow betide thee! thou must enforce thy speech, and say these words of the apostle, 'In habit made with chastity and shame fastness, 122 WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE ye women shall apparel you, and not in tressed hair and gay jewels, as pearls, nor with gold, nor rich clothes.' In accordance with this text and rubric of thine, I will not perform as much as a fly. Thou saidest I was like a cat; for if a man will singe a cat's skin, then will the cat alway abide in his house; but if the cat's skin be sleek and fair, she will not dwell in house half a day, but ere any daylight be dawned, she will forth to show her skin and go a-caterwauling. This is to say if I be clad fair, sir rogue, I am running out to show my duds. "Sir old fool, what aileth thee to spy upon me? Though thou pray unto Argus, with his hundred eyes, to be my body- guard as best he knoweth, in faith, he shall not keep me unless I please; still could I cozen him, on my life. Thou saidest eke that there be three things which trouble all this world, and that no wight may endure the fourth. O sweet sir rogue, Jesu shorten thy days! Yet thou preachest and sayest a hateful wife is reckoned for one of these mischiefs. Be there no other manner of resemblances that ye may use in your parables, unless a poor wife be one of them? Thou likenest woman's love., to... hell, to barren land, where no water may abide. Thou likenest it also to wild_fire; the more it burneth, the more it hath appetite toY /irvowiA consume everything that may be burnt. Thou sayest that even as worms ruin a tree, right so a wife destroyeth her husband; this know they that be bound to wives. "Lordings, right thus stiffly, as ye have heard, I made mine old husbands believe that they had said thus when they were drunk; and all was false, but I took Jankin to witness and also my niece. O lord, the sorrow I made them and the woe, full guiltless, by God's sweet pain! For I could whine and bite as an horse. I could complain though I were in the gmTtTor 123 THE CANTERBURY TALES else oftentimes had I been lost. He that first cometh to mill grindeth first; I complained first, so I ended our strife. They were full glad to pray forgiveness full soon for things of which 5 they were never guilty in their lives. I would accuse my hus- band of wenches when scarce he might stand for sickness. Yet it tickled his heart, for he weened that I had so great fondness '' for him. I swore that all my walking out by night was to spy on wenches that he wooed. Under colour of that had I many a mirth. For all such wit is given us when we are born. Deceit, weeping and spinning God hath given to women by nature while they live. And thus I vaunt me of one thing; in the end I had alway the better of them, either by sleight, or force, or by some manner of means, such as continual murmuring or grumbling. Especially would I chide and do them no pleasance, till they had made over their ransom to me. And therefore to every man I say this, let him win who may; for all is to sell. With empty hand men may lure no hawks. Though the pope had sat beside them, I would not spare them at their own table; I quit them word for word, by my troth. So help me very God almighty, though right now I should make my testament, I owe them no word that is not paid. I brought it so about by my wit, that they must give up, or else had we never been at peace. For though they looked as angry lions, yet should they fail of their end. "Then would I say, 'Sweet love, give heed how meekly looketh Wilkin our sheep ; come nearer, my spouse, let me kiss thy cheek ! Ye should be all mild and patient and have a sweet, scrupulous conscience, sith ye so preach of Job. Be patient alway, sith ye can preach so well ; and unless ye be, certainly ye shall learn how fair a thing it is to live with a wife in peace. Questionless one 124 WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE of us two must bow, and sith a man is more reasonable than woman is, ye must be the one to submit. What aileth you thus to grumble and groan? By God, ye be to blame; I say you the sooth.' Such manner of words had we together. Now will I speak of my fourth husband. My fourth husband was a reveller ; that is, he had a paramour; and I was young and full of wild spirit, stubborn and strong and merry as a magpie. Well could I dance to a small harp, and sing, sooth, as any nightingale, when I had drunk a draught of sweet wine. Metellius, the foul churl, the hog, that slew his wife with a staff because she drank wine, had I been his wife, he should not have daunted me from drinking; and after wine, I think most on Venus. In a vinolent woman there is no denial; this rakes know by experience. But lord! when I take remembrance upon my youth and my jollity, it tickleth me about the root of mine heart. Unto this day it doth mine heart good that I have had my world in my time. But alas! age, that will envenom all, hath bereft me of my pith and my beauty; let go, farewell, the devil go with them! The flour is gone, there is nothing more to say; the bran now I must bestow as best I am able. But yet will I endeavour to be right merry. Now will I tell of my fourth husband. "I say, I had great despite in my heart that he had joy of any other. But I paid him, by God and Saint Bennet ! I made him a cross of the same wood; not in any foul manner, but certainly I made folk such cheer that I made him fry in his own grease, for very anger and jealousy. God's name! L^^asjiis pnrpatnry nfl partly for which I hope his SOul be in bliss. For l\/Y God wot, he sat full oft and sang when his shoe wrung him full bitterly. No wight, save God and him, knew how sore, in many wise, I tormented him. He died when I came from 125 THE CANTERBURY TALES Jerusalem; under the rood-beam he lieth buried, although his tomb is not so curiously wrought as was the sepulchre of Darius, which Apelles wrought subtly; to bury him preciously were but waste. Let him fare well, God give peace to his soul; he is now in the grave and in his chest. "Now will I speak of my fifth hnshanrl, Clod let his SOul never come in hell! And yet he was the most rascally to me, as I feel on my ribs all in a row, and shall ever unto mine ending-hour. But he was so fresh and gay, and therewith he could so well cajole me, that though he had beat me in every bone, he could straightway win my love again. I trow I loved him best because he was sparing of his love to me. To speak sooth, we women have in this matter a quaint fantasy; is there a thing that we may not lightly have? thereafter will we cry ever and crave. /Forbid us a thing, and we desire it; press on us hard, and then we will flee. \We grudge to spread out all our goods; great press at market maketh dear wares ; and too cheap is held at little worth ; every woman that is wise knoweth this. "My fifth husband, God bless his soul! whom I took for love and j]p\ for riohes. was sometime a clerk of Oxford, and had left school, and went home to board with my gossip, that dwells in our town, God have her soul! Alisoun was her name. She knew mine heart and my privity better than our parish priest, as I live! I confided to her all my secrets. For had my hus- band done a thing that should have cost him his head, I would have told every whit of his secret to her and another worthy wife and to my niece, that I loved well. And so I did, God knoweth, full often, so that it made his face red and hot for very shame, and he blamed himself that he had told to me so great a privity. 126 WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE "And so it befell that once, in Lent (I visited my gossip so often, for ever I have loved to be merry, and to walk, in March, April and May, from house to house, and hear sundry tales), that Jankin the clerk, and my gossip dame Alis, and I myself, walked into the fields. All that Lent my husband was at London ; I had the better leisure to sport, and to see and eke to be seen of lusty folk; how wist I where my luck was destined to be? Therefore I made my visits to vigils and to processions, to preaching and eke to these pilgrimages, to plays of miracles, and weddings, and wore my gay scarlet skirts. These worms, nor these moths, nor these mites, ate them never a whit; and wotst thou why? for they were used well. "Now will I tell forth what happened to me. I say that we walked in the fields, till verily we had such dalliance, this clerk and I, that I spake to him, and said to him, of my foresight, how if I were a widow, he should wed me. For certainly, I say it not for any boast, I was never yet without provision for marriage, nor for other things also. I hold that mouse hath a heart not worth a leek, which hath but one hole to start to, and if that fail, then is all lost. I made him believe he had enchanted me; my dame taught me that trick. And I said eke that I dreamed of him all night; he would have slain me, I dreamed, as I lay, and my bed was all full of very blood; but yet I hoped that he should do well by me, for to dream of blood betokeneth gold, I was taught. And all was false, I dreamed of it never at all, but I ever followed my dame's lore in this as in other things. But sir, let me see now, what shall I say? Aha! by Saint John! I have my tale again. "When my fourth husband was on his bier, I wept aye and made a sorrowful face, as wives must, for it is custom, and with 127 THE CANTERBURY TALES my kerchief covered my visage ; but because I was provided with a new mate, I wept but small and that I warrant. My hus- band was borne to church in the morning by neighbours that made great sorrow for him; and Jankin our clerk was one of them. So God help me, when I saw him walking after the bier, methought he had a pair of legs and of feet so fair and clean, that I gave unto him all mine heart. He was twenty winter old, I trow, and if I shall not lie, I was^forjy; but yet I had alway a colt's tooth. Gap-toothed I was, and that well became me; I had the print of Saint Venus' seal. So God help me, I was fair and rich, a lusty one, young and joyous. For certes in feeling I am all Venerian, and mine heart is Martian. Venus gave me my jollity and my wantonness, and Mars my sturdy hardihood. Mine ascendent was Taurus, and Mars in it. Alas! alas! that ever love was sin! I followed aye mine inclination by virtue of my stars; this caused that the Venus in me could never resist a good fellow. Yet I have Mars' mark upon my face, for, so God save me! I never loved by discretion, but ever followed my desire, were he white or black, or short or long ; so he pleased me, I recked not how poor he was, nor of what estate. "What should I say but that, at the month's end, this jolly clerk Jankin, that was so courteous, wedded me with great joy and feasting, and to him I gave all the land and fee that had ever been given me ; but I repented me afterward full sore. He would let nothing be to my liking. By God, he smote me once -/on the ear, because I rent a leaf out of his book, so that of the stroke mine ear waxed stone deaf. "I was as stubborn as a lioness, and a very j angler with my tongue, and I would walk from house to house, as I had done before, even if he had forbidden it. For which oftentimes he 128 WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE would preach to me, and tell me of old Roman stories, how Simplicius Gallus left his wife, and forsook her as long as he lived, for naught but that he saw her upon a day looking out at his door bareheaded. Another Roman he told me of that forsook his wife eke, because she was at a summer's game without his knowing. And then would he seek in his Bible that proverb of Ecclesiasticus, where in his commandment he strongly forbiddeth a man to suffer his wife go gadding about; then ye may be sure he would say right thus : 'Whoso that buildeth all his house of sallows, Whoso that spurreth his blind horse over the fallows, And suffereth his wife seek shrines and hallows, Is worthy to be hanged on the gallows.' "But it was all for naught, I recked not a berry for his proverbs nor his old saws, nor would I be corrected of him. I hate him that telleth me my vices, and so do more of us than I, God wot! This made him utterly angry with me; I would not spare him in any case. "Now by Saint Thomas, I will tell you the sooth why I rent a page out of his book, for which he smote me deaf. He had a book that gladly for his disport he would aye read day and night. He called it Valerie and Theofraste, at which book he laughed alway full merrily. And eke there was once a clerk at Rome, a cardinal, he was called Saint Jerome, that composed a book against Jovinian; in which book there were Crisippus, Trotula, Tertulan and Helowys, that was an abbess not far from Paris ; and the Parables of Solomon, Ovid's Art and many a book, and all these were bound in one volume, and every night 129 THE CANTERBURY TALES and day, when he had leisure and vacation from other worldly business, it was his custom to read on this book of wicked wives. He knew more legends of them and histories than there be of good wives in the Bible. For trust well, it is an impossibility that any clerk will speak good of wives, unless it be of holy saints, but of any other woman never. Who painted the lion, tell me who? By God, if women had written stories, as clerks have within their cells, they would have written of men more wickedness than the whole race of Adam might amend. The children of Mercury be full adverse in their working to those of Venus. Mercury loveth wisdom and knowledge, and Venus loveth riot and spending. And because of their diverse tempera- ment, each declineth in the other's exaltation ; and thus Mercury, God wot, is desolate in Pisces, where Venus is exalted; and Venus falleth where Mercury is uplifted; therefore no woman is praised of a clerk. The clerk, when he is old and hath lost his amorousness, then sitteth he down and writeth in his dotage that women cannot keep their wedding-vows! "But now to my point, pardee, why, as I was about to tell thee, I was beaten for a book. On a night, my lord and master Jankin, as he sat by the fire, read on his book first of Eve, by whose wickedness all mankind was brought to woe, for which Jesu Christ himself was slain, and redeemed us with his heart's blood. Lo! here may ye see it expressly written of woman, that she was the perdition of all mankind. Then he read me how, when Samson lay sleeping, his mistress cut off his hair with her shears; through which treason he lost both his eyes. Then he read me of Hercules and his Deianira, that caused him to burn to death. Nor forgot he the penance and woe that Socrates had with his two wives; how Xantippe cast slops on his head; this 130 WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE poor man sat still, as one sleeping; he wiped his head and durst say no more than 'ere thunder stinteth cometh a rain.' The tale of Pasiphae, that was queen of Crete, savoured to him pleasantly for her wickedness ; fie ! speak no more of her horrible lust and love; it is a grisly thing. Of Clytemnestra, that, for her wantonness, made her husband to die, he read it with full good devotion. He told me eke for what cause Amphiaraus died at Thebes; he had a legend of his wife, Eriphile, that for a clasp of gold privily revealed unto the Greeks the place where her husband hid him, for which he had a sorrowful fate at Thebes. Of Lyma he told me, and of Lucy, that both caused their husbands' deaths, the one for love, the other for hatred. Lyma, late on an even, poisoned her husband, because she had grown to be his foe. Lucy wantonly so loved her husband that, to make him alway have her in mind, she gave him such a manner of love-drink that he died, ere it was morrow; and thus hus- bands ever have woe. "Then he told me how one Latumius complained to Arrius, his fellow, that a certain tree grew in his garden on which, he said, his three wives hanged themselves for anger of heart. 'O sweet brother,' quoth this Arrius, 'give me a graft of that blessed tree and it shall be planted in my garden !' He read me of wives of later date, how some slew their husbands in their beds. Some have driven nails in their husbands' brains while they slept, and thus they have killed them; some have given poison to them in their drink. He spake more harm than heart can conceive. And therewith he knew of more proverbs than there grow blades of grass in this world. 'Better is it,' quoth he, 'that thy habitation be with a lion or a foul dragon than with a woman that useth to chide. Better 131 THE CANTERBURY TALES is It,' quoth he, 'to dwell high upon the roof than with an angry wife down in the house; they be so wicked and contrary, they hate aye what their husbands love.' He said, 'A woman casteth her shame away when she casteth off her smock,' and eke 'A fair woman, unless she be also chaste, is like a gold ring in a sow's nose.* Who can ween or conceive the woe and pain that was in my heart? "And when I saw he would never have done all night reading on this cursed book, all suddenly I plucked three leaves out of his book, right as he read, and anon I so took him with my fist on the cheek that he fell down backward into our fire. And he started up as doth a mad lion, and so smote me with his fist on the temple that I lay on the floor as I were dead. And when he saw how still I lay, he was aghast and would have fled, till at last I started out of my swoon. 'O ! hast thou slain me, false thief?' I said, 'and hast thou murdered me thus for my land? Yet ere I die, would I kiss thee.' And he came nigh and kneeled down gently and said, 'Dear sister Alisoun, so help me God, I shall never smite thee again; what I have done, thyself art to blame for. Forgive it me, I beseech thee.' And yet straight again I hit him on the cheek and said, 'Thief, thus mickle am I avenged ; now will I die, I may speak no longer.' But at last, with mickle care and woe, we were accorded between ourselves. He gave me into my hand all the bridle to have governance of house and acres, and of his tongue and his hand also; and I made him burn his book then and there. And when, by my victory, I had got unto me all the power of governance, and he said, 'Mine own true wife, do as it liketh thee as long as thou shalt live, guard thine own honour and mine estate eke' after that day we had never strife. So help me God, I was as loving to him as any wife from 132 WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE Denmark to Ind, and as true, and so was he to me. I pray to God that sitteth in splendour to bless his soul, of his dear mercy. Now, if ye will hark, I will tell my tale." Behold the words between the Summoner and the Friar. The Friar laughed when he had hearkened to all this. "Now dame," quoth he, "as I hope for joy, this is a full long pre- amble of a tale!" And when the Summoner heard the Friar sing out, "Lo!" quoth he, "God's two arms! A friar will ever- more be meddling. Lo, good men! a fly and a friar will fall in every dish and every affair. Why speakest thou of preambu- lation? What! amble, or trot, or stand still, or go sit down; thou hinderest our sport in this manner." "Yea!" quoth the Friar, "wilt thou so, Sir Summoner? Now by my faith, ere I go, I shall tell such a tale or two of a sum- moner, that all the folk here shall laugh." "Now, Friar," quoth this Summoner, "I beshrew else thy face, and I beshrew myself, but I tell tales two or three of friars, ere I arrive at Sidingborne, as shall irk thine heart full sore, for well I wot thy patience is gone." Our host cried, "Peace! and that straightway! let the woman tell her story," he said. "Ye fare as folk that be drunken with ale. Pray, dame, tell your story, and that is best." "All ready, sir, right as it pleaseth you," quoth she, "if I have permission of this worthy Friar." "Yes," quoth he, "tell forth, dame, and I will listen." Here endeth the Wife of Bath her Prologue, 133 The Tale of the Wife of Bath Here beginneth the Tale of the Wife of Bath. IN the old days of King Arthur, of which Britons tell won- drous tales, all this land was filled with troops of fairies. The elf -queen danced full oft with her jolly company In many a green mead. This, as I understand, was the old opinion ; I speak of many hundred years ago; for now no man can see any elves more. For now the prayers and the great charity of limiters and other holy friars that search every land and stream, as thick as motes in the sun's ray, blessing halls, chambers, kitchens, bowers, cities, boroughs, castles, high bastions, thorps, barns, dairies, stables, this maketh that there be no fays. For where was wont to walk a fairy, there now, of afternoons and of mornings, walketh the limiter himself, and saith his matins and holy prayers as he goeth in his limit. Women may go safely back and forth, under every tree and bush; there is no other incubus but him and he will do them no dishonour. It so befell that this King Arthur had in his house a knight, lusty and young, that on a day came riding from the river, and it happed that he saw, walking before him, a maid, alone as she was born, whom anon, despite her utmost, he bereft of her maidenhood, for which oppression there was such outcry and such complaint unto King Arthur, that this knight by course of law was condemned to die, and would peradventure have lost 134 his head, such then was the statute, had not the queen and other ladies so long prayed the king of his grace, that he granted him J/ instead his life, and gave him wholly to the queen, to choose at her will whether she would save or destroy him. The queen thanketh the king with all her heart, and after when she saw her time, she spake thus to the knight: "Thou standest yet in such estate that thou hast no surety of thy life. I grant thee life, if thou canst tell me what thing women most-y ft/ '^ desire. Be ware, and keep thy neck -bone from iron. And if thou canst not tell it at once, yet will I give thee leave to go for a twelve-month and a day, to seek and learn an answer sufficient unto this matter. And ere thou go, I will have surety that thou wilt yield up thy body in this place." Woful is this knight and sigheth sorrowfully, but what! he may not do all things as he liketh, and at last he chooseth to depart and come again at the year's end with such answer as God would provide for him, and taketh his leave and wendeth forth on his way. He seeketh every house and place where he hopeth, with heaven's favour, to learn what thing women love most, but in no region could he arrive where he might find two creatures agree- ing together in this matter. Some said women love best riches, some said honour; some, mirth; some, rich raiment; some, mar- riage joys and to be ofttimes wed and widowed. Some said that our hearts be most content when we be flattered and pleased. I will confess, such cometh full nigh the sooth; a man shall best win us with flattery; and by attentions and petty courtesies we be snared, both more and less. And some say how we love best to be free and do even as we please, and to have no man reprove us of our vices, but say that we are wise and in no way foolish. 135 THE CANTERBURY TALES For truly if a wight will claw us on our sore place, there is none of us that will not kick, because he telleth us the truth; essay, and he that doth shall find it so ; for be we never so vicious within, we would be held prudent and blameless. And some say that we take great delight to be thought staid and trusty with secrets, and steadfast in one purpose, and not communicative of things that men tell us ; but that tale is not worth a rake-handle ; pardee, we women can hide nothing ; witness Mydas ; will ye hear the tale? Ovid, amongst other small things, saith that Mydas, under the long locks growing on his head, had two ass's ears, which blemish he hid, as best he could, full subtly from every man's sight, so that none other save his wife wist thereof. He loved her most and trusted her also. He prayed her that she should tell no creature of his disfigurement. She swore to him "nay," for all this world she would not commit such a sin and disgrace as to make her husband have so foul a reputation; she would not tell it for her own shame. Natheless it seemed to her that she would die if she must hold a secret so long ; it seemed her heart swelled so sore that some word must needs start from her, and sith she durst tell it to no wight, down she ran to a marsh near by; her heart' burned till she came there, and as a bittern bumbleth in the mire, she laid her mouth unto the water: "Betray me not, thou water," quoth she, "with thy sound; unto thee I tell it and none other; my husband hath long ass's ears twain! Now is my heart whole ; now it is out ; to save me I might no longer keep it." Here ye may see, though we may keep a secret for a time, yet it must out, we cannot hide it. This knight, of whom my tale is especially, when he saw that he could not come at what women love most, was full sorrowful 136 THE TALE OF THE WIFE OF BATH at heart and in spirit; but home he goeth, he might not tarry. The day was come when he must turn homeward; and on his way, in all this woe, it happed that he rode under a forest-side, where he saw going upon the dance more than four and twenty ladies, toward whom he drew rein full eagerly, in the hope that he might learn some wisdom. But certain is it, that ere he reached this dance, it was vanished, he wist not where. No living creature he saw, save that on the green he saw a wife sitting; a fouler wight no man can imagine. This old wife gan rise up to meet the knight and said: "Sir Knight, here lieth no path. Tell me, by your fay, what ye seek? Peradventure it may be the better for you. We old folk know many things." "My good mother," quoth this knight truly, "I am no better than dead, unless I can say what thing women most desire. Could ye inform me, I would requite you well." "Plight me here thy troth in my hand," quoth she, "that thou wilt do the next thing that I require of thee, if it lie in thy power, and ere night I will tell it you." "Have here my troth," quoth he, "I consent." "Then," quoth she, "I dare pledge thy life is safe, for I will stand by it, on my life, the queen will say as I. Let see which of them that is proudest and weareth a head-kerchief, or a caul, dare say nay to that which I shall teach thee. Let us go forth without more talk." Then she whispered a sentence in his ear, and bade him be glad and have no dread. When they were come to the court, this knight said that he had kept his day, as he had sworn, and his answer was ready. Full many a noble wife and maid, and many a widow, for they be wise, were assembled the queen herself sitting as a judge to hearken his answer; and soon this knight was bade to appear. 137 THE CANTERBURY TALES Unto every wight was commanded silence, and unto the knight that he should tell in open court what thing worldly women love best. This knight stood not still as a dumb brute, but to his question straightway answered with manly voice, so that all the court heard it. "My liege lady," quoth he, "universally woman desireth to have dominion both over her husband and his love, and to have mastery over him. This is your utmost desire, though ye kill me. Do as ye list, I am here at your mercy." In all the court there was nor maiden, nor wife, nor widow, that denied what he said, but they said he was worthy to live. At that word up started the old wife, whom the knight saw sitting on the green. "Pardon," quoth she, "my sovereign lady! Ere your court depart, do me justice. I taught this answer unto the knight, for which he plighted me his troth, that he would do the next thing I should require of him, if it lay in his power. Before the court, then, I pray thee, Sir Knight, that thou take me to wife; for well thou wottest that I have saved thee. If I speak false, say nay, on thy faith!" This knight answered: "Alas! welaway! I wot right well that such was my promise. For God's love, choose a new request; take all my wealth, but leave my body." "Nay then," quoth she, "beshrew us both! for though I be foul and old and poor, I would not for all the metal and gold, which is buried under earth, or lieth upon it, that I were other than thy wife and eke thy love." "My love? Nay," quoth he, "my dam- nation! Alas! that any of my race should ever be so foully disgraced!" But all was for naught; the end is, that he was constrained to espouse her ; and he taketh his old wife and goeth to bed. Peradventure now some folk will say that in my negligence 138 mudi o anb fait THE TALE OF THE WIFE OF BATH I take no pains to tell you the joy and all the ordinance of the feast that day; to which I shall briefly answer. There was no joy nor feast at all; there was only heaviness and much sorrow; for he wedded her on a morning privily, and afterward hid him- self all day as an owl, so woful was he that his wife looked so loathsome. Great woe had the knight in his heart when he was brought abed with his wife; he rolleth from side to side and turneth to and fro. His old wife evermore lay smiling and said, "O dear husband, ben cite! fareth every knight thus with his wife? Is this the law of King Arthur's house? Is every knight of his so unapproachable? I am your own love and eke your wife; I am she which hath saved you; and certes never yet did I wrong unto you; why fare ye thus with me this first night? Ye fare like a man that hath lost his wit; what is my guilt? for God's love, tell me, and if I can, it shall be amended." "Amended? Alas!" quoth this knight, "nay, nay! It will never be amended more! Thou art so loathsome and so old, and come eke of so low a birth, that little wonder it is, though I wallow and wind. Would to God my heart would burst!" "Is this," quoth she, "the cause of your restlessness?" "Yea, cer- tainly," quoth he, "and no wonder." "Now, sir," quoth she, "ere three days' space, if I list, I could amend all this, so that ye might bear you well unto me. But sith ye speak of such gentle- ness as is descended from ancient wealth, wherefore ye say ye should be accounted gentle, such arrogance is not worth a hen. Look to him who, privily and openly, is alway most virtuous, and ever inclineth most to do the gentle deeds he is able, and take him for the greatest gentleman. Christ desireth that we claim from him our gentleness, not from our ancestors because of their ancient wealth. For though they may give us all their 139 THE CANTERBURY TALES heritage, for which we claim to be of high birth, yet in no wise may they bequeath to any of us their virtuous living which made them to be called gentlemen; and Christ bade us follow them in that respect. "Well can the wise poet of Florence, Dante, speak in this regard ; lo ! in such verse is Dante's tale : 'Full seldom upward into the small branches Riseth the worth of man ; for God desireth That we should claim from Him our gentleness/ For of our ancestors we may claim nothing but temporal things, which men may hurt and harm. Every wight eke wot this as well as I, that if gentleness were planted by nature in a certain lineage, then would they of that line cease never, privily or openly, to do the fair offices of gentleness; they could do no discourtesy or sin. "Take fire, and bear it into the darkest house betwixt Mount Caucasus and here, and let men shut the doors and go thence; yet will the fire blaze and burn as fair as though twenty thousand men might behold it; on my life, it will perform its natural office till it die. "Here may ye see well how gentility is not tied down to possession, sith folk perform not their proper functions alway as doth lo! the fire after its kind. For, God wot, men may full often see a lord's son do shame and dishonour. And he that would have praise Tor his gentility, because he was born of a gentle house, and had ancestors virtuous and noble, and will do no gentle deeds himself, nor imitate his gentle ancestor, he is not gentle, be he a duke or a prince ; for rude, sinful deeds make 140 THE TALE OF THE WIFE OF BATH a churl. For gentleness which is but the renown of thine ances- tors for their high worth is a thing strange to thine own person; thy gentleness cometh to thee from God alone; true gentleness, then, cometh unto us by grace; it was in no wise bequeathed us with our birth. "Think how noble was that Tullius Hostilius, that rose as saith Valerius out of poverty unto high nobility. Read Seneca and read eke Boethius; there shall ye see expressed with- out doubt that he is gentle who performeth gentle deeds; and therefore, dear husband, I draw to an end thus, that although mine ancestors were rude, yet may the high God, as I hope, grant me grace to live virtuously. Then shall I be gentle, when I live virtuously and eschew sin. "And whereas ye reprove me of poverty, the high God, on whom we believe, chose of his own will to live in poverty. And certes every man, maid, or wife, may understand that Jesus, heaven's king, would not choose a vicious life. Glad poverty, sooth, is a seemly thing; this Seneca saith, and other clerks. Whosoever considereth himself paid of his own poverty, I hold him rich, though he have not a shirt. He that coveteth is a poor wight, for he would have that which is not in his power. But he that hath naught, nor coveteth to have, is rich, though ye may consider him but a hind. True poverty singeth of its own nature; Juvenal saith pleasantly of poverty: 'The poor man, when he goeth by the way, may sing and sport before the thieves.' Poverty is a gift hateful to its possessor, but as I ween, a great remover of cares ; a full great repairer eke of wisdom to him that taketh it in patience, and although it seem wretched, it is a possession no wight will calumniate. Full oft, when a man is humble, poverty maketh him to know his God and eke himself. 141 THE CANTERBURY TALES Poverty methinketh is a glass, through which he may see his true friends. And therefore, sir, sith I vex you naught, reprove me no more of my poverty. "Now, sir, ye reprove me because of mine old age; and certes, sir, though there were no authority thereon in any book, yet ye honourable gentles say that men should show favour unto an old wight, and of your gentleness call him father ; and I ween I shall find authorities. "Whereas, too, ye say that I am foul and old, therefore dread not that I shall be false to thee ; for, as I live, filth and old age be great wardens of chastity. Natheless sith I know your pleasure, I shall fulfil your worldly desire. Choose now one of these two things, to have me foul and old till I die and be to you a true, humble wife and never displease you in all my days, or else to have me young and comely, and take your chances of the resort that shall be to your house, because of me, or perchance to some other place. Now choose yourself, whichever it liketh you." This knight taketh counsel with himself and sigheth sore, and at last he saith in this manner: "My lady and my love and my dear wife, I put me in your wise governance ; choose yourself which may be most pleasure and most honour to you and eke to me ; I reck not to which of the two ; for as it liketh you it sufficeth me." "Then," quoth she, "have I got the mastery of you, sith I may choose, and govern as it liketh me?" "Yea, certes, wife," quoth he, "I deem it best." "Kiss me," quoth she, "let us be wrathful no longer, for by my word, I will be both to you, that is to say, hpth fiiir, you, nnd grind I pray to God that I may die mad unless I be to you as good and faithful as ever wife was since the world was new; and unless I be to-morrow as fair to see as any lady, empress or queen that is betwixt the east and 142 THE TALE OF THE WIFE OF BATH the west, do with me in life and death as it liketh you. Cast up the curtain and look how it is." And when the knight saw verily that she was so fair and eke so young, for joy he caught her in his two arms, his heart bathed in a bath of bliss. A thousand times in succession he gan kiss her; and she obeyed him in everything, that might do him pleas- ure or gladness. And thus they live all their lives in perfect joy; and Jesu Christ send us husbands meek, young and lusty, and grace to outlive them that we wed. And eke I pray Jesu to shorten their days that will not be governed by their wives; and unto old and angry niggards God send soon a very pestilence. Here endeih the Wife's Tale of Bath. 143 The Clerk's Prologue CLERK of Oxford," said our host, "ye ride as shy and still as a maid newly wedded and sitting at the board. I have heard never a sound from your tongue this day. I trow ye study about some sophism; but Solomon saith: 'Every thing hath its time.' For God's sake be of better cheer; this is no time to ponder. Tell us some merry tale, by your faith; for the man that is entered into a game he needs must agree unto the terms of the game. But preach not as friars do in Lent, to make us weep for our old sins, nor so as to put us to sleep with thy tale. Tell us some merry thing of adventures. Your terms, your colours and your figures of logic keep them in store till so be ye may endite in high style, as when men write to kings. Speak at this time I pray you so plain that we may understand what ye say." This worthy clerk answered courteously: "Host," quoth he, "I am under your rod; ye have the governance of us at this time, and therefore will I render you obedience as far, certainly, as reason asketh. I will tell you a tale which I learned at Padua from a worthy clerk, as his words and his work have proved him. He is dead now and nailed in his chest. I pray God give peace to his soul! "Francis Petrarch was the name of this clerk, the laureate poet whose sweet rhetoric illumined all Italy with poetry, as Linian did with philosophy or law or some other special art. But death, that will not suffer us to dwell here but, as it were, the 144 THE CLERK'S PROLOGUE twinkling of an eye, hath slain both of them ; in like wise must he slay all of us. "But to tell forth as I began of this worthy clerk that taught me this tale, I say that first ere he writeth the body of his tale he enditeth with high style a proem, in the which he describeth Pemond and the country of Saluces and speaketh of Apennine, the high hills that be the bounds of west Lombardy; and in special of Mount Vesulus, where from a small spring the Po taketh its rise and source, ever increasing in its flow eastward toward Emelia, Ferrare and Venice. All of which were a long thing to describe. And truly, in my judgment, methinketh it an impertinent thing, save that he wisheth to introduce his sub- ject. But this is his tale, which ye may hear." 145 The Clerk's Tale Here beginneth the Tale of the Clerk of Oxford. ON the west side of Italy, at the foot of Vesulus the cold, there is a lusty plain abounding in all good cheer, where thou mayst view many a tower and town that were founded in the time of our forefathers, and many another delectable sight, and Saluces was the name of this noble country. A marquis was whilom lord of it, as were his worthy elders before him, and all his lieges were obedient and ready to his hand, both low and high. Thus he liveth in delight and hath done long, beloved and dreaded, through fortune's favour, both of his lords and of his commons. Of lineage he was eke the gentlest born in Lombardy, fair of person, strong, young, and full of courtesy and of honour; discreet enough to govern his country, save in some matters wherein he was at fault; and Walter was this young lord's name. I blame him in this, that he considered not what might befall him in time to come, but all his thought was on present pleasure, as to hawk and hunt far and near; well nigh all other cares he let slide, and eke what was worst of all for naught that might hap, would he wed a wife. That one point his people bare so grievously that they went to him on a day in a flock, and one of them, because that he was the wisest of lore, or else that the marquis would most willingly hear him tell what 146 THE CLERK'S TALE the people thought, or else that he could discourse the best of such a thing, he said to the marquis as ye shall hear : "O noble marquis, as oft as there is need that we tell unto you our heaviness, your humanity giveth us assurance and cour- age. Permit now, lord, of your grace, that we lament unto you with piteous heart, and let not your ears disdain my voice. Although I have naught to do with this matter more than another man hath that is here, yet as ye, my dear lord, have alway showed me your grace and favour, I dare the better ask of you a little while of audience, to show our request, and do ye, my lord, even as it liketh you. For certes so pleasing to us be ye and all your work and ever have been, lord, that we could not ourselves devise how we might live in more felicity, save in one thing, lord, that, if it be your will, it might please you to be a wedded man; then were your people utterly in heart's content. Bow your neck under that blissful yoke of sovereignty, not of servitude, which men call spousal or wedlock ; and think, lord, amongst your wise thoughts, how in sundry fashion our days pass, for though we sleep, or wake, roam or ride, time fleeth aye, it will wait for no man. And though as yet your green youth flowereth, in creepeth age alway, as still as a stone, and death menaceth young and old, and smiteth in each estate, for none escapeth ; and as cer- tain as we all know that we shall die, so uncertain be we all of that day when death shall betide us. Accept then the loyal meaning of us, that never yet refused your behest, and lord, if ye will assent, we will choose you a wife in short time, born of the gentlest and the highest of all this land, so that, as we believe, it ought to seem an honour to God and to you. Deliver us out of all this anxious fear, and wed a wife, for high God's sake; for if as God forbid it should so befall that through your 147 THE CANTERBURY TALES death your lineage should cease, and a strange successor should take your heritage, oh, woe were us alive! Wherefore we pray you right soon to wed!" Their meek prayer and their piteous look made the heart of the marquis to have pity. "Mine own people dear," quoth he, "ye would constrain me to what I never thought ere now. I rejoiced in my liberty; seldom is it found in marriage. Where till now I was free, I should enter into servitude. Natheless I see your loyal meaning and trust in your wit, and ever have done; wherefore of my free consent I will wed me, as soon as ever I may. Yet though ye have but now offered to choose me a wife, I release you of that choice, and pray you to stint of that offer. For God wot that children oft be unlike their worthy elders before them. Goodness cometh all of God, not of the strain of which they be engendered and born. I trust in God's goodness and therefore I commit to him my marriage and mine estate and my repose ; he may do as he list. Let me alone in the choosing of my wife ; that charge I will take upon mine own back. But I pray you, and charge you upon your souls, that what- soever wife I take, ye promise me to honour her, while her life may endure, in word and work, here and everywhere, as she were an emperor's daughter. Furthermore ye shall swear this, that ye shall neither contend nor grumble against my choice; for sith I am to forego my liberty at your request, where my heart is set, there, as I hope for heaven, will I wive; and unless ye will assent to this, I pray you speak no more of the matter." With hearty will, they swore and assented to all this; no wight said nay; and they besought him of his grace, ere they went that he would grant them a certain day for his espousal, 148 THE CLERK'S TALE as early as ever he could; for somewhat yet the people feared lest this marquis would wed no wife in spite of all. He granted them such day as liked him, on which he would surely be wedded, and said he did this at their request; and they, with humble mind, all kneeling full reverently upon their knees, thanked him with all humility, and thus they were satis- fled of their desire, and home they went again. Thereupon he commanded his officers to provide for the festival, and gave such charge to his household knights and squires as he list to lay upon them; and they obey his commandments; and each doth all his diligence that the nuptials might be splendid. Explicit prima pars. Incipit secunda pars. Not far from that lordly palace where this marquis pur- posed his marriage, stood a hamlet, pleasant of site, in which poor folk had their beasts and their abode, and took sustenance from their labour according as the earth gave them of its plenty. Amongst these poor folk dwelt a man that was held the very poor- est; but high God can sometime send his grace into a little ox's- stall ; Janicula was his name, and he had a daughter full fair to behold, and this young maiden was called Grisildis. But if men speak of the beauty of virtue, then was she one of the fairest under the sun, for she was fostered in poverty; no lustful pleasure had stirred her heart. Ofter of the well than of the cask she drank, and in obedience to virtue she knew much of labour but naught of idle ease. But though this maid was tender in years, yet in her virgin breast was enclosed a ripe and staid spirit; and with great reverence and love, she cherished her old, poor father. 149 THE CANTERBURY TALES While she watched her few sheep in the field, she would do her spinning; she would not be idle till she slept. And when she came homeward, she would cull ofttimes roots and herbs, which she shred and seethed for their living, and she made her bed full hard; and aye she sustained her father's life with all com- pliance and diligence that a child may perform to honour her father. Upon this simple maid, Grisildis, the marquis full oft set his eye as haply he rode a-hunting; and when it chanced that he beheld her, he cast not his eyes upon her with wanton look of folly, but in serious wise he would oft peruse her face, commending her womanhood in his heart, and eke her virtue, surpassing any other of so young age, as well in look as in deed; for though the people have no great insight into virtue, he considered full well what men said of her goodness, and determined that he would wed her only, if ever he should wed. The day of the wedding came, but no wight could tell what woman it should be ; for which marvel many a man wondered and said, when he was in private, "Will not our lord leave his folly? Will he not wed? Alas, alas the time! Wherefore will he so beguile himself and us?" Natheless this marquis hath had rings made and brooches of gems, set in azure and gold, for Grisildis' sake; and he took the measure of her clothing by a maid like to her of height, and eke of all other adornments that pertain unto such a wedding. The time of undern approacheth of the day when this wedding should betide, and all the palace was arrayed, both chambers and hall, each in its degree. There mayst thou behold servants' offices stuffed with abundance of daintiest victual that may be found as far as utmost Italy. This royal marquis, richly arrayed, 150 THE CLERK'S TALE In company with the young knights of his retinue, and the lords and ladies that were bidden unto the spousals, with sound of various melody and in festal wise, held the straight way unto the village of which I told. Grisildis, full innocent, God wot, that all this festivity was devised for her, is gone to fetch water at a well, and cometh home as fast as she may, for she had heard it said how that same morn the marquis should wed, and if she might, she fain would see some of that procession. She thought, "I will stand in our doorway, with other maidens that be my fellows, and see the marchioness, and therefore I will try, as soon as I may, to do my labour at home, and then at leisure I may behold her, if she take this way unto the castle." And as she stepped over her threshold, the marquis came and gan to call her, and anon she set down her water-pot beside the threshold in the stall of an ox, and down she fell on her knees, and kneeled still with serious countenance till she had heard what was the lord's wish. The thoughtful marquis spake to this maid full soberly and said in this wise: "Where is your father, Grisilde?" And she, with reverence and humble mien, answered, "Lord, he is ready here." And she went in without longer tarrying, and fetched her father to the marquis. He took then this old man by the hand, and when he had led him aside, said thus: "Janicula, I cannot longer conceal the delight of my heart. If thou vouche- safe, whatsoever befall, I will, before I go, take thy daughter to my wife for as long as she shall live. Thou lovest me I wot it well and art my true liegeman born, and all that liketh me I dare to say liketh thee, and therefore tell me specially that point whereof I spoke even now, whether thou wilt consent to take me for thy son-in-law?" 151 THE CANTERBURY TALES These sudden tidings so astonished this man that he waxed red, abashed, and stood quaking ; scarce could he speak and only these words: "Lord," quoth he, "my willing is as ye will, nor will I aught against your liking; ye be my dear lord; do in this matter right as ye list." "Yet," quoth this marquis softly, "I desire that in thy chamber I, thou and she may have a conference, and wottest thou why? Because I would ask if it be her will to become my wife and govern herself after my desire; and all this shall be done in thy presence; I will speak naught out of thy hearing." And while they were in the chamber about their covenant which ye shall hear afterward, the people came without the house, and marvelled how honourably and heedfully she kept her dear father. But Grisildis might well wonder without end, for never before saw she such a sight. It is no wonder she was astonished to see so great a guest enter there; never had she been accustomed to such guests; wherefore her face looked full pale. But briefly to pursue this story, these be the words that the marquis spoke to this true, faithful, gentle maid. "Grisilde," he said, "ye shall understand well that it pleaseth your father and me that I wed you, and eke, as I suppose, it may well be that ye too will it so; but these questions I ask first, whether, sith it is done so hastily, ye will assent or else deliberate. I say this: be ye ready with good heart to perform all my pleasure, so that I may freely, as seemeth me best, cause you to laugh or to grieve; and do ye promise never, day or night to grumble? and eke when I say 'y ea ' n t * sav ' nav / neither by word nor by frowning countenance? Swear this, and here I swear our espousal." Wondering at these words and quaking for fear, she said: 152 THE CLERK'S TALE "Lord, unfit and unworthy am I for that honour which ye bid me ; but as ye yourself will, even so will I. And I swear here that never willingly in act nor in thought will I disobey you; rather would I be dead, though I were loath to die." "This is enough, Grisilde mine," quoth he; and he goeth forth with full sober cheer out at the door, and she came after, and in this manner he spoke to the people: "This is my wife, that standeth here; let whosoever loveth me honour her, I pray, and love her; there is no more to tell you." And that she should bring naught of her old gear into his house, he commanded women to unclothe her right there ; whereat these ladies were not right glad to handle her clothes, which she wore. Natheless they have clothed this bright maid all new from head to foot. They combed her hair, that lay full rudely untressed, and with their slender fingers they set a crown upon her head, and adorned her with jewels, great and small; why should I make a tale of her array? The people scarce knew her for her beauty, when she was transfigured with such richness. This marquis hath espoused her with a ring, brought for that purpose, and then set her upon a snow-white horse that ambled gently, and with joyful folk that accompanied and that came forth to meet them, conveyed her unto the palace, without longer tarrying; and thus they spent the day in revelry, till the sun gan sink. And briefly to pursue this tale, I say that God of his grace hath sent such favour unto this new marchioness, that it seemed not of likelihood that she was born and bred so rudely as in a cot or an ox-stall, but nourished in an emperor's palace. To every wight she waxed so dear and worshipful that the folk where she was born, who had known her year by year from her birth, scarce believed it was she, but durst have vowed 153 THE CANTERBURY TALES that she was no daughter to Janicula; for it seemed to them she was another creature. For though she was ever virtuous, she increased in such excellence of virtues, set in noble gracious- ness, and was so discreet and fair of speech, so benign and so worthy of respect, and could so take unto herself the people's heart, that every wight loved her that looked on her face. Not only in Saluces was the goodness of her name published, but eke thereabout in many a region; if one spake well of her, another said the like; and the fame of her noble goodness so spread that men and women, both young and old, went to Saluces to look upon her. Thus Walter lowly wedded (nay, royally, with honour and good fortune) liveth at home in happiness and the peace of God, and of outward blessings he had enough; and because he saw that virtue was oft hid under low degree, his folk held their lord a prudent man, and that is seen full seldom. This Grisildis understood not only the performance of womanly home-duties, but eke, when the case required, she could serve the public good; there was no discord, rancour, nor grief in all that land that she could not appease, and wisely bring all to rest and content- ment. Though her husband were absent, and high folk or others of her country were wroth, she would reconcile them. Such wise and ripe words she had, and judgments of such equity, that men deemed she was sent from heaven to save people and to amend every wrong. Not long after Grisildis was wedded, she bore a daughter, although she would liefer have borne a man-child. Thereof this marquis was glad, and eke the folk, for though a maid-child had come first, she might in likelihood attain unto a man-child, sith she was not barren. 154 THE CLERK'S TALE Explicit secunda pars. Incipit tercia pars. It befell, as many times it befalleth, that when this child had been suckled but a short while, this marquis so longed in his heart to try his wife to learn her steadfastness, that he might not expel from his heart this strange desire ; needlessly, God wot, he planned to affray her. He had tested her enough ere this and found her ever good; what needeth it for to tempt her ever more and more? Though some men praise it for subtle wit, as for me, I say that it ill fitteth a man to try his wife, and to put her in anguish and fear, when there is no need. To which end the marquis wrought in this manner: At night, where she was lying, he came alone, with stern face and look full troubled, and said thus: " Grisilde, that day in which I took you out of your pov- erty and put you in high noblesse, ye have not forgotten that, as I ween. I say, Grisilde, that this present dignity in which I have put you, maketh you not forgetful, I ween, in spite of any weal which ye may now have, that I took you in poor estate and full low. Give heed unto every word that I say to you ; there is none that heareth it but we twain. Ye wot well yourself how ye came into this house, it is not long since, and though ye be pleasing and dear to me, ye be not so unto my gentles; they say it is great shame and woe unto them to be subjects and vassals of thee, that comest of a small village. And especially since thy daughter was born have they spoken these words; but I desire to live my life in rest and peace with them, as before ; I may not, in this case, be unmoved by them; I must do with thy daughter for the best, not as I would but as it pleaseth my people. Yet full loath am I, God wot, to do this, and without your knowledge 155 THE CANTERBURY TALES I will not, but natheless this is my wish, that ye give me your consent unto this thing. Show now that patience which ye promised and sware unto me in your home that day when our marriage was made." When she had heard all this, she changed not in word or look or countenance; she appeared not even grieved, but said, "Lord, all lieth in your pleasure ; my child and I be yours all, with heart- felt obedience, and ye may save or destroy your own; do after your own will. So may God have my soul as nothing that pleaseth you may displease me; and I desire to have naught, and dread to lose naught, save only you. This will is in my heart, and shall ever be. Not death nor length of time may remove it, nor change me to another temper." Glad was this marquis of her answer, yet he feigned as he were not so ; all dreary was his look when he went out of the chamber ; and ere long he hath privily told unto a man all his purpose, and sent him to his wife. This trusty man was an officer of his whom oft he had proved faithful in great things, and to such folk eke things bad may be entrusted safely. The lord knew well that he loved and feared him; and when this officer wist the will of his lord, into the chamber he stalked, full quietly. "Madame," he said, "ye must forgive me though I do the thing to which I am constrained; ye be so wise that ye know full well the behests of a lord may not be shunned; they may well be lamented or bewailed, but a man must needs bow unto their pleasure ; and so will I ; there is no more to say. This child I am commanded to take" and no more he spoke, but caught the child out of her arms all pitilessly and gan make as though he would slay it ere he departed. Grisildis must needs suffer all and consent; and as a lamb she 156 THE CLERK'S TALE sitteth quiet and meek and let this cruel officer perform his will. Ill-boding was the ill-fame of this man; ill-boding his face and eke his words, ill-boding the time in which he did this. Alas! her daughter whom she loved so she weened he would have slain it right then. Natheless she neither wept nor sighed, con- senting to what pleased the marquis. But at last she spake and meekly prayed the officer, by his worth and gentle blood, that she might kiss her little child ere it died. And with full sad face she laid it in her bosom and gan kiss it, and lulled it, and after blessed it. And thus she said in her gentle voice: "Farewell, my child, I shall see thee nevermore ; but sith I have marked thee with the cross, blessed mayst thou be of that Father which died for us upon a cross of wood. Thy soul, little child, I commit to him, for this night for my sake shalt thou die." I trow for a nurse it had been hard to see this piteous sight. Well then might a mother have cried "Alas!" Natheless she was so steadfast that she endured all the pain, and said meekly to the officer, "Have here again your little young maiden; go now and do my lord's bidding. But one thing of your grace will I pray you, that, unless my lord forbade you, ye at least bury this little body in some spot where no beasts nor birds may rend it." But he would speak no word in answer, and took the child and went his way. This officer came again to his lord, and told him of Grisildis' words and look, point for point, and gave the child to him. Some- what ruthful was this lord, but natheless he held to his purpose, as lords do when they will have their will ; and he bade his officer that he should privily wind and wrap this child full soft with all tender care, and carry it in a coffer or in a blanket, but on pain of losing his head that no man should know of his purpose, nor 157 THE CANTERBURY TALES whence he came nor whither he went ; and that he should take it to his dear sister, at Bologna, who was countess of Panago, and make known to her this matter, and beseech her do her diligence to foster this child in all gentleness; and for aught that might befall, he bade her hide from every wight whose child it was. The officer goeth and fulfilleth this thing; but now return we to this marquis, for now he imagineth full busily whether he might perceive by his wife's look, or by her words, that she was changed; but ever he found her alike steadfast and gentle. In every wise as glad, as humble she was, as busy in service and in love as she wont to be; nor of his daughter spake she a word. For all her pain, no strange look did she ever chance to show, nor ever named she her daughter's name, in earnest or in sport. Explicit tercia pars. Sequitur pars quarta. In this wise there passed four years ere she was with child; but then, as God would, she bore a man-child by this Walter full gracious and fair to look upon; and when the folk told it to the father, not only he but all his country were merry for this child, and they thanked and praised God. When it was two years old and taken from the breast of its nurse, this marquis on a day caught yet another whim to try his wife once again, if he might. O needless was she tried! But wedded men know no moderation when they find a patient crea- ture. "Wife, ye have heard ere this," quoth the marquis, "how my people beareth ill our marriage, and especially now, since my son was born, it is worse than ever before ; the murmuring slayeth 158 THE CLERK'S TALE my heart and my spirit, the complaint cometh so bitter to mine ears. Thus they say : 'When Walter is gone, then shall the blood of Janicle succeed and be our lord, for we have none other.' Such words, in truth, my people say; and good heed ought I to take of such murmuring, for certainly I dread such thoughts though they be not spoken plainly in my hearing. I will live in peace if I may; wherefore I am utterly determined to serve this child privily even as by night I served his sister. Of this I warn you that ye may not, on a sudden, go beside yourself for woe; be patient, thereof I pray you." "I have said," quoth she, "and shall ever say thus: I wish for nothing and I refuse nothing, save in sooth as ye list; it grieveth me not at all though my daughter and my son be slain, at your command that is to say 9 I have had no share of my two children save first sickness, and afterward pain and woe. Ye be our lord, do with your own things ever as ye list; ask no counsel of me. For as I left at home all my clothing when I first came to you, even so left I my will and all my freedom, and took your clothing; wherefore I pray you do your pleasure; I will obey your wish. And certes if I had prescience of your will ere ye tell it me, I would perform it without neglect; but now that I wot your desire, firmly and stably I receive it; for if I wist that my death would gladden you, right gladly would I die to please you. Death weigheth naught in comparison with your love." And when this marquis saw the constancy of his wife, he cast down his two eyes, and wondered how she could suffer all this grief in patience. And forth he goeth with a dreary countenance but unto his heart it was a full great delight. This ugly officer, in the same wise as he took her daughter, even so, or worse (if men can imagine worse), hath snatched 159 THE CANTERBURY TALES her son, that was full fair. And ever alike in the same manner she was so patient that she made no sign of sorrow, but kissed her son, and afterward marked him with the cross ; and thereupon she prayed the officer that, if he might, he would bury her little son in the earth, to save his tender limbs, delicate to see, from birds and from beasts. But she could get no answer from him. He went his way, as though he recked not; but tenderly he brought the child to Bologna. This marquis wondered at her patience ever more and more, and if he had not ere this known in sooth that she loved her children perfectly, he would have weened that of subtlety or malice or cruel mood she suffered this with unchanged visage. But truly he knew well that next himself she loved her children best of all; and now I would fain ask of women if these tests might not suffice? What more could a ruthless husband invent to test her wifehood and steadfastness, and he continuing ever in cruelty? But there be folk of such temper that, when they have conceived a certain purpose, they cannot stint of their intention, but even as if they were bound to a stake, they will not desist from that first purpose. Right so this marquis hath fully determined to try his wife, as at first he was disposed. He waiteth to see whether, by word or look, her heart had changed toward him, but never could he find variance; she was ever one in heart and visage; and aye the older she waxed, the more true to him, if that were possible, was she in love, and the more pains- taking. Whereby it thus seemed that there was but one will in them both; for as it pleased Walter, the same was also her pleasure; and God be thanked, all happed for the best. She showed well that a wife should not, for any disquiet that she may suffer, will anything save as her husband willeth. 