Category Archives: Anatomy

Anatomy

Anatomy of a Book – The New Yorker

In D. W. Youngs lighthearted, lexical short film A Body of Language, a bookdealer shows off one of the antiquarian book worlds favorite prints: a caricature of a bedraggled, elderly bibliophile standing in a muddle of books, as if he has risen from them. His hair is slightly mussed, eyes obscured behind spectacles, and he wears a suit with a pocket square. Titled Anatomy of an Antiquarian Bookseller, the posters provenance makes it something that dealers of rare tomes especially appreciate: only fifty lithographs of the design, by the artist Ronald Searle, were produced, as a commission for the centenary of a Scottish book-trading firm. Searle labelled the portrait with terms drawn from the vernacular of book-dealing that apply equally to the settling and slumping of a body, which, once in fine condition, is now merely fair: dog-eared; mottled calf; joints badly worn; spine cracked.

The obscure and fanciful language of the book worldparticularly the bodily lingois the focus of the above film, and the two dozen or so booksellers interviewed on camera describe with relish their favorite terms. I love the words, one dealer says. The way that they resonate within a kind of closed system is so beautiful, and the way that they relate to humansthe head of the spine, the foot of the spine, the spine. Dentelles, another tells us, as he ever so gently traces a finger down a frilly gilt border, is the name for the golden edging on the inside of a cover; the word is drawn from the French dentelle, which means lace, and which itself comes from the Middle French for little tooth.

It is often fascinating to hear experts discuss their craft, because the demonstration of extreme competence and precision is powerfully appealing: there is a name for every part and every production method, and particularly for every malady. The specialized language is all in the service of diagnosis and correction. When a book has been read too much or loved too roughly, its thumb-soiled (deliciously icky-sounding). If the spine tilts just a bit to the side, its slightly cocked. (A little juvenile, dont you think? one book dealer exclaims.) When paper is browning from age or moisture, its foxed. Some things sound bad but are not so: stab holes might show that a book has been bound from side-stitched installments that were published separately. And that mottled calf from the poster isnt a sign of decayits only the name for a method of using dribbles of acid to make young leather look more interesting. Accordingly, and comfortingly, the language of cures for booky ills is also expansive. The film tells us about wormholes in the binding, showing spines chawed to dust by pests, but it also reassures us about the existence of rembotage: the procedure for swapping covers if you have one volume with marvellous innards but a ragged cover, and another that is gorgeously packaged but drab inside. And a look through the ABC for Book Collectorsthe antiquarians bible, compiled by John Carter and Nicolas Barkerreveals that, while books can be chipped, creased, tired, and disbound, they can also be re-cased, pressed, re-hinged, and guarded. (If only healing the cockled or faded body were so easy.)

If all professions are conspiracies against the laityas one bookseller jokes, quoting George Bernard Shawthen sometimes the rest of us want to be in the congregation, guided by someone who can offer us the language to describe our parts. The professionals, positively glowing with their expertise, reassure us that someone has already seen and recognized the details, and has a word for the state of things and how they are likely to change over time. Whats more, someone has already devised a fix for our troubles. Searles scribbly and just a bit soiled librarian does not need to be a rare survivalan astonishingly well-preserved and scarce piece. His appeal comes from his dictionary of imperfections, and because the cataloguing of exacting terms is its own kind of delight.

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Anatomy of a Book - The New Yorker

Anatomy

Studio E: Anatomy of the death of a practice – Building Design

Studio E has been wound up owing 144,014 to its remaining four staff and other creditors. Documents filed with Companies House show it has just15,688 to its name.

Yet just 12 years ago it employed 45 staff and had assets of 168,048.

Here we chart the history of a once-celebrated practice which won a Queens Award for Enterprise exactly 10 years ago. It had been under enormous pressure in recent years, even before its staff were called to give evidence to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry about its part in the tragedy that claimed 72 lives. One staffer has yet to complete his testimony after being taken unwell twice during Marchs sessions.

In January it emerged that the practice could not afford legal representation at the inquiry.

And its Companies House history shows it has moved offices four times since 2014 and twice this year. Its creditors include its landlord to whom it owes 10,000 in rent.

The award-winning practice has been through a number of guises since it was founded as Studio E Architects Ltd in 1994 by former RMJM staffer and impresario David Lloyd Jones with Cezary Bednarski and Andrzej Kuszell.

A parallel company, Studio E LLP, was set up in 2007 but only started trading in 2011. It was part of an on-off plan to give more control to the younger directors, according to evidence given by Kuszell to the Grenfell Inquiry in March.

The LLP gradually took over all the original firms work. At its peak in June 2008 it employed 45 staff and its net assets were 168,048.