160 THE CLERK'S TALE The slander spread wide and oft concerning Walter that because he had wedded a poor woman, he had of cruel heart murdered privily both his children. Such murmuring was gen- eral among the people ; no wonder, for no word came to their ears but that the children were murdered. So that, though his people before had loved him well, the slanderous report of his infamy made them to hate him. Murderer is an hateful name. Natheless for earnest nor for sport would he stint of his cruel purpose ; all his thought was set to tempt his wife. When his daughter was twelve years old, he sent to the court of Rome, that were privily informed of his will, a messenger, commanding them to frame such bulls as might suffice for his cruel purpose, declaring how the pope bade him, for his people's repose, to wed another, if he list. I say he bade them counterfeit the pope's bulls, declaring that he had leave by the pope's dis- pensation to put away his first wife, thereby to stint the rancour and dissention betwixt his people and him; thus said the bull, and they made it known at large. The rude people weened full well and no wonder that it was even thus. When these tid- ings came to Grisildis, I deem her heart was full of woe; but she, this humble creature, evermore constant, was ready to suffer all the adversity of fortune, attending ever his will and pleasure to whom, as to her very all in all in this world, she was given heart and soul. But, that I may tell this story shortly, this marquis hath written a private letter in which he sheweth his purpose, and hath sent it secretly to Bologna. Much he prayed the earl of Panago, who was wedded to his sister, to bring home again his two children, openly in honourable estate. But one thing he prayed him most, that he should tell no wight, though men should ask, whose children they were ; but say that the maiden 161 THE CANTERBURY TALES should be wedded anon unto the marquis of Saluces. And as this earl was prayed, so he did ; for on the day appointed he went forth toward Saluces, and many a lord eke in rich array, to es- cort this maiden and her young brother riding beside her. Ar- rayed full of bright gems was this fresh maid for her marriage; her brother, who was seven years old, arrayed eke full fresh as became his youth ; and thus amid great noblesse and glad cheer, shaping their journey toward Saluces, they ride forth from day to day. Explicit quarta pars. Sequitur quinta pars. In the meanwhile, according to his wicked habit, in order to test his wife even further to the uttermost proof of her spirit, and fully to have knowledge and experience whether she were steadfast as formerly, this marquis on a day in open audience, spake to her full rudely these words: "Certes, Grisilde, I took great pleasure in wedding you for your goodness, your fidelity and your obedience, though not for your lineage or for your riches; but now that I consider it well, I know in very sooth that there is sundry and great servitude in the estate of a lord. I may not do as every ploughman; my people crieth out day after day and constraineth me to take another wife; and eke the pope, to assuage the rancour, giveth, I dare affirm, his consent thereto; and this much truly I will tell you, that my new wife is upon her way hither. Be strong of heart and straightway depart from her place, and take again that dower which ye brought me I grant that of my favour and return to your father's house. No man alway may have 162 THE CLERK'S TALE prosperity. Endure with even heart, I advise you, the strokes of fortune." And she answered again patiently, "My lord, I know and knew alway that betwixt your magnificence and my poverty no wight can make comparison; thereof is no doubt. I never deemed me in any manner worthy to be your wife, no, nor your chambermaid. And in this house where ye made me a lady I take for my witness the high God, may he so surely comfort my soul! I never held me lady nor mistress, but the humble servant of your worship, above every worldly creature, and that shall I ever, while my life may last. That ye of your goodness have held me so long in honour and noble estate where I was not worthy to be for that I thank God and you, and to God I pray that it may be requited unto you; there is no more to say. Unto my father will I gladly depart and dwell with him unto my life's end. Where I was fostered a little child, there till I die will I lead my life a widow clean in body, in heart and in all. For sith I gave unto you my maidenhood and am in sooth your faithful wife, God shield that I, the wife of such a lord, should take another man to husband and to mate. And God of his favour grant you weal and prosperity of your new wife, for I will gladly yield her my place, in which I was wont to be full blissful; for sith it pleaseth you that I shall go, my lord, that whilom wast all my heart's content, I will go when ye list. But though ye proffer me such dowry as I first brought, I have well in mind it was but my wretched clothes and uncomely, which it were hard now for me to light upon. O good God! how gentle and how kind ye seemed by your speech and your look the day that our marriage was made ! But it is said truly at least I find it so, for in me it is proved indeed 'love grown old is not as when it was new.' But certes, for no adversity, 163 fcorrtto THE CANTERBURY TALES lord, even though it were death, shall it hap that ever I repent, in word or work, that I gave you my whole heart. My lord, ye wot that in my father's house ye caused me to be stripped of my poor garb, and clad me of your grace richly. Naught else I brought to you, in sooth, but faith and nakedness and maiden- hood; and here I return again my clothing, and my wedding- ring forevermore. The rest of your jewels, I dare promise, be ready within your chamber. Naked I came forth of my father's house, and naked must I return. And yet I hope it be not your intent that I go smockless out of your palace. Ye could not do so dishonourable a thing as suffer that bosom, in which your children rested, to be seen all bare before the people in my walking;^ wherefore I beseech you, let me not go my way like a worm. Remember, my own dear lord, I was your wife, though unworthy. In guerdon of my maidenhood, therefore, which I brought hither but may not bear hence, vouchesafe to give me, as my meed, only such a smock as I was wont to wear, wherewith I may wrap the bosom of her that was your wife; and here I take my leave of you, my own lord, lest I trouble you more." "The smock that thou hast on thy back," quoth he, "let it abide and bear it with thee." Yet scarce could he speak that word, but went his way for ruth and for pity. Before the folk she strippeth herself and in her smock, with head and foot bare, she is gone forth toward her father's house. The folk, weeping, follow her along her way, and aye they curse fortune as they go; but she kept her eyes dry from weep- ing, nor at any time spake a word. Her father, that anon heard these tidings, curseth the day that nature framed him a living wight. For doubtless this old man had ever been suspicious of 164 THE CLERK'S TALE her marriage; for he deemed ever since it took place that when the lord had fulfilled his pleasure, he would think it disparage- ment to his estate to stoop so low, and would renounce her as soon as ever he might. Hastily he goeth toward his daughter, for by noise of the folk he knew of her coming, and as best he might he covered her with her old coat, full sorrowfully weeping ; but he could not put it on her, for the cloth was rude and older by many a day than at her marriage. Thus for a certain time dwelleth with her father this flower of wifely patience, in such wise that neither by her words nor her face, neither before the folk nor out of their sight, she showed that wrong had been done her, nor had she, by her countenance, any recollection of her high estate. No wonder is it, for in her noble estate her spirit ever was entirely humble. No tender mouth, no dainty desires, no pomp, no simulation of royalty, were hers; but she was full of patient gentleness, aye discreet, prideless, honourable, and ever to her husband steadfast and meek. Men speak of Job and most for his humility, as clerks when they list can write well, especially of men, but in soothfast- ness, though clerks praise women but little, there can no man acquit himself in humility as a woman can, nor can be half so faithful as women be, unless it hath befallen newly. From Bologna is come this earl of Panago, the rumour of which spread among high and low, and in the ears of all the people it was made known that he had brought with him a new marchioness, in such pomp and wealth, that never before with human eyes was there seen so noble an array in West Lombardy. The marquis, who knew and contrived all this, ere the earl was come, sent for that innocent poor Grisildis; and she, with humble spirit and glad visage, not with any swelling thoughts 165 THE CANTERBURY TALES in her heart, came at his behest and fell on her knees and rever- ently and prudently greeted him. "Grisilde," quoth he, "my will is, that this maiden whom I shall wed be received to-morrow in my house as royally as is possible, and that every wight be hon- oured after his degree in his place at table, in attendance and in festal pleasure, as best I can devise. I have indeed no women capable of arraying the chambers in the manner which I would have; and I would fain, therefore, that all such governance were thine; thou knowest of old eke all my pleasure in such a thing. Though thine array be bad and ill to look upon, do at least thy duty." "Not only, my lord," quoth she, "am I glad to do this your pleasure, but I desire also to serve and please you according to my station, without fainting, and shall evermore; nor ever, for weal or woe, shall the spirit within my heart stint to love you best with all my true will." And with that word she gan to prepare the house, to set the tables and make the beds, and took pains to do all in her might, praying the chambermaids for God's love to hasten, and busily shake and sweep; and she, the most serviceable amongst them, hath arrayed his hall and every chamber. About undern gan alight this earl, that brought with him these two noble children, for which the people ran to gaze on their array, so richly were they beseen; and then folk begn to say among themselves that Walter was no fool, though it pleased him to change his wife, sith it was for the best. For, as they all deemed, she was fairer and more tender of age than Grisildis, and fairer fruit and more gracious should be bred of them, because of her high descent; her brother eke was so fair of face that the people took delight to see them, commending now the action of the marquis. 166 THE CLERK'S TALE Auctor. "O stormy people ! ever unstable and faithless ! Aye undiscerning and changeful as a weather-cock, delighting ever in new rumours, for aye like the moon ye wax and wane, ever full of idle prating, not worth a farthing; your judgment is false, your constancy proveth naught; a full great fool is he that belie veth in you." Thus said serious folk in that city when the people gazed from high and low, glad for the mere novelty to have a new lady of their town. No more now will I speak of this, but to Grisildis again I will address myself, and tell of her constancy and her diligence. Full busy was Grisildis in all that pertained to the feast. She was not abashed of her clothing, though it was rude and eke somewhat torn; but with glad cheer she is gone to the gate with the other folk to greet the marchioness, and after that busieth herself once more. With such glad cheer she receiveth her guests, and so properly, each after his rank, that no man discerneth a fault; but aye they wonder who she may be, that is clad in such poor array yet knoweth so much of ceremony, and full highly they praise her discretion. In the meanwhile she stinted not to commend this maid and eke her brother, with all her heart and full kindly, so well that no man could praise them better. But at last, when these lords thought to sit down to meat, the marquis gan summon Grisildis, as she was busy in the hall. "Grisilde," quoth he, as it were in sport, "how liketh thee my wife and her beauty?" "Right well, my lord," quoth she; "in good faith, I saw never a fairer. I pray God let her prosper; and even so I hope he will grant to you great joy unto the end of your life. One thing I beseech and eke warn you, that ye sting not with tormenting this tender maid, as ye have done unto 167 THE CANTERBURY TALES others; for she hath been more tenderly fostered, and in my belief she could not suffer adversity as could a poorly fostered creature." And when Walter saw her fortitude and glad cheer and how she bare no malice, and that he so often had done offence to her, and she aye stable and constant as a wall, continuing her innocence ever throughout, this cruel marquis gan incline his heart to take pity upon her wifely steadfastness. "This is enough, Grisilde mine; be now no more aghast nor sorrowful," quoth he. "I have assayed thy faith and thy good- ness, in great estate and in lowly garb, as well as ever woman was tried. Now know I, dear wife, thy steadfastness." And he took her in his arms and gan kiss her. But for wonder she marked it not ; she heard not what thing he said to her, but fared as she had started out of sleep, till she awaked out of her bewilder- ment. "Grisilde," quoth he, "by God that died for us, thou art my wife ; I have none other, nor ever had, so God save me ! This is thy daughter, that thou supposed to be my wife ; that other, on my faith, as I have ever intended, shall be mine heir; verily thou borest him in thy body ; at Bologna privily have I kept him. Take them to thee again, for now thou mayst not say that thou hast lost either of thy two children. And I warn well the folk that have said otherwise of me, that I have done this deed for no malice nor cruelty, but to test in thee thy womanhood, and not God forbid! to slay my children, but to keep them in quiet privily till I knew thy temper and all thy heart." When she heareth this, she sinketh down in a swoon for piteous joy, and after her swoon she calleth both her young children unto her, and piteously weeping, embraceth them in her arms, and tenderly kissing them, full like a mother, with her 168 THE CLERK'S TALE salt tears she batheth both their hair and their visages. O how pitiful it was to see her swooning, and to hear her humble voice! "Grammercy, lord," quoth she, "I thank you that ye have saved me my children dear! Now I reck not though I die even now; sith I stand in your love and in your favour, death mattereth not, nor when my spirit may pass. O tender, O dear, O young children mine, your woful mother weened evermore that cruel hounds or foul vermin had eaten you ; but God of his mercy and your gentle father have caused you tenderly to be kept," and in that same moment all suddenly she sank on the ground. And in her swoon so firmly she holdeth her two children in her caress, that only with great pains and skill could they release them from her arms. O many a tear ran down upon many a pitying face of them that stood near her; scarce could they abide about her. Walter maketh her glad and stinteth her sorrow. She riseth up abashed from her swoon, and every wight maketh joy and festivity unto her, till once more she hath in control her countenance. Walter so faithfully waiteth on her pleasure that it is rare to see the looks betwixt them both, now they be brought together again. These ladies, when they saw their time, took her into a chamber and stripped her out of her rude array, and in cloth of gold that shone brightly, with a crown upon her head set with many a rich gem, they brought her into the hall, and there she was honoured as she was worthy to be. Thus this piteous day had a blissful end, for every man and woman did his best to pass the time in mirth and revel, till star- light shone in the welkin; for more sumptuous was this feast in every man's sight, and greater of cost, than was the revel of her marriage. 169 THE CANTERBURY TALES Full many a prosperous year these two lived in concord and peace, and Walter married his daughter richly unto a lord, one of the worthiest of all Italy; and then in peace and content he sustained his wife's father in his court till the soul crept out of his body. The son of the marquis succeeded to his heritage in peace, after his father's day, and was fortunate eke in mar- riage, although he put not his wife to great trial. This world, it may not be denied, is not so strong as it was in old times; hearken therefore what this author saith. This story is told not that wives should follow Grisildis in humility, for it were insupportable if they did; but that every wight, in his own estate, should be constant in adversity as Grisildis was; therefore Petrarch telleth this story, which he enditeth in high style. For sith a woman was so patient unto a mortal man, the more ought we to receive in good part all that God sendeth us; for with good reason he may assay that which he wrought. But though he tempteth no man whom he hath redeemed, as Saint James saith, if ye will read his epistle, yet he tryeth folk every day, there is no doubt; and suffereth us to be beaten in sundry wise with sharp scourges of adversity, not to know our hearts, for certes ere we were born he knew all our weakness, but for our discipline ; and all his governance is for our best welfare. Let us live then in virtuous submission. But, lordings, hearken one word ere I go : it were full hard to find nowadays Grisildes two or three in a whole town; for if they were put to such tests, the gold of them now hath such bad alloys of brass that though the coin be fair to the eye, it would break in two rather than bend. Wherefore now, for love of the Wife of Bath, whose life and all of her sect may God maintain in high mastery (else were it a pity!), I will, with lusty heart 170 THE CLERK'S TALE green and fresh, recite you a song to gladden you, I trow; and let us stint of earnest matter. Hearken my song, that saith in this wise. Lenvoy de Chaucer. Grisilde is dead and eke her patience, And both interr'd in far Italia's vale; For which I cry in open audience Let no man be so hardy as to assail The patience of his wife, in hope to find Grisildis', for so surely he shall fail. O noble wives, ye sovereigns of sense, Suffer no lowliness your tongues to nail, Nor any clerk have cause, or find pretence, To write of you so marvellous a tale As of Grisilde long-suffering and kind, Lest Chichevache devour you, to your bale. Ape Echo, that will own no diffidence But answereth ever up and down the dale ; Be not made fools of for your innocence, But sharply wield of governance the flail; Imprint full well this lesson in your mind, For common profit, sith it may avail. Ye archwives, stand alway on your defence, Sith as a camel ye be strong and hale, And suffer men to do you none offence; Ye slender wives, that bend in battle's gale, Be terrible as tigers yon in Ind; Aye clap as doth a mill-wheel, when ye rail. 171 THE CANTERBURY TALES Dread not mankind, do them no reverence, For though thy husband armed be in mail, The arrows of thy crabbed eloquence Shall pierce his armour and his breast impale; In jealousy I charge that thou him bind, And thou shalt make him couch as doth a quail. If thou be fair, go forth where throngs be dense To show thy duds and face without a veil; If thou be foul, be lavish of expense; To find thee lovers follow aye the trail; Be aye of cheer as light as leaf i' the wind, And let him weep and wring his hands and wail ! Here endeih the Clerk of Oxford his Tale. 172 The Squire's Tale The Squire's Prologue. QUIRE, come nearer if ye will and say somewhat of love; for certes ye know as much thereof as any man." "Nay, sir," quoth he, "but I will say heartily as best I know how; for I will not revolt against your wish; I will tell a tale. If I speak amiss, have me excused. My will is good; and lo! this is my story." Here beginneth the Squire's Tale. AT Sarray, in Tartary, there dwelt a king, that warred against Russia, so that many a doughty man died. This noble king was called Cambinskan, and in his time was of so great renown that there was nowhere in any land so excel- lent a lord. He lacked naught that becometh a king. In the sect that he was born to, he obeyed his creed, as he was vowed, and thereto he was wise, hardy and rich, ever alike pious and just, true of his word, honourable and benign, of spirit steadfast as the earth, young, fresh and strong and in arms as ardent as any new-made knight of all his house. Of fair person he was, and prosperous, and kept alway such royal estate that there was nowhere such another as he. This noble king, Cambinskan, this Tartar, had on Elpheta, his queen, two sons, of whom the eldest was called Algarsyf, the other Cambalo. A daughter he had 173 THE CANTERBURY TALES besides, that was the youngest and was named Canacee; but to tell you of all her beauty lieth not in my tongue nor in my cun- ning. I dare not attempt so high a matter ; mine English is insuffi- cient. He must be a surpassing rhetorician, that knoweth the colours belonging to his art, who should describe her every whit. I am none such; I must speak as I know how. It so befell when this Cambinskan hath borne his diadem twenty winters, that he bade cry as, I trow, was his yearly wont the feast of his nativity throughout his city Sarray, on the last Ides of March when they came around. Full joyous and clear was Phoebus, the sun, for he was nigh his exaltation in Mars' face, and in his mansion in Aries, the sign hot and choleric. Full lusty was the weather and mild, so that the birds, against the bright sun, what with the season and the young green, sang full loud their affections. It seemed they had got them shields against the keen, cold sword of winter. This Cambinskan, of whom I have spoken to you, with royal vestments and diadem sitteth full high on the dais in his palace, and holdeth his feast, so sumptuous and rich, that never in this world was one like to it. If I should tell the ordinance thereof it would occupy a summer's day; it needeth not eke to describe the order of their service at every course. I will not tell of their strange delicacies, nor of their swans, nor of their hernshaws. Besides, in that land, as old knights tell us, some food is held full dainty, which in this land men reck of but little. There is no man that may report all things. I will not delay you, for it is prime, and it should but waste the morning. Therefore I will turn again unto my first matter. It so befell, after the third course, while this king sitteth thus among his noblesse, hearkening his minstrels deliciously play 174 ,kere c&me a uptm a J^tetb of THE SQUIRE'S TALE before him at the board, that all suddenly in at the hall-door came a knight on a steed of brass, and in his hand a broad mirror. On his thumb he had a ring of gold, and hanging by his side a naked sword, and up he rideth to the high board. In all the hall there was uttered no sound for marvel of this knight; but busily old and young gan stare on him. This strange knight that came thus on a sudden, all armed save his head full richly, saluteth king and queen and lords in their order as they sit in the hall, with such deep reverence and obeisance, in both speech and look, that Gawain, though he were come again out of Faerie, with his old courtesy, could not amend him with a word. And after this, before the high table, he saith his message with manly voice without defect of a syllable, after the form used in his language, and that his tale might the more please, as the art of speech teacheth them that learn it, his looks accorded with his words. Albeit I cannot express his style, nor climb over a stile so high, yet I say this: thus much to common understanding if so be I have it rightly in mind amounteth all that ever he spake. He said: "My liege lord, the King of Araby and of Ind saluteth you on this festal day as best he can, and in honour of your feast, sendeth you by me, that am your servant, this steed of brass, that can easily, in the space of one natural day, that is to say, four and twenty hours, bear your body wheresoever ye list, without harm to you, in rain or shine, through fair or foul, into every place to which your heart willeth to go; or, if ye list to fly as high in the air as doth an eagle when he list to soar, this same steed shall bear you evermore without harm, though ye rest or sleep on his back, till ye be where ye list, and return again at the twirling of a pin. He that wrought it understood 175 THE CANTERBURY TALES full many a device; he observed many a constellation ere he had done his work; and knew many a magic seal and full many a bond. Eke this mirror that I have here hath such a might that a man may behold in it when there shall befall any adversity unto your kingdom, or yourself, and openly who your friend is, or foe. And beside all this, if any fair lady hath set her heart on any manner of wight, if he be false, she shall see his treason, his new love and all his subtlety so openly, that nothing shall be hidden. Wherefore, against this lusty summer's tide, he hath sent this mirror and ring to my lady Canacee, your excellent daughter that is here. "The virtue of the ring, if ye will learn, is this: that, if she list to wear it upon her thumb, or carry it in her purse, there is no fowl flieth under the heaven but she shall understand his voice and know plainly and openly his meaning, and answer him in his language. And she shall know eke every grass that groweth upon root, and to whom it will do cure, however deep and wide be his wounds. This naked sword, that hangeth beside me, hath such virtue that whatsoever man ye smite, it will cut and pierce clean through his armour, were it thick as a branched oak; and whatsoever man is wounded by the blow shall never be whole till ye list of grace to stroke him with the flat in the spot where he is hurt; that is to say, ye must stroke him again with the flat of the sword in the wound, and it will close; this is the very sooth, without lying; it faileth not while it is in your pos- session." And when this knight hath thus told his tale, he rideth out of the hall and lighteth down. His steed, which glittered as the sun, standeth in the court, as still as marble. The knight is led anon to his chamber, and is unarmed and set at meat. The 176 THE SQUIRE'S TALE presents be fetched full royally, the mirror and sword, and borne anon by certain officers appointed thereto into the high tower; and unto Canacee, where she sitteth at the table, this ring is borne with ceremony. But in very sooth, the horse of brass may not be removed; it standeth as it were glued to the ground. No man may pull it out of the place, with any engine of windlass or pulley, and with good reason, for they know not the art. Therefore they have left it in the place till the knight hath taught them how to move it forth, as ye shall hear afterward. Great was the press that to and fro swarmeth to gape on this horse where it standeth ; for it was as high and as broad and long, and as well proportioned for strength, as if it were truly a steed of Lombardy; therewith it was as horsely and quick of eye, as if it were a noble Apulian courser. For certes, from his tail to his ear, not nature nor art could amend him in any degree, as all the people weened. But evermore they wondered most how it could go and was of brass. It was of Faerie, thought the people. Diverse folk deemed diversely. As many heads so many wits. They murmured like a swarm of bees, and made expla- nations according to their fancies, and said rehearsing these old poetic fables it was like the Pegasus, the horse that had wings to fly ; or else it was the horse of Synon, the Greek, that brought destruction to Troy, as men may read in these old romances. "Mine heart," quoth one, "is aye afeard; I trow some men of arms be therein, that plan to capture this city. It were good that such things were known." Another whispered low to his neighbour and said : "He lieth ; it is rather like an apparition made by some magic such as jugglers sport with at great feasts." Thus they talk and babble of sundry doubts, as unlearned people commonly deem of things that be made more subtly than they 177 THE CANTERBURY TALES in their ignorance can understand. They be fain to construe a thing for the worse. And some of them wondered on the mirror, that was borne up into the chief tower of the castle, how men might see such things in it. Another answered and said it might well be caused naturally by compositions of angles and sly reflec- tions, and said that there was such an one in Rome. They speak of Vitulon and Alocen and Aristotle, that wrote in their lifetimes of curious mirrors and perspective-glasses, as they know that have read their books. And others wondered on the sword that would pierce through all things; and gan to speak of King Thelophus, and of Achilles with his curious spear, for he could both heal and harm with it, even in such wise as men might with the sword of which ye right now have learned. They speak of sundry hardenings of metal, and therewith speak of certain drugs, and how and when it should be tempered, which is un- known at least unto me. Then they speak of Canacee's ring, and all say that none of them had ever heard of such a wonder of ring-craft, save that Moses and King Solomon had a name for cunning in such a thing. Thus say the people and draw apart. But natheless some said it was likewise wonderful to make glass of fern-ashes ; but because men have known it for so long, therefore ceaseth their babbling of it and their marvel; even as some marvel sore on the cause of thunder, on ebb and flood, gossamers, mist, and all things till the cause is known. Thus they deem and babble and imagine till the king riseth from the board. Phoebus hath left the angle meridional, and the royal beast, the gentle Lion, with his Aldiran, was yet ascending, when this Tartar king rose from his board, where he sat aloft. Before him goeth the loud minstrelsy till he cometh to his chamber of 178 THE SQUIRE'S TALE rich hangings, where they play upon diverse instruments, that it is like an heaven to hear. Now dance the lusty children of Venus, for aloft in the Fish sitteth their lady and looketh on them with friendly eye. This noble king, this Cambinskan, sitteth high in his throne; straightway this strange knight is fetched to him, and on the dance goeth with Canacee. Here is the revel and the jollity that a dull man cannot describe. He must have known Love and his service and been a festive man fresh as May, that should describe to you such a sight. Who could tell you the form of dances, such rare, fresh faces, such subtle lockings and dissim- ulatings for fear of the perceivings of jealous men? No man but Launcelot, and he is dead. Therefore I pass over all this merriment; I say no more, but leave them in this jollity till folk address them to the supper. The steward biddeth the spices to be fetched in haste, and the wine eke in all this melody. The ushers and squires go and come anon with the spices and the wine; men eat and drink, and when this is done, as was reason, they wended unto the temple. The service done, they all sup by daylight. What needeth to rehearse to you the array upon the board? Every man wot well that at a king's feast is plenty for high and low, and more dainties than be in my knowledge. After supper this noble king goeth to see the horse of brass, with all the throng of lords and ladies about him. Such wondering there was on this horse of brass that never since the great siege of Troy, where men also wondered on an horse, was there such a wondering as then. But finally the king asketh this knight concerning the power and virtue of this courser, and prayed him tell the manner of governing him. Anon 179 THE CANTERBURY TALES the horse began to trip and dance, when this knight laid hand on his rein and said: "Sir, there is no more to say than when ye list to ride anywhere ye must twirl in his ear a pin, of which I shall tell you betwixt us two. Ye must also tell him by name to what place or country ye list to ride. And when ye come where ye list to alight, bid him descend and twirl another pin, for therein lieth the secret of all the contrivance, and he will descend down and do your will, and in that place he will abide ; though all the world had sworn the contrary, he shall not be drawn thence nor carried. Or if ye list to bid him go thence, twirl this pin, and he will straightway vanish out of the sight of all folk, and come again, be it by day or by night, when ye list to call him again in such wise as I shall say to you full soon betwixt you and me. Ride when ye list, there is no more to be done." When this noble doughty king was instructed of that knight and hath conceived justly in his wit the manner and the form of all this contrivance, thus glad and blithe he repaireth to his revelry as before. The bridle is borne unto the tower and kept among his precious jewels. The horse vanished out of their sight, I wot not how; ye get no more of me. And thus in merri- ment and joy I leave this Cambinskan at feasting with his lords, till well nigh the day began to spring. Explicit prima pars. Sequitur pars secunda. The nurse of digestion, Sleep, gan wink upon them, and bade them take thought that much drink and labour will have rest, and with yawning mouth he kissed them all, and said it was time to lie down, for blood was in supremacy. "Cherish 180 THE SQUIRE'S TALE blood, nature's friend," quoth he. By twos and threes, they thank him yawning, and every wight gan draw to his rest, as sleep bade them, and as seemed to them good. I shall not tell of their dreams ; full were their heads of f umosity, which causeth dreaming, but of that no matter. The more part of them slept till fully prime, unless it were Canacee. She was temperate as be most women. For she had liberty of her father to go to rest soon after it was eve. She list not to grow pale nor to appear unfestive on the morrow, and slept her first sleep and then awoke. For she took such a joy in her heart both of her wondrous ring and her mirror that twenty times she changed hue, and in her sleep, for the very remembrance of her mirror, she had a vision. Wherefore, ere the sun gan glide upward, she called on her mistress, who slept hard by, and said that she list to rise. These old women will aye be prudent ; wherefore her mistress answered her anon and said: "Madame, whither will ye go thus early? for all the folk be abed." "I will arise," quoth she, "for I list no longer to sleep ; and walk about." Her mistress calleth a great troop of women, and up they rise, full ten or twelve; and up riseth fresh Canacee as ruddy and bright as the young sun that is voyaged four degrees in the Ram. No higher was he when she was ready, and forth she walketh quietly in light array, for the sweet lusty season, to walk and take her pastime with but five or six of her train. And forth in the park she goeth in an alley. The vapour that streamed upward from the earth made the sun to seem ruddy and broad; but natheless it was so fair a sight that it made all their hearts to leap up, what with the season and the morning-time and the birds that she heard sing, for right anon by their song she wist what they meant, and knew all their thought. 181 THE CANTERBURY TALES If the knot for which every tale is recounted be delayed till the pleasure of them be cold that have hearkened for it long, the savour passeth away more and more for fulsome- ness of the prolixity, and for the same reason, methinketh, I should come to the knot and make soon an end of their walking. Full high amid a withered tree as white as chalk, while Can- acee roamed in her pastime, there sat a falcon over her head that with piteous voice so gan to cry that of her wail all the wood re- sounded. So piteously hath she beaten herself with both her wings that the red blood ran all adown the tree whereon she rested. And ever alike she cried and screamed, and so stabbed herself with her beak, that there is no tiger, nor cruel beast that dwelleth in woods, that would not have wept, if he could weep, for pity of her so loud she screamed alway. For there was never yet a man alive if I could describe this falcon well that heard of such another for fairness both of plumage and nobility of shape, and of all things that may be reckoned. A falcon peregrine she seemed, from a foreign land, and evermore again and again she swooneth for lack of blood, till she is well nigh fallen from the tree. This fair king's-daughter, that wore on her finger the won- drous ring, through which she understood fully all that any bird may say in his jargon, and could in his jargon answer him again, this Canacee hath understood what this falcon said and well nigh she died for ruth. And to the tree she goeth in haste and looketh pitifully on this falcon, and held wide her kirtle, for well she wist the falcon must fall from the bough, when next it swooned for lack of blood. A long time she stood to watch it, till at the last she spake in such fashion to the hawk as ye shall hear. "What is the cause, if it may be told, that ye be in this 182 THE SQUIRE'S TALE furious pain of hell? Is this for sorrow of some death or for loss of love? For as I ween these be two causes that bring woe to a gentle heart. It needeth not speak of other harm; for I see you tormenting yourself, which well proveth that either love or fear must occasion your cruel deed, sith I see not that ye are chased by any creature. For love of God, show yourself some mercy, or what may advantage you? for never ere now saw I in this world beast or bird that fared with himself so pite- ously. In sooth, ye slay me with your sorrow, I have such pity for you. For God's love, come down from the tree and, as I am a true king's-daughter, if I might know the cause verily of your grief, if it lay in my power, I would amend it before night, so help me the great God of nature! And I shall find herbs a-plenty wherewith quickly to heal your hurts." Then this falcon screamed more piteously than ever, and straightway fell to the ground and lay swooning as dead and like a stone, till Canacee hath taken her in her lap, to await such time as she should awake from her swoon. And after she gan start out of this swoon, she said thus in her hawk's language : "That pity runneth soon into a gentle heart, that feeleth his fellow-being in pain, is every day proved, as men may behold, both by acts and by book-authority; for gentle heart sheweth gentle deeds. I see well, my fair Canacee, that ye have com- passion of my distress, because of the true, womanly benignity that nature hath set in you. Yet not from the hope of faring the better, but to obey your noble heart, and to make others beware by me as the lion is affrighted by beating a dog, even for that cause while I have leisure and a space to do it will I confess my woe, ere I pass on." And ever while the one told her sorrow, the other wept as if she would turn to water, 183 THE CANTERBURY TALES till the falcon bade her to be still, and with a sigh thus she said her say: "Where I was bred (alas! wretched time!) and fostered in a rock of grey marble so tenderly that nothing ailed me, I knew not what adversity was till I could soar far aloft under the sky. Then dwelt a tercelet hard by me that seemed the well of all gentleness. Although he was full of treason and falsehood, it was wrapped in such manner under humble looks, show of truth, courtesy and busy tokens of regard, that no wight would have weened that he could dissemble, so deep in grain he dyed his colours. Even as a serpent hideth him under blossoms till he may see his time to sting, even so doth this god of love, this hypocrite, perform his ceremonies and dutiful attentions and in semblance doth all the observances that accord unto love's gentleness. As in a tomb all the fairness is outward and under- neath is the corpse in such guise as ye know, even such was this hypocrite, both cold and hot, and in this wise he served his purpose, so that (save the fiend) none knew what was his mind; till he had wept and lamented so long, and so many a year feigned his service to me, that my heart too pitiful and too foolish all innocent of his sovereign malice, and fearful as methought of his death, upon his oath and pledge, granted him love upon this condition, that evermore mine honor and fame should be spared, both privily and openly; that is to say, I gave him, after his deserving, all my heart and all my thought- God knoweth, and he, that I would not on other terms and took his heart for aye in exchange for mine. But the sooth was said this many a day ago, 'A true wight and a thief think not alike.' And when he saw the thing gone so far that I had granted him my love fully in such wise as I have said, and given 184 THE SQUIRE'S TALE him my true heart, as utterly as he swore that he gave me his, straightway this tiger, full of doubleness, f ell on his knees, with humility so devout, with reverence so high and, in his look, so like in manner unto a gentle lover, so ravished as it seemed with bliss, that never Jason nor Paris of Troy Jason? nay certes, nor any other man since Lameth, that was the first of all to love two, as folk wrote of yore, nor ever since the first man was born, could anyone, by a twenty-thousandth part, imitate the sophisms of his cunning, nor be worthy to unbuckle his shoe where it concerneth feigning or doubleness, nor could so thank a person as he did me. It were an heaven to any woman be she never so knowing to behold his manner, he so painted and combed at point-device his words as well as his countenance. And I so loved him for his devotedness and for the truth I deemed in his heart, that if it chanced anything grieved him, were it never so little, an I knew of it, methought I felt death wring my heart. And in brief, so far is this thing gone, that my will was his will's instrument; that is to say, my will obeyed his in every- thing as far as was in reason, keeping the bounds ever of my worship, nor was ever thing so lief and dear to me as he, God wot! nor shall be evermore. "Longer than a year or two this lasteth that I supposed naught but good of him; but finally it befell that fortune would have him depart out of that place wherein I was. Whether I were woful there is no question; I can describe it not. But one thing I dare tell boldly : I know thereby what is the pain of death, such woe did I feel that he might not tarry. On a day he took his leave of me, so sorrowfully eke that I weened in truth he felt as much woe as I, when I heard him speak and saw his pallor. But I thought natheless he was true, and, to say sooth, that 185 THE CANTERBURY TALES he would come again within a little while, and eke reason would that he must go for his honour, as oft it happeth, so that I made virtue of necessity, and took it well, sith it must be so. As I best might I hid my sorrow from him Saint John be my witness! and took him by the hand, and said to him thus: 'Lo! I am all yours; be such as I have been to you, and shall ever be.' It needeth not repeat what he answered. Who can say better than he? Who can do worse? When he hath said all things well, then he hath done. I have heard it said: 'He that shall eat with a fiend needeth a full long spoon therefor.' So at last he must fare on his way, and forth he flyeth till he came where he list. When he thought best to abide, I trow he had in remem- brance the text that 'all things, repairing to their kind, rejoice.' Thus men say, methinketh. Men of their own proper nature love newfangledness, as do birds that men feed in cages. For though thou care for them night and day, and strew their cage fair and soft as down, and give them sugar and milk, bread and honey, yet right so soon as the door is raised, they will spurn down their cup with their feet and away to the wood and eat worms. So newfangled be they of diet, and of very nature love novelties, that no gentleness of blood may bind them. So alas the day! fared this tercelet. Though he was gentle-born, fresh and blithe, and goodly for to see, and humble and generous, yet on a time he saw a kite flying, and suddenly he so loved this kite that all his love is clean gone from me, and in this manner he hath broken his troth. Thus the kite hath my love in her service, and I am lorn without remedy." With that word this falcon gan wail and swooned again in Canacee's bosom. Great was the lament for the falcon's harm that Canacee made 186 THE SQUIRE'S TALE and all her women. They wist not how they might gladden her. But Canacee beareth her home in her kirtle and softly gan wrap her in plasters where with her beak she had hurt herself. Now Canacee can do naught but dig roots out of the ground, to heal this hawk, and make new salves of herbs, precious and fine of hue ; from dawn till dark she busieth herself with all her might. And by her bed's head she made a mew and covered it with blue velvets, in sign of the truth that is in women. And without, all the mew is painted green, and there were painted these false fowls such as be all these titlarks, tercelets and owls; and pies, to scream and chide them, were painted eke there for despite. Thus leave I Canacee with her hawk; no more now will I speak of her ring till the time come again to say how this falcon got her love once more repentant, as the story telleth, by medi- ation of Cambalus, the king's son of whom I told you. But henceforth I will guide my tale to speak of such battles and adventures that never yet were heard so great wonders. First I will tell you of Cambinskan, that in his time won many a city; and afterward I will speak of Algarsyf, how he won Theodora for his bride, for whom he was in great peril full oft, had he not been helped by the steed of brass ; and afterward I will speak of Cambalo, that fought with the two brethren in the lists for Canacee, ere he might win her. And where I left I will return again. Explicit secunda pars. Incipit pars tercia. Apollo whirleth up his chariot so far aloft that the house of the sly god Mercurius (Unfinished.) 187 The Words of the Franklin Here follow the words of the Franklin to the Squire, and the words of the Host to the Franklin. " "1* N faith, Squire, thou hast quit thee well and frankly I praise full high thy discretion," quoth the Franklin. "Considering thy youth, sir, I applaud thee. Thou speak- est so feelingly that, to my thinking, there is none of us that shall be thy peer in eloquence, if thou live ; God give thee good fortune and send thee continuance in virtue, for I have great delight of thy speech. I have a son and, by the Trinity, I had liefer than twenty pound worth of land, though right now it were fallen to my lot, that he were a man of such understanding as ye. Fie on possession, unless withal a man be virtuous. I have chid my son, and yet shall, for he list not hearken to virtue; but to play at dice is his wont and to spend and lose all that he hath, and he had liefer talk with a page than commune with any gentle wight where he might have true gentle breeding." "Straw for your gentle breeding!" quoth our host. "What, Franklin? pardee, sir, well thou wottest that each of you must tell at least a tale or two, or else break his word." "Sir," quoth the Franklin, "that know I well. I pray you have me not in disdain though I speak to this man a word or two." "Tell on thy tale without more words." "Gladly," quoth he, "sir host, I submit unto your will; now hark what I say. I will not withstand you in any way as far as my wits will suffice me. I pray God it may please you, then wot I well it is good enough." 188 The Franklin's Prologue The Prologue of the Franklin 3 s Tale. THESE gentle Bretons in the old time made lays of diverse adventures, rhymed in their early Breton tongue ; which lays they sang to their instruments, or else read them for their delight; and one of them I have in remembrance which I shall relate with good-will as best I am able. But, sirs, sith I am a homespun man, I pray you at my beginning to excuse me for my rude speech. Sure I learned never rhetoric; what I speak must be bare and plain; I slept never on the mount of Parnassus, nor learned Marcus Tullius Cicero. Colours I know none, in sooth, but such colours as grow in the mead, or else such as men dye or paint. Colours of rhetoric be too dainty for me ; my spirit discerneth naught of such matter. But if ye list ye shall hear my tale. The Franklin's Tale Here beginneth the Franklins Tale. IN Armorik, that is called Brittany, there was a knight that loved a lady, and did his best diligence to serve her; and many a labour and great emprise he wrought for her, ere she was won. For she was one of the fairest under the heaven, and thereto come of such high kin, that scarce durst this knight, 189 THE CANTERBURY TALES for dread, tell her his woe, his pain and his dolor. But at last, for his worthiness, and especially for his meek obedience, she hath caught such a pity of his suffering, that privily she agreed to take him for her husband and lord, of such lordship, that is, as men have over their wives; and the better to pass their days in bliss, he swore unto her of his free will, as a knight, that never in all his life would he take upon him the mastership against her will, nor cause her jealousy, but obey her, and follow her will in all things, as every lover should do unto his lady; save that he would keep the name of sovereignty, for the sake of his title of husband and knight. She thanked him and full humbly she said, "Sir, sith of your gentleness ye proffer me so free a rein, I pray to God that there be never, by fault of mine, either war or dissension betwixt us. Sir, I will be your humble, true wife, have here my troth, till my heart cease to beat." Thus be they both in quiet and rest. For one thing, sirs, I dare safely aver, that friends must obey each other if they will hold company long. Love will not be constrained by mastery. When mastery cometh, the god of love beateth straightway his wings, and farewell! he is gone. Love is a thing free as any spirit. Women by nature desire freedom, and not to be constrained as thralls ; and so do men, if I shall say sooth. Lo! he that is most patient in love hath advantage over all. Certainly patience is a high virtue, for, as these clerks say, it compasseth things that rigour shall never com- pass. Folk should not chide or complain at every mere word. Learn to suffer or else, by my faith, ye shall learn it whether ye will or no. For in this world, sooth, there is no wight that doth not or saith not sometime amiss. A man's ire, sickness, 190 THE FRANKLIN'S TALE constellation, wine, woe, or changing of humours, causeth him full oft to do, or speak, amiss. A man may not avenge every wrong. According to the occasion, temperance must be shown by every wight, that knoweth to govern himself. And therefore hath this wise worthy knight, in order to live in ease, promised forbearance unto his wife, and full wisely she swore to him that never should there be blame in her. Here may men witness an humble, wise harmony; thus hath she taken at once her servant and her lord: servant in love, and lord in marriage; therefore he was both in lordship and service. Service? nay, but such service as is higher than lordship, sith he hath both his lady and his love ; his lady, certes, and eke his wife, with whom the law of love accordeth. And when he was thus prosperous, he goeth home with his wife to his own country, not far from Penmarch, where was his dwelling, and there he liveth in bliss and in joy. Who can tell, save him that hath been wedded, the joy, ease and prosperity that is betwixt husband and wife? A year and more this blissful time lasted till the knight, of whom I speak, who was called Arveragus of Kayrrud, made him ready to go and dwell a year or two in England, that was called eke Britain, to seek glory and honour in arms; for he set all his joy in such achievements; and there, the book saith, he dwelled two years. Now I will stint of this Arveragus and speak of his wife Dorigen, that loveth her husband as her soul. For his absence she sigheth and weepeth, as these noble wives do, when it liketh them. She mourneth, complaineth, waketh, waileth, fasteth; desire for his presence so distresseth her, that all this wide world she setteth at naught. Her friends, that knew her heavy heart, 191 THE CANTERBURY TALES comfort her in all that they can ; they preach unto her, night and day they tell her that without cause, alas! she slayeth herself, and with all their diligence they show unto her every kind attention possible in such a case, to make her leave her heaviness. By degrees, as ye all know, men may engrave in a stone so long that some figure will be imprinted therein. So long have they comforted her that, by hope and argument, she hath received the imprint of her consolation, through which her great sorrow gan assuage; she could not alway endure in such frenzy. And eke, in all this grief, Arveragus hath sent letters home unto her of his welfare, and that he would return hastily; else had this sorrow slain her heart. Her friends saw that her sorrow gan lessen, and prayed her, upon their knees, for God's sake to come and roam in company, to drive her dark fantasy away ; and finally she consented, for she saw well that it was for the best. Now her castle stood fast by the sea, and often she walked with her friends to disport her upon the lofty bank, whence she saw many a ship and barge sailing their course whither they list to sail; but then was that parcel of her woe. For full oft to herself she saith, "Alas! is there no ship, of so many as I see, will bring home my lord? Then were my heart all cured of its bitter stinging pain." At another time she would sit there pensive, and cast her eyes downward from the brink. But when she saw the grisly, dark rocks, her heart would so quake for very fear, that she might not support herself upon her feet. Then would she sit down upon the green, and piteously gaze out on the sea, and with forlorn and sorrowful sighs, say thus: "Eternal God, that leadest the world through thy providence by a sure control, nothing dost thou perform, as men say, in vain ; but, Lord, these grisly, fiendly, 192 THE FRANKLIN'S TALE black rocks, that seem rather a foul confusion of work than the fair creation of such a perfectly wise and steadfast God, why have ye wrought this unreasonable work? For to my wit, neither east, west, north, nor south, is there man, beast or bird to whom it doth good, but rather harm. See ye not, Lord, how it destroyeth mankind? Although they be not in remembrance, rocks have slain an hundred thousand of mankind, which is so fair a part of thy work, that thou madest it like to thine own image. Then seemed it ye had a great fondness for mankind ; but how then may it be that to destroy it ye make such means as do no good, but ever harm? I wot well that by arguments, as it pleaseth them, clerks will say all is for the best, though I cannot discern the causes. But may that God which made the wind to blow preserve my lord! this is mine only prayer. I leave to clerks all disputation; but would to God that all these dark rocks were sunk into hell for his sake! These rocks slay mine heart for fear." This would she say, full piteously weeping. Her friends saw that it was no alleviation, but grief for her, to roam by the sea, and planned to disport themselves somewhere else. They led her by rivers and springs and eke in other delectable places; they danced and they played at tables and chess. So on a day, in the morning, they go unto a garden nearby in which they had made their preparation of victuals and of other diversions, and took their pleasure all day long. And this was on the sixth morn of May, that, with his soft showers, had painted this garden full of blossoms and of leaves ; and the craft of man's hand had arrayed it so curiously that never, in sooth, was there garden of such glory, unless it were paradise itself. The odour and the fresh sight of flowers would have made any 193 THE CANTERBURY TALES heart for to leap that ever was born, unless too great sickness, or sorrow, held it in pain; so full of beauty and delight was the place. And after dinner, they gan to dance, and eke sing, save only Dorigen, who made alway her complaint and her moan ; for she saw not going on the dance him that was her -husband and eke her love. But natheless she must tarry yet a time, and with good hope she let slide her sorrow. Upon this dance amongst others, there danced before Dorigen a squire, that was fresher, I deem, and gaylier clad than the month of May. He singeth and danceth, surpassing any man that is, or was sith the beginning of the world. Therewith, if one should describe him, he was one of the best-looking men alive; young, strong, virtuous, rich, and wise, well-beloved, and held in great esteem. And briefly, to tell the truth, this lusty squire, Venus' servant, who was called Aurelius, unbeknown at all to this Dorigen, had loved her best of any creature, two years and more, as was his fate, and never durst he tell her his grief; but drank in full measure all his pain. He was in despair; nothing durst he say, save that in his songs he would reveal somewhat his woe, in a general complaining ; he said he loved but was beloved not. Of such matter he made many lays, songs, complaints, rondeaux and ballads, of how he durst not speak his sorrow but must needs suffer torments, as doth a fury in hell ; and he said he must die, as for Narcissus did Echo, that durst not tell her pain. In no other manner than ye hear me describe durst he betray his woe to her ; save that, peradventure, at dances, where young folk observe their ceremonies, it may well be that he looked on her countenance, in such wise as a man that asketh grace; but nothing she wist of his thoughts. Natheless, ere they went thence, because he was her neighbour, and a man of rank 194 THE FRANKLIN'S TALE and esteem, and she had known him for a long time, it happed that they fell in speech; and more and more Aurelius drew forth unto his purpose, and when he saw his time, he spake. "Madame," quoth he, "by God that created this world, I would, the day that your Arveragus went over the sea, that I had gone whence never I should have come back; for I wot well my service is in vain. My only guerdon is the breaking of my heart. Madame, take pity upon my woe; for with a word ye may slay or save me. Would to God that I were buried here at your feet. I have no opportunity now to speak more; have mercy, sweet, or ye will slay me!" She gan look upon Aurelius: "Is this your desire," quoth she, "and say ye so? Never before I wist what ye meant. But now that I know your purpose, Aurelie, never by that God that gave me soul and breath shall I be untrue wife, in word or work, so far as I know thereof; I will be his, to whom I am knit; take this of me as final answer." But after that she said thus in play: "Aurelie," quoth she, "by heaven's king, I would yet grant you to be your love, sith I see you lament so piteously. Lo! on that day that, from end to end of Brittany, ye remove all the ropks, stone by stone, so that they hinder no ship nor boat from passing I say, when ye have made the coast so clean of rocks that there is not a stone visible, then will I love you best of all men; have here my utmost pledge." "Is there no other grace in you," quoth Aurelius. "No, by that Lord that made me!" quoth she, "for I wot well it shall never betide. Let such follies pass out of your heart. What delight in living should a man have to go love the wife of another man that hath control over her body?" Sore sigheth Aurelius full oft. Woe was him, when he heard 195 THE CANTERBURY TALES this, and with a sorrowful heart he replied thus: "Madame,'* quoth he, "this were an impossible thing! Then must I die of horrid, sudden death." And with that word straightway he turned him away. Then came many of her other friends, and roamed up and down in the garden-walks, and wist nothing of this event, but began on a sudden new revelry till the bright sun lost his colour, for the horizon had bereft the sun of his beams; this is as much as to say it was night. And home they go in joy and in gladness, save only alas! wretched Aurelius. He is gone to his house with sorrowful heart; he seeth he may not escape his death. He seemed to feel his heart grow cold; up to the heaven he gan raise his hands, and down he set him on his bare knees, and said his orison in his raving. For very woe he went out of his wits. He wist not what he spake, but with piteous heart thus maketh he his plaint to the gods, and first unto the sun: "Apollo," he said, "god and governor of every plant, herb, blossom, tree, that givest, according to thy declination, to each of them its time and season, even as thy dwelling changeth low or high, lord Phoebus, cast thy merciful gaze on me, wretched Aurelie, that am quite forsaken. Lo, lord! my lady hath sworn my death without guilt, but let thy goodness have some pity upon my dying heart. For I wot well, if it liketh you, lord Phoebus, that, save my lady, ye may help me the best. Now vouchsafe that I may describe unto you in what I may be helped and in what manner. "Your blissful sister, Lucina the bright, that is chief goddess and queen of the sea, although Neptunus be king in that realm, yet she is empress above him. Lord, ye know well that as her desire is to be quickened and illumined by your flame, for which she followeth you diligently, even so the sea by nature desireth 196 THE FRANKLIN'S TALE to follow her, that is goddess in the sea and in rivers great and small. Wherefore, lord Phoebus, perform this miracle, or let mine heart burst; this is my petition: Pray her now, at the next opposition that shall take place when thou art in the sign of the Lion, pray her to bring so great a flood that it shall overtop by five fathoms at the least the highest rock in Armorik Brittany ; and let this flood endure two years. Then certes I may cry unto my lady: 'Keep your troth, the rocks be away!' Lord Phoebus, perform for me this miracle; pray her that she go no faster course than ye; I say, pray your sister that she go no faster course than ye during these two years. Then shall she ever be just at full, and spring-flood last both night and day. And unless she vouchsafe in such wise to grant me my sovereign lady dear, pray her to sink every rock into her own dark region under ground, wherein Pluto dwelleth; else nevermore shall I win my lady. Unto thy temple in Delphos will I go barefoot; lord Phosbus, see the tears on my cheek, and have some compassion of my pain." And with that word he fell down swooning, and long time he lay in a trance. His brother, that knew of his suffer- ing, caught him up and brought him to bed. Thus desperate in grief and torment, I leave this woful creature lying. Let him choose, for all I reck, whether he will live or perish. Arveragus, with prosperity and great glory, as he that is the flower of chivalry, is come home with other worthy folk. Blissful art thou now, O thou Dorigen! that hast in thine arms thy lusty husband, the fresh knight, the worthy man of battle, that loveth thee as his own heart's life. He list not to fancy whether any wight, while he was away, had spoken to her of love; he had no suspicion of it. He thinketh naught of such a thing, but danceth, jousteth and maketh her good 197 THE CANTERBURY TALES cheer; and thus I leave them living in joy and bliss, and of sick Aurelius will I tell. In languor and frenzied torment lay wretched Aurelius two years and more, ere he might set foot on the earth. Comfort in this time had he none, save of his brother, that was a clerk; he knew of all this woe and trouble; for in sooth to none other creature durst he say a word of this matter. Under his breast he bare it more secret than ever did Pamphilus for Galatea. His breast was whole, to look on without, but aye in his heart was the keen arrow; and well ye know that in surgery the cure of a wound healed only on the surface is perilous, unless men may touch the arrow, or come thereat. His brother wept and wailed privily, till at last he remembered him, that while he was at Orleans, in France as young clerks, that be eager to read curious arts, seek in every nook and corner to learn particular sciences he remembered him that on a day at Orleans, he saw a book of natural magic, which his fellow, who was at that time a candidate in law, although he was there to learn another art, had privily left upon his desk; which book spake much of operations, touching the eight and twenty houses that belong to the moon, and such foolishness, as is not worth a fly in our days; for the faith of the holy church, in our belief, suffereth no illusion to distress us. And when he remembered him of this book, his heart gan dance anon for joy, and he said privily to himself: "My brother shall be cured in haste; for I am sure that there be arts, by which men make such diverse appearances as these subtle jugglers contrive in play. For oft I have heard tell that jugglers at feasts have caused water to come into a great hall and a barge to row up and down therein. Some- times there hath seemed to come a grim lion, and sometimes 198 THE FRANKLIN'S TALE flowers to spring as in a meadow; sometimes a vine, with red and white grapes; sometimes a castle, built all of stone and lime; and when it hath pleased them, straightway they voided it. Thus it seemed to the sight of every man. "Now then I conclude thus, that if I could find some old comrade at Orleans, that hath these mansions of the moon in remembrance, or other natural magic of the heavens, he should certainly cause my brother to have his love. For with an appearance a clerk may make it seem to a man's sight that the black rocks of Brittany be voided, each and all, and that ships come and go by the brink, and cause this to endure in such form a day or two; thus were my brother cured of his woe. Then Dorigen must needs keep her pledge, or at least he shall put her to shame." Why should I make longer tale of this? He came unto his brother's bed, and such comforting reasons he gave him for going to Orleans, that straightway up he started and forth then on his way he is gone, in hope to be relieved of his care. When they were come almost to that city, within two or three furlongs, they met a young clerk roaming by himself, who greeted them discreetly in Latin, and after that he spake what was wondrous. "I know," quoth he, "the cause of your coming;" and ere they went a foot further, he told them all that was in their thoughts. This clerk of Brittany asked him of the fellows whom he had known in the old days; and he answered him that they were dead, for which he wept full many a tear. Aurelius lighted down from his horse, and went home with this magician to his house, and made him full content. He lacked no meat or drink that might please him; so well equipped a house Aurelius saw never in his life before. Ere they went 199 THE CANTERBURY TALES to supper he showed him forests and parks full of wild deer; there he saw harts with their high horns, the greatest that ever were seen. He saw an hundred of them slain with hounds, and some bleeding bitterly with arrows. When these wild deer were voided, upon a fair river he saw falconers that had killed a heron with their hawks. Then he saw knights jousting in a plain; and after this, he did him such pleasure as to show him his lady in a dance, on which, as it seemed, he himself danced. And when this master, that wrought this magic, saw it was time, he clapped his two hands, and farewell! our revelry was all gone. And yet they had never removed from the house while they saw all these wonderful sights, but they sat still all three in his study, where his books were, none other wight with them. This master called his squire to him and said thus : "Is our supper ready? It is almost an hour, I warrant, since I bade you to prepare it, and these worthy men went with me into my study, where my books be kept." "Sir, when it liketh you," quoth this squire, "it is all ready, though ye wish it right now." "It is best, then, that we go sup," quoth he, "these amorous folk sometimes must have refreshment." After supper, they fell into discussion what should be this master's guerdon for removing all the rocks of Brittany from the Gironde to the mouth of the Seine. He drove a hard bargain and swore he would not so God save him! take less than a thousand pound, nor would he go gladly for that sum. With blissful heart, Aurelius answered anon thus: "Fie on a thousand pound! I would give this wide world if I were lord of it. This bargain is fully driven, for we be accorded. Ye shall be paid truly, by my faith! but look well now that, 200 THE FRANKLIN'S TALE by no negligence or sloth, ye delay us here longer than to- morrow." "Nay, have here my faith as pledge," quoth this clerk. Aurelius, when he list, went to bed, and rested well nigh all that night. What with his labour and hope of bliss, his woful heart had a lull of its pain. Upon the morrow, when it was light, Aurelius and this magician took the straight way to Brit- tany, and went down where they would abide; and this, as the books put me in mind, was the cold, frosty season of December. Phoebus, that in his hot declination had shone as the burnished gold with glittering beams, waxed now old, of a hue like latten; for now he lighted adown in Capricorn, where, I must needs say, he shone full pale. The bitter frosts, with the sleet and rain, had destroyed the green in every close. Janus sitteth by the fire, with double beard, and drinketh the wine from his bugle-horn; before him standeth brawn of the tusked boar, and every lusty man "Nowel" crieth. Aurelius, in all that ever he is able, maketh cheer and rever- ence unto his master, and prayeth him either to do his best to bring him out of his wretched pain, or to pierce his heart with a sword. This subtle clerk hath such ruth of him, that night and day he speedeth him to watch for a time for his result ; that is to say, to make an illusion, by such an appearance or juggler's trick (I know not terms of astrology), that Dorigen and every wight should ween and confess that the rocks of Brittany were away, or else that they were sunk under ground. So at last he hath hit upon his time to make his wretched mum- mery of superstitious cursedness. He brought forth his Toletan tables, full well corrected, so that there lacked nothing, neither his round periods nor his separate years, nor his roots, nor his 201 THE CANTERBURY TALES other data, such as be his centres and his arguments, and his fitting proportionals for his exact quantities in every thing; and by the working of his eighth sphere, he knew full well how far Alnath was removed from the head of that fixed Aries which is in the ninth sphere above it; full subtly he calculated all this. When he had found his first mansion, he knew the rest by pro- portion and knew well the arising of his moon, both in whose face, and in what term of the zodiac, and in every respect; and knew full well the moon's house according to its operation; and knew also his other observances for the causing of such illu- sions and misfortunes as heathen folk wont to deal with in those days. Wherefore he tarried no longer, but contrived by his magic that, for a week or two, it seemed that all the rocks were away. Aurelius, who is still despairing whether he shall have his love or fare amiss, awaiteth this miracle night and day, and when he knew that there was no hindrance, and that these rocks were all voided, down he fell anon at his master's feet, and said, "I, woful wretch, thank you, lord, and lady mine Venus, that have helped me out of my desolate cares." And forth he hath held his way to the temple, where he knew he should see his lady, and straightway, when he saw his time, with heart adread and full humble countenance, he hath saluted his dear, sovereign lady: "My true lady," quoth this woful man, "whom I love best and most fear, and whom of all this world I were most loath to displease, were it not that I have for you such a malady, that straightway I must die here at your feet, I would not tell how woe-begone I have been, save that certes I must eivher die or lament ; guiltless, with very pain, ye slay me. But though of my death ye have no pity, yet take counsel, ere ye break your troth. 202 THE FRANKLIN'S TALE Repent, for high God's sake, ere ye slay me because I love you. For, madame, ye wot well what ye promised; not that I claim of you anything by right, my sovereign lady, but of your grace. At a certain spot in yonder garden, ye wot well what ye prom- ised me; and ye plighted me your troth in mine hand to love me best, God wot ye said so, although I be unworthy thereof. Madame, I speak it more for your honour than to save even now my heart's life; I have done as ye commanded me; and if ye vouchsafe, ye may go and behold. Do as ye list, have in remembrance your promise, for quick, or dead, right there ye shall find me. In you it lieth wholly to let me die or live; for well I wot the rocks be away!" He taketh his leave, and she standeth astounded; in all her face there was not a drop of blood. She weened never to have fallen into such a trap. "Alas," quoth she, "that this ever should betide! For I weened never, by any possibility, that such a prodigy or marvel might happen. It is against the process of nature." And home she goeth, a sorrowful wight. Scarce, for very fear, could she walk ; all of a day or two she weepeth, waileth and swooneth, that it was ruth to see; but to no wight told she why; for Arveragus was gone out of town. But with face pale and with full sorrowful cheer, she spake to herself, and in her complaint said as ye shall be told. "Alas!" quoth she, "I cry out against thee, Fortune, that hast bound me unaware in thy chain, to escape which I wot of no release save only death, or else dishonour; one of these two it behooveth me to choose. Natheless I had liefer die, than suffer a shame of my body, or know myself false, or lose my good repute; and in sooth I may be quit of these by my death. Hath there not ere this many a noble wife hath not many a 203 THE CANTERBURY TALES maid slain herself, rather than do trespass with her body? Yea, certes ; lo ! these stories bear witness. "When thirty cursed tyrants had slain Phidon, at a feast in Athens, they commanded his daughters to be seized and brought before them in scorn, naked, to sate their foul desire; and they made them dance in their father's blood on the pave- ment may God punish them! For which these woful maidens, in fear, rather than lose their maidenhood, leapt privily into a well, and drowned themselves, as the books say. "They of Messena eke caused men to seek out fifty maidens of Lacedasmonia, whom they would dishonour; but there was none of that company that was not slain, and chose rather, with a glad will, to die, than consent to be robbed of her maidenhood. Why then should I be in fear to die? "Lo, eke, Aristoclides, the tyrant, loved a maid named Stym- phalides, that on a night, when her father was slain, went straight unto Dian's temple, and seized the image in her two hands, from which she would never depart. No wight could tear away her hands from it, till right in the self -same place she was slain. Now sith those maidens so scorned to be disgraced by man's desire, surely a wife methinketh ought rather to slay herself than be disgraced. "What shall I say of Hasdrubal's wife, that slew herself at Carthage? For when she saw that the Romans had won the town, she took all her children and leapt into the fire, and chose rather to die than that any Roman should do her dishonour. "Hath not Lucrece, alas! slain herself at Rome, when she was oppressed of Tarquin, for it seemed to her a shame to live when she had lost her fair repute. "The seven maidens of Miletus eke have slain themselves, 204 THE FRANKLIN'S TALE for mere dread and woe, rather than suffer the folk of Gaul to oppress them. More, I ween, than a thousand stories could I tell now touching this matter. When Abradates was slain, his fond wife slew herself, and let her blood flow into her husband's wounds, deep and wide, and said, 'At least there shall no wight disgrace my body, if I may prevent.' "Why should I tell more ensamples hereof, sith so many have slain themselves far rather than they would be disgraced? I will conclude that it is better for me to slay myself, than be disgraced so. I will be true unto Arveragus, or else slay myself in some way, as did Demotio's daughter dear, because she would not be disgraced. "O Scedasus! it is full great pity, alas! to read how thy daughters died, that slew themselves for the same reason. As great a pity, or greater, how the Theban maiden slew herself for Nicanor, even for the same woful cause. Another Theban maiden did even so, for one of Macedonia had oppressed her, and she atoned for her shame by her death. What shall I say of Niceratus' wife, that slew herself in such a case? How true, eke, to Alcibiades was his love, that chose rather to die than suffer his body to be unburied; lo, what a wife was Alcestis! What saith Homer of good Penelope? All Greece knoweth how she was chaste. Of Laodomia, pardee, it is written that when Protesilaus was slain at Troy, she would live no longer after his day. The same can I tell of noble Portia; without Brutus, to whom she had yielded her heart all whole, she could not live. The perfect wifehood of Artemisia is honoured throughout all heathendom. O Queen Teuta ! thy wifely chastity may be a mirror unto all wives. The same thing I say of Bilia, Valeria and Rhodogune." 205 THE CANTERBURY TALES Thus lamented Dorigen for a day or two, purposing ever that she would die. Natheless, upon the third night, home came this worthy man Arveragus, and asked her why she so grievously wept. And she gan weep ever the more. "Alas!" quoth she, "that I was born! Thus have I said, thus have I promised and told him as ye have heard before; it needeth not rehearse it to you. This husband, in friendly wise, answered with glad cheer and said as I shall tell you: "Is there naught else but this, Dorigen?" "Nay, nay," quoth she, "may God help me, verily this is too much, and it were God's will." "Yea, wife," quoth he, "let sleeping dogs lie ; peradventure, all may be well yet to-day. Ye shall keep your troth, by my faith! For as God may have mercy on me, I had far liefer be slain, for the true love which I have for you, than ye should not keep and preserve your troth. A man's troth is the highest thing that he can preserve;" and anon with that word he burst out weeping and said, "I forbid you, on pain of death, while life lasteth to you, ever to tell of this mischance to any wight. As best I may, I will endure my woe, nor wear a heavy countenance, lest folk deem, or guess, evil of you." And he called forth a squire and a maid. "Go forth now with Dorigen," quoth he, "and bring her anon to such a place." They take their leave and go on their way; but they wist not why she went thither. He would not tell his purpose to any wight. Peradventure an heap of you will deem him an ignorant man in this, that he would put his wife in jeopardy; hearken the story ere ye lament for her. She may have better fortune than ye suppose; judge, when ye have heard the tale. This squire Aurelius, that was so enamoured of Dorigen, 206 THE FRANKLIN'S TALE happed by chance to encounter her, amid the town, in the busiest street, as she was prepared to go the straight way toward the garden, where she had made her promise. And he also was going to the garden, for well he espied, when she would go out of her house to any place. Thus, by providence or chance, they met, and he saluted her with glad heart, and asked of her whither she went. And she answered half as she were mad, "Unto the garden as my husband hath bidden me, for to keep my troth, alas! alas!" Aurelius gan wonder at this, and had in his heart great com- passion of her, and of her lamentation, and of Arveragus, the worthy knight that bade her hold unto all she had promised, so loath was he that his wife should break her troth; and in his heart he was seized with great pity of this, so considering the best on every side, that liefer would he abstain from his desire than do so high-churlish and wretched a deed against nobility and all gentleness. Wherefore in few words he said: "Madame, say to your lord Arveragus that sith I see his great gentleness to you, and eke your grief, that he would liefer have shame (and that were pity), than that ye should break now your troth with me, I would far liefer suffer pain evermore than part the love betwixt you two. I release you, madame, here in your hand, of every bond and security that ye have made to me heretofore, sith the day ye were born. I pledge my troth I shall never reproach you of any promise, and here I take my leave of the truest and the best wife that ever I knew yet in all my days. But let every woman beware of her promise, and take remembrance at last on Dorigen. Thus, without doubt, can a squire do a gentle deed as well as a knight." She thanketh him, all on her bare knees, and home she is gone 207 THE CANTERBURY TALES unto her husband, and telleth him all, even as ye have heard me say ; and be sure, he was so well pleased that it were impossible for me to tell thereof; why should I endite longer of this matter? Arveragus and Dorigen led forth their life in sovereign bliss. Nevermore was there anger betwixt them; he cherisheth her like a queen; and she was ever true to him. Of these two ye get no more of me. Aurelius, that hath lost all his pains, curseth the time that he was born. "Alas," quoth he, "alas ! that I promised a thousand pound in weight of pure gold unto this philosopher ! What shall I do? I see naught but that I am undone. Mine heritage I must needs sell and be a beggar; I may not live here; I should shame all my kindred in this town, unless I might get better grace of this magician. But natheless I will endeavour year by year at certain days to pay him, and thank him for his great courtesy; I will keep my troth; I will not deceive him." With sad heart he goeth unto his chest and bringeth gold unto this philosopher, to the value, I ween, of five hundred pound, and beseecheth him, of his gentleness, to grant him time to pay the remnant, and said, "Master, I dare make boast that I never failed yet of my troth; for my debt to you shall surely be paid, though it be my lot to go abegging in my bare kirtle. But would ye vouchsafe, upon security, to give me respite of two or three years, then were I fortunate, for else I must sell mine heritage ; there is no more to say." When he had heard these words, this philosopher soberly answered and said, "Have I not kept covenant with thee?" "Yea, certes," quoth he, "well and truly." "Hast thou not had thy lady as pleaseth thee?" "No, no," quoth he, and sorrowfully sigheth. "What was the cause? tell me, if thou canst." Aurelius 208 THE FRANKLIN'S TALE began anon his tale, and told him as ye have heard before; it needeth not rehearse it unto you. He said, "Arveragus, of his gentleness, had liefer die in sorrow and woe, than that his wife were false of her troth." He told him also of Dorigen's sorrow, how loath she was to be a wicked wife, and that she had liefer die that day, and that she had sworn her troth, through innocence: "She never before heard tell of illusions; that made me have so great pity of her; and even as freely as he sent her to me, as freely I sent her to him again. This is the sum and substance ; there is no more to say." This philosopher answered, "Dear brother, each of you acted gently. Thou art a squire and he is a knight, but God, in his blessed power, forbid that a clerk may not do a gentle deed as well, surely, as any of you. Sir, I release thee of thy thousand pound as if right now thou hadst crept out of the earth, and never ere now hadst known me. For, sir, I will not take a penny of thee for all my craft, nor aught for my labour; thou hast paid well for my victualing; it is enough, have good day, and farewell!" And he took his horse and went forth. Lordings, this question now would I ask: Which, as seemeth to you, was the most liberal? Now tell me, ere ye go farther. I can say no more; my tale is at an end. Here is ended the Franklins Tale. 209 The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue The Prologue of the Canon's Yeoman's Tale. WHEN the life of Saint Cecilia was ended, ere we had ridden fully five miles, at Boghton-under-Blee a man gan overtake us that was clad in black clothes, and underneath he had a white surplice. His hackney, that was all dappled gray, sweat so that it was wonderful to behold ; it seemed as he had spurred three miles. The horse that his yeoman rode upon eke so sweat that it scarce might go. He was all flecked as a magpie with foam, that stood full thick about the poitrel. A doubled wallet lay on his crupper; it seemed that he carried little raiment. This worthy man rode all light-clad for summer, and I gan wonder in my heart what he was, till I espied how his cloak was sewed to his hood ; for which, when I had considered long, I deemed him to be some canon. His hat hung down at his back by a string, for he had ridden more than a walk or trot; he had spurred aye as he were mad. Under his hood he had a bur- dock leaf against the sweat and to keep his head from the sun. Eh, but it was joy to see him sweat! His forehead dripped as a still, full of plantain and of pellitory. And when he was come, he gan call out, "God save this jolly company! I have pricked fast on your account, because I would overtake you and ride in this merry company." His yeoman eke was full courteous and said, "Sirs, this morn I saw you ride out of your hostelry, and warned my lord and master here, that is full fain to ride with you for his diversion; he loveth dalliance." 210 CANON'S YEOMAN'S PROLOGUE "Friend," then said our host, "God give thee good luck for thy warning, for it would seem, certes, thy lord is wise, and I may well think so. I dare lay my money also he is full jocund. Can he tell us ever a merry tale or two, with which he may gladden this company?" "Who, sir? My lord? Yea, yea, without doubt; he knoweth enough and to spare of mirth and jollity; trust me, sir, also an ye knew him as well as I do, ye would marvel how craftily and well, he can work, and that eke in sundry ways. He hath taken many a great emprise upon him, which would be full hard for any that is here to carry out, unless they learn it of him. As homely as he rideth amongst you, yet if ye knew him, it would be for your advantage; ye would not forego his acquaintance for much wealth, I dare stake all that I possess. He is a man of high discretion ; I warn you, he is a passing man." "Well," quoth our host, "I pray thee then tell me, is he a clerk, or no? Tell what he is." "Nay, faith, he is greater than a clerk," said this yeoman, "and in few words, host, I will tell you somewhat of his craft. I say, my lord knoweth such subtlety (but ye may not learn from me all his craft and yet I help somewhat in his working) that all this ground on which we be riding till we come to Canter- bury-town he could turn clean inside-out and pave it all of silver and gold." And when this yeoman had thus spoken unto our host, he said, "Ben cite! this thing to me is a wondrous marvel, sith thy lord is of so high discretion because of which men should rever- ence him, that he recketh so little of his worship. In truth I vow his cloak is not worth a mite; it is all dirty and torn also. Why is thy lord so sluttish, I pray thee, and yet hath power to 211 THE CANTERBURY TALES buy better clothes, if his deed accord with thy tale of him? Tell me that ; and that I beseech thee." "Why?" quoth this yeoman, "wherefore ask me? So help me God, he shall never prosper. (But I will not avow what I say and therefore, I beseech you, keep it secret.) I believe in faith, he is too wise. That which is overdone will not come out aright; as clerks say, it is a vice. Wherefore in that I hold him blind and foolish. For when a man hath a wit over-great, full oft it happeth him to misuse it. So doth my lord, and that grieveth me much. God amend it; I can say no more to you." "No matter of that, good yeoman," our host said, "sith thou wotst of the cunning of thy lord, I pray thee heartily tell what he doth, sith he is so sly and crafty. Where dwell ye, if it may be told?" "In the suburbs of a town," quoth he, "lurking in corners and blind lanes, where robbers and thieves hold by nature their secret fearful dwelling, as they that dare not show their presence ; even so we fare, if I shall say sooth to thee." "Now let me talk to thee yet," quoth our host; "wherefore art thou so discoloured of thy face?" "Peter!" quoth he, "God give it sorrow, I am so used to blow in the fire, that I ween it hath changed my colour. I am not wont to peer into any mirror, but to toil sore and learn to multiply. We become mazed and pore ever into the fire, yet for all that we fail of our hopes for we lack ever our result. We delude many folk and borrow gold, be it a pound, or two, or ten, or twelve, or many sums larger, and make them ween at the least that of one pound we can make two. Yet it is false, but we have aye faith that we may do it, and we grope after it. But that knowledge is so far beyond us, we may not overtake it, though 212 CANON'S YEOMAN'S PROLOGUE we had sworn to, it glideth away so quickly; it will make us beggars at last." While this yeoman was talking thus, this canon drew near and heard all which this yeoman spake, for he had ever suspicion of men's speech. For Cato saith that he that is guilty deemeth verily that all things be spoken of him. That was the cause why he drew him so near to his yeoman, to hearken all his speech ; and thus he said then unto his yeoman, "Hold thy peace and speak no more words, for if thou do, thou shalt pay for it dear; thou slanderest me in this company, and makest known eke what thou shouldst hide." "Yea," quoth our host, "tell on, whatsoever befall; reck not a mite for all his threatening." "In faith, no more I do but little," quoth he. And when this canon saw that it would be no else than this yeoman would tell his privacy, he fled away, for very shame and sorrow. "Aye," quoth the yeoman, "here shall be sport; all now that I know will I tell anon. Sith he is gone, the foul fiend kill him ! For never hereafter, I promise you, will I meet with him, for penny nor for pound. He that first brought me into that sport, may he have sorrow and shame ere he die! For, by my fay, it hath been bitter earnest to me; I feel that well, whatsoever any man saith. And yet for all my pain and grief, for all my sorrow and labour and misfortune, I could in no wise ever leave it. Now would to God my wit might be sufficient to tell all that pertaineth to that craft! Natheless I will tell you part; sith my lord is gone, I will not spare him; such things as I know I will speak." Here endetli the Prologue of the Canon's Yeoman's Tale. 213 The Canon's Yeoman's Tale Here beginneth the Canon's Yeoman his Tale. SEVEN years have I dwelt with this canon and never the better am I for his science. Thereby have I lost all that I had and, God wot, so have many more than I. Where I was wont to be right gay of clothing and of other fine gear, now I may wear a stocking on mine head; and where my colour was both fresh and ruddy, now is it wan and leaden of hue. Who- soever practiseth this art shall have sorrow therefor. Mine eyes are still bleared of my toil. Lo, what advantage it is to multiply ! That slippery science hath made me so bare that I have naught left wheresoever I go. And thereby am I so deep in debt for gold that I have borrowed, that truly while I live I shall never repay it. Let every man forevermore beware by me! Whatso- ever man turneth him thereto, I hold his thrift shall be at an end if he continue. So help me God, he shall gain naught thereby, but empty his purse and make thin his wits; and when, by his madness and folly, he hath staked and lost his own goods, then thereto he exciteth other folk to lose their goods even as he himself hath done. For it is joy and content unto rogues to have their fellows in pain and distress. Thus once was I taught of a clerk; but of that no matter; I will speak of our labours. When we be where we shall practise our elvish craft, we seem wondrous wise, our terms be so clerkly and strange. I blow the fire till mine heart fainteth. Why should I tell all the proportions of the things which we work upon, as on five or six ounces of silver, or perchance some other quantity, and busy me 214 THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S TALE to tell you the names of iron scales, of orpiments and burnt bones, that be ground full fine into powder? And how all is placed in an earthen pot, and salt put in, and also, before these powders that I speak of, paper and many other things, and well covered with a plate of glass? And how the pot and glasses are sealed with clay, that naught of the air may pass out? And of the easy and eke the brisk fire which was made, and of the trouble and the woe that we had in sublimating our substances, and in the' amalgaming and the calcining of quicksilver, called crude mer- cury. For all our sleights, we cannot attain unto our end. Our orpiment and our sublimed mercury, our litharge eke ground on a porphyry slab to use of these a certain number of ounces of each helpeth us naught; our labour is in vain. Nor may the vapourizing of our spirits, nor eke the substances that remain thereafter, avail us aught in our working; for lost is all our labour and toil, and lost also, in twenty devil ways, is all the money which we stake upon it. There be eke full many other things that pertain unto our craft ; though I cannot rehearse them in their order, because I am a skilless wight, yet will I tell them as I call them to mind, though I cannot set each in its class : as Armenian clay, borax, verdigris, sundry vessels made of glass and earth, our pots, our descen- sories, vials, sublimating vessels, crucibles, gourds, alembics and other such vessels, dear enough at a leek's worth. It needeth not to rehearse every one: reddening waters, bull's gall, arsenic, sal ammoniac, and brimstone; and eke many an herb could I tell, as agrimony, valerian, lunary, and other such if I list to take the time. Our lamps are burning both day and night to bring about our end, if may be. We have eke our furnaces for calcination and for the albifi- 215 cation of water, our unslaked lime, chalk, white of egg, diverse powders, dung, ashes, clay, waxed bags, vitriol, saltpeter, and divers sorts of fire made of wood and charcoal, salt of tartar, alkali, prepared salt, calcined and coagulated substances, clay made with horse-hair or man's-hair, oil of tartar, alum, glass, yeast, herbs, crude tartar, red orpiment, our substances for absorbing and drinking-in others; our citronizing of silver; our cementing and fermentation; our moulds, assaying-vessels and many things more. I will tell you, as was also taught me, the four spirits and the seven bodies in their order, as oft I have heard my lord name them. The first spirit is called quicksilver, the second orpiment, the third sal ammoniac and the fourth brimstone. The seven bodies, lo! here are they eke: Sol is gold, Luna we call silver, Mars iron, Mercury we name quicksilver, Saturn lead, Jupiter tin and Venus copper, by the souls of my forefathers! Whosoever will practise this cursed craft shall alway be poor; for all the goods he spendeth thereon he shall lose, I have no doubt. Whoso that list to display his folly, let him come forth and learn multiplying. And every man that hath aught in his purse, let him appear and wax a philosopher. Perchance because that craft is so light to learn? Nay, nay, God wot, be he friar or monk, priest or canon, or any other man, though he sit at his book day and night learning this foolish elvish lore, all is in vain and, pardee, much worse! To teach this subtlety to an ignorant man, fy! speak not thereof; it may not be. Knoweth he book-lore, or knoweth he none, in the end he shall find it all the same. For, by my salvation, both the two end alike well in multiplying, when they have done all they may; that is to say, they fail both the two. 216 THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S TALE Yet I forgot to make rehearsal of corrosive waters, of metal filings, of mollification of bodies, and eke of their induration; oils, ablutions and fusible metal; to tell all would outdo any great volume in the world; wherefore, as seemeth best, I will stint now of all these names ; for I trow I have told you enough to raise a fiend, look he never so fierce. Ah, nay ! let be ! we seek eagerly each and all for the philoso- pher's stone, called Elixir; for if we had him then were we secure enough; but I make mine avow unto God in heaven, for all our craft and sleight, when we have done our all, he will not come to us. He hath made us spend mickle goods, for sorrow of which we wax almost mad, but that hope creepeth into our hearts, making us suppose ever, though we be in sore trouble, that we shall be relieved by him afterward. Such supposing and hope are sharp and cruel; I warn you well, it is ever to seek, and that future tense hath made men, by trusting thereto, part from all that ever they had; yet of that craft they cannot wax weary, for it is a bitter sweetness unto them, so it seemeth; for had they naught but a sheet to wrap them in at night and a clout to walk in by day, yet would they sell them and spend all on this art; they cannot stint till nothing be left. And evermore, wheresoever they go, men may know them by the smell of brim- stone. They stink for all the world like a goat. Their savour is so hot and rammish that, though a man be a mile from them, the savour shall infect him, trust me. Lo! thus, by smell and threadbare garb, men may know these folk, if they list. And if a man will privily ask them why they be clothed so unthrif tily, right anon they will whisper in his ear and say, that if they were espied, men would slay them because of their science. Lo! thus doth this folk betray the innocent! 217 THE CANTERBURY TALES Pass over this; I turn to my tale. Ere the pot be set on the fire with a certain quantity of metals, my lord, and no man save him, tempereth them now he is gone, I dare speak boldly for, as men say, he knoweth his craft well; yet, though I wot well he hath such a reputation, full oft he runneth into a fault. And wit ye how? full oft it so happeth that the pot breaketh in pieces, and farewell ! all is gone ! These metals be of so great a violence that our walls may not resist them unless they be wrought of lime and stone. They pierce through the walls and some of them sink into the earth (thus at times have we lost many a pound) , some are scattered all about the floor and some leap into the roof. I trow there is no doubt, though the fiend showeth him not in our sight, that he be with us, the very rogue himself ! for in hell, where he is lord and master, there is not more woe nor rancour nor ire. When our pot is broke, as I have said, every man chideth and holdeth him ill used. One saith, it was along of the way the fire was made; another saith nay, it was the blowing (then was I afeard, for that was mine office) ; "Straw!" quoth the third, "ye be stupid and foolish; it was not tempered as it ought to have been." "Nay, stint!" quoth the fourth, "and hearken to me; our fire was not made of beech- wood, that is the cause and no other I swear." I cannot tell what it was along of, but I wot well great strife was amongst us. "What! there is no more to do," quoth my lord, "I will beware hereafter of these perils; I am right sure that the pot was cracked. T3e that as it may, be not ye confounded; let the floor be swept at once, as usual ; pluck up your hearts and be glad and blithe." The muck was swept on an heap, and a canvas was cast 218 THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S TALE on the floor and all this muck thrown into a sieve and sifted and picked over and over. "Pardee!" quoth one, "there is somewhat of our metal here yet, though we have not all. Though this thing have mischanced now, another time it may turn out well enough; we must needs put our goods in jeopardy. A merchant, par dee! trust me well, may not abide aye in his prosperity; sometimes his goods be drowned in the ocean, and sometimes cometh it safe to land." "Peace," quoth my lord, "the next time I will take care that our experiment shall come out quite in another fashion; and unless I do, let me have the blame, sirs; there was some defect in something, I know well." Another said that the fire was over-hot ; but, be it hot or cold, I dare assert that evermore we conclude amiss. We fail of what we desire, and in our madness we rave evermore. And when we be all together, every man seemeth a Solomon; but, as I have heard tell, "all thing which that shineth as the gold is not gold," nor is every apple good that is fair to the eye, how- soever men prate. Right so, lo! fareth it amongst us; he that seemeth the wisest, by Jesu! is most a fool, when it cometh to the proof; and he is a thief, that seemeth truest. That ye shall know, ere I depart from you, what time I have made an end of my tale. Explicit prima pars. Et sequitur pars secunda. There is a canon of religion amongst us, who would infect a whole town, though it were as great as Nineve, Rome, Alex- andria, Troy and three more such. No man, I ween, though he might live a thousand years, could write down his tricks and 219 THE CANTERBURY TALES his infinite falseness. There is not his peer for falsehood in all this world; for he would so wind him in his strange terms, and speak his words in so sly a fashion, when he would commune with any wight, that, unless he were a fiend like himself, he would make him straightway to dote. Many a man ere this hath he beguiled, and yet shall if he live ; and yet men ride and walk many a mile to seek him and have his acquaintance, knowing naught of his false behaviour; and if ye list to hear me, I will tell it all here in your presence. But ye worshipful religious canons, deem not that I slander your house, although my tale be of a canon. Some rogue, pardee, is in every order, and God forbid that a whole company should rue the folly of one man. To slander you is no wise my purpose, but to correct what is amiss. This tale was told not only for you, but eke for others beside. Ye wot well how, among Christ's twelve apostles, there was no traitor but Judas ; then why should all the remnant have censure that were guiltless? For you I say the same; save only this, if ye will hearken my warning: if any Judas be in your convent, remove him betimes, if ye dread at all shame or loss. And be not displeased, I pray you, but hearken what I shall say of this canon. There was in London a priest, an annualer, that had dwelt there many a year, and was so pleasant and attentive unto the dame, where he was at board, that she would suffer him to pay nothing for food nor clothing, though he lived never so gaily; and spending-silver eke had he enough. Thereof no matter; I will proceed now and tell forth my tale of the canon, that brought confusion upon this priest. This false canon came on a day unto this priest's chamber, beseeching him to lend him a certain sum of .gold, and he would 220 THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S TALE pay it to him again. "Lend me a mark but three days," quoth he, "and I will pay thee on the day. And if so be thou find me false, another day have me hanged by the neck!" This priest gave him a mark right soon, and this canon thanked him many times, and took his leave and went forth his way, and on the third day brought his money and gave his gold again to the priest, whereof this priest was wondrous glad. "Certes," quoth he, "it troubleth me not at all to lend a man a noble, or two, or whatsoever sum be in my possession, when he is so true of principle that he will in no wise break his word ; to such a man I can never say nay." "What! should I be untrue?" quoth this canon. "Nay, that were a new thing to befall. Truth is a thing that I will hold evermore unto that day in which I shall creep into my grave; God forbid else! Believe this as sure as your creed. I thank God, and happy am I to say it, that there was never man yet ill pleased for gold or silver that he lent me, nor ever have I thought falsehood in my heart. And now, sir, sith ye have been so kind to me, and shown me so great gentilesse, I will some- what to requite your courtesy show you of my secrets, and if ye list to learn, I will teach you fully the manner how I can work in philosophy. Take good heed, and ye shall see well with your own eyes that I will do a master-stroke, ere I depart." "Yea!" quoth the priest, "yea, sir! will ye so? Marie! I pray you heartily." "Truly, sir, at your commandment," quoth the canon, "and else God forbid!" Lo ! how this thief could offer his service ! Full sooth is it that such proffered service stinketh, as these old wise folk be witness ; and that full soon will I verify by this canon, root of all deceit, that evermore hath delight and gladness in devising how he may 221 THE CANTERBURY TALES bring Christ's people to mischief, such fiendly thoughts are imprinted on his heart. God keep us from his dissimulation! This priest wist not with whom he dealt, nor was ware of the harm coming unto him. O simple priest! Simple innocent! Anon shalt thou be blinded by thy covetousness. O graceless one! full blind is thy thought, little art thou ware of the deceit which this fox hath contrived for thee! Thou mayst not escape his wily tricks. Wherefore to pass to the end, that bringeth to thy confusion, unhappy man, I will hie me anon to tell thy folly and the falseness eke of that other wretch, as far forth as my skill may allow. This canon, perchance ye think, was my lord? Sir host, in faith, by the heaven's queen, it was not he, but another canon, that knoweth more subtlety an hundred fold. He hath many a time betrayed folk; it dulleth me to tell of his falsehood. Whenever I speak of it, my cheeks wax red for shame; at least they begin to glow, for of redness I wot right well I have none in my visage; for diverse fumes of metals, which ye have heard me recite, have consumed and wasted my ruddy hue. Now hearken this canon's cursedness! "Sir," quoth he to the priest, "let your man go for quick- silver, that we may have it anon; and let him bring two or three ounces; and so soon as he cometh, ye shall see a wondrous thing, which ye saw never ere this." "Sir," quoth the priest, "it shall be done." He bade the servant fetch him that thing, and he was already at his call, and went forth and anon came again with the quicksilver, and gave the three ounces to the canon, who laid them down well and fair, and bade the servant bring coals that he might go anon to his work. The coals were straight- way fetched and this canon took out of his bosom a crucible 222 THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S TALE and showed it to the priest. "Take this instrument which thou seest," quoth he, "in thy hand, and thyself put therein an ounce of this quicksilver, and begin here, in the name of Christ, to wax a philosopher. There be few to whom I would offer to show thus much of my science. For ye shall see here, by experi- ment, that anon I will mortify this quicksilver right in your sight, and make it as good silver and pure as there is in your purse, or mine, or elsewhere, and make it malleable; else hold me false and unfit f orevermore to be seen amongst folk. I have here a powder, that cost me dear, which shall make good all that I say; for it is the cause of all my cunning which I shall show you. Send your man forth, and let him be without there and shut the door, whilst we be about our privy working, that no man may behold us whilst we work in this philosophy." All was fulfilled in deed as he bade; straightway the servant went out, and his master shut the door, and speedily they went to their labour. Anon this priest, as the cursed canon bade, set this thing upon the fire, and blew the fire and busied him full intently ; and this canon cast a powder into the crucible, I wot not whereof it was made, either of chalk, or of glass, or of somewhat else not worth a fly, to dupe the priest withal; and bade him to pile the coals up high above the crucible; "for in token that I love thee," quoth the canon, "thine own two hands shall perform all things that shall be done here." "Grammercy," quoth the priest, full blithe, and piled the coals as the canon bade. And while he was busy, this fiendly rogue, this false canon the foul fiend fetch him! took from his bosom a beechen coal, in which full subtly was made an hollow and therein was put an ounce of silver filings, and the hole was stopped with wax, to keep in the filings. 