But after running into financial difficulties the LLP went into voluntary creditors liquidation in July 2014, two years after it had been appointed in controversial circumstances to carry out the 9.4m Grenfell Tower refurbishment.

The original firm, Studio E Architects Ltd (SEAL), which had never been closed, took over again. But the practice shrank significantly and by March 31, 2017 it employed 12 staff and had net assets of 48,803.

Current and past members of staff spent two weeks in March giving evidence to the Grenfell Inquiry about the refurbishment and cladding of the tower which contributed to the deadly spread of fire in June 2017, resulting in 72 deaths.

When the inquiry opened in January its barrister Prashant Popat said Studio E could not afford full legal representation and that his 30-minute opening remarks would the only time the firm had legal representation at the hearings.

He said the architect had had to make difficult decisions about how to engage with the process because it did not have the resources to hire a full team of lawyers or even study all of the inquiry documents. That was also the reason it did not appear at the phase one hearings.

It is just a necessary consequence of the financial limitations placed upon the company, Popat said at Januarys session. The truth is that due to the funding restrictions, Studio E has not been able to consider with its advisors all evidence disclosed by the inquiry, or by the other participants.

In its heyday Studio E designed Grange Park Opera House in Sussex and a number of celebrated schools including City of London Academy in Southwark which won a Prime Ministers Better Public Building Award in 2006. In 2008 it was named best school architect in the British Council for School Environments awards.

In 2010 it became only the fourth architecture practice to receive a Queens Award for Enterprise, awarded for its continuous achievement in sustainable development.

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Studio E: Anatomy of the death of a practice - Building Design

Anatomy

Samos And The Anatomy Of A Maritime Push-Back – bellingcat – bellingcat

Samos And The Anatomy Of A Maritime Push-Back

Refugees and migrants have all but stopped arriving on Greek islands amid mounting reports of maritime push-backs. In April of 2020, the UN Refugee Agency recorded a single landing with 39 people. During the same period in 2019, there were 1,856 arrivals by sea. The near-complete drop off follows a border standoff between Greece and its neighbour, Turkey, which shifted its stance in late February, saying that it would no longer prevent the estimated four million refugees and migrants it hosts from crossing into the European Union.

Greece has denounced what it calls extortion diplomacy by Turkey and suspended access to asylum during March. But while the asylum system has officially reopened since April 1, arrivals have not resumed certainly not to the levels from the past. The Greek government, conscious that push-backs break international law, has briefed national media that it is pursuing a new dogma of aggressive surveillance without specifying what this strategy entails.

First of all, we must establish what push-backs are.

According to the European Convention of Human Rights:Push-backs are a set of state measures by which refugees and migrants are forced back over a border generally immediately after they crossed it without consideration of their individual circumstances and without any possibility to apply for asylum or to put forward arguments against the measures taken. Push-backs violate among other laws the prohibition of collective expulsions stipulated in the European Convention on Human Rights.

Greece, as well as other EU frontier states such as Croatia, has long been dogged by accusations of push-backs. Respected human rights groups have collected dossiers of witness testimony which typically allege that phones have been confiscated during such operations. However, in the absence of corroborating evidence that these devices might provide, these accusations have largely been ignored.

Maritime push-backs, taking place far from any of the cameras onshore, present an even greater evidential challenge. However, as part of a broader investigation into push-backs conducted jointly with Deutsche Welle, Trouw, and Lighthouse Reports, we have collected evidence to demonstrate how one of these operations worked in practice. The result is the most precisely documented push-back of its kind.

We verified three videos and gathered the accounts of two witnesses who were themselves pushed back, as well as the account of a relative of one of the victims. We confirmed that the people we see across three separate videos, including footage of these refugees on the Greek island of Samos, are the same. We cross-referenced this with local radio broadcasts reporting their arrival and social media posts by islanders who saw them.

April 29, 2020 Aydn, Turkey

On April 29, the Turkish coast guard (TCG) shared a video and pictures of a rescue operation they claimed happened that day. According to the TCG website they had recovered a total of 22 people who were adrift off the coast of Aydn province near the Dip Burnu peninsula.

The video contains three main sections: in one of the scenes we see the inside of the TCG vessel. The captain films the dashboard where we see what time it is (10:16:11 AM UTC, 13:16:11 Greek time) and the coordinates (37.621833, 26.952611). He then shows two Greek vessels and a life raft that is being towed by one of them.

Then it cuts to footage from a different camera closer to the Greek vessels. The Greek ships are the LS146 and the SAR boat 513 from the Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG).

After another cut we see one more ship, this is the LS050 also from the HCG. The orange vessel, marked 513, appears to be pulling a black-orange life raft behind it.