223 THE CANTERBURY TALES And understand that this false gin was not made there, but was made before. And I shall tell hereafter of other things which he brought with him; ere he came thither, he planned to deceive the priest, and so he did, ere they parted; he could not leave off till he had flayed him. It wearieth me when I speak of him; I would fain avenge me on his falsehood, if I wist how; but he goeth hither and thither; he is so fickle he abideth nowhere. But now, sirs, take heed, for God's love! He took this coal of which I spake, and bare it privily in his hand; and whilst the priest was piling the coals busily, as I told you before, this canon said: "Friend, ye do amiss; this is not piled as it ought to be ; but I shall soon amend it. Let me meddle therewith now for a time, for by Saint Gyle! I have pity of you, ye be hot, I see right well how ye sweat. Have this cloth here, and wipe your brow." And while the priest wiped his face, this canon a curse on him! took his coal, and laid it above the middle of the crucible, and blew well afterward, till the coals gan burn brightly. "Now give us drink," quoth he then. "Straightway I under- take all shall be well. Sit we down and let us be merry." And when the canon's beechen coal was burned, anon all the filings fell out of the hollow down into the crucible, as by reason it needs must do, sith it was placed so even above; but alas! thereof wist the priest nothing. He deemed all the coals were alike good, for he comprehended naught of the sleight. And when this alchemist saw his time, "Rise up, sir priest," quoth he, "stand by me ; and because I wot well ye have no mould, go walk forth and bring a chalk-stone; for if I may have luck, I will shape one as a mould ; and bring with you eke a bowl, or a pan, full of water, and then ye shall see well how our business shall thrive and suc- 224 THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S TALE ceed. And yet, that ye may have no misbelief or wrong conceit of me in your absence, I will not be out of your sight, but go with you, and come back with you." To speak briefly, they opened and shut the chamber-door, and went their way, and carried the key forth with them, and came again without tarrying. Why should I dwell on it all the day long? He took the chalk and wrought it in the shape of a mould, as I shall describe unto you. I say he took out of his own sleeve (evil be his end!) a thin plate of silver, which was but an ounce in weight; and take heed of his cursed trick now! He shaped his mould, in length and breadth, like this plate, so slyly that the priest saw it not; and again he gan hide it in his sleeve; and from the fire he took up his metal, and with merry cheer poured it into the mould; and when he list, he cast it into the water-vessel and straightway bade the priest, "Look what is there, put thy hand in and feel; thou shalt find silver there as I hope." What, devil of hell! should it be else? Silver shavings be silver, pardee! This priest put in his hand and took up a thin plate of fine silver, and glad in every vein was he when he saw that it was so. "God's blessing, and eke his mother's, and all the saints, may ye have, sir canon," said he, "if ye will vouchsafe to teach me this noble craft and subtlety, and I their malison, unless I will be yours, in all things that ever I may." Quoth the canon: "I will try yet a second time, that ye may observe and be expert in this, and another time at your need essay this process and this crafty art in mine absence. Let us take another ounce of quicksilver, without more words, and do therewith as ye have done erst with that other, which now is silver." This priest busieth him in all he may to do as this cursed 225 THE CANTERBURY TALES canon commanded him, and blew the coals hard for to come at his desire. And in the meantime the canon was all ready again to beguile the priest, and for a ruse he bore in his hand an hollow stick (take heed and beware!), in the end of which was put an even ounce of silver filings (as before was put in the coal) , and the hollow stopped well with wax, to keep in his filings every whit. And while the priest was busy, this canon with his stick came up anon, and cast in his powder, as he did before (the devil flay him out of his skin, I pray to God, for his false- hood; for he was false ever in thought and deed) ; and with this stick that was provided with that false contrivance he stirred the coals above the crucible, till the wax melted against the fire, as every man but a fool wot well it needs must do, and all that was in the stick ran out and slipped straightway into the crucible. Now, good sirs, what would ye better than well? When this priest was beguiled again thus, supposing naught but truth, he was so glad that I can express in no manner his mirth and his joy; and thereupon he proffered to the canon both his body and his goods. "Yea," quoth the canon, "though I be poor, thou shalt find me skillful; I warn thee there is yet more to come. Is there any copper here in your house?" "Yea, sir," quoth the priest, "I trow well there be." "Else go buy us some and that straightway. Go forth thy way now, good sir, and hie thee." He went his way and came with the copper, and the canon took it in his hands, and weighed out of that copper but an ounce. My tongue, as minister of my wit, is all too simple to express the doubleness of this canon, root of all treachery. He seemed friendly to them that knew him not, but he was fiendly both in heart and in mind. It wearieth me to tell of his falseness, 226 THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S TALE yet natheless will I tell of it, to the intent that men may beware thereby, and truly for no other cause. He put his ounce of copper in the crucible and straightway set it on the fire, and cast powder in, and made the priest to blow and in his working to stoop, as he did before, and all was but a knavish trick; as he list, he made the priest his ape. And afterward he cast it into the mould, and put it at last in the pan of water; and he put in his own hand. And in his sleeve (as ye heard me tell before) he had a thin plate of silver. The cursed hind, slyly he took it out the priest knowing naught of his false cunning and in the pan's bottom he left it, and fumbled to and fro in the water, and took up wondrous privily the copper plate and hid it; and caught him by the breast, and spake to him and said thus in his sporting, "Stoop adown, by the mass, ye be to blame; help me now as I did you a while ago. Put in your hand and look what is there." The priest took up anon his plate of silver, and then said the canon, "Let us go with these three plates which we have wrought to some goldsmith, and know if they be worth somewhat; for I would not by my faith, for mine hood, that they were other than pure and fine silver, and that shall straightway be proved." Unto the goldsmith they went with these three plates and put them to the test with fire and hammer; no man might say but they were as they ought to be. Who was happier than this besotted priest? Never night- ingale joyed better to sing in the season of May, never was bird gladder of the morn, nor ever had lady more delight to carol or to speak of love and womanhood, nor knight to do an hardy deed in arms to stand in the grace of his lady dear, than had this priest to gain knowledge of this sorry craft; and thus he 227 THE CANTERBURY TALES spake to the canon and said, "For love of God that died for us all, and as I may deserve this favour of you, what should this receipt cost? tell nowl" "By our lady," quoth this canon, "I warn you well it is dear; for save me and a friar, there can no man make it in England." "No matter," quoth he, "now, sir, for God's sake, what shall I pay? tell me, I prithee." "In sooth," quoth he, "it is full dear. In one word, sir, if ye list to have it, ye shall pay forty pound, so God help me! And were it not for the friendship ye have shown me ere this, ye should pay more, in faith." This priest fetched anon the sum of forty pound in nobles, and handed them all to this canon for that receipt; yet all its working was but fraud and falsehood. "Sir priest," he said, "I reck not for renown in my craft, for I would it were kept close; as ye love me, keep it secret; for if men knew all my subtle cunning, they would be so envious of me, by the mass, because of my philosophy, that I should die for it ; there were none other end." "God forbid !" quoth the priest, "what say ye? I were mad but I would liefer spend all the goods which I have, than that ye should fall into such misfortune." "Have here right good speed, sir, for your good will," quoth the canon, "grammercy and farewell!" He went his way and never the priest saw him after that hour; and when at such time as he would, the priest came to make essay of this receipt, farewell, then! It would not work. Lo! thus was he duped and beguiled! Thus maketh this canon his first step to bring folk to their destruction. Consider, sirs, how in every estate of life there is such conflict betwixt men and gold that there is scarce any gold left. This multiplying blindeth so many that in good faith I trow that it 228 THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S TALE is the greatest cause of such scarceness. Philosophers speak so mistily in this craft that men cannot come at their meaning by any wit that men have now. They may well chatter as these jays do, and busily devise strange terms and take delight therein, but they shall never attain to their purpose. If a man have aught, he may lightly learn to multiply and bring his goods to nothing. Lo ! in this lusty game is such lucre that it will turn a man's mirth unto bitterness, and empty eke great and heavy purses, and make folk to earn maledictions of them that have lent their goods thereto. Fie! for shame! they that have been burned, alas! cannot they flee the fire's heat? Ye that practise it, I warn you leave it, lest ye lose all; for better is late than never. Never to thrive were too long a date. Though ye prowl for aye, ye shall never discover it. Ye be as bold as Bayard, the blind, that blundereth forth and thinketh no peril; he is ever as bold to run against a stone as to walk aside in the road. So fare ye that multiply, I say. If your eyes cannot see aright, look that your mind lack not its vision. For though ye look never so far abroad and stare, ye shall not win a mite on that business, but waste all ye can clutch and touch. Take the fire away, lest it burn too hard. Meddle no more, I mean, with that art, for if ye do, your thrift is gone utterly. And now will I tell you what philosophers say of this matter. Lo! .Arnold of the New Town saith thus, as his Rosarie maketh mention: "No man can mortify Mercury, unless it be with his brother's knowledge. He that first said this thing was Hermes, father of philosophers ; he saith how without doubt the dragon dieth not, unless he be slain by his brother; that is to say by the dragon he understood Mercury and none else; and brimstone by the brother; that were both drawn out of sol 229 THE CANTERBURY TALES and luna. And therefore," he said, "give heed to my saying: let no man busy him to seek after this art, unless he can under- stand the intent and speech of philosophers; for if he do, he is an ignorant man. For this science and this cunning, pardee, is of the secret of secrets." Also there was a disciple of Plato, that on a time asked of his master, as his book Senior will bear witness, "Tell me the name of the secret stone." And Plato answered unto him, "Take the stone that men call Titanos." "Which is that?" quoth he. "The same is magnesia," said Plato. "Yea, sir; is it so? This is ignotum per ignotius. Good sir, what is magnesia, I pray you?" "It is a water," quoth Plato, "that is made of four elements." "Tell me, good sir," quoth he then, "the source of that water, if it please you." "Nay, nay," quoth Plato, "that certainly I will not. For all philosophers have sworn that they shall dis- cover it unto none, nor write it in any book, in any manner ; for it is so dear unto Christ that he will not that it be discovered, save where it pleaseth his deity to inspire man, and eke he f orbiddeth it unto whom it pleaseth him; lo! this is all." I conclude then thus: Sith God of heaven willeth not that the philosophers declare how a man shall come unto this stone, I counsel, as for the best, to let it go. For whoso maketh God his adversary, as for to work anything in defiance of his will, shall never prosper, though he multiply all his life. And here an end; for my story is done. God send every true man help out of his trouble. Amen. Here is ended the Canon's Yeoman s Tale. 230 Notes The Prologue. PAGE 5 Austin: i.e. Saint Augustine. 5 Limit er: A friar who was assigned certain limits within which to beg. 6 In principio: The first words in Latin of the text, "In the begin- ning was the Word." 6 Love-days: Days on which the clergy undertook to settle disputes. The fact that this flattering friar excelled on such occasions suggests that the institution was not very equitable. 7 Middleburgh and Orwell: Between about 1384 and 1388 these ports, the one in Holland and the other in Suffolk, were the termini of the wool trade. Contemporary documents show that it was often in danger from national enemies and pirates (like the Shipman in the Prologue). 7 Philosopher: Chaucer puns on the appropriation to themselves of the word philosopher by the alchemists, who might be supposed to be well provided with gold, since they claimed the ability to make it. (Cf. "Phi- losopher's stone.") 7 Paul's church-porch: A usual gathering-place for lawyers. 8 Saint Julian: Patron saint of hospitality, invoked by travellers in need of lodging. 9 Sweet cyperus: Parish suppers were sometimes held on the evens before festivals. 9 By Water: That is, the Shipman made his captives "walk the plank" ; threw them overboard. 10 Images: It was believed by necromancers and others that acts per- formed upon the waxen image of a man would produce upon the man himself effects similar to those upon the image, especially if the astrological conditions were favourable. 231 NOTES PAGE 10 Esculapws, etc.: Real and supposed writers on medicine, some ancient, some mediaeval, Greek, Arab, Italian, French. 10 A cordial: Drinkable gold (aurum potabile) was sought after by the alchemists as a sovereign remedy ; hence Chaucer's sarcasm. 12 Tabard: A sleeveless frock. 13 Thumb of gold: The experienced miller succeeds by testing the quality of the meal. But there seems to have been a proverb, "An honest miller has a golden thumb." Hence the yet. 14 Summoner: An official who cited sinners before the archdeacon's court, which took especial cognizance of matters relating to sexual morality. The summoners were very corrupt and much hated. 15 Significavit nobis: The first words of the writ which inflicted temporal punishment on a man condemned by the church; of that at least the summoner was sure. Chaucer's sceptical irony here is due probably to the influence of Wyclif . 15 Pardoner: A seller of indulgences. 15 Vernicle: The face of Christ is said to have been miraculously pictured on the napkin of Saint Veronica. This relic is reputed to be preserved in Rome, and a copy of it, often worn ostentatiously, was an indication that the wearer had been on pilgrimage thither. Knight's Tale. 44 Rubeus, Puella: Figures used in the species of divination known as geomancy. 45 Lucina: The name of Diana as invoked at child-birth. 52 Against his nature: The planet Saturn, with which in the Middle Ages the deity was constantly identified, was supposed to cause discord and misfortune. 55 Prime of day: About nine o'clock in the morning. Prioress' Prologue. 67 The opening words of this Prologue are spoken directly after the Shipman's Tale, which is not included in this volume. 232 NOTES PAGE Prologue of the Nun's Priest's Tale. 74 The Knight speaks here to the Monk, who has just finished his tale. Nun's Priest's Tale. 77 "My lief is faren in londe": i.e. "My love is gone away"; pre- sumably a song popular at the time. 85 Undern: 9 A.M. 87 Dan Burnel the Ass: The story is from a poem by Nigellus Wire- ker, written in the time of Richard I. 90 My lord archbishop: The Archbishop of Canterbury, William Courtenay. Epilogue of Nun's Priest's Tale. 91 Brasil: A wood of bright-red colour, used for dyeing. Wife of Bath's Prologue. 116 Bigamy: The wife refers, of course, to consecutive, not to simultaneous, marriages. 120 Dunmowe: A prize of a piece of bacon was given at this village to wedded couples who had lived together a year without quarrelling. 120 Chough: The reference is to a well-known mediaeval story of a man who set an educated crow (or chough) to watch his wife's conduct. When the wife learned that the crow was aware of her trespass, she plotted successfully and most ingeniously with her maid to destroy the crow's credit with her husband. 128 Ascendent: The zodiacal sign just ascending above the horizon at the time of a person's birth. It was considered particularly influential on his later life. 130 Who painted the lion? The wife refers here to the fable of the Lion and the Man. The latter tried to prove the superiority of his race to the lion's by referring to pictures in which men are killing lions ; to which the lion replied that things would be different if lions could draw. 130 Exaltation: The exaltation of a planet is the sign in which it is most powerful. 233 NOTES PAGE 131 Lyma and Lucy: The classical names of these women are Livia and Lucilia. Clerk's Tale. 151 Where is your father? Out of respect the marquis here addresses Grisildis in the plural. 171 Chichevache: According to a piece of mediaeval folk-lore, two cows, Bicorne and Chichevache, the first very fat, the second very lean, lived respectively on patient husbands and patient wives. The physical condi- tion of each was caused by the ease or difficulty with which the diet was to be come by. Franklins Tale. 193 Tables: This game, called in Latin tdbularum ludus, is the modern backgammon. 201 Nowel: i.e. the birthday, or Christmas-day, Old French noel, from Latin natalem. "To cry Noel" was to sing a Christmas carol, as was usual on Christmas eve. 201 Toletan tables: The astronomical tables, composed by order of Alphonso X., King of Castile, about the middle of the thirteenth century, were called sometimes Tabulae Toletanae, from their being adapted to the city of Toledo. 201 Roots: For an explanation of all these technical terms of mediaeval astronomy, see Skeat's Cant. Tales, Vol. V., p. 394. 202 Fixed Aries: The true equinoxial point. Canon's Yeoman s Prologue. 210 Canon: A member of a religious order less strict than the orders of monks and friars. 212 Multiply: To make gold and silver by the art of alchemy. Canons Yeoman s Tale. 220 Annualer: A priest who lived by singing anniversary masses for the dead. 223 Mortify: i.e. to make the quick (or, living) silver dead. 234 NOTES PAGE 229 Bayard: A common name for a horse. 229 Arnold of the New Town: Arnoldus de Villa Nova was a French alchemist of the thirteenth century. Chaucer quotes here with mockery a specimen of his mystical jargon. Hermes Trismegistus was believed to be the originator of alchemy ; gold and silver were called respectively sol and luna. 230 Ignotum per ignotius: i.e. to explain an unknown thing by one still more unknown, which Chaucer contemptuously regards as the practice of the alchemists at large. It need hardly be said that the anecdote is from a mediaeval work, and has nothing to do with the historical Plato. 285 PR 1870 .Al M3 1914 SMC Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400. The Canterbury tales Geoffrey Chaucer / AJW-1565 (ab) of
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The Wife of Bath's Tale
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The 'sub-kingdoms' Blastocladiomycota, Microsporidia and Dikarya belong to the kingdom of organisms commonly called what?
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Uncategorized | Knights of the Round Table
Knights of the Round Table
A Fordham University Course with Prof. Susanne Hafner
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Posted in Uncategorized on September 2, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
During our parting meeting at Heythrop College, each Fordham Summer-in-London class presented its reflections on the past few weeks, explaining to the others what it had done and learned. Our class was represented by Giuseppe, who put together a wonderful powerpoint summarizing our different excursions, beginning with Stonehenge, then showing images from Winchester, the Tower of London, the Globe Theatre and finally Canterbury. This presentation encapsulates the vast amount of knowledge that the students in the Knights of the Round course learned about the Middle Ages in only a few weeks and offers a window into our adventures in London and beyond.
This presentation is available for download here:
Posted in Uncategorized on August 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Each student describes what she or he found most surprising or interesting in the course readings, which included Tristan and Isolde, Perceval, several of the Canterbury Tales and Mary Stewart’s The Crystal Cave:
Surprising aspects of the Canterbury Tales
by Courtney
Canterbury
One of the most surprising readings in our course was the Miller’s tale. The details of the story had, in previous readings, gone straight over my head. The entire idea of the fabliau is shocking in two regards. First of all, the vulgar details included seem to preclude some of the slap stick humor present in modern day comedies such as the blatant sex scenes, bathroom humor, and violence. Second of all, even more surprisingly, fabliau tales seem to glorify the woman, especially in the case of the miller’s tale. Even though she has offended one admirer, and cheated on her husband, she still manages to dupe the four men involved without being punished at all. The four men involved all end up looking like fools, and in a way one could almost say that this text is in many ways feminist.
Another surprising thing I found about the Canterbury tales was in the wife of Bath and falls on the other side of the spectrum. While the wife of Bath itself didn’t seem to encourage rape, the idea about the French tales that glorify rape was a bit disturbing. Additionally, the idea that Chaucer follows up the story after the rape with a story about the consequences, just further muddles Chaucer’s intentions when the lack of punishment does not seem to fit the crime. One interesting point is that, while we hear all about the knight who rapes the girl, the girl herself is only mentioned once. After the rape, which is only mentioned briefly, we never hear from her again, nor does she ever receive a name. While the tale seems to put on the appearance of being concerned with woman’s desires, the main character is still the knight. The plot seems to be more concerned about how the knight develops as a character rather than about women’s desires.
The Canterbury Tales
by Sean
O'Neil's Pub
The most interesting facet of the reading for the course was how intricate the characters in the Canterbury Tales were. The characters in Percival and Tristan are ideal representations of chivalry and courtly love. However, the pilgrims in Canterbury Tales have real emotions and stories. Over 600 years after the tales were written I can still relate the Wife of Bath, Miller, and Prioress to actual people I have met. The Wife of Bath hangs out at Jimmy O’Neill’s Irish Pub on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. Jimmy O’s is a notorious underage bar full of college and even some high school kids. Respectable people avoid it like cancer. Yet every weekend the Wife of Bath is there, scaring the hell out of underage boys with tales of exploits from her past. At every Coburn family event the ‘miller’ shows up in my uncle Howard to the chagrin of my grandmother. I specifically remember one Christmas when everyone was telling jokes at the dinner table. At a family event such as Christmas, the jokes are obviously supposed to be appropriate, but low and behold my uncle forgot and told a VERY inappropriate joke. I thought my grandmother was going to die right then from the look on her face. When reading the prioress’s tale I thought Chaucer most have met my catholic grade school’s principle, Sister Linda. They could not be more similar. They are both perfectly mannered and groomed nuns with wicked undertones. Although I must confess I am heavily biased here, since I have not seen Sister Linda since I was twelve and in absolute fear of her.
“The Miller’s Tale”
by Brendan
The Miller's Tale
I found “The Miller’s Tale” of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales to be the most interesting reading of the course for manifold reasons. The tale mimics the medieval French fabliau genre in that it contains excessive sexual obscenity, adultery, bodily imagery and gratuitous violence. In short, it describes the story of a wife who betrays her older, impotent husband with the younger, smarter and better-looking “Hende” Nicholas. Chaos ensues when the extramarital couple pulls a hilariously vile prank on the jealous parish clerk, Absolon. Ultimately, every character save the cheating wife ends up either humiliated, physically deformed or both.
While the plot alone is incredibly amusing, on a deeper level “The Miller’s Tale” is an interesting commentary on arranged marriages, social class tensions and the overall fickleness of the human condition. The Miller satirizes the fundamental pretentiousness of the chivalric romance genre simply by placing Nicholas and Alisoun in a lower-class context, and continues his parody by detailing their exploits in a blunt and sexually graphic manner. Moreover, Absolon, the parish clerk, epitomizes the conventional chivalric lover, yet ultimately fails to win the affections of the lady he desires. He stays awake at night to court Alisoun, either by singing or playing guitar. However, for all his efforts, he ends up making a fool of himself; he kisses Alisoun’s bottom and is subsequently farted on by Nicholas.
I found Chaucer’s rendering of this dysfunctional love triangle especially entertaining after reading Tristan, which, unlike “The Miller’s Tale” strictly conforms to the conventional model of chivalric romances. In contrast with the predictability of Tristan, “The Miller’s Tale” contained both surprising twists and dynamic characterizations that captivated my interest from beginning to end. Finally, the tale proves that for everything that’s changed since the Middle Ages, some of the most universal human themes have not faded over time. The adulterous affair and ensuing chaos portrayed in “The Miller’s Tale” is a narrative that continues to surface in wide-ranging contexts today.
Source
Chaucer, Geoffrey. “The Miller’s Prologue and Tale.” The Geoffrey Chaucer Page. Harvard University. Web. < http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/teachslf/milt-par.htm >.
Contextualizing the Middle Ages
by Justine
I was going to try to avoid being so general, but mostly everything. I had no prior knowledge of the Middle Ages, besides any Disney movie or film that Heath Ledger acted in, so being able to sit down and read the texts was interesting on all different levels. It was cool to see how even throughout hundreds of years the Arthurian Age is still an ideal that any politician or authority figure would want to accomplish. Everyone knows of King Arthur and the general idea of what his story is, but to be able to sit down and actually study it was an overall amazing experience. Even better than just reading, we were able to go to the actual sites we were reading about. Even better than that, the museums had artifacts that put the Middle Ages in an even better perspective because your actually looking at things that were made in the same time period or inspired by the actual text. Nothing can really beat that.
by Amy
Round Table
I think that most of the class can agree with me when it comes to King Arthur’s role in the texts we have read. Arthur is briefly mentioned in Tristan, and a few more times in Perceval. I do not recall hearing much about him in the Canterbury Tales, but we begin to hear about the start of him in The Crystal Cave. It was not until I read the excerpts from Geoffrey Monmouth and Nennius that I started having an understanding his role. Arthur is more of a mythical figure found in literature than a historical figure because there is no solid evidence as to his existence. But there are references to him as early as the time of the Celts. Arthur was a Celt himself and was a strong military leader, or in Latin, a “dux bellorum.” His court was considered to be the most perfect, having no flaws. It was an ideal place to be, and anyone or thing outside of it was trying to be part of it. Some have compared Arthur to Jesus because Arthur was a strong leader, died for his people, and is said to come back again one day. I think that it is fascinating to relate this king to Jesus; we really do not have solid evidence on either one, which is another thing they have in common. People have to rely on their faith in Jesus or Arthur and believe that either is real based on texts and stories. When I first started reading the texts for the class, I thought that we would never get to an explanation about Arthur, but as the class ends, it’s interesting to learn about this mythical figure.
Intergenerational Links Between Women
by Alexandra
Tristan Presents Dragon's Tongue before Court, Wool Wall Hanging, V&A
Having recently done research on friendship between women in the late Middle Ages, I was on the lookout for examples of female friends in the texts that our class read this summer. Instead, I found a different type of link between women that proved equally fascinating: female familial ties proved to be of vital importance in both Tristan and Perceval. What struck me about these relationships was both their centrality to the narratives and their complexity; familial links between women never seem one-dimensional but rather evince a polyvalence that, in itself, denotes their value.
In the first text we read, this relationship is of course between Queen Isolde and her daughter. As an image of the younger Isolde in white standing beside the seated queen from a wool tapestry at the V & A (no.1370-1864, see “The Tristan Hanging”) suggests, this mother and daughter are particularly close. Their relationship is integral to the Tristan story because it is through the queen’s intervention that Tristan becomes her daughter’s tutor and because it is the mother who concocts the love potion that is mistakenly taken by the ill-fated pair. Since the mother passes her healing arts down to her daughter but, at the same time, bequeaths to her a potion that results in an adulterous affair that will ultimately lead to her death, Gottfried’s stance on female lineage remains ambiguous. What is, however, clear is that this relationship is crucial to the entire plot of the romance.
In Perceval, we see different, though equally complex, examples of familial ties between women. The first of these is the fraught relationship between two sisters, who bicker about whether Gawain or Meliant de Liz is the better knight. Their relationship drives the plot at this point in the romance, since it leads to the tournament between the two knights. Later, Gawain visits a castle in which he encounters three generations of women: the white-haired queen, who is the mother of Arthur, her daughter, who is Gawain’s mother, and her daughter, who is Gawain’s sister. Since the castle ruled by these women is trapped in a troubling stasis, wherein squires cannot become knights and maidens cannot marry, it is doubtful that Chrétien sought to promote female lineage as a promising alternative to a male line of kings. Yet, relationships between women again take a central role in his narrative, suggesting that medieval authors and their audiences might have perceived relationships between women as sources of power in their own right.
Works Cited
“The Tristan Hanging.” Victoria and Albert Museum. Victoria & Albert, n.d. Web. 08 Aug. 2011.< http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O86303/hanging-the-tristan-hanging/ >.
Personal Pilgrimage
by Matt
Canterbury Cathedral
The Canterbury Tales was by far the most interesting piece of literature I read this summer. Not only were the tales a perfect contrast with some of the more serious and chivalry-focused stories we read, but also being able to visit the shrine of St. Thomas Becket made the experience entirely unique and incredible.
The Miller and Prioress’s tales offered amusing yet distinct views into a world in which we had only previously read as one dominated by noble and proper aristocracy. Chaucer’s tales were a pleasant break from the legends of some of his contemporaries, yet still added to the understanding of what life could have been like outside of the confined courts knights and kings lived.
What made my experience with the Canterbury Tales complete was being able to actually make my own pilgrimage to St. Thomas Becket’s shrine. Never could I have imagined reading this story and making this pilgrimage, and this experience was certainly a unique and unforgettable one. Seeing the location of the shrine that literally provides the basis for the Canterbury Tales, while simultaneously thinking of my own Canterbury tale allowed me to feel as if I was a traveler trying to impress my group with a witty or clever tale. I cannot imagine what it would have been like for a pilgrim at that time to behold the sight of Canterbury Cathedral for the first time after traveling hundreds of miles and countless days to the destination.
The only thing that disappointed me about being able to visit Canterbury was the easiness in which we were able to get there. I definitely do not wish to have traveled their any way but by train, but I feel as if the epic pilgrimage that the cast of the Canterbury Tales made is a piece of history that at one time was so common, but is now improbable. Either way, my trip and reading experience with the Canterbury Tales was certainly one I will never forget.
Posted in Uncategorized on August 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Locate, document, describe, and discuss an example of the interrelation between secular and religious culture.
Chaucer’s rendering of secular versus religious culture
by Brendan
The Pardoner
The interrelation between the secular and religious worlds indeed varies drastically throughout the medieval canon. Chaucer’s own treatment of the topic in The Canterbury Tales reflects the Church controversies of his time. A major concern of Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales is the configuration of a world struggling to balance or reconcile its religious and secular cultures. Chaucer wrote the Tales at a time when many Englanders were questioning the authority of the established Church. By the late 14th century, the Catholic Church had become extremely wealthy, and many people from both secular and religious backgrounds joined the movement to expose Church corruption and the misbehavior of the clergy. The effect of this context on The Canterbury Tales is that it presents several religious figures as characters, all of which deviate in some way from the traditional roles we expect them to fulfill.
Generally speaking, Chaucer treats his religiously affiliated characters with more hostility than his strictly secular ones. Of all the narrators introduced, the Pardoner, in my opinion, is characterized the most pejoratively. The Pardoner’s role was basically to apply Church authority in a secular context through collecting indulgences for the forgiveness of sins. Chaucer paints the Pardoner as sinful, greedy and corrupt; the Pardoner even openly admits to abusing his power for his own personal gain. While interpretations may vary, I take Chaucer’s portrayal of the Pardoner to be a commentary on the general incompatibility of the secular and religious worlds in 14th century England. As a representative of the Church, the Pardoner is expected to embody integrity and other virtues espoused by religious doctrine; instead, he personifies the widespread corruption crippling the Church’s reputation during the period in which Chaucer wrote.
The Prioress is another example of a Christian character that seems to identify more closely with secular pleasures than religious life. The Prioress is said to live in a convent, yet she parades around wearing a bejeweled rosary that seems intended more for decoration than for devotion. Although the Prioress is described as modest and quiet, she nonetheless proudly avows her exquisite taste in clothes and boasts of her knowledge of French. The Prioress’ gruesome, extremely anti-Semitic tale further highlights her superficiality and demonstrates that while she may not be as loathsome as the Pardoner, her religious authenticity is nonetheless largely questionable.
Anthony, Brother. “Chaucer and Religion.” Sogang University. Web. < http://hompi.sogang.ac.kr/anthony/Religion.htm >.
Once a Church Now a Famous Burial Site
by Amy
Pantheon, Paris
Recently I took a weekend trip to Paris with some Fordham students. We had a great, but short stay, so it was important for us to continually move. We were able to cover a lot of the famous sites in the city, including the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum. One place that I stumbled upon with two other students was the Pantheon. I did not know that France had such a structure, and was curious as to what this building contained. In Rome, the Pantheon was a place of worshipping “all the gods,” but I found out that this building was one of Paris’ Neoclassical structures.
However, the Parisian Pantheon was built much later than the Middle Ages; in fact it was completed in 1789 CE. It is a building that once was religious, but now is secular. The initial purpose was to be a church holding the relics of St. Genevieve (the patron saint of Paris), who lived in the 5th century CE. After the French Revolution, the church became a mausoleum, and some artwork is on display from time to time (The Pantheon Paris).
I think this structure was a nice homage to the classical period. It does not directly relate to the Middle Ages, but originally meant to be a burial place for a saint who lived at that time. Even though it initially was a church, when I viewed the outside of it, the Pantheon looked more like a secular structure than a church. The features of Corinthian columns and grandeur size are fit for a secular structure imitating Classical buildings. It is quite impressive, but I think it is good that it does not function as a church or site of St. Genevieve’s relics.
“History.” The Pantheon of Paris. Pantheon of Paris, 2009. 9 August 2011. http://www.pantheonparis.com/history
The Stone of Destiny
by Justine
The Stone of Destiny
The Stone of Destiny is an important symbol of Scottish monarchy and till this day plays a very important part in all British coronations. It is displayed in the Edinburgh castle and was one of the highlights of the tour. During the medieval ages, people believed it was the pillow that Jacob dreamed of his ladder. It has been used in coronations for an extremity amount of years. At first sight, I do admit it’s kind of impossible to imagine exactly why this stone is such a big deal, but while asking the guide why this stone was so significant he said, “It is arguably the greatest symbol and touchstone of Scottish nationhood and as such has been a very potent icon for more than a thousand years.” They are very proud of this stone. The first coronation where this stone was vital was in Scone, where the stepson of Macbeth, Lulach, was crowned King of Scots in 1957. Until 1296 the stone was used in all coronations. It was that year that Edward I of England invaded Scotland and took the stone back to London. From that point on, all English coronations were enthroned on this seat. In 1996, The Queen allowed the stone to be returned to its homeland. The service was held in St. Giles Cathedral and Reverend John MacIndoe accepted the stone saying it would “strengthen the proud distinctiveness of the people of Scotland.” It took over 700 years for the stone to be returned to its rightful homeland. Scotland has been kind enough to agree to allow that it may be used for all future coronations.
Boyd, John. “Scotland, Stone of Destiny in Edinburgh Castle.” About Scotland. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. < http://www.aboutscotland.com/stone/destiny.html >.
Aoshmor, Alba. “Edinburgh Castle – Highlights – Stone of Destiny.” Edinburgh Castle – the Official Website. Historic Scotland. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. < http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/index/tour/highlights/highlights-stone-of-destiny.htm >.
An Egyptian Gift
by Matt
Place de la Concorde
The Place de la Concorde in Paris is one of the major squares of the city, and home to the massive obelisk called the Luxor Obelisk. The obelisk once presided in Egypt outside of Ramses II tomb, but was given to France by the Egyptians and now used as a secular monument in a bustling area of Paris.
In Egyptian culture, obelisks were entirely religious structures, placed outside of temples and used as connections between the gods in the sky and the Egyptians on Earth. The inscriptions on the side of the Luxor Obelisk are most definitely inscriptions associated with the temple that it once stood outside of, as well as the pharaoh that would have called for its construction. When the Luxor Obelisk reached Paris, its existence and purpose entirely changed from a religious monument to an entirely secular monument.
The placement of the obelisk in the Place de la Concorde heightens the significance of the structure. The square was home to the executions of some of France’s most famous leaders, most notable Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette. Although these events occurred before the Luxor Obelisk was placed in the square, the importance of the square to French culture makes the square even more appealing than simply being the home to an Egyptian religious pillar. In placing the Luxor Obelisk in what was once a square that a tour guide described as being so bloody oxen wouldn’t walk through it, the French certainly tried to change the connotation of Place de la Concorde.
Although the Luxor Obelisk seems out of place in the middle of Paris, it is certainly an interesting spectacle in a city that is home to countless other famous artifacts from around the world. Not only is the obelisk a religious structure turned secular structure; it is a monument that shields the bloody history of France’s past.
Guilds: a union of the secular and religious world
by Courtney
Guild Seals, British Museum
After reading about the guild of St. Bride’s church and coming across these guild seals, I began to wonder how the guilds and the church community could exist in harmony. But first I’ll give a brief background on the types of medieval guilds. Merchant guilds were focalized on one town or parish (“Ancient Quest-Home Page”). Eventually they became recognized by local governments, and expanded to cover trade in towns besides their towns of origin. Craft guilds, on the other hand focused on one particular good, and attempted to gain a monopoly on that good (Ancient Quest –Home Page”).
The guilds also provided work for future generations. They were usually led by Masters, who hired apprentices, and journeymen. Journeymen had no stable position, and would often go from town to town looking for work. While this expanded the medieval world, it was at the expense of journeymen. The most desirable position was of course the master. Much like the hierarchy of the feudal system, the Guild master was parallel to a lord. And similarly he often had a distinguishable seal, such as the ones depicted above.
Often the guilds were associated with a specific church. For example, the seal above was representative of the Guild of the Nativity of our Lord of Coventry. Guilds were tied to the church with a church’s sponsorship. Guilds also created the Mystery Plays. The Mystery Plays featured devotional subjects. They often used representations of the Devil and an angel or God. These plays also poked fun at the church, with the typical satirical character: the Abbot of Unreason. While the plays sometimes featured biblical legends such as Noah’s Ark, they also featured more secular plays such as Robin Hood (“Ancient Quest-Home Page”).
To put this into a timeline, these mystery plays became most popular after the Norman Conquest, and they contributed significantly to entertainment during the Middle Ages.
“Ancient Quest – Home Page.” Ancient Quest – Official Website for Author Karen Ralls – Home
Page. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. http://www.ancientquest.com/embark/guilds.html
Church and Everyday Life
by Giuseppe
Chapel. White Tower
In a previous article about the presence of religion, I briefly mentioned the chapel in the Tower of London’s White Tower as an example of the ever present church. I did not go into detail about this chapel though, but I think it serves as a great example of the interrelation of secular and religious culture. The white tower was built as a stronghold for William the Conqueror. As we learned from the beefeaters, William the Conqueror had recently conquered England, and needed a stronghold to protect his people and to make a statement about his presence.
Walking around the tower, it is obvious that it was built as a defensive structure. The doors are all raised, and ladders (now wooden stairs) are needed to enter these tall doors. In addition, the windows are small and the staircases are narrow and can easily be defended. Even the position of the tower, up on the top of a hill, speaks of defensive measures. Walking through the inside of the tower, one can notice that it was definitely built to serve as a haven for people. There are large fireplaces to provide warmth, and large open spaces where many people would be able to fit. This makes sense. If William was under siege, he would want his people to be safe in the tower. What’s curious is the presence of a chapel on the upper floors of the tower. I would think that a defensive structure would make as much room as possible to hold the people it is supposed to protect. I wouldn’t think to waste space, that could hold more people or supplies, by inserting a chapel in the tower. I think this is a testament as to how important religion was to the medieval people. It seems to me that the secular and religious lives could not be separated. People could not think of trying to defend themselves without God’s help. Hence, they put a chapel in their defensive tower. Throughout our stay in London, we have seen this omnipresence of the church in medieval works, and I think the White Tower portrays this clearly. Religion was part of life, and could not be separated.
Aristocratic Patronage and the Church
Elizabeth Talbot and Elizabeth Tilney, Long Melford Church, Suffolk
by Alexandra
On a recent trip through Suffolk, I came across dozens of churches heavily marked by wealthy aristocratic families. One such building was the Holy Trinity in Long Melford, whose nave, instead of being filled with stained glass images of saints or scenes from Christ’s life, displays the family and friends of the church’s most powerful patron, John Clopton, who made his fortune in the wool trade. That a church would pay homage to such aristocratic figures is not unusual, and these images serve to underscore the constant permeability between the secular and sacred in the Middle Ages.
One of these windows, shown on the left, interested me particularly because I had referenced it in a paper on female friendship in the Life of St Catherine of Alexandria by Osbern Bokenham who lived and worked in the area around Long Melford. This window portrays two praying women, Elizabeth Tilney, the wife of Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, and Elizabeth Talbot, the wife of John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, and the possible model for John Tenniel’s Duchess in Alice in Wonderland. Significantly, these women’s kneeling forms are surmounted by the arms of the Mowbray family, a clear symbol of secular status.
These two women form part of the thirty-two members of Clopton’s family and associates who are honored in the windows that he commissioned from a Norwich workshop during the late fifteenth century. Their collective presence creates a kind of extended secular family within a religious structure, serving to remind viewers of Clopton’s power and to urge them to keep him in their prayers. This remembrance is even further emphasized in the effigy to John Clopton’s father, William, which is further east of the windows along the north wall of the church. Each year, a plaque explains, the mayor of Long Melford offers a rose to William Clopton’s memorial, an act that bears witness to the enduring influence of the church’s secular patron and of the continued overlap between the secular world and the Church in England today.
Secular and Religious in the Canterbury Tales
by Sean
Pilgrim
The secular and religious cultures interact very strongly in the Canterbury Tales. Almost all literature in the Middle Ages was religious based. Christian clergy were the intellectual center of medieval time. The majority of the educated population was clergy and their work was the most widespread of medieval literature. The secular tales of the era were oral and passed down through generations; as most of the literate were clergy, they saw no point in spending the time to record something secular. The aristocracy countered this by employing clerics to write tales that were inherently secular. The chivalric romances and fabliau tales were examples of secular writing. These tales avoid mentioning the Church or its power. Percival only encounters a hermit, Tristan a doddering old bishop, and Gawain encounters no clergy at all. This is in stark contrast to two hundred years later, when Chaucer includes both secular and religious figures in The Canterbury Tales. He paints a portrait of English society at the time, and is critical of both the Church and nobility. The tale itself is set against the religious backdrop of a pilgrimage, but in the prologue Chaucer comments on the seasonal attractions of Canterbury, not the power of the Cathedral. The pilgrimage can be interpreted as heaven, with many different flawed people struggling to reach paradise, or as a condemnation of the religious establishment. The characters who are most deeply vested in the power of the Church, the Pardoner and the Summoner, are corrupt and greedy. The monk and prioress, who are supposed to be ascetic, are both dressed richly and do not seem overly pious. However, Chaucer is not wholly critical of the Church. The second nun is truly pious and represents what a nun should be. [1] [2]
[1] Bisson, Lillian. Chaucer and the Late Medieval World. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998
[2] Barr, Helen. “Chaucer and Religion,” Journal of Ecclesiastical Study. Volume 62, Issue 3, 7/1/11
Posted in Uncategorized on August 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Locate, document, describe, and discuss something that you found the most surprising/interesting on one of our trips.
A Slight Letdown
by Amy
Stonehenge
I enjoyed every single class trip we went on. I thought each one was unique, and most related to our class in some way or other. The one that seemed to be a little bit of a disappointment though was Stonehenge. I knew that it was one of the oldest sites in England and how it got there was a mystery, but I guess I did not know how it would look up close. As we were driving there, one of the professors gave a brief lecture on the basics of its history, but he talked the site down quite a bit, so I had a mindset of it not being that great. Before we arrived, my preconceived idea of it was that it stood very tall and was spaced out. I was a little bit upset to see that it was small. I also felt rushed while observing Stonehenge because we only had about twenty minutes. I think if my class had the opportunity to have a lecture by Professor Hafner and if we had more time, the trip would have been better. Although we discussed it more in class after the fact, and we are reading The Crystal Cave, I am able to appreciate Stonehenge a little bit better. According to the Monmouth article we read, the stones were brought from Africa and placed in Ireland. One theory was that Merlin used his magic to place them on the site. I have come to the conclusion that the mystery behind Stonehenge makes it more interesting. I would rather not know exactly how it got there and leave it up for my imagination to decide. Even though I was disappointed when I visited it, I feel that it was still worth seeing this unsolved mystery.
The Westminster Abbey Tour
by Courtney
westminster abbey
Most of the Westminster tour, unfortunately, went over my head, as I could not hear the guide woman well, and was constantly watching my back for fear of trampling other tourists. However, a few of the tombs that she pointed out were a bit unusual. For example, she spent great lengths discussing the memorial to Charles Darwin. She mentioned how Darwin was not originally buried in the cathedral, but in St. Mary’s churchyard. However, the Royal Society later decided to request that he be buried in the cathedral.
The tour guide mentioned that Darwin had originally attended church, but had lost faith with the loss of his daughter. I was curious to see if this was true, because she had mentioned it in such a dismissive, almost vicious manner. While this may be speculatively true, I thought it would be easier to find the turning point in Darwin’s own words. “Whilst on board the Beagle I was quite orthodox, and (“Charles Darwin Quotes-Biography Online.). By the end of his voyage, he believed that he had come to the decision to abandon Christianity and “never since doubted for a single second that my second conclusion was correct.” (“Charles Darwin Quotes-Biography Online.”) He mentioned nothing about the loss of his daughter. Additionally, Darwin attacked the argument that the presence of a number of religions, including Hinduism and Judaism, that proved the existence of a God. His counter idea was “This argument would be a valid one, if all men of all races had the same inward conviction of the existence of one God; but we know this is very far from being the case.” (“Charles Darwin Quotes-Biography Online.”). In this case, the bias and ignorance of the tour guide was a bit disturbing. If nothing else, this tour taught me to never take tour guides at face value.
“Charles Darwin Quotes – Biography Online.” Biography Online | Biographies of Inspirational and Famous People. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. http://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/darwin-quotes.html
Stonehenge
by Justine
Stonehenge
The size of Stonehenge baffled me. I had always pictured this grand image of the top of a mountain top with these huge stones in the middle of nowhere. When we got there it was underwhelming if anything. It was still very exciting, but underwhelming. First off, there is a high way no more than 30 feet away from Stonehenge. Second off, you couldn’t even walk up to Stonehenge, therefore making the actual monument look even smaller than it actually is. Thirdly, there is a ring around it; a moving track. This track goes in one direction, and one direction only. This made the experience not only weird (because I had to super zoom on my camera to see the structure of Stonehenge) but very hasty. Overall, the experience was one I will never forget but very touristy. Of course, there had to be a “classy” gift shop located directly next to the parking lot. All of these different aspects surprised me. I pictured this glorious medieval monument and I got a Stonehenge highway and a miniscule sight of a bunch of important rocks. I also realize I have spoken a lot about how disappointed I was with the site. Clearly, it was an emotional journey that I’m still struggling to come to terms with.
Reliquary Bundles
by Alexandra
Portable Altar, Museum Catalogue
One of my favorite museum experiences during the past few weeks was our class trip to the British Museum’s special exhibition “Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe.” Set within the museum’s circular reading room, this exhibition, with its dimly lit interior and softly playing liturgical music, evokes a sacred space suitable for the relics displayed within.
Among the many spectacular pieces here is an early thirteenth-century portable altar (BM 1902,0625.1) from Hildesheim, Germany. Highly decorated around a concealed wooden core, this altar is a multi-media piece, having been made from a combination of metalwork, ivory carving and painting. The altar stone at the center is probably Purbeck marble and is surrounded by a gilt copper frame, which is engraved with symbols of the four Evangelists and saints Peter, Paul, Andrew and Laurence, who are named in inscriptions. On the right and left sides are portraits on parchment of St Bernard and Godehard. Above is an ivory panel with the crucifixion, and below a panel depicts the Virgin and Child. Inscriptions on the underside of the altar name forty saints whose relics were inside. Eighteen of these, labeled with parchment and some wrapped in textiles, have been removed and are currently displayed next to the altar. Analysis has shown that the oldest textiles are likely to date from the ninth or tenth century, whereas the most recent may date from as late as the nineteenth (“Portable Altar”). In the museum, a video of the opening of the altar and removal of the relics is playing next to the altar itself.
What interested me most in this altar was its play between the outer and the inner, the seen and the unseen. While modern viewers require visible proof of the altar’s contents and even of the method through which it was opened, medieval people, it seems, would have been satisfied with the knowledge that it contained relics without ever having viewed them. Moreover, the attentive labeling and rich textiles covering the relics that are concealed inside implies a belief in the power of these objects to operate miraculously, regardless of the viewer’s awareness of them. This altar thus underlines crucial aspects of medieval perspectives on belief, spirituality and even sight, which appear fascinatingly within an exhibition that reveals a twentieth-century take on the same issues.
Works Cited
Posted in Uncategorized on August 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Locate, document, describe, and discuss an artifact and its location.
St. Genevieve’s Relics
by Amy
St Genevieve's Reliquary, Paris
I was thrilled to have the opportunity to take a trip to Paris this past weekend. After seeing many of the touristy sites like the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triumph, it was nice to see some things that I was not as familiar with beforehand. One thing that I saw was the Pantheon, which was originally meant to hold the relics of St. Genevieve, but now serves as a secular mausoleum. Near the Pantheon is the church of St. Genevieve, holding part of her remains.
St. Genevieve lived from about 419-512 CE. She grew up as a peasant from Nanterre, which is right outside of Paris. Genevieve was very devoted to charity work and lived a simple lifestyle. She did not eat very much, but took in communion frequently. She prayed and encouraged Attila and the Huns to not attack, and they ended up leaving Paris without harming it. Genevieve assisted in the start of a church building, but died shortly after plans started. Her relics were fully preserved in St. Genevieve’s Church, but most of it was destroyed by a mob. The Pantheon was built nearby to hold her remains, but that did not work out, and her remains are back in the church (New Advent).
St. Genevieve’s relics in the church are an example of an object relating to its location. I think that it is appropriate for her remains to be on display in the church because she is the patron saint of Paris. She is an important part of the Catholic community there, and it is special for her relics to be on display in the church.
“St. Genevieve.” New Advent. Kevin Knight, 2009. 9 August 2011. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06413f.htm.
Shrines
by Sean
Pilgrim
The relationship between artifacts and their location is most profoundly seen in the relics of great saints. The most famous sites attracted thousands of pilgrims, and therefore all the benefits and problems that result. The three most famous pilgrimages in the Middle Ages were to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, Old Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Rome, and Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain. The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela became particularly popular to pilgrims in Western Europe during the Middle Ages because it was the easiest and cheapest to reach. Saint James supposed burial in Northwestern Spain completely transformed the area and route to reach it. Pilgrims began coming in large numbers during the 10th century, this in turn made Santiago de Compostela a wealthier town. The bishop was able to begin a huge Romanesque cathedral in 1075, which brought even more pilgrims. The Codex Calixtinus, a guidebook for pilgrims traveling the Way of Saint James, established four definitive routes from France and made the pilgrimage even more famous.
The Way of Saint James became one of the most well traveled routes in Western Europe. Thousands pilgrims, mostly from France, would travel to Spain and spend money along the way, making it extremely profitable. Shrines and cathedrals sprung up along the route to encourage the pilgrims to stop and spend money. Each major stop became associated with some miracle or saint, most of which deal directly with pilgrims. For example, the Codex tells of a chaste young pilgrim who after rejecting a girl’s sexual advances, she has him framed and hung. He is then miraculously brought back to life by Saint Domonic de la Calzada, who has a cathedral dedicated to him on the route. However, this same tale supposedly happened in many other stops and is attributed to various saints. Hospices were built to house and feed pilgrims, while they were protected by both French and Spanish royal decree. In Santiago, the pilgrims would buy Galician Scallop Shells, or Saint James’s Shells, to prove they completed the pilgrimage and they would touch the pillar at the cathedral entrance. So many pilgrims have now touched the pillar a groove has been worn into it. [1]
The Black Prince at Canterbury Cathedral
by Brendan
The Black Prince's Shrine, Canterbury
More often than not, the physical location of an artifact offers bountiful insights into the object itself. In the case of human burial, the deceased’s final resting place is often especially significant as it usually reflects who that person was and how their legacy was shaped posthumously.
Prince Edward of Woodstock, popularly known as the Black Prince, is among those buried at Canterbury Cathedral. Born in 1330 in Oxfordshire, Edward was the eldest son of King Edward III and was noted as an exceptional military leader, gaining widespread popularity with his victories over the French at Crecy and Politiers. Prince Edward’s burial at Canterbury came followed a lifetime of devotion to the church. Throughout his life the Black Prince remained extremely pious and made generous contributions to Canterbury Cathedral, which at the time was England’s preeminent religious destination. His bond with the church remained consistent despite his time consuming role as a military commander. For example, according to one contemporary account, the Black Prince reportedly prayed with John the Good at the cathedral after capturing the king of France.
In his final display of allegiance to Canterbury Cathedral, Edward requested to be buried in its crypt. The cathedral reciprocated the prince’s request, and prepared a chapel in the crypt as a chantry for him and his wife. However, the church ultimately overruled its plan after Edward’s death in 1376 and instead buried him on the south side of St Thomas Becket’s shrine. Edward’s tomb, though, was erected in accordance with his will, and is still available for public viewing today. It consists of a bronze effigy of the prince beneath his knightly equipment that hangs above.
The central location of Prince Edward’s tomb in Canterbury Cathedral is a reflection of the strong mutual relationship he shared with the church throughout his life. The cathedral’s decision to bury Edward next to St Thomas’ shrine is hugely indicative of the interrelation between his tomb and its placement within the church. In a way, its location beside Becket’s shrine elevates the prince to almost saint-like status and, minimally, signals the cathedral’s tremendous gratitude for the prince’s lifelong patronage and generous support.
“The Black Prince: Edward, Prince of Wales.” Famous Welsh. Web. 10 Aug. 2011. < http://www.famouswelsh.com/13_Articles/Black_Prince/Black_Prince.shtml >.
Canterbury’s Windows
by Justine
Corona Stained Glass, Canterbury
Canterbury Cathedral is home to some of the most fascinating glass windows in the World. The eight Becket Miracle Windows are placed around the Trinity Chapel. The windows are placed specifically where St. Thomas Becket’s shrine once was. This was his parish. His death actually took place in one of the corridors in which he was praying in. The death of St. Thomas took place around 1170 and the windows were created/installed from about 1180 to 1220 AD. Becket’s windows describe the period just after the saint’s death. They tell stories of pilgrimages, healing stories, and miracles conducted by St. Thomas. Stained glass was a very important part of the Middle Ages. Light was the first act of God upon this world. Therefore stained glass represents the manifestation of God, not only in this world, but in his sanctum; the church. These images were brought to life by light or “God’s Presence.” It is also true to say that during the Middle Ages, very few people were able to read and write. These glass windows were made to emphasize St. Thomas and glorified him even more than just his actions or his infamous death. Another interesting aspect may be the fact that the Becket Windows derive from no story. In fact, Brother William of Canterbury and Prior Benedict in 1180 recorded many of St. Becket’s stories and while some of the windows can account for their stories, many do not. This makes the Becket windows even more marvelous due to the fact they are their own story and not derived from any source of text.
“I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay their foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.”
Isaiah 54:11-12
Canterbury Cathedral – Stained Glass.” Canterbury Cathedral – Home. Dean of Canterbury Cathedral. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. < http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/history/stained-glass.html
Cosmati Pavements at Westminster Abbey
by Alexandra
Cosmati Pavement, Westminster Abbey, < http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/art/cosmati-pavement> ;
The Cosmati pavement at Westminster Abbey, completed in 1268, is one of the most splendid of its kind and is rendered even more significant by its placement in front of the high altar at Westminster Abbey, a structure founded by Edward the Confessor and rebuilt by Henry III starting in 1245.
Named after the family of craftsmen who specialized in it, Cosmati is a technique of mosaic work that consists of large, specially-cut pieces of tile or stone, rather than the older method of using small squares of equal size. The Westminster pavement, laid by workmen brought from Rome, has an abstract design and is made up of stones of different colors, shapes and sizes. The materials include onyx, purple porphyry, green serpentine and yellow limestone, as well as colored glass and purbeck marble. The last two of these are particularly English innovations, since Italian floors typically used white marble and did not employ glass (“Cosmati Pavement”). Also on the pavement are several damaged inscriptions in brass referring to the end of the world and mentioning Henry III and Abbot Richard de Ware. These words are thought to have been added after the king’s death.
This floor’s location is integral to its meaning; at the site where English monarchs have been crowned since the thirteenth century, the pavement appropriately fuses Roman and English references. On the one hand, the very technique of mosaic, along with the precious marbles imported from Rome, clearly point to an imperial artistic tradition. The use of such materials and technique enacts a translatio imperii, inserting English monarchs within a Roman imperial line. At the same time, the unique innovations of purbeck marble and glass, for instance, adapt the power of the past for a particularly English present. Thus, within a building envisioned by Henry III to make his unique mark, this pavement generates a message of new authority cemented within past glory.
Works Cited
“Cosmati Pavement.” Westminster Abbey. The Dean and Chapter of Westminster, 2011. Web. 04 Aug. 2011. < http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/art/cosmati-pavement> ;.
St. Etienne-du-Mont
by Courtney
St. Etienne du Mont
I came across St. Etienne-du-Mont, because of its location near the Pantheon. It was founded as a shrine for St. Genevieve. St Genevieve is particularly popular among the French. As a child, she listened to St. Germain preach against Pelagianism. St. Germain picked her out of the crowd and told her to continue on her virtuous path. She converted to Christianity, and spent most of her time in prayer or doing acts of charity. St. Genevieve was criticized for speaking about false visions. However, she is best known for convincing Attila the Hun not to ransack Paris. St. Genevieve was buried in this church just as it was being completed. Because a number of miracles occurred in the church after she died, St. Etienne de Mont was named after her .
This building was started in 1492, and construction on the building continued into the 1800’s. However, it contains a number of medieval aspects including a relic of St. Genevieve. However her tomb, which was originally in the church, was destroyed along with most of the other relics in 1783. Much like Oliver Cromwell’s revolution in England, which destroyed pieces of churches such as Winchester cathedral, the French Revolution did a massive amount of damage to Cathedrals and their possessions(“CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Genevieve”).
The church itself is also built on ruins of an abbey created by Clovis. Clovis was a Frankish king in the middle 600’s who had converted to Christianity. His remains are buried in the church today. A few fragments from the abbey remains, but most of it had been destroyed during the revolution of 1783 (CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Clovis).
St. Etienne du mont struck my eye because of its unusual architecture, especially its incorporation of gothic and later centuries, as well as its location next to the Pantheon.
“CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Clovis.” NEW ADVENT: Home. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04070a.htm
“CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Genevieve.” NEW ADVENT: Home. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06413f.htm
Getting as Close as You Can
by Giuseppe
St Swithun's Tomb
After visiting several major cathedrals in England, it is obvious that location is an extremely important aspect of these churches. Of particular importance is the location compared to a saint’s relics. The closer one could be to these relics, the better it was for them. People believed that by getting as close as possible, and usually touching these relics, there was apparently a better chance of getting healed than just walking by and looking at them.
One example of this is the Canterbury Tales. It seems that people could not just ask for God’s forgiveness and healing from their homes or at their own local church. People would make the pilgrimage to Canterbury in order to get closer to a famous saint’s relics. To a medieval pilgrim, getting closer to a relic must have meant getting closer to God.
This concept of location can be seen again in the picture above. People would flock to Winchester Cathedral to pay a visit to St. Swithun. As seen in the picture, this is an extreme example of how much location matters. Not only would people visit the church in order to pray for forgiveness and healing, people would climb into the little hole in the wall so that they could actually touch St. Swithun’s coffin. As our tour guide said, people would crawl into that hole and hug the coffin, hoping to be blessed and healed. In addition, people would generally leave a small item that related to their ailment. In this case, people are getting as close to the relic as is physically possible, and also leaving something with the relic, so that they could have something to continually represent them there at the church. It is apparent that people during the middle ages were obsessed with being as close to God, through a saint, as is possible.
Copycat Arch
by Matt
L'Arc de Triumph
The Arc de Triomphe in Paris is a stunning artifact whose location makes the sight the epic spectacle that it is. The Arch of Titus in Rome provides the template for the Parisian arch, which was built to commemorate victory in the French Revolution, as well as the Napoleonic Wars. The Arc’s location at the end of Champs-Elysees, opposite the imposing obelisk makes this triumphant edifice the spirit conjuring spectacle it was intended to be. What made this arch so interesting to me was that it immediately reminded me of the Roman arc that I had seen a few years prior.
Romans built arches to provide their victorious troops with an honorary march back to Rome, where crowds would gather to view the troops. As with the Roman model, the Arc de Triomphe was the scene of some of the most famous photographs following the allied troops victory in World War II. The returning French troops were met by thousands of emotional and relieved Parisians whose city had been retaken by their native troops. The photographs of the thousands of people with the Arc, as well as the Obelisk in view, make the Arc truly a major sight in Paris.
Had the Arc de Triomphe been built in a different location, I don’t believe its reverence would be the same as it is today. Paris is certainly a city that offers quite a few grand views of streets with famous structures on opposite ends, and so it is only fitting that a symbol of military strength be built in an important location. When standing beneath the Arc, it seems as if all of Paris lay out in front of you. The Eifel tower is present on one side, and the tops of brilliant buildings like the Church of Madeleine are among the structures in the distance. The ideal location of the Arc undoubtedly contributes to the symbolism and grandeur of the creation
Posted in Uncategorized on August 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Locate, document, describe, and discuss an example of the interrelation between text and image.
The Tristan and Isolde quilt
by Courtney
Tristan and Isolde Quilt, V&A
The Tristan and Isolde quilt features the scene where Morold attempts to tell the king that Tristan and Isolde are seeing one another. The depiction of Tristan and Isolde on Medieval mediums, however, is not unique. It was the subject of tapestries, manuscript illuminations, and love chests.
But the quilt as a form of medieval art struck me as particularly unusual. Quilting became popular in Europe after exposure to eastern quilting during the crusades (“History of Medieval and Renaissance Quilting). Medieval quilts featured other romantic poetry and tales as well. For example, there is also a surviving quilt illustrating Perzival (“History of Medieval and Renaissance Quilting”).
While these quilts could have served a practical purpose it is more likely that they were used as wall hangings. (“History of Medieval and Renaissance Quilting”). This quilt, like other forms of medieval art, had been sponsored by a wealthy family. The use of the quilt as a decoration ties back into the idea of the luxuries that the aristocrats could afford. In addition, the use of the quilt as a wall hanging mimics the function of a tapestry.
Tapestries also feature love poetry and chivalric tales, besides depicting every day scenes of aristocratic life. Additionally, many tapestries depicted Greek and Roman myths or religious scenes. Perhaps the most well-known tapestries are the unicorn tapestries which feature symbolic representations of the Passion and death of Jesus.
One thing to keep in mind is the idea that the family receiving and giving this gift would be familiarized with the Tristan and Isolde story. This says a lot about the popularity of the tale, especially considering that the family receiving this gift was Italian. The quilt illustrates how Italy was instrumental in sponsoring a number of artistic and literary ventures during the Medieval Period and beyond.
“History of Medieval & Renaissance Quilting.” Needlework & Quilt History – Making
Reproduction Quilts. Web. 09 Aug. 2011.
by Matt
Law Code
The Law Code of Hammurabi, as seen on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris, is a historic example of the start of legal society. The pillar in which these laws are etched also happens to contain important sculpting at the top of the creation. This combination of incredibly important text and equally significant carvings make Hammurabi’s Code even more significant than what it stands for.
This code is believed to be the first written declaration of laws over a land. Hammurabi was the King of Babylon, and his code of laws was essentially a call for ‘eye for an eye” justice, in which the punishment for a crime would mirror the level of the crime. What makes this set of laws so surreal is that it not only represents an important legal feat, but also an important writing visual as well.
Aside from being one of the most famous historical legal artifacts, the code is also a stunning visual as well. Placed in the center of the city of Babylon, the stone stood for all members of society to see. Not only would it have been the framework for what would have become their primitive legal system, it would also have been a stunning feat of craftsmanship and literature. Excerpts from the stone also provide insight into how the people of Babylon viewed their own society. The scene at the top of the pillar, a king (assumed to be Hammurabi) handing a scroll to a servant would have been Hammurabi’s way of directly including himself in this primary source of laws. The combination of writing and art on such an exceptionally famous piece of history provide insight into more than one aspect of Babylonian culture.
Text and Image: Bestiary/ Book of Kells
by Sean
Bestiary
The images in a book were often just as or more important than the text itself in medieval times. The vast majority of people in the Middle Ages could not read, including most of the nobility. The nobility were the only ones who could afford the expensive process of creating a book. Books were hand written on vellum which was very expensive and required years of work to write. Only an aristocrat or powerful church figure could afford to keep a clerk in residence to create the book or pay a monastery enough to do it for him. Having the expensive books was a sign of status, but no aristocrat would want a bunch of letters that most of his peers could not read. Texts created for the nobility would have huge elaborate illuminated drawings. The drawings would signify the wealth and importance of the manuscript, and often tell a tale to supplement the text. For example, medieval bestiaries would have an elaborate image to accompany the text. The image was not meant to be a factual representation of the creature, but to elaborate on the mythical lore. Elephants were believed to lack knee joints and be mortal enemies with dragons, so they were drawn with unnaturally straight legs stomping on a serpent. [1] Illuminated manuscripts were also created for monasteries to demonstrate their wealth and importance, but not for practical use. The Book of Kells, Ireland’s most famous treasure, was kept on the high altar of the church in the Abbey of Kells and taken off only for readings of the gospel. However, it is very likely the gospel would have been recited from memory making the book purely symbolic. When the book was stolen, it was stolen from the sacristy and not the library, meaning it was seen as a part of Mass and not truly a book to be read. [2]
Text and images on the Bayeux Tapestry
by Brendan
Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry utilizes both written text and visual imagery to present in rich detail the story of the Norman conquest of England. Measuring over 230 feet long, the tapestry features hundreds of powerful visualizations divided into scenes depicting a particular event. The two protagonists of the tapestry are Harold Godwinson, the recently crowned Ango-Saxon King of England, and William the Conqueror, leader of the Normans. The tapestry begins as early as 1064 and finally culminates with the decisive Norman victory at the Battle of Hastings. Because history is written by the victors, scholars have acknowledged that the tapestry may have somewhat distorted the historical accuracy of the story for political propaganda purposes. Nevertheless, it is highly valued as a unique visual documentation of the events of 1064-1066 as well as of medieval artifacts such as arms and apparel.
The Bayeux Tapestry would have most likely been displayed in a church, where it was readily available for public view. The vast majority of the population was illiterate when the tapestry was commissioned. The tapestry’s illustrations were therefore momentous in telling the story of the conquest of England from, of course, the perspective of the Norman victors. Its individual panels form a linear sequence of events, which was crucial in enabling illiterate viewers to “read” the entire story, beginning with the events leading up to the conquest to the invasion itself. Although most of its spectators lacked literacy and therefore relied solely upon the illustrations, the entire Bayeux Tapestry is annotated with Latin text in accordance with the scene represented in the panel below. In the description of Harold’s oath to William, for example, the Latin inscription reads, “Where Harold took an oath to Duke William.” Although the accompanying text in this panel offers nothing particularly profound, it nevertheless enriches the experience of more educated viewers by providing a clear written narrative to supplement the tapestry’s wonderful imagery.
“Invasion of England, 1066.” EyeWitness to History – History through the Eyes of Those Who Lived It. Web. 10 Aug. 2011. < http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/bayeux.htm >.
An Example for the Interrelation between Text and Image
by Justine
Text & Image
Religion was built on the basis of the interrelation between text and image. The fact of the matter is throughout the history of mankind religion was spread either by the word of the gospel or words sparked by images on a cave wall. The basis for every religion in the common day and age is formed by the power of text. The power to study a text and to provide with rules to justify everyday living. Without the use of an image those that were incapable of reading would have no way to spread and/or practice religion. Everyone needs something to believe in and images provided a self explanatory vice for that. Here we see a priest reading off of the scripture. His position is vital to the faith of all his citizens. What he reads will be the basis for people’s lives. Without the interrelation between text and image there would be no source to spread the holy word. This picture is painted on a wall of a Canterbury crypt. I was lucky enough to be able to take it without anyone noticing. The reason why this is painted on the wall of a crypt is to commemorate the fact that priests were not given the power to decipher their religion, it was taken from a manuscript. A manuscript made by a higher power; not by the person/priest directly.
“The Middle Ages: Image, Text, Performance.” Medievalists.net. Theme Builder. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. < http://www.medievalists.net/2011/01/11/the-dance-of-death-in-the-middle-ages-image-text-performance/ >.
In the Beginning was the Word…
by Alexandra
John Incipit, Lindisfarne Gospels, British Library < http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ttp/lindisfarne/accessible/pages29and30.html#content> ;
On our tour of the British Library, we saw the Lindisfarne Gospels (BL Cotton MS Nero D.iv), which our guide described in hyperbolic terms as the only manuscript that cannot be ordered in the reading rooms. Whether or not this is the case, the Lindisfarne Gospels, made in the late seventh century and used at Lindisfarne Priory, the religious community that housed the shrine of St Cuthbert, is indeed one of the library’s most prized possessions. Some of its pages (the opening evangelist portrait page, the carpet page and the incipit for each gospel), which may be viewed online at the British Library website, are highly decorated with pictorial designs that allow the manuscript to straddle the border between image and text.
The page (f. 211r) shown on the left is the incipit of the Gospel of John, containing the famous opening line “In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum” [In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God]. Somewhat ironically, this page derives much of its energy from images. The first three letters, filled with elaborate interlace and zoomorphic designs, form a frame on the left side of the page that is completed with interlace borders on the right. The stem of the large letter p juts down into the center of the page, directing the eye in ways that run counter to the left-right movement of the script. The different colors filling the rest of the letters, some of which are also filled with interlace, complete the dynamic movement of this imagetext. The incredible visual power of this page, whose content asserts the enduring presence of the word, evokes the strong pictorial quality of the medieval written page.
In a time when the majority of a congregation would have been illiterate, the clergy’s possession of books would have signaled their unique control over the word; at the same time, if displayed in a church, the visual elements of pages such as this one would have offered the laity a window into the spiritual texts that were otherwise inaccessible to them.
Tristan and Isolde
by Giuseppe
Tristan & Isolde Casket
The relationship between text and image in the medieval period was extremely important. Looking at manuscripts from this time period, one can see that the texts are decorated with great illuminations and pictures. Churches have great stained glass windows, along with statues and huge paintings that portray different stories. Besides the aristocracy and clergy, very few people could read or write in the middle ages. Therefore, by providing images that could explain the texts, the illiterate majority of the population could understand the stories that were being presented. This was important in a biblical sense. For example, since many people could not read the bible, they relied on images in stained glass windows that would portray the scenes from the Bible, allowing the people to learn the important stories and lessons of the Bible. This works in a secular sense as well. One example of this can be seen in the decorations of the pictured box. The British Museum states that this box’s lid is decorated with a picture of Tristan and Isolde in bed together after drinking the love potion.
Since the story of Tristan and Isolde was such a popular story, many people would have already heard the story in some form. By decorating this chest with the scene of the two laying together after drinking the love potion, the artist is calling to mind the main point of the story. The artist obviously could not put every scene from the story on the box, so he put one of the most important ones. This would call to mind the story, allowing the viewer to enjoy the story again. This is important because, since many people could not read or write, they relied on images like this to relay the general idea of a story, and allow them to enjoy these stories over again without having to sit down and read a copy of the story.
The relationship between text and image in the medieval period was extremely important. Looking at manuscripts from this time period, one can see that the texts are decorated with great illuminations and pictures. Churches have great stained glass windows, along with statues and huge paintings that portray different stories. Besides the aristocracy and clergy, very few people could read or write in the middle ages. Therefore, by providing images that could explain the texts, the illiterate majority of the population could understand the stories that were being presented. This was important in a biblical sense. For example, since many people could not read the bible, they relied on images in stained glass windows that would portray the scenes from the Bible, allowing the people to learn the important stories and lessons of the Bible. This works in a secular sense as well. One example of this can be seen in the decorations of the pictured box. The British Museum states that this box’s lid is decorated with a picture of Tristan and Isolde in bed together after drinking the love potion.
Since the story of Tristan and Isolde was such a popular story, many people would have already heard the story in some form. By decorating this chest with the scene of the two laying together after drinking the love potion, the artist is calling to mind the main point of the story. The artist obviously could not put every scene from the story on the box, so he put one of the most important ones. This would call to mind the story, allowing the viewer to enjoy the story again. This is important because, since many people could not read or write, they relied on images like this to relay the general idea of a story, and allow them to enjoy these stories over again without having to sit down and read a copy of the story.
Cur Deus Homo
by Amy
St Anselm Window, Canterbury
Canterbury was one of the best class trips we visited. After reading parts of Chaucer’s tales, it was a “must see” site where the pilgrims planned to travel. Known for one of the top pilgrimage sites in the world and worship of St. Thomas Beckett, Canterbury Cathedral dates back from the early Middle Ages around 597 AD (History and Heritage). Sections of the church were remodeled after the fire, but still date back from the medieval period.
Some of the things I saw in the cathedral included the crypt, the sight of Thomas Beckett’s murder, the nave, and the decorative stained glass windows. One window that caught my attention was of Saint Anselm of Canterbury. I studied some of his works in my Faith and Critical Reasoning course last semester, so I felt an instant connection. The window is a good representation of text and image. Even though it was made in 1959, it represents the Christian theologian from the 11th century CE (Sacred Destinations).
Famous for his ontological argument about the existence of God, the image of the window depicts Anselm standing above a dove hovering over his “Cur Deus Homo” (translation: Why God man/why does God become man?) with two people standing near it (Keifer). The window is an example of text and image because it is emphasizing Anselm’s concept of God and man through a picture. Stained glass windows were learning tools for the illiterate, which was common among the lay people of a congregation. Along with the beauty of the colored glass they were able to see the pictures, which may include some words or phrases, and relate them to texts within their faith.
Visually, the stained glass window portraying Saint Anselm was one of the best interpretations of text and image because it exemplifies the teachings of the theologian.
“Canterbury Cathedral Stained Glass.” Sacred Destinations. Sacred Destinations, 2011. 8 August 2011. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/canterbury-cathedral-stained-glass-windows
“History and Heritage.” Canterbury Cathedral. Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral, 2011. 8 August 2011. http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/history.html
Keifer, James E. “Anselm of Canterbury, Monk, Archbishop, Theologian.” Biographical Sketches of Memorable Christians of the Past. Society of Archbishop Justus, 1999. 8 August 2011. http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/141.html
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i don't know
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What popular children's TV/toy character has a Mummy, Daddy, brother George, and cousins Chloé and Alexander?
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14 | April | 2016 | Ed B on Sports
Ed B on Sports
William Fichtner – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Fichtner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Fichtner
Fichtner at the 2011 USA Film Festival
Born
Children
2
William Edward “Bill” Fichtner, Jr. (born November 27, 1956) [1] is an American actor. He has appeared in a number of notable films and TV series. He is known for his roles as Sheriff Tom Underlay in the cult favorite television series Invasion , Alexander Mahone on Prison Break , and numerous film roles, including: Quiz Show , Armageddon , The Perfect Storm , Crash , Blades of Glory , Black Hawk Down , Nine Lives , The Longest Yard , Mr. & Mrs. Smith , The Dark Knight , Date Night , The Lone Ranger , Phantom , Elysium , Independence Day: Resurgence , and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and its sequel .
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Fichtner was born on Mitchel Air Force Base [2] on Long Island , and was raised in Cheektowaga, New York , a suburb of Buffalo . He is the son of Patricia A. (née Steitz) and William E. Fichtner. [3] [4] He has German ancestry. [5]
Fichtner graduated from Maryvale High School (Cheektowaga) in 1974. After graduating from Farmingdale State College in 1976 with an associate degree in criminal justice, he attended SUNY Brockport and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice in 1978. Fichtner then studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Fichtner credits his Farmingdale State College admissions counselor, Don Harvey, with his decision to study acting. Harvey, who became a lifelong friend, took Fichtner to his first Broadway show . On 18 May 2008, Fichtner was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Farmingdale State College. [6]
Fichtner began his acting career as Josh Snyder in As the World Turns in 1987. Fichtner’s film credits include Contact , Heat , Armageddon , Go , Equilibrium , Black Hawk Down , The Perfect Storm , The Longest Yard , Crash , Ultraviolet , and The Dark Knight . Mainly a character actor , one of Fichtner’s few leading roles is in Passion of Mind , also starring Demi Moore and Stellan Skarsgård . For his role in Crash, he won a Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance Award and a “Best Acting Ensemble” Award from Broadcast Film Critics Choice.
Fichtner, 2003
Credited as Bill Fichtner, he voiced the character Ken Rosenberg in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas . Between 2005 and 2006, Fichtner also starred in the science-fiction TV series Invasion as Sheriff Tom Underlay. After Invasion was cancelled, Fichtner played FBI Agent Alexander Mahone in the second through fourth seasons (2006–2009) of Prison Break . [7] Later that year, he presented an award at the National Hockey League award show.[ citation needed ] He also appears in The West Wing episode, “ The Supremes ” as Christopher Mulready, a conservative judge nominated to the Supreme Court. Fichtner also had a role as the Gotham National Bank manager in the feature film The Dark Knight , and as Jurgen in Equilibrium .
In June 2009, Fichtner signed on to guest star on Entourage playing TV producer Phil Yagoda, who is trying to remake his hit 1990s teen series. [8] He also voices Master Sergeant Sandman in the 2011 video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 . [9]
Personal life[ edit ]
As of June 2014, Fichtner lives in Prague , Czech Republic , where he filmed the television series Crossing Lines .
Fichtner is a Buffalo Bills fan, appearing in a commercial for the team before the 2014 season . [12] More recently, Fichtner narrated the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary titled “Four Falls of Buffalo”, chronicling the Buffalo Bills’ four consecutive Super Bowl appearances from 1990 – 93 .
High Lonesome: A Father For Charlie [13]
Sheriff
Here is a typical Nathan Eovaldi game:
1ST INNING:
SAD ALEX RODRIGUEZ – Google Search
is hitting .120. He has a an idea gifs – Google Search
steroids GIFS – Google Search
The past two games at The Rodgers Center in Toronto, The Yankees
bats have looked like
old men. Evovaldi was his typical inconsistent self and their punch less lineup was just that. The team is now 4-4 and not looking so good. EDB
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Natasha Gregson Wagner
Clover Clementyne Watson (daughter) b. 2012
Parent(s)
Natasha Gregson Wagner (born September 29, 1970) is an American actress . Wagner was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Richard Gregson , a film producer, and actress Natalie Wood .
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Early life[ edit ]
Gregson with her mother in 1973, by Allan Warren
Natasha Gregson Wagner is the daughter of American actress Natalie Wood and British producer Richard Gregson . Her godmother was actress Ruth Gordon . [1] Her parents separated when she was ten months old, and later divorced. [2] Her mother remarried actor Robert Wagner in 1972, and together they had a daughter, Courtney Wagner (born 1974). [1] Her aunt is Lana Wood .
On November 29, 1981, Natalie Wood drowned near Catalina Island . After her mother’s death, Gregson Wagner and her half-sister Courtney were raised in California by Wagner and his wife, actress Jill St. John . [1] [3]
Career[ edit ]
Gregson Wagner’s first film role was as Lisa in the film Fathers & Sons in 1992. She then had a small role in the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Following that film she starred in several TV movies including Modern Vampires , Hefner: Unauthorized, and The Shaggy Dog . In 1995 she starred with her step-father Robert Wagner in a Hart to Hart TV movie. She starred in the Wes Craven film The Outpost . In 1996 she co-starred with Jon Lovitz in the comedy High School High . She played Lou in the 1997 film Two Girls and a Guy . Gregson Wagner had a small role in the 1998 thriller Urban Legend . That same year she guest starred in an episode of Ally McBeal . In 1998 she appeared in Another Day in Paradise with Vincent Kartheiser and Melanie Griffith .
In 2000 she had roles in Stranger Than Fiction and High Fidelity opposite John Cusack . In 2003 she played Barbara Richardson in the movie Wonderland . In 2004, she had a role in the Hallmark movie, Angel in the Family playing the part of Beth.
In 2005 she guest starred on Cold Case and Medium . In 2006 she starred in two episodes of ER : “Bloodline” and “21 Guns”. From 2005 to 2007 she had a recurring role on the TV show The 4400 as April Skouris, the sister of NTAC agent Diana Skouris. In 2008 she guest starred on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and House M.D .
Personal life[ edit ]
Gregson Wagner had a seven-year relationship with Josh Evans , son of Ali MacGraw and Robert Evans . [4] She was married to screenwriter D.V. DeVincentis from October 2003 to January 2008. [5]
On May 30, 2012, Gregson Wagner and Barry Watson had a daughter, Clover Clementyne Watson. [6] Natasha and Barry have since married.
Medicine Show, TheThe Medicine Show
Lynn Piegi
Gray in Between, TheThe Gray in Between
Julie
Kiss and a Promise, AA Kiss and a Promise
Samantha Beck
Shaggy Dog, The The Shaggy Dog
Allison
Hart to Hart: Secrets of the Hart
Tibby
Accidental Witness, TheThe Accidental Witness
Christine Sternwald
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Peppa Pig
Website
Peppa Pig is a British preschool animated television series directed and produced by Astley Baker Davies , which originally aired on 31 May 2004, and is distributed by E1 Kids . To date, four series have been aired. It went on a hiatus for two years and two months before re-premiering on 14 February 2015. It is shown in 180 countries. [1]
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Background[ edit ]
Peppa Pig is a children’s television programme broadcasting on Channel 5 and Nick Jr. in the UK, Nickelodeon / Nick Jr. in the USA, ABC 4 Kids and Nick Jr. in Australia and Discovery Kids in Latin America, including Brazil. Each episode is approximately 5 minutes long. The show revolves around Peppa, an anthropomorphic female pig, and her family and friends. Each of her friends is a different species of mammal . Peppa’s friends are the same age as she is, and Peppa’s younger brother George’s friends are the same age as him. Episodes tend to feature everyday activities such as attending playgroup , going swimming , visiting their grandparents , cousins , going to the playground or riding their bikes .
The characters wear clothes, live in houses, and drive cars, but still display some characteristics of the animals on which they are based. Peppa and her family snort like pigs during conversations in which they are speaking in English, the other animals make their respective noises when they talk, with some exhibiting other characteristics, such as the Rabbit family’s communications of squeaking sounds and their enjoyment of carrots. The Rabbits are also the sole exception to the rule of human-like habitation, in that they live in a burrow in a hill, although it does have windows and is furnished in the same way as the other houses. The characters also blush when embarrassed and their mouths are used to express other emotions such as sadness, happiness, irritation, bewilderment and confusion. Although the mammals are anthropomorphic, other animals are not, for example, the ducks, Tiddles the tortoise, and Polly Parrot. In addition, the narrator of the series John Sparkes reinforces the action and humour, saying things like “Oh, dear” when something unfortunate happens (such as George starts crying) or “Look out!” when a character is doing something unsafe (such as Peppa riding her bicycle without looking where she’s going).
The first series of 52 five-minute episodes started on Channel 5 on 31 May 2004, and had its American premiere as part of Cartoon Network ‘s Tickle U preschool television programming block on 22 August 2005 [2] ; the show moved to Noggin in December 2007 and January 2008, being retained when that network changed names to Nick Jr. and currently continuing to be one of the network’s most popular programmes. The American version is edited into a 22-minute programme with five segments. In the United Kingdom, it can also be seen on Nick Jr. (to the point that Nick Jr. Too has taken on the temporary rebranding “Nick Jr. Peppa” when airing month-long marathons of the series, usually every October), the same with Portugal, Italy, Benelux , Scandinavia and Australia. In Taiwan , the show can be seen on Disney Junior . The second series of 52 episodes began on Channel 5 on Monday 4 September 2006, with Cecily Bloom replacing Lily Snowden-Fine as Peppa, amongst other cast changes. The third series started broadcasting on the Channel 5 kids block, Milkshake! on 4 May 2009 with Harley Bird replacing Cecily Bloom as Peppa.
Characters[ edit ]
This section does not cite any sources . Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed .
(May 2014)
The Pigs[ edit ]
Peppa Pig – A pig who is the main character. She enjoys jumping in muddy puddles, playing with her teddy bear who is called Teddy, going to playgroup, and dressing up. She lives with her little brother George and her parents. [3] She is voiced by Lily Snowden-Fine (series 1), Cecily Bloom (series 2), and Harley Bird (series 3-4). Peppa is four years old as shown in the episode My Birthday Party.
George Pig – He is Peppa’s little brother. He is in most episodes and often seen in possession of his toy dinosaur, which is named “Mr. Dinosaur.” He cries in many episodes with his trademark showers of tears and crying sound. Often when he cries it has to do with Peppa teasing him. George’s sounds are performed by Oliver and Alice May. George is two years old as shown in the episode George’s Birthday.
Mummy Pig – Mummy Pig is Peppa and George’s mother and Daddy Pig’s wife. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks . Mummy Pig does some work from home on a computer. She also worked as a firefighter in series 3.
Daddy Pig – Daddy Pig is Peppa and George’s father and Mummy Pig’s husband. He works as an architect, as shown in the episode The New House. He is voiced by Richard Ridings .
Grandpa Pig — Grandpa Pig is Mummy Pig’s father. He loves gardening and sailing. Although the two fight in a few episodes, he’s best friends with Granddad Dog. He has a trackless train named Gertrude. He is voiced by David Graham .
Granny Pig — Granny Pig is Mummy Pig’s mother. She is a fan of perfume. She grows apples in an orchard near her house along with vegetables in her own garden next to her house. She has four chickens, and she is voiced by Frances White .
Uncle Pig – Uncle Pig is Daddy Pig’s brother, and is Aunty Pig’s husband and Chloe and Baby Alexander’s father. He is voiced by John Sparkes who also narrates the series.
Auntie Pig – Auntie Pig is Uncle Pig’s wife and Chloe and Baby Alexander’s mother. She is voiced by Alison Snowden (series 1-2) and Judy Flynn (series 3-4).
Chloe Pig – Chloe Pig is Peppa and George’s cousin, she is also Baby Alexander’s sister. Her friends are Belinda Bear and Simon Squirrel, but they like to tease Peppa. She is 8 years old, and wears a yellow dress. She is voiced by Eloise May (series 1-2), Abigail Daniels (series 3-4) and Zara Siddiqi (series 4).
Alexander Pig – Baby Alexander Pig is Chloe’s baby brother. His first word was puddle. He is voiced by Oliver May (series 2), Harley Bird (series 3) and Minnie Driver (series 4).
Dottie Pig — Auntie Dottie is Peppa and George’s great-aunt who sent “Horsey Twinkle Toes”. It is unknown what she looks like and does not have a voice actor since she is never shown.
The Rabbits[ edit ]
Rebecca Rabbit – She is Peppa’s friend from playgroup. She is the big sister of Richard and their twin baby sister and brother, Rosie and Robbie. She turns red easily. She is voiced by Hazel Rudd (series 1), Bethan Lindsay (series 2) and Alice May (series 3-4).
Richard Rabbit – Rebecca’s younger brother and the twins’ big brother. He is George’s best friend, he has a fuss about things and cries a bit like George. In some episodes he is seen crying with George. He is voiced by Zoe Baker.
Miss Rabbit – Miss Rabbit appears to have many jobs at the same time, including bus driver , supermarket assistant, librarian , helicopter pilot, firefighter , ice cream seller, shoe shop assistant, nurse, car crusher, ticket seller, china shop worker and works on a moon shop, but she loves her jobs. She is Mummy Rabbit’s sister, she is Rebecca, Richard, Rosie, and Robby’s aunt. She is voiced by Sarah Ann Kennedy .
Mummy Rabbit – Rebecca’s, Richard’s, Rosie’s and Robbie’s mother. She is also Miss Rabbit’s twin sister. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks and Sarah Ann Kennedy .
Daddy Rabbit a.k.a. Mr Rabbit – Rebecca’s, Richard’s, and the twins’ father. He works with Daddy Pig and Mrs Cat in a top floor office. He appears to be a station master, manager of the museum and ice cream seller in some episodes. He is Daddy Pig’s best friend. He is voiced by John Sparkes .
Grampy Rabbit – Rebecca’s, Richard’s, and the twins’ maternal grandfather and Mummy Rabbit’s and Miss Rabbit’s father. He likes cheese. He is voiced by Brian Blessed . He likes cheese as shown in the episode where he gets stranded on an island.
Rosie Rabbit — Rebecca’s and Richard’s twin baby sister. She was born in “Mummy Rabbit’s Bump.”
Robbie Rabbit — Rebecca’s and Richard’s twin baby brother. He was born in “Mummy Rabbit’s Bump.”
The Sheep[ edit ]
Suzy Sheep – Suzy is a sheep and is Peppa’s very best friend. She wears a pink dress. She has an imaginary friend named Leo Lion . She dresses like a nurse. She’s allegedly bossy and keeps telling people what to do but she thinks Peppa is the one who is telling people what to do. Suzy is voiced by Meg Hall.
Mummy Sheep a.k.a. Mrs Sheep – Mummy Sheep is the mother of Suzy. She wears a dark pink dress. She is best friends with Mummy Pig. Mummy Sheep is voiced by Debbie MacDonald.
The Cats[ edit ]
Candy Cat – Candy is a cat and is one of Peppa’s friends. She wears a turquoise dress. Candy Cat is voiced by Daisy Rudd (series 1), Emma Weston (series 2) and Zara Siddiqi (series 3-4).
Mrs Cat a.k.a. Mummy Cat – Mrs Cat is the mother of Candy and a colleague of Daddy Pig. She is 33 according to the episode “Dr Hamster’s Tortoise”. She wears a light red dress, Mrs Cat is voiced by Morwenna Banks (series 2) and Leila Farzad (series 3-4).
Mr Cat a.k.a. Daddy Cat – Mr Cat is the father of Candy. He is often seen in series 3 and 4. He wears an indigo shirt and has dark fur. He has whiskwhiskers
The Dogs[ edit ]
Danny Dog – Danny is one of Peppa’s friends. Danny is voiced by George Woolford (series 1-2) and Jadon Mills (series 3-4).
Mummy Dog a.k.a. Mrs Dog – Mummy Dog is the mother of Danny Dog. She is voiced by Debbie MacDonald (series 1) and Claire Waxler (series 2) and Judy Flynn (series 4).
Granddad Dog – Granddad Dog is the grandfather of Danny Dog. He is a mechanic and is very good at fixing cars. Even though they sometimes bicker about whose boat is better, Granddad Dog and Grandpa Pig are best friends. Granddad Dog is voiced by David Rintoul .
Daddy Dog a.k.a. Captain Dog — Daddy Dog is the father of Danny Dog and the son of Granddad Dog. Daddy Dog was one of the last characters make his debut on the show, not appearing until the middle of series four. Daddy Dog is voiced by Alexander Armstrong .
The Ponies[ edit ]
Pedro Pony – Pedro is a pony and is one of Peppa’s friends. He wears glasses and a yellow jacket. Pedro Pony is voiced by Harrison Oldroyd (series 1-2), Stanley Nickless (series 3-4), and in the episode “The Golden Boots” he was voiced by Sammy Price. Characterised by his love for sleep, Pedro can be occasionally forgetful or clumsy and slow to catch on but is otherwise knowledgeable in his areas of interest and always friendly. In many episodes he is late for playgroup. Peppa once kissed Pedro in her school’s play (from “School Play“). He is known for often wearing the wrong costume. Like in the episode “Gym Class” where he wears a superhero costume instead of his gym costume. He also is often found wearing a cowboy costume.
Mummy Pony a.k.a. Mrs Pony – Mummy Pony is the mother of Pedro. She wears a dark yellow dress. Mummy Pony is voiced by Kate Gribble (series 1), Madelyn Moore (series 2), Layla Lewis (series 2), Jemima Williams (series 3), Leila Farzad (series 4) and Judy Flynn (series 4).
Daddy Pony a.k.a. Mr Pony – Daddy Pony is the father of Pedro, and he is an optician. He wears glasses and also wears a green jacket. Daddy Pony is voiced by John Sparkes .
The Zebras[ edit ]
Zoe Zebra – Zoe is a zebra and is one of Peppa’s friends. She wears a light purple dress. In the episode “Teddy’s Day Out,” Zoe appears with her stuffed monkey who is named Monkey. Zoe Zebra is voiced by Sian Taylor.
Mummy Zebra a.k.a. Mrs Zebra – Mummy Zebra is the mother of Zoe, Zuzu and Zaza Zebra, she works with pottery, she wears a bright green dress. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Daddy Zebra a.k.a. Mr Zebra – Daddy Zebra is the father of Zoe, Zuzu and Zaza; he is a postman. Daddy Zebra is voiced by David Graham .
Zuzu & Zaza Zebra – Zuzu and Zaza are zebras and are Zoe’s little identical twin sisters. They are also George’s friends. They wear light pink dresses. As a result of them being younger than George, Richard, and Edmond, they do not appear at playgroup, and instead often appear at Zoe’s house. Zuzu and Zaza Zebra are voiced by Alice May.
The Elephants[ edit ]
Emily Elephant – Peppa’s friend from playgroup. She made her first appearance in the episode “Emily Elephant“. Her brother is Edmond Elephant, her father is Doctor Elephant, and her mother is Mummy Elephant. She can make the loudest sound out of all the children and often uses her trunk as an extra hand. She also has a toy frog as seen in “The Sleepover“. She is voiced by Julia Moss.
Edmond Elephant – Edmond is George’s friend. His sister is Emily, his father is Doctor Elephant and his mother is Mummy Elephant. Unlike George, Richard, Zuzu, Zaza and Didier, Edmond is highly intelligent; his high intelligence comes from his father, Doctor Elephant. Because of this, Edmond is a self-proclaimed clever clogs. He is two years old. Unlike George, Richard, Zuzu, Zaza and Didier, he speaks in full sentences. He is voiced by Jonny Butler. Edmond’s voice appears on the Peppa Pig Rocket kiddie ride.
Doctor Elephant a.k.a. Mr Elephant – He is Emily’s and Edmond’s father and the husband of Mummy Elephant. He wears a white shirt and bowtie and is voiced by Andy Hamilton .
Mummy Elephant – She is Emily’s and Edmond’s mother and she is the wife of Doctor Elephant.
The Donkeys[ edit ]
Delphine Donkey — Delphine is a donkey who appeared in the episodes “Pen Pal” and “Delphine Donkey”. She is Peppa Pig’s friend and pen pal from France . She is voiced by Nzilani Franq.
Didier Donkey — Didier is Delphine’s little brother. In a similar manner to how George loves his dinosaur, Didier loves his toy dragon. He is George’s friend from France . He is voiced by Aurelie Charbonnier.
Mr Donkey a.k.a. Papa Donkey — Mr Donkey is Delphine and Didier’s father and is a husband of Mrs Donkey. He is voiced by Jerome Haupert.
Mrs Donkey — is Delphine and Didier’s mother and is a wife of Mr Donkey.
The Foxes[ edit ]
Freddy Fox — is a friend of Peppa who has a very good sense of smell. His first appearance was in the episode “Freddy Fox“. He is voiced by Max Miller (series 3) and Jamie Oram (series 3-4).
Mr Fox — is Freddy’s father and is the owner of a shop that sells everything, usually in boxes of five, but sometimes as matching sets of three. He is voiced by John Sparkes .
Mrs Fox — is Freddy’s mother and Mr Fox’s wife.
The Kangaroos[ edit ]
Kylie Kangaroo — Kylie Kangaroo is a friend of Peppa and appears in the episode of same name. She is voiced by Macey Danger.
Joey Kangaroo — Joey Kangaroo is Kylie’s younger brother. He stays in Mummy Kangaroo’s pouch.
Mummy Kangaroo a.k.a. Mrs Kangaroo — Mummy Kangaroo is Kylie and Joey’s mother. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Daddy Kangaroo a.k.a. Mr Kangaroo — Daddy Kangaroo is Kylie and Joey’s father. He is voiced by Alexander Armstrong .
The Wolves[ edit ]
Mr. Wolf — is the father of Wendy Wolf and Mrs. Wolf’s husband. He is voiced by Alexander Armstrong .
Mrs. Wolf — is the mother of Wendy Wolf and Mr. Wolf’s wife.
Wendy Wolf — is Peppa’s friend after Daddy Pig designs a house for the Wolves and Mr. Bull builds it. She is voiced by Chaniya Mahon.
The Goats[ edit ]
Gabriella Goat — A friend of Peppa’s who lives in Italy . She gives The Pigs a tour of the village where she lives. She is voiced by Sonia Arapi .
Signor Goat — He takes care of the holiday house Peppa’s family stays for their holiday. He is the father of Gabriella Goat. He is voiced by Andrea Tran .
Uncle Goat — He bakes the pizza in Gabriella’s village. He is voiced by John Sparkes .
Auntie Goat — She runs a store in Gabriella’s town. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Other Characters[ edit ]
Peppa Pig at a personal appearance in the UK
Madame Gazelle — GiGi Gazelle is the teacher at Playgroup. She once played in a rock band called “The Rocking Gazelles” with two other gazelles who may be her sisters, as evidenced in “Madame Gazelle’s Leaving Party“. She taught all of the parents when they were children. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Mr Bull— Mr Bull is a bull who is a garbage man, a builder, a nurse (as seen in “Mummy Rabbit’s Bump“) and a tuba player. Mr Bull is also a taxi driver (as seen in the “Flying on Holiday” episode). He is voiced by David Rintoul .
Mr Potato — Mr Potato is all the kids’ favorite character from a TV show. He’s not an animal in disguise. He’s a real potato. He encourages the kids to exercise and eat healthy. His friends are Mrs Carrot, Sweet Cranberry and Little Sprout who are also real fruit and vegetables, as evidenced in “Mr Potato’s Christmas Show“. There is also a Mrs Potato, appearing only on Peppa’s Television with Mr Potato from series one until the beginning of series three. He is voiced by John Sparkes .
Doctor Brown Bear — Doctor Brown Bear is the doctor. He is voiced by David Rintoul .
Doctor Hamster — Doctor Hamster is the vet. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Mr Scarecrow — is Granny and Grandpa Pig’s scarecrow. He scares the birds who are trying to eat Grandpa’s seeds.
Snowman — is made by Peppa and George he\she is in the episode “snow”.
Mr Rhinoceros — Works with Mr Bull in the building/construction job.
Mr Labrador — Also works with Mr Bull in the building/construction job. He also runs the archery competition at the fair (as seen in “Funfair“).
Mrs Cow — A member of the “Mummies’ Fire Service”. She is voiced by Judy Flynn .
Mrs Potato — She is the wife of Mr Potato. Voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Captain Emergency — The pilot on the plane Peppa and her family fly on in the episode “Flying On Holiday”. Voiced by Dominic Byrne .
Belinda Bear — One of Chloe’s friends. In the episode “Chloe’s Big Friends“, she calls herself “B” for short. She is voiced by Zara Siddiqi.
Simon Squirrel — One of Chloe’s friends. In the episode “Chloe’s Big Friends“, he calls himself “Si” for short. He is voiced by Preston Nyman.
Policeman — He is voiced by Fernando Tiberini.
Father Christmas — One of the only two humans in the show. Shown in episodes “Peppa’s Christmas” “Santa’s Grotto”, “Santa’s Visit” and “Mr. Potato’s Christmas Show”
The Queen — One of the only two humans in the show. Shown in the episode “The Queen”
Pets[ edit ]
Tiddles the Tortoise; is Dr. Hamster’s pet tortoise. He is 33 as shown the episode “Dr. Hamster’s Tortoise”. He is known to climb trees as shown in “Miss Rabbit’s Helicopter” and “Naughty Tortoise”.
Steven the Stick Insect; is Pedro Pony’s pet stick insect and is shown in “The Pet Competition”.
Goldie the Goldfish; is Peppa Pig’s goldfish.
Hemydatulus Fanardus the Gecko; is Edmond Elephant’s pet gecko and is shown the episode “The Pet Competition”. His name is the scientific name for gecko. Edmond named him this since he is smart and a “clever clogs.”
Polly Parrot; Granny and Grandpa Pig’s parrot.
Episodes and DVD releases[ edit ]
Books[ edit ]
There is a line of Personalised books in which your child can be added into the story with Peppa and her friends. [4] There is also a series of books based on Peppa Pig, one of which, Peppa Meets the Queen was written to coincide with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Film[ edit ]
A 15-minute film called Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots [5] was released on 14 February 2015 [6] alongside several episodes of the TV series. [7] To date, it has grossed £2,326,328. [8]
Peppa Pig World Theme Park[ edit ]
Peppa Pig World a family theme park located in the New Forest, Hampshire, [9] opened on 9 April 2011 at Paultons Park, Hampshire, UK with 7 rides, an indoor play zone, a muddy puddles water splash park, smaller play areas and themed buildings.