In the remainder of the video we see how the TCG recovers people from the raft and checks their temperature while they are boarding. The faces of the people being rescued are clearly discernible and their clothes are also distinguishable.

The video itself is suggestive of a push-back, but how do we go from here to proving what actually happened? For that, we had to closely examine the events leading up to the video, beginning the day before.

A Well-Documented Arrival

April 28 was a significant day on Samos, one of the five eastern Aegean islands that has been used by the European Union since 2016 as a kind of buffer zone to contain newly-arrived asylum seekers.

It was the day of the visit by Greeces Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis, the politician who has spoken publicly about taking a harder line on asylum and migration. The ministers arrival coincided with reports on Samos itself of a new landing by refugees and migrants.

On Wednesday, April 29, at 02:17:35 UTC, a video was posted on Facebook showing migrants arriving on an island. The post came from the Consolidated Rescue Group, a Facebook page which regularly publishes video evidence showing apparent endangerment of refugees or migrants by both the Turkish and the Greek coast guard.

The person filming says the date is April 28. The footage consists of two videos that have been stitched together. The first video shows a group of people at sea on a dinghy heading for an island. The second video shows them on a steep hill next to a small cove. We were able to identify the island, to approximate the position of the dinghy, and to geolocate the hill-side vantage.

The first segment was shot at sea, just north of Samos on its westernmost side. We know this because of the mountain range in the background.

When compared to the 3D model from Google Earth it was consistent with the horizon of Samos.

Top: panoramic still from video. Bottom: the island of Samos from the north-west

In the other video segment, we see a cove when the person filming turns their phone toward the sea. Given what we know about their approximate position approaching Samos, there are only two coves that could match the one seen in the video.

Panorama of video taken by asylum seekers

Under the Facebook video, some users left comments saying that they had relatives and friends who were aboard the boat and asking if anyone knew what happened to them. We contacted these people. One individual shared a WhatsApp location sent by a member of the group on arrival. It was shared 07:51 Greek time and the location corresponds with that of the western cove.

We were sent an additional image by one of the asylum seekers who were part of this group, which confirmed they landed at the western cove, at 37.763515, 26.602741.

Left: image sent to us by a member of the group who landed on Samos. Right: Satellite imagery (courtesy of Google Earth/Maxar Technologies)

The next step was to establish what time the group arrived on Samos. We know it was in the morning, because of the time that the WhatsApp location was shared. During individual interviews with migrants who were part of this group, all put the time of arrival at around 7:30 that morning.

We do not need to rely solely on their testimony. In the video, we see the sun is about to rise from the northeast when the group is still on the dinghy, near Samos. The time of sunrise on Samos that day was 06:18. This time is consistent with the people reaching Samos itself at about 07:30 local time.

First light is clearly visible as the asylum seekers approach Samos

The cove we see in the video is located at a distance of only about 800 meters from the village of Drakei, but the climb from the cove to the village is extremely steep and may have taken considerably longer than the distance would suggest.

Mentions Of Migrants On Radio And Social Media: 28th of April, 2020

The first recorded mention of the new arrivals comes on local radio 2000 FM, when a local woman from the village of Drakei, who owns a shop next to a church, told the host, Giannis Negris, that she saw roughly 17 people passing through the village. At noon, the host received a call from a man who told him that two police vehicles were on their way to Drakei. Negris decided to call the hospital to see if the migrants were checked there, but the hospital told him that no migrants had been admitted that day.

Posts made by locals on social media also discussed the issue. In the post below an eyewitness claims they saw this group being apprehended by the authorities when they arrived at the village.

Posts made on Facebook by locals. Left: Original Greek, Right: English translation

The social media post of the incident claims the group was picked up by the port police. According to one of the asylum seekers from this group, who later spoke to us, they were taken to the shore and loaded onto a vessel they remember as being orange. They were taken to and put aboard a second vessel, before eventually being forced onto an orange-black life-raft whose description matches the one we see in the Turkish footage of April 29.

At 7:30 PM, a couple told Giannis Negris they were driving near Mikalis when police stopped them and demanded to see their codes (permission to go out during the Covid-19 lockdown in force on the island during this period). The police then asked them to leave the area due to an unspecified exercise by security forces. The couple left the location, but not before one of them was able to spot a Hellenic coast guard vessel pulling a life-raft. One of the asylum seekers stated that their group were towed out to sea on the same day they landed and left adrift in Turkish territorial waters. People aboard the life-raft could see Turkish coast guard vessels nearby but these boats did not intervene. The asylum seekers said that the tide kept pushing them back into Greek territorial waters. Each time this happened the Greek vessel would use its wake to push the life-raft back into Turkish waters. This push and pull continued overnight and into the afternoon of the next day (April 29), when the Turkish coast guard finally picked them up. Confirmation of this last part is seen in the video published by the TCG.