Merchandise[ edit ]
Peppa Pig, the Entertainment One (eOne) brand, grossed over £200 million in UK merchandise sales in 2010, far exceeding the 2009 figure of £100 million. Additionally, for the first time in the brand’s history, NPD figures for the year reveal that Peppa Pig was the number one pre-school property in the total toy market for 2010 – moving up four places from its previous position in 2009. Now in its seventh year, new licensees continue to join the Peppa Pig licensing programme, which currently has 63 licensees on board. [10]
In addition to episode DVDs, a variety of licensed Peppa Pig products are available, play including video games and other toys such as playsets, playing cards, vehicles, and stuffed toys. Merchandise has also been expanded to include household items such as bathroom products, stationery, [11] bed-linens, food, drink, clothing, and jewellery. Licensees include Holland Publishing in the United Kingdom.
Criticism, controversy, and safety concerns[ edit ]
Comparison of identical frame in original (top) and re-edited versions of the Series 1 episode “Bicycles“, with cycle helmets added.
Peppa and her family did not wear safety belts in automobile scenes the first two series. After receiving several complaints, Astley Baker Davies announced that all future animation would include characters wearing safety belts, and that the relevant scenes in the first two series would be re-animated to include them. [12] Similar changes were also made to early episodes with characters riding bicycles to add cycle helmets , which were not included in the original versions. [13]
In April 2010, during the UK General Election campaign, E1 Entertainment confirmed Peppa would not be attending the launch of the UK Labour Party ‘s families manifesto “in the interests of avoiding any controversy or misunderstanding”. Peppa had previously been used to promote the Labour government’s Sure Start programme. [1]
In 2012, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation received a complaint that the episode “Mister Skinnylegs” was not appropriate for Australian audiences, since it encouraged befriending spiders. Given the toxicity and widespread distribution of some dangerous Australian spiders, notably the common Redback Spider , the complaint was upheld and the episode would no longer screen on the ABC. [14]
In late May 2014, the ABC’s Mark Scott expressed fears about the future of Peppa on Australian television, given Australian federal budget cuts to ABC funding that were said to affect its ability to pay for, and broadcast, overseas media products such as Peppa Pig. Australian media noted the character’s appeal to Australian toddlers and echoed concerns about the future of her Australian distribution rights. Australian Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce made reference to the character as a menu item at a Thai restaurant, while conservative columnist Piers Akerman thought that Peppa “pushes a weird feminist line”. [15] On 28 May 2014, then- Minister for Communications Malcolm Turnbull quelled fears about the future of Peppa Pig on Australian TV, by tweeting that: “Contrary to media rumours, Peppa’s is one snout we are happy to have in the ABC trough”. [16]
During September 2015, the cartoon once again entered the realm of political parody, as commentators referenced it when making light of the supposed Piggate scandal revolving around David Cameron . [17]
Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In
rowan and martin’s laugh in | Tumblr
Dan Rowan (left) and Dick Martin (right), 1968
Also known as
George Schlatter-Ed Friendly Productions in association with Romart Inc.
Distributor
January 22, 1968 (1968-01-22) – March 12, 1973 (1973-03-12)
Chronology
Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (often simply referred to as Laugh-In) is an American sketch comedy television program that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and featured, at various times, Chelsea Brown , Johnny Brown , Ruth Buzzi , Judy Carne , Richard Dawson , Moosie Drier , Henry Gibson , Teresa Graves , Goldie Hawn , Arte Johnson , Larry Hovis , Sarah Kennedy , Jeremy Lloyd , Dave Madden , Pigmeat Markham , Gary Owens , Pamela Rodgers, Barbara Sharma, Jud Strunk , Alan Sues , Lily Tomlin and Jo Anne Worley .
Laugh-In originally aired as a one-time special on September 9, 1967 and was such a success that it was brought back as a series, replacing The Man from U.N.C.L.E. on Mondays at 8 pm (ET). The title of the show was a play on the “ love-ins ” or “be-ins” of the 1960s hippie culture, terms that were, in turn, derived from “ sit-ins “, common in protests associated with civil rights and anti-war demonstrations of the time.
In 2002, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In was ranked #42 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . [1]
Contents
Background[ edit ]
Laugh-In had its roots in the humor of vaudeville and burlesque , but its most direct influences were from the comedy of Olsen and Johnson (specifically, their free-form Broadway revue Hellzapoppin’ ), the innovative television works of Ernie Kovacs , and the topical satire of That Was The Week That Was . The show was characterized by a rapid-fire series of gags and sketches, many of which conveyed sexual innuendo or were politically charged. The co-hosts continued the exasperated straight man (Rowan) and “dumb” guy (Martin) act which they had established as nightclub comics.
Main article: List of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In episodes
Each episode followed a somewhat similar format, often including recurring sketches. The show started with a short dialogue between Rowan and Martin. Shortly afterward, Rowan would intone: “C’mon Dick, let’s go to the party”. This live to tape segment comprised all cast members and occasional surprise celebrities dancing before a 1960s “ Mod ” party backdrop, delivering one- and two-line jokes interspersed with a few bars of dance music (later adopted on The Muppet Show , which had a recurring segment that was similar to “The Cocktail Party” with absurd moments from characters). The show then proceeded through rapid-fire comedy bits, pre-taped segments, and recurring sketches. The Cocktail Party was similar in format to the “Word Dance” segments of A Thurber Carnival .
At the end of every show, Dan Rowan turned to his co-host and said, “Say good night, Dick”, to which Martin replied, “Good night, Dick!”. The show then featured cast members opening panels in a psychedelically -painted “joke wall” and telling jokes. As the show drew to a close and the applause died, executive producer George Schlatter’s solitary clapping continued even as the screen turned blank and the production logo, network chimes, and NBC logo appeared.
Although most episodes include most of the above segments, the arrangement of the segments was often interchanged.
The show often featured guest stars. Sometimes the guest had a prominent spot in the program, at other times the guest would pop in for short “quickies” (one- or two-line jokes) interspersed throughout the show – as was done most famously by Richard Nixon , when running for president.
Rita Hayworth reprised her Sadie Thompson character on the show in 1971
Pilot and Season 1[ edit ]
Season 2[ edit ]
The second season saw a handful of new people, including Alan Sues , Dave Madden , and Chelsea Brown . All of the new cast members from the second season left at the end of that season, except Alan Sues who stayed on until 1972.
At the end of the 1968–69 season, Judy Carne chose not to renew her contract, though she did make appearances during 1969–70; producer George Schlatter blamed her for breaking up the “family.” The show also survived the departures of popular regulars Goldie Hawn and Jo Anne Worley to remain a top-20 show in 1970–71. Schlatter tried to replace Hawn with other wide-eyed starlets acting dumb: first Pamela Rodgers, then Sarah Kennedy , and finally Donna Jean Young, but Hawn’s ditzy characterization proved inimitable.
Seasons 3, 4, and 5[ edit ]
The third season saw several new people who only stayed on for that season, Teresa Graves , Jeremy Lloyd , Pamela Rodgers, and Stu Gilliam. Lily Tomlin joined in the middle of the season. Jo Anne Worley, Goldie Hawn, and Judy Carne left after the season.
New faces in the 1970–71 season included tall, sad-eyed Dennis Allen, who alternately played quietly zany characters and straight man for anybody’s jokes; comic actress Ann Elder , who also contributed to scripts, tap dancer Barbara Sharma, who would later appear on Rhoda , and beefy Johnny Brown, who played the superintendent Nathan “Buffalo Butt” Bookman on Good Times .
Arte Johnson, who created many memorable characters, insisted on star billing, apart from the rest of the cast. The producer mollified him, but had announcer Gary Owens read Johnson’s credit as a separate sentence: “Starring Dan Rowan and Dick Martin! And Arte Johnson! With Ruth Buzzi …” This maneuver gave Johnson star billing, but made it sound like he was still part of the ensemble cast. Johnson left the show after the 1970–71 season. NBC aired the pilot for his situation comedy Call Holme, but it never became a series.
Henry Gibson also departed after the 1970–71 season. He and Johnson were replaced by Hogan’s Heroes stars Richard Dawson and Larry Hovis , both of whom had appeared occasionally in the first season. However, the loss of Johnson’s many popular characters caused ratings to drop farther. The show celebrated its 100th episode during the 1971–72 season, with Carne, Worley, Johnson, Gibson, Graves, and Tiny Tim all returning for the festivities. John Wayne was also on hand for his first cameo appearance since 1968.
Season 6[ edit ]
For the show’s final season (1972–73), Rowan and Martin assumed the executive producer roles from George Schlatter (known on-air as “CFG,” which stood for “Crazy Fucking George”) and Ed Friendly . Except for holdovers Dawson, Owens, Buzzi, and only occasional appearances from Tomlin, a new cast was brought in. This final season featured future Match Game panelist Patti Deutsch , folksy singer-comedian Jud Strunk , and ventriloquist act Willie Tyler and Lester. Deutsch, Strunk, and Tyler caught on to the spirit of the show and made valuable contributions. (Deutsch did celebrity impressions — in the presence of the celebrity — and took over Worley’s role in “The Farkel Family.”) The shows were still amusing, but without the usual roster of regulars, viewers no longer responded as they once had.
These last shows never aired in the edited half-hour rerun syndicated (through Lorimar Productions ) to local stations in 1983 and later on Nick at Nite . The cable network Trio started airing the show in its original one-hour form in the early 2000s, but only the pilot and the first 69 episodes (extending to the fourth episode of the 1970–71 season) were included in Trio’s package. Two “Best-of” DVD packages are also available; they only contain six episodes each.
Of over three dozen entertainers to grace the cast, only Rowan, Martin, Owens and Buzzi were there from beginning to end. However, Owens was not in the 1967 pilot and Buzzi missed two first-season episodes.
Lily Tomlin and Goldie Hawn later became noted film stars: Hawn won an Academy Award while still a member of the cast; Tomlin was later nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1975 for Nashville . Hawn and Eileen Brennan co-starred in the 1980 film Private Benjamin , for which both received Academy Award nominations. Henry Gibson later co-starred in the Robert Altman film Nashville and was nominated for a Golden Globe . Ruth Buzzi became a regular on the Sesame Street children’s television series and would star in a Canadian-inspired version of Laugh-In called Whatever Turns You On, which itself was the basis for yet another Laugh-In-inspired series, You Can’t Do That On Television . Dave Madden , whose trademark was to throw confetti (representing an unspoken impure thought) while keeping a dour expression at the punchline of a joke, played Reuben Kincaid on the television sitcom The Partridge Family . Richard Dawson , who previously had a regular supporting role on the sitcom Hogan’s Heroes , went on to success on the game shows Match Game and Family Feud . Larry Hovis , also a regular on Hogan’s Heroes, appeared on Laugh-In during the first and the fifth seasons. Teresa Graves parlayed her season on the show into the title role of the police drama Get Christie Love! Flip Wilson took Geraldine and his other characters to his own variety show from 1970 through 1974.
Season 1 (1968): Eileen Brennan , Judy Carne , Henry Gibson , Goldie Hawn , Larry Hovis , Arte Johnson , Roddy Maude-Roxby , Jo Anne Worley
Season 2 (1968–69): Judy Carne, Henry Gibson, Goldie Hawn, Arte Johnson, Jo Anne Worley, Alan Sues , Charlie Brill and Mitzi McCall (“The Fun Couple”), Chelsea Brown , Dave Madden , Pigmeat Markham , Dick “Sweet Brother” Whittington, Byron Gilliam (uncredited)
Season 3 (1969–70): Judy Carne, Henry Gibson, Goldie Hawn, Arte Johnson, Jo Anne Worley, Alan Sues, Lily Tomlin , Byron Gilliam, Teresa Graves , Jeremy Lloyd , Pamela Rodgers, Stu Gilliam, Johnny Brown
Season 4 (1970–71): Henry Gibson, Arte Johnson, Alan Sues, Lily Tomlin, Johnny Brown, Dennis Allen, Ann Elder, Nancie Phillips, Barbara Sharma, Harvey Jason , Richard Dawson
Season 5 (1971–72): Lily Tomlin, Larry Hovis, Alan Sues, Byron Gilliam (dancer only), Johnny Brown, Dennis Allen, Ann Elder, Barbara Sharma, Richard Dawson
Season 6 (1972–73): Lily Tomlin, Richard Dawson, Moosie Drier , Tod Bass, Brian Bressler, Patti Deutsch , Lisa Farringer, Sarah Kennedy, Jud Strunk , Willie Tyler , Donna Jean Young
John Wayne and Tiny Tim help Laugh-In celebrate its 100th episode in 1971.
Regular guest performers[ edit ]
Laugh-In writers included: George Schlatter, Jack Mendelsohn , Lorne Michaels , Phil Hahn, Jim Mulligan, Jack Hanrahan , Gene Farmer, Jim Abell , Bill Richmond , Don Reo , Allan Katz , Jack Wohl, Larry Siegel , John Rappaport, Allan Manings , Jack Margolis, Bob Howard, John Jay Carsey, Richard Goren (also credited as Rowby Greeber and Rowby Goren ), Chris Bearde (credited as Chris Beard), Chet Dowling, David Panich, Marc London, Paul Keyes, [2] Dave Cox, Jack Kaplan, Stephen Spears, Hugh Wedlock Jr., Coslough Johnson (Arte Johnson’s younger brother), Hart Pomerantz , Barry Took , Digby Wolfe , Jeremy Lloyd .
Musical direction and production numbers[ edit ]
The musical director for Laugh-In was Ian Bernard . He wrote the opening theme music, plus the infamous “What’s the news across the nation” number. He also wrote all the musical “play-ons” that introduced comedy sketches like Lilly Tomlin ‘s character, Edith Ann, the little girl who sat in a giant rocking chair, and Arte Johnson ‘s old man who always got hit with a purse. He also appeared in many of the cocktail scenes where he directed the band as they stopped and started between jokes. Composer-lyricist Billy Barnes wrote all of the original musical production numbers in the show. Barnes was the creator of the famous Billy Barnes Revues of the 1950s and 1960s, and composed such popular hits as “ (Have I Stayed) Too Long at the Fair “, recorded by Barbra Streisand and the jazz standard “ Something Cool ” recorded by June Christy .
Post-production[ edit ]
The show was recorded at NBC ‘s Burbank facility using two-inch quadruplex videotape . Since computer-controlled online editing had not been invented at the time, post-production video editing of the montage was achieved by the error-prone method of visualizing the recorded track with ferrofluid and cutting it with a razor blade or guillotine cutter and splicing with video tape , in a manner similar to film editing . This had the incidental benefit of ensuring that the master tape would be preserved, since a spliced tape could not be recycled for further use. Laugh-In Editor Arthur Schneider won an Emmy Award in 1968 for his pioneering use of the “ jump cut ” – the unique editing style in which a sudden cut from one shot to another was made without a fade-out.
When the series was restored for airing by the Trio Cable Network in 1996, the aforementioned edits became problematic for the editors as the adhesive used on the source tape had deteriorated during 20+ years of storage; making many of the visual elements at the edit points unusable. This was corrected in digital re-editing by removing the problematic video at the edit point and then slowing down the video image just before the edit point; time-expanding the slowed-down section long enough to allot enough time to seamlessly re-insert the audio portion from the removed portion of video.
Recurring sketches and characters[ edit ]
Rowan and Martin with Judy Carne in 1967
Sketches[ edit ]
Frequently recurring Laugh-In sketches included:
Judy Carne was often tricked into saying “Sock it to me”, which led to her being doused with water or otherwise assaulted. (“It may be rice wine to you, but it’s still sake to me!”)
“The Mod, Mod World” segment, with its own signature tune, comprised brief sketches on a theme interspersed with film footage of female cast members go-go dancing in bikinis , their bodies painted with punchy phrases and pithy wordplay. The dancers were usually Goldie Hawn , Judy Carne and Chelsea Brown ; and occasionally Ruth Buzzi and Jo Anne Worley , as well as frequent guest Pamela Austin. In the 1969–1970 season, the chore was handled briefly by new cast members Teresa Graves and Pamela Rodgers, before the go-go dancing became the domain of uncredited extras. Beginning with the 1969–1970 season, a cast member would occasionally say a one-liner as well while the dancing took place.
The Farkel Family, a couple with many children — all of whom have flaming red hair and freckles like “good friend and trusty neighbor” Ferd Berfel (played by Dick Martin). Head of the family Frank Farkel (Rowan) never questioned this fact when Ferd visited. Most plots were excuses to force the cast into alliterative tongue-twisters (“That’s a fine-looking Farkel flinger you found there, Frank”). Bespectacled baby daughter Flicker Farkel (played by Buzzi) had no lines, except screaming “Hiiii!” Two of the children were twins named Simon and Gar Farkel , played by cast members of different races — originally Goldie Hawn and Chelsea Brown, later Pamela Rodgers and Teresa Graves. This sketch was a variation on the Milkman joke , as it pertained to why the children looked like Berfel.
The Judge. Originally portrayed by British comic Roddy Maude-Roxby as a stuffy magistrate with black robe and powdered wig. Each “Judge” sketch would feature an unfortunate defendant brought before the court. Guest star Flip Wilson introduced the sketch with “Here come de judge!,” the venerable catchphrase of black nightclub comedian Pigmeat Markham . Markham was surprised that his trademark had been appropriated, and he petitioned producer George Schlatter to let him play The Judge himself. Schlatter complied and Markham sat atop the bench for one season. The sketches were briefly retired until another guest star, Sammy Davis, Jr. , donned the judicial robe and wig. Davis immediately made The Judge his own, using a drawling dialect reminiscent of “Kingfish” Tim Moore , and enthusiastically playing every courtroom scene broadly. Davis even introduced his own sketches, strutting across a bare stage in Judge regalia and chanting in couplets (“If your lawyer’s sleepin’, better give him a nudge! Everybody look alive, ’cause here come de judge! Here come de judge!” — followed by a cutaway of the entire cast announcing “Order in the courtroom — here come de judge!”).
“Laugh-In Looks at the News”, a parody of network news , introduced by an unjournalistic song and dance chorus line including the female cast members, and often a female guest celebrity (or on one occasion, Don Rickles in a tutu). It comments on current events. The segment often included “News of the Past” which lampooned historical events, and “News of the Future”, predicting unlikely or bizarre future stories to comic effect. Rowan actually nailed some, mentioning “President Ronald Reagan ” in a story from “1988, 20 years from now,” as well as a future item “from 1989,” the fall of the Berlin Wall (replaced by East Germany with “a moat full of alligators”). The news segment is reminiscent of BBC’s earlier That Was the Week That Was and in turn, was echoed a few years later by Saturday Night Live ‘s “Weekend Update” segments. Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels was a Laugh-In writer early in his career.
New Talent Time, introduced oddball variety acts. The most famous of these performers was Tiny Tim . Comedian Paul Gilbert , father of actress Melissa Gilbert , appears as inept “French” juggler “Paul Gilbert” (pronounced “jheel-bare” in the French manner). Comic Art Metrano appears as “The Great Metrano,” a so-called magician who had no skill at all. The Legendary Stardust Cowboy appears once in 1968. Laugh-In writer Chris Bearde liked the “New Talent” concept and later developed it into The Gong Show .
The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate Award, saluted actual dubious achievements by the government or famous people, such as the announcement of a new Veterans Administration hospital to be erected in Southern California shortly after another such facility was destroyed in the 1971 San Fernando earthquake . The trophy is a gilt, outstretched finger atop a square base. “The flying, fickle finger of fate” was already a familiar catchphrase on the show (Dan Rowan would use the phrase when ushering “new talent” like Tiny Tim on stage).
Henny Youngman would appear to tell one-liner jokes for apparently no reason. Often, corny one-liners would be followed by the line, “Oh, that Henny Youngman!”
“Quickies”, a series of rapid-fire sketches.
Opening NBC logo — the Laramie Peacock became animated by sneezing at the end, causing its feathers to fly off.
Characters[ edit ]
Dan Rowan , in addition to hosting, appears as a character known as General Bull Right, a far-right-wing representative of the military establishment and outlet for political humor.
Announcer Gary Owens regularly stands in an old-time radio studio with his hand cupped over his ear, making announcements, often with little relation to the rest of the show, such as (in an overly-dramatic voice), “Earlier that evening…”
Arte Johnson ‘s characters:
Wolfgang the German soldier – Wolfgang would comment on the previous gag by saying “Verrry interesting”, sometimes with comments such as “…but shtupid!” He eventually would close each show by talking to Lucille Ball as well as the cast of Gunsmoke — both airing opposite Laugh-In on CBS ; as well as whatever was on ABC . Johnson would later repeat the line while playing Nazi-themed supervillain Virman Vundabar on an episode of Justice League Unlimited . Johnson would also reprise his Wolfgang character for a series of small introductory skits with a plant on 3-2-1-Contact , during the “Growth/Decay” week.
Tyrone F. Horneigh (pronounced “hor-NIGH,” presumably to satisfy the censors) – A dirty old man coming on to Gladys Ormphby (Ruth Buzzi) seated on a park bench, who almost invariably clobbers him with her purse. (Both Tyrone and Gladys became animated characters in the “Nitwits” segments of the 1977 animated television show, Baggy Pants and the Nitwits .) A sample exchange:
Tyrone: Do you believe in the hereafter?
Gladys: Of course I do!
Tyrone: Good. Then you know what I’m here after!
Piotr Rosmenko, the Eastern European Man, who stands stiffly and nervously in an ill-fitting suit while commenting on differences between America and “the old country,” such as “Here in America, is very good, everyone watch television. In old country, television watches you!” This type of joke has come to be known as the Russian reversal . Occasionally guest star Sammy Davis, Jr. teamed with Johnson as “The Rosmenko Twins”.
Rabbi Shankar (a pun on Ravi Shankar ), an Indian guru who dresses in a Nehru jacket dispensing pseudo- mystical Eastern wisdom laden with bad puns. He holds up two fingers in a peace sign whenever he spoke.
Unnamed character in yellow raincoat and hat, riding a tricycle then falling over; frequently used between sketches.
Ruth Buzzi ‘s characters:
Gladys Ormphby – A drab, though relatively young spinster who is the eternal target of Arte Johnson’s Tyrone; when Johnson left the series, Gladys retreated into recurring daydreams, often involving marriages to historical figures, including Christopher Columbus and Benjamin Franklin (both played by Alan Sues ). She would typically hit people repeatedly with her purse. The character was re-created, along with Tyrone, in Baggy Pants and the Nitwits. Buzzi also performed as Gladys on Sesame Street and The Dean Martin Show , most notably in the Celebrity Roasts.
Doris Swizzle – A seedy barfly paired with her husband, Leonard Swizzle, played by Dick Martin.
Henry Gibson ‘s recurring roles:
The Poet who would hold an over-sized flower and read offbeat poems. He pronounces his name “ Henrik Ibsen “.
The Parson – A character who makes ecclesiastical quips and, in 1970, officiates at a near-marriage for Tyrone and Gladys.
Goldie Hawn is best known as the giggling “ dumb blonde “, stumbling over her lines, especially when she introduced Dan’s “News of the Future”. In the earliest episodes she recited her dialogue sensibly and in her own voice, but as the series progressed she adopted a Dumb Dora character with a higher-pitched giggle and a vacant expression, which endeared her to viewers.
The Tasteful Lady entertains Rita Hayworth, 1971
Lily Tomlin ‘s characters:
Ernestine/Miss Tomlin – An obnoxious telephone operator with no concern for her customers (“‘Fair’? Sir, we don’t have to be fair. We’re the phone company.”).
Edith Ann – A child who ends each of her short monologues with: “And that’s the truth”, followed by “ Pbbbt! ” . Tomlin performs her skits in an over-sized rocking chair that makes her appear small.
Mrs. Earbore (the “tasteful lady”) – A prim society matron, Mrs. Earbore would express quiet disapproval about a tasteless joke or remark, and then rise from her chair with her legs spread, and sometimes gets doused with a bucket of water. Tomlin later performed Ernestine for Saturday Night Live and Happy New Year, America (hosting the latter in character), and Edith Ann on children’s shows such as Sesame Street and The Electric Company .
Judy Carne had two characters known for their robotic speech and movement:
Mrs. Robot in “Robot Theater” – A female companion to Arte Johnson’s “Mr. Robot”, both equally inept, are a satire of Shields and Yarnell (popular mimes of the period) who performed a routine as a robotic couple called, “The Clinkers”.
The talking Judy Doll, who is usually played with by Arte Johnson, who never heeded her warning: “Touch my little body, and I hit you!”
Jo Anne Worley sometimes sings off-the-wall songs using her loud operatic voice, but is better remembered for her mock outrage at “chicken jokes” and her melodic outcry of “Bo-ring!”.
Alan Sues usually appears as:
Big Al – A clueless and fey sports anchor who loves ringing his “Featurette” bell, which he calls his “tinkle.”
Uncle Al, the Kiddies’ Pal – short-tempered host of a children’s show, who usually goes on the air with a hangover: “Oh, kiddies, Uncle Al had too much medicine last night.”
Jo Anne Worley. One of the very few times a Laugh-In cast member imitated a fellow cast member, Sues would pose in Worley’s makeup and wardrobe and imitate her clarion-call “Bo-ring!”
Boomer – self-absorbed “jock” bragging about his athletic exploits.
Barbara Sharma, as the dancing meter-maid who tickets anything from trees to baby carriages, and often praises vice president Spiro Agnew, calling him ‘Pres-ee-dent Agnew.’
Richard Dawson appears as Hawkins the Butler, who would always start his piece by asking “Permission to…?” and proceed to fall over.
Flip Wilson would appear as his character, the female Geraldine, originating the catchphrases “ What you see is what you get ” and “The devil made me do it”. Geraldine would often use them to excuse her quirky behavior.
The first season featured some of the first music videos seen on network TV, with cast members appearing in films set to the music of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band , the Bee Gees , the Temptations , the Strawberry Alarm Clock and the First Edition .
The show gave prominence to singer Tiny Tim , a gawky man with long, dark hair, a prominent nose, and a cheap suit. During the “New Talent Time” segment, he sang in falsetto while accompanying himself on ukulele . Dick Martin would often be shown alongside Tiny Tim, reacting to the performance. Future new-talent bits had Martin warily asking Rowan, “You’re not gonna bring back Tiny Tim, are you?” Tiny Tim was really Herbert Khaury, a serious scholar of Tin Pan Alley tunes who hit upon this strangely humorous characterization. Thanks to appearances on the show, he recorded a falsetto version of the 1920s song “ Tiptoe Through the Tulips ” which became a top-40 hit. Tiny Tim was later married on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to Victoria Budinger , who was known as Miss Vicki.
During the September 16, 1968, episode, Richard Nixon , running for president, appeared for a few seconds with a disbelieving vocal inflection, asking “Sock it to me?” Nixon was not doused or assaulted. An invitation was extended to Nixon’s opponent, Vice-President Hubert Humphrey , but he declined. [3] According to George Schlatter , the show’s creator, “Humphrey later said that not doing it may have cost him the election “, and “[Nixon] said the rest of his life that appearing on Laugh-In is what got him elected. And I believe that. And I’ve had to live with that.” [4]
Catchphrases[ edit ]
In addition to those already mentioned, the show created numerous catchphrases:
A six-note pattern preceding a code-word or punchline to an off-color joke, such as “do-doo-doo-da-do-doo … smack!” or “… family jewels!” (sometimes extended to 16 notes by repeating the GGGDEC pattern two more times before the code-word). This same musical phrase had been used as a “signature” at the end of many pieces played by Spike Jones and his City Slickers and on the theme song for the children’s series You Can’t Do That on Television .
“I didn’t know that.” ( Dick Martin ‘s occasional response to what happened on an episode)
“Easy for you to say!’ ( Dan Rowan ‘s reply whenever Dick Martin tripped on his tongue during a joke)
“Ohhh, I’ll drink to that.” (Martin’s response to something Rowan said that he liked.)
“I was wondering if you’d mind if I said something my aunt once said to me.” A phrase that Dick Martin would always say to interrupt Dan Rowan’s announcements on what would happen during their next show; this phrase was followed by a story about a bizarre situation that his aunt went through.
“Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls ! (a lesser-known set of reference books whose phonetically funny name helped both Laugh-In and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to poke fun at NBC censors)
“Go to your room.”
“Uncle Al had to take a lot of medicine last night” (line by Uncle Al, the Kiddies’ Pal, played by Alan Sues)
“You bet your sweet bippy!”
“Here come de judge!” (reprising comedian Pigmeat Markham and further popularized by guest stars Flip Wilson and especially Sammy Davis Jr. ). Pontiac used the phrase for a high-performance version of its GTO muscle car, calling it “ The Judge .”
“Beautiful downtown Burbank ” (various actors/characters, referring tongue-in-cheek to the Los Angeles suburb in which the NBC studios (and thus the program) were located; the same term was frequently used by Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson).
“‘Ello, ‘ello! NBC, beautiful downtown Burbank” (the response to calls received by a switchboard operator played by Judy Carne ). When the series was syndicated in 1983, the NBC logo and the network’s name were edited out.
“And that’s the truth.” (Edith Ann, summarizing whatever she just said, and capping it with a juicy raspberry)
“One ringy-dingy…two ringy-dingies…” (Ernestine’s mimicking of the rings while she was waiting for someone to pick up the receiver on the other end of the telephone lines)
“A gracious good afternoon. This is Miss Tomlin of the telephone company. Have I reached the party to whom I am speaking?” Ernestine’s greeting to people whom she would call
“I just wanna swing!” Gladys Ormphby’s catchphrase
“Is that a chicken joke?” Jo Anne Worley ‘s outraged cry, a takeoff on Polish jokes
“Here comes the big finish, folk!” (usually before the last of a series of a star’s bad puns)
“Sock it to me!” experienced its greatest exposure on Laugh-In although the phrase had been featured in songs like Aretha Franklin ‘s 1967 “Respect” and Mitch Ryder’s 1966 “Sock It To Me, Baby!”
“Oh, that Henny Youngman “
“ Marshall McLuhan …what’re you doin’?” (Henry Gibson)
“I don’t know. I’ve never been out with one!” (First introduced by guest star Marcel Marceau , this catch-all punchline would be uttered by any guest star. Goldie: “Are you of the opposite sex?”
Tiny Tim: “I don’t know, Miss Goldie, I’ve never been out with one.”)
“Blow in my ear and I’ll follow you anywhere.”
“Now, that’s a no-no!”
“Tune in next week when Henny Youngman’s wife burns Jell-O !”
“If [so-and-so] married [what’s-his-name], divorced him and married {etc.}” The purpose being to try to set up a tongue-twister, involving the last names of celebrities. Example: “If Rosemary Clooney married Regis Toomey, divorced him and married Mickey Rooney, divorced him and married Paul Muni, divorced him and re-married Regis Toomey, she’d be Rosemary Clooney Toomey Rooney Muni Toomey!” Sometimes, the punchline results would be take-offs of songs or plays or products: “If Kaye Ballard married former astronaut Wally Schirra, divorced him, married his brother, she’d be [singing “Que Sera, Sera”] Kaye Schirra Schirra.”
“ Morgul the Friendly Drelb ” (a pink Abominable Snowman -like character that appeared in the first episode and bombed so badly that his name was used in various announcements by Gary Owens for the rest of the series (usually at the end of the opening cast list, right after Owens himself: “Yours truly, Gary Owens, and Morgul as the Friendly Drelb!”) and credited as the author of a paperback collection of the show’s sketches)
“That’s the most beautiful thing I ever heard.”
“Ring my chimes!”
“Want a Walnetto ?”, was a pick-up line Tyrone would try on Gladys, which always resulted in a purse drubbing.
“We have to stop meeting like this. My wife’s getting suspicious.” (or some other variant form of the phrase)
Merchandise tie-ins and spin-offs[ edit ]
A humor magazine tie-in, Laugh-In Magazine, was published for one year (12 issues: October 1968 through October 1969—no issue was published December 1968), and a syndicated newspaper comic strip was drawn by Roy Doty and eventually collected for a paperback reprint.
The Laugh-In trading cards from Topps had a variety of items, such as a card with a caricature of Jo Anne Worley with a large open mouth. With a die-cut hole, the card became interactive; a finger could be inserted through the hole to simulate Worley’s tongue. Little doors opened on Joke Wall cards to display punchlines.
On Letters to Laugh-In , a short-lived spin-off daytime show hosted by Gary Owens, cast members read jokes sent in by viewers.
The comedy film The Maltese Bippy featured several actors from the series.
The General Motors Corporation produced a specially modified Pontiac GTO called “The Judge” to capitalize on the phrase’s popularity. “The Judge” was available in 1969, 1970 and 1971.
In 1969, Sears, Roebuck and Company produced a 15-minute short, Freeze-In, which starred series regulars Judy Carne and Arte Johnson . Made to capitalize on the popularity of the series, the short was made for Sears salesmen to introduce the new Kenmore freezer campaign. A dancing, bikini-clad Carne provided the opening titles with tattoos on her body. [5]
Between 2003 and 2004, Rhino Entertainment released two Best Of releases of the show, each containing six episodes.
Two LPs of material from the show were released: the first on Epic Records (FXS-15118, 1968); the second, entitled “Laugh-In ’69,” on Reprise Records (RS 6335, 1969).
Baskin-Robbins marketed a chocolate flavour variant named “Here Comes the Fudge” in tribute to the show’s popularity and the courtroom skits.
TV season, ranking, average viewers per episode
1967–1968: #21 (21.3) [6]
1968–1969: #1 (31.8) [7]
1969–1970: #1 (26.3) [8]
1970–1971: #13 (22.4) [9]
1971–1972: #22 (21.4) [10]
1972–1973: Not in the Top 30 [11]
Revival[ edit ]
In 1977, Schlatter and NBC briefly revived the property as a series of specials – titled simply Laugh-In – with a new cast, including former child evangelist Marjoe Gortner . The standout was a then-unknown Robin Williams , whose starring role on ABC’s Mork & Mindy one year later prompted NBC to rerun the specials as a summer series in 1979. Also featured were Wayland and Madame as well as his other puppet, “Jiffy”; former Barney Miller actress, June Gable ; and Good Times actor Ben Powers . Rowan and Martin, who owned part of the Laugh-In franchise, were not involved in this project. They sued Schlatter for using the format without their permission, and won a judgment of $4.6 million in 1980.
Awards and honors[ edit ]
1971: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety or Music, Mark Warren (episode #4.7)
1970: Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement – Individuals, Goldie Hawn
1969: Special Classification Achievements – Individuals (Variety Performances), Arte Johnson
1968: Outstanding Musical or Variety Program, George Shlatter (for the September 9, 1967 special)
1968: Outstanding Musical or Variety Series, George Shlatter
1968: Outstanding Writing Achievement in Music or Variety, Chris Bearde, Phil Hahn, Jack Hanrahan, Coslough Johnson, Paul Keyes, Marc London, Allan Manings, David Panich, Hugh Wedlock, Jr., Digby Wolfe
1969: Special Classification Achievements – Individuals (Variety Performances), Ruth Buzzi
1969: Special Classification Achievements – Individuals (Variety Performances), Goldie Hawn
Nominated:
1972: Outstanding Achievement by a Performer in Music or Variety, Ruth Buzzi
1972: Outstanding Achievement by a Performer in Music or Variety, Lily Tomlin
1978: Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program, Bea Arthur
Golden Globe Award
1973: Best Supporting Actress – Television, Ruth Buzzi
1969: Best TV Show
1972: Best Supporting Actress – Television, Lily Tomlin
1971: Best Supporting Actor – Television, Henry Gibson
1970: Best TV Show – Musical/Comedy
1968: Best TV Show
International broadcasts[ edit ]
The series was broadcast on BBC2 from January 1969 to 1974. Some episodes from seasons 1, 2 and 3 were re-transmitted during late 1983 and early 1984.
The series was broadcast on RTÉ One
The series aired on Nine Network
CTV aired the series at the same time as the NBC run
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other people named John Carson, see John Carson (disambiguation) .
Not to be confused with the U.S. ambassador Johnnie Carson .
“The Squirrel’s Nest” redirects here. For the nest of a tree squirrel, see Drey .
Johnny Carson
(m. 1987–2005, his death)
Signature
johnnycarson.com
John William “Johnny” Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer, producer, actor, and musician, best known for his 30 years as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992). Carson received six Emmy Awards , the Governor’s Award, and a 1985 Peabody Award . He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987. Johnny Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1993. [2]
Although his show was already successful by the end of the 1960s, during the 1970s, Carson became an American icon and remained so even after his retirement in 1992. He adopted a casual, conversational approach with extensive interaction with guests, an approach pioneered by Arthur Godfrey and previous Tonight Show hosts Steve Allen and Jack Paar . Former late-night host and friend, David Letterman , cited Carson’s influence. [3]
Contents
13 External links
Early life and career[ edit ]
Carson was born on October 23, 1925, in Corning , Iowa, to Homer Lloyd “Kit” Carson (1899-1983), a power company manager, and Ruth (Hook) Carson (1901-1985), who was of Irish descent. [4] He grew up in the nearby towns of Avoca , Clarinda , and Red Oak in southwest Iowa before moving to Norfolk , Nebraska, at the age of eight. There, Carson grew up and began developing his talent for entertaining. At the age of 12, Carson found a book on magic at a friend’s house and immediately purchased a mail-order magician’s kit. After the purchase of the kit, Johnny Carson practiced his entertainment skills on family members with card tricks. He was known for following his family members around saying, “Pick a card, any card.” [5] Carson’s mother sewed him a cape, and his first performance was staged in front of the local Kiwanis Club. He debuted as “The Great Carsoni” at age 14 and he was paid $3 a show. [5] Soon, many other performances at local picnics and country fairs followed. After graduating from high school, Carson had his first encounter with Hollywood. [6] Carson hitchhiked to Hollywood, where he was arrested and fined $50 for impersonating a midshipman, a story often seen as apocryphal. [6] “Johnny embarked on an adventure, one so laden with implications about his future, that some have wondered if the escapade might not actually be a legend.” [7]
Military career[ edit ]
Navy portrait of Carson [4]
Carson joined the United States Navy on June 8, 1943, received V-12 Navy College Training Program officer training at Columbia University [8] and Millsaps College . [9] Commissioned an ensign late in the war, Carson was assigned to the USS Pennsylvania in the Pacific. While in the Navy, Carson posted a 10–0 amateur boxing record, with most of his bouts fought on board the USS Pennsylvania. [10] He was en route to the combat zone aboard a troop ship when the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the war. Carson served as a communications officer in charge of decoding encrypted messages. He said that the high point of his military career was performing a magic trick for United States Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestal . In a conversation with Forrestal, the Secretary of the Navy asked Carson if he planned to stay in the navy after the war. [7] In response, Carson said no and told him he wanted to be a magician. Forrestal asked him to perform, and Carson responded with a card trick. [7] Carson made the discovery that he could entertain and amuse someone as cranky and sophisticated as Forrestal. [7]
After the navy and education[ edit ]
To take advantage of the educational opportunities from the navy, Carson attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, where he joined Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and continued performing magic (then paid $25 per appearance [4] ). He majored in journalism with the intention of becoming a comedy writer. Instead, he switched his major to speech and drama a few months later, because he wanted to become a radio performer. [11] Carson’s college thesis, titled “How to Write Comedian Jokes”, was a compilation of taped skits and jokes from popular radio shows with Carson explaining the comedic technique in a voice-over. It allowed him to graduate in three years. [11] Carson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and speech with a minor in physics in 1949. [11]
Early radio and television [ edit ]
He began his broadcasting career in 1950 at WOW radio and television in Omaha , Nebraska. [12] Carson soon hosted a morning television program called The Squirrel’s Nest. One of his routines involved interviewing pigeons on the roof of the local courthouse that would allegedly report on the political corruption they had seen. Carson supplemented his income by serving as master of ceremonies at local church dinners, attended by some of the same politicians and civic leaders that he had lampooned on the radio.
Carson as a guest on Jack Benny’s television program, 1955
Carson in 1957
The wife of one of the Omaha political figures Carson spoofed owned stock in a radio station in Los Angeles, and in 1951 referred Carson to her brother, who was influential in the emerging television market in southern California. Carson joined CBS -owned Los Angeles television station KNXT . In 1953, comic Red Skelton —a fan of Carson’s “cult success” low-budget sketch comedy show, Carson’s Cellar (1951 to 1953) on KNXT—asked Carson to join his show as a writer. In 1954, Skelton during rehearsal accidentally knocked himself unconscious an hour before his live show began, and Carson successfully filled in for him. [4] In 1955, Jack Benny invited Carson to appear on one of his programs during the opening and closing segments. Carson imitated Benny and claimed that Benny had copied his gestures. Benny, however, predicted that Carson would have a successful career as a comedian. [13]
Carson hosted several shows besides Carson’s Cellar, including the game show Earn Your Vacation (1954) and the CBS variety show The Johnny Carson Show (1955–1956). [4] [14] He was a guest panelist on the original To Tell the Truth starting in 1960, later becoming a regular panelist from 1961 until 1962. After the prime-time The Johnny Carson Show failed, he moved to New York City to host Who Do You Trust? (1957–1962), formerly known as Do You Trust Your Wife? . In 1958, he appeared as a guest star in an episode entitled “Do You Trust Your Wife” on NBC ‘s short-lived variety show, The Polly Bergen Show . On Who Do You Trust?, Carson met his future sidekick and straight man , Ed McMahon . Although he believed moving to daytime would hurt his career, Who Do You Trust? was a success. It was the first show where he could ad lib and interview guests, [15] and because of Carson’s on-camera wit, the show became “the hottest item on daytime television” during his five years at ABC. [4]
The Tonight Show[ edit ]
With Dick Cavett and Alan King in 1968
NBC’s Tonight was the late-night counterpart to its early-morning show Today. Originating in 1953 with host Steve Allen , Tonight was somewhat experimental at the time, as the only previous network late-night program was NBC’s Broadway Open House which starred Jerry Lester and Dagmar . Tonight was successful, and when Allen moved on to prime-time comedy-variety shows in 1956, Jack Paar replaced him as host of Tonight. Paar left the show in 1962.
Johnny Carson’s success on ABC’s Who Do You Trust? led NBC to invite him to take over Tonight a few months before Paar’s departure. Carson declined the offer because he feared the difficulty of interviewing celebrities for 1 3/4 hours (105 minutes) daily. Bob Newhart , Jackie Gleason , Groucho Marx , and Joey Bishop all declined, as well, but NBC finally convinced Carson to sign by early February 1962. Carson can be seen discussing his upcoming job for the first time on the February 11, 1962, episode of What’s My Line? . [16] Because Carson had six months left on his ABC contract, NBC used multiple guest hosts until he could take over, including Merv Griffin , Art Linkletter , Joey Bishop , Arlene Francis (the first woman to host The Tonight Show), Bob Cummings , Jerry Lewis , Groucho Marx , Donald O’Connor , and others. [15] [4]
Although he continued to have doubts about his new job, Carson became host of Tonight (later becoming The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ) on October 1, 1962, and, after a difficult first year, overcame his fears. [15] While Tonight under its previous hosts had been successful, especially under Paar, Carson’s version eventually did very well in the ratings. Billy Wilder said of Carson:
By the simple law of survival, Carson is the best. He enchants the invalids and the insomniacs as well as the people who have to get up at dawn. He is the Valium and the Nembutal of a nation. No matter what kind of dead-asses are on the show, he has to make them funny and exciting. He has to be their nurse and their surgeon. He has no conceit. He does his work and he comes prepared. If he’s talking to an author, he has read the book. Even his rehearsed routines sound improvised. He’s the cream of middle-class elegance, yet he’s not a mannequin. He has captivated the American bourgeoisie without ever offending the highbrows, and he has never said anything that wasn’t liberal or progressive. Every night, in front of millions of people, he has to do the salto mortale [a circus parlance for an aerial somersault performed on the tightrope]. What’s more, he does it without a net. No rewrites. No retakes. The jokes must work tonight. [4]
McMahon followed Carson from Who Do You Trust? as his announcer and sidekick and Skitch Henderson was installed as the maestro of the NBC orchestra. McMahon’s famous introduction, “Heeeeere’s Johnny!!!” was followed by a brief monologue by Carson. This was often followed by comedy sketches, interviews, and music. Carson’s trademark was a phantom golf swing at the end of his monologues, aimed stage left toward the studio orchestra. (Guest hosts sometimes parodied that gesture. Bob Newhart rolled an imaginary bowling ball toward the audience.)
Paul Anka wrote the theme song, (“Johnny’s Theme”), a reworking of his “Toot Sweet”; given lyrics, it was renamed, “It’s Really Love” and recorded by Annette Funicello in 1959. Before taking over The Tonight Show, Carson wrote lyrics for the song, thus claimed 50% of the song’s performance royalties (though the lyrics were never used). The theme is heard being played on sound recordings of Carson’s first Tonight Show and it was used without interruption through to his very last broadcast on May 22, 1992.
The show was originally produced in New York City, with occasional stints in California. It was not live in its early years, although during the 1970s, NBC fed the live taping from Burbank to New York via satellite for editing (see below ). The program had been done “live on tape” (uninterrupted unless a problem occurred) since the Jack Paar days. Carson had a talent for quick quips to deal with problems. [4] If the opening monologue fared poorly, the band would start playing “ Tea for Two ” and Carson danced, to laughs from the studio audience. Alternatively, Carson might pull the boom microphone close to his face and announce, “Attention K-Mart shoppers!”
Move to Burbank[ edit ]
On May 1, 1972, the show was moved from Thirty Rockefeller Plaza, New York, to Burbank, California , because of the studio’s proximity to the stars. Carson often joked about “beautiful downtown Burbank” [17] and referred to “beautiful downtown Bakersfield “, which prompted Bakersfield Mayor Mary K. Shell to chide Carson and invite him to her city to see improvements made during the early 1980s. [18]
After July 1971, Carson stopped hosting shows five days a week. Instead, Monday nights had a guest host, leaving Carson to host the other four each week. Shows were videotaped in Burbank at 5:30 pm, fed from there to the Central and Eastern time zone stations via cross-country television line at 8:30 pm Pacific time (11:30 pm Eastern time), and later rebroadcast again from Burbank to the Mountain and Pacific time zone stations at 11:30 pm Pacific time. On September 8, 1980, at Carson’s request, the show cut its 90-minute format to 60 minutes; Tom Snyder ‘s Tomorrow added a half-hour to fill the vacant time. Joan Rivers became the “permanent” guest host from September 1983 until 1986. The Tonight Show returned to using rotating guest hosts, including comic George Carlin . Jay Leno then became the exclusive guest host in fall 1987. Leno joked that although other guest hosts had upped their fees, he had kept his low, assuring himself more bookings. Eventually, Monday night was for Leno, Tuesday for The Best of Carson—rebroadcasts usually dating from a year earlier, but occasionally from the 1970s.
Although Carson’s work schedule became more attenuated, Tonight remained so successful that his compensation from NBC continued to rise; by the mid-1970s, he had become the highest-paid personality on television, earning about $4 million a year ($14,512,000 today), not including nightclub appearances and his other businesses. He refused many offers to appear in films, including title roles in The Thomas Crown Affair and Gene Wilder ‘s role in Blazing Saddles . [4] He also declined director Martin Scorsese ‘s offer to co-star with Robert De Niro in the 1983 film The King of Comedy , the role of a TV talk-show host then going to Jerry Lewis .