In addition to the video material, we found corroborating evidence from multiple sources giving near identical accounts of incidents, locations and times. In all cases, they state that on that day, a group of migrants arrived near Drakei and that they were detained shortly after.

Matching People

After confirming the location and time, we were then able to match the individuals from the three separate videos and establish that they are indeed the same people in each. This demonstrates that we see the same people arriving on Samos, before later being picked up by the TCG. In all cases below the footage taken by the asylum seekers is on the left, while the footage taken by the TCG is on the right.

A Pattern Of Push-Backs

Our reconstruction of April 28 and 29 is built on a mixture of open source evidence, which includes videos and pictures, as well as testimony from the group of asylum seekers and locals on Samos. We have located this visual evidence in time and space and found that it corroborates the accompanying witness accounts we were able to collect.

What is potentially unique here, in relation to reported push-backs, is the chain of evidence. In other instances, there is either no footage of migrants being pulled back into Turkish territorial waters by the Greeks, or there is no open source evidence that confirms absolutely that asylum seekers actually made it onto a Greek island.

A good example of these partially evidenced cases came on April 30 on Chios, another Greek island in eastern Aegean, where migrants allegedly arrived on the island before being pushed back. In this case the migrants ended up on an uninhabited islet called Boaz Adasi inside Turkish territory, where they were later picked up by the TCG. There is footage of the people being taken off that islet and there is footage of a dinghy presumed to have been used by the same group on the shore of Chios.

TCG rescuing migrants from the Boaz islet near eme, Turkey

As was the case on Samos, local witnesses discussed seeing the group on social media. This was also picked up by local news sites, that claimed there were newly arrived migrants on Chios, although some of these posts were later removed. So far, however, no images have emerged that show the same individuals on land on Chios.

Dinghy used by migrants who allegedly arrived in Chios on April 30, 2020.

A pack of diapers that was presumably left behind by migrants. This brand of diapers, Super Rest Baby, is sold in Turkey

The Chios example is important because the depth of local testimony would normally be taken as proof of the incident in the absence of photographic evidence. A common complaint among victims of push-backs is that their phones are confiscated when they are taken into custody and prior to being coerced back across the border. In the Samos case, the visual evidence chain remained unbroken, because the video and locations were shared prior to the group being detained.

In the Samos case we were able to establish contact with two asylum seekers who were part of the group pushed back, as well as the husband of one of the women in the videos. They all confirmed the group made it onto the island, and that the members were detained and almost immediately pushed back.

The people we spoke to were also frustrated with Turkish authorities who left them adrift through the night of April 28 and into the following afternoon before taking action. Relatives of the group were left uncertain of their fate because the individuals we see rescued on April 29 were later transferred to a detention center in Aydn, Turkey, where they were quarantined for 14 days without access to a phone before being released.This was a joint investigation conducted by Youri Van Der Weide and Bashar Deeb

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Samos And The Anatomy Of A Maritime Push-Back - bellingcat - bellingcat

Anatomy

The anatomy of a Covid-19 ski holiday how will resorts make it safe? – Telegraph.co.uk

Experts weigh in on the planned protocol for chalets, chair lifts, lessons and aprs ski next season

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown the worlds future travel plans into turmoil. The uncertainty about how, when and where we will be able to go on holiday again remains profound, with debates about air bridges, travel bubbles and quarantine periods making headlines daily but still no clear light at the end of the Channel Tunnel.

While the future of summer holidays still hangs in the balance, those who offer ski holidays and operate in the winter months have a bit more time to plan for life in the future Covid-19 world.

Despite many still recovering from the impact of the premature end of last season and customers still concerned about whether it's safe to book a ski holiday for next winter, there are plans afoot as to how our annual pilgrimage to the slopes might look in the 2020/21.

Heres what the experts and those in the industry think the ski holidays of the future could look like.

Wondering if you should book a ski holiday now? Read our full guide here.

If one things for certain its that some level of social distancing measures will be in place in resorts across the globe. Recently the Norwegian resort of Myrkdalen opened for a fleeting end to the winter season and resorts in New Zealand have been given permission to open as snow begins to fall in the southern hemisphere, while some resorts in the Alps look set to offer skiing on glaciers this summer. All have adopted a new set of restrictions that could provide a blueprint for those planning for next season.

Measures implemented include social distancing in lift queues and limits on the number of people in gondolas or riding on chairlifts permitting only people from the same household to use a lift together.