In recognition of his 25th anniversary on The Tonight Show, Carson received a personal Peabody Award , the Board saying he had “become an American institution, a household word, [and] the most widely quoted American.” They also said they “felt the time had come to recognize the contributions that Johnny has made to television, to humor, and to America.” [19]
Comic characters[ edit ]
Carson played several continuing characters on sketches during the show, including
Art Fern was the “Tea Time Movie” announcer, [20] whose theme song was “ Hooray for Hollywood “. Carson once admitted on camera that this was his favorite character, based on late-afternoon TV hosts who would deliver commercials throughout the movie. Each sketch usually featured three long commercials interrupted by silent, four-second clips from antique films. When the camera returned from each clip, Art was always caught off-guard and immediately reminded viewers that they were watching a film favorite. The movies always had unlikely casts and even less likely titles: “ Slim Pickens , Patti Page , Duke Wayne, and Charlton Heston in another classic Western: ‘Kiss My Saddle Horn’!” Carson originally played the fast-talking huckster in his own voice (as Honest Bernie Schlock or Ralph Willie), and finally settled on a nasal, high-pitched, smarmy drone, reminiscent of Jackie Gleason ‘s “Reginald Van Gleason III” character. The character, now permanently known as Art Fern, wore a lavish toupee, loud jackets, and a pencil mustache. Actress Carol Wayne became famous for her 100-plus appearances (1971–1982) as Art’s buxom assistant, the Matinée Lady. While Art gave his spiel, she would enter the stage behind him. Art would react to her attractive body, wincing loudly: “Ho — leeeee!” After Carol Wayne’s death in 1985, Carson kept Art Fern off the air for most of the next year, and finally hired Danuta Wesley and then Teresa Ganzel to play the Matinée Lady. Carson also used these sketches to poke fun at the intricate Los Angeles interstate system, using a pointer and map to give confusing directions to shoppers, often including points where he would unfold the cardboard map to point out, via the appropriate picture, when the shopper would arrive at “the fork in the road”. Another freeway routine in the same theme centered on the “ Slauson Cutoff “, a slang term Carson popularized to describe the truncated Marina Freeway (which ended abrubtly at Slauson Avenue in Culver City). Art Fern would advise drivers to take a series of freeways until they reached the Slauson Cutoff, and would then advise them to “Get out of your car, cut off your slauson, get back in your car,” often followed by peals of laughter from the audience, led by McMahon.
Carnac the Magnificent , a turbaned psychic, could answer questions before seeing them. Carnac had a trademark entrance in which he always turned the wrong direction when coming onto stage and then tripped on the step up to Carson’s desk. (In one episode, technicians rigged Carson’s desk to fall apart when Carnac fell into it.) These comedic missteps were an indication of Carnac’s true prescient abilities. Ed McMahon would hand Carnac a series of envelopes containing questions, said to have been “hermetically sealed in a mayonnaise jar buried under Funk & Wagnall ‘s porch since noon today.” Carnac would place each envelope against his forehead and predict the answer, such as “Gatorade”. Then, he would read the question: “What does an alligator get on welfare?” Some of the jokes were feeble, and McMahon used pauses after terrible puns and audience groans to make light of Carnac’s lack of comic success (“Carnac must be used to quiet surroundings”), prompting Carson to return an equal insult. Pat McCormick wrote some of the zaniest Carnac material. The one that had Ed and Carnac nearly rolling on the floor with sustained laughter was “Siss, boom, bah” Answer – “Describe the sound made when a sheep explodes.” McMahon would always announce near the end, “I hold in my hand the last envelope,” at which the audience would applaud wildly, prompting Carnac to pronounce a comedic “curse” on the audience, such as “May a flock of wild geese leave a deposit on your breakfast!!” “May your sister elope with a camel!”, “May a diseased yak take a liking to your sister”, or, the most famous: “May the bird of paradise fly up your nose!”[ citation needed ]
Floyd R. Turbo , American (with no pause between words) was a stereotypical common working man, wearing a plaid hunting coat and cap, who offered “editorial responses” to left-leaning causes or news events. Railing against women’s rights in the workplace, for example, Turbo would shout: “This raises the question: kiss my Dictaphone!”
Aunt Blabby, a cantankerous and sometimes amorous old lady, was invariably interviewed by straight man Ed McMahon about elder affairs. [20] McMahon would innocently use a common expression like “check out”, only to have Aunt Blabby warn him: “Don’t say ‘check out’ to an old person!” Aunt Blabby was an obvious copy of Jonathan Winters ‘ most famous creation, Maude Frickert, including her black spinster dress and wig.
El Mouldo, a mentalist, would attempt to perform mind-reading and mind-over-matter feats, all of which failed. Often, his tricks would include an attempt to bilk money from Ed McMahon or would end with him begging the audience for a dollar, or at least bus fare.
The Maharishi, whose theme song was “ Song of India “, was a frizzy-haired “holy man” who spoke in a high-pitched, tranquil tone, greeted announcer McMahon with a flower, and answered philosophical questions.[ citation needed ]
Carson uncensored on satellite[ edit ]
Though Carson’s program was based in Burbank beginning in 1972, NBC’s editing and production services for the program were located in New York, resulting in the requirement that Carson’s program be transmitted from Burbank to New York. In 1976, NBC used the Satcom 2 satellite to do this, feeding the live taping (which usually took place in the early evening) directly to New York, where it would be edited prior to the normal broadcast. This live feed lasted usually from two to two-and-a-half hours a night and was uncensored and commercial-free. During the commercial breaks, the audio and picture would be left on, capturing at times risque language and other events that would certainly be edited out later going out over the feed.
At the same time, satellite ground stations owned by individuals began appearing, and some found the live feed. Satellite dish owners began to document their sightings in technical journals, giving viewers knowledge of things they were not meant to see. Carson and his production staff grew concerned about this and pressured NBC into ceasing the satellite transmissions of the live taping in the early 1980s. The satellite link was replaced by microwave transmission until the show’s editing facilities were moved to Burbank. [21]
Effect on popular culture[ edit ]
Carson’s show launched the careers of many performers, especially comedians. For a comedian appearing on the show, getting him to laugh and being invited to the guest chair were considered the highest honor. [4] Most notable among these were David Letterman , Jay Leno , Jerry Seinfeld , Jeff Foxworthy , Ellen DeGeneres , Joan Rivers , David Brenner , Tim Allen , Drew Carey , and Roseanne Barr . Carson was successor to The Ed Sullivan Show as a showcase for all kinds of talent, as well as continuing a vaudeville -style variety show.
In 1966, Carson popularized Milton Bradley’s game Twister when he played it with actress Eva Gabor . Not widely known at the time, the game skyrocketed in popularity after the broadcast. [22]
Controversies and feuds[ edit ]
Carson often made jokes at the expense of other celebrities. In 1980, Carson backed out of a deal to acquire the Aladdin Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and a competing group led by Wayne Newton successfully bought the property. According to lawyer Henry Bushkin, Carson became annoyed that he was often portrayed by the media as having “lost” the deal and reacted by telling jokes on his show about Newton, who had spent a great deal of effort building a masculine image. This created something of a high-profile feud between Carson and Newton. Years later, Newton appeared on Larry King Live , declaring that “Johnny Carson is a mean-spirited human being. And there are people that he has hurt that people will never know about. And for some reason at some point, he decided to turn that kind of negative attention toward me. And I refused to have it.” [23] Newton has often told of personally confronting Carson; after the final straw, Newton barged into his office at the studio and threatened to beat him up unless the jokes stopped. They did. [24]
Veteran NBC actor Raymond Burr became angry over Carson’s continuing fat jokes and he refused to appear on The Tonight Show. [25]
Carson reportedly loathed what he perceived as disloyalty, and he was furious when former Tonight Show guest hosts John Davidson and Joan Rivers got their own talk shows. Rivers’ show on Fox Network directly competed with Carson during the 1986–1987 season before being canceled. On June 24, 2009, following Ed McMahon’s death, Rivers lauded McMahon on Larry King Live, but said that after she got her own show, Carson never spoke to her again. [26]
In December 1973, Carson joked on Tonight about an alleged shortage of toilet paper . Panic buying and hoarding ensued across the United States as consumers emptied stores, [27] causing a real shortage that lasted for weeks. Stores and toilet paper manufacturers had to ration supplies until the panic ended. [28] [29] Carson apologized in January 1974 [30] for the incident, which became what The New York Times called a “classic study” of how rumors spread. [31]
Carson successfully sued a manufacturer of portable toilets that wanted to call its product “Here’s Johnny.” [32]
Carson did a send-up of the “Mr. Rogers” character, where he played an evil Mr. Rogers who wanted children to steal money from their parents so his show could continue. Fred Rogers was not impressed with the skit. Carson later apologized to Rogers for making fun of him.
Business ventures[ edit ]
Carson was a major investor in the now-failed DeLorean Motor Company .
Carson was head of a group of investors who purchased and operated two television stations. The first was KVVU-TV in Henderson, Nevada , an independent station serving Las Vegas , acquired by the Carson group in 1979. Shortly after buying the station, KVVU was rumored to be acquiring an NBC affiliation as then long-time affiliate KORK-TV was in the process of being replaced by KVBC (and now KSNV), but it never happened.[ citation needed ] Carson’s second station, independent KNAT-TV in Albuquerque, New Mexico , was purchased in 1982. Unlike the Las Vegas operation, KNAT faced stiffer competition for top-quality, syndicated programming. Carson sold both of his stations between 1985 and 1986 along with KVVU-TV (FOX 5) are all going to The James Meredith Corporation and KNAT being sold to Trinity Broadcasting Network .
Carson’s other business ventures included the successful Johnny Carson Apparel, Inc. [4] —his turtlenecks became a fashion trend—and a failed restaurant franchise. [33]
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(May 2015)
Johnny Carson in the 1990s
Carson retired from show business on May 22, 1992, at age 66, when he stepped down as host of The Tonight Show. His farewell was a major media event, often emotional for Carson, his colleagues, and the audiences, and stretched over several nights. In tribute to Carson and his enormous influence, several networks that had late-night variety talk shows “went dark” for the entire hour he did the last show. The Tonight Show finally won the Emmy for Outstanding Late-night Series after 13 tries later that year, buoyed by the penultimate broadcast which featured Johnny’s final two guests, Robin Williams and Bette Midler .
NBC gave the role of host to the show’s then-current permanent guest host, Jay Leno. Leno and David Letterman were soon competing on separate networks.
Postretirement appearances[ edit ]
Johnny Carson, on a trip to Tanzania in 1994
At the end of his final Tonight Show episode, Carson indicated that he might, if so inspired, return with a new project. Instead, he chose to go into full retirement, rarely giving interviews and declining to participate in NBC’s 75th-anniversary celebrations. He made an occasional cameo appearance, including voicing himself on the May 13, 1993, episode of The Simpsons (“ Krusty Gets Kancelled “), telephoning David Letterman on a November 1993 episode of Late Show with David Letterman , and appearing in the 1993 NBC special Bob Hope : The First 90 Years.
On May 13, 1994, Carson appeared on Late Show with David Letterman . During a week of shows from Los Angeles, Letterman was having Larry “Bud” Melman ( Calvert DeForest ) deliver his “Top Ten Lists” under the guise that a famous personality would be delivering the list, instead. On the last show of the week, Letterman indicated that Carson would be delivering the list. Instead, DeForest delivered the list, insulted the audience (in keeping with the gag), and walked off to polite applause. Letterman then indicated that the card he was given did not have the proper list on it and asked that the “real” list be brought out. On that cue, the real Carson emerged from behind the curtain (as Letterman’s band played “Johnny’s Theme”), an appearance that prompted a standing ovation from the audience. Carson then asked to sit behind Letterman’s desk; Letterman obliged, as the audience continued to cheer and applaud. After some moments, Carson departed from the show without having spoken to the audience. He later cited acute laryngitis as the reason for his silence. This turned out to be Carson’s last television appearance.
Letterman[ edit ]
Just days before Carson’s death, The New York Times published a story revealing that he occasionally sent jokes to Letterman. [34] Letterman would then use these jokes in the monologue of his show, which Carson got “a big kick out of”, according to Worldwide Pants Inc. Senior Vice-President Peter Lassally , who formerly produced both men’s programs. He also claimed that Carson had always believed Letterman, not Leno, to be his “rightful successor”. [35] In his first broadcast after Carson’s death, Letterman delivered a monologue compiled entirely of jokes sent in by Carson, a fact the host revealed later in the program.
Personal life[ edit ]
Despite his on-camera demeanor, Carson was extremely shy off-camera. He was known for avoiding most large parties and was referred to as “the most private public man who ever lived.” [4] [36] Dick Cavett recalled, “I felt sorry for Johnny in that he was so socially uncomfortable. I’ve hardly ever met anybody who had as hard a time as he did.” [15] In addition, George Axelrod once said of Carson, “Socially, he doesn’t exist. The reason is that there are no television cameras in living rooms. If human beings had little red lights in the middle of their foreheads, Carson would be the greatest conversationalist on Earth.” [4]
He normally refused to discuss politics, social controversies, his childhood, or his private life with interviewers, and offered the following list of written answers to journalists who wanted to ask him questions: [4]
Yes, I did.
Not a bit of truth in that rumor.
Only twice in my life, both times on Saturday.
I can do either, but I prefer the first.
Politics[ edit ]
Carson opposed the Vietnam War , [1] and capital punishment , favored racial equality , and was against criminalizing extramarital sex and pornography. He avoided explicitly mentioning his views on The Tonight Show, saying he “hates to be pinned down”, as that would “hurt me as an entertainer, which is what I am.” [4] As he explained in 1970, “In my living room I would argue for liberalization of abortion laws, divorce laws, and there are times when I would like to express a view on the air. I would love to have taken on Billy Graham . But I’m on TV five nights a week; I have nothing to gain by it and everything to lose.” [37] He also seldom invited political figures onto the Tonight Show because he “didn’t want it to become a political forum” and did not want the show used, by himself or others, to influence the opinions of the viewers. [1]
In his book, Carson’s former lawyer Henry Bushkin stated, he “[he] was by instinct and upbringing definitely Republican , but of an Eisenhower sort that we don’t see much of anymore…. Overall, you’d have to say he was anti-big: anti-big government, anti-big money, anti-big bullies, anti-big blowhards.” Carson served as MC for Ronald Reagan ‘s inauguration in 1981 at the request of Frank Sinatra . [38]
Marriages[ edit ]
In 1948, Carson married Joan Wolcott. [4] The marriage was volatile, with infidelities committed by both parties, and ended in divorce in 1963. [39]
Carson got a “quickie” Mexican divorce from Wolcott that year and married Joanne Copeland on August 17, 1963. After a second protracted divorce proceeding in 1972, Copeland received a settlement of $6000 per month in alimony until she remarried or until Johnny’s death (she received it until his death in 2005). She also received “a pretty nice little art collection.” [4] [40] She later had a second marriage that also ended in divorce, and died in California, aged 83, in 2015. She had no children. [41]
At the Carson Tonight Show‘s 10th-anniversary party on September 30, 1972, Carson announced that former model Joanna Holland and he had been secretly married that afternoon, [4] shocking his friends and associates. Carson kidded that he had married three similarly named women to avoid “having to change the monogram on the towels.”[ citation needed ]
On March 8, 1983, Holland filed for divorce. Under California’s community-property laws, she was entitled to 50% of all the assets accumulated during the marriage, though Carson earned virtually all of the couple’s income. During this period, he joked on The Tonight Show, “my producer, Freddie de Cordova , really gave me something I needed for Christmas. He gave me a gift certificate to the law offices of Jacoby & Meyers .” The divorce case finally ended in 1985 with an 80-page settlement, Holland receiving $20 million in cash and property.
On June 20, 1987, Carson married Alexis Maas. The marriage lasted until his death in 2005.
Children[ edit ]
Carson reading a story to his three sons in 1955: From left: Chris, Cory, and Richard (Ricky)
Carson had three sons, Christopher, Cory, and Richard. All three sons were from his first marriage. Richard Carson died on June 21, 1991, when his car plunged down a steep embankment along a paved service road off Highway 1 near Cayucos , California. Apparently, Richard had been taking photographs when the accident occurred. On the first Tonight Show after Ricky’s death, Carson paid tribute to Ricky’s photographic work by showing his nature slides, accompanied by Stevie Ray Vaughan on blues guitar playing “Riviera Paradise”. In addition, the final image of the show, as well as some “More to Come” bumpers, of Carson’s last show on May 22, 1992, featured a photo Richard had taken.
Charity[ edit ]
In 1981, Carson created the John W. Carson Foundation, dedicated to supporting children, education, and health services. The foundation continues to support charitable causes. [42]
In November 2004, Carson announced a $5.3 million gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation to support the Hixson–Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Department of Theater Arts, which created the Johnny Carson School of Theater and Film. Another $5 million donation was announced by the estate of Carson to the University of Nebraska following his death[ citation needed ], while a $1 million donation was announced on November 4, 2011, creating the Johnny Carson Opportunity Scholarship Fund. [43]
Carson also donated to causes in his hometown of Norfolk, including the Carson Cancer Center at Faith Regional Health Services, the Elkhorn Valley Museum, and the Johnny Carson Theater at Norfolk Senior High School. Carson also donated to the Northeast Community College Lifelong Learning Center in honor of his favorite teacher, Miss Faye Gordon. Miss Gordon had appeared on his show a number of times. His last known visit to Norfolk was to throw the 100th-birthday party for Miss Gordon, which Carson had promised to do several years earlier.
In August 2010, the charitable foundation created by Johnny Carson reported receiving $156 million from a personal trust established by the entertainer years prior to his January 2005 death. Carson’s foundation was now by far the largest of the Hollywood charities. [44]
Other notes[ edit ]
Carson, an amateur astronomer , was a close friend of astronomer Carl Sagan , who often appeared on The Tonight Show. The unique way Sagan had of saying certain words, like “billions” of stars , would lead Carson to ribbing his friend, saying “BILL-ions and BILL-ions”. Carson was the first person to contact Sagan’s wife Ann Druyan with condolences when the scientist died in 1996. He owned several telescopes , including a Questar , considered at the time a top-of-the-line instrument. [45]
Carson was shown on a 1978 segment of 60 Minutes practicing at home on a drum set given to him by close friend Buddy Rich , who was the jazz musician with the most appearances on The Tonight Show. Gore Vidal , another frequent Tonight Show guest and friend, wrote about Carson’s personality in his 2006 memoir. [46]
In 1982, Carson was found to be driving his DeLorean while under the influence of alcohol. He pleaded nolo contendere to a misdemeanor charge and received a sentence of three years’ probation. Carson was required to attend an alcohol program for drivers and was permitted to use his car only to drive to work and back, without transporting any persons or animals in his vehicle. [47]
Carson was an avid tennis player. When he sold a Malibu house to John McEnroe and Tatum O’Neal , the escrow terms required McEnroe to give Johnny six tennis lessons.
Death and tributes[ edit ]
Johnny Carson’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
On March 19, 1999, Carson suffered a severe heart attack at his home in Malibu, California , and was hospitalized in nearby Santa Monica , where he underwent quadruple-bypass surgery .
Carson was a heavy smoker for decades and, in the early days of his tenure on Tonight, often smoked on-camera. It was reported that as early as the mid-1970s, he would repeatedly say, “These things are killing me.” His younger brother recalled that during their last conversation, Carson kept saying, “Those damn cigarettes.” [48]
At 6:50 am PST on January 23, 2005, Carson died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of respiratory failure arising from emphysema . [49] [50] [51] He was 79, and had revealed his terminal illness to the public in September 2002. His body was cremated, and the ashes were given to his wife, Alexis Maas. In accordance with his family’s wishes, no public memorial service was held. Carson is also survived by his younger brother, Dick, who is an Emmy Award -winning director of, among other things, the competing Merv Griffin Show and Wheel of Fortune . [52] [53]
Numerous tributes were paid to Carson upon his death, including a statement by then-President George W. Bush , all recognizing the deep and enduring affection held for him. [54]
On January 31, The Late Show with David Letterman paid tribute with former Tonight Show executive producer Peter Lassally and bandleader Doc Severinsen . At the beginning of this show, Letterman said that for 30 years no matter what was going on in the world, whether people had a good or bad day, they wanted to end it being “tucked in by Johnny.” He also told his viewers that the monologue he had just spoken, which was very well received by the studio audience, consisted entirely of jokes sent to him by Carson in the last few months of his life. [55] Doc Severinsen ended the Letterman show that night by playing, along with Tommy Newsom and Ed Shaughnessy , one of Carson’s two favorite songs, “ Here’s That Rainy Day ” (the other was “ I’ll Be Seeing You “). The Tonight Show with Jay Leno also paid tribute to Carson with guests Ed McMahon, Bob Newhart, Don Rickles , Drew Carey , and k.d. lang . [56]
On his final Tonight Show appearance, Carson himself said that while sometimes people who work together for long stretches of time on television do not necessarily like each other, this was not the case with McMahon and him; they were good friends who would have drinks and dinner together, and the camaraderie they had on the show could not be faked. Carson and McMahon were friends for 46 years. [57]
The 2005 film The Aristocrats was dedicated to Carson. [58]
The Simpsons , season 16 episode 7, “ Mommie Beerest ” – dedicated the episode in his memory.
At the 1st Annual Comedy Awards on Comedy Central , the Johnny Carson Award was given to David Letterman. At the 2nd Annual Comedy Awards on Comedy Central, the Johnny Carson Award was given to Don Rickles.
A two-hour documentary about his life, Johnny Carson: King of Late Night , aired on PBS on May 14, 2012, as part of their American Masters series. It is narrated by Kevin Spacey and features interviews with many of Carson’s family, fellow comedians, and protégés . [59]
Early life[ edit ]
Kemper was born in Kansas City, Missouri , [1] the second of four children of Dorothy “Dotty” Ann (Jannarone) and David Woods Kemper, one of the wealthiest families in the State of Missouri. [3] [4] She is the granddaughter of Mildred Lane Kemper, the namesake of the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum at Washington University in St. Louis , for which the family donated $5 million. Kemper’s father was the chairman and chief executive officer of Commerce Bancshares , a bank holding company founded by the Kemper family (her paternal great-great-grandfather was banker William Thornton Kemper, Sr. ). She is also the older sister of television writer Carrie Kemper . Kemper has Italian (from her maternal grandfather), English, and German ancestry. [5] [6]
The family moved to St. Louis when Kemper was five years old. She attended Conway Elementary School in the St. Louis suburb of Ladue and then high school at John Burroughs School , where she developed an interest in theater and improvisational comedy. One of her teachers was actor Jon Hamm , with whom she appeared in a school play. [3]
Kemper graduated from Princeton University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. [3] At Princeton, she played field hockey in the 1999 season, [7] and said she sat on the bench “roughly 97 percent” of the time. [8] Her field hockey team went to the national championship in her first year, but she quit the team in later years to focus on theater. [3] She then attended the University of Oxford , where she studied towards a graduate degree in English.
Career[ edit ]
I’m the most comfortable when I’m playing a naturalistic character. I auditioned for Saturday Night Live, and when I was doing the biggest characters, I felt the least comfortable. I’m just more comfortable when it’s some version of myself.
“
Ellie Kemper [9]
Kemper continued her interest in improvisational comedy while in Princeton. She participated in Quipfire!, an improv comedy group, and the Princeton Triangle Club , a touring musical comedy theater troupe. [3] She also appeared in a radio spot for Dunkin’ Donuts . [10]
Kemper earned her Screen Actors Guild card doing commercial advertising of a one-week sale of tents at Kmart . The commercial featured her camping with an onscreen husband, and a shot in which a tarantula crawls across her face. [11] She regularly appeared in comedy sketches on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in the late 2000s, and has made guest appearances on Important Things with Demetri Martin , [3] and E! Television ‘s The Gastineau Girls , [10] [12] which has been described as her “breakout role”. She has appeared on Fuse TV ‘s The P.A. In October 2008, Kemper appeared on The Colbert Report in a PSA for Teen Voter Abstinence. [13] Kemper has written several sketch comedy shows [14] many of them with her comedy partner Scott Eckert, [10] a fellow Princeton grad. [8] Kemper is a contributing writer for the national satirical newspaper The Onion , [15] and for McSweeney’s . [10] [16] [17] [18] She is also a contributor to The Huffington Post . [19] [20]
Kemper performing “Feeling Sad/Mad with Ellie Kemper” at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in 2008.
Upon moving to New York City, Kemper participated in the People’s Improv Theatre [8] and the city troupe of Upright Citizens Brigade , an improvisational comedy and sketch comedy theater. She has appeared in several shows for the Brigade, including Death and/or Despair, Listen Kid, Gang Bang and The Improvised Mystery. [10] At the UCB, she performed with the house improv teams Mailer Daemon and fwand. [10] At the People’s Improv Theatre she performs with the house improv team Big Black Car. [21] In August 2008, she auditioned for a spot on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live , but was not cast. [9] In July 2009, Kemper was named one of Variety magazine’s “10 Comics To Watch”. [9]
Being on set with them is like being in a dream, except the dream is real and I can reach out and touch them. Except I am trying not to touch them too much, because I was raised right.
“
Ellie Kemper on The Office [8]
In 2007, she appeared in How to Kick People, a performance combining comedy and literary performances. In March 2008, she wrote and performed in the one-woman show “Dumb Girls” through the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre . [12] She also performed in the one-woman show “Feeling Sad/Mad with Ellie Kemper” [9] and has appeared in comedy sketches on Funny or Die , the comedy website started by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay ‘s production company, Gary Sanchez Productions . [22]
Kemper gained some Internet fame in August 2007 for her part in “Blowjob Girl”, a humor video on the sketch comedy site Derrick Comedy . The video, which was circulated on the popular site CollegeHumor , was a two-minute close-up of Kemper offering to perform oral sex on her boyfriend, but startling him by promising to bite and smash his genitals, which she seems to believe is arousing. [23] Kemper said of the video in an April 2010 interview with The A.V. Club : “I really don’t like that video, and I wish that I hadn’t done it, even though I know that it’s a joke. I hate that it got sort of big, because I don’t think that it’s that funny and I don’t want that to be the epitome of my work. It’s just one video in a sea of many, but it has made me conscious of not wanting to do a video like that again.” [24] Kemper has also contributed an article to CollegeHumor entitled “Regarding Our Decision Never to See Me Again.” [25] She also had a minor role in the 2009 film Mystery Team . Kemper starred in the fake iPhone commercial on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in January 2007, six months before the first iPhone was released. [26] Kemper appeared in the Sofia Coppola comedy-drama Somewhere in 2010. [9] She appeared in Bridesmaids in 2011. [27] On April 3, 2013, it was announced that Kemper would be voicing a character in an episode of the animated sitcom American Dad! . [28]
Ellie Kemper on the red carpet at the 38th People’s Choice Awards on January 11, 2012, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
Kemper auditioned for a role in Parks and Recreation , an NBC comedy series started in 2009 by Michael Schur and Greg Daniels , creator of the series The Office . She was not cast in the role, but received a call back to audition for a supporting role in The Office as Erin Hannon , a secretary filling in for the regular secretary Pam Beesly when she briefly left the job at the end of the fifth season . Kemper was cast in the role, and started appearing in the show in April 2009. The character was originally written to be more sarcastic and dry, but the writers changed her to be more perky and optimistic to more closely resemble Kemper herself. Kemper described the character as “an exaggerated version of myself”. [3] Kemper described herself as a “huge fan” of the show and was thrilled to be on the show. [8] Although the character was originally intended for four episodes, the producers were impressed with Kemper and signed her as a regular in the sixth season . [3] Jennifer Celotta , a screenwriter with the series, described Kemper as a “fun addition” to the show. [29]
Kemper received positive reviews for her role in The Office. Alan Sepinwall, television columnist with The Star-Ledger , praised the “infectious joy and sweetness” she brought to the show. [3] Joshua Ostroff of Eye Weekly described Erin as one of the best new television characters of the 2008–2009 season and said, “Erin’s high-grade adorability, up-for-anything attitude and sheer niceness is unlike anyone else in the office, adding a welcome new wrinkle for next season.” [30] Andy Shaw of TV Fodder said she “adds some freshness to the cast” [31] and Josh McAuliffe of The Times-Tribune in Scranton , Pennsylvania, said he liked Erin’s “cheerful, appealingly goofy personality”. [32] Many critics have singled her out as a highlight of the show’s eighth season following Steve Carell’s departure. [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] In October 2009, Kemper appeared in Subtle Sexuality , a set of three The Office webisodes about efforts by Erin and Kelly Kapoor ( Mindy Kaling ) to start a girl group . [3]
She appears in the Netflix original comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as the fish-out-of-water lead. She plays a former cult-member/abductee who wants to shed the victim pity of her small hometown and moves to New York. [39] Her performance on this show has been widely acclaimed, and she was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series in 2015 for her performance.
Personal life[ edit ]
Kemper is a Roman Catholic . [41] In 2012, she became engaged to her boyfriend Michael Koman, a former writer on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and the co-creator of the Adult Swim series Eagleheart and Comedy Central series Nathan for You . [42] [43] The couple married on July 7, 2012. [44] In April 2016, Kemper revealed that she was pregnant with her first child. [45] [46]
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Peppa Pig
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Which city's metro system has lines including Pinar de Chamartín to Valdecarros and Villaverde Alto to Moncloa?
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Peppa Pig | Ed B on Sports
Ed B on Sports
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Peppa Pig
Website
Peppa Pig is a British preschool animated television series directed and produced by Astley Baker Davies , which originally aired on 31 May 2004, and is distributed by E1 Kids . To date, four series have been aired. It went on a hiatus for two years and two months before re-premiering on 14 February 2015. It is shown in 180 countries. [1]
Contents
Background[ edit ]
Peppa Pig is a children’s television programme broadcasting on Channel 5 and Nick Jr. in the UK, Nickelodeon / Nick Jr. in the USA, ABC 4 Kids and Nick Jr. in Australia and Discovery Kids in Latin America, including Brazil. Each episode is approximately 5 minutes long. The show revolves around Peppa, an anthropomorphic female pig, and her family and friends. Each of her friends is a different species of mammal . Peppa’s friends are the same age as she is, and Peppa’s younger brother George’s friends are the same age as him. Episodes tend to feature everyday activities such as attending playgroup , going swimming , visiting their grandparents , cousins , going to the playground or riding their bikes .
The characters wear clothes, live in houses, and drive cars, but still display some characteristics of the animals on which they are based. Peppa and her family snort like pigs during conversations in which they are speaking in English, the other animals make their respective noises when they talk, with some exhibiting other characteristics, such as the Rabbit family’s communications of squeaking sounds and their enjoyment of carrots. The Rabbits are also the sole exception to the rule of human-like habitation, in that they live in a burrow in a hill, although it does have windows and is furnished in the same way as the other houses. The characters also blush when embarrassed and their mouths are used to express other emotions such as sadness, happiness, irritation, bewilderment and confusion. Although the mammals are anthropomorphic, other animals are not, for example, the ducks, Tiddles the tortoise, and Polly Parrot. In addition, the narrator of the series John Sparkes reinforces the action and humour, saying things like “Oh, dear” when something unfortunate happens (such as George starts crying) or “Look out!” when a character is doing something unsafe (such as Peppa riding her bicycle without looking where she’s going).
The first series of 52 five-minute episodes started on Channel 5 on 31 May 2004, and had its American premiere as part of Cartoon Network ‘s Tickle U preschool television programming block on 22 August 2005 [2] ; the show moved to Noggin in December 2007 and January 2008, being retained when that network changed names to Nick Jr. and currently continuing to be one of the network’s most popular programmes. The American version is edited into a 22-minute programme with five segments. In the United Kingdom, it can also be seen on Nick Jr. (to the point that Nick Jr. Too has taken on the temporary rebranding “Nick Jr. Peppa” when airing month-long marathons of the series, usually every October), the same with Portugal, Italy, Benelux , Scandinavia and Australia. In Taiwan , the show can be seen on Disney Junior . The second series of 52 episodes began on Channel 5 on Monday 4 September 2006, with Cecily Bloom replacing Lily Snowden-Fine as Peppa, amongst other cast changes. The third series started broadcasting on the Channel 5 kids block, Milkshake! on 4 May 2009 with Harley Bird replacing Cecily Bloom as Peppa.
Characters[ edit ]
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(May 2014)
The Pigs[ edit ]
Peppa Pig – A pig who is the main character. She enjoys jumping in muddy puddles, playing with her teddy bear who is called Teddy, going to playgroup, and dressing up. She lives with her little brother George and her parents. [3] She is voiced by Lily Snowden-Fine (series 1), Cecily Bloom (series 2), and Harley Bird (series 3-4). Peppa is four years old as shown in the episode My Birthday Party.
George Pig – He is Peppa’s little brother. He is in most episodes and often seen in possession of his toy dinosaur, which is named “Mr. Dinosaur.” He cries in many episodes with his trademark showers of tears and crying sound. Often when he cries it has to do with Peppa teasing him. George’s sounds are performed by Oliver and Alice May. George is two years old as shown in the episode George’s Birthday.
Mummy Pig – Mummy Pig is Peppa and George’s mother and Daddy Pig’s wife. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks . Mummy Pig does some work from home on a computer. She also worked as a firefighter in series 3.
Daddy Pig – Daddy Pig is Peppa and George’s father and Mummy Pig’s husband. He works as an architect, as shown in the episode The New House. He is voiced by Richard Ridings .
Grandpa Pig — Grandpa Pig is Mummy Pig’s father. He loves gardening and sailing. Although the two fight in a few episodes, he’s best friends with Granddad Dog. He has a trackless train named Gertrude. He is voiced by David Graham .
Granny Pig — Granny Pig is Mummy Pig’s mother. She is a fan of perfume. She grows apples in an orchard near her house along with vegetables in her own garden next to her house. She has four chickens, and she is voiced by Frances White .
Uncle Pig – Uncle Pig is Daddy Pig’s brother, and is Aunty Pig’s husband and Chloe and Baby Alexander’s father. He is voiced by John Sparkes who also narrates the series.
Auntie Pig – Auntie Pig is Uncle Pig’s wife and Chloe and Baby Alexander’s mother. She is voiced by Alison Snowden (series 1-2) and Judy Flynn (series 3-4).
Chloe Pig – Chloe Pig is Peppa and George’s cousin, she is also Baby Alexander’s sister. Her friends are Belinda Bear and Simon Squirrel, but they like to tease Peppa. She is 8 years old, and wears a yellow dress. She is voiced by Eloise May (series 1-2), Abigail Daniels (series 3-4) and Zara Siddiqi (series 4).
Alexander Pig – Baby Alexander Pig is Chloe’s baby brother. His first word was puddle. He is voiced by Oliver May (series 2), Harley Bird (series 3) and Minnie Driver (series 4).
Dottie Pig — Auntie Dottie is Peppa and George’s great-aunt who sent “Horsey Twinkle Toes”. It is unknown what she looks like and does not have a voice actor since she is never shown.
The Rabbits[ edit ]
Rebecca Rabbit – She is Peppa’s friend from playgroup. She is the big sister of Richard and their twin baby sister and brother, Rosie and Robbie. She turns red easily. She is voiced by Hazel Rudd (series 1), Bethan Lindsay (series 2) and Alice May (series 3-4).
Richard Rabbit – Rebecca’s younger brother and the twins’ big brother. He is George’s best friend, he has a fuss about things and cries a bit like George. In some episodes he is seen crying with George. He is voiced by Zoe Baker.
Miss Rabbit – Miss Rabbit appears to have many jobs at the same time, including bus driver , supermarket assistant, librarian , helicopter pilot, firefighter , ice cream seller, shoe shop assistant, nurse, car crusher, ticket seller, china shop worker and works on a moon shop, but she loves her jobs. She is Mummy Rabbit’s sister, she is Rebecca, Richard, Rosie, and Robby’s aunt. She is voiced by Sarah Ann Kennedy .
Mummy Rabbit – Rebecca’s, Richard’s, Rosie’s and Robbie’s mother. She is also Miss Rabbit’s twin sister. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks and Sarah Ann Kennedy .
Daddy Rabbit a.k.a. Mr Rabbit – Rebecca’s, Richard’s, and the twins’ father. He works with Daddy Pig and Mrs Cat in a top floor office. He appears to be a station master, manager of the museum and ice cream seller in some episodes. He is Daddy Pig’s best friend. He is voiced by John Sparkes .
Grampy Rabbit – Rebecca’s, Richard’s, and the twins’ maternal grandfather and Mummy Rabbit’s and Miss Rabbit’s father. He likes cheese. He is voiced by Brian Blessed . He likes cheese as shown in the episode where he gets stranded on an island.
Rosie Rabbit — Rebecca’s and Richard’s twin baby sister. She was born in “Mummy Rabbit’s Bump.”
Robbie Rabbit — Rebecca’s and Richard’s twin baby brother. He was born in “Mummy Rabbit’s Bump.”
The Sheep[ edit ]
Suzy Sheep – Suzy is a sheep and is Peppa’s very best friend. She wears a pink dress. She has an imaginary friend named Leo Lion . She dresses like a nurse. She’s allegedly bossy and keeps telling people what to do but she thinks Peppa is the one who is telling people what to do. Suzy is voiced by Meg Hall.
Mummy Sheep a.k.a. Mrs Sheep – Mummy Sheep is the mother of Suzy. She wears a dark pink dress. She is best friends with Mummy Pig. Mummy Sheep is voiced by Debbie MacDonald.
The Cats[ edit ]
Candy Cat – Candy is a cat and is one of Peppa’s friends. She wears a turquoise dress. Candy Cat is voiced by Daisy Rudd (series 1), Emma Weston (series 2) and Zara Siddiqi (series 3-4).
Mrs Cat a.k.a. Mummy Cat – Mrs Cat is the mother of Candy and a colleague of Daddy Pig. She is 33 according to the episode “Dr Hamster’s Tortoise”. She wears a light red dress, Mrs Cat is voiced by Morwenna Banks (series 2) and Leila Farzad (series 3-4).
Mr Cat a.k.a. Daddy Cat – Mr Cat is the father of Candy. He is often seen in series 3 and 4. He wears an indigo shirt and has dark fur. He has whiskwhiskers
The Dogs[ edit ]
Danny Dog – Danny is one of Peppa’s friends. Danny is voiced by George Woolford (series 1-2) and Jadon Mills (series 3-4).
Mummy Dog a.k.a. Mrs Dog – Mummy Dog is the mother of Danny Dog. She is voiced by Debbie MacDonald (series 1) and Claire Waxler (series 2) and Judy Flynn (series 4).
Granddad Dog – Granddad Dog is the grandfather of Danny Dog. He is a mechanic and is very good at fixing cars. Even though they sometimes bicker about whose boat is better, Granddad Dog and Grandpa Pig are best friends. Granddad Dog is voiced by David Rintoul .
Daddy Dog a.k.a. Captain Dog — Daddy Dog is the father of Danny Dog and the son of Granddad Dog. Daddy Dog was one of the last characters make his debut on the show, not appearing until the middle of series four. Daddy Dog is voiced by Alexander Armstrong .
The Ponies[ edit ]
Pedro Pony – Pedro is a pony and is one of Peppa’s friends. He wears glasses and a yellow jacket. Pedro Pony is voiced by Harrison Oldroyd (series 1-2), Stanley Nickless (series 3-4), and in the episode “The Golden Boots” he was voiced by Sammy Price. Characterised by his love for sleep, Pedro can be occasionally forgetful or clumsy and slow to catch on but is otherwise knowledgeable in his areas of interest and always friendly. In many episodes he is late for playgroup. Peppa once kissed Pedro in her school’s play (from “School Play“). He is known for often wearing the wrong costume. Like in the episode “Gym Class” where he wears a superhero costume instead of his gym costume. He also is often found wearing a cowboy costume.
Mummy Pony a.k.a. Mrs Pony – Mummy Pony is the mother of Pedro. She wears a dark yellow dress. Mummy Pony is voiced by Kate Gribble (series 1), Madelyn Moore (series 2), Layla Lewis (series 2), Jemima Williams (series 3), Leila Farzad (series 4) and Judy Flynn (series 4).
Daddy Pony a.k.a. Mr Pony – Daddy Pony is the father of Pedro, and he is an optician. He wears glasses and also wears a green jacket. Daddy Pony is voiced by John Sparkes .
The Zebras[ edit ]
Zoe Zebra – Zoe is a zebra and is one of Peppa’s friends. She wears a light purple dress. In the episode “Teddy’s Day Out,” Zoe appears with her stuffed monkey who is named Monkey. Zoe Zebra is voiced by Sian Taylor.
Mummy Zebra a.k.a. Mrs Zebra – Mummy Zebra is the mother of Zoe, Zuzu and Zaza Zebra, she works with pottery, she wears a bright green dress. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Daddy Zebra a.k.a. Mr Zebra – Daddy Zebra is the father of Zoe, Zuzu and Zaza; he is a postman. Daddy Zebra is voiced by David Graham .
Zuzu & Zaza Zebra – Zuzu and Zaza are zebras and are Zoe’s little identical twin sisters. They are also George’s friends. They wear light pink dresses. As a result of them being younger than George, Richard, and Edmond, they do not appear at playgroup, and instead often appear at Zoe’s house. Zuzu and Zaza Zebra are voiced by Alice May.
The Elephants[ edit ]
Emily Elephant – Peppa’s friend from playgroup. She made her first appearance in the episode “Emily Elephant“. Her brother is Edmond Elephant, her father is Doctor Elephant, and her mother is Mummy Elephant. She can make the loudest sound out of all the children and often uses her trunk as an extra hand. She also has a toy frog as seen in “The Sleepover“. She is voiced by Julia Moss.
Edmond Elephant – Edmond is George’s friend. His sister is Emily, his father is Doctor Elephant and his mother is Mummy Elephant. Unlike George, Richard, Zuzu, Zaza and Didier, Edmond is highly intelligent; his high intelligence comes from his father, Doctor Elephant. Because of this, Edmond is a self-proclaimed clever clogs. He is two years old. Unlike George, Richard, Zuzu, Zaza and Didier, he speaks in full sentences. He is voiced by Jonny Butler. Edmond’s voice appears on the Peppa Pig Rocket kiddie ride.
Doctor Elephant a.k.a. Mr Elephant – He is Emily’s and Edmond’s father and the husband of Mummy Elephant. He wears a white shirt and bowtie and is voiced by Andy Hamilton .
Mummy Elephant – She is Emily’s and Edmond’s mother and she is the wife of Doctor Elephant.
The Donkeys[ edit ]
Delphine Donkey — Delphine is a donkey who appeared in the episodes “Pen Pal” and “Delphine Donkey”. She is Peppa Pig’s friend and pen pal from France . She is voiced by Nzilani Franq.
Didier Donkey — Didier is Delphine’s little brother. In a similar manner to how George loves his dinosaur, Didier loves his toy dragon. He is George’s friend from France . He is voiced by Aurelie Charbonnier.
Mr Donkey a.k.a. Papa Donkey — Mr Donkey is Delphine and Didier’s father and is a husband of Mrs Donkey. He is voiced by Jerome Haupert.
Mrs Donkey — is Delphine and Didier’s mother and is a wife of Mr Donkey.
The Foxes[ edit ]
Freddy Fox — is a friend of Peppa who has a very good sense of smell. His first appearance was in the episode “Freddy Fox“. He is voiced by Max Miller (series 3) and Jamie Oram (series 3-4).
Mr Fox — is Freddy’s father and is the owner of a shop that sells everything, usually in boxes of five, but sometimes as matching sets of three. He is voiced by John Sparkes .
Mrs Fox — is Freddy’s mother and Mr Fox’s wife.
The Kangaroos[ edit ]
Kylie Kangaroo — Kylie Kangaroo is a friend of Peppa and appears in the episode of same name. She is voiced by Macey Danger.
Joey Kangaroo — Joey Kangaroo is Kylie’s younger brother. He stays in Mummy Kangaroo’s pouch.
Mummy Kangaroo a.k.a. Mrs Kangaroo — Mummy Kangaroo is Kylie and Joey’s mother. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Daddy Kangaroo a.k.a. Mr Kangaroo — Daddy Kangaroo is Kylie and Joey’s father. He is voiced by Alexander Armstrong .
The Wolves[ edit ]
Mr. Wolf — is the father of Wendy Wolf and Mrs. Wolf’s husband. He is voiced by Alexander Armstrong .
Mrs. Wolf — is the mother of Wendy Wolf and Mr. Wolf’s wife.
Wendy Wolf — is Peppa’s friend after Daddy Pig designs a house for the Wolves and Mr. Bull builds it. She is voiced by Chaniya Mahon.
The Goats[ edit ]
Gabriella Goat — A friend of Peppa’s who lives in Italy . She gives The Pigs a tour of the village where she lives. She is voiced by Sonia Arapi .
Signor Goat — He takes care of the holiday house Peppa’s family stays for their holiday. He is the father of Gabriella Goat. He is voiced by Andrea Tran .
Uncle Goat — He bakes the pizza in Gabriella’s village. He is voiced by John Sparkes .
Auntie Goat — She runs a store in Gabriella’s town. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Other Characters[ edit ]
Peppa Pig at a personal appearance in the UK
Madame Gazelle — GiGi Gazelle is the teacher at Playgroup. She once played in a rock band called “The Rocking Gazelles” with two other gazelles who may be her sisters, as evidenced in “Madame Gazelle’s Leaving Party“. She taught all of the parents when they were children. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Mr Bull— Mr Bull is a bull who is a garbage man, a builder, a nurse (as seen in “Mummy Rabbit’s Bump“) and a tuba player. Mr Bull is also a taxi driver (as seen in the “Flying on Holiday” episode). He is voiced by David Rintoul .
Mr Potato — Mr Potato is all the kids’ favorite character from a TV show. He’s not an animal in disguise. He’s a real potato. He encourages the kids to exercise and eat healthy. His friends are Mrs Carrot, Sweet Cranberry and Little Sprout who are also real fruit and vegetables, as evidenced in “Mr Potato’s Christmas Show“. There is also a Mrs Potato, appearing only on Peppa’s Television with Mr Potato from series one until the beginning of series three. He is voiced by John Sparkes .
Doctor Brown Bear — Doctor Brown Bear is the doctor. He is voiced by David Rintoul .
Doctor Hamster — Doctor Hamster is the vet. She is voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Mr Scarecrow — is Granny and Grandpa Pig’s scarecrow. He scares the birds who are trying to eat Grandpa’s seeds.
Snowman — is made by Peppa and George he\she is in the episode “snow”.
Mr Rhinoceros — Works with Mr Bull in the building/construction job.
Mr Labrador — Also works with Mr Bull in the building/construction job. He also runs the archery competition at the fair (as seen in “Funfair“).
Mrs Cow — A member of the “Mummies’ Fire Service”. She is voiced by Judy Flynn .
Mrs Potato — She is the wife of Mr Potato. Voiced by Morwenna Banks .
Captain Emergency — The pilot on the plane Peppa and her family fly on in the episode “Flying On Holiday”. Voiced by Dominic Byrne .
Belinda Bear — One of Chloe’s friends. In the episode “Chloe’s Big Friends“, she calls herself “B” for short. She is voiced by Zara Siddiqi.
Simon Squirrel — One of Chloe’s friends. In the episode “Chloe’s Big Friends“, he calls himself “Si” for short. He is voiced by Preston Nyman.
Policeman — He is voiced by Fernando Tiberini.
Father Christmas — One of the only two humans in the show. Shown in episodes “Peppa’s Christmas” “Santa’s Grotto”, “Santa’s Visit” and “Mr. Potato’s Christmas Show”
The Queen — One of the only two humans in the show. Shown in the episode “The Queen”
Pets[ edit ]
Tiddles the Tortoise; is Dr. Hamster’s pet tortoise. He is 33 as shown the episode “Dr. Hamster’s Tortoise”. He is known to climb trees as shown in “Miss Rabbit’s Helicopter” and “Naughty Tortoise”.
Steven the Stick Insect; is Pedro Pony’s pet stick insect and is shown in “The Pet Competition”.
Goldie the Goldfish; is Peppa Pig’s goldfish.
Hemydatulus Fanardus the Gecko; is Edmond Elephant’s pet gecko and is shown the episode “The Pet Competition”. His name is the scientific name for gecko. Edmond named him this since he is smart and a “clever clogs.”
Polly Parrot; Granny and Grandpa Pig’s parrot.
Episodes and DVD releases[ edit ]
Books[ edit ]
There is a line of Personalised books in which your child can be added into the story with Peppa and her friends. [4] There is also a series of books based on Peppa Pig, one of which, Peppa Meets the Queen was written to coincide with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Film[ edit ]
A 15-minute film called Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots [5] was released on 14 February 2015 [6] alongside several episodes of the TV series. [7] To date, it has grossed £2,326,328. [8]
Peppa Pig World Theme Park[ edit ]
Peppa Pig World a family theme park located in the New Forest, Hampshire, [9] opened on 9 April 2011 at Paultons Park, Hampshire, UK with 7 rides, an indoor play zone, a muddy puddles water splash park, smaller play areas and themed buildings.
Merchandise[ edit ]
Peppa Pig, the Entertainment One (eOne) brand, grossed over £200 million in UK merchandise sales in 2010, far exceeding the 2009 figure of £100 million. Additionally, for the first time in the brand’s history, NPD figures for the year reveal that Peppa Pig was the number one pre-school property in the total toy market for 2010 – moving up four places from its previous position in 2009. Now in its seventh year, new licensees continue to join the Peppa Pig licensing programme, which currently has 63 licensees on board. [10]
In addition to episode DVDs, a variety of licensed Peppa Pig products are available, play including video games and other toys such as playsets, playing cards, vehicles, and stuffed toys. Merchandise has also been expanded to include household items such as bathroom products, stationery, [11] bed-linens, food, drink, clothing, and jewellery. Licensees include Holland Publishing in the United Kingdom.