Hygiene standards and cleaning protocols on lifts have also been ramped up and visitors are asked to wear face coverings and gloves luckily this is often the case in ski resorts already.

Looking ahead, it is likely that resorts will recommend lift passes and equipment hire are booked in advance to reduce queues at offices and pressures on staff. And as governments reveal guidance for reopening the hospitality and leisure sectors, many resorts are working on introducing technology to make contactless and cashless payments available throughout both villages and on the mountain including lift stations, restaurants, bars and hotels.

When it comes to public transport, as was the case at the end of last season when the pandemic first approached Europe, the blueprint for resorts moving forward is likely to include restricted capacity on ski buses and changes to timetables. The Italian resort of Courmayeur has revealed it will also be encouraging guests to pre-book private airport transfers, to reduce the number of people on large coach transfers and public transport.

The Austrian resort of Ischgl, which has been identified as a key epicentre for the virus in Europe, was the first in the world to say it will be reconsidering its approach to party tourism. We will question developments of the past years and, where necessary, make corrections, said Werner Kurz, the resorts mayor. That means more quality and less party tourism, prioritising skiers and fewer day-trippers on buses who only come to party.

Hopefully by next winter all restaurants and bars will be back open, some in Alps have already been granted permission to lift the shutters. But its likely there will be some restrictions in place two metres spaces between tables, requirements to pre-book and more options to take food away. Large and wild aprs parties will have to be reconsidered and the focus may shift to a more sophisticated off-the-slope offering in resorts instead.

How food will be served in resorts appears to be one key area of discussion, with many operators and experts believing self-catering could see a boom.

The benefits are obvious no shared dining or living space, no external staff preparing meals, control over your own hygiene standards and the possibility of spending an entire weeks ski holiday solely in the company of your own family.

Our focus is already on the types of holidays that enable clients to limit their contact with others. For example we always recommend self-drive with Eurotunnel, so effectively clients can get from their home to their accommodation in the Alps without the need to be in contact with anyone. Our self-catered apartments also allow clients their own space, so again they can limit contact with others, said Xavier Schouller, managing director from French self-catered specialists Peak Retreats and Ski Collection.

However the traditional chalet holiday will likely remain a popular choice for British skiers and snowboarders.

Bramble Ski, which operates both catered and self-catered chalets in some of Europes top resorts, suggests more guests will request contactless service in chalets, rather than having a traditional host present at meal times. Certainly there will be a period where people will feel more comfortable with less services and we will accommodate that, said Natash Robertson, co-founder of Bramble Ski.

We are currently proposing contactless service to our customers if they would prefer this. We have done this before for guests who have booked fully staffed accommodation at the top end of our portfolio. Tables are laid up, food served and cleared, rooms cleaned and turned down without the guests ever seeing a member of staff. Lower down the scale, meals can be prepared and left in the property for the guests to serve themselves. Cleaning teams can also be sent in only when the guests are not in the chalet, she said.

Other services that could be available on a contactless basis include in-chalet ski and boot delivery service and lift pass delivery service taking the need to walk around a resort on arrival and queue with other holidaymakers out of the equation.

As the interest in catering for ourselves increases so might the popularity of self-drive trips as people remain nervous about flying.

Thousands of Britons drive to the Alps each year, with families in particular appreciating the flexibility it provides. Popular French resorts such as Flaine, Morzine and La Clusaz, are just eight hours from the Calais end of the Eurotunnel, during which time a group would be able to avoid contact with other travellers. Self-drive removes much of the stress of packing too, particularly if youve booked self-catering accommodation. Guests can stock up on food and supplies in the large valley towns before heading up into resorts, where supermarkets tend to be smaller and more expensive; whats more you can even take a freezer box stocked full from home.

"The majority of our clients are keen to self drive, we hope this will be an even more popular option for skiers next winter, as they may be less keen to fly," said Jane Bolton, managing director of Erna Low.

While DIY ski trips will be the preferred choice for some, others will continue to favour the service and amenities staying in hotels on the slopes can offer.

Luckily, compared to ski chalets, most of which operate solely in the winter months, many of the hotels in the Alps and beyond are hoping to be able to reopen this summer, albeit primarily for domestic travellers. This will give them a trial run at adopting new rules and restrictions before the peak winter season hits.

The Naturhotel Forsthofgut in the Austrian resort of Leogang is one such hotel it has shared some of the measures guests can expect. On arrival, guests will be greeted by staff wearing smiling Forsthofgut branded masks or visors. For guests, on request, a Forsthofgut safety kit - face masks, antibacterial gloves and hand-sanitiser spray will be available. Staff members have undergone a rigorous hygiene training programme, and regular refresher courses will be carried out.

Some hotels are looking to increase the amount of room service they offer, while the breakfast buffet is likely a thing of the past and hotel restaurants are set to be redesigned to allow tables to be at a safe distance from each other. Hotel managements are also preparing systems to make the reservation and check-in process totally contactless.

Hotels and chalets at the luxury-end of the spectrum, where guests are used to the likes of a ski concierge service and dining in private, will inevitably up their game further with the rest of the market looking on for inspiration.

Next winter guests at Ultima Collections uber-glamorous chalets in Courchevel, Crans-Montana andMegve will have their equipment disinfected daily, including skis, boots, hats and gloves.

Secluded properties with a small number of rooms that a small group of friends and relatives can book for exclusive use will be very successful. Requests for bespoke services, and private jet or helicopter trips are already increasing, said Max-Herv George and Byron Baciocchi, founders of Ultima Collection.

Certainly those with the budget for it will inevitably look towards private jet transfers, heliskiing and off-piste guided days in an effort to avoid busy lifts and slopes. Companies such as Pelorus, which offers bespoke adventures and exclusive ski trips starting from 9,500, are poised ready to cater for them. There will be more demand for quieter ski regions and remote locations. Well be sending out clients to remote lodges that can offer a chance for people to ski in lesser known resorts or access off-piste for more advanced skiers, said Geordie Mackay-Lewis, co-founder of Pelorus.

Off-the-beaten track doesnt always come with a hefty price tag though, in fact many lesser-known resorts around Europe can offer great-value ski holidays away from the major hubs, which might struggle to contain capacity and implement social distancing. Ski resorts in the likes of Norway, Eastern Europe, North America, the Pyrenees and less frequented parts of the Alps are likely to see a spike in interest.

Ski and snowboard lessons form a crucial part of many peoples ski holidays, especially beginners. Often carried out in groups and in designated parts of the mountain there are plans afoot to ensure ski schools can adhere to new regulations and social distancing.

The Ecole du Ski France is the countrys largest ski school, with thousands of British students each winter. All ESF resorts will see social distancing implemented by reducing the need for customers to visit and congregate in offices but to meet in open spaces on the slopes. Plans being drawn up during this summer will also see measures put in place at meeting points to ease crowding. Group and Private lessons will be conducted with more space in between participants if required, said Mark Neville, business manager for the ESF in the UK.

More advanced skiers and snowboarders, who attended courses and workshops in the mountains or use guiding services for off-piste days, will also see changes.

We released our dates about two weeks ago and since then our early bookings and general enquiries have been up on previous years. It seems to us that people, especially the ones that missed out on March and April holidays this year, are desperate to get back on skis, said Warren Smith, founder of the Warren Smith Ski Academy, which runs courses across the globe for advanced and intermediate skiers.

Going forward we will still run eight-person groups, but our six-person group size will become the new normal. I predict though within a year this will shrink even further to four people per group, said Warren.

The smaller groups always have the flexibility to go further afield and go off piste. In a four person group going off-piste is so much safer and controlled compared to an eight person group. Smaller groups get more specific tuition and while yes the prices will go up the value will be reflected.

Warren predicts further still there will be increased demand for private lessons, with people prepared to spend a bit more for the luxury of knowing they are isolated from others.

Tour operators and their staff in chalets, hotels and resorts will play a vital role in the continued battle against the virus.

We are really hopeful the same number of jobs will be available and well recruit the levels we need to ensure we deliver the exceptional customer service were known for. The season isnt scheduled to start until November, so although well be later than usual recruiting our teams, we have time, said a spokesperson from Crystal Ski Holidays, the UKs biggest winter tour operator.

While the recruitment process, which usually begins in June, has been put on hold this year there will be increased training, focusing on hygiene and social distancing, for those hoping to work in the mountains next season. We will need to follow government advice regarding social distancing and requirements for workplace safety for all our employees. So we await these over the next few weeks before we finalise the roles and job descriptions, said Rob Dixon from Ski World.

We will continue to work with our resort, accommodation and travel partners to plan a ski holiday experience that meets all current safety measures, read a statement from HotelPlan, which operates Inghams, Ski Total and Esprit Ski.

There will be greater focus on more client-friendly booking terms and conditions, to give clients the confidence to book. Refundable deposits, refunds or deferrals available where previously not offered after payment of the final balance should resorts have to close said Rupert Longsdon, CEO of The Oxford Ski Company.

Its a sentiment shared across the industry, where operators are keen to reinstate customer confidence in travel by easing the likes of final payment deadlines and booking alteration fees.