Criticism, controversy, and safety concerns[ edit ]
Comparison of identical frame in original (top) and re-edited versions of the Series 1 episode “Bicycles“, with cycle helmets added.
Peppa and her family did not wear safety belts in automobile scenes the first two series. After receiving several complaints, Astley Baker Davies announced that all future animation would include characters wearing safety belts, and that the relevant scenes in the first two series would be re-animated to include them. [12] Similar changes were also made to early episodes with characters riding bicycles to add cycle helmets , which were not included in the original versions. [13]
In April 2010, during the UK General Election campaign, E1 Entertainment confirmed Peppa would not be attending the launch of the UK Labour Party ‘s families manifesto “in the interests of avoiding any controversy or misunderstanding”. Peppa had previously been used to promote the Labour government’s Sure Start programme. [1]
In 2012, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation received a complaint that the episode “Mister Skinnylegs” was not appropriate for Australian audiences, since it encouraged befriending spiders. Given the toxicity and widespread distribution of some dangerous Australian spiders, notably the common Redback Spider , the complaint was upheld and the episode would no longer screen on the ABC. [14]
In late May 2014, the ABC’s Mark Scott expressed fears about the future of Peppa on Australian television, given Australian federal budget cuts to ABC funding that were said to affect its ability to pay for, and broadcast, overseas media products such as Peppa Pig. Australian media noted the character’s appeal to Australian toddlers and echoed concerns about the future of her Australian distribution rights. Australian Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce made reference to the character as a menu item at a Thai restaurant, while conservative columnist Piers Akerman thought that Peppa “pushes a weird feminist line”. [15] On 28 May 2014, then- Minister for Communications Malcolm Turnbull quelled fears about the future of Peppa Pig on Australian TV, by tweeting that: “Contrary to media rumours, Peppa’s is one snout we are happy to have in the ABC trough”. [16]
During September 2015, the cartoon once again entered the realm of political parody, as commentators referenced it when making light of the supposed Piggate scandal revolving around David Cameron . [17]
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The medical condition Strabismus affects what part of the human body?
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Strabismus (Crossed Eyes): Learn About Causes and Treatment
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Some people are born with eyes that do not align in the usual way. This is called congenital strabismus. In many children, there is no clear cause of strabismus. In some cases, it is a result of a problem with the nervous system, especially the part that controls the muscles of the eyes. If it is not corrected, strabismus can continue into the adult years. Most adults who have strabismus were born with it.
If strabismus does not appear until later in life, it will cause double vision . If the eyes become misaligned in an adult who did not have strabismus as a child, it could be a sign of a serious condition such as a stroke . A sudden, misalignment of the eyes or double vision are important reasons to see a doctor immediately.
Someone who is born with strabismus will see without having double vision. There might be other effects on vision, however. Because the two eyes are not working well together, depth perception and peripheral vision (vision off to the side) will not be very good. Eyestrain and headaches can occur frequently. It might also be necessary to turn the head in unusual ways in order to see in certain directions.
How Is Strabismus Treated?
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A doctor may recommend that patients go through physical therapy to help strengthen their eye muscles. Vision therapy is also used to help a person correct their vision when suffering with strabismus. This therapy helps train a patient's brain to be able to align their eyes and focus and visually process images. Vision therapy uses computerized optical devises, including lenses and filters, to develop the eye muscles.
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Eye
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Upton Park Football Club won what notable international award in Paris, 1900?
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19 Effects of Diabetes on the Body
Cataracts and Glaucoma
The Effects of Diabetes on the Body
After you eat or drink, your body breaks down the sugars in your blood and turns it into glucose. The glucose travels through your bloodstream and provides your body with energy. To accomplish this, your pancreas needs to produce a hormone called insulin. In a person with diabetes (diabetes mellitus), the pancreas either produces too little insulin or none at all, or the insulin can’t be used effectively. This allows blood glucose levels to rise while the rest of your cells are deprived of much needed energy. This can lead to a wide variety of problems affecting nearly every part of your body.
There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1, also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is an immune system disorder. In Type 1 diabetes, the patient’s own immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, destroying the ability to manufacture insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin to live. Most people with Type 1 diabetes are diagnosed as children or young adults.
The main problem in Type 2 diabetes is the presence of what is called insulin resistance. In this sort of diabetes, the pancreas starts off robust in its production of insulin. However, cells that need energy don’t respond normally to the usual amounts of insulin. The pancreas has to produce much higher levels of the hormone in order to manage blood glucose levels. Over time, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas can burn themselves out due to this overproduction. At this point a person with Type 2 diabetes begins to require insulin medication. However, in earlier phases of this more common type of diabetes, the illness can be effectively managed with diet, exercise, and careful monitoring of blood sugars. Some people with Type 2 diabetes may require a variety of oral medications and eventually, as described above, some will eventually need insulin.
Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy. Most of the time, gestational diabetes can be controlled through diet and exercise, and it typically resolves after the baby is delivered.
Common symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, frequent urination, and sluggishness. Blood tests will reveal high sugar levels.
Endocrine, Excretory, and Digestive Systems
Your pancreas produces and releases insulin to help make energy out of sugars. If your pancreas produces little or no insulin, or if your body can’t use it, alternate hormones are used to turn fat into energy. This can create high levels of toxic chemicals, including acids and ketone bodies, which may lead to a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a serious complication of the disease. Symptoms include extreme thirst, excessive urination, and fatigue. Your breath may have a sweet scent that is caused by the elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood. High blood sugar levels and excess ketones in your urine can confirm diabetic ketoacidosis. Untreated, the condition can lead to loss of consciousness or even death.
Diabetes can damage your kidneys, affecting their ability to filter waste products from your blood. Elevated amounts of protein in your urine (microalbuminuria) may be a sign that your kidneys aren’t functioning properly. Kidney disease related to diabetes is called diabetic nephropathy. This condition doesn’t show symptoms until it advances to later stages. People with diabetes should be evaluated for nephropathy in order to avoid irreversible kidney damage and kidney failure.
Diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) occurs in Type 2 diabetes. It involves very high blood glucose levels but without ketones. Symptoms also include dehydration and loss of consciousness. It usually happens to people whose diabetes is undiagnosed or who have not been able to control their diabetes. It can also be caused by heart attack, stroke, or infection.
High blood glucose levels can make it hard for your stomach to completely empty (gastroparesis). In turn, the delay causes blood glucose levels to rise. Diabetes is the leading cause of gastroparesis. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, bloating, and heartburn.
Circulatory System
High blood glucose levels can contribute to the formation of fatty deposits in blood vessel walls. Over time, that can restrict blood flow and increase the risk of hardening of the blood vessels (atherosclerosis).
Lack of blood flow can affect your hands and feet. Poor circulation can cause pain in the calves while you’re walking (intermittent claudication). People with diabetes are particularly prone to foot problems due to narrowed blood vessels in the leg and foot. Your feet may feel cold, and you may be unable to feel heat due to lack of sensation. A condition called diabetic neuropathy causes decreased sensation in the extremities, which may prevent you from noticing an injury or infection. Diabetes increases your risk of developing infections or ulcers of the foot. Poor blood flow and nerve damage increase the likelihood of having a foot or leg amputated. If you have diabetes, it is critical that you take good care of your feet and inspect them often.
Diabetes raises your risk of developing high blood pressure, putting strain on the heart. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse , people with diabetes have double the risk of heart disease or stroke than people without diabetes. Monitoring and controlling your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol can lower that risk. So can good eating habits and exercise.
Diabetes and smoking are a very bad mix, increasing risk of cardiovascular problems and restricted blood flow.
Integumentary System
Diabetes can affect your skin. Lack of moisture can cause the skin on your feet to dry and crack. It is important to completely dry your feet after bathing or swimming. You can use petroleum jelly or gentle creams, but be careful: creams or oils left between your toes can become so moist that it can lead to infection.
High-pressure spots under your foot can lead to calluses. If you don’t take good care of them, they can become infected or develop ulcers. If you get an ulcer, see your doctor immediately to lower your risk of losing your foot.
You may also be more prone to boils, infection of the hair follicles (folliculitis), sties, and infected nails. People with diabetes have a higher incidence of bacterial infections, including staph (Staphylococcus), than the general population.
Moist, warm folds in the skin are susceptible to fungal or yeast infections. You’re most likely to develop this type of infection between fingers and toes, the groin, armpits, or in the corners of your mouth. Symptoms include redness, blistering, and itchiness.
A condition called diabetic dermopathy can cause brown patches on the skin. There’s no cause for concern and no treatment is necessary. Eruptive xanthomatosis causes hard yellow bumps with a red ring. Digital sclerosis causes thick skin, most often on the hands or feet. Both of these skin conditions are signs of unmanaged diabetes. They usually clear up when you get your blood sugar under control.
Central Nervous System
Diabetes causes damage to the nerves (peripheral neuropathy), which can affect your perception of heat, cold, and pain, making you more susceptible to injury. This also makes it more likely that you’ll ignore an injury, especially if it’s in a difficult place to see, such as between your toes, on your heels, or the bottoms of your feet.
Swollen, leaky blood vessels in the eye (diabetic retinopathy) can damage your vision and even lead to blindness. Symptoms include floaters or spots in your field of vision. People with diabetes tend to develop cataracts at an earlier age than other people. They are also more likely to develop glaucoma. Symptoms of eye trouble can be mild at first, so it’s important to see your eye doctor regularly.
Reproductive System
The hormones of pregnancy can cause gestational diabetes. This also increases the risk of high blood pressure (preeclampsia or ecclampsia). In most cases, gestational diabetes is easily controlled, and glucose levels return to normal after the baby is born. Symptoms are the same as other types of diabetes, but may also include repeated infections affecting the vagina and bladder. Women with gestational diabetes may have babies with higher birth weight, making delivery more complicated. Women who have had gestational diabetes should be monitored, as there’s an increased risk of developing diabetes within ten years.
Recommended for You
The Not-So-Sweet Facts of Diabetes
Get an up-close look at the increasing impact type 2 diabetes has on everything from pregnancy to healthcare costs.
Controllable risk factors – diabetes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=diabetes
Diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. (2014, February 19). Retrieved from http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/stroke/
Facts about diabetic retinopathy. (2012, June). Retrieved from http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp
Foot complications. (2014, May 22). Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/foot-complications/
Gastroparesis. (2012, June 15). Retrieved from http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastroparesis/
High blood pressure. (2014, January 4). Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/high-blood-pressure-hypertension.html
Kidney disease (Nephropathy). (2013, December 10). Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/kidney-disease-nephropathy.html
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2012, October 23). Diabetic ketoacidosis: Complications. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/basics/complications/con-20026470
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2012, October 23). Diabetic ketoacidosis: Definition. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/basics/definition/con-20026470
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2012, October 23). Diabetic ketoacidosis: Symptoms. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/basics/symptoms/con-20026470
Skin complications. (2014, March 31). Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/skin-complications.html
What is diabetes?. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://jdrf.org/life-with-t1d/type-1-diabetes-information/what-is-diabetes/
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With the symbol H what is the unit of inductance?
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Enter a value into either text box and select units using the drop-down boxes.
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What is Inductance?
Inductance is a property in which an emf (electro-motive force) is induced in a circuit due to a change in electric current through that circuit or through a nearby circuit. This induced emf opposes the change in the current. The symbol used to denote inductance is L. The unit of inductance is the henry (H), named after American scientist Joseph Henry. One henry is the inductance needed to induce one volt by a change of current of one ampere per second.
In 1831, an English scientist, Michael Faraday discovered that when a magnetic field is changed in a circuit, a current is induced in a nearby circuit. Joseph Henry made this discovery at about the same time although Faraday was the first to publish. The phenomenon of generating electromotive force and current by changing magnetic field is known as electromagnetic induction.
Faraday's Law
Faraday's Law of electromagnetic induction gives the relationship between the changing magnetic flux and induced electromagnetic force. It states:
The electromagnectic force induced in a circuit is proportional to the rate of change of the magnetic flux that moves through the circuit.
If E is the induced electromotive force in volts, DΦ the change in magnetic force and Dt is the amount of time in seconds in which the change in magnetic force takes place, then:
E = - (DΦ/Dt)
It means that the more magnetic field lines cut across the conductor and the faster they cross, the greater the induced voltage.
Self Induction
The phenomenon in which a changing current in a coil induces an emf in itself is called self induction. If the flux through one loop of the coil be F, then the total flux through the coil of N turns would be N.F. As F is proportional to the magnetic field which is in turn proportional to the current I, then,
N.Φ = L.I
Here L is the constant of proportionality called the self inductance of the coil. It depends upon the number of turns of the coil, its area of cross section and the core material.
If E is the emf induced, using Faraday's Law it can be deduced that,
E = -L.DI/Dt
It shows that the self induced emf in a coil is proportional to the time rate of change of current in the coil. Self inductance of a coil is defined as the ratio of emf to the rate of change of current in the coil. The negative sign indicates that the self induced emf must oppose the change that produced it. For this reason the self induced emf is also called back emf, which can destroy semiconductors used to drive relays and other electromagnetic components if they are not adequately protected.
Mutual Induction
The phenomenon in which a changing current in one coil induces an emf in another coil is called mutual induction. Let the flux passing through one loop of the secondary coil be F. Net flux passing through the coil of N loops is NF. As this flux is directly proportional to the magnetic field produced by the current, I, in the primary coil and the magnetic field itself is proportional to I, then
N.Φ = M.I
where M is the constant of proportionality called the mutual inductance of the two coils. It depends upon the number of turns of the coils, their area of cross section, their proximity and the nature of the core material on which the two coils are wound.
Using Faraday's law, it can be deduced that,
E = -M.DI/Dt
It shows that the emf induced in the secondary coil is proportional to the time rate of change of current in the primary. Again, the negative sign indicates that the induced emf opposes the change of current in the primary coil.
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Henry
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What country was created in 1949 with the local abbreviated name DDR?
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Measurement unit conversion: uH
Measurement unit conversion: uH
The SI derived unit for inductance is the henry.
1 henry is equal to 1000000 uH.
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›› Definition: Microhenry
The SI prefix "micro" represents a factor of 10-6, or in exponential notation, 1E-6.
So 1 microhenry = 10-6 henries.
The definition of a henry is as follows:
The henry (symbol: H) is the SI unit of inductance. It is named after Joseph Henry (1797-1878), the American scientist who discovered electromagnetic induction independently of and at about the same time as Michael Faraday (1791-1867) in England.
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i don't know
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In Jonathan Swift's novel Gulliver's Travels what is Gulliver's first name?
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SparkNotes: Gulliver’s Travels: Character List
Gulliver’s Travels
Plot Overview
Analysis of Major Characters
Gulliver - The narrator and protagonist of the story. Although Lemuel Gulliver’s vivid and detailed style of narration makes it clear that he is intelligent and well educated, his perceptions are naïve and gullible. He has virtually no emotional life, or at least no awareness of it, and his comments are strictly factual. Indeed, sometimes his obsession with the facts of navigation, for example, becomes unbearable for us, as his fictional editor, Richard Sympson, makes clear when he explains having had to cut out nearly half of Gulliver’s verbiage. Gulliver never thinks that the absurdities he encounters are funny and never makes the satiric connections between the lands he visits and his own home. Gulliver’s naïveté makes the satire possible, as we pick up on things that Gulliver does not notice.
Read an in-depth analysis of Gulliver.
The emperor - The ruler of Lilliput. Like all Lilliputians, the emperor is fewer than six inches tall. His power and majesty impress Gulliver deeply, but to us he appears both laughable and sinister. Because of his tiny size, his belief that he can control Gulliver seems silly, but his willingness to execute his subjects for minor reasons of politics or honor gives him a frightening aspect. He is proud of possessing the tallest trees and biggest palace in the kingdom, but he is also quite hospitable, spending a fortune on his captive’s food. The emperor is both a satire of the autocratic ruler and a strangely serious portrait of political power.
The farmer - Gulliver’s first master in Brobdingnag. The farmer speaks to Gulliver, showing that he is willing to believe that the relatively tiny Gulliver may be as rational as he himself is, and treats him with gentleness. However, the farmer puts Gulliver on display around Brobdingnag, which clearly shows that he would rather profit from his discovery than converse with him as an equal. His exploitation of Gulliver as a laborer, which nearly starves Gulliver to death, seems less cruel than simpleminded. Generally, the farmer represents the average Brobdingnagian of no great gifts or intelligence, wielding an extraordinary power over Gulliver simply by virtue of his immense size.
Glumdalclitch - The farmer’s nine-year-old daughter, who is forty feet tall. Glumdalclitch becomes Gulliver’s friend and nursemaid, hanging him to sleep safely in her closet at night and teaching him the Brobdingnagian language by day. She is skilled at sewing and makes Gulliver several sets of new clothes, taking delight in dressing him. When the queen discovers that no one at court is suited to care for Gulliver, she invites Glumdalclitch to live at court as his sole babysitter, a function she performs with great seriousness and attentiveness. To Glumdalclitch, Gulliver is basically a living doll, symbolizing the general status Gulliver has in Brobdingnag.
The queen - The queen of Brobdingnag, who is so delighted by Gulliver’s beauty and charms that she agrees to buy him from the farmer for 1,000 pieces of gold. Gulliver appreciates her kindness after the hardships he suffers at the farmer’s and shows his usual fawning love for royalty by kissing the tip of her little finger when presented before her. She possesses, in Gulliver’s words, “infinite” wit and humor, though this description may entail a bit of Gulliver’s characteristic flattery of superiors. The queen seems genuinely considerate, asking Gulliver whether he would consent to live at court instead of simply taking him in as a pet and inquiring into the reasons for his cold good-byes with the farmer. She is by no means a hero, but simply a pleasant, powerful person.
The king - The king of Brobdingnag, who, in contrast to the emperor of Lilliput, seems to be a true intellectual, well versed in political science among other disciplines. While his wife has an intimate, friendly relationship with the diminutive visitor, the king’s relation to Gulliver is limited to serious discussions about the history and institutions of Gulliver’s native land. He is thus a figure of rational thought who somewhat prefigures the Houyhnhnms in Book IV.
Lord Munodi - A lord of Lagado, capital of the underdeveloped land beneath Laputa, who hosts Gulliver and gives him a tour of the country on Gulliver’s third voyage. Munodi is a rare example of practical-minded intelligence both in Lagado, where the applied sciences are wildly impractical, and in Laputa, where no one even considers practicality a virtue. He fell from grace with the ruling elite by counseling a commonsense approach to agriculture and land management in Lagado, an approach that was rejected even though it proved successful when applied to his own flourishing estate. Lord Munodi serves as a reality check for Gulliver on his third voyage, an objective-minded contrast to the theoretical delusions of the other inhabitants of Laputa and Lagado.
Read an in-depth analysis of Lord Munodi.
Yahoos - Unkempt humanlike beasts who live in servitude to the Houyhnhnms. Yahoos seem to belong to various ethnic groups, since there are blond Yahoos as well as dark-haired and redheaded ones. The men are characterized by their hairy bodies, and the women by their low-hanging breasts. They are naked, filthy, and extremely primitive in their eating habits. Yahoos are not capable of government, and thus they are kept as servants to the Houyhnhnms, pulling their carriages and performing manual tasks. They repel Gulliver with their lascivious sexual appetites, especially when an eleven-year-old Yahoo girl attempts to rape Gulliver as he is bathing naked. Yet despite Gulliver’s revulsion for these disgusting creatures, he ends his writings referring to himself as a Yahoo, just as the Houyhnhnms do as they regretfully evict him from their realm. Thus, “Yahoo” becomes another term for human, at least in the semideranged and self-loathing mind of Gulliver at the end of his fourth journey.
Houyhnhnms - Rational horses who maintain a simple, peaceful society governed by reason and truthfulness—they do not even have a word for “lie” in their language. Houyhnhnms are like ordinary horses, except that they are highly intelligent and deeply wise. They live in a sort of socialist republic, with the needs of the community put before individual desires. They are the masters of the Yahoos, the savage humanlike creatures in Houyhnhnmland. In all, the Houyhnhnms have the greatest impact on Gulliver throughout all his four voyages. He is grieved to leave them, not relieved as he is in leaving the other three lands, and back in England he relates better with his horses than with his human family. The Houyhnhnms thus are a measure of the extent to which Gulliver has become a misanthrope, or “human-hater”; he is certainly, at the end, a horse lover.
Gulliver’s Houyhnhnm master - The Houyhnhnm who first discovers Gulliver and takes him into his own home. Wary of Gulliver’s Yahoolike appearance at first, the master is hesitant to make contact with him, but Gulliver’s ability to mimic the Houyhnhnm’s own words persuades the master to protect Gulliver. The master’s domestic cleanliness, propriety, and tranquil reasonableness of speech have an extraordinary impact on Gulliver. It is through this horse that Gulliver is led to reevaluate the differences between humans and beasts and to question humanity’s claims to rationality.
Don Pedro de Mendez - The Portuguese captain who takes Gulliver back to Europe after he is forced to leave the land of the Houyhnhnms. Don Pedro is naturally benevolent and generous, offering the half-crazed Gulliver his own best suit of clothes to replace the tatters he is wearing. But Gulliver meets his generosity with repulsion, as he cannot bear the company of Yahoos. By the end of the voyage, Don Pedro has won over Gulliver to the extent that he is able to have a conversation with him, but the captain’s overall Yahoolike nature in Gulliver’s eyes alienates him from Gulliver to the very end.
Read an in-depth analysis of Don Pedro de Mendez.
Brobdingnagians - Giants whom Gulliver meets on his second voyage. Brobdingnagians are basically a reasonable and kindly people governed by a sense of justice. Even the farmer who abuses Gulliver at the beginning is gentle with him, and politely takes the trouble to say good-bye to him upon leaving him. The farmer’s daughter, Glumdalclitch, gives Gulliver perhaps the most kindhearted treatment he receives on any of his voyages. The Brobdingnagians do not exploit him for personal or political reasons, as the Lilliputians do, and his life there is one of satisfaction and quietude. But the Brobdingnagians do treat Gulliver as a plaything. When he tries to speak seriously with the king of Brobdingnag about England, the king dismisses the English as odious vermin, showing that deep discussion is not possible for Gulliver here.
Lilliputians and Blefuscudians - Two races of miniature people whom Gulliver meets on his first voyage. Lilliputians and Blefuscudians are prone to conspiracies and jealousies, and while they treat Gulliver well enough materially, they are quick to take advantage of him in political intrigues of various sorts. The two races have been in a longstanding war with each over the interpretation of a reference in their common holy scripture to the proper way to eat eggs. Gulliver helps the Lilliputians defeat the Blefuscudian navy, but he eventually leaves Lilliput and receives a warm welcome in the court of Blefuscu, by which Swift satirizes the arbitrariness of international relations.
Laputans - Absentminded intellectuals who live on the floating island of Laputa, encountered by Gulliver on his third voyage. The Laputans are parodies of theoreticians, who have scant regard for any practical results of their own research. They are so inwardly absorbed in their own thoughts that they must be shaken out of their meditations by special servants called flappers, who shake rattles in their ears. During Gulliver’s stay among them, they do not mistreat him, but are generally unpleasant and dismiss him as intellectually deficient. They do not care about down-to-earth things like the dilapidation of their own houses, but worry intensely about abstract matters like the trajectories of comets and the course of the sun. They are dependent in their own material needs on the land below them, called Lagado, above which they hover by virtue of a magnetic field, and from which they periodically raise up food supplies. In the larger context of Gulliver’s journeys, the Laputans are a parody of the excesses of theoretical pursuits and the uselessness of purely abstract knowledge.
Mary Burton Gulliver - Gulliver’s wife, whose perfunctory mention in the first paragraphs of Gulliver’s Travels demonstrates how unsentimental and unemotional Gulliver is. He makes no reference to any affection for his wife, either here or later in his travels when he is far away from her, and his detachment is so cool as to raise questions about his ability to form human attachments. When he returns to England, she is merely one part of his former existence, and he records no emotion even as she hugs him wildly. The most important facts about her in Gulliver’s mind are her social origin and the income she generates.
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Lemuel
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The characters 11 in the binary numeral system equate to what number?
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Jonathan Swift (Author of Gulliver's Travels)
edit data
Jonathan Swift was an Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for Whigs then for Tories), and poet, famous for works like Gulliver's Travels, A Modest Proposal, A Journal to Stella, The Drapier's Letters, The Battle of the Books, and A Tale of a Tub. Swift is probably the foremost prose satirist in the English language, and is less well known for his poetry. Swift published all of his works under pseudonyms — such as Lemuel Gulliver, Isaac Bickerstaff, M.B. Drapier — or anonymously. He is also known for being a master of two styles of satire; the Horatian and Juvenalian styles.
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i don't know
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What nation has the country code internet top-level domain (TLD) .se?
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.SE domains • ccTLD for Sweden
Why choose a .se domain extension?
.SE presents great possibilities for domain hacks, like adverti.SE or birdhou.SE
.SE presents great possibilities for domain hacks, like adverti.SE or birdhou.SE
A .SE domain name demonstrates your business’ presence in Sweden.
About .SE domain names
The .SE domain name presents a great opportunity for local and international companies wanting to represent their business in Sweden. Local domain names give your company a professional image, which demonstrates proof of your commitment to local customers.
Protecting yourself and your identity is all too important in today's world. The same standards apply to protecting your business and personal identity online. Protecting your brand is an important reason to register ccTLDs. Being the initial purchaser of your brand in a TLD is a much wiser idea than attempting to acquire names after someone else has registered them.
Additionally, it is much easier to purchase a common word or short domain name in a ccTLD than in the more popular and heavily populated TLDs.
About Sweden
Anyone can register a .SE domain name, similar to gTLDs like .COM and .NET.
There are no restrictions on .SE domain name registrations
.SE's Terms and Conditions of Registration may be found at: https://www.iis.se/docs/Registreringsvillkor_eng.pdf
Name.com Inc. handles personal information in compliance with the Swedish Personal Data Act (1998:204) and the Foundation's controller of personal data agreement.
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Sweden
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The title/position of Swami represents a religious teacher in?
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.SE domains • ccTLD for Sweden
Why choose a .se domain extension?
.SE presents great possibilities for domain hacks, like adverti.SE or birdhou.SE
.SE presents great possibilities for domain hacks, like adverti.SE or birdhou.SE
A .SE domain name demonstrates your business’ presence in Sweden.
About .SE domain names
The .SE domain name presents a great opportunity for local and international companies wanting to represent their business in Sweden. Local domain names give your company a professional image, which demonstrates proof of your commitment to local customers.
Protecting yourself and your identity is all too important in today's world. The same standards apply to protecting your business and personal identity online. Protecting your brand is an important reason to register ccTLDs. Being the initial purchaser of your brand in a TLD is a much wiser idea than attempting to acquire names after someone else has registered them.
Additionally, it is much easier to purchase a common word or short domain name in a ccTLD than in the more popular and heavily populated TLDs.
About Sweden
Anyone can register a .SE domain name, similar to gTLDs like .COM and .NET.
There are no restrictions on .SE domain name registrations
.SE's Terms and Conditions of Registration may be found at: https://www.iis.se/docs/Registreringsvillkor_eng.pdf
Name.com Inc. handles personal information in compliance with the Swedish Personal Data Act (1998:204) and the Foundation's controller of personal data agreement.
Sign up for email alerts to receive big discounts
on domains and other products.
(We promise not to share your information with anyone, and you can unsubscribe at any time)
Sign up
Thanks for subscribing to our email list!
You'll be the first to know about the latest sales and releases from Name.com. You should receive a subscription confirmation email shortly.
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i don't know
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What name is given to the age of human agricultural and technology revolution, from Greek 'new' and 'stone'?
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Agriculture And The Origins Of Civilization:
There was nothing natural or inevitable about the development of
agriculture. Because cultivation of plants requires more labor than hunting
and gathering, we can assume that Stone Age humans gave up their former ways
of life reluctantly and slowly. In fact, peoples such as the Bushmen of
Southwest Africa still follow them today. But between about 8000 and 3500
B.C., increasing numbers of humans shifted to dependence on cultivated crops
and domesticated animals for their subsistence. By about 7000 B.C., their
tools and skills had advanced sufficiently for cultivating peoples to support
towns with over one thousand people, such as Jericho in the valley of the
Jordan River and Catal Huyuk in present-day Turkey. By 3500 B.C., agricultural
peoples in the Middle East could support sufficient numbers of non-cultivating
specialists to give rise to the first civilizations. As this pattern spread to
or developed independently in other centers across the globe, the character of
most human lives and the history of the species as a whole were fundamentally
transformed.
Causes Of The Agrarian Transformation
Because there are no written records of the transition period between
8000 and 5000 B.C. when many animals were first domesticated and plants were
cultivated on a regular basis, we cannot be certain why and how some peoples
adopted these new ways of producing food and other necessities of life.
Climatic changes associated with the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the
last Ice Age (about 12,000 B.C.), may have played an important role. These
climatic shifts prompted the migration of many big game animals to new
pasturelands in northern areas. They also left a dwindling supply of game for
human hunters in areas such as the Middle East, where agriculture first arose
and many animals were first domesticated. Climatic shifts also led to changes
in the distribution and growing patterns of wild grains and other crops on
which hunters and gatherers depended. In addition, it is likely that the shift
to sedentary farming was prompted in part by an increase in human populations
in certain areas. It is possible that the population growth was caused by
changes in the climate and plant and animal life, forcing hunting bands to
move into the territories where these shifts had been minimal. It is also
possible that population growth occurred within these unaffected regions,
because the hunting-and-gathering pattern reached higher levels of
productivity. Peoples like the Natufians found their human communities could
grow significantly by intensively harvesting grains that grew in the wild. As
the population grew, more and more attention was given to the grain harvest,
which eventually led to the conscious and systematic cultivation of plants and
thus the agrarian revolution.
The Domestication Of Plants And Animals
The peoples who first cultivated cereal grains had long observed them
growing in the wild and gleaned their seeds as they gathered other plants for
their leaves and roots. In Late Paleolithic times both wild barley and wheat
grew over large areas in present-day Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and
Israel. Hunting-and-gathering bands in these areas may have consciously
experimented with planting and nurturing seeds taken from the wilds or they
may have accidentally discovered the principles of domestication by observing
the growth of seeds dropped near their campsites. However it began, the
practice of agriculture caught on only gradually. Archeological evidence
suggests that the first agriculturists retained their hunting-and-gathering
activities as a hedge against the ever-present threat of starvation. But as
Stone Age peoples became more adept at cultivating a growing range of crops,
including protein-rich legumes such as peas and beans, various fruits, and
olives, the effort they expended on activities outside agriculture diminished.
It is probable that the earliest farmers broadcast wild seeds, a practice
that cut down on labor but sharply reduced the potential yield. Over the
centuries, more and more care was taken to select the best grain for seed and
to mix different strains in ways that improved both crop yields and resistance
to plant diseases. As the time required to tend growing plants and the
dependence on agricultural production for subsistence increased, some roving
bands chose to settle down while others practiced a mix of hunting and
shifting cultivation that allowed them to continue to move about.
Though several animals may have been domesticated before the discovery of
agriculture, the two processes combined to make up the critical transformation
in human culture called the Neolithic (New Stone Age) revolution. Different
animal species were tamed in different ways that reflected both their own
natures and the ways in which they interacted with humans. Dogs, for example,
were originally wolves that hunted humans or scavenged at their campsites. As
early as 12,000 B.C., Stone Age peoples found that wolf pups could be tamed
and trained to track and corner game. The strains of dogs that gradually
developed proved adept at controlling herd animals like sheep. Relatively
docile and defenseless herds of sheep could be controlled once their leaders
had been captured and tamed. Sheep, goats, and pigs (which also were
scavengers at human campsites) were first domesticated in the Middle East
between 8500 and 7000 B.C. Horned cattle, which were faster and better able to
defend themselves than wild sheep, were not tamed until about 6500 B.C. The
central place of bull and cattle symbolism in the sacrificial and fertility
cults of many early peoples has led some archeologists to argue that their
domestication was originally motivated by religious sentiments rather than a
desire for new sources of food and clothing.
Domesticated animals such as cattle and sheep provided New Stone Age
humans with additional sources of protein-rich meat and in some cases milk.
Animal hides and wool greatly expanded the materials from which clothes,
containers, shelters, and crude boats could be crafted. Animal horns and bones
could be carved or used for needles and other utensils. Because plows and
wheels did not come into use until the Bronze Age (c. 4000-3500 B.C.), most
Neolithic peoples made little use of animal power for farming, transportation,
or travel. There is evidence, however, that peoples in northern areas used
tamed reindeer to pull sledges, and those farther South used camels for
transporting goods. More importantly, the Neolithic peoples used domesticated
herd animals as a steady source of manure to enrich the soil and thus improve
the yield of the crops that were gradually becoming the basis of their
livelihood.
The Spread Of The Neolithic Revolution
The greater labor involved in cultivation and the fact that it did not at
first greatly enhance the peoples' security or living standards caused many
bands to stay with long-tested subsistence strategies. Through most of the
Neolithic period, sedentary agricultural communities coexisted with more
numerous bands of hunters and gatherers, migratory cultivators, and hunters
and fishers. Even after sedentary agriculture became the basis for the
livelihood of the majority of humans, hunters and gatherers and shifting
cultivators held out in many areas of the globe. For example, due to the
absence of the horse and most herd animals in the Americas, nomadic hunting
cultures became the main alternatives there.
The domestication of animals gave rise to pastoralism which has proven
the strongest competitor to sedentary agriculture throughout most of the
world. Pastoralism has thrived in semiarid areas such as central Asia, the
Sudanic belt south of the Sahara desert in Africa, and the savanna zone of
East and South Africa. These areas were incapable of supporting dense or large
populations. The nomadic, herding way of life has tended to produce
independent and hardy peoples, well-versed in the military skills needed not
only for their survival but also to challenge more heavily populated agrarian
societies. Horse-riding nomads who herd sheep or cattle have destroyed
powerful kingdoms and laid the foundations for vast empires. The camel nomads
of Arabia played critical roles in the rise of Islamic civilization. The
cattle-herding peoples of central, East, and South Africa produced some of the
most formidable pre-industrial military organizations. Only with the rather
recent period of the Industrial Revolution has the power of nomadic peoples
been irreparably broken and the continuation of their cultures threatened by
the steady encroachment of sedentary peoples.
In the era of the Neolithic revolution (roughly 8000-5000 B.C.),
agriculture was far from the dominant mode of support for human societies. But
those who adopted it survived and increased, and passed their techniques of
production to other peoples. The cultivation of wheat and barley spread
throughout the Middle East and eastward to India. These crops also spread
northward to Europe, where oats and rye were added later. From Egypt, the
cultivation of grain crops and fibers, such as flax and cotton that were used
for clothing, spread to peoples along the Nile in the interior of Africa,
along the North African coast, and across the vast savanna zone south of the
Sahara desert.
Agriculture in the African rain forest zone farther south evolved
independently in the 2d millennium B.C., and was based on root crops such as
cassava and tree crops such as bananas and palm nuts. In northern China during
the Neolithic period, a millet-based agricultural system developed along the
Huanghe or Yellow River basin. From this core region, it spread in the last
millennia B.C. east toward the North China Sea and southward toward the
Yangtze basin. A later, but independent, agricultural revolution based on rice
began in mainland Southeast Asia sometime before 5000 B.C. and slowly spread
into South China and India and to the islands of Southeast Asia. In the
Americas maize- (or corn), manioc-, and sweet potato-based agrarian systems
arose in Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America today) and present-day Peru.
Long before the arrival of Columbus in the Americas in A.D. 1492, these and
other crops had spread through large portions of the continents of the Western
Hemisphere, from the temperate woodlands of the North Atlantic coast to the
rain forests of the Amazon region. Thus, varying patterns of agricultural
production were disseminated on all the inhabited continents except Australia,
to virtually all the regions of the globe where there were sufficient rainfall
and suitable temperatures.
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Neolithic
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With the symbol Wb what is the unit of magnetic flux?
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The Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages :: World History
The Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages
Length: 329 words (0.9 double-spaced pages)
Rating: Excellent
Open Document
The separation of the Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages mark a great divide in the lives and cultures of prehistoric peoples. Many aspects of everyday life were modified to suit a new standard of living. Society, Economy, and Technology were greatly affected by the "Agricultural Revolution" that spawned the Neolithic Age.
The Paleolithic Age, Greek for "Old Stone", is the era of the emergence of modern man . During this age, man was a hunter-gatherer species. Due to the plentiful sources of animals and plants, man could simply follow the herds and their migratory patterns. With no proprietary knowledge, each nomadic band was egalitarian as there was no distinction for a social ladder.
Despite not having an established society or economy, man in the Paleolithic Age had increasing technology. Their weapons and tools were made of wood and stone, and they had manifested the ability to control fire. The Paleolithic Age also berthed language and thus established the first historical backgrounds of modern man. Paleolithic art gives the background for the culture of the time. Depicting a society classed only by sex: Men hunted, made weaponry and tools, and fought other nomadic bands; Women gathered, made clothing, and bore children.
The new stone, or Neolithic Age, marked the beginnings of established society for modern man. Although only a few Paleolithic societies adapted to agriculture from hunting/gathering, this shift led the way for advancement with society, economy, and technology. Man began to raise small herds of sheep and goats and food crops such as wheat and barley were able to be domesticated in mountain foothills. As more of the nomadic bands began to settle as farmers instead of hunter/gatherers, an economic system emerged. Although most of the nomadic societies were still self-sufficient, trading was established from items like stones and shells.
The new settlements helped the population to grow quickly. Farmers were able to have and maintain larger families. The changes in technology helped move modern man into the Bronze Age.
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MLA Citation:
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i don't know
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What sort of creature is a killdeer?
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Keeping up with the Birds: The killdeer and its Nesting Habits
The killdeer and its Nesting Habits
BIRD COLUMN FOR July 25, 2004
By Benjamin P. Burtt
Topic: The Killdeer and its Nesting Habits , Precocial and Altricial Youngsters, A Young Killdeer that Disappeared while I was Staring at it. A Tame Quail
Introduction
Provided below is a copy of all the material that appeared in the newspaper column on the date above, plus extra information for the interested reader who wishes to learn more about this subject.
Here is a recent question: Dear Prof. Burtt: We have a brown bird that nested in the pebbles beside our driveway. When we approached the nest, the bird hobbled off like she was hurt and put her tail feathers up like a peacock. Her tail feathers are a lighter brown with some white. Please tell us something about this bird. —C. N., Marcellus, NY
Dear C.N: The bird is a killdeer. It is related to the sandpipers, but instead of feeding along the shore, it prefers plowed fields and pasture lands. There it eats worms, grubs and insects of various kinds.
There are two black bands across its breast. In flight, a golden-red rump is conspicuous and it has quite a long tail. It is a noisy bird and repeats its loud insistent call again and again: "kill-dee, kill-dee, kill-dee."
The Killdeer Is A Common Bird
The killdeer is the most common shorebird that breeds in Central New York. Shorebirds are those long legged, wading birds we see along beaches, lakeshores and muddy pools. The most familiar ones are the sandpipers that dash out into shallow water and mud flats to pick up little marine worms and other invertebrates.
The largest group are the sandpipers and the next most abundant are the plovers. The killdeer is a plover. Plovers are more compact and with a shorter neck than the sandpipers. The bill is shorter and stouter too.
Of all the shorebirds, the killdeer is one of the easiest to identify for there are two black bands across the breast as shown in the painting. In flight, a golden-red rump is conspicuous and it has quite a long tail.
CAPTION: This common shorebird, a killdeer, frequents pastures or fields rather than the seashore. Its well-camouflaged eggs are laid right on the ground with only a bit of gravel for a nest. The chicks leave the nest the day they hatch. This painting is from the Peterson field guide, "Birds of Eastern and Central North America", fifth edition ( Courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Co. )
It is a noisy bird and repeats its loud insistent call again and again: "kill-dee, kill-dee, kill-dee." Both its common name and its scientific name reflect this characteristic voice. The scientific name is Charadrius vociferus where the first word is the genus and the second part, the species name. The species , vociferous, is close to the English word, vociferous which means noisy or loud.
Practically No Nest
It lays its eggs in the open on the ground. Spots with gravel, cinders or pebbles are chosen where the eggs will be almost invisible. There is no real nest. It finds a small depression on the ground or perhaps scrapes a very shallow hollow. Now and then, it puts a few pieces of grass on the spot. The eggs are laid right on the ground. They have a lot of brownish blotches and spots on a buffy background.
The eggs are very large for the size of the parent bird. For example, although the killdeer and the robin are very nearly the same size, the killdeer's egg is twice the size of a robin's egg. It only takes the robin 13 days to hatch its egg, but the killdeer egg requires 26 days! There are some good reasons for these differences.
Killdeer youngsters are “precocial”
Young birds fall into two categories, depending upon how well developed they are when they hatch.
Altricial birds hatch in a helpless condition , most with their eyes closed, are unable to leave the nest and are wholly dependent upon their parents for food and care. Most are born naked . Examples are robins, jays and house sparrows.
The herons, hawks and owls are born with a covering of down, but they are still helpless.
Precocial birds hatch in the opposite condition in that they can move about soon after hatching and drying. They hatch with their eyes open, are covered with down and only partly or not at all dependent upon their parents for food and care. They leave the nest within a few hours of hatching.
Young killdeers are precocial. This does require something different. The young killdeers must be quite well developed by hatching time if they are to walk immediately. The large yolk mentioned above, provides the extra food they need while developing in the egg. A large egg and a longer period of incubation are required for precocial birds.
Generally, the chicks of helpless altircial birds hatch in sturdy nests in trees where they are protected from animals that walk about on the ground. Precocial chicks like the killdeer leave the nest immediately which gives them some protection from raccoons, weasels or other mammals that would devour helpless chicks in a nest on the ground.
Their legs are well developed, but their wings are very tiny and unfeathered. They cannot fly at this stage. The parents guard them, but do not feed them. The youngsters must pick up their own food.
Well camouflaged
I tried to catch a young one some years ago. He ran from me and then stopped suddenly. I moved in to drop my cap over him. However, I could not find him although he had stopped on an open patch of dirt right before my eyes. I stared at the spot and studied it for some time before I could make out his outline. When a young killdeer "freezes," its camouflage is almost perfect!
Broken Wing Act
When the incubating killdeer is disturbed on the nest, it puts up quite an act. If the intruder is a predatory animal such as a dog, a fox or a man that might want the egg, it flutters away from the nest with one wing hanging loosely as if it was injured.
Predators are strongly attracted to an injured bird (they are easier to catch I suppose). The killdeer moves a short distance away from the nest; beats one wing on the ground and the other will be twisted up over its back. This behavior together with its loud calling is enough to distract the predator away from the nest site.
Different tactics are used with a horse, a cow or deer. Such animals have no interest in the eggs, but they still might destroy them by walking over the nest.
In these cases, the killdeer seldom leaves the nest until the animal is just about ready to step on it. At that point, the killdeer flies at the face of the intruder and frequently strikes it on the muzzle. This usually causes the animal to retreat and the nest is saved.
The Little Quail
While on the subject of baby birds, I remembered a summer at Cape Cod many years ago. There, a little quail was the source of much delight to visitors to the Massachusetts Audubon Society's Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary.
This particular bird had been taken in by a local resident. Because of its small size and striped appearance, it was immediately named, "Bumblebee."
Bumblebee frequently fed at the family table where its cage was taken at mealtime. Later, when given a little more freedom, the bird formed the habit of sleeping on a blanket at the foot of its mistress's bed. The bird formed such an attachment for the woman, that it attempted to drive away friends who came to visit. It even attacked her husband.
In desperation, she checked with the Wellfleet sanctuary. They had some quail there in a semi-wild state in a fairly well protected area. Bumblebee was liberated there.
It adapted itself to life in the sanctuary and learned to feed for itself. Generally, it was seen by itself and was not quite accepted by the other quail there.
The little quail seemed to prefer human friends. On Sundays when visitors were there in large numbers, the quail got lots of attention. A visitor was often startled to see the little bobwhite pop out of the bushes into the path, tame and unafraid. It would walk up to people, "peep" and allow them to touch or pet it.
Young birds usually become attached to the first living creature they see. This is normally the parent. When a young bird is raised by humans, it becomes attached to them and does not know that this is a dangerous thing to do. It may later approach a human or some other moving animal and be killed. It probably will not recognize others of its own kind and so will never mate.
If you find a young bird, it is best to leave it alone. The parents are probably nearby and will take care of it. In addition, it is protected by law and it was illegal for the lady to have taken it into captivity.
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Bird
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The controversially named nation Myanmar is also called controversially what?
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Common Creatures of Lake Union | At Lake Union Park
At Lake Union Park
Explore at Lake Union Park!
Boat at Lake Union Park.
Play at Lake Union Park.
Learn at Lake Union Park.
Get involved at Lake Union Park.
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Common Creatures of Lake Union
Content courtesy of the Washington Water Trails Association.
Birds
Explore the history of the lake through the words of the Duwamish tribe or ha-ah-chu AHBSH which means “People of the Littlest Lake.” Learn more...
Making History Together at Lake Union Park
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i don't know
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International dialling codes beginning with the number 2 are chiefly for which continent?
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World Telephone Numbering Guide
Greenland
Some country codes in World Zone 2 are not in Africa. Aruba (+297) is near the South American continent, but there are no spare codes available in World Zone 5. A free code from World Zone 2 seemed to be the next best choice.
Faroe Islands (+298) and Greenland (+299) are in the northern Atlantic, between North America and Europe. But for many years, there were no available country code assignments in the traditional European zones (World Zones 3 and 4). However, due to political upheavals such as the post-Soviet era national breakups, several codes have since become available in World Zones 3 and 4. There is no indication that these nations will be changing country codes, however.
Zone 3
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Africa
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"What member of the Murdoch media family said in 2012, ""Profit without purpose is a recipe for disaster""?"
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World Telephone Numbering Guide
Greenland
Some country codes in World Zone 2 are not in Africa. Aruba (+297) is near the South American continent, but there are no spare codes available in World Zone 5. A free code from World Zone 2 seemed to be the next best choice.
Faroe Islands (+298) and Greenland (+299) are in the northern Atlantic, between North America and Europe. But for many years, there were no available country code assignments in the traditional European zones (World Zones 3 and 4). However, due to political upheavals such as the post-Soviet era national breakups, several codes have since become available in World Zones 3 and 4. There is no indication that these nations will be changing country codes, however.
Zone 3
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i don't know
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Labanotation is a system for coding/recording/analyzing what movement?
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Labanotation: The System of Analyzing and Recording Movement - Ann Hutchinson Guest - Google Books
Labanotation: The System of Analyzing and Recording Movement
1 Review https://books.google.com/books/about/Labanotation.html?id=rEzxpZX0BNkC
A definitive book for students of dance and movement studies, Labanotation is now available in a fourth edition, the first complete revision of the text since 1977.
Initiated by the movement genius Rudolf Laban, and refined through fifty years of work by teachers here and abroad, Labanotation, the first wholly successful system for recording human movement, is now having the effect on ballet and other forms of dance that the prefection of music notation in the Renaissance had on the development of music.
This book makes it possible to record accurately, for study and reconstruction, the great dance creations of the theater, as well as such diverse activities as time/motion studies for industry, personnel assessment and physical therapy. So comprehensive that it can indicate even facial expressions, the system is also simple enough for a child to learn easily as an integral part of athletic or dance training.
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Human
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Which country gave diplomatic asylum/refuge to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in 2012?
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Labanotation Clearly Explained
Labanotation Clearly Explained
Ad Lib
What's This All About?
Labanotation is a very powerful symbol system that can express human movement. The best way to think of it is as an exact correspondence to music notation. Music notation allows a composer to write down music, and Labanotation allows a choreographer to write down movement. You wouldn't expect a composer to rely on audio recordings to preserve their music, and you wouldn't rely on a choreographer to rely on video recordings to preserve their dances.
It so happens that video is used as one of the main ways to record dance these days, and that is primarily because Labanotation is not in as widespread use as it should be. If music notation were not in widespread use, you'd expect composers to rely on audio recordings, just because it was all that was available.
Hopefully, as websites like this one start to make Labanotation more generally accessible, we'll start to see more dance performances written down in readable scores.
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i don't know
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