The last few months of uncertainty has shown us that our customers want the reassurance that their money is safe and need to trust us to do the right thing. Inghams has over 85 years experience getting skiers to the slopes and when the time comes to get back to the mountains, our expert team will be there every step of the way, said HotelPlan.

Other service providers are following suit and offering greater flexibility. When the virus hit the Alps, forcing all businesses to close, many independent companies adapted quickly and reassured customers by processing refunds on the likes of equipment hire, lift passes and lessons and allowed credit to be transferred free of charge to next winter.

While travellers will be looking for peace of mind with the implementation of new rules and services by resorts and operators many will find comfort in the familiar. Our core package structure of flight, accommodation, transfer and ski packs will remain, read a reassuring statement from Crystal Ski Holidays.

We continue to follow the advice of the Government and will align to any new health and safety guidelines and measures which may be introduced. The safety and wellbeing of our customers and staff remains our highest priority, it continued.

Whether the novelty of new social distancing measures, isolated days on the slopes, contactless services and do-it-yourself packages will wear thin remains to be seen but one thing is for certain and thats the ski holidays of the future will need to adapt to the new normal.

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The anatomy of a Covid-19 ski holiday how will resorts make it safe? - Telegraph.co.uk

Anatomy

The anatomy of the perfect striker: From Lionel Messis left foot and Cristiano Ronaldos heart to Vardys pac – The Sun

LIONEL MESSI, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gary Lineker... when putting together the perfect striker we are truly spoilt for choice.

From dynamite left feet to powerhouse speedsters, Marca has come up with its own formula for a magnificent goalscoring version of Frankenstein's monster.

Here, SunSport details how the "perfect" striker might look and offer up some different options for each asset.

There is a delicate art to unleashing devastating shots on goal while running at full speed.

And Mbappe runs faster than any other with some of the fiercest pings in the business, thanks to his cracker of a right foot.

Perfected shot technique is a vital component here, with Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney also good shouts.

You could probably take a whole load of the Argentine magician and pour him into the perfect striker but his left foot is his best asset.

From dead-ball situations he is unparalleled and his dribbling skills have dazzled opponents since he was a child.

It's hard to argue with Messi in this realm but Raul is another who wowed fans with his left foot, as did Adriano and his trademark thunderbolts.

Ronaldo is often lauded for his skill but he also has bucketloads of determination and heart.

The Juventus forward has reached the top - and stayed there - as one of the hardest training, most competitive men in the game.

In this category of sheer enthusiasm and passion, the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paolo Di Canio might be two interesting picks.

Poacher's instincts are among the most valuable, unique hallmarks of a top-quality striker.

England legend Lineker had it in abundance with the vast majority of his 300-plus career goals coming so close to the line he could smell the goalkeeper.

See alsoJermain Defoe and Robbie Fowler for forwards who simply know where the goal is.

Ask any defender - strikers with immense pace are among the most difficult to handle.

Leicester's Plan A as they won the league in 2016 was to send the ball over the top for Vardy to chase - a route to goal that still works to this day.

Michael Owen, pre-hamstring injury, would give the Foxes star a run for his money in this department, as would Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

There are goals and then there is Van Basten's goal in the final of Euro 88.

His world famous volley past the USSR showed that the Dutchman had perfected the art of scoring in style.

Other attackers who only ever seemed to score beautiful goals include Francesco Totti and Thierry Henry.

Slightly different to the instinct of being in the right place at the right time, this is about getting the ball over the line no matter what.

Being able to turn even the slightest whiff of an opportunity into a goal is a skill Muller showed in his years leading West Germany and Bayern Munich's frontline.

Modern day examples include Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero, both naturals at getting even quarter-chances on target.

What might have become of Ronaldo's career had he not suffered from brutal injuries is a great question for fans to ponder.

Some believe he was the most talented footballer ever and arguably his best asset was his determination to reach the goal, as shown by his famous one-man show past Compostela in 1996.

Good luck getting the ball off O Fenomeno, or similarly devilish forwards such as Luis Suarez or Didier Drogba.

At only 5ft 9ins, Real Madrid legend Santillana had plenty of ground to make up on towering defenders when the ball was in the air.

And it was his stunning leap that helped turn him into one of the most threatening headers of the ball of his era.

Fellow Spaniard Aritz Aduriz was another mean aerial threat before his recent retirement, as was 6ft 7in England star Peter Crouch, scorer of the most headed goals in the Premier League era.

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The anatomy of the perfect striker: From Lionel Messis left foot and Cristiano Ronaldos heart to Vardys pac - The Sun

Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy boss explains Teddy scene in Station 19 finale – digitalspy.com

Grey's Anatomy and Station 19 spoilers follow.

Grey's Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff has addressed Teddy Altman's appearance in Station 19's season 3 finale.

The final episode of the spin-off show's season saw Teddy encouraging Carina DeLuca to forgive Maya Bishop, after Maya cheated on Carina with Jack Gibson. The scene led to speculation over the status of Teddy and Owen's relationship, as Owen found out about Teddy's affair with Tom Koracick in Grey's Anatomy's early season finale.

Are Teddy and Owen over? Or did Owen forgive Teddy?

Vernoff said that while some scenes in Station 19 had to be edited due to the fact that Grey's Anatomy could not complete its season 16 storylines as planned, the Teddy scene remained because of its ambiguity.

"There were four episodes of Grey's that we could not shoot. So we're gonna have to play those stories through on Grey's in the fall. Some scenes [in Station 19], I had to go in and edit or change when I couldn't air the [missing] Grey's episodes," Vernoff explained.

"But what I liked about that [Maya/Carina/Teddy] scene and the reason I allowed Teddy to remain a part of it was that I felt like you couldn't tell whether she had been forgiven or not.

"You could tell that she cared deeply about the subject, but you didn't know what had happened in her own life since episode 21 of Grey's."

Related: Grey's Anatomy boss confirms original season 16 finale won't be used for season 17

Vernoff also recently addressed Andrew DeLuca's bipolar diagnosis, after it was mentioned in Station 19's penultimate episode of the season by Carina.

Recent reports have suggested that the original Grey's Anatomy season finale would have seen a major character die.

Grey's Anatomy and Station 19 air on ABC in the US. They air on Sky Witness in the UK with selected episodes also available on NOW TV.

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Grey's Anatomy boss explains Teddy scene in Station 19 finale - digitalspy.com

Anatomy

ABC renews 19 shows including Greys Anatomy, The Good Doctor – The Indian Express

By: AP | Los Angeles | Published: May 22, 2020 10:18:29 am As with other networks facing the uncertainty of an industrywide, coronavirus-caused production halt, ABC is releasing its plans later than usual.

ABC is bringing back the lions share of its series for next season, including black-ish, A Million Little Things and The Rookie.

They are among the 19 shows that will return in the 2020-21 season, the network said Thursday, adding to a list of previously announced renewals.

New series debuting next season include Big Sky, a thriller from writer-producer David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies, Boston Legal), the comedy Call Your Mother and game show revival Supermarket Sweep with host Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live).

As with other networks facing the uncertainty of an industrywide, coronavirus-caused production halt, ABC is releasing its plans later than usual and piecemeal. Its schedule has yet to be announced.

Among the ABC series that wont be back: sitcoms Bless This Mess, Schooled and Single Parents, the drama Emergence, and Kids Say the Darndest Things, a reality show hosted by Tiffany Haddish.

Decisions on The Beauty and the Baker and For Life have yet to be announced.

More returning shows are: American Housewife, The Bachelor, The Conners, Dancing with the Stars, The Goldbergs, mixed-ish, Shark Tank, Stumptown, 20/20, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Americas Funniest Home Videos, American Idol, The Bachelorette, The Good Doctor, Greys Anatomy, Station 19.

The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

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ABC renews 19 shows including Greys Anatomy, The Good Doctor - The Indian Express

Anatomy

Greys Anatomy: 6 times a doctor fell in love with a patient – Hidden Remote

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GREYS ANATOMY (ABC/Jessica Brooks)

Greys Anatomy has explored all kinds of relationships in its sixteen-season run. Love triangles, student-teacher relationships, dying patients who couldnt live without each other. And in some cases, doctors falling in love with their patients.

In fact, there have been at least six instances where a doctor has developed feelings for the person theyre supposed to be treating or saving. Some flings lasted a day, while others resulted in engagement or marriage. In all cases, those relationships ended one way or another. Heres a look back at every time a doctor crossed the line all in the name of love.

Season 4, Episode 8 introduced us to Marcus Kane, a man who was admitted to the E.R. thanks to a bus crash. It wasnt long before he went from being an average patient to someone from Dr. Baileys past. And he wasnt just anyone. He was Baileys high school crush.

At a time where we didnt know much about Baileys love life outside of her troubled marriage, Marcus allowed for a new side of Bailey to shine. She was distracted, bashful, very flirtatious, and even got in trouble from Dr. Hahn.

The feelings werent exactly mutual here as Bailey later realized Marcus was simply using her both in high school and there in the hospital. Regardless, this one-episode fling allowed fans to learn more about who Miranda Bailey was before her surgical days.

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Greys Anatomy: 6 times a doctor fell in love with a patient - Hidden Remote